Middle East
Poor Israeli Doves, Forced to Live in Embarrassing Times
Published March 20, 2009 @ 01:42PM PT
Steven Salaita cracked me up with his sincere apology to Israeli liberals:
I woke up this morning with an abject pain in my soul. This pain has been nagging me lately, sometimes even preoccupying my moral sensibilities, especially since Israel tightened its economic stranglehold on the Gaza Strip and commenced a bombing campaign that killed over 1000 Palestinian civilians. I am an educated man; I read the appropriate progressive magazines, so I know just how hard this genocide has been on Israeli liberals.
Rabbi Gutow of JCPA: Peacenik Jews Silenced? Where?
Published March 19, 2009 @ 05:09AM PT
I missed what I knew would be a fascinating event in New York earlier this week:a gathering of centrist and pro-peace Jewish leaders engaged in communal navel gazing at the 92nd Street Y. Luckily, Mondoweiss was there, and he took copious notes. He also dug up the video of the event.
One of the central conflicts for Weiss has to do with his level of comfort as part of the Jewish community, partly as a result of the mostly toxic and suffocating support for Israel's crimes. That being said, the pro-peace part of the Jewish community is making a brave stand and taking a personal risk by insisting on the right to criticize and push Israel while at the same time claiming to be mainstream Jews.
Jeremy Ben-Ami and Rabbi Steven Gutow had a disagreement over whether or not the Jewish community represses critics of Israel, including those with a strong record of support for mainstream causes AND Israel. Rabbi Gutow pretended not to know this was going on. (I'm choosing that interpretation because I know he isn't stupid.) Ben-Ami set him straight though:
Israel Makes Sweet Weapon Love with India
Published March 18, 2009 @ 02:33PM PT
h/t to Ron K. at the Telegraph
Here's the scene: Israeli arms manufacturers want to slide a greasy tongue into the inviting crevices of Indian officials in charge of future purchasers. But they don't know how to make the first move. Twenty years ago it would have been a mix-tape with love songs. Today, it's a Bollywood style musical.
Do You Have What It Takes?
Published March 18, 2009 @ 03:34AM PT
Do you have what it takes to write for Peace in the Middle East? That's right, I/we are looking to expand our selection of guest authors. And it could be you! Many will will apply, only a few will get in, but if selected, all the fame and fortune we can generate will be YOURS.
Azun Atmeh - a Village Isolated by the Wall
Published March 17, 2009 @ 04:50AM PT
Dafnah Banai is one of Israel's premier peace activists. I know her from serving on the board of Reut/Sadakah more than a decade ago; since then she became part of the core team of MachsomWatch, a women's human rights NGO. Their work: to watch over the behavior of Israeli troops at the hundreds of checkpoints in the West Bank.
Israeli Arabs Demand: Include Our prisoners in Shalit deal
Published March 16, 2009 @ 08:06PM PT
A number of Israeli Arab movements are calling for Hamas to include Arab Israeli prisoners in the list of prisoners to be released in exchange for kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Among these movements are Abnaa el-Balad (Sons of the Village), whose secretary Mahmoud Kna'aneh was held prisoner in an Israeli prison for a security-related crimes in the past and today his brother is serving time in an Israeli prison.
Fascist Lieberman to be Israel's Foriegn Minister
Published March 16, 2009 @ 06:17AM PT
From the Department of Shooting Yourself in the Foot:
Israel's PM-designate has signed his first coalition deal, which could see controversial right-winger Avigdor Lieberman becoming foreign minister.
Benjamin Netanyahu of Likud struck the deal with Mr Leiberman's party Yisrael Beiteinu, which has been accused by some critics of anti-Arab racism.
That's right. Israel's Jorg Haider will run around the world trying to help Israel look better:
