Interview with Khaled Meshaal
December 9th, 2012
To coincide with Meshaal's brief visit to Gaza, we post the first part of an interview
he gave to Mouin Rabbani in 2008. He gives an account of his upbringing and the
formation of Hamas. It is an idealised version from a deeply religious man who
has not lived in Gaza
or with the worst aspects of Hamas - the intolerance, antisemitism , lack of
due process and reliance on violence over politics. But it is a valuable
counterweight to the view that Hamas is nothing but those worst aspects and
rules only by terror. Part 2 next week.
Hamas leader arrives in Gaza for first time
December 7th, 2012
Guns, flags and cheering crowds met Khaled Meshaal, formal
head of Hamas, when he arrived in Palestinian territory for the first time in
45 years, and for the first time ever in Gaza.
He has lived in exile since his family left the West Bank
when he was 11 years old. He vowed to push for unity with Fatah.
Pro-Israel Jews cry out at Netanyahu’s blow to peace hopes
December 7th, 2012
J Street (USA) and Yachad (UK) are representative of Jewish
people who insist on their loyalty to Israel - while finding ways to make
critical comments in line with their views on peace. That loyalty has been
severely tested by Netanyahu's post-UNGA announcement of new settlements as
shown by these responses.
Cultural boycott of Palestinian writer by Israeli parents and Ministry
December 6th, 2012
Ghassan Kanafani is one of the best-known Palestinian
writers. His children's book - the Little Lamp, (Lantern) - has been performed
as a musical from Jenin to Theatre Workshop Scotland. It was part of an Israeli
schools' literature programme, but protests from parents led to its being
withdrawn by the Ministry of Education this week.
E1 plan to cut East Jerusalem from West Bank
December 5th, 2012
E1 sounds so simple and impersonal. But under cover of the
revenge attack, Netanyahu is driving through the long-planned joining of the
Ma’ale Adumim settlement to Jerusalem
via a Jews'-only urban development in E1. Bedouin will be displaced and a
contiguous Palestine
flamboyantly broken in half. B'Tselem reports. Plus maps and analysis from +972.
Appeal to Reform Rabbis: know where the power lies
December 5th, 2012
Coming out of the Reform tradition, Robert Cohen calls on
its Rabbis to take a lead in putting ethics before political expediency - and
to know that ethics does not mean making an idealised 'balance' into a
religious virtue. Now it means ENOUGH!
Making the unexceptional case for boycott
December 5th, 2012
Israel's
boycott law allows settlers to sue anyone who calls for a boycott of settlement
products. Gush Shalom has appealed against this law, hearing on December 5th.
(3) A settler argues that boycott is collective punishment, or ineffectual (2).
Jerry Haber takes apart his argument (1) UPDATE Report of hearing.
What will the Palestinians gain from new UN status?
December 5th, 2012
The implications of Palestine's
new UN status are examined by two Q&A articles, 1) from the BBC and 2) from
ACRI. Apart from enhancing its status in relation to Israel, the main consequence is
seen to be the PA's possible entry into international bodies and agreements,
giving the PA new powers as well as responsibilities.
Goldstone vindicated by IDF restraint on Gaza
December 5th, 2012
Lethal as Operation Pillar of Defence was, it could have
been worse; without the Goldstone report, 'Netanyahu would have gone in guns
blazing' says Kevin Bloom. Uri Avnery, quoted (1) , comes to the same
conclusion as does Jerry Haber (2) who says Justice Goldstone was the true
winner of this military operation..
Make the Middle East a nuke-free zone votes UNGA
December 4th, 2012
In a close replay of the voting on Palestinian observer
status, the UN General Assembly voted on Monday Dec. 3 to make the Middle East
a nuclear-free zone and for Israel
to open its nuclear facilities for inspection. The only votes against were Israel, the USA,
Canada and the tiny Marshall Islands, Micronesia
and Palau.
Turning point: when Europe lost patience with Israel
December 4th, 2012
After all the UK/USA/German efforts to persuade the PA not
to go to the UN General Assembly and their loyal acts of not supporting the
PA's resolution, all in the name of the 2-state solution, Netanyahu has done
what he does best - gone off in a huff and ordered construction which destroys
that EU/USA policy.
Obama: the block to change
December 4th, 2012
In a harsh critique, Henry Siegman argues President Obama
has blocked the 2-state solution both by failing to press Israel to stop building settlements
and by blocking the UN from acting on its own charter. However, his
administration has joined European governments (see above) in censoring Israel
for its punitive new plans.
Children hardest hit by attack on Gaza
December 4th, 2012
Operation Pillar of Defence is over. The damage done will
last a long time especially, says a report from UNICEF, for the children who
are traumatised by the deaths, noise, destruction, fear. Electronic Intifada
follows the fate of a few children. The weekly report from PCHR counts the
numbers.
Ex-Zionist Federation activist poses as neutral expert – and BBC taken in
December 3rd, 2012
You might have seen or heard Jonathan Sacerdoti on the BBC
during Pillar of Defence; he was presented as a neutral Middle
East expert. In fact he was on one of the 4 expert committees of
the Zionist Federation (motto 'speaking up for Israel', (now on the Board of
Deputies). After NLP pointed this out (1) someone rushed to remove his traces
from the internet (2). 3, brief note about InstMed - check their publications
for what they care about.
Israel’s friends find no defence for revenge by settlement
December 3rd, 2012
Nobody gains by Netanyahu's post-UNGA decision to order new
settlements including in E. Jerusalem and the
E1 area. He has horrified and embarrassed his allies by this naked statement
that, says a Ha'aretz editorial, settlements are indeed an act of punishment.
2, maps from Ir Amin, + note on revenge in laws of war.
Israel, not Hamas, is the region’s pariah
December 3rd, 2012
Israel
cannot hide forever under its Iron Dome. While its neighbours are changing and
growing in confidence Israel
is shrinking in political stature as it again opts for hi-tech violence over
political thought. Adam Shatz in London Review of Books contrasts the
liveliness of Arab politics with the lonely inertia of Israel.
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