Tag: palestinians

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”

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”

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”

Racism, Rabbinical and Otherwise

As part of Israel’s orgy of racism and fascism since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu formed his far-Right coalition almost two years ago, dozens of Israeli racist rabbis (RR) have signed an edict forbidding Jews in “the Land of Israel” from selling or renting property to non-Jews (in other words: to Israeli Palestinians or Arabs). The … Continue reading “Racism, Rabbinical and Otherwise”

Vox Taxi, Vox Dei

On Saturday evening, two weeks ago, we returned by taxi from the annual memorial rally for Yitzhak Rabin and as usual got into a conversation with our driver. Generally, these conversations flow smoothly, with lots of laughs. Rachel loves them, because they bring us face-to-face with people we don’t normally meet. The conversations are necessarily … Continue reading “Vox Taxi, Vox Dei”

Is Palestine America’s Next Vietnam?

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hasn’t been alone in playing for time when it comes to American policy, that’s for sure. (Think, for instance, of our Afghan War commander Gen. David Petraeus.) But Netanyahu played out the pre-election months with some skill and much shuffling of feet, as he officially pondered Obama administration proposals to … Continue reading “Is Palestine America’s Next Vietnam?”

Palestinians Earning a Living in No Man’s Land

EREZ BORDER CROSSING, Northern Gaza – Crossing through the metal-caged tunnel that leads from the Israeli side of the border into northern Gaza toward the Palestinian checkpoint, several groups of young Palestinian men and boys can be seen scavenging through piles of rubble. The twisted metal and shattered concrete are all that remain of Palestinian … Continue reading “Palestinians Earning a Living in No Man’s Land”

Israeli Police Look to Settlers to Fill Ranks

Israeli police look to settlers to fill ranks First army, now police set for takeover By Jonathan Cook in Nazareth As U.S.-sponsored peace talks have stalled over the issue of settlements, Israel’s national police force has revealed that it is turning to the very same illegal communities in its first-ever drive to recruit officers from … Continue reading “Israeli Police Look to Settlers to Fill Ranks”