A bitter-sweet release
Posted on 18 October 2011 | No responses
I cried this morning. I am a mother. I am a human being.
Today, after more than five years held by Hamas, Gilad Shalit was released. I have no doubt of the joy his family must feel. To see the son they thought they’d lost. To hold him close, to finally feel him alive again in their arms. And I am glad that their anguish is over: we are all human, after all. Read more
The first 477 Palestinians released in Shalit deal
Posted on 18 October 2011 | No responses
The prisoners released today. Read more
Darker days ahead
Posted on 3 October 2011 | No responses
On Sunday night, the mosque in the small village of Tuba suffered an arson attack. Unknown agitators entered the building and set the fire, causing damage to carpets and the structure itself. Before leaving, they sprayed messages on the walls outside: “price tag” and “revenge”, in Hebrew. Until this weekend, these attacks seemed to be confined to the West Bank. And it isn’t just mosques that are targets. Olive groves, villagers, solidarity actions: all are “fair game” to the wild West Bank settlers. Read more
The people’s nation of Palestine?
Posted on 5 September 2011 | No responses
The internet is awash with opinions about the looming Palestinian Authority bid for statehood at the United Nations in a few weeks. There are some interesting and well-argued articles supporting both the pro- and anti-statehood position. Read more
Palestine’s Nakba continues
Posted on 18 May 2011 | No responses
Published in Labour Briefing, May 2011
Al Nakba was not the random result of the chaos of war but the deliberately planned ethnic cleansing of Palestine.
OVER THE past week, Israel celebrated its 63rd birthday. On May 14th 1948, David Ben Gurion announced the creation of the Israel. And while Zionists laud their colonialist success, for Palestinians, this day marks the tragedy of their dispossession. Al Nakba — the literal translation means catastrophe — started before 1948 and has continued relentlessly ever since. Read more
5777
Posted on 17 April 2011 | 1 response
Today is Palestinian prisoners’ day. Statistics from Addameer, the prisoners’ support and human rights organisation, show that there are 5777 Palestinian political prisoners held by Israel (as of March 2011). In commemoration, detainees have called a day-long hunger strike. Read more
Juliano Mer Khamis
Posted on 10 April 2011 | No responses
On Monday April 4th, the world went dark in Palestine, in Israel and across the globe. A Palestinian shot to death Juliano Mer Khamis in Jenin. There are no words to describe the feelings of so many people as the news broke: shock, outrage, horror, anguish and the most terrible feeling of loss. This attack on Juliano is more than the killing of one man: it’s an attack on humanity, peace, justice and on all who believe a better future is possible.
All’s quiet on the West Bank front
Posted on 16 February 2011 | 2 responses
Mahmoud Abbas, and Saeb Erekat, must have been delighted to see the revolution in Egypt. It’s not that they care much for people’s freedom but as it completely took over the news, pushing the Palestine Papers almost into obscurity.
Power to the people
Posted on 12 February 2011 | No responses
Masr! Now I can believe anything is possible. What a beautiful day and an inspiration to us all.
And until the revolution comes to a street near you, enjoy the best song from the revolution. With thanks to Ramy Essam, Mohamed Soliman and the Egyptian people!
An armchair revolution
Posted on 3 February 2011 | No responses
It’s very easy to be an armchair revolutionary. It’s very easy to judge the actions of others without understanding their experience. It’s very easy to expect a situation elsewhere to fit one’s own expectations. Read more
