Ahed Tamimi and other Palestinians

[Johnny Velvet]

Just wanted to throw in my thanks to the regulars on this thread, in particular Nef. It's one to which I have nothing useful to contribute, but I always check out for the news and perspectives I'll not get on the BBC and haven't the time to root out myself. (TBH, I often feel frozen with horror at what the world is happy to ignore.)

Seconded. I've less than nothing to contribute on this issue because it's so painful, so infuriating but ad hoc, AE, ursus, G-Man and Nefertiti2 are doing great work on here.

[ad hoc]

If you have time, I recommend watching these 3 Israeli academics speaking about the state of Israel (and of course those it occupies) as it reaches its 70th anniversary. I'd say from top to bottom they run from vaguely optimistic to pessimistic, so if you want to leave watching with some hope, go from bottom to top :-) http://www.middleeasteye.net/columns...ine-1485585926

[Antepli Ejderha]

Thanks for all of those links, I'll watch or read them over the weekend.

[Nefertiti2]

https://twitter.com/AFP/status/987802907587170305

AND SHE'S BEING PUNISHED FOR IT

https://twitter.com/haaretzcom/status/987988796292595712

[ad hoc]

Worth spending 7 minutes of your time to watch this video released by Bernie Sanders

https://twitter.com/SenSanders/status/987804920794439681?s=19

[Nefertiti2]

Thanks for that. Good that the entrenched position in the US seems to be changing a bit, at least.

But what’s happening in Gaza is horrendous

The bullets used are causing injuries local medics say they have not seen since 2014. The entrance wound is small. The exit wound is devastating, causing gross comminution of bone and destruction of soft tissue.”

If you’re concerned Ask your MP to sign this early day motion

[Antepli Ejderha]

Sent the response to my MP, let's see if he responds and more importantly if he does anything.

[Nefertiti2]

thanks AE

https://twitter.com/AsafRonel/status/987955083294990337

https://twitter.com/AsafRonel/status/987957313901383680

https://twitter.com/AsafRonel/status/987958590320336896

[Nefertiti2]

from medécins sans frontières

https://twitter.com/OferZalzberg/status/988473231119126528

[Antepli Ejderha]

‘She should have at least been shot in knee’ – Israeli MP on jailed teen protester Ahed Tamimi https://www.rt.com/news/424859-israeli-mp-shoot-tamimi/

This is after another MP asked for time alone with her.

Can they not be prosecuted for hate speech or incitement to violence? What about getting them banned from the UK or EU?

[Lang Spoon]

This is hellish, terrifying.

[Nefertiti2]

This piece in Ha’aretz on quite how significant Portman’s gesture is for American Jewish activists.

Although this is context from another Israeli American campaigner I follow on Twitter. Note too her recommendations for information

https://twitter.com/emilylhauser/status/988507015839473666

[Nefertiti2]

Still I’m sure we’re relieved to know the British Government is showing its strong disapproval in the most unequivocal way

https://twitter.com/jamie_merrill/status/988719034807046144

[ad hoc]

http://mondoweiss.net/2018/04/youtub...eid=0b962a02c2

[Nefertiti2]

And Israel/Palestine meets the "anti- semitism in Labour" with the Board of Deputies criticising Corbyn immediately after the meeting- partly because he did not accept their preferred definition of anti-semitism- which includes saying it's antisemitic to call Israel a racist state.

https://twitter.com/AsafRonel/status/988860428062285825

[Nefertiti2]

https://twitter.com/natasharoth01/status/988797249126846465

[ad hoc]

Another journalist (clearly identified as such far from the fence, shot while doing his job) died today. The lack of condemnation (from anyone really) is appalling

[Antepli Ejderha]

https://www.craigmurray.org.uk/archi...eir-own-words/

[Nefertiti2]

A couple of things from the US

https://twitter.com/jvpliveNY/status/989497464658038785

https://twitter.com/jacobinmag/status/989232582436048896

Peter Beinart

... Why are thousands of Palestinians risking their lives by running toward the Israeli snipers who guard the fence that encloses Gaza? Because Gaza is becoming uninhabitable. That’s not hyperbole. The United Nations says that Gaza will be “unlivable” by 2020, maybe sooner.

Hamas bears some of the blame for that: Its refusal to recognize Israel, its decades of terrorist attacks and its authoritarianism have all worsened Gaza’s plight. Mahmoud Abbas’s Palestinian Authority bears some of the blame too. So does Egypt.

But the actor with the greatest power over Gaza is Israel. Israeli policies are instrumental in denying Gaza’s people the water, electricity, education and food they need to live decent lives.

How do kind, respectable, well-meaning American Jews defend this? How do they endorse the strangulation of 2 million human beings? Orwell provided the answer. They do so because Jewish leaders, in both Israel and the United States, encase Israel’s actions in a fog of euphemism and lies.

[Nefertiti2]

New York Times opinion piece

Where are you going, Dad?”

“To the border. To participate in the Great Return March.”

“Can I come with you?” Ali pleaded. I told him it was too dangerous. .... “Why are you going if you might get killed?” Ali pressed me.

His question stayed with me as I went to the border encampment in eastern Khan Younis, the southern Gaza town where I live. It remained with me on the following Fridays as I continued to participate in the march activities, and it lingers with me now.

I cherish my life. I am the father of three precious children... and I’m married to a woman I consider my soul mate. And my fears were borne out: 39 protesters have been killed since the march began, many by sniper fire, including a 15-year-old last week and two other children on April 6. Israel is refusing to return the bodies of two of those slain.

Thousands more have been injured. Journalists have been targeted; 13 of them have been shot since the protests began, including Yasser Murtaja, a 30-year-old photographer, and 25-year-old Ahmed Abu Hussein, who died Wednesday of his injuries.

So why am I willing to risk my life by joining the Great Return March?

...years from now, I want to be able to look Ali, Karam and Adam in the eye and tell them, “Your father was part of this historic, nonviolent struggle for our homeland.”

[Nefertiti2]

Why do people think Israel is racist?

https://twitter.com/richards1052/status/989966279820881920

The Swiss family reportedly froze the $5 million payment to outstanding young physicians, saying it has “no intention” of donating to non-Jewish recipients

[ad hoc]

More evidence that it is becoming more possible to tell the truth in the USA (just as it is becoming less and less possible in the UK)

https://twitter.com/erinmcunningham/status/990612910325030913

[Nefertiti2]

https://twitter.com/daysofpalestine/status/990948825895448576
Go Code Pink

[ursus arctos]

https://twitter.com/zhaabowekwe/status/991372832012734469?s=21

[Antepli Ejderha]

I share your concern about the situation in Gaza and the terrible suffering that many Palestinian people are experiencing and I deplore the recent violence that we have seen take place on the Gaza-Israel border.



Unfortunately, as a Shadow Minister I am unable to sign Early Day Motions but have encouraged colleagues who are able to do so.



Best wishes,

Matthew Pennycook

This is the response I received from my MP.