The two sides of the Israel/Palestine divide. On the one hand, a minority of Israelis and Arabs are profoundly disturbed with the country’s decline: International Human Rights Day was marked in Israel for the first time on Friday when thousands of people participated in a human rights march that began in Rabin square in Tel…
Showing all posts tagged West Bank
Only one Zionist view is acceptable, says Israeli spokesman
Israel’s ambassador to the United States, Michael Oren, on Israel lobby group J Street: …A unique problem in that it not only opposes one policy of one Israeli government, it opposes all policies of all Israeli governments. It’s significantly out of the mainstream…This is not a matter of settlements here [or] there. We understand there…
Jewish settlements are becoming Israel’s serious problem
Two pieces of news this week that signal growing global outrage over Israel’s colonisation program. First, in Germany: Twenty-four former German ambassadors urged the German government to take a harder position against Israel and to rethink its Middle East policy. In letters sent to German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle, they ask…
Blocked from working towards a better Palestinian future
Gisha, Israel’s major human rights group that documents freedom of movement, highlights a shocking decision by Israel’s High Court (background to the case here): Israel’s High Court of Justice today decided not to allow Berlanty Azzam, a 22-year-old student who was forcibly removed to the Gaza Strip six weeks ago, to return to Bethlehem University…
The threat of legitimate resistance near Nablus
The International Solidarity Movement on the ongoing harassment of non-violent activists in the West Bank: The Israeli military kidnapped nine Palestinians from the Nablus region in the early hours of Tuesday, 9 December 2009, including four leading civil society activists. The Israeli army in the force of 200 armed soldiers invaded several districts of Nablus…
Water makes the world go around (if Palestinians could access it)
Oxfam highlights a largely ignored issue in the Middle East: Don’t drink the water! EWASH Advocacy Task Force challenges international consul generals to drink water from Gaza, West Bank The Emergency Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Advocacy (EWASH) Task Force will be distributing water collected from communities in the West Bank and Gaza Strip to consul…
Palestinian Christians want BDS
An important statement on behalf of the Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel: Senior Palestinian Christians from all the denominations in the Holy Land will call this week for economic sanctions and boycott of Israel to end its occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, echoing a call by black South African theologians at…
So, world, what are you going to do about settlement expansion?
Jewish colonists give the finger to the international community: The security cabinet decision to stop construction in the territories did not come as a complete surprise to the settlers of the Etzion and Talmon-Dolev blocs. In a race against time, the settlers managed to obtain construction permits and to lay the foundations for hundreds of…
Does J Street realise they are backing an increasingly likely war against Iran?
So-called progressive Jewish lobby J Street has a slight identity crisis. Last week it was willing to criticise ongoing settlements in the West Bank. This week, the tough cop routine rolls out: J Street, the pro-Israel, pro-peace lobby, today announced its support for Congressional passage of the Iran Refined Petroleum Sanctions Act of 2009. “J…
Australia and Israel, an intimate relationship
Violence should be condemned but my sources tell me that the reaction of the police in Melbourne yesterday was a gross over-reaction: Capsicum spray was used on pro-Palestinian demonstrators who tried to storm a hotel where Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard spoke last night. About 200 demonstrators holding flags and placards tried to force their…