gaza aftermath, day 39

Robert Fisk: A fair point: Everyone is equal in their suffering in war
(Robert Fisk, Independent)

Palestinian olive oil bucks UK recession
(Guardian)

Israel and Hamas reject global call for arms embargo
(video, Guardian)

Jerusalem: no plans yet to raze Arab homes in area designated for park
(Haaretz)

"They killed me three times"
(Eva Bartlett, EI)

That's how we are. Singing and wrecking.

Gideon Levy's take on Waltz with Bashir, 'Antiwar' film Waltz with Bashir nothing but a charade, is a devastatingly honest look at how self-centeredly the suffering in Waltz with Bashir is portrayed. Folman focuses nearly the entire movie on his own guilt and confusion about his role in Israel's invasion of Lebanon in 1982, except for the last 30 seconds of the film (I won't give it away for those who haven't seen it, although the article does). It centers around his moral and conscious wrestling with his actions and his own Jewish history. Levy rightfully holds the bar for art higher than Folman in that the movie focuses solely on the Israeli experience of 1982, and not the Lebanese or Palestinian. War affects everyone who participates in it or survives it, however in the spirit of true engagement and critical thinking Folman's movie could have done more to focus on the suffering of those who bore the heaviest burden in 1982--the Lebanese and Palestinians. That said, my personal reaction is still that I expect very little from mainstream Jewish Israel in terms of addressing past wrongs in regards to Palestinians in particular and Arabs at large. Not because I don't think they should address these wrongs, but because the Gideon Levys and Ilan Pappes and Amira Hasses of Israel are few and far between-- those who take a meaningful and truly critical look at Israel's past and have the moral courage to say "it's not always about us-- a lot of the time, it's about them." Folman's film poked larger holes in the illusion of the IDF being the world's most "moral army" at a very critical moment (the film came out during the Gaza war), and those who saw Waltz probably were led to reflect not only on Lebanon, but Gaza. So I accept Folman's baby steps of retrospectivity. Maybe the baby steps will grow.

THIS is important

Please take a minute today, and support US Campaign to End the Occupation in their effort to end military aid to Israel. Throughout Israel's war on Gaza, we were all aware that the majority of arms used against Palestinians were either manufactured in or bought from the United States-- just one more way the US (and those of us who are taxpayers in the US) was complicit in the horrendous attacks on Palestinians. We, in the States, have elected a man to office who has promised change and meaningful partnership in the international community. Let's help him begin his 4 years on the right foot-- by demanding Israel be held accountable for its misuse of weapons in the war.

It only takes a minute. If you feel comfortable doing so, please personalize the message. Let's flood his office.

I just sent my message, who will join me?

Hold Israel accountable for its actions.

gaza aftermath, day 37

Suspend military aid to Israel, Amnesty urges Obama after detailing US weapons used in Gaza
(Guardian)

Student apathy is good for business
(Hicham Yezza, Guardian)

Global boycott movement marks its success
(EI)

Columbia U faculty: support academic freedom in Palestine
(EI)

Durban II drafts: Israel is a racist, occupying state
(Haaretz)

BBC staff to deliver 400 strong petition over Gaza appeal decision
(Guardian)

Egypt opens Gaza border crossing
(al Jazeera english)

Hamas refuses to free Israeli soldier in return for lifting Gaza blockade
(Guardian)

Boycotting Durban II?

In April, Geneva will host Durban II-- the World Conference Against Racism. Obama's government has inserted itself onto the planning committee to ensure a hand in the creation of its guiding documents, but has not yet committed to going. Nice start to the "hope and change" administration-- potentially boycotting a conference about racism. The "controversy" that surrounds Durban II is that during the first Conference in South Africa in 2001, Israel was criticized to be a racist state employing Apartheid. And this was before Israel began constructing the Apartheid Wall. So naturally, Israel is a little nervous about a world conference discussing racism.

Indeed, Livni declared that, "Israel expects the free world not to participate in Durban II." But then again, the "free world" is just that--free. It is not made up of the countries still recovering from colonialism, those fettered by economic colonialism, or those under unmitigated occupation. It is the luxury of the "free world" to disengage from discussions of colonial history and racism. But do they have an obligation and duty to treat the "unfree world" with the respect of participating in a conference on Racism?

Yes.

Will they lower themselves off their high imperial horses to the level of the "unfree world" and participate meaningfully, in cooperative partnership?

We wait to see.

What a nice luxury it must be to have that distance from oppression to decide not to look in the mirror, as Barghouti urged them to, and see that the "free world" is indeed an oppressive force to others.

I hope Obama has the courage and moral clarity to send representatives to the Durban meeting, and participate in it meaningfully. Boycotting a conference on racism is neither hopeful, nor change.

gaza aftermath, day 32

Did Egypt sabatoge deal over Gaza, Shalit?
(Amal Ghazal, EI-- interesting, read this one!)

Obama officials meet with US Jews to explain their Durban II policies
(Haaretz)

Israel Palestine revisited
(Geoffrey Aronson, Guardian)

Gaza's forgotten elderly
(from PCHR)

Chasing Mirages in the Middle East
(Hasan Abu Nimah, EI)

Hamas no, Human Rights yes
(Peter Tatchell, Guardian-- for more reading on Hamas and its ideology/founding I suggest "Hamas" by Khaled Hroub, he actually contradicts to some extent what Tatchell says)

Israel braces for wave of lawsuits
(Mel Frykberg, EI)

From Gaza with love
(Khaled Diab, Guardian)

Hamas murder campaign in Gaza exposed
(Guardian)

Behind the violence in Gujarat, Gaza and Iraq is the banality of democracy
(Pankaj Mishra, Guardian)

South Africa Bantustans vs. West Bank