Ziyaad Lunat

The results of the first year of Netanyahu’s economic peace are visible. While there has been no progress on the political front, security and economic cooperation with the PA has never been better. The American-trained security forces have kept a tight grip over West Bank towns squashing dissent and keeping “order.” Ziyaad Lunat comments for The Electronic Intifada.

Efforts by human rights organizations, lawyers and activists in Palestine and Europe to hold Israeli war crimes suspects to account have gained momentum over the past few years. Last week, former Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni cancelled a visit to the UK over threats of a lawsuit under the country’s universal jurisdiction laws. Adri Nieuwhof and Ziyaad Lunat comment for The Electronic Intifada.

While the Obama Administration proved twice recently that it intends to continue to consider Israel above the law, there is a glimmer of hope that the people of Gaza will see justice. The massacre brought about sweeping change, across the world, in perceptions of Israel. Citizen-led mobilizations in the past few months have showed that where governments have failed, ordinary citizens can, perhaps, make a difference. Ziyaad Lunat and Max Ajl comment for The Electronic Intifada.

The US and certain Arab states are pushing for normalization with Israel despite its ethnic cleansing and ghettoization of the Palestinians under a racist apartheid regime. Given this reality, how can we bring back into the equation principles of justice, equality and human rights? Ziyaad Lunat comments for EI.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s “economic peace” proposal should be seen as the beginning of a new stage of colonization. Israel has been successful in dividing the Palestinians into different groups, separated politically and geographically. Israel has also been successful in creating a collaborating political class. Israel failed however to squash their desire for freedom and their right to resist aggression. In other words, Israel was successful in the physical colonization of the land, de facto controlling the whole of historic Palestine, but failed to colonize Palestinian minds, for the most part, at least. This new stage will target the latter. Ziyaad Lunat comments for The Electronic Intifada.

As Israel massacres the Palestinians in Gaza once again, one may ask what has happened to the Arab voice. It is no surprise that the world’s super powers condone Israel’s genocidal acts in Gaza. Colonization, slavery, apartheid, genocide and ethnic cleansing have been constants in western colonialist adventures. What has now reached new levels is the open, vocal and active support of Arab governments to the massacre of the Palestinian people. As the Indian sepoys once did, new collaborators have joined the chorus of voices condoning the carnage. Ziyaad Lunat comments for The Electronic Intifada.

The recent violence in the Israeli town of Acre has been presented by mainstream media as an aberration in Israel’s model “democracy.” The BBC echoed official Israeli discourse, emphasizing that the so-called “Israeli-Arabs” “have full rights as Israeli citizens.” However, as The Electronic Intifada contributor Ziyaad Lunat argues, the Zionist state has historically suppressed its Palestinian citizens, through a complex legal framework that circumspectly discriminates against them, while still allowing for a “democratic” facade.

Last week, Fatah and Hamas officials held direct talks for the first time since Hamas’ June takeover of Gaza. Mediated by Yemeni officials in the capital, the talks led to the recently announced “Sana’a Declaration.” However, it is unclear whether these talks, like those that preceded the Gaza takeover, will result in reconciliation and national unity. Ziyaad Lunat comments for EI.