This story is updated. Barack Obama’s administration is hinting that it may push for a U.N. resolution endorsing a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian…
Source: foreignpolicy.com
Waiting on Israeli society to change from within is a colossal waste of time, during which the suffering of an entire nation – torn between an occupied home and a harsh diaspora – will not cease. But what are Palestinians and the supporters of a just peace in Palestine and Israel to do? Plenty.
Those who counted on some sort of a miracle to emerge from the outcome of the recent Israeli elections have only themselves to blame. Neither logic nor numbers were on their side, or the long history laden with disappointing experiences of “leftist” Israelis unleashing wars and cementing occupation. Despite a few differences between Israel’s right and the so-called left on internal matters, their positions are almost identical regarding all major issues related to Palestine. These include the Right of Return and the status of occupied Jerusalem to the illegal settlements.
As equally important, most sectors of Israel’s political classes that are dominated by Zionist Jews are also in concord regarding the status of Israel’s Palestinian Arab population (1948 Palestinians). Don’t let the racist fearmongering of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu – terrifying Israeli Jews of Arabs voting in “droves” – blind you to the fact that the Zionist Labor bloc is equally racist, although, in a less vulgar fashion.
But Palestinians are not without options. Sure, the odds against what they are destined to fight are great, but such is the fate of the oppressed as they are left between two options: either a perpetual fight for justice or unending humiliation and servitude.
1. Abbas, Oslo must go
First, the most difficult obstacle to overcome is the stronghold of Mahmoud Abbas and his corrupt circle on Palestine’s political discourse at home. This is not an outcome of Abbas’s particular savvy or the genius of his class. The post-Oslo circle only exists to maintain the status quo: US interests and involvement as a mediator in the conflict, Israel’s security – thus the constant crackdown on Palestinian opposition and resistance – and ensuring that the Palestinian Authority (PA) has a reason to exist for the sake of ensuring the many privileges that come with the job.
This whole apparatus must be overcome and eventually removed entirely from the Palestinian body politic if Palestinians are to have any chance at formulating an alternative strategy.
2. Factionalism must be defeated, crushed
But for that to take place, the very ailments that have afflicted Palestinian society for years, leading to the creation of the ineffectual PA in the first place, would have to be confronted heads on. One such condition is factionalism, which has to be overpowered by a collective that define themselves first and foremost as Palestinian.
Factionalism, in its current format has destroyed much of the social fabric of Palestine. It has divided the already divided people into fragments allowing them to be easy to control, manipulate, suppress – and when necessary – besieged. 67 years are just too long a period for a nation that live mostly in exile, trapped or confined behind walls, to sustain its political identity and remain unified around the same “constants” without proper leadership.
Yet, somehow many Palestinians persisted, insisting on one Palestine, one people, one identity, one goal. For these energies to be streamlined into a meaningful push against Israeli colonial designs, factionalism would have to be put to rest. Additionally, the Palestinian flag must occupy every public place currently occupied by red, yellow, green or any other factional colour or symbol.
3. But the transition must be smooth
Such seismic change cannot come easily. It must be gradual and part of a national initiative. It must be a conversation that brings about friends and rivals not to divide material perks, useless “ministries” and worthless “government” posts, but rather to mend the broken unanimity that once existed. In fact, once upon a time, Palestinians were not united or disjointed around the frivolous “peace process,” but instead around “national constants,” where the Right of Return took central stage.
The transition from disunity and chaos into something visionary and not confined by short term political interests, must be smooth, calculated and led by respected Palestinian figures, not those with hands soiled by blood and corruption.
4. Right of return must be brought back to centre of discourse
One major issue that must dominate the new political discourse is the Right of Return for Palestinian refugees, guaranteed by international law. The issue is not only essential in its centrality in the lives of millions of Palestinians suffering in Syria, Lebanon and elsewhere, but is also essential to any sensible understanding of the conflict and its resolution.
The struggle in Palestine doesn’t date back to the war of 1967, but the Zionist takeover of Palestine between 1947-48 that resulted in nearly a million refugees, the expropriation of their land, homes, rights and the attempt at erasing any evidence of their existence.
By marginalising the Right of Return, one diminishes the very roots of the conflict, and any serious attempt at reconciling the painful past with the equally agonising present.
5. Palestine 48 must be fully incorporated into national agenda
Not all Palestinians became refugees. Some remained in Palestine as it was being transferred to some other entity before their own eyes.
The Palestinians of 1948 have always, and will remain a major component of the Palestine question and the Palestinian struggle for freedom and human rights. The fragmentation between the communities were imposed by calculated political realities, enforced by Israel or circumstances. That said, the issues have never been truly separated: the plight of Palestinians in Israel, those under military occupation in the occupied territories, and refugees in the diaspora all go back to the same historical point of reference – the Nakba of 48. These common struggles continue to be sustained by Israel, its racist laws, its military occupation and its refusal to adhere to international law.
Without the Palestinians of 48, the Palestinian national identity will remain politically fragmented and scarred. The persistence and collective strength of that population is an important asset, and their struggles are part and parcel of the struggle and resistance of Palestinians in the occupied territories and those in the diaspora.
6. Resistance must be respected
However, fuel is needed to urge that new collective awareness forward, and nothing can possibly achieve such an end but the insistence on resistance, in both the real and cerebral sense.
The term “resistance” once dominated references made by Palestinian leaders in yesteryears, but was purposely marginalised following the signing of Oslo in 1993. That was driven by two subtle understandings that resistance was ineffective, and that to achieve a degree of validity and stateliness in the eyes of their US-benefactors, the new rulers of Palestine needed to abandon seemingly unsophisticated references to a bygone era.
Yet without resistance there is only submission and defeat, which is precisely what took place. Only popular resistance in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the steadfastness of 48 Palestinians, crowned by the legendary resistance of Palestinians in Gaza under a harsh siege and repeated wars, continue to frustrate Israel. Yet, the harsher Israel tries to destroy Palestinian resistance, the more emboldened Palestinians become, for resistance is a culture, not a political choice.
Without resistance, Palestinians may as well raise white flags and signs on whatever dotted line is dictated by Israel. And then, they would simply be agreeing to perpetual subjugation.
7. BDS must continue to grow, bridge gaps
Resistance is part and parcel of the ongoing global campaign, to boycott, divest from and sanction Israel. The outcome of the Israeli elections, and the rise of a more self-assertive Palestinian political collective by 48 Palestinians, would mean that BDS must enlarge its mission, not just rhetorically by practically as well.
The BDS movement had already emphasised equality for 48 Palestinians as a main objective that is as vital as all other objectives. The Joint List Arab party which won 13 seats in the Knesset solidified the relationship between Palestinian Arab communities within Israel as the BDS movement has to a large extent solidified the rapport between Palestinian communities across political and geographical divides. But more is needed. The new self-assertive Palestinian community in Israel deserves greater engagement. By doing so, BDS would defeat Israel’s constant attempt at diminishing the collective aspiration of the Palestinian people.
8. One State must become the rally cry for equality and freedom
There is no need or time for despair. In fact, the opposite is true. The more empowered and racist Israel becomes, and the deeper it digs into the roots of its Apartheid and racist institutions and walls, the more obvious the answer becomes: a state for two peoples with equal rights. Both Palestinians and Jews exist in that very space, but they are governed by two sets of laws that make peaceful co-existence impossible. In order to speed up the achievement of that moment and lessen suffering, Palestinians have some urgent work to do.
It is time for Palestinian communities everywhere to surmount ideological, factional and political divides, reach out to one another, unite their ranks, and harness their energies, for no matter how deep the divide, Palestine is, should and will always be one.
Source: www.middleeasteye.net
Munib al-Masri, 80, a.k.a. the Duke of Nablus and the Palestinian Rothschild, one of the richest Palestinians in the world, is laboring frantically to pull banks and Arab nations into an effort to prevent the collapse of the Palestinian Authority, Bloomberg reported.
Al-Masri’s wealth came from the oil and gas business; he also owns the Edgo Group, a London-based holding company; and he is head of the Padico investment holding group, which controls 35 companies.
Al-Masri, who also serves as chairman of Palestine Development & Investment Co., warned that Netanyahu’s campaign promise that there would be no Palestinian state, combined with Israel’s withholding of hundreds of millions of dollars in tax revenue “will cause the Palestinian Authority to collapse.”
Al-Masri is also a co-founder of Breaking the Impasse, a group of Palestinian and Israeli business leaders cooperating for peace.
Al-Masri Masri has been pleading with Arab leaders and bankers to help soften the economic blows in the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
On Tuesday, Algeria said it had transferred $52.8 million to the Palestinian Authority, according to the official Palestinian news agency Wafa.
In January, the Netanyahu government froze the taxes Israel collects for the PA, after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas announced his plan to take Israel to the ICC in the Hague on charges of war crimes.
The frozen tax assets come to $127 million a month, according to Bloomberg, or 40 percent of the PA’s monthly budget. So far, the only remedy has been a temporary 40 percent cut in salaries for 160,000 Palestinian civil service employees.
Al-Masri believes Palestinians must increase pressure on Israel through the ICC. But he discourages the expansion of international economic boycotts, divestment and sanctions against Israel.
“I don’t want to see an armed conflict,” al-Masri told Bloomberg. “I call for peaceful resistance.”
Source: jewishbusinessnews.com
Saudi Arabia’s allies have joined the country’s ‘Decisive Storm’ bombing operation in Yemen. The operation is aimed at Houthi rebels who have taken over Yemen, bringing the Middle Eastern country to the brink of civil war. Ameera David takes a deeper look at the conflict and what US officials are prepared to do.
Source: www.youtube.com
Charles and David Koch may be bankrolling a backlash against efforts to boycott Israel.
Source: electronicintifada.net
I have the privilege of being a Greek Orthodox priest from Nazareth in the Galilee. My people have mistakenly been called “Christian Arabs,” but the reality is that we are Arameans, descendents of people who lived here in Israel since the time of the Bible.
Following a lengthy public campaign, Israel’s Interior Ministry has recently recognized us as the “Aramean nation.” Partners in this effort were a number of Israeli Zionist organizations.
Over the past three years I have become a controversial figure in Israel for the simple reason that I embrace Zionism, Jewish sovereignty in Israel, and the tolerance, respect and opportunity for all that have grown out of that sovereignty. I believe that our youth—Christian youth—should fully integrate into Israeli society. Part and parcel of that integration includes serving in the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), Israel’s Army, or undertaking some other form of national service that Israel routinely provides for teenagers.
In 2012, a few Christian IDF officers and I founded the I.C.R.F–the Israeli Christians Recruitment Forum. My efforts have had mixed results. On the positive side, hundreds of Arab or Aramean Christian youth have heeded my call and have served their country with distinction. They have been embraced by their fellow soldiers, who regard them as comrades in arms, and not as strangers in their midst.
Source: observer.com
Two Republican congressmen introduced legislation to prevent boycotts of Israel.
Under the Boycott Our Enemies, Not Israel Act introduced Wednesday by Reps. Doug Lamborn of Colorado and Ron DeSantis of Florida, prospective contractors with the U.S. government would be required to certify that they are not participating in any boycotts against Israel. The bill also includes penalties for false certification, including permanently banning a company from doing business with the government.
“Our government business practices should not play any role in harming our greatest ally in the Middle East,” Lamborn said in a statement, adding that the bill was introduced to “thwart efforts by Palestinian organizations to pressure different corporations, companies and educational institutions to boycott, divest, and sanction Israel.”
“The BDS movement represents a disgraceful attempt to single out Israel for punitive treatment,” he said.
Source: www.haaretz.com
SEPTA is giving up the fight: The transit agency has agreed to run anti-Islam ads on its buses rather than continue to fight the American Freedom Defense Initiative lawsuit officials acknowledge they’d probably lose.
But those officials say they’re now revising SEPTA policies to refuse all ads with political content — no matter what the content — going forward.
Source: www.phillymag.com
Israel killed more Palestinian civilians in 2014 than any in other year since the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip began in 1967, a UN report has said.
Israel’s activities in the Gaza Strip, West Bank and East Jerusalem resulted in the deaths of 2,314 Palestinians and 17,125 injuries last year, compared with 39 deaths and 3,964 injuries in 2013, according to the annual report by the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
The conflict in Gaza in July and August was largely responsible for the dramatic increase in fatalities. It claimed the lives of 2,220 Gazans, of whom 1,492 were civilians, 605 militants and 123 unverified.
More than 11,000 people were injured and about 500,000 Palestinians were internally displaced at height of the conflict. About 100,000 remain so.
There was also a sharp rise in fatalities in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, where 58 Palestinians were killed and 6,028 injured – the highest number of fatalities in incidents involving Israeli forces since 2007 and the highest number of injuries since 2005.Most of the incidents took place in the second half of the year, following the abduction and murder of Mohammed Abu Khdeir, which led to daily riots and protests in East Jerusalem.
Source: www.theguardian.com
1. Dr. Ismahane El Ouafi: After obtaining a Ph.D in genetics from Córdoba University, Spain, she was appointed Director General of ICBA-Agriculture for Tomorrow. Among the many prizes she was awarded, such as the ‘Excellence in Science’ award from the Global Thinkers Forum in 2014, she was ranked among the 20 Most Influential Women in Science in the Islamic World.
2. Nawal El Mutawakil: A former Moroccan hurdler, Nawal won the inaugural women’s 400 meters hurdles event at the 1984 Summer Olympics, becoming the first female Muslim born in Africa to become an Olympic champion. She was also appointed Minister of Sports in 2007.
3. Asmaa Boujibar: At the unbelievable age of 27, Asmaa joined the team of researchers at NASA (National Aeronautic and Space Administration) in 2008, while working for her Ph.D studies.
4. Fatima Mernissi: An Islamic feminist, writer, and sociologist awarded the Prince of Asturias Award along with Susan Sontag, Fatima wrote a landmark book on women in the Arab world, called ‘Beyond the veil’.
5. Touria Chaoiu: Born in 1936 in Fez, Touria was the first Moroccan and Arab woman to become a pilot. She pioneered in 1952, when she was only sixteen years old, receiving massive media attention and congratulations by women’s organizations across the globe.
6. Meriem Chadid: An Astronomer and researcher, she is the first woman astronomer in the world to have been committed to install a large astronomical observatory in Antarctica, where she was also the first to place an Arab flag (Moroccan) at the South Pole.
7. Sanaa Hamri: A prominent video and film director, Sanaa worked with international stars such as Prince, Lenny Kravtiz, Sting, and Christina Aguilera.
8. Hynd Bouhia: Ranked 29th among Forbe’s Most Powerful Women in 2008, and again number 18th according to Arabian Business in 2011, Hynd spent eight years working at the World Bank, before being called in by by the country’s then Prime Minister Driss Jettou to become his advisor in 2004. With a Harvard PhD in engineering, she was also Director General of the Casablanca Stock Exchange.
9. Aziza Bennani: Since 1998, Aziza is a permanent ambassador of Morocco to the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) and was elected in 2001 as president of the Executive Board of the same organization.
10. Aicha Echenna: Known as the mother Teresa of the Arab World, she founded the Moroccan Solidarité Feminine association in 1985, where she encourages the community to help the underprivileged. In 2009, Chenna was awarded the world’s largest faith-based prize for entrepreneurship, the Opus Prize, for her life achievement as a social activist.
Source: www.barakabits.com
INTRODUCTION TO ISRAEL/PALESTINE:
Register here for a 6-workshop course, hosted by Jewish Voice for Peace Boston
Make Shift Boston, 549 Columbus Ave, Boston MA
Schedule:
Monday, April 20, 6-9 PM – The Nakba: Zionism and Israel’s Founding
Monday, April 27, 6-9 PM – The Ongoing Nakba: The Occupation and Gaza
NO CLASS ON MONDAY, MAY 4
Monday, May 11, 6-9 PM – The US Role: Militarization, Islamophobia, and the Peace Process
Monday, May 18, 6-9 PM- The History of Palestinian Resistance
Monday, May 25, 6-9 PM: International Solidarity and Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS)
Monday, June 1, 6-9 PM: Conclusion
Free, with donations welcome!Does supporting peace in Israel/Palestine feel a little “too complicated?” Familiarity with the politics and history of the region and its people can help us work for justice in the Middle East in an informed and fulfilling way.
Jewish Voice for Peace Boston’s education working group spent months developing a curriculum intended to prepare people of all ages for Israel/Palestine activism, and debuted the course Fall 2013. The course has been so popular that we are offering a FOURTH edition, new and improved!
JVP leaders Noor Balbaky and Cael Barry will facilitate six interactive, multimedia workshops designed to invite discussion and questioning. Sessions might include pre-readings of under 20 pages.
We require that each participant commit to attending all workshops. Missing one workshop is okay, but not the first.
Please register here. We are limited to 15 spots, so register soon!
Want to organize, lead, or develop curriculum for courses like these? The JVP Education Working Group aims to build power through education, asking strategic questions like “what do we need to know, feel, and believe in order to become activists for justice in Palestine and Israel?” Get involved with the Education Working Group
Source: jvp-boston.org
Israel will allow the transfer of hundreds of millions of shekels in tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority, the prime minister’s bureau announced on Friday.
The revenues, which Israel collects on behalf of the authority, have been withheld for the past four months following the authority’s referral of Israel to the International Criminal Court in The Hague for possible war crimes.
The bureau said in its statement that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had accepted the recommendation of Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon, the Israel Defense Forces, and the Shin Bet security service that the revenues be transferred.
Israel will transfer tax revenues that have accumulated since February, less payments for services provided by Israeli entities, including the Israel Electricity Corporation, the water authority and hospitals.
Source: www.haaretz.com
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