The boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement is gaining significant momentum cross the United States and Europe, including at US campuses. In response, opposition to the movement is devising new ways to divert attention from efforts to hold Israel accountable for its violations of international law and flagrant abuses of Palestinian human rights. Charlotte Silver comments for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about The deceptive rhetoric of "Invest for Peace" 

As cars plastered with the flags of Brazil, Germany, Argentina and other favorite World Cup teams drove across Beirut on Sunday, Palestinian refugees and their supporters carried Palestinian and Lebanese flags as they marched through the capital. They called for their human rights in Lebanon, where they have lived without them for more than six decades. Matthew Cassel reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Palestinians in Lebanon demonstrate for their rights 

As Israel last week declared the “easing” of the four-year blockade of Gaza, an official explained the new guiding principle: “Civilian goods for civilian people.” The severe and apparently arbitrary restrictions on foodstuffs entering the enclave — coriander bad, cinnamon good — will finally end, while a “security” blockade will remain. But in truth, Israel’s “security” blockade is, in both its old and new incarnations, every bit a “civilian” blockade. Jonathan Cook comments. Read more about Blockade "eased" as Gaza starves more slowly 

Ever since Israel’s murderous attack on the Freedom Flotilla on 31 May, there have been increasing calls from many parties on Israel to end its siege of Gaza. This is strange as well as deceitful, for the siege is not Israel’s alone. Hasan Abu Nimah comments. Read more about Fake calls to "ease" the Gaza siege 

Last New Year’s Eve, Debbie Mardon did not celebrate with noise makers or confetti — instead, she headed to Cairo’s main square to participate in the Gaza Freedom March with her son and daughter. It was an unlikely place to be for a previously apolitical mother who voted for George W. Bush and as recently as three years ago relied on right-wing radio hosts to help her make sense of the world. Alex Kane reports. Read more about Gaza moves New York City mother from apathy to activism 

Since the 31 May attack on the Gaza-bound Freedom Flotilla, during which Israeli naval commandos boarded the Mavi Marmara ship in international waters and killed nine unarmed activists, international organizations and several governments have condemned Israel for its actions at high sea. Nora Barrows-Friedman reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about International organizations renew condemnation of Gaza siege 

Within hours of the Gaza-bound aid flotilla being intercepted and besieged in international waters by Israeli commandos, news of the bloody attack had spread across the globe. Rage, condemnation and calls for an international investigation followed. Meanwhile, Israel’s campaign to spin the attack, distort the facts and quell an outraged public was already in full swing. Abraham Greenhouse and Nora Barrows-Friedman analyze for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Independent journalists dismantling Israel's hold on media narrative 

Israeli authorities are pressing ahead with plans to build a courthouse complex on a large historic Muslim cemetery in Jerusalem that is already at the center of protest over plans to locate a “Museum of Tolerance” there. Jonathan Cook reports. Read more about Israel plans more construction on historic Muslim cemetery 

While pro-Palestinian activists and supporters of Israel lined opposite sides of South LaSalle Street outside the Northern Trust Building in Chicago on 9 June, James Owens, the outgoing CEO and Chairman of Caterpillar Inc., told a room full of shareholders the company was not responsible for the way Israel uses the bulldozers the company manufactures in the United States. Kristin Szremski reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Activists disrupt Caterpillar shareholder meeting 

Jamila Hammouda, a mother of five small children, hopes that she will be reunited with her family in Cairo, Egypt. Hammouda, her husband and their children were waiting on the Gaza side of the Rafah terminal crossing with Egypt, where Palestinians in Gaza have queued up after Egyptian authorities reopened the crossing “indefinitely.” Rami Almeghari reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Hope and anxiety at Rafah crossing 

We’re told that US President Barack Obama’s Cairo Speech a year ago was a harbinger of peace, magnanimity, truth and justice. Hark, herald the new dawn. Islam is not a terrorist religion: peace; fist clench; hand open; “assalaamu alaykum.” Celestial choirs punctuated every sentence with a rising crescendo of harmonious hymning. And at the climax, we climaxed. We’re Arabs, and Barack is the New America, and we like one another. Ahmed Moor comments for EI. Read more about Obama's Cairo speech one year later 

RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) - Although Israel successfully controlled news of its deadly commando raid on the Freedom Flotilla during the first crucial 48 hours of media coverage, emerging evidence from witnesses and survivors is challenging the Israeli government’s version of events. Read more about Israel's media blackout, doctored Flotilla recording condemned 

Israel’s deadly attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla was flagrantly illegal. The Flotilla, carefully searched for arms before disembarkation, enjoyed the right of free navigation in international waters, and Israel had no legal justification to interrupt its peaceful mission. George Bisharat comments. Read more about Gaza occupation and siege are illegal 

Israel’s bloody attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla on 31 May killing at least nine and injuring dozens of activists carrying humanitarian aid to the blockaded Gaza Strip, has already intensified global actions for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it respects international law and human rights. Adri Nieuwhof reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Global boycotts of Israel intensify after bloody Flotilla attack 

Israel has sent the world a loud message: we will do whatever we want wherever want. So what if we kill civilians in international waters? In response, the world gets the typical excuses and rationales it has come to expect from the United States, Egypt, and all the other states that should be levying demands on Israel to free Palestinians from siege, occupation and apartheid. Radhika Sainath comments for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about The urgency of this moment 

Turkish society has been deeply divided over many issues, from political allegiances to cultural preferences. The public sphere in Turkey is more a realm of appropriation and exclusion than one of mutual agreement and consensus building. However, when it comes to Palestine — as the current furor of Israel’s attack on the Freedom Flotilla to Gaza — demonstrates, there is a surprising consensus. Murat Dagli comments for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about The Flotilla attack and Turkey's views of Palestine 

As news was released of Israel’s attack on the Freedom Flotilla and rising casualties among the passengers, the mood at Gaza’s modest seaport grew somber. Hundreds of civilians including governmental and non-governmental representatives, activists, and ordinary Palestinians were waiting anxiously to welcome those on board the Flotilla. Rami Almeghari writes from the occupied Gaza Strip. Read more about Besieged Palestinians outraged over Israel's attack on Flotilla