Hamas is changing, are we listening?

Fawaz A. Gerges, The Nation, 25 January: Like it or not, Hamas is the most powerful organization in the occupied territories. It is deeply entrenched in Palestinian society. Neither Israel nor the Western powers can wish it away. The good news, if my reading is correct, is that Hamas has changed, is willing to meet…

How do Jews and Palestinians speak to each other?

An intriguing Israeli episode that reveals the deep divide between Jews and the rest and the ways in which Zionist chauvanism is never far from the surface: Two days after he was removed from a Channel 1 studio at the behest of Erev Hadash host Dan Margalit, MK Jamal Zahalka (Balad) fanned the flames on…

How a Palestinian in Gaza deals with life under siege

During my visit to Gaza last July I spent time with journalist Fares Akram, a calm and determined man. One year after the war, he writes about coping with life in the Strip and why he continues: A year ago it wasn’t just our grief that we had to contend with, but a collective fear…

Any chance of real engagement, Tel Aviv?

Hardline Zionist Isi Leibler writes regularly in the Jerusalem Post about the parlous state of Israel’s image in the world. His usual solution? Hit the enemy harder and go on the offensive. The only slight problem is that the world no longer wants to hear the bleating. His latest article offers nothing in the way…

Gazans asked to help Israel oppress them

Some Israeli kindness: The Israel Air Force on Thursday dropped several thousand leaflets over the Gaza Strip, warning residents not to come within 300 meters of the border fence between Gaza and Israel and to avoid cooperating with terror operatives. Another leaflet called on Gaza residents not to sit idly by while operatives digging tunnels…

J Street still has a little fight left for the struggle ahead

I have many issues with J Street (see here), but good on its head Jeremy Ben-Ami challenging the Israeli government over its increasingly erratic public statements: Being an Israeli ambassador these days can’t be easy. On the one hand, you’re working for a prime minister whose strong suit is public relations, who at least talks…

Britain and Israel on a path to diplomatic conflict?

Pithy comments by Omar Barghouti, a leader of the BDS campaign: Forty two (yes 42!) Knesset members (a third of the total), from across the Zionist political spectrum (including Labor), are “recommending [to] the citizens of Israel to reconsider using the services of companies that operate in Great Britain …” Perhaps it is time for…

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