This has the opportunity to empower peacemaking. Some will say having both East and West Jerusalem mapped legitimises Israel’s control over parts of the West Bank. To them I say this: Knowledge breeds peace. Being able to see Arab suburbs of East Jerusalem will help understand even just a little more the people who live there, and increase knowledge about their disaffection and the inequality they suffer. The more you know, the more likely you will be part of a solution, and the more likely one will come.
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/04/22/explore-jerusalems-old-city-with-google-street-view/
We know that Jews will gather and remember the horrors of the Holocaust, but it doesn’t hurt to be reminded that this is mourned globally. Palestinians and Arabs aren’t all (in fact, few are) Holocaust deniers. They care about our tragedies. They don’t wish to repeat them or minimise them. They wish to commemorate them as a human tragedy just like the rest of us.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/04/19/arab-mk-ahmed-tibi-there-is-nothing-more-foolish-or-amoral-than-holocaust-denial/
Peter Beinart’s book — “The Crisis of Zionism” — is a book that has to be read. It outlines the major ills that befall Israel and the Jewish world today: an Israel that is unethically embedded in the Palestinian territories, and a Jewish world that is complicit in the status quo. How do we find the way out? Just how bad is it? This is an analysis of his book, but most importantly, takes out his prescriptions for how we, and Israel, can change. These are uncomfortable things to talk about, but they’re necessary for the future of Jewish-democracy in Israel.
Tags: AIPAC, American Jewry, Apartheid, Ariel, Australian Jewry, BDS, Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, Crisis of Zionism, Diaspora Jewry, Ehud Barak, Ehud Olmert, Gen Y, Hamas, Israel, Jewish day schools, Liberal Zionism, Likud, Occupation, Palestinians, Peter Beinart, Settlement boycott, Settlements, West Bank, Zionism Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/04/19/the-crisis-of-zionism-and-the-diaspora/
The full text of Abbas’s letter to Bibi Netanyahu has been leaked — it contains Palestinian acceptance of what has been on the table from Israel in the past, most notably what Ehud Barak already agreed to in the Clinton Parameters in 2001. It should be a no-brainer. Everyone should rally around these points and get an agreement signed.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/04/18/text-of-abbass-letter-to-bibi-leaked/
Very good step forward from Bibi. Now, the question is, will all those who have been backing up Bibi this whole time criticise him for dropping it, or will they now (finally) agree that it was a silly pre-condition to begin with?
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/04/13/bibi-drops-recognition-of-israel-as-a-jewish-state-precondition/
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel, New Israel Fund’s flagship grantee, has produced an insightful and important document that sheds more light on home demolitions in the West Bank (of Palestinian homes, and Jewish illegal outposts) and unrecognised Bedouin villages.
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/04/02/whats-the-difference-illegal-outposts-palestinian-towns-and-unrecognised-bedouin-villages/
The Daily Show takes on a Brooklyn co-op’s decision to join the BDS movement against Israel. Samantha Bee does very well to show how both sides are pretty stupid in this case; of course, that’s great fodder for a comedy show!
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/30/video-the-daily-show-makes-fun-of-everyone-in-the-brooklyn-co-op-bds-debate/
Three Palestinians on a panel discussing their perspective was something I’ve never experience before. It’s bizzare — I mean, if they’re our partners in peace, then why doesn’t the Jewish community engage with them more?
Related reading:Tags: AIJAC, Australian Jewry, Aziz Abu Sarah, Diaspora Jewry, Gen Y, J Street, J Street Conference 2012, J Street U, Khaled Abu Tomeh, Liberal Zionism, Mustafa Barghouti, Occupation, Palestinians, Peace Process, Peter Beinart, Randa Hudome, Sheikh Jarrah, Video Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/27/unique-palestinian-perspective-is-todays-highlight-at-j-street/
Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian Ambassador to the UN, displays an excellent sense of humour in John Oliver’s report for the Daily Show. Very funny stuff.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/08/video-the-daily-show-interviews-the-palestinian-ambassador-to-the-us/
The Jerusalem Absentee Property Law is racist, because it’s only applied to Palestinians, writes Moriel Rothman in 972 Magazine. “Racist” is also the only word I can think of for this; all I can see is the immoral, selective application of a law that undermines Israeli democracy, the peace process, and any good will Israel will ever be able to build up.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/08/jerusalems-absentee-property-law-applied-only-to-palestinians-is-racist/
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