Hind Awwad, national coordinator of the Palestinian Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions National Committee (BNC), recently toured Europe to support the growing worldwide campaign. The movement aims to end the occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip and the discrimination against Palestinian citizens in Israel, and calls for respect for the rights of Palestine refugees. The Electronic Intifada contributor Adri Nieuwhof interviewed Hind Awwad in Bern, Switzerland. Read more about Palestinian boycott coordinator: "The movement has a huge impact"
The ostracism of Helen Thomas, the doyenne of the White House press corps, over her comment that Jews should “get the hell out of Palestine” and “go home” to Poland, Germany, America and elsewhere is revealing in several ways. In spite of an apology, the 89-year-old has been summarily retired by the Hearst newspaper group, dropped by her agent, spurned by the White House, and denounced by long-time friends and colleagues. Jonathan Cook comments. Read more about Helen Thomas and the moral failure of US liberals
NEWYORK (IPS) - A US author is standing by claims that Israel offered to sell nuclear warheads to South Africa during the apartheid regime, despite denials by Israel’s then-defense minister, now-president Shimon Peres, that the accusation has “no basis in reality.” Read more about Israel's military support of apartheid S. Africa exposed in new book
RAMALLAH, occupied West Bank (IPS) - In an exclusive interview, Huwaida Arraf, the chairwoman of the Free Gaza (FG) movement, which tried to break Israel’s crippling blockade on Gaza, explains what happened on 31 May when Israeli commandos raided the “Freedom Flotilla,” shooting nine people dead and injuring dozens more. Read more about "We'll be back -- with bigger flotillas"
After years of disappointment with successive Arab regimes, Turkey appears to be taking a regional leadership role. While better and closer relations between Turkey and the Arab world are welcome developments, and there is hope for a momentum building up for the Palestinian cause, the ambiguities of the Turkish stance are apparent and raise important questions. Should the current crisis with Israel be interpreted as a singular event in which Turkey gave a strong response or as the inevitable culmination of a completely new foreign policy orientation? Murat Dagli comments for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about After the Flotilla, will Turkey emerge as a force for Palestinian rights?
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
During the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara, deep in international waters, I was inside the body of the ship. We were going to Gaza to break the siege that Israel has imposed on a million-and-a-half people for the last four years. Lubna Masarwa writes from house arrest in Kfor Qara. Read more about The crimes I saw on the Mavi Marmara
An Israeli parliamentary committee recommended stripping an Arab MP of her privileges yesterday in a move to prepare the ground for putting her on trial for participating last week in the Gaza-bound aid flotilla attacked by Israeli commandos. Jonathan Cook reports. Read more about Knesset Member who joined Gaza flotilla faces death threats
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
In the aftermath of Israel’s 31 May attack on the Freedom Flotilla that left nine dead and scores wounded, each side claimed their actions were protected under international law. While the Israelis cited self-defense, and the Flotilla passengers reiterated that they were peace activists on a humanitarian mission that were attacked in international waters where neither Israel (nor any other state) has any claim. Jinan Bastaki comments for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Israel's attack on Flotilla violates international law
