In a sign of its significance, the New York Times finally covers the Gaza Freedom March and the political machinations behind the scenes. Such information arriving in the pages of the Times is important, a signal that the American political elite has to finally acknowledge the humanitarian disaster in Gaza and Palestine as a whole:…
Showing all posts tagged United States
How many reasons do you need not to move to Israel?
The idea that Jews from across the world will be desperate to come to the Jewish state is stalling badly. If the figures below are setting a record, Israel has a major crisis on its hands: Aliyah to Israel from the United States rose by 19 percent this year over 2008, setting a 36-year record.…
Why can’t American citizens visit their representatives in Cairo?
Ali Abunimah has spent the morning at the US embassy here in downtown Cairo. His words really speak for themselves: Standoff continues. Egypt brings reinforcements. US relies on Egyptian police repression to prevent its citizens gaining access to their own representatives.
Settlment building won’t bring peace, please tell the Israelis
Black is white, settlement expansion in East Jerusalem is a sign of peace and Israel really wants to end the siege of Gaza. If Israel was a civilised nation, of course: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that the “conditions are ripe” for renewing peace negotiations with the Palestinians, adding that he planned to raise…
Stuck in Cairo, but Gaza Freedom March soldiers on
The following report by Mondoweiss – I’ve spent much of the day with its founder Phil Weiss, reflecting on the significance of this massive global action for Palestine – explains the contradictory feelings many of us feel being here in Cairo and speaking out on the Middle East. These are moving times and many tears…
Understand that last year’s Gaza assault was only the beginning
Gazans are remembering their dead after Israel’s attack. But according to the New York Times: In the year since Israel launched its devastating military offensive against Hamas in Gaza, the country’s political and military leaders have faced intense international condemnation and accusations of possible war crimes. But Israel seems to have few qualms. Officials and…
How BDS has become a part of the Middle East debate
American Jewish magazine the… Forward asks a number of prominent Jews to assess the decade’s news. Most contributors talk about the wonders of the Gaza war and related delights, but this entry is a notable exception: After years of building slowly, the boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement has gained real traction. The BDS conference at…
Life in Bethlehem is anything but blessed
Back in July, I visited the occupied city of Bethlehem and spent time at the world-renowned university there. Now, Br Peter Bray,Vice Chancellor of Bethlehem University (and from New Zealand),… has sent out an end of year missive outlining the reality of life in an occupied city. It may have a holy history, but in 2009…
Fox News quality spread around the world
Glenn Beck’s year of wild conspiracies, paranoid delusions and cynical lies.
Cairo, who’s ya daddy?
Yitzhak Laor in Haaretz: The time has come to acknowledge that the most important undertaking of the State of Israel, within narrow or expanded borders, has always been to maintain the supremacy of the Jews. Meanwhile, Egypt is rightly accused of doing the bidding of its financial and political backers. A client state now building…