Leaked documents obtained by The Electronic Intifada show that the Palestinian Authority tried and failed to undermine Turkey’s push for strong condemnation, and an independent UN Human Rights Council investigation into Israel’s deadly attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla. Asa Winstanley reports. Read more about Exclusive: Leaked documents show PA undermined Turkey's push for UN flotilla probe
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
For the first time in US history, a peaceful protest was able to stop workers from unloading an Israeli cargo ship on Sunday, 20 June, in the San Francisco Bay area. From 5:30am until 7pm, social justice activists and labor union organizers blocked and picketed several entrances at the Port of Oakland, preventing two shifts of longshoremen with the International Longshore and Warehouse Union ILWU to come to work and unload the Israeli Zim Lines cargo ship. Read more about Activists prevent Israeli ship from unloading at US port
After being allowed to get a pen and a piece of paper, which has been banned for the last three weeks, and after being allowed to get out of my total isolation, it’s a moment to write a short letter from my jail (Gilboa). Political prisoner Ameer Makhoul writes from Israeli detention. Read more about "What solidarity means": a letter from Gilboa Prison
BRUSSELS (IPS) - A leading Israeli supplier of warplanes used to kill and maim civilians in Gaza is in the running for two new scientific research grants from the European Union. Israel’s attacks on Gaza in late 2008 and 2009 provided its air force with an opportunity to experiment with state-of-the-art pilotless drones such as the Heron. Read more about EU rubber-stamping grants for Israeli war industry
In order to understand how the law works, one needs to situate it in its political and historical context, otherwise it loses its relevance. That’s what Victor Kattan’s new book From Coexistence to Conquest does. It is a novel attempt to examine the legal history of the Israeli-Arab conflict, describing law as one factor among many that shaped the development of events. Mazen Masri reviews. Read more about Book review: Victor Kattan's legal history of the colonization of Palestine
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
In France, the campaign to boycott Ahava Dead Sea cosmetics has entered a new phase with boycott, divestment and sanctions advocates taking legal action against the Sephora cosmetics retail chain’s contract with the company. Adri Nieuwhof reports for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Ahava campaign comes to court
Abraham Greenhouse and Nora Barrows-Friedman15 June 2010
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
Why migrate? What do you leave when you do? What’s waiting for you? How do you bring the social construct of “home” with you? Or replace it? And in a collection of such heavy questions, where is there room for marijuana jokes? Director Cherien Dabis’ award-winning feature-length debut Amreeka investigates all of these and much more in an hour and a half of marvelous cinema. Jimmy Johnson writes for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Cherien Dabis' journey to "Amreeka"
