To my faithful readers - I am sorry it has been so long since I wrote a real entry. I promise a good one is coming in the next week or so - I am in the process of editing it. Until then check out Helena Cobban's blog Just World News, she is daily putting up important and thought provoking posts about Israel and Palestine in these important and tense weeks.
see you soon
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Not surprising...
I have to be honest that when I read this article I was not surprised. Living overseas (and perhaps some of you in the states have the same experience?) I have often heard the question "how is it possible that the US government has not yet found Osama Bin Laden?" Here is one of the answers that is thrown out there, which I am now very happy to have some evidence to support: "Al-Qaeda head Osama Bin Laden was 'within grasp' of US " check out his article in the BBC from Nov. 29th.
Why one should speak their mind
Check out this important post by Helena Cobban, who herself was posting on the activities of David Remez and Adam Horowitz. And, congratulations to Columbia Sportswear for making such a respectable decision.
Sunday, November 29, 2009
Understanding Iran and the Non Proliferation Treaty
As you might have read in today's paper Iran has announced the planning of ten new uranium enrichment sites - just after the condemnation by the UN of the site that they recently submitted to the UN nuclear proliferation watchdog the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). This is such a bummer of a situation and one that I really don't understand well.
It should be noted that in the recent press it was often reported that the international community "discovered" the existance of the recent site in Qom. In fact, the BBC article that came out today says "On Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution that was heavily critical of Iran for covering up a uranium enrichment plant near the town of Qom." This is quite interesting BECAUSE - the site was not discovered at all. Iran submitted a letter to the IAEA stating that they were building a new site. ** It should be noted here** that in the Nuclear Non Profliferation Treaty (that Iran has signed) signatory states are required to notify the IAEA 180 days before the site is operational. Iran's letter to the agency said that the site would be operational in about THREE YEARS.
The site was not discovered - it was announced by Iran in the legal terms set out by the NPT.
Today's turn of events prompted me to read the NPT - why not? Here is the link - it's only five pages and quite short (i read it in less than five minutes). Article X is quite interesting: it reserves the right of all signatory parties to WITHDRAW from the treaty at any time if they believe that their country's "supreme interest" is in jepordy. They are required to give the IAEA three months notification. Food for though.
It should be noted that in the recent press it was often reported that the international community "discovered" the existance of the recent site in Qom. In fact, the BBC article that came out today says "On Friday, the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) passed a resolution that was heavily critical of Iran for covering up a uranium enrichment plant near the town of Qom." This is quite interesting BECAUSE - the site was not discovered at all. Iran submitted a letter to the IAEA stating that they were building a new site. ** It should be noted here** that in the Nuclear Non Profliferation Treaty (that Iran has signed) signatory states are required to notify the IAEA 180 days before the site is operational. Iran's letter to the agency said that the site would be operational in about THREE YEARS.
The site was not discovered - it was announced by Iran in the legal terms set out by the NPT.
Today's turn of events prompted me to read the NPT - why not? Here is the link - it's only five pages and quite short (i read it in less than five minutes). Article X is quite interesting: it reserves the right of all signatory parties to WITHDRAW from the treaty at any time if they believe that their country's "supreme interest" is in jepordy. They are required to give the IAEA three months notification. Food for though.
Tuesday, November 24, 2009
Seymour Hersh - quick interview
Here is a quick and informative interview with Seymour Hersh who is known for his exceptional work as a journalist. He has in the last decade become known for his writing on US intervention in Iran.
Shin Bet in South Africa?
Here are two interesting articles that I found as I was browsing the news this evening. One about secret Israeli activity in South Africa and the other about Sarah Palin's connection to the Christian Zionism. The second one is on a blog that I have recently discovered that I think gives an interesting perspective. Check it out - let me know what you think!
Monday, November 23, 2009
Guantanamo Men - Aquited by Algerian court
Sorry for the LONG absence! I'll try to check in more regularly - promise!
Here is some exceptionally great news coming from the BBC (even if it has few details). I would sum up the information except that it would probably be longer than the article itself - check it out. For now I have found no other details but I will post them when I do.
Here is some exceptionally great news coming from the BBC (even if it has few details). I would sum up the information except that it would probably be longer than the article itself - check it out. For now I have found no other details but I will post them when I do.
Tuesday, June 16, 2009
Eyes on Iran
Sorry it has taken me so long to write on this - here are some quick posts that link to information on what is going on in Iran.
A short update: in the last weeks Iranians have been preparing for the presidential elections that took place last friday. These elections where somewhat different than previous elections since there were live televised debates between the candidates (that got pretty intense!). Since the election restults there have been serious acusations of election fraud particularly by Mousavi, the candidate who "lost" to the incumbant candidate Ahmadinejad. Most people imagined that there would be at least a close tie therefore necessitating a second run off. However the official election results show that Ahmadinejad won with 62.3 % of the vote. It is this number that has caused many people to think there might have been fraud.
So in the days since the election there has been MUCH activity. I can't talk about it all right now and I am definitly not the most qualified either :) So instead I will you point you in some good directions.
1) the BBC launched this year their Persian site which is a team of Persians and non persians working in London. They are now providing some of the most upto date information. Especially since for a while all phonelines, internet and even some TV broadcasting what cut from inside Iran. I recommend going particularly to this page of analysis.
2) I also encourage you (as always) to check out Helena Cobban's site and her analysis of the situation. Here is the link.
I promise to write more soon and keep you updated!
A short update: in the last weeks Iranians have been preparing for the presidential elections that took place last friday. These elections where somewhat different than previous elections since there were live televised debates between the candidates (that got pretty intense!). Since the election restults there have been serious acusations of election fraud particularly by Mousavi, the candidate who "lost" to the incumbant candidate Ahmadinejad. Most people imagined that there would be at least a close tie therefore necessitating a second run off. However the official election results show that Ahmadinejad won with 62.3 % of the vote. It is this number that has caused many people to think there might have been fraud.
So in the days since the election there has been MUCH activity. I can't talk about it all right now and I am definitly not the most qualified either :) So instead I will you point you in some good directions.
1) the BBC launched this year their Persian site which is a team of Persians and non persians working in London. They are now providing some of the most upto date information. Especially since for a while all phonelines, internet and even some TV broadcasting what cut from inside Iran. I recommend going particularly to this page of analysis.
2) I also encourage you (as always) to check out Helena Cobban's site and her analysis of the situation. Here is the link.
I promise to write more soon and keep you updated!
Saturday, May 30, 2009
Another great one from Helena
Here is an important and easy to understand posting from Helena Cobban's blog titled Just World News (which I love and highly recommend to those interested in world affairs and more specifically the Israel and Palestinian conflict). She in turn posted this editorial which was written by Amos Gvirtz, an Israeli citizen who works intentionaly to inform his compatriots of how the Israeli government's occupation is affecting Palestinians. As Helena explains, "He was the founding chairperson of the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions, and every week since summer 2006 he has published a short essay under the title “Don’t Say We Did Not Know.”
Here is a link to his website (which is worth checking out) and his editorial that was featured today on JWN.
Prioritizing Peace over Settlements
By Amos Gvirtz
A short while after his victory in the 1977 elections and his appointment as prime minister, Menahem Begin announced: "There will be many more Elon Morehs [an early ideological West Bank settlement]." And he went on to say, "So that a left-wing government will not be able to return the territories."
In order to give weight to this announcement, the Begin government declared the settlements to be areas of national priority. This meant that the government viewed the construction and development of settlements in the occupied territories as a supreme Israeli interest. And in fact, since then and until today the settlers receive extensive benefits, far beyond what is allocated to any other population in Israel. This is also true for industrialists and business people who build their factories and businesses in the occupied territories.
Since the Begin government, no Israeli government has changed this priority, including the Rabin government, which while it froze settlement construction, paved bypass roads for the settlers, with all their ramifications.
Thus even during the seven years of the Oslo process, no Israeli government changed the policy which viewed the establishment and development of settlements as a supreme Israeli interest! We witnessed a political process, which seemed to most of us to be a peace process, at a time when the occupation actually continued to deepen! And in fact, during the time of the Oslo process, the number of settlers increased from 110,000 to 204,000; Israel demolished more than 1,000 Palestinian homes in the occupied territories; implemented two expulsions; and confiscated some 40,000 acres of Palestinian land. From the Palestinian point of view, these are unilateral acts of war by an occupying power against a defenseless civilian population.
After the 1999 elections, Prime Minister Ehud Barak added fuel to the fire when he appointed Yitzhak Levy of the National Religious Party as Minister of Housing in his government. The results were not long in coming: construction in the settlements reached new heights. The Meretz Party, which also sat in Barak's government, fought against the corruption of the Sephardic religious party Shas (thereby deepening the rift with the Sephardic population in Israel), but failed in its role as guardian of the peace process. This failure marked one of the biggest mistakes of the Israeli Left, which occupied itself with political issues, while the Right created facts on the ground, with the goal of making the settlement process irreversible.
Israeli governments have developed a fixed pattern of behavior: they "agree" to American and European demands on the peace process, and at the same time deepen the occupation. We saw how the Olmert government did this during the Anapolis process.
Given all this, I have reached the conclusion that today the central demand of the Israeli Left must be, first and foremost, the cancellation of the priority status of the settlements in the occupied territories; the total cessation of funding for the settlements and the illegal outposts; upholding the law against settlers who expel Palestinian farmers from their lands and then take them over; the cessation of all land theft; a total cessation of house demolitions; a total cessation of the expulsion of Palestinians from the areas of the Southern Hebron Hills, the Jordan Valley, Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim; the encouragement of settlers to return to Israel; and of course an end to the theft of West Bank and Golan Hight water. Only when these conditions are fulfilled, can it be said that the government of Israel has changed its policy from prioritizing the occupation to prioritizing peace, and only then will there be a chance for a political peace process to succeed."
Here is a link to his website (which is worth checking out) and his editorial that was featured today on JWN.
Prioritizing Peace over Settlements
By Amos Gvirtz
A short while after his victory in the 1977 elections and his appointment as prime minister, Menahem Begin announced: "There will be many more Elon Morehs [an early ideological West Bank settlement]." And he went on to say, "So that a left-wing government will not be able to return the territories."
In order to give weight to this announcement, the Begin government declared the settlements to be areas of national priority. This meant that the government viewed the construction and development of settlements in the occupied territories as a supreme Israeli interest. And in fact, since then and until today the settlers receive extensive benefits, far beyond what is allocated to any other population in Israel. This is also true for industrialists and business people who build their factories and businesses in the occupied territories.
Since the Begin government, no Israeli government has changed this priority, including the Rabin government, which while it froze settlement construction, paved bypass roads for the settlers, with all their ramifications.
Thus even during the seven years of the Oslo process, no Israeli government changed the policy which viewed the establishment and development of settlements as a supreme Israeli interest! We witnessed a political process, which seemed to most of us to be a peace process, at a time when the occupation actually continued to deepen! And in fact, during the time of the Oslo process, the number of settlers increased from 110,000 to 204,000; Israel demolished more than 1,000 Palestinian homes in the occupied territories; implemented two expulsions; and confiscated some 40,000 acres of Palestinian land. From the Palestinian point of view, these are unilateral acts of war by an occupying power against a defenseless civilian population.
After the 1999 elections, Prime Minister Ehud Barak added fuel to the fire when he appointed Yitzhak Levy of the National Religious Party as Minister of Housing in his government. The results were not long in coming: construction in the settlements reached new heights. The Meretz Party, which also sat in Barak's government, fought against the corruption of the Sephardic religious party Shas (thereby deepening the rift with the Sephardic population in Israel), but failed in its role as guardian of the peace process. This failure marked one of the biggest mistakes of the Israeli Left, which occupied itself with political issues, while the Right created facts on the ground, with the goal of making the settlement process irreversible.
Israeli governments have developed a fixed pattern of behavior: they "agree" to American and European demands on the peace process, and at the same time deepen the occupation. We saw how the Olmert government did this during the Anapolis process.
Given all this, I have reached the conclusion that today the central demand of the Israeli Left must be, first and foremost, the cancellation of the priority status of the settlements in the occupied territories; the total cessation of funding for the settlements and the illegal outposts; upholding the law against settlers who expel Palestinian farmers from their lands and then take them over; the cessation of all land theft; a total cessation of house demolitions; a total cessation of the expulsion of Palestinians from the areas of the Southern Hebron Hills, the Jordan Valley, Jerusalem and Ma'aleh Adumim; the encouragement of settlers to return to Israel; and of course an end to the theft of West Bank and Golan Hight water. Only when these conditions are fulfilled, can it be said that the government of Israel has changed its policy from prioritizing the occupation to prioritizing peace, and only then will there be a chance for a political peace process to succeed."
Friday, May 8, 2009
Palestinian Resistance Art
Here is a post that comes from the blog KABOBfest. It's a very cool site that should be checked out on it's own account. This map was published by Strange Maps and made by a French man named Julien Bousac. The main point is "an illustration of the West Bank’s ongoing fragmentation based on the (originally temporary) A/B/C zoning which came out of the Oslo process, still valid until now. To make things clear, areas ‘under water’ strictly reflect C zones, plus the East Jerusalem area, i.e. areas that have officially remained under full Israeli control and occupation following the Agreements. These include all Israeli settlements and outposts as well as Palestinian populated areas.”
There is an interesting and short explination of some of the reactions to the map on Strange Maps
Feel free to ignore the on-going comments at the end - they are useless and unforutnately take away from the power of the artwork and the artist's original intent.
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