The Middle East has always been a difficult challenge for Western human rights organizations, particularly those seeking influence or funding in the United States. The pressure to go soft on US allies is in some respects reminiscent of Washington’s special pleading for Latin American terror regimes in the 1970s and 1980s. In the case […]
Geography Archives: Lebanon
Israel’s Rationale for Murder: No One Is Innocent
“When we have settled the land, all the Arabs will be able to do about it will be to scurry around like drugged cockroaches in a bottle.” — Israeli Army Chief of Staff Raphael Eitan, 1983 “Before [the Palestinians’] very eyes we are possessing the land and the villages where they, and their ancestors, have […]
Interview with Mohammed Nafa’h, Secretary General of the Communist Party of Israel
“Supporting the Palestinian people’s struggle for self-determination is a duty of Israeli communists.” The Communist Party of Israel (CPI) and its front Hadash (Democratic Front for Peace and Equality) were the only political forces in Israel that confronted the massacre perpetrated by the Tzahal (IDF), the Israeli armed forces, in Gaza last January. Regrettably, […]
Ye Olde Pirates on the High Seas
First they rammed the Dignity. Then they harassed the Spirit of Humanity into turning back to its berth. Now 18 corsair ships from the Israeli Navy have surrounded the Al-Ikhwa (The Brotherhood) ship, out of Lebanon, and boarded it, ransacking the boat and assaulting its passengers. The ship was plainly up to no good: it […]
Foiling Another Palestinian “Peace Offensive”: Behind the Bloodbath in Gaza
Early speculation on the motive behind Israel’s slaughter in Gaza that began on 27 December 2008 and continued till 18 January 2009 centered on the upcoming elections in Israel. The jockeying for votes was no doubt a factor in this Sparta-like society consumed by “revenge and the thirst for blood,”1 where killing Arabs is a […]
Behind the Myths about Hamas
Most mainstream accounts of the Palestinian Hamas organization present it as a bunch of rabid fanatics, bent on violence and motivated by an irrational hatred of Jews and the state of Israel. This view is reflected both in the mainstream media and in many books published on the topic. When we separate propaganda from reality, […]
Continuing Gaza Protests, as Seen on Al Jazeera
and unseen on American TV. . . . Demos Call for Closure of US Embassy — Police and Protesters Clash, Awkar (North of Beirut), Lebanon, 19.01.09 Demos in Solidarity with Gaza in Cities of Australia — Sydney Demo, the Largest, Draws 20,000, 19.01.09 Tens of Thousands Protests in Solidarity with People of Gaza, Karachi, Pakistan, […]
Under the Voices of Fire: Artists in Gaza
I am working under the voices of fire, Israeli warplanes. . . . I still breathe, take some pictures everyday. — artist Shareef Sarhan, January 12, 2009 As Israel’s vicious attack claims more lives, Gaza’s infrastructure now lies in shambles, including the handful of nonprofit venues that made cultural life possible. Even before the invasion, […]
Hamas: What It Is, What It Wants, and What Israel Makes of It
Israel’s stated reasons for its declaration of “all-out war” against the population of Gaza are the latest variation on a theme it put forward following the 2006 electoral victory of Hamas in Gaza. In February of that year Israel issued an official set of demands. Israel requires that Hamas recognize Israel’s permanent right to exist, […]
Gaza Protests, as Seen on Al Jazeera
. . . and unseen on American TV More Than 100,000 Protest in Paris, France, 11.01.09 USA, 11.01.09 Algeria, 11.01.09 Kenitra, Morocco, 11.01.09 Los Angeles, USA, 11.01.09 Journalists Protest the Israeli Army’s Targeting of Journalists, 10.01.09 Chicago and D.C., USA, 10.01.09 Tokyo, Japan, 10.01.09 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, 10.01.09 Rabat, Morocco, 10.01.09 Manama, Bahrain, 10.01.09 Algiers, […]
Justice and Support for Poor and Working Families in Gaza
Sisters and Brothers: The PGFTU has been working at all levels in Palestine and in its international relations to mobilize international support for peace in the region. This is the ultimate goal for our working families in Palestine, who have labored in every way possible to bring about an end to the Israeli occupation […]
Egyptian Complicity Exposes Deep Fear of Iran
The Egyptian leadership has taken a hiding from the Arab street for its inaction over Israel’s assault on the Palestinians. Hamas, Hezbollah, Syria, and Iran have removed all gloves by publicly accusing Egypt’s leadership of complicity in Israel’s war on Gaza. Arabs are aware, albeit repressed, that Egypt, Jordan, and Saudi Arabia (the Arab trio) […]
War of the Tunnels: Economic Aspects of the Israeli Attack on Gaza
Irrational War? As the massive bombardment of the Gaza Strip continues into its second week, onlookers may wonder about Israel’s short memory, i.e., how little Israeli leaders have learned from the 2006 war against the Hezbollah in Lebanon. Bewildered witnesses speculate as to what reason there could be for the massive destruction and widespread death […]
Interview with Norman G. Finkelstein: The First Goal of Israel Is to Restore the Fear of Israel in the Arab World
The whole world — including Hamas and Iran — support a two-state solution, but Israel rejects it. Press TV: In a week of violence in the Gaza Strip we’re witnessing, what do you make of the situation? Norman G. Finkelstein: It’s hard to make any definite judgments about the military situation. The goals of the […]
The Real Goal of the Slaughter in Gaza
Hamas cannot be defeated, so it must be brought to heel. Ever since Hamas triumphed in the Palestinian elections nearly three years ago, the story in Israel has been that a full-scale ground invasion of the Gaza Strip was imminent. But even when public pressure mounted for a decisive blow against Hamas, the government backed […]
Israeli Electioneering with Bombs: Livni and Barak Pin Their Hopes on Gaza Rampage
“Our community is expanding: MRZine viewers have increased in number, as have the readers of our editions published outside the United States and in languages other than English. We sense a sharp increase in interest in our perspective and its history. Many in our community have made use of the MR archive we put […]
Arab People, Not Regimes, Express Solidarity with Gaza
“Our community is expanding: MRZine viewers have increased in number, as have the readers of our editions published outside the United States and in languages other than English. We sense a sharp increase in interest in our perspective and its history. Many in our community have made use of the MR archive we […]
International Witnesses Speak Out from Gaza
“Our community is expanding: MRZine viewers have increased in number, as have the readers of our editions published outside the United States and in languages other than English. We sense a sharp increase in interest in our perspective and its history. Many in our community have made use of the MR archive we put […]
The Communist Party of Israel Condemns Deadly Attacks on Gaza and Calls for International Mobilization
“Our community is expanding: MRZine viewers have increased in number, as have the readers of our editions published outside the United States and in languages other than English. We sense a sharp increase in interest in our perspective and its history. Many in our community have made use of the MR archive we put […]
An Israeli in Gaza: An Interview with Jeff Halper
“Our community is expanding: MRZine viewers have increased in number, as have the readers of our editions published outside the United States and in languages other than English. We sense a sharp increase in interest in our perspective and its history. Many in our community have made use of the MR archive we put […]
