“A win-win-win-win-win.” That’s how the New York Times characterizes a supposed diplomatic masterstroke by an obscure Israeli minister that emptied Assad’s chemical weapon stockpiles. More P.R. for the Netanyahu government.
Two recent reports suggest that Israel could face catastrophic consequences if it fails to end the mistreatment of Palestinians under its rule, whether in the occupied territories or in Israel itself.
Alice Bach reports on Covenant Journey, a new initiative to take US evangelical Christians on trips to Israel that was inspired by the popular Taglit-Birthright Israel program. In the words of founder and conservative activist Steve Green, “It will create a foundational platform from which they can become goodwill ambassadors for Israel and the Jewish people.”
Benjy Cannon of J St U describes the power of donors: “Many American Jewish communal institutions [are] caught between a small but powerful group of donors with views that are significantly right-of-center, and the vast majority of their constituents who make up a large, moderate middle.”
Americans will only begin to criticize Israel’s conduct with a go-ahead from Jews; and two letter-writers to the Washington Post point out what an article on the boycott movement failed to point out, many Jews support that movement.
Omar al-Bashir of Sudan gets out of South Africa despite ICC charges against him, and Ofeibea Quist-Arcton says it’s because African leaders see a double standard in ICC prosecutions, with Bush, Blair and Netanyahu having immunity
The Palestinian Society for Care and Development in Amaari refugee camp was created in 1998 in response to the cries of the disabled people in Amaari camp. The organization struggles to survive in part because of a stigma against the refugee camp in Palestinian society. “There is an institutionalized discrimination towards the people of the camp and organizations from the camp, mainly perpetuated by the Palestinian Authority and extended to the rest of Palestinian society” explains Shaher, a member of the organization, in a weak voice, as though he has reiterated that sentiment one too many times.
“Every generation hears the voice of Sinai anew,” Peter Beinart says of Jews; and young Jews are being called to anti-Zionism and support for the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement because of its idealism. The Jewish community must welcome them in and argue with them, he said. Israeli writer Ari Shavit says, No.
Israel’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs posted a satirical cartoon video today ridiculing foreign journalists and their coverage of the Gaza Strip for failing to report, and notice that “terror rules Gaza,”—not Israel.
We suppose it was bound to happen eventually; Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said BDS, the Palestinian led nonviolent global movement for justice in Palestine, resembled Nazi Germany. He said it during a meeting with Poland’s Foreign Minister Grzegorz Schetyna today, in speaking of the “defamation” of the Jewish people in Poland when Nazis controlled the country. “The attacks on the Jews were always preceded by the slander of the Jews. What was done to the Jewish people then is being done to the Jewish state now,” Netanyahu said.