The third edition of my best-selling book, My Israel Question, is released today: Antony’s Loewenstein’s My Israel Question was a bestseller when first published and generated a storm of controversy, critical praise and robust public debate. Loewenstein’s forensic discussion of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict continues here in a fully updated and expanded new edition, examining the…
Showing all posts tagged Zionism
When Israelis and Palestinians simply have to work together
Friends of the Earth Middle East, with whom I spent time in Israel in 2005, sent out the following message in their latest newsletter: FoEME is delighted to report on an exceptional honour and opportunity during the recent visit of THE ELDERS to the region. The Elders, a group of eminent global leaders, including former…
East Jerusalem is key ground
Akiva Eldar in Haaretz: If there is any truth in the reports that came out of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s trip to Europe – that the United States agreed Israel can go on building in East Jerusalem – the headlines should have read “Obama has pulled out of the Middle East peace process.” Paraphrasing the…
One more nation may see sense towards Israel
The new, more liberal Japanese government, throwing the country’s political map into a spin, may shift its policies towards the Middle East. Haaretz reports: Withdrawing from American guardianship could also change Japanese policy toward Israel. Until now, Japan limited its support for the Palestinians to aiding economic projects, in keeping with American requests. The Hatoyama…
Perhaps this Zionist is working for the other side
The Jerusalem Post’s Caroline Glick articulates the fundamentalist, Zionist mindset: The main fantasy governing Europe’s attitude towards the Middle East is the belief in Israeli militaristic venality, fundamentalist messianism, and territorial greed. It is this fantasy that protects European leaders from the need to account for their six years of failed appeasement towards Iran during…
Israelis who show solidarity with the repressed
Al-Jazeera English recently filmed a report on Jewish Israeli activist Ezra Nawi, currently facing jail for allegedly attacking Israeli soldiers (claims he vehemently denies):
Gazans celebrate the holy Muslim festival
A report from inside Gaza during the festival of Ramadan: I heard it all the time in the occupied West Bank back in 2007, and I hear it here in besieged Gaza also: ”˜we used to live with the Jews, side by side. We worked together, lived as neighbours.’ The theme of coexistence is bastardized…
What Israeli cultural ambassadors now must do
Udi Aloni, an Israeli-American film maker, suggests a code of conduct for Israeli artists: We, as Israeli artists opposed to the occupation, must act according to the following guidelines: 1. Declare everywhere that Israel is an apartheid state, violating international law as far as it concerns the Occupied Territories. 2. Demand the immediate lifting of…
Caring more for Israeli blood
The return from Hamas of captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit is reportedly near (though many false stories have alleged this in the past). Gideon Levy in Haaretz highlights the hypocrisy of those shouting the loudest for his release: There is no need to waste more words on everyone’s desire to see Gilad Shalit return home.…
How to pressure Israel one cultural step at a time
How to pressure Israel to change its behaviour? There are a myriad of ways but normalising relations with an apartheid state is not one of them. Outside pressure is the only way to bring change (a message I heard time and time again from countless Israeli Jews during my recent visit there). The occupation won’t…