What if settlements were left in place? Bibi’s bluff misfires and closes another door to 2-state dealIn the latest instalment of the neverending Kerry Talks saga, Netanyahu announced that settlers in any part of the West Bank that became part of a state of Palestine would have the choice to stay under Palestinian jurisdiction or to leave. (more…)
Many people seem to be unaware that, as an occupying power, Israel is subject under international humanitarian law to important obligations towards the Palestinian population. These obligations reflect the fact that international law regards (more…)
Intense pressure is being brought to bear for a two-state sign-up. Should we be organising some counter pressure? Here is One Democracy’s suggested text for an Online Petition:
We the undersigned send this message to Palestinian negotiators:
* We urge you to stand firm for the basic rights of all Palestinians to live and work on their lands in security, in accordance with international law, for an end to military rule, for the dismantling of discrimination and apartheid in Israel, for an end to the illegal collective punishments of Gaza and for the right of return of all our people exiled from their homeland, for freedom of movement and the removal of illegal barriers and walls, and for free access of all our people to Jerusalem.
* We urge you instead to actively promote Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against all of Israel’s apartheid practices and war crimes, to end your security role for the Occupation, to align yourselves with and to support all the community and political struggles throughout Palestine for civil and human rights.
* We believe it is now time to declare a final break from the Oslo agreement, from the two state solution and from any further damaging negotiations to re-partition Palestine, and to examine other viable routes to a stable, democratic future of freedom, justice and equal rights for all Palestinians and other peoples of the lands of historic Palestine, including shared and equal sovereignty based on universal values and equal respect.
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“No good for Palestinians will come of the current Middle East talks. Worse, harm seems likely.” – Susan Abulhawa
“Inter-governmental diplomacy is not a pathway to a just peace, but rather a sinkhole for Palestinian rights.” - UN rapporteur Richard Falk
As Israel and the US squabble and talks grind to a halt, PLO could come out fighting for its peopleOne Democratic State for Israel and Palestine can be built from the ground up with myriad local and grass-roots initiatives. By contrast, negotiating a two state solution and repartition of Palestine can only be done by top-level diplomacy, a matter of pressures and threats, bribes and inducements, balance of forces and realpolitik. When that diplomacy breaks down it cannot be long before the attempt is finally abandoned. (more…)
Ahmad Qatamesh, (seen re-united with his daughter) veteran of secular socialist Palestinian resistance, and early One State theorist, was released from two and half years admin. detention last week. We look forward to welcoming him back to the struggle and hearing what he has to say. Meanwhile, here are extracts from an interview he gave in 1998 on his release from six years admin. detention.
* A brief memorial for Gaza’s agony of five years ago and warning of IDF threats to do it again.
* We report on the UN Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian people and suggest some appropriate actions it might take.
* New population figures for Palestinians show ideal starting point for one unified country.
* Freed pre-Oslo era prisoner speaks out
* No publicity is bad publicity
* Funerals of a terrorist and a freedom fighter
A time to remember the horrors, and the thousands still mourning the dead and coping with the injuries and loss of homes, infrastructure and utilities.
A time to recall all the attacks since then, both the ones with elaborate biblical (more…)
Interview with Ahmad Qatamesh
Ahmad Qatamesh was recently released from prison in Israel. He was not released as part of one of US busybody Kerry’s deals intended to build PA leader Abbas’s popular credibility. He was released after pressure led by Amnesty International which had named him a Prisoner of Conscience. He had spent six years in the 1990s (more…)
