The frustrations of the social justice protests and lack of progress on the peace process seem to be coming out, according to Ha’aretz: A new political party headed by Yair Lapid, Channel 2′s Friday news anchorman, would become the second largest party in the Knesset, should the journalist decide to enter politics, a recent poll conducted by Israel Radio revealed on Thursday. According to the poll, if Lapid chooses to [...]
Related reading:Tags: 2011 Israeli social justice protests, Avoda, Bibi Netanyahu, Elections, Israel, Kadima, Poll, Shas, Shelly Yachimovich, Yair Lapid, Yisrael Beiteinu Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/31/new-poll-shows-labour-yair-lapid-coalition-would-win-next-elections/
The Israeli education department has criticised an Arab school for sending its students to a human rights rally in Israel as part of its civics class. Ha’aretz reports that “the students carried signs against racism, house demolitions, etc., which violates the director general’s circular [i.e. ministry regulations].”
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/31/israeli-education-ministry-criticises-arab-school-for-letting-students-attend-human-rights-rally/
Ha’aretz reports that Hamas has moderated, has ordered its forces in Gaza not to fire rockets, and is ready to accept a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. Seems that the fruits of the reconciliation talks with Fatah have gone to plan, then, despite what the predictions of the naysayers. Surely soon we say, “these guys are serious,” and we start negotiating with them.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/30/hamas-self-imposes-a-ceasefire-in-gaza-and-west-bank/
Reuters reports that several thousand joined a protest in Beit Shemesh last night against gender segregation and violence against women. They had signs saying “We won’t become another Tehran” and “Awaken, the silent majority!” The ultra-Orthodox? They shouted “Nazis! Nazis!” at the police who were there to stop them from attacking the TV crews sent there to report on the protests. Delightful.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/29/we-wont-become-another-tehran/
Palestinian blogger Aziz Abu Sarah has written an excellent post criticising anti-normalisation, saying it leads to a situation where Palestinians will be worse off.
Related reading:Tags: 972 Magazine, Antony Loewenstein, Apartheid, Australians For Palestine, Co-existence, Israel, Normalisation with Israelis, Occupation, One-state solution, Palestinians, Peace Process, West Bank Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/28/a-palestinian-speaks-out-against-anti-normalisation-with-israel/
Ethan Bronner for the NYTimes reports that “the Israeli Parliament on Monday held its first public debate on whether to commemorate the Turkish genocide of Armenians nearly a century ago.” What obligations do we, the Jewish people, as a victim of an horrific genocide ourselves, have in recognising other genocides?
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/28/recognising-the-armenian-genocide-in-israel/
972 Magazine has translated a report from Israeli Channel 2 news last Friday — the report is about Beit Shemesh and the increasing radicalisation and segregation imposed on the rest of the community, by the town’s Ultra-Orthodox Jews.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/27/the-takeover-of-the-ultra-orthodox-in-israel/
Watch this video from Machsom Watch, a group of volunteers that go to checkpoints across Israel and the West Bank and regularly document the experiences and behaviour of Palestinians, settlers and the IDF. It’s a very depressing situation, as you can see.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/26/video-the-depressing-qalandia-checkpoint/
Former Jewish Agency chairman and member of Knesset Avraham Burg, in Ha’aretz, advocates a one-state solution. It’s just silly to think that Israelis and Palestinians, who struggle as it is to live next to each other, will somehow manage to live together in a one-man-one-vote one-state solution scenario.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/26/avraham-burg-gives-up-on-the-two-state-solution/
Today, being Christmas, the Western press loves to publish articles detailing the difficulties Jesus, Mary and the Wise Men all would have had if they had lived under Israeli occupation. You can file this issue under “if you don’t like the coverage, change the policy.”
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/26/the-annual-if-jesus-were-born-in-bethlehem-today-christmas-articles/
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