Tag: israel

Will Asia, Africa Follow Latin America on Palestine?

With seven Latin American countries formally recognizing Palestine as an independent state, there is one question floating in the corridors of the United Nations: will Asia and Africa follow suit? "It is a decision to be made by individual countries in their respective capitals," says one U.N. diplomat, who also ruled out any chances of … Continue reading “Will Asia, Africa Follow Latin America on Palestine?”

Gaza’s Children Dare to Dream

GAZA CITY – Despite the lingering trauma of living under siege, regular Israeli military attacks and the consequences of a bloody war several years ago, Gaza’s children still dream of happiness and of normal lives. Islam Mqa’t, 9, from Gaza City’s Al Zarqa neighborhood, together with 150 family members, friends, and neighbors, spent weeks cowering … Continue reading “Gaza’s Children Dare to Dream”

Bereaved Israelis, Palestinians Unite Across Violent Borders

JERUSALEM – With Middle East peace talks at a standstill, a group of activists is taking matters into its own hands. The Parents’ Circle Families Forum, a group comprising Palestinians and Israelis who have lost family members in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, aims to build a bridge between the two fractured communities. “Waiting for our respective … Continue reading “Bereaved Israelis, Palestinians Unite Across Violent Borders”

AIPAC Protests Disclosure of Its Secret Files

On Dec. 23, 2010, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee filed a 53-page motion [.pdf] asking Judge Eric Christian to sanction former employee Steven J. Rosen over the illicit possession and release of sensitive internal AIPAC documents. Rosen’s $20 million defamation suit against his former employer seeks compensation for derogatory public statements AIPAC made to … Continue reading “AIPAC Protests Disclosure of Its Secret Files”

Interim Forever!

“I have three answers,” the Jew told the rabbi when his neighbor sued him for not returning a borrowed jar. “First, I never borrowed a jar from him. Second, the jar was broken. Third, I returned it to him long ago.” Avigdor Lieberman’s Peace Plan shows a similar kind of logic. Peace Plan? Lieberman? Oh, … Continue reading “Interim Forever!”

Israelis Resist Their Own Arabs

RAMALLAH – A number of recent incidents discriminating against Israel’s Palestinian minority has prompted Israeli Knesset members to debate whether Israel is becoming increasingly racist. Ronit Sela from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) has no doubts. “Israel’s democracy is under threat as an increasingly large racist element raises its collective head. A … Continue reading “Israelis Resist Their Own Arabs”

Closer to a Palestinian State, Via South America

BUENOS AIRES – With the string of announcements in South America of recognition of a Palestinian state this month, the region’s integration process showed a new interest in and capacity to reach common positions in the realm of foreign policy. After Brazil announced in early December that it recognised a Palestinian state, Argentina, Bolivia and … Continue reading “Closer to a Palestinian State, Via South America”

Israel Represses Israelis, and Congress Approves

It’s been two years since Israel initiated the Operation Cast Lead military assault on the besieged Gaza Strip. Since then, the right-wing Israeli government of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has launched an unprecedented wave of intimidation against Israeli peace and human rights groups. These groups say they are “working in an increasingly hostile environment,” according … Continue reading “Israel Represses Israelis, and Congress Approves”

The Darkness to Expel

It is easy to despair before the filthy wave of racism that is engulfing us. The remedy for this despair: the growing number of young people, sons and daughters of the new Israeli generation, who are joining the fight against racism and occupation. This week, several hundred of them gathered in a hall in Tel … Continue reading “The Darkness to Expel”

Israel Demolishing Talks

ISSAWEYA, Occupied East Jerusalem – More and more Palestinians are paying the price for deadlocked talks over Israel’s continued settlement-building in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. Muhammad Robin Alyyan, 27, from the volatile Issaweya suburb of East Jerusalem, stands next to piles of rubble and twisted metal. This is all that remains of his … Continue reading “Israel Demolishing Talks”