The deliberate state-sponsored erasure of Palestinian voices and the evidence of their centuries old existence constitutes a form of historical genocide, of attempting to destroy the memory of a people’s history and thus the people themselves.” Alice Rothchild says that the creation of the Nakba museum project in Washington is a deeply political act.
NYT public editor Margaret Sullivan says she’s “very sorry” for the hurt caused by bigotry about drunken Irish contained in news story blaming balcony collapse that killed 5 in Berkeley on partying students. When will that sensitivity be extended to Palestinians?
A newly elected Israeli lawmaker, Bezalel Smotrich, wants leftwing NGO officials to have to wear special i.d. when they come to government offices. The stigmatizing is aimed at foreign-funded groups.
9-year old Qoteiba Sawafta suffered serious burns and injuries when he picked up an Israeli explosive object, thinking it was a toy, and it detonated in his face. The incident took place in Tubas, in the central part of the occupied West Bank, per IMEMC
The fate of the Palestinian national consensus government, a unity coalition between leaders in the West Bank and Gaza, will be decided in the next few days after reports yesterday that the West Bank heads will resign and establish a new authority late this evening following disputes with Hamas over their rule in Gaza. Little is known about who will fill the replacement government, but President Mahmoud Abbas is poised to continue his role as the chief official of the union under the promise of future elections for his seat and cabinet members, according to an official with the Palestinian Liberation Organization (PLO).
The United Church of Christ will hold its general synod in Cleveland June 26-30 and consider a divestment resolution targeting the Israeli occupation. Today Archbishop emeritus Desmond Tutu issued a statement supporting the resolution.
After being repeatedly asked to name her father’s father (Edmund) at an Israeli checkpoint, writer Sarah Carr was confronted by a soldier: You want the bad news or the good news first? “Just a dickhead toying with someone he knows is powerless, or a dark commentary on his society?” she asks
Former Israeli ambassador Michael Oren’s new book singles out US Jewish journalists for being especially critical of their “nation-state” Israel in ways reminiscent of historical anti-Semitism
Michael Oren’s new book states a principle of the US-Israel special relationship: never surprise Israel with a policy change. Obama supposedly violated that pact when he failed to clear his Cairo speech in ’09 ahead of time with Netanyahu and started talks with Iran without clearing them with the Prime Minister.
The United Church of Christ’s divestment resolution from Israeli occupation, to be heard in Cleveland in late June, is revolutionary. But the UCC should go further, and not endorse dialogue with the official Jewish organizations. For the Jewish establishment and the local congregations are enablers of occupation.