NOVANEWS
1) Occupation Magazine – campaigns, reports, comments, features
2) Crazy Country: To err is human / If you are racists, you lose!
TOI-Billboard presents a weekly choice of ‘must reads’ based on the Occupation Magazine collection and gives the new blog entries of Crazy Country
Occupation Magazine
January 11, 2011
2 ‘features’:
If You Are Racists, You Lose! Identities and politics in Israeli football
Adam Keller spoke with Tom Wiener, a politically-conscious football fan.
Red Rag Weekly Column
Gideon Spiro – Bolshitism – neo-Nazis in the IDF? Racism does not stop – Unclean hands – Letters to three judges
Reports, statements, commentary
Verdict on Bil`in protest organizer case: Abdallah Abu Rahmah gets extra months as ‘deterrence’
Ramona M. – IMEMC – On November 18th, he should have been released – but wasn`t! – although he had spent in prison the full 12 months to which he had been sentenced. The prosecution demanded the sentence to be extended by another year. Abu Rahmah was declared a human rights defender by the European Union.
Shameful imprisonment
Haaretz editorial – Pollak`s incarceration is a link in a troubling chain of persecution by the establishment against leftist activists in the country. Following years of arresting non-violent Palestinian demonstrators, Israeli activists are now also being arrested: Nuri al-Okbi, who was convicted of setting up an illegal garage, received an aggravated sentence only because he was an activist for Bedouin rights, as Judge Zecharia Yeminy stated explicitly. Mossi Raz, a former MK, was beaten by a policemen and arrested during a demonstration against the killing of a protester in Bil`in. Now comes Pollak`s arrest.
There can be no coexistence with a racist consensus
MK Haneen Zoabi/translation Sol Salbe – +972 – The process of incitement and persecution against the “Jewish Left extremists”, set a different dynamic in motion than the persecution of Arab citizens. This time the political persecution is extending to all layers of Jewish society, permeating into political and cultural dimensions that even the Shin Bet and the establishment had not considered.
Borderline Views: Israel’s delegitimization from within
David Newman – Jerusalem Post – The attempt to legislate against NGOs and free speech, and the desire to control the curriculum of schools and universities through some centrally imposed ideology is McCarthyism in an extreme form. The unchallenged adoption of these views is destroying Israel as a democracy, and is justifying its growing delegitimization.
Israel’s Wrong Friends
Ian Buruma – Leftist and liberal critics of Israeli politics like to point out that anti-Zionism is not the same thing as anti-Semitism. But it is just as true that being a friend of Israel is not necessarily the same thing as being a friend of the Jews.
Gaza on the edge of no return
Amira Hass – New Statesman – Immediately after the offensive ended, Hamas declared victory. “In 1967 Israel subdued all the Arab armies in six days, but it could not conquer the Gaza Strip from us even after three weeks.” But people in Gaza preferred to quote an old man who courageously proclaimed on television: “One more victory like this and all of Gaza will be wiped out.”
Silwan activists ask EU for protection against Israel`s actions
Nir Hasson – Haaretz – The letter also requested that Palestinian activist Adnan Jith, who was recently banned from his native Jerusalem for four months, be granted political asylum. The IDF Home Front commander invoked last month a rare, British Mandate-era statute to ban Adnan Jith, a Silwan resident, from Jerusalem, saying he threatens the public order. His expulsion was postponed while he appealed, however he must now leave Jerusalem by Jan. 12.
Israeli Leftists Show Alliance in Wake of Palestinian`s Death
Tony Karon – Time Magazine – The growing assertiveness of Israel`s leftists has the authorities worried. A number have reported being questioned by the Jewish department of Israel`s Shin Bet security services. And the Knesset is considering legislation, likely to pass, that would make it a criminal offense for Israelis to call for international sanctions or boycotts of their state. That may be because the symbolic weight of leftist protest in Israel is potentially far greater than its numbers.
Netanyahu will deliver a Palestinian state
Akiva Eldar – Haaretz – “We could close the Foreign Ministry,” an aide close to Abbas told me last week, smiling from ear to ear. “Bibi [Netanyahu] and [Foreign Minister Avigdor] Lieberman are doing all the work for us.” When a representative of Israel`s government dedicates the “culture hall” at the West Bank settlement of Ariel and a large majority of Knesset members authorize the expansion of the Har Homa neighborhood (seen as a settlement by the entire world ), who really believes that Israel is serious about two states or the division of Jerusalem? (…) So perhaps, in the end, Netanyahu really will establish Palestine.
It`s proven, removing settlements doesn`t bring piece
A video skit from the Israeli comedy show “Eretz Nehederet” (lit: “Wonderful Country) on Channel 2 – with English subtitles.
Action alerts:
Fighting back against Lieberman: Protest march and demonstration in Tel Aviv Sat. Jan 15, 7pm from Gan Meir
Demonstrate! (Because it is still possible)
In Defence of Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu – patron of the South African Holocaust Foundation
called an anti-Semite, because he has attacked the policies of the Israeli government. Support petition.
Solidarity this week: Vigil in Lod: Tuesday, 6pm/ Demo in Sheikh Jarrah: Friday 2pm/ Tour to Taybeh: Saturday 12 noon
[Update weekly weekend protests against the Wall and Settlements at Bilin, Nilin, Al-Ma`asara, A-Nabi Saleh, Beit Ommar and Hebron not yet received from Anarchists Against The Wall]
A selection of articles from earlier days
Irving Moskowitz demolishes part of Jerusalem hotel to build settler housing
Harriet Sherwood – The Guardian – US millionaire`s plans for 20 homes on historic Palestinian site will inflame already tense situation, say critics
Video calls for legal official`s murder
Ynet – Film distributed on Web against Deputy State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan following his request from police to probe anti-Arab incitement on Facebook. Rightist groups condemn video, but suggest it may be `leftist provocation`
Israel academics to boycott college
Al Jazeera – At least 165 professors sign petition vowing to avoid activities at campus built on illegal settlement in the West Bank
EU diplomats say East Jerusalem should be treated as Palestinian capital
Nir Hasson – Haaretz – EU consuls to Israel, Palestinian Authority recommend boycotting Israeli products from East Jerusalem, refuse to visit gov`t offices beyond the green line
Israel Prize laureates join academic boycott of settlement university
Or Kashti–Israel Prize laureates join academic boycott of settlement university 155 academics sign petition calling Ariel, where the education center is located, an illegal settlement whose existence contravenes international law and the Geneva Convention.
Israeli Intellectuals decry Knesset plan to investigate leftist groups
Jonathan Lis–In letter sent to all Knesset members, signatories say investigation of citizens by elected officials signals the end of democracy.
Family, Friends and Volunteers Renovate Hajja Sara’s Kitchen Tent
…with all the satisfaction we must not forget that Palestinian Susiya remains under the continuing danger of destruction and expulsion. ao
4,000 attend funeral of 66-Year-Old Hebron Man Slain by IDF
At least 4,000 gathered Friday afternoon to attend the funeral of Omar Salim Al-Qawasmi, 66, executed by Israeli forces early that morning, in what military officials later admitted was a case of mistaken identity. ao
Israeli Facebook groups may face investigation for inciting racism
Haaretz – “Death to all Arabs,” which has 170 members, explicitly calls for acts of violence to be carried out against Arabs and has supportive words for violent acts against Arabs. The Deputy Attorney General Shai Nitzan told police to investigate the group for inciting both violence and racism.
MK Ben-Ari: Eradicate treacherous leftists
Roni Sofer – Ynetnews – After Knesset approves establishment of inquiry commission into funding of left-wing Israeli organizations, National Union MK tells Jerusalem conference they are `enemies of Israel,` equates them to Hamas, Hezbollah
The IDF speaks in two voices in the Jawaher Abu Rahmah affair – because it knows its case is weak
Yossi Gurvitz – +972 – On Monday the IDF went on a coordinated media offensive against the Bil’in activists and the Abu Rahmah family, claiming not only that Jawahar Abu Rahmah was not killed as a result of inhaling IDF gas, she wasn’t even present in the demonstration on Friday. This comes on a day when the Haaretz editorial questioned the use of CS gas, claiming it may be especially deadly.
The Children`s Judge.
Aya Kaniuk and Tamar Goldschmidt – Mamahsanmilim – Twenty three children and youths were brought into court that day. Most of them confessed to the deeds attributed to them already in their first interrogation. Or the second, at the latest. Few confessed only in the courtroom itself. The few who do not plead guilty at first usually do later on. They confess because they are frightened. Threatened. Because they are children.
Bereaved Israelis, Palestinians Unite Across Violent Borders
Mel Frykberg – Antiwar – “”Waiting for our respective leaderships to forge peace will take too long,” Israeli board director and forum member Rami Elchanan told IPS. “It is through the common people that we can consider a different tomorrow.””
