When prolific writers compile a decade or more of their writing in a single collection, changes in style, political outlook, or interpretive tendencies are readily apparent. Consistency in all these respects is visible too. While Avi Shlaim’s latest book — Israel and Palestine: Reappraisals, Revisions, Refutations reveals such changes and continuities, his analytical gaze suffers from a blind spot when it comes to the ideology upon which Israel was founded. Max Ajl reviews for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Book review: Avi Shlaim's "Israel and Palestine"
In his new book Israeli Exceptionalism: The Destabilizing Logic of Zionism, M. Shahid Alam successfully argues that the moral force behind the Zionist movement is a sense of Jewish, and consequently Israeli, exceptionalism. This claim of exceptionalism underpins what he calls the “destabilizing logic of Zionism.” According to Alam, Zionism “could advance only by creating and promoting conflicts between the West and the Islamicate.” Ahmed Moor reviews for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Zionism's destabilizing force: "Israeli Exceptionalism" reviewed
Hip-hop has got hold of the Burj al-Barajne camp in Beirut. As the music from a small but nascent rap-scene reverberates around the streets of this crowded community, its rappers are acutely aware of their position to foster not just musical change, but social change. Rasmus Bogeskov Larsen reports. Read more about In Lebanon refugee camp, "hip-hop is a school"
To Gaza with Love is a documentary by Aki Nawaz for Iran’s English-language channel Press TV. It is an account of the first boats that successfully broke the siege of Gaza in August 2008. The filmmakers traveled to the Gaza Strip with the Free Gaza Movement, which organized the trip. Asa Winstanley reviews for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Sailing into trouble: "To Gaza with Love" reviewed
Activist Sharyn Lock sailed to Gaza on the first “Break the Siege” boat with the Free Gaza Movement in 2008. During Israel’s winter attacks last year, Lock documented the invasion on her blog “Tales to Tell.” Her writing has recently been published in the short book Gaza: Beneath the Bombs. The Electronic Intifada contributor Arwa Aburawa interviewed lock about her experience in Gaza. Read more about Blogging beneath the bombs: An interview with Sharyn Lock
Last Thursday marked the end of a one-week film festival in Gaza City. The Palestinian Film Forum, an independent Palestinian community organization, sponsored the event with 33 films produced in six Arab Gulf states. Rami Almeghari reports from the occupied Gaza Strip. Read more about Palestinians celebrate Arab film at Gaza festival
Planting olive trees is a matter of resistance for the Arab Group for the Protection of Nature, a non-profit organization based in Amman, Jordan. The organization began in 2003 with the goal of replanting one million trees on Palestinian land. By 2008, they achieved this goal and now hope to plant one million more trees in Palestine. Gretchen King reports. Read more about Audio: "For us, olive trees are a matter of resistance"
Alastair Crooke’s new book Resistance: The Essence of the Islamist Revolution studies the philosophy of resistance among Islamic movements as articulated by influential Islamist thinkers and revolutionaries of the last century. However, by defining an essence of Islam, Crooke reinforces many of the assumptions he is trying to dispel. Hicham Safieddine reviews for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Book review: Alastair Crooke's "Resistance: The Essence of the Islamist Revolution"
Insidious pressures and overt threats have created a hostile environment to telling Rachel Corrie’s story and of course, the countless tragic stories of Palestinians. They are emblematic of a determination to maintain ignorance about the realities of life in Palestine, and a desire to perpetuate the notions of Israeli innocence, virtuousness and victimhood. In maintaining any hold to this myth, we are preventing the stories of Palestinian lives from reaching the light of day. Charlotte Silver writes for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about "My Name is Rachel Corrie" and Israel's waning impunity
After the 11 September 2001 attacks there have been many books and articles regarding the misuse of justice and harsh treatment of Arab Americans and Muslims in the United States. Louise Cainkar’s extensive research and excellent analysis is the most complete published so far. Homeland Insecurity is an ethnography which took three years to complete and benefits from more than a hundred interviews. Barbara Aswad reviews for The Electronic Intifada. Read more about Book review: Post-September 11 "Homeland Insecurity"
