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Total number of comments: 18 (since 2009-10-08 13:39:24)

hanthala

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  • Site news: Introducing Mondoweiss's new home
  • Encountering Leonard Cohen in an L.A. pizzeria
    • hanthala June 10, 2011 at 1:54 am

      I love that they quote Natalie Portman at the bottom of the page of board members... she helped Alan Dershowitz write "The Case for Israel" - enough said.

  • Reut: Israel is a normal country struggling to survive in 'impossible reality'
    • hanthala April 19, 2011 at 3:25 am

      I guess the fact that a number of the organizations that helped found the BDS movement are in Ramallah is ignored...

      Not to mention during the 2nd intifada, Ramallah being a base, among others, of armed resistance. What a silly comment.

      GuiltyFeat: At a minimum, I hope you've spent a lot of time in Ramallah to be making claims like that.

  • Palestinian boycott call is part and parcel of the Arab spring that is sweeping the region
    • hanthala March 1, 2011 at 1:58 pm

      Yes Richard, the "peace process" is the way to go. It has been incredibly successful and VERY just to the Palestinians to date.

      Also, the Montgomery boycott was pointless, as was the South African anti-Apartheid one...

  • Ian McEwan and the writer's commitment
    • hanthala February 18, 2011 at 1:40 pm

      That's actually not accurate. Waters did play, however, in Neve Shalom/Wahat as-Salaam instead of Tel Aviv that year (something he now regrets)

  • Guerrilla ad campaign in SFO
    • hanthala December 20, 2010 at 7:00 am with 1 replies

      Actually there is an issue of appropriation. When Ashkenazi Israeli Jews open stores and make hummus calling it "Israeli Hummus," it is a part of what Israel has done to the Palestinians - it's the appropriation (I would say expropriation) of our culture. It is part and parcel of Israel's dilution & dismissal of Palestinian people. Do you recall Hummus being a staple of the diet of people anywhere in Europe pre-1948? On the flip, Hummus WAS a staple of the Mizrahim diet and is native cuisine for them, so I'm able to understand that they're not ex/appropriating.

      PS: It's silly to say "Jews are not allowed to sell Hummus." The issue is when hummus becomes "Israeli Hummus."

  • Next month it becomes illegal for me to visit the place my 4 grandparents lived and died
  • In tribute to the 'Young, Jewish, and Proud'
  • Liberal rabbis Lippman and Bachman urge Brooklynites to buy products from Occupied West Bank!
    • hanthala October 23, 2010 at 7:50 pm

      Clencher, I'm confused by what you are arguing.

      You said that the "more visible leaders" of the BDS movement are "erasing the green line." I'm not sure what that means? The BDS movement, as per the call for BDS from Palestinian civil society in 2005, demands the following: 1) End of the occupation of all Arab lands (meaning Golan Heights included), 2) Right of Return for Refugees, and 3) Equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel. That is "blurring the line" and somehow hinting at an end of Israel's existence? If so, then your implication is that asking for fundamental rights afforded the Palestinians by international law would lead to the end of Israel as a state. First, what does that say about Israel? And second, I don't agree with you - I'm quite sure Israel can reform itself to abide by international law and function an as actual democracy.

      So it sounds like there is no difference between what is being said by the "more visible leaders" of BDS and the Palestinian call, supported by over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations based in the '67 territories, '48 territories (Israel), and diaspora.

      Furthermore, if your idea is that they should focus only on the occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and Gaza, then my question to you would be: Who is funding settlements? Who built them? How do they continue to function (electricity, water, etc)? How are they protected? Who is giving them citizenship? Are they prohibited from attending Academic institutions inside Israel? The answer to all of these questions is Israel (with the last question being a resounding NO). The occupation, the settlements, none of it is disconnected from Israel, its government, its institutions, all of which actively support and often promote the settlements & occupation.

      PS: I appreciate your thoughts & contribution. I simply disagree. I hope you don't turn around and label me an "extremist" who is "damaging Palestinian rights."

  • A poem for my mother
    • hanthala July 12, 2010 at 2:06 pm

      Beautiful. Thank you for sharing Jenny

      @Shmuel - I can imagine it's incredibly hard.

      @Mooser - Wow. Thanks for the laugh.

  • A Palestinian-American family slept. Till 9/11
    • hanthala June 6, 2010 at 3:08 pm

      I think it's fair to say that we're all happy the Bitar family has awakened :-) - they're a great addition to the movement.

  • Jews of good will need to understand that they no longer get to decide for Palestinians
    • hanthala March 8, 2010 at 1:05 am

      Wow, great piece. This conversation, albeit it happening in some, is long overdue in many places. Way to go (Anonymous?)!

  • Touring Israeli ballet company has no Palestinian dancers
    • hanthala February 8, 2010 at 1:23 am

      I read the press release - how about this comment from founder/director Berta shortly after the attacks on Gaza:

      “Luckily, right now we don’t have to worry about war: despite our problems, this is a safe place; there’s no crime, and you don’t have to be afraid at night.”

      ? I mean seriously...

  • Settling into Sheikh Jarrah
    • hanthala January 13, 2010 at 3:03 pm

      The places where you see “here and here” and several others were meant to be links. The editors should correct that shortly :-)

      -The 1st here
      -The 2nd here

    • hanthala January 13, 2010 at 2:56 pm

      Folks the places where you see "here and here" and several others were meant to be links. The editors should correct that shortly :-)

  • Meeting Omar Barghouti in New York
    • hanthala November 9, 2009 at 12:24 pm

      Citizen, sorry to have misread your comment by the way.

    • hanthala November 9, 2009 at 10:40 am

      That is an older debate it seems. I believe this debate will be posted at www.grittv.org

    • hanthala November 9, 2009 at 10:39 am

      Citizen, I'll give you one of many responses to the question of singling Israel out. How about because our government (in the U.S.) has chosen to single out Israel - making it the single largest aide recipient of all countries we provide aide to and standing by it blindly. The U.S. provides Israel its single most important veto at the United Nations, its most significant fiscal support, its most significant moral support, and so on and so forth. If my government wants to single Israel out, why shouldn't I respond in kind? I have to do SOMETHING to offset my tax dollars going to Israel.

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