All posts by Jacob

Articles

Israel: a Democracy for Jews Only

Marc Trius, May 14

I would like to start with a simple statement: a racially stratified, undemocratic, and warlike State isn’t good for anybody. It certainly isn’t good for those who get ground under the unsympathetic wheels of racial domination, or shot, blown, and burned by the fires of war. But neither is it good for those who benefit from enforced privilege or sit safe and secure in the bunker while the war is happening to someone else. Those who live by the sword will eventually die by the sword no matter how good their sword technology is, and those who live on the backs of others will end up consumed by their own cruelty and arrogance, no matter how long they themselves have previously been downtrodden.

Israel is a racially stratified, undemocratic, and warlike State. Israel is a State in which a fifth of the citizenry is denied a stake of ownership and required to forswear their own identity and history to avoid being branded enemies of the State. Even to call for equal rights is sufficient for an Israeli Arab to be hounded by the Security Services; to make alliances with Palestinians who are not citizens of Israel is even worse. When Azmi Bishara, a Palestinian Member of Knesset(MK)—the Israeli Congress—called for a ‘State of all its Citizens’ and refused to deny his cultural and political links with other Arabs, he was stripped of parliamentary immunity by special legislation, and eventually driven out of the country by harassment and threats of a trial for High Treason.

The so-called ‘Nakba Law’ is another attack on Palestinian identity, history, and self-expression. This law forbids public commemoration of the expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians from Israel in 1948; any public institution that commemorates the Day of the Nakba (May 15th) will be fined ten times the amount it spent on the event. This law passed the first reading in the Knesset last month, and has two more votes before it goes on the books.

There’s more: A series of ‘Loyalty Laws’ have been proposed that would strip anyone of citizenship for reasons such as refusing to swear fealty to Israel as a Jewish State; still pending is a law that would require Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) that receive funds from sources outside of Israel to register on a special list; and a law, inspired by the Goldstone Report, that would shut down any organization which “provides information to foreign authorities and act to bring Israeli Military officers or Israeli leaders to trial on alleged war crimes” (from Ha’aretz Newspaper) has been proposed by MKs from Kadima, a centrist Israeli party, and from the National Union, a far-right party.

This onslaught of legislation is partly the result of the last elections, when far-right parties such as Israel Our Home and The National Union entered the governing coalition. The underlying reasons, however, include the rising civic consciousness among the Israeli Arab public and the increasing threat it poses to Jewish supremacy in Israel.

That is why Arab civil society is targeted with such verve. A recent example is the arrest of Ameer Makhoul on May 6th. Makhoul, the head of an Arab NGO called ‘Ittijah’, or The Union of Arab Community-Based Associations, and chairman of the Public Committee for the Defense of Political Freedom, was taken from his home at 3:10am by Israeli Security Services, and is being held for the allegation of ‘grave espionage.’ A gag order on news coverage of this event stood for a few days, until Israeli and international bloggers brought it to light. While the Security Services claim that Makhoul was giving secrets to a Hizbullah agent in Lebanon, it was eventually revealed that the accusation relies on a meeting between Makhoul and a Palestinian environmentalist from Jordan. This is what happens to Arab citizens of Israel who, like Makhoul and Bishara, speak to Arabs who are not also Israeli citizens.

For a State that sees the Palestinian Arab minority, which comprises a fifth of its population, as a “Strategic Threat,” as Avi Diskin, head of the Israeli General Security Services, proclaimed in 2007, acts of repression are inescapable. The grudging grant of citizenship to those Palestinians who failed to flee in 1948 (an event which, as we recall, it may soon be a crime to commemorate) does not change the fact that, as Bishara wrote in the Los Angeles Times, they have been transformed into “foreigners in [their] own country,” made to face discrimination in housing, education, and employment, turned into scapegoats for anything that goes wrong in the land, and denied political freedom.

It takes more than elections to make a Democracy: it takes a system where the rule of law, freedom of expression and conscience, and equality are paramount. As the new, draconian legislation and Makhoul’s and Bishara’s cases demonstrate so clearly along with many other cases here unmentioned, whatever can be said of Israel—whether it’s good or bad, necessary or counterproductive, Jewish or anti-Jewish—a Democracy is certainly isn’t.

Originally posted at:  http://open.salon.com/blog/mtrius/2010/05/14/israel_a_democracy_for_jews_only

Photo source: http://ruslantrad.wordpress.com/2009/09/02/some-facts-you-may-not-have-known-about-israel-the-only-democracy-in-the-middle-east/

Articles, Events

What Happened at Deir Yassin? April 9, 1948??

From the Twin Ports Break the Bonds Campaign. For more information, check them out at www.twinportsbbc.blogspot.com

Deir Yassin was a Palestinian Arab village that existed for over 700 years. Famous for its cutters of limestone building stones, the inhabitants totaled about 600 people in 1948 and they had a non-aggression pact with their Jewish settlement neighbors at Givat Sha’ul.

On April 9, 1948 over 100 of its residents were ruthlessly murdered. The Irgun and the Lehi, Zionist extremists, attacked the village as part of the effort to keep open the traffic on the Jerusalem- Tel Aviv Road in the violent days prior to the Independence of Israel. The attackers met strong resistance and called for help from the regular forces of soon to be Israel: the Haganah who sent 17 soldiers and mounted guns. After the guns quelled the resistance the extremists realized that 4 of the initial attackers had been killed and 32 wounded. The Irgun and Lehi fighters then went through the homes searching for survivors. Women, children and the old men were massacred at close range and hand grenades were exploded in the houses. It was reported that young men and the fighters were rounded up and paraded down the Jaffa Road and then executed. Some reports credit the ultra-Orthodox Jewish Haredi community of Givat Sha’ul with stopping the massacre, which eventually enabled 250 survivors to be evacuated to Jerusalem.

It is thought that the number of casualties was inflated from c. 107 to 254 by the Jewish attackers who wanted to scare more Palestinians into leaving the land. On the other hand, Palestinians hoped that the Arab League members in Jordan, Syria and Egypt would come to their aid. They spread stories of Deir Yassin that included lurid details of rapes, pregnant women with stomachs cut open and bodies mutilated. Another suggestion is that the Israeli left wanted to discredit the right wing Irgun and the Lehi. If the origin of all the distortions is not clear, the consequences are. The impact of Deir Yassin was devastating.

With this and other massacres of civilians at places like Dawaymiyeh, Safsaf, Tantura, and Bassa, between 750,000 and 900,000 Palestinians fled their country to live in refugee camps in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria and Jordan in the months following the massacres. The goal of the extremists was to frighten the people into leaving their homes. Menachem Begin a leader of the Irgun in 1948 said that the fear of what happened and what was invented about Deir Yassin was “worth half a dozen battalions to the forces of Israel” in removing the enemy.

What is happening April 9, 2010? Palestinians are still living in refugee camps in Gaza, Syria, Jordan, Lebanon and the West Bank and around the world. Israel continues to expand its settlements and occupation of Palestinian territory. Twin Ports Break the Bonds Campaign invites you to commemorate this tragic event with a protest and an educational event. We also invite you to join us in building a movement to end the Israeli occupation of Palestine – and to boycott, divest and impose sanctions against Israel until it does so.

See the video Deir Yassin Remembered at

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=341600202419569830&ei=UiSTS_mGDJiaqALejtjUAg&q=Deir+yassin+Remembered&hl=en#

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.deiryassin.org/images/ruins/ph_ruins20.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bandannie.wordpress.com/2008/04/10/deir-yassin-april-9-1948

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deir_Yassin_massacre and http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deir_Yassin

APRIL 9 EVENTS:

Noon Assemble at either the Center for Just Living in Tower Hall of the College of St. Scholastica, or the Kirby Student Center of UMD, for a march to the intersection of College Street and E. 19th Street where we’ll hold signs.

7pm: Prof. Joel Sipress will give a presentation on the history of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, followed by a film by Anna Balzer. Duluth-Superior Friends Meetinghouse 1802 E. 1st St. Duluth

Articles

Israel Apartheid Week in Duluth–Spring is here!

Bob Kosuth for MNBBC

The best way to characterize IAW events in Duluth is to begin at the end–with the final response to the final question, which participant Sylvia Schwarz answered at the College of St. Scholastica: Given the enormity and depth of this long-standing injustice, how can one be hopeful? Sylvia responded that she was more hopeful than ever because even two years ago if such an event had taken place, it would have been ignored, but now attention to the issue is taking off not only in Minnesota but across the globe.

On March 3rd and 4th IAW events took place in Duluth on all four local campuses–the University of Wisconsin-Superior, The University of Minnesota-Duluth, Lake Superior College and the College of Saint Scholastica. In all cases the overwhelming portion of organizing work was done by student activists with support from local members of MN BBC.

Participants included MN BBC and IJAN member Sylvia Schwarz of St. Paul, who shared information and reflections on her recent participation in the Gaza Freedom March, and local MN BBC members Bret Thiele and Mayra Gomez, who shared information and powerful visuals of their NGO work on housing demolition and water rights from their visits to the Occupied West Bank.

The speakers’ comments could be broadly summarized in three main points: 1) Apartheid for Palestinians both inside Israel proper as well as in the Occupied West Bank and Gaza is a fact of life. As demonstrated by Bret and Mayra, the Wall, the checkpoints, lack of water rights, and housing demolitions reinforce this reality daily. 2) Apartheid is a conscious policy of the Israeli government and is supported directly and indirectly by the United States in cooperation with Egypt. In the view of Sylvia Schwarz, the government of Israel has never been a sincere or honest negotiating partner. 3) All presenters strongly advocated a broad based, active, aggressive, non-violent BDS movement in support of Palestinian rights as reiterated numerous times by UN votes and world opinion. There was also agreement that we can never depend on elected governments to accomplish these ends. We will have to do it ourselves, and it’s happening.

Altogether over 100 students and community members participated in the 4 events, and from their attention and the quality of their questions, it was clear that this issue is on the front burner and hard questions are being asked including questions about the viability of the so-called two-state solution. A good number of attendees signed postcards in support of divestment by Minnesota of Israel bonds and submitted their names to be part of local activist efforts to end apartheid in Israel/Palestine. The grassroots are peaking through snow in Duluth and if IAW is any indication, we can anticipate a productive growing season!

Events

Duluth Israel Apartheid Week Activities – March 3 & 4

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A series of public events are planned next week at Duluth campuses to raise public awareness about human rights violations in historic Palestine and call for an end to U.S. support for Israel and for Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel. This includes a call for the State of Minnesota to divest itself of Israel bonds.

The events are being held in conjunction with the sixth annual Israel Apartheid Week, which takes place worldwide March 1-7, 2010. The local events are:

  • Wednesday, March 3, 3 p.m., University of Wisconsin-Superior Old Main Room 310: Eyewitness Report from Egypt and Palestine: presentation by Sylvia Schwartz.
  • Wednesday, March 3, 5 p.m., University of Minnesota-Duluth Montague Room 70: Eyewitness Reports from Egypt and Palestine: presentations by Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez and Sylvia Schwartz.
  • Thursday, March 4, 12:30 p.m., Lake Superior College Room E2046: Eyewitness Reports from Egypt and Palestine: presentations by Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez and Sylvia Schwartz.
  • Thursday, March 4, 5 p.m., College of St. Scholastica Intercultural Center (Tower Hall First Floor): Short Film on the Israeli Occupation, followed by a Panel Discussion with Bret Thiele, Mayra Gomez, and Sylvia Schwartz. Palestinian food provided by CSS Amnesty International.

The events are sponsored by the Minnesota Break the Bonds Coalition Duluth Chapter, College of St. Scholastica Amnesty International, and UMD Students for Peace. For more information, contact Bob Kosuth, (218) 724-4800, rkosuth@hotmail.com.

Bios:
Bret Thiele is the Litigation Coordinator for the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions, an international human-rights NGO based in Geneva, Switzerland. He has traveled to Palestine numerous times, and lives in Duluth.

Mayra Gomez the Coordinator of the Women and Housing Rights Programme with the Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions and board member of Amnesty International USA. She has traveled to Palestine numerous times, and lives in Duluth.

Sylvia Schwartz is a member of the International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network and recently participated in the Gaza Freedom March, an attempt to break the blockade of Gaza from the Egyptian border. She lives in St. Paul.

Background:
The September, 2009 United Nations report on the recent Gaza Conflict, commonly known as the Goldstone Report, accused both Hamas and Israel of war crimes during the three-week war, in which 1400 Palestinians and 13 Israelis were killed. Israel has been roundly condemned by human rights groups including Amnesty International for the disproportionate use of violence and repression against Palestinians and the continued Israeli blockade which denies food, medicine and rebuilding materials to the people of Gaza.

Life for Palestinians living both in Israel and the Occupied Territories has been likened to that of South African blacks under Apartheid. In response, Palestinian Civil Society groups and their supporters have called for an international campaign of Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against Israel, similar to the grassroots efforts that helped end South African Apartheid regime. The aim of Israel Apartheid Week is to educate people about the nature of Israel as an apartheid system and to build the growing global BDS movement.


Articles, Events

Student groups host Gaza Week

Cali Owings, MNDaily, 26 January 2010

Al-Madinah Cultural Center and the Break the Bonds at the University of Minnesota student group s are hosting “Gaza Week” events this week to raise awareness of the Israeli occupation a year after the invasion of the northern Gaza Strip.

Beginning with a body count simulation and candlelight vigil Monday outside of Coffman Union, this week’s activities will include a Wednesday panel discussion and a screening of a documentary.

“We want a good dialogue,” said Fuad Hannon , a second-year finance major and Al-Madinah president. Hannon said he wants to bring to light a struggle he said many people only have a vague idea about.

Break the Bonds contacted Al-Madinah to organize these events. Hannon said the two groups shared a mutual interest educating students about a perspective they claim is not covered by mainstream media.

Minnesota Break the Bonds is a campaign against the Israeli occupation in Gaza. Rachel Orville , a graduate student at the Humphrey Institute of Public Affairs, said the goal is to educate students and Minnesota residents because their tax dollars support the occupation.

Orville said Break the Bonds is a group of “Americans from different religious bases who have a common understanding of the political conflict.”

Despite their intentions to educate and create an open dialogue, Hannon admits that controversy will probably arise.

“It’s bound to make certain people uncomfortable,” he said.

The project has certainly left an impression on junior applied economics major Max Dougherty .

After seeing the body count simulation, which claimed a 100-1 ratio of dead Palestinians to Israelis during the Gaza War of December 2008 and January 2009 , Dougherty said, “It puts things into perspective … it makes what you read here jump off the page.”

However, Samantha Bass , a University senior working with the Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America , is skeptical of a 100-1 body count being used by Break the Bonds.

Bass compared the conflict to the story of David and Goliath.

Americans see Israel as Goliath because it’s the stronger, wealthier power and the Palestinian people as David, Bass said.

“Israel is defending itself [from Palestinian missiles] and that’s sometimes lost in the media,” she said.

According to a U.N.-commissioned fact-finding mission, Palestinian groups estimated that more than 1,400 Palestinians were killed in the Gaza War, while the Israeli Army claimed a death toll of 1,166 Palestinians. The Israeli Foreign Ministry reported that 13 Israelis were killed during the conflict.

Monday night, the Gaza Week participants huddled around the simulation for the candlelight vigil in the snow and shared a moment of silence.

Amber Michel , a student from St. Cloud State University who first held the body count simulation, opened the vigil with words she attributed to the first Israeli Prime minister David Ben-Gurion , “The old will die, and the young will forget.”

“We are here because we do not forget,” Michel said.

Though the object of Gaza Week is to encourage discourse and different perspectives, Senna El Bakri , a second-year PSEO student and Al-Madinah secretary, said it’s also meant to stir controversy.

When asked about alienating Jewish students, Hannon and Orville reiterated that the occupation is a political conflict, not a religious one.

There was a frustrated mood at Hillel Jewish Student Center over Gaza Week.

Phil Meyer , a Jewish second-year and applied economics major who has visited Israel three times, stated the demonstration was “a little disheartening.”

“If America did not support Israel, it might not exist anymore,” he said.

Gaza Week will conclude with a lecture from Hatem Bazian, a University of California-Berkeley professor who many consider to be a highly controversial speaker.