Category Archives: Activism

Activists call for a SodaStream boycott at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Adam Horowitz

A video produced by the Interfaith Boycott Coalition on the SodaStream boycott.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine, Occupation | 1 Comment

Palestinian-American Raed Zidan plants flag on top of Everest, dedicates climb to political prisoners

Posted on May 20, 2013 by Ira Glunts

Palestinian-American Raed Zidan became the first Palestinian to reach the summit of the earth’s highest mountain last Saturday, dedicating his climb to Palestinians – especially political prisoners.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine | 3 Comments

Barbara Boxer’s visa bill for Israel comes under concerted attack

Posted on May 18, 2013 by Alex Kane

In the wake of the horrific Nour Joudah case, in which an American teacher was refused entry to Palestine to resume her job this year, activists are ramping up their campaign to thwart the United States-Israel Strategic Partnership Act. The legislation would “codify into law U.S. acceptance of Israel’s discrimination and allow it to continue to deny visas to U.S. citizens,” according to a letter sent by a coalition of Palestine solidarity groups.

Posted in Activism, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 82 Comments

Intense video challenges Catalan and Spanish collaboration with the Israeli occupation

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Adam Horowitz

A video that is part of a campaign to pressure the Catalan and Spanish governments to end military and security cooperation with Israel.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Nakba, Occupation | 7 Comments

Turkish PM raises Mavi Marmara at White House press conf, calls grow for Obama to investigate killing of Furkan Doğan

Posted on May 17, 2013 by Adam Horowitz

Yesterday, President Obama held a joint press conference with Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. Although the focus was on Syria, and the myriad scandals overtaking the White House in the past week, Israel/Palestine came up as well.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Middle East, Turkey, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | 10 Comments

Coalition says investigations into campus Palestine activism chill student speech rights

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Alex Kane

A coalition of civil rights and advocacy groups have charged that prolonged federal investigations of Palestine solidarity activism on campuses are chilling students’ constitutional rights. The letters, sent to the DOE civil rights division in San Francisco and the DOE’s assistant secretary for civil rights, are a response to the spate of Title VI civil rights complaints that have been filed by Jewish students who advocate for Israel.

Posted in Activism, Israel Lobby, US Politics | 18 Comments

Clashes break out across the West Bank as Palestinians mark the Nakba

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Allison Deger

Clashes broke out across the West Bank, including in East Jerusalem, yesterday as Palestinians marked the 65th anniversary of the Nakba. Allison Deger reports from Ofer prison where protesters faced off with Israeli soldiers.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Nakba, Occupation, On the ground reports, Reports/Video | 29 Comments

Exile and the Prophetic: While the Church of Scotland dallies, the United Church of Canada forges ahead

Posted on May 16, 2013 by Marc H. Ellis

While the Church of Scotland dallies, the United Church of Canada forges ahead. Even with the pressures, setbacks, go-aheads, one step forward, two steps back, the proverbial handwriting is on the Interfaith (In)Justice Wall(s). Stick a fork in it. The interfaith ecumenical deal which demands Christian silence on Israel because of the Holocaust and anti-Semitism is dead.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine | 27 Comments

In 1948 the Nakba was carried out by the military, in 2013 it continues in courtrooms

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Adam Horowitz

Moriel Rothman uses the Shamasneh family eviction case in Sheikh Jarrah as an example of how the dispossession of the Palestinian people continues today, albeit in less dramatic fashion than 65 years ago.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Nakba, Occupation, Settlers/Colonists | 3 Comments

In photos: Gaza marches and rallies mark 65 years of the Nakba

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Joe Catron

A photo essay of a rally in Gaza to mark the 65th anniversary of the Nakba.

Posted in Activism, Gaza, Israel/Palestine, Nakba | 2 Comments

International Criminal Court opens preliminary investigation into attack on Mavi Marmara

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Annie Robbins

Yesterday May 14th Fatou Bensouda, Chief Prosecutor of the International Criminal Court (ICC), released a statement announcing her office would be opening a preliminary investigation into the massacre on board the Mavi Marmara in which the lives of 9 human rights activists were brutally cut short by the Israeli military on May 31, 2010, in international waters off the coast of Gaza.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Occupation | 96 Comments

Without return, Palestine will not be free

Posted on May 15, 2013 by Abir Kopty

The meaning of liberation of Palestine is not a narrow one of ending a military regime in the West Bank and the military siege on Gaza. It is a broader one that includes decolonizing Palestine, and implementing the return. Supporting justice in Palestine would mean understanding that without return, Palestine won’t be free.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Nakba | 3 Comments

New York students rally for divestment outside pension fund headquarters

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Alex Kane

Students from New York City colleges rallied Monday outside the headquarters of a national pension fund to pressure the company to divest from corporations profiting from the Israeli occupation.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine | 1 Comment

Im Tirtzu protests ‘nakba bullshit’ at Tel Aviv University

Posted on May 14, 2013 by Allison Deger

For the second time in two years, students at Tel Aviv University (TAU) commemorating the 1947-49 Palestinian expulsion and the destruction of villages were met with a counter-protest. At last year’s event over 1,000 amassed on campus, ending in clashes incited by members of Knesset. Again this year, the youth-based “new Zionist” group Im Tirtzu bottom-lined the demonstration, distributing a counter analysis pamphlet titled “Nakba Harta” or “Nakba-Bullshit”.

Posted in Activism, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Nakba, On the ground reports | Tagged | 36 Comments

The Newseum’s ‘further investigation’ must be public, credible, and thorough – and what we should do if it isn’t

Posted on May 13, 2013 by Joe Catron

An impartial investigation by the Newseum into the deaths of Mahmoud al-Kumi and Hussam Salama should be welcomed, but if the investigation is secretive, partisan, or perfunctory, or if the same conclusions already reached by every other responsible body fail to produce equivalent tribute to al-Kumi and Salama – some response will be demanded.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Media, US Politics | 9 Comments

J14 is back– and still has nothing to say about the occupation

Posted on May 12, 2013 by Allison Deger

On Saturday the J14 movement made a “comeback” with 10,000 protesting in Tel Aviv over austerity measures. So Finance Minister Yair Lapid’s honeymoon with the Israeli center-left is over. And while you’d think that the protesters would be upset about the housing subsidies to West Bank settlers, they’re careful not to talk about the occupation

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government | 15 Comments

On Monday, NYC-area students will bring national Divestment Action Day to TIAA-CREF headquarters

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Annie Robbins

On May 13th, 2 days before Palestinians around the world commemorate the 65th anniversary of the Nakba, students from Columbia, NYU, Brooklyn College, CUNY Schools, Hunter, and Rutgers and the We Divest national campaign will be kicking off a national Divestment Action Day demanding TIAA-CREF divest from the Israeli occupation.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 6 Comments

Say ‘thanks’ to Stephen Hawking

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Henry Norr

If you want to express your appreciation to Stephen Hawking for his courageous gesture, there’s a petition here. It reads: To: Stephen Hawking Thank you for supporting the international call to Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions, and adherence to the Academic … Continue reading →

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine | 20 Comments

Video: Vomit for Civil Rights — Israeli performance artist protests racism in Nazareth Illit

Posted on May 10, 2013 by Adam Horowitz

A video of Israeli activist Asher Lev reciting and “regurgitating” a racist statement made by Nazareth Illit mayor Shimon Gafso where Gafso declared that he would do whatever it takes to maintain a Jewish majority in the Israeli city of Nazarath Illit

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government | 5 Comments

‘What about Iran and China?’ attack on BDS draws boos from the commenting crowd

Posted on May 10, 2013 by David Samel

I was alerted by Glenn Greenwald’s column yesterday to this extraordinary short piece at Left Foot Forward entitled “So why did Stephen Hawking think it was ok to visit Iran and China?” The author’s accusation of hypocrisy that we have heard so often is nothing new, but the sophistication of the numerous commenters who destroy the “What about X?” argument is very encouraging.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine | 14 Comments

Musab Shawer sentenced to 5 months as Israel continues to target journalists

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Annie Robbins

Another young Palestinian talent has been locked away by Israel. Broadcast Journalist Musab Shawer Al-Tamimi (22), who worked at Al-Khalil (Hebron)Radio, was sentenced to 5 months in prison on World Press Freedom Day.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Occupation | 9 Comments

Israeli right-wing flys off the deep end following Hawking boycott

Posted on May 9, 2013 by Adam Horowitz

As can be imagined there have been a wide range of Israeli responses to Stephen Hawking’s decision to boycott the Israeli Presidential conference. While it would be a stretch to imagine a majority of Israelis would support the move, the baseness of some of the right wing responses is still rather shocking.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine | 78 Comments

‘The policy of the present Israeli government is likely to lead to disaster’: Stephen Hawking pulls out of conference hosted by Shimon Peres, backs academic boycott of Israel (Updated)

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Adam Horowitz

Controversy erupted over a Guardian report last night that Professor Stephen Hawking backs the academic boycott of Israel and cancelled an appearance at an academic conference organized by Israeli President Shimon Peres. Initially Cambridge University issued a statement that Hawking pulled out over health concerns, but now it has now retracted that statement and affirmed that Hawking’s decision was made out of support for the Palestinian call for boycott. Above, Stephen Hawking visiting staff and students at Birzeit University in 2006.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Occupation | Tagged | 275 Comments

Statement in support of Professor Richard Falk

Posted on May 8, 2013 by International Jewish Anti-Zionist Network

Dr. Falk has always shown consistent respect for human rights for all people all over the world. It is also essential to understand that Dr. Falk said nothing to suggest U.S. blame. He was expressing what any humane and responsible individual should express: that the public in the U.S. must consider the impact of the foreign policy of its government when confronted with the mass violence it reigns on people across the globe, including the horrific ethnic cleansing of Palestinians by its close ally.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 5 Comments

Thoughts about our role and work as Jews committed to justice in Palestine

Posted on May 8, 2013 by Elisha Baskin and Donna Nevel
march22b

Recent debate and discussion in Jewish activist spaces have raised questions about the role of “Jews identifying as Jews” in work for justice in Palestine. These conversations have led us to think more deeply about this question. In this piece, we explore the particular significance, strategically and otherwise, of the relationship to being Jewish and how we enter this work, and how we can be meaningful and genuine partners in the struggle for justice.

Posted in Activism, American Jewish Community, Israel/Palestine | Tagged | 9 Comments