Oren Hazan from the ruling Likud party received backlash today after he boarded a bus full of Palestinians traveling from Gaza to visit relatives who are detainees in Israeli prisons, and called them “dogs” and “terrorists” in a video he posted of the encounter to social media. “No, it’s not a question of family visits-this is a reality that must stop, and that’s why I came to confront the beasts,” Hazan wrote yesterday. He further said the Palestinian passengers were “human scum.”
Today, read the words of some more of the Thousand Voices for Truth. Three seasoned activists have shared their analyses and personal stories on Mondoweiss over the years. Please read why they value Mondoweiss as an outlet to inform and strengthen the movement for justice in Palestine. And add your voice to the thousand by investing today in responsible journalism at Mondoweiss.
Prominent Israeli journalist Ben Caspit caused international furor last week, when he wrote of Ahed Tamimi, “in the case of the girls, we should exact a price at some other opportunity, in the dark, without witnesses and cameras”. Caspit has felt the heat in response to his insidious suggestions and is now in crisis control mode. In a new article Caspit trys to “clarify” in English but Jonathan Ofir says the attempt at spin control is futile and disingenuous: “Caspit, in his desperate attempt to backpedal, is providing an even more pathetic article, which suggests that its just the ‘goyim’ who didn’t understand Israeli jargon.”
Yesterday, an Israeli military court extended Ahed Tamimi’s detention and postponed her trial. Mariam Barghouti reports from Ofer military court, where on Christmas day Palestinian families, including the Tamimis, gathered to attend the trials of their imprisoned loved ones. Wafa Daud, who was waiting to attend a hearing for her 19 year old son tells Barghouti, “Behind the numbers, there are the family members and friends that are also being punished in this system.”
The pop singer Lorde announced on Sunday that she would be canceling her June 5th performance in Tel Aviv after pressure from the Palestinian BDS movement. “I had done a lot of reading and sought a lot of opinions before deciding to book a show in Tel Aviv, but I’m not too proud to admit I didn’t make the right call on this one,” the singer wrote on social media explaining her decision.
In light of Donald Trump’s announcement earlier this month where the United States recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital, Palestinian Christians held subdued Christmas celebrations across the West Bank, East Jerusalem and the Gaza Strip.
Mohammad Saba’aneh shares Christmas cartoons from Palestine.
Through a bullhorn to cut through the hum of holiday shoppers, some forty people rallied in New York City’s Union Square Friday night in support and solidarity for Ahed Tamimi, the 16-year-old Palestinian girl arrested by Israeli soldiers during a pre-dawn raid of her family’s home in the occupied West Bank village of Nabi Saleh. Mariah Tamimi called Ahed the best representative for her people, telling Mondoweiss, “she inspires me; and I think she inspires the rest of Palestine.”
Roland Nikles sends a Christmas message to US Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley: “On this Christmas Day, we recall that near Bethlehem, there were shepherds out in the field, ‘and an angel of the Lord appeared to them. . . and the angel said. . . I bring you good news of a great joy which will come to all the people.’ And we behold: the angel did not say ‘America First!'”
In the five days since Ahed Tamimi’s arrest, Israeli authorities have attempted to coerce confession from her without access to a lawyer or a parent; moved her from the occupied West Bank in contravention of international law; and transferred the sleep-deprived teenager between at least three different detention centers and prisons, including West Jerusalem’s infamous Moscobiyeh detention center. All of this and Tamimi has not yet been charged with a crime.