Since the end of August, construction equipment in the Palestinian refugee camp of Nahr al-Bared, near the northern Lebanese city of Tripoli, has stood unused after the Lebanese State Council granted a two month moratorium for the reconstruction of the camp. Nahr al-Bared, home to approximately 30,000 refugees, was destroyed during a three-month-long battle between the Lebanese army and the militant group Fatah al-Islam in the summer of 2007. Ray Smith reports for Electronic Lebanon. Read more about Nahr al-Bared reconstruction delays protested
In recent years, a growing number of accounts of the 1948 war have corrected and exposed the founding myths of Israel, including claims by its leaders that the Palestinian people did not exist or were invented. The latest addition is Rosemarie M. Esber’s meticulously documented history Under the Cover of War: The Zionist Expulsion of the Palestinians. Esber uses British archives and oral testimonies from Palestinian survivors to demonstrate that there was a purposeful, systematic pattern by which Zionist forces depopulated Palestinian cities and villages before the end of the British mandate on 15 May 1948. Read more about Book casts new light on Palestine's ethnic cleansing
Goncalo de Almeida Ribeiro, Vishaal Kishore and Nimer Sultany25 September 2009
The Goldstone investigation into alleged war crimes committed during last winter’s Gaza attacks singles out a particular set of facts, and a limited period of time as its primary locus. However, such a high-profile report, crafted specifically to address what is perceived to be an extreme or peculiar period of time in the lives of Palestinians under occupation, might have significant negative consequences. Goncalo de Almeida Ribeiro, Vishaal Kishore and Nimer Sultany comment for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about The risks of de-contextualizing Gaza war crimes
The summit between US President Barack Obama with and Palestinian and Israeli leaders in New York signaled the complete and terminal failure of Obama’s much vaunted push to bring about a two-state solution. Although the “peace process” will continue to go through sterile motions, the future of Palestine/Israel is actually being decided elsewhere. Ali Abunimah comments for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Obama's peace effort has failed but our struggle continues
The recent report by a United Nations fact-finding team investigating allegations of war crimes committed during the attack on Gaza last winter is an historic contribution to the Palestinian struggle for justice, an impeccable documentation of a crucial chapter in their victimization under occupation. Its impact will be felt most impressively on the growing civil society movement throughout the world to impose cultural, sporting and academic boycotts, as well as to discourage investment, trade and tourism with Israel. Richard Falk comments. Read more about The Goldstone report and the battle for legitimacy
This weekend at the eighth annual US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation national organizers’ conference held in Chicago, delegates from the approximately 300 member groups that make up the US Campaign voted in favor of an academic and cultural boycott of Israel. The vote, and the deep collective breath of relief that followed, will go down in history as the moment US-based Palestine solidarity activists overcame tactical differences that had long hindered us, to finally come together to confront Israeli apartheid. Nada Elia comments for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about A turning point for the US solidarity movement
Israel is an apartheid state. It rules over me in Gaza yet does not permit me to vote in an Israeli election. It hoards my resources in the West Bank, it detains me and dictates the terms of my survival. It issues my travel documents and denies me the right to travel. I cannot associate or marry or build or import or consume — in short, I cannot live — without Israel’s permission. Yet, I do not have the right to vote. Ahmed Moor comments for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about My rights, my remedy
Gabriel Ash, Mich Levy and Sara Kershnar9 September 2009
A call to organize a large march to break the siege of Gaza immediately captured the imagination of many organizers. However, after the initial call, the framework of the march was challenged by highly-respected Palestinian activists. Their criticism, expressed with the utmost respect for the courage and good will of the organizers, challenged the organizers’ decision to delay engaging in a wide conversation with Palestinian civil society and activists until after the call was made and the framework formulated. Gabriel Ash, Mich Levy and Sara Kershnar comment for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Compromising for Gaza without compromising Palestine
Ken Loach, Rebecca O'Brien and Paul Laverty7 September 2009
When we decided to pull our film Looking for Eric from the Melbourne International Film festival following our discovery that the festival was part-sponsored by the Israeli state, we wrote to the director, Richard Moore, detailing our reasons. Unfortunately he has misrepresented our position and did so again last week on the Guardian’s Comment is free by stating that “to allow the personal politics of one filmmaker to proscribe a festival position … goes against the grain of what festivals stand for,” and claiming that “Loach’s demands were beyond the pale.” Filmmakers Ken Loach, Rebecca O’Brien and Paul Laverty comment. Read more about Why we back the boycott call
The hyperventilating by Israel’s leaders over a story published in a Swedish newspaper last month suggesting that the Israeli army assisted in organ theft from Palestinians has distracted attention from the disturbing allegations made by Palestinian families that were the basis of the article’s central claim. Jonathan Cook comments. Read more about Accountability and the organ theft controversy
