Author Archives: Henry Norr

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

‘This American Life’ shines some light on that Palestinian life

Posted on April 24, 2013 by Henry Norr

Last week’s episode of “This American Life,” the popular public-radio show hosted by Ira Glass, included a striking 23-minute segment about the Israeli occupation of the West Bank. The piece was reported by Nancy Updike, an award-winning producer who’s been with the show since it began in 1995. Updike explores the routinized harassment of villagers in Nabi Saleh by the Israeli military. Above, Israeli soldiers arrest a Palestinian from the village.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Media, Occupation, US Politics | Tagged | 15 Comments

NPR can’t stop talking about Jews

Posted on March 25, 2013 by Henry Norr

Aaron David Miller has been on NPR an astonishing 20 times in the last year– plus Martin Indyk seven times, Robert Malley five times, and Dennis Ross four times. By contrast, Diana Buttu, Rashid Khalidi, and Stephen Walt have been on the air only twice each in the last year, and Noura Erakat, Yousef Munayyer, and John Mearsheimer not even once.

Posted in Israel/Palestine | 137 Comments

The most rational political course in Israel is also the most immoral — Noam Sheizaf

Posted on March 19, 2013 by Henry Norr

The greatest political shift in Israel has been from the center to the right, in support of an immoral status quo, says Noam Sheizaf of +972 at a west coast appearance

Posted in Israel/Palestine | 36 Comments

Just because you like bubbly water, you don’t have to buy into occupation: A guide to alternatives to SodaStream

Posted on February 7, 2013 by Henry Norr

A list of settlement-free home carbonation devices as alternatives to the devices SodaStream manufactures in an illegal settlement on stolen Palestinian land.

Posted in Activism, BDS, Israel/Palestine, Occupation | 5 Comments

What left? The rightwing bloc is over 100 Knesset seats — Derfner

Posted on January 22, 2013 by Henry Norr
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Several of the latest polls on today’s Israeli elections apparently show a modest up-tick in support for what’s known as the “center-left” – Labor plus two new parties, Tzipi Livni’s Hatnuah and Yair Lapid’s Yesh Atid. But as Larry Derfner points out only about 18 members of 120 member Knesset elected today are likely to oppose the occupation, and oppose war. So much for the left.

Posted in Israel/Palestine | 29 Comments

Palestinian ghettos, created by violence, have been Israeli plan since ’67 — Amira Hass

Posted on January 21, 2013 by Henry Norr

Naftali Bennett is only making real what has been the case for decades: Zionist goals in the West Bank

Posted in Israel/Palestine | 25 Comments

Mahmoud Darwish: ‘Silence for Gaza’

Posted on November 24, 2012 by Henry Norr

The latest edition of KPFA’s weekly radio show Voices of the Middle East and North Africa was, not surprisingly, devoted entirely to Gaza. The program included interesting interviews with Al Jazeera reporter Sherine Tadros and analyst and Jadaliyya co-editor Mouin Rabbani, … Continue reading →

Posted in Gaza, Israel/Palestine | 4 Comments

Norr responds to Ash: Who is trying to get the solidarity movement back on track and who is merely fanning the flames of division?

Posted on October 17, 2012 by Henry Norr

Gabriel Ash’s diatribe reminds me of an adage that seems to become truer by the week: “Anti-semites used to be people who hate Jews; now they’re people Jews hate.”

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine | 57 Comments

Free Gaza’s Col. Ann Wright disinvited from Swedish Boat to Gaza

Posted on October 15, 2012 by Henry Norr

Col. Ann Wright: “Two days ago, on October 13, three hours before I was to board a flight to Europe to meet up with the Swedish boat to Gaza, the “Estelle,” the next boat to challenge the Israeli blockade, I was called by a board member of the Estelle who said that because of the furor around Greta Berlin’s posting and because I am a member of the new, 2 week old board of the Free Gaza Movement, I was no longer invited to be a passenger on the “Estelle.”

Posted in Activism, Flotilla, Israel/Palestine | 139 Comments

Garrison Keillor comes out, slightly

Posted on October 2, 2012 by Henry Norr

Garrison Keillor’s opening patter on the Sept. 29 edition of his “Prairie Home Companion” public-radio show jokes that Jews should atone over treatment of the Palestinians.

Posted in Israel/Palestine, Media, US Politics | 15 Comments

Scenes from occupied Palestine: The doors of Jayyous

Posted on September 25, 2012 by Henry Norr

No heavy politics in this post, just some visual testimony to the Palestinians’ ability to maintain their traditions and their spirits even under the boot of Israeli occupation.

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

Israel’s version of the two-state ‘solution’ is anything but dead

Posted on September 18, 2012 by Henry Norr

Those announcing the demise of the two-state solution are inadvertently sowing an illusion that could be damaging to the movement for Palestinian rights.

Posted in Israel/Palestine, Israeli Government, Occupation, One state/Two states, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | Tagged | 27 Comments

Guardian fires Treviño

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Henry Norr

Joint statement from the Guardian and Joshua Treviño on ending his position at the newspaper.

Posted in Flotilla, Israel/Palestine, Media | 32 Comments

‘Guardian’ sparks uproar by hiring writer who urged murder of flotilla participants

Posted on August 20, 2012 by Henry Norr
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Last week, The Guardian announced a surprising addition to its editorial team: Joshua Treviño (pictured above in the Guardian’s NYC office), a former speechwriter for George W. Bush and co-founder of the right-wing RedState.com. Soon, Electronic Intifada reproduced tweets in which Treviño declared that it would be “cool” with him if Israel shot the participants in the 2011 Gaza Freedom Flotilla, then went on to observe that the flotilla was “not morally different from a Nazi convoy.”

Posted in Flotilla, Israel/Palestine, Media, US Politics | 45 Comments

Sodawater without settlements: alternatives to Sodastream

Posted on August 10, 2012 by Henry Norr

Dont drink the Kool-Aid!

Posted in Israel/Palestine | 19 Comments

Nurit Peled-Elhanan’s moving reflections on the occupation’s 45th birthday

Posted on June 15, 2012 by Henry Norr

Excerpts from Nurit Peled-Elhanan’s magnificent speech in Tel Aviv on the occasion of the 45th anniversary of the 1967 war.

Posted in Israel/Palestine, Occupation | 5 Comments

Turkish prosecutor recommends ten life sentences for Israeli generals behind Mavi Marmara attack

Posted on May 24, 2012 by Henry Norr

Turkey has issued arrest warrants for four retired Israeli military leaders after a prosecutor filed an indictment seeking sentences of life plus 18,000 years for their roles in the 2010 attack on the Gaza Freedom Flotilla.

Posted in Israel/Palestine | 19 Comments

Video: Senior IDF officer smashes peaceful activist in the face with his M-16

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Henry Norr
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IDF Lt.-Col. Shalom Eisner is caught on tape attacking activists taking part in a protest bike ride through the Jordan Valley on Saturday.

Posted in Israel/Palestine, Occupation, Reports/Video | Tagged | 66 Comments

Finkelstein ‘not going to be an Israel-basher anymore’ but remains ‘appalled and disgusted’

Posted on April 6, 2012 by Henry Norr
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Dennis Ross decided Israel needs whatever it says it needs – and the Palestinians get everything that is left over. It’s a political problem — Finkelstein on the peace process

Posted in American Jewish Community, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Policy in the Middle East, US Politics | Tagged | 115 Comments

From M1 to Marcel Khalife, musicians from around the world join the call for ‘Jerusalem for Us All’

Posted on March 15, 2012 by Henry Norr

In anticipation of the Global March to Jerusalem on Palestinian Land Day (March 30), a new album called “Jerusalem for Us All” brings together tracks donated by a score of international artists working in hip hop, jazz, rock, folk, and a variety of classical cultural traditions.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine, Occupation | 5 Comments

ADL enlists city of Oakland to block Atzmon event

Posted on February 28, 2012 by Rick Sterling and Henry Norr

On Feb. 21, the San Francisco branch of the Anti-Defamation League issued a statement condemning the event, accusing Atzmon of “demonizing Israel, Zionism and Jewish culture and identity.” While the the ADL claimed it did “not question Atzmon’s right to speak,” it challenged city officials to “react as forcefully” to his visit as they would “if a virulently racist speaker were coming to town.”

Posted in American Jewish Community, Israel Lobby, Israel/Palestine, US Politics | 230 Comments

Ads calling for end to aid to Israel return to Bay Area subways, buses

Posted on December 11, 2011 by Henry Norr

Ads calling for an end to the U.S. aid to Israel went up last week in a prominent location in the Civic Center station in San Francisco.

Posted in Activism, Israel/Palestine | 4 Comments

Jewish Federations drop JVP leader from ‘Heroes’ ballot without explanation

Posted on October 8, 2011 by Henry Norr

The Jewish Federations of North America, an umbrella organization that brings together 157 local and regional Jewish federations and hundreds of other Jewish organizations in the U.S. and Canada, runs an annual contest to choose “Jewish Community Heroes.” It slogan: “We … Continue reading →

Posted in Israel/Palestine | 17 Comments

Silverstein and McGovern ponder prospect of Israeli attack on Iran

Posted on October 3, 2011 by Henry Norr

Two well-informed analysts have posted new articles today noting mounting indications that Benjamin Netanyahu and Ehud Barak might be on the verge of launching a war against Iran.

Posted in Israel/Palestine | 22 Comments