Israeli-Palestinian Issues

Jason Alexander Writes Article in Support of Two-State Solution

Posted on May 21 2013 by MEE Administrator

jasonalexJason Alexander, who many know as George Castanza from Seinfeld, has written a forceful article in support of the Two-State solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Alexander writes:

Clearly, and rightly, the Israel/Palestine conflict is the source of much anger, hostility, destruction, violence — and it provokes many people to speak out. With much emotion, too.

So, my involvement with OneVoice, along with my support for FIDF has been a source of emotional response, to say the least. Since Twitter is a poor forum for intelligent discussion and since most of the people spewing at me are not interested in intelligent discussion, I will offer only this one response and then I really don’t intend to respond to individual praise or assault in this venue.

There is only one possible outcome of this conflict that won’t be completely tragic – two states for two people. Israel is not going away, regardless of what you feel about it’s legitimacy, it’s values, it’s people. And Palestine is not going away, regardless of what you feel about it’s legitimacy, values or people. You can scream and yell and fight until time itself ends, but they will both be there in the end. Or worse, unthinkably – neither will be there.

So, logically and humanely – there must be two states, independent and free, secure, with good resources, capable of sustaining it’s people and upon which a real future can be built.

Read the rest of the article at Twitlong. Continue reading →

West Bank Farmer Attacked

Posted on May 17 2013 by MEE Administrator

DSC_0052From Electronic Intifada:

ASIRA AL-QIBLIYA, West Bank (IPS) – Ibrahim Makhlouf reached for two wooden planks lying in the hallway and placed them expertly in an L-shape along the seams of his front door.

“Open [the door],” he beckoned, knowing that doing so was nearly impossible. “Every night, we put this here,” he said. “For the settlers.”

Makhlouf’s home sits on the outskirts of the West Bank village of Asira al-Qibliya, only 500 meters from the illegal Israeli settlement outpost of Shalhevet Farm, an offshoot of the equally illegal settlement of Yitzhar.

Makhlouf said that his house was attacked by Israeli settlers at least two times per week and has been vandalized more than 100 times. The windows on Makhlouf’s two-story home all have bars on the outside to prevent them from shattering when settlers throw stones.

Read the rest of the story here. Continue reading →

Sam Bahour Ted Talk on Palestinian Refugees

Posted on May 14 2013 by MEE Administrator

May 15th, 1948, the day that Palestinians call the Nakba (which means “day of catastrophe) is also the day that Israel celebrates it’s independence, much like the U.S. 4th of July.

In this Ted Talk, Palestinian American journalist Sam Bahour talks about the plight of the Palestinian refugees, and how solving the refugee problem is the key to peace in the Middle East.

Continue reading →

Time Magazine Article Calls Stephen Hawking (not) an anti-Semite Because of Academic Boycott

Posted on May 13 2013 by Aaron Taylor

Scientists Move Hands Of Nuclear "Doomsday Clock" ForwardIn a recent article in Time magazine, Rabbi David Wolpe takes Stephen Hawking to task for his academic boycott of Israel. In Wolpe’s worlds, “Israel has become the world’s premier non-destination for the smugly self-righteous.” The funny thing about Wolpe’s arguments, however, is that he does not dispute any of the reasons why a morally conscious person would want to boycott Israel (e.g…settlements, violence, systematic discrimination against non-Jews). Rather, Wolpe argues that since the world’s condemnation of Israel is disproportionate to the condemnation of other types of racial discrimination going on in he world–Wolpe specifically lists the Maya people of Guatemala, Tamils in Sri Lanka, Kashmiris in India, Kurds in Turkey, Bahais in Iran, the Shia in Pakistan, Chechens in Russia, and Tibetans in China–attempts to single out Israel are motivated by something darker than moral conscience. Continue reading →

Google Recognizes Palestine….Israel Unhappy

Posted on May 10 2013 by MEE Administrator

Google Recognizes Palestine StateFirst, the U.N.  Now Google??

Israel says that Google recognizing Palestine will harm the peace process.

Go figure.

From Mashable.com

When Google changed the tagline for google.ps, its Palestinian domain, from “Palestinian Territories,” to “Palestine,” it stepped right into one of the world’s most controversial political issues. The change, which was effective on May 1, was seen as Google’s recognition of a Palestinian state.

“This is a step in the right direction, a timely step and one that encourages others to join in and give the right definition and name for Palestine instead of Palestinian Territories,” Sabri Saidam, adviser to Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, told the BBC.

But officials in Israel were not as enthusiastic in embracing the change, going as far as saying the decision harms peace talks in the region.

Continue reading →

U.S. Bishops Denounce Re-Routing of Separation Wall

Posted on May 9 2013 by MEE Administrator

Palestinian_Christians_attend_Mass_in_the_Cremisan_Valley_February_8_2013_to_protest_the_route_of_Israels_barrier_Credit_Labour2Palestine_via_Flickr_CC_BY_20_CNA_5_8_13

Palestinian Christians. Land confiscations. Separation wall. Will the Catholic Bishops speaking out make a difference among American Christians?

From Catholic News Agency

Washington D.C., May 8, 2013 / 05:25 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- The U.S. bishops have criticized an Israeli plan to re-route a separation wall through the Cremisan Valley in the West Bank, claiming such a move would harm both Christian families and religious orders.

Protesting “in the strongest terms” and in “solidarity with our brother bishops in the Holy Land,” Bishop Richard E. Pates of Des Moines, Iowa, voiced his opposition to an Israeli tribunal’s decision to move the wall and confiscate the surrounding area.

Read the rest of the story here. Continue reading →

News Flash: China Hosting Palestinian, Israeli Leaders

Posted on May 8 2013 by MEE Administrator
BEIJING –  China is hosting the leaders of both Palestine and Israel this week in a sign of its desire for a larger role in the Middle East.

China Palestinians.JPEG-02380From Fox News:

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas was welcomed by his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on Monday as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu begins a visit to the eastern financial hub of Shanghai on the same day. Netanyahu is due in Beijing on Wednesday following Abbas’ departure a day earlier.

China has traditionally had a low profile in Middle East diplomacy, but in recent years has tried to play a more active role in the region. It has sought stable relations with both sides in the Israel-Palestinian conflict, while strongly opposing international intervention in Syria.

Continue reading →

Jennifer Rubin: Israel Steps up to the Plate

Posted on May 6 2013 by MEE Administrator

96108535-israel-airJennifer Rubin at the Washington Post sees the Syria conflict as a “dress rehearsal  for the bigger conflict between Iran and the West.” Rubin applauds Israel for backing up it’s “red line” talk with action by carrying out an air strike against a shipment of missiles bound for Hezbollah, as opposed to President Obama’s “red line” talk, which equal words but no action.

According to Rubin:

Not only does the Israeli action contrast with the U.S. government’s fecklessness, but it also raises the issue of whether the United States would prefer Israel police the Middle East. It is unbecoming for a superpower to let little Israel take on the Iranian surrogates. It will likely unnerve our allies elsewhere and embolden foes in other parts of the world.

As for the Middle East, when a U.S. president is this passive and unwilling to act in accord with its words, the West and the Sunni states can take comfort in knowing that Israel is there to rein in the mullahs and their surrogates.

Read Jennifer Rubin’s article here. Continue reading →