With the media saturation of the recent war between Israel and Hizbullah still fresh, and the shaky promise of a brittle ceasefire, Lebanon once again risks to fall prey to stereotyping. In defiance of the war and in solidarity with the humanitarian crisis in Lebanon, De Balie organises an evening of films, documentaries and videos by Lebanese makers, in collaboration with the Lebanese production house and film festivalNe a Beyrouth. The selection of films are testimony to the resistance of Lebanese artists to a historical and cultural amnesia, and show that being rooted in contemporary Lebanon means is as much a commemoration of an untold past, as it is a reflection on and of the present. Read more about Cinema Lebanon in Amsterdam
23 August 2006 - Protesters are currently occupying the roof of an arms manufacturer who supply weapons to the Israeli army used in the bombing of Gaza and Lebanon. In the early hours of Wednesday morning (today) protesters climbed 40 feet onto the roof of EDOMBM on Home Farm Road, Brighton. Activists aim to draw attention to the production of weaponry used in war crimes. Sarah Johnson, press spokeswoman for Smash EDO, said “Over a thousand civilians have died as a result of Israel’s bombing of Lebanon. Israel continues to kill civilians in the West Bank and Gaza with weaponry armed with components made in Brighton.” Read more about Rooftop protest against arms dealers
The American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) welcomes reports that the United States Department of State has opened an inquiry into whether, during its recent conflict with Hezbollah in Lebanon, Israel violated secret agreements made with the United States concerning the use of American-made cluster bombs. The State Department investigation was reported today in the New York Times. According to the Times the inquiry is based upon, “reports that three types of American cluster munitions, anti-personnel weapons that spray bomblets over a wide area, have been found in many areas of southern Lebanon and were responsible for civilian casualties.” Read more about ADC Welcomes State Department Inquiry into Israeli Use of Cluster Bombs
WASHINGTONDC — Former Israeli General Moshe Ya’alon, the “Butcher of Qana”, found it nearly impossible to deliver a briefing on Washington DC’s Capitol Hill Monday, August 14th, as he was disrupted again and again by Washington DC based activists. Members of the Coalition for Justice and Accountability drew attention to Ya’alon’s leading role in the 1996 shelling of a United Nations Interim Forces in Lebanon (UNIFIL) compound in Qana, Lebanon. Under the supervision of Ya’alon, Israeli armed forces repeatedly targeted the compound, killing 106 civilians and wounding hundreds of others. Ya’alon is currently facing a civil suit in US Federal Court on charges stemming from his involvement in the Qana attack. Read more about "Butcher of Qana" finds No Safe Haven on Capitol Hill
11 August - Tonight a small group of mostly Jewish activists disrupted a talk by the Israeli consul general to a group of about 300 hard-core Zionists at the San Francisco Jewish Community Center. It was a surreal experience, and I’m still wondering how worthwhile it was. The best thing about it was that we did it with almost no planning. We met about 40 minutes before we needed to be there. Some people felt we should just stand up and hold up a banner, while others wanted to try to speak out. We agreed that we would do both, which worked out to be an excellent strategy. Read more about Confronting the Zionists Where they Live
In the neighborhood of Forest Place in Perth, Western Australia, on August 5, 2006, demonstrators came together to denounce the war on Lebanon and Palestine and call for justice. Solidarity activists and members of the Arab and Muslim communities joined together in a protest to call for justice in Lebanon and Palestine. Read more about Photostory: Protest in Perth against the war on Lebanon
On Saturday, August 12th, members of the NY-based activist collective Action Wednesday, organized a series of projections in outdoor public spaces around Manhattan. The videos were aimed at giving out information and raising awareness about Israel’s war against Lebanon. Three locations were chosen for projections: Washington Square Park, Union Square, and the Bowery. Five videos were used: the Electronic Lebanon PSA, “From Beirut to…those who love us”, “Beirut 1982/2006”, footage from a recent demonstration in Washington DC, and a montage of images and factoids. Equipment and guidance was provided by the Graffiti Reseach Lab. Photos by EI’s Nigel Parry. Read more about Beirut street projections in New York City
On Friday afternoon, July 21, 2006, we scattered flyers from the rooftops of Tel Aviv to protest the war in . The flyers contained translated excerpts of actual leaflets dropped by the IDF in calling on citizens to leave their homes. As we enter another round in the cycle of displacement and refugeehood in our region, Zochrot calls on the Jewish public to question the aims of this war and to acknowledge the roots of the violent conflict that began with the Nakba of 1948. Read more about Photostory: Flyers dropped over Tel Aviv
This week, Lebanese, Palestinian and international activists here in Beirut have been meeting and planning a response to Israel’s aggression against Lebanon. Not that we have military technology, or a huge force field to repel the missiles, at our disposal. What we who are unarmed, who believe in strategic nonviolence as a strategy to overcome brute military force, have at our disposal is determination, moral ground to stand on, and a fundamental belief that our human and political rights must be claimed and asserted. This is particularly so in the face of an aggressive force that destroys life and limb and shows no mercy for human rights, human dignity and the ability of people to live on their land. Read more about What will Israel do?
Live audio/video streaming transmission from Waag Society in Amsterdam, in direct connection with Beirut and surrounding localities. The event was initiated by Streamtime, a web support campaign for Iraqi bloggers. After one month of violence and carnage, this Global Web Jam brings together live interviews and conversations, video clips, cartoons and blog blurbs, soundscapes, DJs and VJs, a lively mix of information, art, protest, party and reflection. We feature the voices, images stories, reports and initiatives from Lebanon and beyond, with participation of activists, artists, bloggers, journalists, musicians and many others. Read more about Mrabba Electroni[c]que: Global Lebanon Web Jam
