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Total number of comments: 10 (since 2009-10-14 03:56:41)

tr

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  • BDS is a long term project with radically transformative potential
  • Hafradah v apartheid, the story continues
    • tr April 22, 2010 at 10:33 pm

      i feel that 'hafrada' should be introduced as a term into the debate. even if most jewish israelis view 'hafrada' as innocuous or even positive, that fact may be irrelevant. i strongly suspect that 'apartheid' had similarly positive connotations for many white south africans - the separation of races in that time and place was considered the natural order of things by many, much as the idea of jewish privilege in israel, and 'separateness' from 'the arabs' is considered the natural order of things by zionists today. these things can change.

  • Jews of good will need to understand that they no longer get to decide for Palestinians
    • tr March 8, 2010 at 12:08 am

      "vague"? what on earth is "vague" about BDS? it's utterly clear: impose non-violent pressure on israel in the form of BD&S until they respect the basic rights of all palestinians, in israel, in WB&G, and outside. it couldn't be clearer or more principled. if you are opposed to those rights being respected, that's unfortunate if unsurprising. but to call BDS vague gives the impression that you think you're arguing with a pack of woolly-headed fools who can't formulate, much less articulate, a clear argument. get real.

  • Blair says Israelis were in on pre-war planning
    • tr February 6, 2010 at 11:56 pm

      Richard Parker says: "I can assure you, from very long experience, that many, or most Arabs (and not just Arab-Israelis) do understand the basics of Hebrew, and can understand most of it."

      This is just incorrect, except for the special case of Palestinian citizens of Israel and to a limited extent Palestinians in the OT. Most Arabs I know who have studied Hebrew say knowledge of Arabic is helpful in that process, since the languages are related, but that's very different from being able to understand the language without such formal study. In fact, quite apart from Hebrew, most Arabs have some trouble understanding Arabic dialects from parts of the Arab world that are far from home - e.g. I've seen an al-Jazeera host ask a guest to please stop using Lebanese colloquial Arabic and to switch to modern standard Arabic "because some people won't be able to understand you".

  • Rawabi, and the American mission to civilize the West Bank
    • tr January 15, 2010 at 12:30 am

      alas yes - for instance there's one just opposite the american university of beirut.
      and i agree - yislam timmak ya ahmed.
      i can't believe the bit about "plant a tree for palestine" - here we go deliberately aping the zionists...

  • A visit to the border
    • tr December 3, 2009 at 12:53 am

      thanks ahmed for sharing the trip. i grew up half-palestinian in lebanon and i know your route well - as well as the sense you describe of being comfortable in certain areas, and very much on one's guard elsewhere. enjoy the food while you're there - sahtain.

  • Abunimah: All the king's horses can't restore legitimacy to partition
    • tr November 19, 2009 at 12:05 am

      Richard Witty says:
      You illustrate the warring element of the BDS approach to achieve a single-state.
      Israel will fight rather than adopt that formula.
      I prefer to avoid unnecessary war.

      Nice residual West Bank you got here, O Palestinians. Be a shame if anything happened to it.

  • Tom Friedman seems to threaten cutting off Israel's aid
  • Denial isn't just a river in Egypt. No it's in Washington
    • tr November 11, 2009 at 12:04 am

      thanks shmuel, very interesting to hear about your journey. especially interesting that it was the october 2000 shootings of the 13 demonstrators that tipped the balance for you. i wouldn't have guessed it in advance. but then i've never viewed zionism "from the inside" as you have.

    • tr November 5, 2009 at 11:11 pm with 1 replies

      ok shmuel - now you've got me curious. i'm of palestinian descent and i don't think i've ever before heard an israeli articulate views that are as close to mine as yours are - close to the point of indistinguishability: equal rights, all avoidance of this core issue ultimately and tragically futile, etc. this is a reaction not just to your present posting, but rather an aggregate response.
      my question: what happened? how did you come to hold the views you do, given that they are so marginal in the society you come from? i can imagine that your answer will be that you thought about the situation you and your country find yourselves in, sought the parameters of an enduring solution, and here they are. if so, you may like to turn the question on its head - why, in your estimation, don't more israelis see it the way you do?
      i ask with the greatest respect, and with the realization that i am probing into sensitive matters not my own. but if you're willing to share, i suspect others might be interested too.

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