On Jerusalem’s Jaffa Road, an artist evokes mood at time of suicide attacks

This article about an Israeli artist’s tour of a busy Jerusalem road targeted by a number of suicide attacks can teach us a lot about the socio-political impact of memory. The same language we use to honor our dead can be used to perpetuate cycles of violence or inspire healing and forgiveness. 

What I find most interesting about this story is the artist’s note that the language used in the memorial plaques reflected a hardening of public attitudes towards the violence, including a “terminology of revenge”. 

There might be a multiplicity of reasons why the public (or any public) might find that language more palatable as time goes on and violence continues. But how the very simple act of memorial gets wrapped up in so many other emotions is incredibly instructive when it comes to understanding and abating conflict.  

Even apart from the disastrous political consequences of current Israeli policy, it is critical to recognize that what goes on in the territories is not a matter of episodic abuse of basic human rights, something that could be corrected by relatively minor, ad hoc actions of protest and redress. Nothing could be further from the truth. The occupation is systemic in every sense of the word. The various agencies involved—government bureaucrats and their ministries and budgets, the army, the blue-uniformed civilian police, the border police, the civil administration (that is, the official Occupation Authority), the courts (in particular, the military courts in the territories, but also Israeli civil courts inside the Green Line), the host of media commentators who toe the government line and perpetuate its regnant mythologies, and so on—are all inextricably woven into a system whose logic is apparent to anyone with firsthand experience of it. That logic is one of protecting the settlement project and taking the land. The security aspect of the occupation is, in my view, close to trivial; were it a primary goal, the situation on the ground would look very different.
Israel in Peril by David Shulman | The New York Review of Books (via firthofforth)

(via firthofforth)

“Visualizing Occupation: The right (or privilege?) to protest”, Michael Vexler Israel and its defenders often boast that it is the “only democracy in the Middle East,” where people can openly express opposition to government policies. However, when comparing a protest in Tel Aviv for “social justice” with one in the West Bank for Palestinian rights,  it becomes clear that the freedom to demonstrate and the means used to disperse them depend on where you are and who you are. 
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“Visualizing Occupation: The right (or privilege?) to protest”, Michael Vexler

Israel and its defenders often boast that it is the “only democracy in the Middle East,” where people can openly express opposition to government policies. However, when comparing a protest in Tel Aviv for “social justice” with one in the West Bank for Palestinian rights,  it becomes clear that the freedom to demonstrate and the means used to disperse them depend on where you are and who you are. 

Source: 972mag.com

Christians Provide Free Labor On Jewish Settlements

Many evangelical Christians believe that the end of days and the coming of the Messiah will center around Israel. And they interpret the foundation of the Jewish state as biblical prophecy becoming reality.

It’s a hugely emotional issue for the Christians who come. They believe it is their duty to help Jews expand their control over Judea and Samaria — the biblical names for what is now the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

Aaaand reason #1503852 why I get squirmy when I’m around others who identify as “Christian”. Especially Western ones. 

Yikes.

Wadah Khanfar: Palestine Still A Central Issue For A Changing Arab World

The following is my latest piece for the Note about an event I got to attend last night. I also got to personally say hello to Mr. Khanfar, which was really cool.

Arab Revolutions Televised, Tweeted, and Blogged: The Exit & Entrance Interview with Wadah Khanfar

Last night, I was privileged enough to attend another episode of the Atlantic Exchange series with former director of Al Jazeera, and now head of the new Sharq Forum, Wadah Khanfar hosted by Palestine Note co-publisher Steve Clemons. In addition to getting to sit in the same room as someone has been listed in the top one-hundred most powerful people in the world by Forbes Magazine, those of us in the audience also got to hear from the man himself about some pretty juicy topics. Mr. Khanfar responded thoughtfully and candidly to Steve questions about his reasons for leaving Al Jazeera, his views on the Qatari government, political Islam, and the importance of social media in the “Arab Spring”*. What I was really looking forward to, however, was hearing what Mr. Khanfar had to say about the role of Palestinian issues in the Arab movements. More on that after the jump.

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Source: palestinenote.com

Promoting Palestinian Rights for Valentine’s Day

My latest article for the Note!

Today is Valentine’s Day! Whether you choose to celebrate it by caving to mass marketing of consumer products, sharing hilarious anti V-day cards on Facebook, or just enjoying a day that celebrates chocolate, nearly all of us mark the occasion in one way or another. But how can you celebrate Valentine’s Day, or any day for that matter, when you live under a system that is constantly separating you from them? That’s the subject of the Love Under Apartheid project helmed by Palestinian-American graduate student Tania Keilani which has quickly gained a following since its debut on February 13th 3:30pm EST (that’s less than twelve hours before the publishing of this article!).

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Source: palestinenote.com