June 2011

From UK prison, Palestinian leader Sheikh Raed Salah says he will fight deportation

Ali Abunimah 29 June 2011

Sheikh Raed Salah, the head of the Northern Branch of the Islamic Movement in Israel, has vowed to fight deportation from the United Kingdom, in a message sent through an emissary from the Colnbrook detention center near London’s Heathrow Airport, where Salah is currently being held. 

WATCH: Ali Abunimah, UNRWA's Chris Gunness and Jerusalem Post's Yaacov Katz debate Gaza flotilla

Ali Abunimah 29 June 2011

Israel’s propaganda war against the Gaza Freedom Flotilla heats up. The Electronic Intifada’s Ali Abunimah appeared on Russia Today’s Crosstalk with Chris Gunness, spokesman for UNRWA, the UN agency for Palestine refugees, and Yaakov Katz of The Jerusalem Post. 

What does fraudulent "anti-gay flotilla" video tell us about Israeli hasbara strategy?

Ali Abunimah 28 June 2011

Last Saturday, The Electronic Intifada revealed the true identity of “Marc,” the star of a YouTube video, who claimed to be a disillusioned activist turned away from the Gaza Freedom Flotilla because he’s gay. He was in fact Omer Gershon, a minor celebrity in Tel Aviv’s club scene. 

US government moves to criminalize Palestine solidarity

Maureen Clare Murphy 27 June 2011

In an op-ed published by Al Jazeera English today, I write about the US government’s attempts to criminalize the Palestine solidarity activists — including the State Department’s threats to prosecute activists involved with the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. I also appeared on Al Jazeera English’s The Stream today to discuss FBI raids and subpoenas targeting activists. 

Bilin protesters bulldoze part of Israel's illegal wall

Maureen Clare Murphy 24 June 2011

The Popular Struggle Coordination Committee reports today that the Israeli army opened fire at a Palestinian protester operating a bulldozer at a gate in the wall in Bilin village today. Hundreds protested today during the weekly demonstration in the occupied West Bank village today, after the Israeli army finally began to implement this week an Israeli high court decision made four years ago to dismantle part of the illegal Israeli wall in the village. 

Oroub al-Abed on "The Invisible Community: Egypt's Palestinians"

Maureen Clare Murphy 24 June 2011

While Egypt has played an important role in the fate of the Palestinian national movement, little attention has been paid to Palestinians in Egypt. In a new policy brief from Al-Shabaka: the Palestinian Policy Network, Oroub el-Abed gives an overview of the experience of Palestinians in Egypt and where they stand today. 

Can Palestine be partitioned? Taking the discussion back to basics

Ali Abunimah 20 June 2011

Anyone who follows developments related to Palestine will have heard countless times the lazy assertion that “everybody knows” what a final outcome will look like. It is common refrain from a Middle East peace process industry that seeks to define the limits of permissible discussion about political outcomes. Anything that does not fit with Israel’s priority to remain a “Jewish” state is automatically deemed “not pragmatic” or “utopian” at best, or “extremist” and betraying a desire to “destroy Israel” at worst. 

Report on The Electronic Intifada boosted campaign to nix AUB speech by Wolfensohn

Ali Abunimah 13 June 2011

The Daily Star in Beirut reports on 12 June: James Wolfensohn, former World Bank president, has pulled out of the commencement due to honor him at the American University of Beirut following a petition from students and faculty members over his links to an Israeli think tank and businesses. 

Palestinian BDS organization to Jello Biafra: Do not cross our picket line!

Nora Barrows-Friedman 13 June 2011

The Electronic Intifada recently reported that legendary punk rock musician Jello Biafra issued a public statement last week saying that he intends to play a planned gig in Tel Aviv despite the Palestinian-led call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel, much to the dismay of international BDS activism groups and his fans. The Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI) released an open letter on 12 June urging Biafra to reverse his decision and respect the BDS call. 

Open letter from Lebanon to Moby: Don't play in Israel next month

Nora Barrows-Friedman 12 June 2011

The US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (USACBI) posted a public letter signed by Lebanese civil society organizations and student groups commending the decision by musician Moby to visit Lebanon in early July, while urging him to cancel his upcoming concert in Israel planned for the week after in order to respect the call for Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions. 

Jello Biafra bucks international BDS call, will play show in Tel Aviv

Nora Barrows-Friedman 10 June 2011

Someone once said that “punk rock is dead.” Alas, another nail in the coffin was hammered in on Tuesday, when punk rock legend and former frontman of the anti-imperialist, anti-corporate San Francisco-based band Dead Kennedys, Jello Biafra, decided to go ahead with a planned gig in Tel Aviv despite pressure on him to respect and honor the Palestinian-led call for boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS).  

Video: Israeli police wrestle US citizen to ground, put knee on his neck

Maureen Clare Murphy 9 June 2011

In this video which appears to have been shot on “Jerusalem Day” — marked this earlier this month by thousands of right-wing Israeli settlers who provocatively marched in Jerusalem — a young American Jew states his solidarity with the Palestinian people before being roughly arrested by Israeli police. 

Update/analysis: Cameron changes "no comment" stance on JNF departure

Maureen Clare Murphy 9 June 2011

Last month Asa Winstanley reported for The Electronic Intifada on how British Prime Minister David Cameron had stepped down as honorary Jewish National Fund patron. Asa, a journalist in London who blogs at winstanleys.org and who can be followed on Twitter, wrote up an update and analysis after the prime minister’s spokespersons broke the silence on Cameron’s resignation. 

Saeb Erekat denies Washington Post claim Palestinians dropped settlement freeze demand

Ali Abunimah 8 June 2011

The PLO “chief negotiator” Saeb Erekat has categorically denied a report in The Washington Post suggesting that the Palestinian Authority (PA) leadership that he represents has dropped its insistence that Israel halt settlement construction in the occupied West Bank before resuming US-brokered negotiations with Israel. 

Largest academic union in UK passes key motions for Palestinian rights

Nora Barrows-Friedman 7 June 2011

Coming right on the heels of the recent vote by the largest student union in Europe to support the Palestinian-led boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement — which called for “thorough research into [the University of London Union’s] investments and contracts” with companies guilty of “violating Palestinian human rights” as set out by the Palestinian Boycott National Committee (BNC) —  

Former professors refute Israel's indictment of kidnapped Gaza engineer

Maureen Clare Murphy 7 June 2011

Former professors of Dirar Abu Sisi, the engineer from Gaza who went missing during a train trip in Ukraine last February, refute allegations in Israel’s indictment that the man was taught weapons systems at university. The indictment also claims that one of Abu Sisi’s professors studied at a military engineering school in east Ukraine, though no such school exists, the Associated Press has found. 

Israeli bullets killed protesters, yet Syria is responsible say Israel, US

Maureen Clare Murphy 7 June 2011

The Government of Israel, which has occupied the Syrian Golan Heights since 1967, has stated its intention to complain to the United Nations over the march from Syria on the occupied Golan Heights yesterday. At least twenty persons are reported to have been killed by Israeli fire during a protest marking Naksa Day or the 1967 occupation of Arab lands. 

Move Over AIPAC challenges business-as-usual in Washington

Linda Khoury Washington, DC 3 June 2011

Late last month AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, held its 2011 annual policy conference in Washington, DC. Just across the street hundreds of social justice activists from all corners of the United States, in addition to a handful of internationals, met with the formidable goal of building a counter-force to AIPAC. 

"Tree of Life" - New hip-hop track from Rami GB featuring DAM's Mahmoud Jrere

Ali Abunimah 2 June 2011

“Tree of Life” (Shajaret Al Hayah) is a new hip-hop track from Rami GB, Mahmoud Jrere (of DAM), Ahmad Srour, Suleiman al-Zawahira. It’s an ode to the olive tree – a symbol of continuity, steadfastness and resistance in Palestine – and frequent target for destruction by Israel from 1948 to the present day. 

Suheir Hammad's new poem and short film: "Into Egypt"

Nora Barrows-Friedman 2 June 2011

Whether it’s poems that resist the drumbeats of war or hold a mirror up to the sorrows of New Orleans, Hammad’s work continues to articulate the redemption that she reminds us is always there. In her new poem, Into Egypt, Hammad dives into the energy of the current uprisings in the Middle East and North Africa, holding the narrative of Egypt’s revolt in a personal, deeply moving light. 

Pinkwashing and the Gay International

Benjamin Doherty 2 June 2011

The International Gay and Lesbian Youth Organization (IGLYO) announced this week that it will host its upcoming General Assembly in Israel with direct Israeli government financial sponsorship. Since March, activists have appealed to the IGLYO board of directors, but IGLYO clearly intend to violate the Palestinian civil society call for boycott, divestment and sanctions.