Rashid Khalidi, one of the globe’s leading scholars on the modern Middle East, and arguably among the most knowledgeable people in the world on the Israel\Palestine conflict spoke yesterday with Amy Goodman of Democracy Now! about the leaked PA documents that recently have come to light in the Guardian and Al-Jazeera. It is a short interview and certainly worth your time.
…the revelations are quite striking. The most important, I think, is the degree to which not only Palestinian negotiators were forthcoming, but the degree to which the Israelis were unwilling to accept concessions. It seriously casts into doubt the idea that Israel would accept anything but complete capitulation by the Palestinians to absolutely everything they’re demanding on every front. We’ve heard about Jerusalem. There is presumably more to come.
But another thing that comes out very strikingly from these documents is the degree to which the United States is twisting the arm of the Palestinians, the degree to which American diplomats, whether Hillary Rodham Clinton or Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice during the previous administration, are unsympathetic to the Palestinians and are in cahoots, in Aaron David Miller’s words, our lawyers for Israel—it’s actually worse than Miller, who was involved in the negotiations for many years, says, from these documents.”
It continues to amaze me that Jon Stewart, a comedian, has much more journalistic courage than just about ANYONE in broadcast media (save for Sister Amy Goodman)
Just last night, he hosted Dr. Mustafa Barghouti a member of the peaceful Palestinian opposition (and according to many, a non-corrupt leader) and Anna Baltzer a Jewish-American peace activist.
The Daily Show has posted an extended interview with both on their website. You can watch both here on Qizilbash. Be sure not to miss Part 1 where a guy from the audience starts yelling at Barghouti.
In the old days of the show, Said and Omer could play together. But now, it seems the puppets have been divided like the countless Saids and Omers in real life.
There is much to say, but the video that came along with this article in the NYTimes has completely depressed me. I wish to avoid sounding like the late Michael Jackson, but the idea of these children living through an armed and unjust conflict is just painful.
Read the article here and watch the pathos inducing video right here.
(the editor sends his pre-apologies for Hebrew spelling mistakes)
ActiveStills is a great website run by Israeli and International photographers that seeks to cover with its photo essays”….the grassroots movement and the popular struggle against the Israeli occupation, women’s rights, immigration, asylum-seekers, social justice, the siege on Gaza, and housing rights inside Israel.”
Way back in 2008 a handful of Israel high school students signed a letter declaring that they would not join the IDF and aid Israel in its on going military occupation of the Palestinian territories. As a result a handful of the students who signed the letter have been sentenced to prison for their objection to the occupation.
Now, two of the letter signers are on a tour of the United States to talk about their cause. You probably won’t see them on CNN, you might not hear a lot about them on NPR, and Fox News will probably call for their execution in an American court. But for those of you who are interested you can actually go to meet these young people and hear them talk.
Check out the website We Why Refuse and take a look at their schedule of talks here in New York City. It should prove to be an enlightening evening of dialogue, debate, and discussion.
The Guardian has a really shocking story about a not-for-profit Bingo Parlor that sends millions of dollars to fund West Bank Settlements, which according to President Obama are the largest roadblocks to peace.
The ever courageous Israeli human rights group, B’tselem recently announced that the Israeli Supreme Court has ruled that the IDF’s Judge Advocate General did not go far enough in its charges against IDF soldiers that shot a bound and blindfolded Palestinian at close range. A stronger indictment has thus been ordered. You can read their press release here.
The video that caused international outrage is below:
…The Ramallah-based architect and writer Suad Amiry put it best when she explained that to be Palestinian now means never to feel at home, because you have no control over time or space. You can live a lifetime in one place and yet not master its geography: routes long-familiar will suddenly be blocked off by barriers or checkpoints; while open spaces in the middle-distance will sprout settlements almost overnight, vast urban conglomerations that change the landscape altogether. You can live a lifetime in one place and yet never know how long it takes to get anywhere: a mere 20-mile journey might consume a whole day, depending on the checkpoints and the whim of the soldiers you encounter. You might never get there at all: you could well be turned back.
A heart breaking report tonight from the BBC about the continued despair of Gazans living in the aftermath of the Israeli offensive at the begining of this year.
The Red Cross says that the people of Gaza are unable to rebuild their lives and sliding ever deeper into despair.
There is not the cement or steel to reconstruct neighbourhoods hit by Israeli strikes.
Seriously ill patients are not receiving the treatmentthey need. The water supply is patchy, sanitation on the point of collapse.
Poverty is at what the Red Cross calls an “alarming” level. Large numbers of children are malnourished.
In other news, the Israeli newspaper Ha’aretz is reporting that private companies running checkpoints in the West Bank are not allowing Palestinian workers to travel with food or water:
The company stops Palestinian workers from passing through the checkpoint with the following items: Large bottles of frozen water, large bottles of soft drinks, home-cooked food, coffee, tea and the spice zaatar. The security company also dictates the quantity of items allowed: Five pitas, one container of hummus and canned tuna, one small bottle or can of beverage, one or two slices of cheese, a few spoonfuls of sugar, and 5 to 10 olives.
It is our hope that Qbash becomes your go-to blog for all things related to the Middle East and other Muslim societies. With any luck qbash will bring out the 16th century militant Sufi mystic in you (in a peaceful way)!
