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tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-27715635165366080262017-02-19T18:33:09.235-08:00Popular ResistanceQumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-50087929840754263622017-02-16T06:16:00.002-08:002017-02-16T06:19:58.147-08:00Mythos und Wirklichkeit

"Many books go out of date and few remain iconic and critical to understanding an issue. The book in hand belongs to the latter category, the true classics. Simha Flapan was born in Poland 27 January 1911 and immigrated to Palestine as an idealistic "socialist Zionist" in 1930. He was national secretary of the Mapam party and head of its Arab Affairs department. Simha Flapan unfortunately died while his book went to press in 1987. However, the book was really revolutionary and hence it is now in German." <o:p></o:p>

I wrote this forward but never shared it with the readers of my blog. I highly recommend for English speakers to read the original book and for German Speakers to read the German translation published in 2015 with my forward. Anyway here is the forward I wrote to the German version of this remarkable book.<o:p></o:p>

Forward/Vorwort (in German) to Simcha Flapan, "Die Geburt Israels. Mythos und Wirklichkeit," Semit edition bei ZAMBON, Frankfurt/M. 2015 http://zambon.net/index.php?id=23&tx_ttnews%5Btt_news%5D=16&cHash=b31f316288177a61c0f7b3d7a8757a25

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Forward By Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh, Professor and Director, Palestine Museum of Natural History, Bethlehem University, Occupied Palestine<o:p></o:p>

Many books go out of date and few remain iconic and critical to understanding an issue. The book in hand belongs to the latter category, the true classics. Simha Flapan was born in Poland 27 January 1911 and immigrated to Palestine as an idealistic "socialist Zionist" in 1930. He was national secretary of the Mapam party and head of its Arab Affairs department. Simha Flapan unfortunately died while his book went to press in 1987. However, the book was really revolutionary and hence it is now in German. I am sure had Flapan been alive, the publisher would have gotten him to write a very relevant forward in a form of a new edition. I am sad I never met Flapan but I am honored to reflect on why this work is so critical. The well-chosen title "The Birth of Israel: Myths and Realities" immediately draws attention to perhaps one of the most astounding historical events of the 20th century that still shapes conflicts in this part of the world and even beyond.

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The tragic history that was unleashed here with the idea of Zionism was not unforeseen. Every Zionist leader knew that their project to colonize Palestine will create misery and mayhem because no colonization can be done nicely or with the support of the native people who will have to be expelled. Flapan does not give his opinions but he shows by documentary evidence how this tragedy happened. Palestine was to be transformed from multireligious and multi-cultural society (Jews represented less than 5% of the population in 1897) to the monolithic "Jewish state". Ethnic cleansing achieved this goal and today 7 million Palestinians are refugees or displaced people (of a total Palestinian population of 12 million). This is the "miracle" of the Birth and growth of Israel. This miracle took a combination of military might, collusion by leaders near and far (including Arab leaders), and a lot of propaganda. Flapan exposes the myths that many Zionists told to justify their crimes. Flapan successfully tackles the biggest seven lies (myths) that Zionists used to create and perpetuate the state of Israel. The myths include things like the acceptance of partition by the Zionist leadership paralleling rejection by Arab leaders, the myth of a small Israel fending off large Arab armies (David vs. Goliath), the myth that Israel is looking for peace, and more. The most devastating myth is that of Israeli lack of responsibility for the creation of the Palestinian refugee "problem". He demolishes these myths with irrefutable sources, most of them are actually from Israeli leaders themselves. This was a pioneering achievement and Flapan's book opened a section of the wall of lies and myths to be followed by many Israeli honest writers such as Hillel Cohen, Baruch Kimmerling, Ilan Pappe, Tom Segev, Avi Shlaim, and Israel Shahak. Earlier many Palestinian historians have written extensively on the real history that is not the mythologized history of zionism (e.g. Aref Al-Aref, Walid Khalidi, Sami Hadawi, Emil Tuma, Nur Masalha etc).<o:p></o:p>

The most important figure (the midwife) in the "birth of Israel" was David Ben-Gurion and the current book reviews extensively the record of this founding figure. We learn from Flapan things like what Ben-Gurion said in 1937 as to explain why a small state will help consolidate power "for the gradual conquest of all of Palestine". We can trace this consistent thinking ten years later when Ben-Gurion explained that "After the formation of a large army in the wake of the establishment of the state, we will abolish partition and expand to the whole of Palestine." We learn in this book of Ben-Gurion's statement that he sees transfer as moral and we read his orders to remove inhabitants in many places and we learn about his creation of a "transfer committee". Members of this transfer committee (Dannon, Weitz, Lipshitz) are exposed as racist ideologues who made many incriminating statements. In a fair world such individuals who led or participated in these actions would have been tried for war crimes and crimes against humanity. But Zionists were well placed in western countries and managed much misinformation as well as used the world sympathies after WWII to hide horrors committed to create the Jewish state.<o:p></o:p>

But it is not just these amazing quotes that are relevant, but the nuances of wheeling and dealing reminiscent of the novel "The Godfather" that we become privy to by reading Flapan. We learn much about negotiations that ensured a declaration of independence that lacked any relevance to borders of the new state and from the wrangling between parties not about the morality of transferring population but merely about how to do it. We learn about the policies and practices that emanate from the Zionist maxim of maximizing geography (Palestinian land for the Jewish state) while minimizing demography (of the native Palestinians). We learn how international politics and local maneuvering were done with sophistication and cunning to hide the massacres and the ethnic cleansing. We learn about the collusion between Zionists and King Abdullah of Jordan to thwart the formation of a Palestinian state, a collusion that was crucial in the devastation inflicted on the local Palestinians in 1948-9. We learn that the Zionists, intoxicated with their power, even abandoned the favorable agreement made with Abdullah and moved forward with expansions. This is not unusual in colonial histories (e.g. in the Americas). Abdullah was assassinated for his collusion by a young Palestinian nationalist in 1951.<o:p></o:p>

I find it remarkable that the insights that were revealed by Flapan in this book are echoed by previously classified and now declassified assessment from Western Intelligence agencies. For example, on 28 November 1947, the US Central Intelligence Agency correctly predicted the mayhem that would arise because of President Truman's support for creation of a Jewish state. They also accurately predicted that "In the long run no Zionists in Palestine will be satisfied with the territorial arrangements of the partition settlement. Even the more conservative Zionists will hope to obtain the whole of the Nejeb [Naqab], Western Galilee, the city of Jerusalem, and eventually all of Palestine. The extremists demand not only all of Palestine but Transjordan as well. They have stated that they will refuse to recognize the validity of any Jewish government which will settle for anything less, and will probably under-take aggressive action to achieve their ends."(document declassified 16 Jan 1978).<o:p></o:p>

Flapan's meticulous research shows the remarkable extent of the efforts to destroy native Palestinian civilian lives, drive people out, and create an ethnocracy with apartheid laws. Flapan uses the term population transfer (which Ben-Gurion found desirable) rather than the term ethnic cleansing which Ilan Pappe and others used. In this book we find a very good discussion of Plan Dalet, adopted in March 1948 and implemented on the ground to drive the natives out. We find good discussion of how the plan was put into force by forces under Yitzhak (break their bones) Rabin to drive the residents of Lydde (Lod) and Ramle out not in a heat of battle but to "cleanse" the area.<o:p></o:p>

Why is demolishing these myths still as relevant today (2015) as it was in 1987 when Flapan died? It is because these myths provided and still provide useful justification for continued injustice. They basically create the fog that allows Israel to be both an apartheid racist state while claiming western values and "democracy". It allows the state with the fifth strongest army in the world to be the only state with undeclared stockpiles of hundreds of nuclear weapons to claim its "vulnerability" and push other states to fight wars on its behalf. The current book is thus relevant even as some of its details may have become outdated. For example, Flapan mention Israel's rule over 1.5 million Palestinian in the West Bank and Gaza in 1987 (the number is now 4 million).<o:p></o:p>

As I discussed in my book on "Sharing the Land of Canaan", abandoning myths helps us get correct diagnosis leading to applying appropriate therapies and a better prognosis. The sobering assessment bolstered by the declassified documents of the historians such as Flapan is that political Zionism is a racist colonial ideology built on myths and is incompatible with peace. This is perhaps not what Flapan wanted us to conclude. In his earlier book "Zionism and the Palestinians' (1979) he wrote that "To dispel misunderstanding, I want to make it clear that my belief in the moral justification and historical necessity of Zionism remains unaffected by my critical reappraisal of the Zionist leadership. The history of Zionism demonstrates the extent to which the urge to create a new society, embodying the universal values of democracy and social justice, was inherent in the Zionist movement and responsible for its progress in adverse conditions." Towards the end of this book, we hear a slightly different Flapan put much of the burden for change on Israel (especially considering the asymmetry of power). Flapan apparently remained a Zionist though distraught at the (predictable) shift to the right in the Zionist discourse. This is different than the trajectory of other historians like Ilan Pappe or politicians like Avraham Burg who moved farther away from the Zionist narrative. But political opinions aside and no matter how Flapan would have evolved his thinking, his contribution to debunking the myths of Zionism ultimately also chip away at the ideology itself and thus help us get closer to peace with justice.<o:p></o:p>

References<o:p></o:p>

Burg, Avraham 2008. The Holocaust Is Over: We Must Rise From its Ashes. MacMillan, New York.<o:p></o:p>

Flapan, Simha 1979. Zionism and the Palestinians. Croom Helm, London.<o:p></o:p>

Kimmerling, Baruch 2001. The Invention and Decline of Israeliness: State, Culture and Military in Israel. University of California Press, Los Angeles and Berkeley.<o:p></o:p>

Kimmerling, Baruch 2003. Politicide: Sharon's War Against the Palestinians. Verso, London.<o:p></o:p>

Kimmerling, Baruch and Joel S. Migdal 1993. Palestinians: The Making of a People. Free Press, New York.<o:p></o:p>

Pappe, Ilan 2006. The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine. Oneworld, London and New York<o:p></o:p>

Pappe, Ilan 2011. The Forgotten Palestinians: A History of the Palestinians in Israel. Yale University Press, New Haven, CT<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyeh, Mazin 2004. Sharing the Land of Canaan: Human Rights and the Israeli-Palestinian Struggle. Pluto, London.<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyeh, Mazin 2015. Kanaan: Ein Gemeinsames Land: Menschenrechte und der Israelisch-Palestinensische Kampf. Zambon Verlag, Frankfurt am Main.<o:p></o:p>

Shahak, Israel 1997. Open Secrets: Israeli Nuclear and Foreign Policies. Pluto Press, London<o:p></o:p>

Shahak, Israel 1994 (New edition 2008). Jewish History, Jewish Religion: The weight of 3000 years. Pluto Press, London.<o:p></o:p>

Shahak, Israel and Mezvinsky, Norton 1999 (New edition 2004). Jewish Fundamentalism in Israel. Pluto Press, London.<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-26323544813460374262016-12-30T00:01:00.001-08:002016-12-30T00:01:38.829-08:00 ConSiences of Humanity

Thomas Merton wrote: "Into this world, this demented inn, in which there is absolutely no room for him at all, Christ has come uninvited. But because he cannot be at home in it – because he is out of place in it, and yet must be in it – his place is with those others who do not belong, who are rejected because they are regarded as weak; and with those who are discredited, who are denied the status of persons, and are tortured, exterminated. With those for whom there is no room, Christ is present in this world. He is mysteriously present in those for whom there seems to be nothing but the world at its worst."

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John Kerry is delusional if he thinks he can temporarily curb the appetite of those who believe in an ideology of conquest, subjugation and exceptionalism ("chosen people") to save "Zonism". His claim that Shimon Peres told him that 78% of Palestine is enough and that they should let the Palestinians have the other 22% is simply not believable. Shimon Peres never changed his views from his youth as a disciple of Ben Gurion (Rabin and the two of them masterminded the ethnic cleansingand destruction of 500 towns and villages between 1948 and 1950). To his last breath Peres was a racist, a bigot, and an unrepentant war criminal (not to mention his build-up of Israel's arsenal of WMD). He always believed Jews are smarter, chosen, and are entitled to rule over geate Israel and like his mentor, he thought a two-state support is mostly for propaganda. Like his Zionist colleagues whether they believed in God or not (and most of them did not) or they were "left" or "right", he believed in something they consider more important than all of that: the unity and destiny of the chosen "Jewish people" (a myth no more true than "the Muslim people", the "white people" or the "Christian People"). This tribal racist thinking infects "left" and right Zionist Jews alike. The only difference between left Zionists like Kerry and Right Zionists like Trump's son-in-law is merely over tactics (such as timing of applying force and timing of applying diplomacy) not ultimate goals. The even bigger delusion is that it is possible to exploit the differences between the Zionists over tactics to save Israel from historical trends that are inevitable and as predictable as sunrise.

We heard the delusional parameters Kerry copied from the Clinton parameters which in turn were ones with a genealogy that goes back to Ben Gurion of the 1920s (public speeches not his private diaries and letters to his son where he articulated the same vision of greater Israel as his right wing critics and explained that speaking of partition is merely for outside public consumption and that actions on the ground is what matters to achieve the goal of a Jewish empire/Greater Israel). Now here are six parameters based on reality instead f the Kerry delusional parameters:

1) There never is and never was any justification for colonialism whether Jewish colonialism here or white colonialism in South Africa. Corollary is that Zionism is racism and is not compatible with peace.

2) There are 12.5 million Palestinians (50% inside Palestine) in the world and no peace can happen without return of refugees, self-determination and full equality (negated by a concept of a Jewish state or a Muslim state or a Christian state for that matter).

3) Colonialism has one of only three outcomes/models: a) win by the natives at great cost (Algerian model), b) genocide of natives (Australia, USA, New Zealand model), c) integration in one country for all its inhabitants (including descendants of the colonizers). Since options (a) and (b) are virtually impossible here and now (21st century) that leaves option (c) which is in any case the most common outcomes in similar cases. Dozens of countries in central and south America, Canada, Southeast Asia, and South Africa follow that pattern. A "two-state" mirage is just that and will never happen/can never happen (see my book "Sharing the Land f Canaan" to explain why, it is available at http://qumsiyeh.org/sharingthelandofcanaan/ ).

4) Zionism existed before creating the "Jewish state" and will survive after it is ended and becomes a democratic state for all its citizens and the returning refugees. It is an ideology of parasitism and "chosenness" that transcends geography and speaks of contentedness of all Jews around the world and their mutual interest and bonding. Zionists who live in other countries (including those that shape US's foreign policy whether executed by a democrat or a republican) readily tell you that Israel is their insurance policy that they could always go to if there are "troubles". It is sort of like the island of the pirates of the Caribbean that was a safety net. Any Jew who challenges such notions and believes that Jews can be American or German and should be loyal citizens of their own countries first or that Israel should be treated like any other country and and forced to comply with International law (including allowing Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and lands) is looked at as a self-hating Jew. Hence John Kerry and Madeline Albright and people like them who "discover" their "Jewishness" would not want to be called "self-hating" and they do everything to help Zionism (ofcourse from the "left" angle of tactics as Trump will do it from the "right" angle).

5) In the near future, US policy will continue unchanged as it was since 1967 and the Israeli attack on the USS Liberty (Israel lobby ensured scuttling the fact that it was a deliberate attack). The US has been and will continue to subvert US interests in favor of Zionist intersts. That the mainstream media and Hollywood are managed by zionists (whether "left" or right) will probably help this trend continue until the US declines as a world power significantly more (largely due to this Zionist parasitism). The Palestinian and Arab leadership would be wiser to hitch their wagons to different horses before they end-up like Saddam Hussain and Qaddafi. China, Russia, and Iran are certainly not the most desirable countries but at least those horses are not chained by the Zionist masters and watch their own interests instead of Israel's. The big fuss over Obama's abstention and Kerry speech is blown out of proportion: Since 1967, every US President has allowed a very few/rare UN Security Council Resolutions directed (mildly and without sanctions) against Israeli policies. Obama has allowed the fewest (one in 8 years) Carter allowed the most (14 in 4 years): LBJ 7 , Nixon 15, Ford 2 , Carter 14 , Reagan 21, GHW Bush 9, Clinton 3 ,GW Bush 6, Obama 1. None of these had any significance in changing the steadfast policy that the US supported Israel, shielded it from |International law, and funded its aggression. You cannot credibly claim you do not like your son beating other children with clubs that you keep buying for him!!

6) You can fool all the people some of the time or some of the people all the time but you cannot fool all the people all the time. The internet has begun to fray the Zionist hegemony of the media. Note that even in the most moderate of media outlets like PBS, they bring left and right Zoionists to argue but they never allow you to hear from antiZionist or post-Zionist. Other media outlets are owned and operated by either left Zionists (e.g. New York Times, CNN) or right wing Zionists (e.g. Fox News). But more and more people are seeing this and the jig is coming up and that is why Zionists moved to using their lobbies to legislate silence (criticism of Zionism becomes "anti-Semitic"). In doing so the Zionists do not care that they are moving Western governments to become undemocratic (curbing free speech). Their short term calculations that this helps their cause will just as surely backfire as their pushing the US to enter World War I in exchange for getting the Balfour and Cambon declarations or pushing the US to go to war on the Iraqi people. The former partially led to WWII which was not good for anyone and the latter cost US taxpayers $3 trillion and ended up benefiting Iran. Before that the push for the war on Lebanon strengthened Hizbollah. After that came the Zionist push for the war on Syria (ostensibly to break the Shia crescent of Lebanon-Syria-Iran) and Yemen hoped to "win" and drive Arab states into the lap of Zionism. But every push has a counter-push and every action has a reaction (basic physics as basic human psychology).

Some Zionists can *talk* about partition but show me one of their leaders who publicly acknowledge that we native Palestinians (Christians and Muslims) have rights of sovereignty. The reason they can't is that if they recognize our rights even just over Ramallah, their whole ideology collapses. After all, what is the difference between that and recognizing our rights in Haifa, Jaffa, Nazareth etc Hence the two state idea remains a figment of an imagination to lead to peace like the mirage of the desert will not lead to water.

What does it take to change dynamics? Challenge both versions representing Zionist interests: Clinton's and Trump's (Peres' and Netanyahu's). Work for a global uprising against those who actually appoint such puppets. That remains the 1% versus the 99%. Our message to all people (starting with Jews and Israelis who still support Zionism): end your delusions, join the 99% and let us work for a better world where justice prevails and all are treated with dignity and respect regardless of their religious belief (or lack thereof). As Martin Luther King Jr once said "w eiter live together as fellow human beings or perish together as fools."

For an example of real mobilization for change, see the Zapatistas.

 ConSiences of Humanity Conference organized by Zapatistas. A great step in what we have always called for a global intifada against the racist capitalist systems
https://floweroftheword.wordpress.com/2016/12/29/ezln-inauguration-of-the-gathering-the-zapatistas-and-consciences-for-humanity/

Is Team Trump Instructing this New Year's Grinch OFAC to Destroy JCPOA? by FRANKLIN LAMB
http://www.counterpunch.org/2016/12/27/is-team-trump-instructing-this-new-years-grinch-ofac-to-destroy-jcpoa/
[OFAC is Office of Foreign Assets Control in the US Treasury Department run by a Zionist and JCPOA is now commonly referred to by Zionist media as the Iran deal]

Why Obama waited 8 years to take on Netanyahu http://mondoweiss.net/2016/12/obama-waited-netanyahu/

A videotape from 1961 where Benjamn H. Freedman (a Jewish American who converted to Christianity) tells a bit of history that is relevant to current events https://youtu.be/x8OmxI2AYV8

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-91347266751269443282016-12-26T07:04:00.001-08:002016-12-26T07:04:16.921-08:00UNSC Vote

Will Mahmoud Abbas turn success into failure (again) or will he finally show backbone to use the UNSC resolution to save what remains of Palestine? By Prof. Mazin Qumsiyeh, Bethlehem, Palestine<o:p></o:p>

DEDICATION: This post is dedicated to Mohammad Al-Ghaz and all similar suffering children of Gaza. Mohammad was interviewed a year ago while selling newspapers in the streets. He was asked what he wishes for the new year 2016 and he impulsively answered "like die." He went on to explain that his life is so miserable and he cannot go to school and has to work hard to find food for his family. Mohammad got his wish this Christmas season as he slipped on the roof of a four story building as he was trying to get some wood (video in Arabic here http://bit.ly/2hqYUPh ). The UN says Gaza will be uninhabitable by 2020. The two million people of Gaza including 1 million children are threatened with massive deaths (genocide). Please remember these one million children who are losing hope in humanity and do something to end Israeli apartheid. And of course the over 400 million children in the world who go to sleep hungry like those Palestinians in Gaza. <o:p></o:p>

Fatah joined the PLO in 1968 and at the same year, there was the first conflict in which Zionist colonial military had to retreat (at Karama through Jordanian and Palestinian resistance). What quickly followed is a defeat in 1970 that was due to lack of knowledge and strategizing and understanding the nature of the society and government in Trans-Jordan at the time. So the PLO was kicked out of Jordan and went to Lebanon in 1970. The only silver lining was that the Palestinians in the 1967 occupied areas started to depend on themselves forming unions and other organizations that developed into the 1974 uprising. The 1973 October war was almost a success militarily except for the US interventions under Zionist Henry Kissinger de facto presidency in foreign affairs (Nixon was too busy with Watergate etc to be an effective president).1973 remain the only real war between contending armies Arab and Zionist (others Arab armies did not fight and in many cases were colluding like in 1948). But the success was political in showing the Israeli state as vulnerable. A 1974 uprising cost Israel a near total collapse of its economy. But as will happen later, the PLO leadership of Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas turned success to failure by pushing the 10 point program in late 1974 which in essence contradicted the PLO charter and accepted partition (UN general assembly "recommendation" 181 and 194). In exchange for this "compromise" (capitulation), Palestinians got assassinations, a right wing government in Israel in 1977, increased colonial settlements, and the Egyptian government betrayal. <o:p></o:p>

But again we Palestinians picked ourselves up and resumed the struggle which culminated in a major uprising in 1987 that again shook Israel to its core. Instead of capitalizing on this success, Yasser Arafat and Mahmoud Abbas pushed for a meaningless "Declaration of Independence" that basically recognized oppressors' legitimacy (under the guise of accepting UN resolutions). Thus the UN could not be holier than the Pope and rescinded its 1974 resolution that equated Zionism with racism (which it is). This capitulation led to Oslo accords harvesting not even low lying fruit but rotten fruit from under the tree. This again saved the Zionist project and more than 50 countries that did not recognize Israel before did so after Oslo. Oslo II agreement in 1994 especially made sure that the Palestinian Authority becomes a subcontractor for the occupation. And between 1993 and today, the number of colonial settlers in the West Bank went from 150,000 to 750,000 (more per square kilometer than inside the Green Line). These were all by Palestinian leadership decisions. Palestinian technical experts (legal, mapping, historical, locals who know the terrain) who were in the negotiations all tell the same story of ignoring their council and forging ahead by the hierarchy. All agree that much more could have been obtained. Many quit in disgust. This is snatching failure from the jaws of success. The pattern repeated with International Criminal Court (ICC), the UN etc for example after Goldstone report (withdrawal), after the BDS call of 2005 (Abbas did not support it and actually spoke against it insisting that only settlement products should be boycotted). The list goes on and on.

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 The UN Security Council (UNSC) issued a resolution in 1980 condemning the settlements in the occupied territories as contrary to the Fourth Geneva conventions. But as capitulations continued (see above), the US got emboldened and started to veto every resolution that was clearly based on International law vis a vis Israel. The USA used its veto power or the threat of veto to thwart any attempt to make Israel comply with human rights and International law. After 36 years and in the last month of President Obama, the USA decided not to veto and simply to abstain (all other 14 members of the UNSC voted with the resolutions. Donald Trump, Egyptian military dictator Sisi, and the Israeli puppets in Congress failed to dissuade Obama from this partial decency (should have voted with to make it unanimous). In any case most analysts consider this resolution a success even though it a) has no enforcement mechanism, b) also equates violence of colonizer with "violence" of colonized, c) does not even mention the word Palestine, <o:p></o:p>

Now, what will happen with this latest resolution? ssuming it is not "too little too late" and regardless of the reasons Obama allowed it passage it after thwarting similar resolutions, two and only two options are before us:<o:p></o:p>

Option 1: The PA goes on in the same pattern as before (especially its security collaboration to protect Israel from any form of meaningful resistance that impacts a cost). Israel already rejected the resolution and is proceeding with colonization activities. Saeb Erekat, Chief Palestinian Negotiator simply told journalists that he wishes 2017 s a year of ending the occupation and that they will approach the US under its new administration as well as other countries and "ask" that they do something. Israel will annex Maale Adumim consolidating apartheid further (e.g. http://shabiba.com/article/167492). PA official speakers from Abu Mazen down to mayors and Fatah revolutionary council members will recite the same scripted speeches over and over again (we want a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital; those who are a little, not much, braver, will say that and implementing UN resolution 194 on refugees; none will dare say anything about the 50 laws that discriminate against Palestinians living inside the green line). This is hoping some savior comes (sorry, Jesus Christ came and Mohammad was recognized the last prophet and we do not anticipate more now).<o:p></o:p>

Option 2: The PA tells the International community that as of a particular date (say in two weeks) unless Israel announces and implements a total freeze (under UN supervision) on all buildings in all the occupied territories and lifts the siege on Gaza, the PA will stop security cooperation. As Israel will not do this and will retaliate, things will get worse but this is a desperate situation and delay cannot happen this time. It is an opportunity that cannot be lost in the middle of transitions between Obama and Trump. Obama will have to deal with it and so will Trump (and us and Israel). It might be actually the last chance for leadership of Fatah to show some new backbone that salvages the Palestinian cause. If not I am use that following option 1 will result in a new grass-root liberation movement to come before 2020 that will reinvigorate the mission of a pluralistic secular democracy (original PLO Charter) in all of Palestine which will eventually succeed (there are already 6.2 million of us here, more than 50% of the population). History will not be kind to those who miss this opportunity at best they will say that their incompetency caused too much suffering or that they were outright traitors for putting personal interest ahead of public interest. It is never too late to correct a mistaken course. It takes courage to admit mistakes. Being humble as the Buddhists say is the first step to greatness.<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-12743156244993113042016-10-12T00:48:00.001-07:002016-10-12T01:12:03.914-07:00Wings of change

This last week we were ecstatic to launch two significant environmental awareness and activism projects with Bethlehem area schools. The two projects have different angles and are funded by two different groups (Canadian and US consulates). In one project we focus more on composting and recycling centers and it involves a different set f schools. In one we develop modules of environmental education. The recycling and upcycling of solid waste is a key component. It was so rewarding to see the spark in students' eyes grow stronger. Environmental clubs are being set-up at several marginalized schools and in the one school which already had an experience in forming such a club, we helped them reactivate it and guide it it in a productive direction. We work in partnership with the ministry of education and with UNRWA schools and with the Environmental Quality Authority. University students and other volunteers use the experience of helping in this project to empower themselves. Below is a story from one of our volunteers (Doris is 82 years old) about one of the workshops. Thank you Doris, Elias Handal, Mohammad Najajreh, Khawla Abualia, Reena Daeed, Dalal Assi, Mohammad Abusarhan, Jessie Chang, Revien Binas, and many others for great teamwork on this project. I also just gave a talk in Jordan on use of botanical gardens and museums in valuing ecosystem services. Visitors continue to come to the museum from around the world to use the facilities and change behaviors. Tomorrow students from Dar Al-Kalima college will come to learn about fauna and flora.

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Journey of Discovery at the Palestine Museum of Natural History <o:p></o:p>

By Doris Norrito<o:p></o:p>

Students visiting the Palestine Museum of Natural History were rewarded with an excitingly different approach to learning, one that involved not only discovery but taking the lead in action to take charge of their future.<o:p></o:p>

Traditionally, a lecture approach was considered the pathway to learning, tedious drills driving facts and figures into young minds. Museums were collections of artifacts from the past with little relevance given to the present and less to the future of our planet.<o:p></o:p>

Mazin Qumsiyeh, professor and director of PMNH believes in an action approach that takes young people on a path of discovery by learning from the past and present, asking what they want their world to be like then having them take action and develop plans to make the change in the world they want to see. <o:p></o:p>

On Saturday, 8th of October, Museum staff welcomed 9th and 10th grade girls and their teachers from Nahaleen School and 7th, 8th and 9th grade girls from Beit Jala School. Discovery began in a lecture room on the lower level of the Mar Andreas building, which houses the Museum on the second floor.<o:p></o:p>

Students were each given a bag containing a T-shirt, cap, notebook, pen and ID tag. Professor Qumsiyeh explained how to write data. An introductory film showing field work done at the Museum and research techniques followed. A cartoon representing the "progress" of man in his journey to make "His" life easier graphically showed the negligent impact and lack of concern and living without respect for the environment created. Man's pursuit of conquering the environment leads to his inevitable demise. The young people "get it" – setting the stage for a will to make change. <o:p></o:p>

Encouraged to question and seek their own answers, enthusiasm blisters the room as questions, discussion and responses expand thinking within an environment at odds with outside forces working to restrict creativity. "Change demands collective work," Qumsiyeh says.

<o:p></o:p>

A tour of the Museum and outdoor grounds begins with half the group taken to the exhibition room on the second floor of the Museum where Elias, a research scientist, explains laboratory work, while Mohammad leads the other half on a tour of the outside grounds. Olive, fruit and nut trees surround the area; a pond, bee hives and a greenhouse that includes three large fish tanks and hydroponic plants that receive recycled fish water.

After lunch, students are given direction by Mubarak, Reena, and Khawla in how to set up an environmental club in their schools that includes an election of officials for their club. The duties of officials were outlined. Minutes of meetings were to be written and reports given at another meeting to be held at the Museum in a few weeks. <o:p></o:p>

Students were encouraged to ask questions that stimulate discussion and raise issues leading to solutions. One such question was raised about the future use of electric cars as being a solution to fossil fuel pollution. Yes or no: give reasons for your answer. Can there be solutions and what are they? <o:p></o:p>

Another posed the question of how to promote awareness of the environment and who cares more, the younger or older generations. A second group under a different project arrived on Sunday. There were four schools represented – girls from 5th, 6th and 7th grade girls from Virgin Mary School, 6th and 7th grade boys from Beit Sahour (Al-Ta'akhi) School, 10th and 11th grade from Bethlehem Secondary School for girls and 11th grade from Bethlehem Secondary School for boys.

<o:p></o:p>

In spite of age differences, the groups interacted well showing mutual understanding of environmental issues and coming up with thoughtful solutions. One discussion was about having students cleaning school restrooms. Though hired personnel clean, signs could be made to discourage litter, water waste and care for plumbing. <o:p></o:p>

Students said as they looked around the Museum grounds, they got ideas about what they could do in their own schools to control waste and preserve the environment. For example, staking two or three old warn tires, making a seat and painting them colorfully make decorative chairs. Using spent tear gas canisters as holders to germinate seeds or to grow young sapling plants. <o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyeh incorporates peace, empowerment, and environment as non-violent resistance to the harsh conditions under occupation. "If we liberate the mind we can liberate our bodies," he tells the students in introductory discussions about the Fertile Crescent and how important it is to care for this Palestinian landscape treasure.

 <o:p></o:p>

More than depicting just the still life of the past, the Palestine Museum of Natural History is a living entity of the present and the promise of a future placed in the hands of young people equipped with the wings of change. <o:p></o:p>

<o:p> -------------------------------</o:p>

The role of museums and botanical gardens in demonstrating cultural ecosystem services: Case study and outlook
By: Mazin Qumsiyeh, Professor and Director, Palestine Museum of Natural History, Bethlehem University
Abstract Presented at conference organized by GIZ and the Jordanian Government on ecosystem services, Crown Plaza Dead Sea region 10-11 October 2016<o:p></o:p>

The global environment is facing unprecedented challenges due to human activities ranging from climate change to large scale extinctions to destruction of forests. The threats are diagnosed at accelerating pace and alarm bells are ringing widely about a point of no return that we either crossed or about to cross. More research on diagnosing what ails ecosystem services than on effectiveness of various remedies. Behavioral changes among individuals via environmental awareness and education is considered a crucial component. Here we examine the role of well-structured free-choice institutions of museums and botanical gardens in societal change leading to valuing and preserving cultural and natural ecosystem services. We discuss a case study of a nascent Palestine Museum of Natural History and its botanical gardens now well established as part of an Institute of biodiversity and sustainability. The mission of PMNH is to research, educate about, and conserve our natural world, culture and heritage and use knowledge to promote responsible human interactions with our environment. Much was accomplished so far (see palestinenature.org). For example we explain how school students are using the museum facilities not only to enhance critical thinking and science skills but to develop practical knowledge and create programs that value and protect the rich heritage in nature (and associated cultural folklore of nature). We also engaged in a SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis of PMNH and discuss potential spread of this successful model throughout the region. We conclude that valuing ecosystem services in the MENA region (Arab World) would benefit significantly from expansion of this model in other cities band countries and propose a mechanism to do this via a network of institutions concerned with education for ecosystem services.<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-77462075338211353882016-09-02T08:47:00.000-07:002016-09-02T09:23:31.781-07:00Colonial settlers

I just attended a demonstration by Israelis and Palestinians that fell under the rubric of demonstration for "peace based on two states for two people." I won't get into the issue of the two state "delusion" since I wrote a whole book on the subject which you can read here [1]. But I do want to reflect on what I observed and show you some illustrative pictures of how such events are used in the Israeli hasbara (propaganda) campaigns. The Israelis were a mix of good intentioned individuals who knew nothing of the reality of settler colonialism that is the state of Israel or really knowledgeable Zionists who wanted to prove to Palestinians (us) that they are not as bad as they really are (and in the process say "look Israel is a democracy that allows opinions to be expressed). A good example of the latter category is this guy who is a good friend of a settler security official.<o:p></o:p>

"Friendly demonstrator" with settler police officer

The slogan "two states for two people" is also racist and only corroborates colonialism.<o:p></o:p>

Settler colonial entities like Israel [2] ace one of three possible outcomes and never get resolved via a two state scenario. The three models historically known are: 1) the Algeria model, 2) The Australia/New Zealand model, and 3) (most common) the Latin America/South Africa model. The third model is the most common outcome of colonialism and the one that the vast majority of native people always support whether in South Africa or Palestine.

<o:p></o:p>

Says "freedom" but verbally they call for two states

crossing streets but not allowed to staywhile this settler allowed on street

Many of the Israelis attending the demonstration as I said are good intentioned "left wing" who did not study their own history well. They have this delusion that the problems for Israel and Zionism started in 1967 with the military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza. But the main problem started much earlier in the late 19th century with the notion of transforming a multi-religious and multi-cultural society called Palestine (at the time 97% not Jewish) to a "Jewish state of Israel." This idea called Zionism by necessity entailed ethnic cleansing, massacres, home demolitions, 1967 occupation and other symptoms. We should not confuse one of the symptoms (e.g. 1967 occupation) with the underlying etiology of this disease. Unfortunately many Palestinians (like Chief Buthalesi in South Africa during apartheid) adopted the Zionist language. So some of the Palestinian demonstrators today wanted freedom for Palestine "from Hebron to Jenin"!!! But even these soft demands for 1/5th of the Palestinian land stolen got booed by passing settler cars who honked and gave us fingers. The demonstration was mainly drawing attention to the plight of the Palestinian political prisoners, many of them where on hunger strike hoping to end their detentions without trial for months (also called "administrative detention).<o:p></o:p>

Just in case we get ideas! Me next to masked soldiers

more for "just in case"

Meanwhile, the Palestinian public is numbed by economic need, accumulated debts, mental occupation, lack of water (our museum guest apartment had no water for two weeks now), and much more. The self-declared leadership is not concerned with people's lives but is merely concerned with their own selfish interests. The idea of holding municipal elections under occupation used to be a challenge to the occupation when held in 1976. Today it is a distraction and a chess game between various factions. The real significant events happen elsewhere with little media coverage. <o:p></o:p>

It has been almost 100 years from the time of the British Balfour declaration and French Jules Cambon declaration in support of Zionism issues in 1917 partially as a quid pro quo to get Zionists to lobby for the US entrance into World War 1. Much mayhem has happened since then. Some more important events than others. There was the formation and Zionists take-over and of the "Federal Reserve Bank" in the US that ensures printing money backed only by US military power to become the world "reserve" currency (a sham system of debt and credit that enriched thousands by that impoverished billions). There was the financing of both sides of wars from WW2 to the Iran-Iraq war. There was Vietnam and Cambodia where millions were massacred. The war on Iraq that cost three trillion dollars and the lives of about a million Iraqis was a war for Israel (see [3]). The Zionist elite are enjoying major political successes: normalization with many Arab governments, PLO now exists only in name and only to help be a subcontractor for the occupation. But they are suffering from some setbacks: 1) strengthening of the Iran-Syria-Hizbollah-Russia-China alliance, 2) growth of the boycotts, divestments, and sanctions movement [4], 3) population growth of non-Jews under the apartheid Israeli rule (now and for the first time since the 1948 ethnic cleansing, there are less than 50% Jewish), 4) the dream of creating sectarian states in the Middle East by the intelligence services of Israel and the US is evaporating (this was supposed to normalize sectarian Israel). <o:p></o:p>

Many gave us the finger, I gave the V sign

at least we bought good grapes

Much has been happening that causes rational people to question the future of the Zionist project known as the Jewish state of Israel. The last pregnant Palestinian young women shot by an occupation army was Sara Haddoush Trayra. It is too soon to declare that she will be the last victim. Israel also released the body of Bahaa Ulayan, a bright young man who helped form a reading ring around the old city f Jerusalem and promoted reading among many young people in schools and universities throughout the occupied areas. Israel had murdered him and held his body for 11 months. Israeli colonial settlers continue their theft of Palestinian lands, their destruction of Palestinian homes and their promotion of racism as law of the land [5]. These and millions of other examples are the signs of a moral bankruptcy that is acceleration t is too soon to declare the Zionist empire failing but many signs point to an arrogance of power that is only seen in dying empires that stretch themselves too thin. Yes, Israel get $4 billion of US taxpayer money (more federal aid to Israel than any state of the United States).<o:p></o:p>

The explosion yesterday that destroyed an Israeli satellite two days before it was to launch is causing many in the circles of elite power to ponder the changing landscape. The Israeli company Spacecom was to be sold for $285 million to a Chinese company. The deal, announced only last week was pending the successful launch of the satellite (dubbed Amos-6) but now the deal is off. Whether accident or divine intervention or something else, this is worrying Israeli elite apartheid rulers. The wind, as the Arabic proverb goes, does not always g the way the ships want to go.<o:p></o:p>

There is a concerted Zionist campaign to oust Jeremy Corbyn as leader of the Labor party in the UK with much money and extortion and propaganda being spent (but may ultimately fail as evidence by the large crowd attending any Corbyn appearance). Corbyn dares to put British and human public interests front and center. Zionists want a puppet like they had in Clinton I (the philanderer corrupt) or the upcoming Clinton II (the war criminal corrupt). As public opinion shifts in the US as it did in Britain and Europe, inevitably it will trickle to the government. As Jill Stein has little chance Trump and Hillary might accelerate the demise of the US empire and thus be the last of the "lesser of two-evils" charade. Meanwhile, we the people must change our approach and stop playing the game using the rules placed on us by the bankers. <o:p></o:p>

[1] http://qumsiyeh.org/sharingthelandofcanaan/

[2] Israel the last of the Settler Colonies<o:p></o:p>

https://thecivilisingmission.com/2014/08/16/israel-the-last-of-the-settler-colonies/

[3] http://qumsiyeh.org/connectingthedotsiraqpalestine/

[4] http://bdsmovement.net

[5] See the list of over 50 laws that discriminate against non-Jews in the "Jewish state" https://www.adalah.org/en/law/index(ofcourse for those of us in the West Bank there are hundreds of other discriminatory "laws" being the military orders)

[6] Confessions of an Economic Hit Man <o:p></o:p>

https://youtu.be/G265-bocm5k

https://youtu.be/XRHZMONNgYI <o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-46025847241497304682016-08-16T00:01:00.001-07:002016-08-16T00:04:52.717-07:00Eight Years

It has been 8 years since I moved back from the USA to occupied Palestine and it may be worth a brief reflection. I accomplished much since then (of course I am surrounded by good people starting with my wife and immediate family members to students and volunteers who believed in what we were doing and to hundreds of supporters around the world). Briefly, under difficult circumstances in 2008-2016, I (with support)

1- Published many scientific research articles including critical ones on environment and genetics

2- Wrote books (one published in 2012 on Popular Resistance in Palestine and two on the way)

3- Founded and directed a clinical cytogenetics laboratory

4- Mentored dozens of graduate and undergraduate students

5- Taught over 8 different courses ranging from molecular biology to anthropology to biodiversity at four colleges and universities

6- Founded and directed the Palestine Museum (PMNH) of Natural History and Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability (PIBS) including its nascent botanical garden. http://www.palestinenature.org

7- Traveled throughout occupied Palestine and collected over 8000 specimens and over 10,000 photos that are a basis of current and future research

8- Traveled and represented Palestine in over 20 countries

9- Wrote over 200 articles on issues ranging from popular resistance to the one state solution to BDS.

10- Spoke to over 5000 visiting internationals about the situation

11- Spoke to thousands of locals on issues ranging from environment to human rights

12- Created jobs and helped some students manage their financial burden with some scholarships and work-study programs

13- Organized dozens of workshops that built human capacity

14- Built working relationships with dozens of local and international groups

15- Performed a number of consultancies to local and international agencies that made a direct impact on course of human development and the environment

16- Read over 500 books and hundreds of articles that helped me change and grow as an individual

17- Built friendships with hundreds (and met thousands)

18- Challenged oppression wherever it was found (via demonstrations, media work, etc) and got arrested a few times and questioned by intelligence services of three countries ;-)

All of this was done while struggling against not just Israeli occupation with its repression (e.g. inability to import things normally, lack of freedom of movement) but some Palestinian societal backward culture including nepotism, patriarchy, bureaucracy, and corruption. We were learning as we go how to deal with people (including the "mental occupation"). We gave chances to some who abused them and some who benefited from the chances to improve themselves and serve Palestine. But what sustained me/us was good honest people who I met and worked with everywhere. Hundreds of individuals like you on this list who helped us in so many ways by donations, volunteerism, actions, and other kinds of support. Of course what we have done is miniscule compared to what needs to be done. And there are many millions of candles in this darkness. We are humble enough to realize that we can only continue to achieve with collective work towards a peaceful., just, and SUSTAINABLE world.

Staying in the US would have been much less demanding on my physical and psychological health (and with a six figure income would have been financially "logical"). And there was lots of activities we were doing in the US for Palestine, for global peace, and for the environment. Much remains to be done within the US as it continues to be the country that is in the words of Martin Luther King Jr "the biggest purveyor of violence". It certainly is the most enabling and the major sponsor of apartheid Israel and the endless wars in neighboring countries (conflicts thought to serve Israeli interests). Without the US support "Israel" would fold in two weeks and would have to become a democratic country for all its people and allow the Palestinian refugees to return. However and having said all of that, the decision to return to Palestine was the best decision I made in my life and this feeling grows stronger every day. The most important accomplishment I feel will last generations is my mentoring of young people. I would like to spend more time with young people (this is part of the reason we built PMNH/PIBS) and work harder at helping people help themselves. As I look forward with optimism to the next eight years here (If I live that long), I want to sincerely thank all of you who contributed and continue to contribute your time and energy.

END OF REFLECTION. Now for other good news

The Evangelical Lutheran Church of America voted overwhelmingly in the annual convention to set up a screen and not invest in any company that profits from Israel's occupation. They also called to end US unconditioonal aid to Israel. The Green party of the US developed a great latform on the question of Palestine (see below) that is based on human rights and justice. Social media are abuzz after the disastrous choice of Clinton and Trump to be nominees of the "democratic" and "republican" parties. Many argue that this continuing deterioration was a predictable outcome of the permission of lobbies (like the Zionist lobby to shape elections) and/or an expected outcome of several elections where people vote for the lesser of two evils rather than vote their conscience.

Following the diminishing water supply to Palestinians in the West Bank and the severe water shortage and pollution in the Gaza Strip, a light installation was held simultaneously in eight locations: Tel Aviv, Jaffa, Boston, New York, Houston, Johannesburg, Melbourne and Perth, Australia. In an illuminating display of lights reflected in water, activists from four continents stood near lakes and beaches creating the message "WATER IS A RIGHT" in various languages.

Green Party Statement on The Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

Our Green values oblige us to support popular movements for peace and demilitarization in Israel-Palestine, especially those that reach across the lines of conflict to engage both Palestinians and Israelis of good will.

We reaffirm the right of self-determination for both Palestinians and Israelis, which precludes the self-determination of one at the expense of the other. We recognize the historical and contemporary cultural diversity of Israeli-Palestinian society, including the religious heritage of Jews, Christians, Muslims and others. This is a significant part of the rich cultural legacy of all these peoples and it must be respected. To ensure this, we support equality before international law rather than appeals to religious faith as the fair basis on which claims to the land of Palestine-Israel are resolved.

We recognize that Jewish insecurity and fear of non-Jews is understandable in light of Jewish history of horrific oppression in Europe. However, we oppose as both discriminatory and ultimately self-defeating the position that Jews would be fundamentally threatened by the implementation of full rights to Palestinian-Israelis and Palestinian refugees who wish to return to their homes. As U.S. Greens, we refuse to impose our views on the people of the region. Still, we would turn the U.S. government towards a new policy, which itself recognizes the equality, humanity, and civil rights of Jews, Muslims, Christians, and all others who live in the region, and which seeks to build confidence in prospects for secular democracy.

We reaffirm the right and feasibility of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes in Israel. We acknowledge the significant challenges of equity and restitution this policy would encounter and call on the U.S. government to make resolution of these challenges a central goal of our diplomacy in the region.

We reject U.S. unbalanced financial and military support of Israel while Israel occupies Palestinian lands and maintains an apartheid-like system in both the Occupied Palestinian Territories and in Israel toward its non-Jewish citizens. Therefore, we call on the U.S. President and Congress to suspend all military and foreign aid, including loans and grants, to Israel until Israel withdraws from the Occupied Territories, dismantles the separation wall in the Occupied West Bank including East Jerusalem, ends its siege of Gaza and its apartheid-like system both within the Occupied Palestinian Territories and in Israel toward its non-Jewish citizens.

We also reject U.S. political support for Israel and demand that the U.S. government end its veto of Security Council resolutions pertaining to Israel. We urge our government to join with the U.N. to secure Israel's complete withdrawal to the 1967 boundaries and its compliance with international law.

We support a much stronger and supportive U.S. position with respect to all United Nations, European Union, and Arab League initiatives that seek a negotiated peace. We call for an immediate U.N.-sponsored, multinational peacekeeping and protection force in the Palestinian territories with the mandate to initiate a conflict-resolution commission.

We call on the foreign and military affairs committees of the U.S. House and Senate to conduct full hearings on the status of human rights and war crimes in Palestine-Israel, especially violations committed during Israel's 2008-2009 invasion of Gaza ("Operation Cast Lead") as documented in the 2009 "UN Fact Finding Mission on the Gaza Conflict"("The Goldstone Report") authorized by the UN Commission on Human Rights.

We recognize that despite decades of continuous diplomatic attempts by the international community, it has failed to bring about Israel's compliance with international law or respect for basic Palestinian human rights; and that, despite abundant condemnation of Israel's policies by the UN, International Court of Justice, and all relevant international conventions, the international community of nations has failed to stop Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights in Israel and the OPT, while Israeli crimes continue with impunity. We recall that ending institutionalized racism (apartheid) in South Africa demanded an unusual, cooperative action by the entire international community in the form of a boycott, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) campaign against apartheid South Africa, and that BDS can become the most effective nonviolent means for achieving justice and genuine peace between Palestinians and Israelis, and for the region, through concerted international pressure as applied to apartheid South Africa; and that Palestinian resistance to ongoing dispossession has mainly been nonviolent, including its most basic form—remaining in their homes, on their land; and that while Palestinian armed resistance is legitimate under international law when directed at non-civilian targets, we believe that only nonviolent resistance will maintain the humanity of Palestinian society, elicit the greatest solidarity from others, and maximize the chance for future reconciliation between Israelis and Palestinians. However, we also recognize that our appeal to Palestinians to continue to resist nonviolently in the face of ongoing existential threats from Israel is hypocritical unless accompanied by substantial acts of international support. We recall that in 2005, Palestinian Civil Society appealed to the international community to support a BDS campaign against Israel, and that in response the Green Party of the US endorsed this BDS campaign in 2005. Therefore, we support the implementation of boycott and divestment initiatives against Israel similar to those applied to South Africa in the apartheid era, which includes pressuring our government to impose embargoes and sanctions against Israel; and we support maintaining these nonviolent punitive measures until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people's inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law by

-Ending its occupation and colonization of all Palestinian lands and dismantling the Wall in the West Bank
-Recognizing the fundamental rights of Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
-Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.

We recognize that international opinion has been committed to a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Yet, we view the two-state solution as neither democratic nor viable in the face of international law, material conditions and "facts on the ground" that now exist in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories. Given this reality, we support a U.S. foreign policy that promotes the creation of one secular, democratic state for Palestinians and Israelis on the land between the Mediterranean Sea and the River Jordan as the national home of both peoples, with Jerusalem as its capital. We encourage a new U.S. diplomatic initiative to begin the long process of negotiation, laying the groundwork for such a single-state constitution.

We recognize that such a state might take many forms and that the eventual model chosen must be decided by the peoples themselves. We also acknowledge the enormous hostilities that now exist between the two peoples, but history tells us that these are not insurmountable among people genuinely seeking peace.

As an integral part of peace negotiations and the transition to peaceful democracy, we call for the establishment of a Truth and Reconciliation Commission whose inaugurating action would be mutual acknowledgement by Israelis and Palestinians that they have the same basic rights, including the right to exist in the same, secure place.
Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-2384849523257745842016-07-21T08:18:00.000-07:002016-07-21T08:44:17.382-07:00Binarity

Abdullah Issa (photo left) was a Palestinian child living in Syria (family of refugees after the ethnic cleansing of 1948 by Israel). He was captured and accused of helping the Syrian government. He had injuries and was thought to be also treated for thallasemia. Pictures show the bandaged boy of perhaps 10 or 11 years old with a catheter in his arm. His captives had him in the back of a pick-up truck (perhaps having taken him from his hospital bed). As he pleaded with them they ignored him and directed their message to the camera against Syrian government then slit the throat of this child. The killer militia shouted Allahu Akbar as the boy was mercilessly murdered. This group is funded and/or supported by the governments of the US, Turkey, Israel, and Saudi Arabia. They were considered by those four governments as "moderate rebels". <o:p></o:p>

On the same day that Abdullah was beheaded, a Palestinian boy roughly the same age (Mohyee Sedki Tbakhi, photo left) was shot by the Israeli occupation forces. I could not help note the similarity between the two as they looked like twins. As happens, only by intensifying our efforts are we able to cope with such tragedies. Coincidentally I accepted an invitation by the US Consulate in Jerusalem for Independence Day celebration (the event was held July 20th rather than July 4th here). Such trips to Jerusalem (without an Israeli permit) are always painful for me but the contradictions and conflicting emotions here were high. The area is in West Jerusalem long since transformed to a "Jewish city" the only real remnant of Palestinian next to the consulate is a cemetery (Mamilla or Maman Allah). But development is even eating away at that space and what is left of it is treated as a garden park. (photo: <o:p></o:p>Me at the cemetery- a Palestinian visiting remaining Palestinians)

 <o:p></o:p>

Perhaps two or three hundred people were at the consulate including many high level Palestinian officials and some Israeli officials (including many with blood on their hands). Many attendees were there for varied reasons. They dutifully listened to Consul General Blum give a good political speech highlighting need for peace and coexistence. Palestinian and Israeli beers were served (Dancing Camel beer!). Palestinian Knaffeh was served by Palestinians ut Shawerma sandwitches were served as "Israeli" food from the Waldorf Estoria! Equalizing occupier with occupied and colonize with colonized serves a clear agenda that has no space for liberation but encourages "coexistence" (status quo). But the consular staff are kind hearted and good intentioned. Many even told me privately they disagree with the policies but they are only doing what they were told to do.

Coincidentally this event was also held in parallel with the republican national convention, an event with much news coverage (for good or bad). I could not help but reflect on the state of the US in 2016 and to do so by taking time away from very important work I am doing (like analyzing the state of the Palestinian environment). Like analyzing any project, perhaps someone ought to sit down and do a proper and detail SWOT analysis (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats) to this human venture called the USA. Like all human organizational structures (including religions and political institutions everywhere), it starts with an idea that is then adapted to human needs at various intervals. <o:p></o:p>

The original 13 European colonies in what became known as "America" shed their allegiance to Britain and with the help of France declared their independence in 1776. Despite a constitution that says "all men are created equal" voting in the new democracy was restricted to white male land owners a. Nearly a hundred years later, slavery was abandoned and much later women got the right to vote. Civil rights were allowed to blacks only in the 1960s. The US is now a nation of hundreds of millions (6%) of the world population but consuming nearly a quarter of the glob's natural resources. It is a country of contradictions and has always been so. Advanced science and medicine went in parallel with committing war crimes in Vietnam. Art, music and culture that spread around the world together with death and destruction. High charity among a largely devout, simple and kind population but also domestic iolence, highest incarceration rate in the world and racist discrimination and murder of blacks. Movements like Black lives matter and challenging Islamophobia are growing but face daunting challenges. The biggest challenge is that I is a society driven by money and special interests. So islamophobia will continue to be promoted by a media under much influence from the Zionist movement. The circus like atmosphere of the upcoming democratic convention will only be slightly better than the Republican convention. That is because these is a system of elite interests that want it so. But ultimately I believe changes happen in the US when enough people stop believing politicians and act to push policies through. That is how the US public pushed for civil rights, women right to vote, ending the war in Vietnam (genocidal war), ending support for apartheid South Africa, and getting 40 hour work week. That pressure (and it is not a matter of voting another politician in or out) is what changes society. That pressure must also now increase to end US support for apartheid Israel, end US support for the Saud Royal family, end US attacks on Arab countries, end the escalation against Russia that could lead to war, really tackle climate change (and not via the weak step taken in Paris), tax the rich people fairly and take care of education for the young people and much more.<o:p></o:p>

I do love fellow Americans (as I do all human beings even Israelis). I do not have to agree with US foreign policy and in fact my dislike of that AIPAC-led foreign policy that is bankrupting the US is born out of my love for fellow US citizens especially people who challenged or challenge the system. There are people like Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jr. There are thousands of good Americans just on my own email list. I consider them the best hope for evolving the US out of this craziness.<o:p></o:p>

Now on this "binarity": have you noticed that the media and politicians repeatedly tell us that the world is binary? President Bush once said after 11 Sept. 2001: you are either with the terrorists or with us (I told them sorry I am with neither of you). Two million civilians killed since then and the same politicians and terrorists (both are killers) give us the same choice). They try to convince us that we have one of two choices (third choices or more are discounted). I must vote either for racist madman Trump of egotistical war monger Hilary Clinton who both lick the boots of Zionists and will kill more civilians. There are other choices!. Why can't I choose to reject both Turkish Ordogan and the plotters of the military coup against him? Edward Said once told us we do not have to choose between a secular corrupt dictatorship and rule by Muslim Brotherhood. I do not have to support Zionism to be for Jewish rights. I do not have to support the Assad regime to be against the Saudi/US/Israel supported "rebel" groups who are nothing more than mercenary terrorists. We have many choices. It is time we exercise them.
<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-82548194995308846282016-07-16T11:32:00.002-07:002016-07-16T11:32:48.068-07:00ups and downs

Life in Palestine moves along with its ups and downs, like the tides of the sea. Some days we feel depressed, some days more optimistic. Some of us even feel like manic depressives for the fact that we go through these cycles. The triggers are varied. We get depressed when we heard of the murders of 84 people in Nice by a deranged lunatic. We get uplifted when we hear of how victims' families, friends, and concerned citizens (of all religions and backgrounds) came together in solidarity. We get depressed for the bombings in Baghdad that killed over 250 innocent civilians (again by deranged lunatics) or of the innocents in Yemen and Syria. We get uplifted watching good citizens rush to help the injured and then take to the streets to demand an end to end the mayhem created by the US, Saudi, and Israeli governments (the real axis of evil here). <o:p></o:p>

We get depressed to hear from friends in Gaza of the continuing hardships and almost impossible life they live under Israeli siege. That siege does not seem to end as the Turkish government "normalized" its relationship with Israel (i.e. went back to being a partner in crime). We get uplifted by the indomitable spirit of resistance of the young people who don't give up. We hear Bernie Sanders abandon his principles and support Hillary Clinton for President (she is a Zionist war monger and will not be much better than the lunatic Donald Trump). We get uplifted to see many citizens including many of the disgruntled supporters of Sanders move towards voting for the Green Party candidate Jill Stein. The Green Party is the only political party in the US which remains consistently anti-war, anti-exploitation, and for peace and justice around the world (including in Palestine with their support of the right of return). But even within the democratic and republican parties voices of reason are raised occasionally against special interests (including of the powerful Israel lobby that has hijacked US foreign policy). <o:p></o:p>

We get depressed when I heard the right wing Israeli government approved a bill that targets human rights activists and appointed a racist to be chief rabbi of the Israeli army. But then we get uplifted seeing more young people refusing to serve/be conscripted in that immoral army. All of us discover that a person we trusted and helped went on to try to hurt us. But many of us can recall unexpected kindness from strangers. All this can be confusing! Some days I am personally at the brink of despair due to the difficulties we face in trying to build a museum and a botanical garden under a very difficult situation and without support, to recruit volunteers, and to find donors. Working 15-17 hours a day, seven days a week to accomplish what in any other civilized country could be accomplished in half the time can be frustrating. But on these same days or in days before them or after them we feel elated by what is happening. A wave of positive energy seems to descend out of nowhere on some days. Just this week we had groups of visitors and volunteers daily and we had one day in which some 25 students came during their summer camp for an environmental day at the museum. Here they learned some new skills and ideas as they volunteered to work in our botanical garden. One day I learned that one grant was rejected and the next day I learned that one of our research papers was accepted and I learned of two other grant possibilities. <o:p></o:p>

This back and forth continues and it could be just as natural as the cycle of the ocean tides or the rotation of the planets. Maybe expecting life to be good is like expecting the sun up 24 hours! So am are we optimists or pessimists or pessoptimist or realist? Tragedies around us continue. We could choose to isolate ourselves from them for example by going to live in a country with less troubles but in an increasingly globalized world that might be difficult. Even if possible, that life leads to a selfish disconnect from others and a life of pain and guilty conscience. The alternative is what the Buddhists call "joyful participation in the sorrows of this world." The trick to being content is not to fight the rising tide nor to push against the falling tide but to learn to roll with that tide while also doing your best to stay true to yourself. <o:p></o:p>

See our volunteer video: https://youtu.be/APxvAZh8qrQ<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-58311323897686691072016-06-26T23:57:00.001-07:002016-06-26T23:57:54.374-07:00Europe

I wrote several articles over the past 20 years suggesting for the sake of Europe's future to develop a more independent foreign policy and end US led NATO's adventurism whether in Libya or the Ukraine. But looking at the British poll to exit Europe, we cannot just say "we told you so". We cannot feel happy seeing Europe collapse even though we here in Palestine suffered and continue to suffer from European colonization (yes Zionism that created Israel is European colonization).<o:p></o:p>

This vote was focused mainly on fear of immigration (not economy as many expected) and this epidemic of fear of the brown people is afflicting the US and Europe and is stoked by Zionist xenophobes. It was not surprising that all of Rupert Murdoch's vast media empire peddled for Brexit (British exit). The stock markets collapsed, gold prices surged, and there is a general panic as the rich bankers who control/issue the money do not know what to do. The US Federal Reserve is panicking because interest rates are already so low and can't be lowered so much further to "simulate the economy." The economy is bad in Europe and the US because it is a war economy. For example, some three trillions were spend on the Iraq war (for Israel). These wars to fragment the Arab world even further than what Sykes-Picot created in 1916 (100 years ago) are backfiring and are the real cause of the calamity in Europe (epitomized by what they call a refugee crisis and economic stress). Perhaps the chickens are coming home to roost? In the US a similar pop culture promoted by Hollywood and other media peddled xenophobic islamophobia to serve Israel, peddled endless wars (divide and conquer), and peddled a diversionary silly culture to draw attention away from the major challenges to a livable world (especially climate change). These Zionists challenged the principled BDS campaign hypocritically crying "anti-semitism" while peddling Islamophobia. The witch hunts in 2016 are reminiscent of the 1950s McCarthy communist scare. We were thus not surprised that this same Zionist controlled media repackaged the Florida shooter as a "Muslim terrorist" but Madeen was clearly a lunatic gay guy who drank heavily and frequented gay bars regularly and was psychotically depressed for rejection. Without understanding this massive media campaign we cannot explain the popularity in oppressive societies of people like Avigdor Lieberman ("Israel"), Donald Trump (USA), and Boris Johnson (England). The fact that they all support Zionism should give us a hint.<o:p></o:p>

What is clear is that people need to worry about the future of the so called "Western Civilization" as it is clearly in decline. When asked about Western Civilization, Mahatma Gandhi was reputed to have said "I think it would be a good idea"! Many people especially the majority of the globe that is not "white" are worried about this civilization. Wring in the Guardian, Lola Okolosie said " The paradox of this referendum has been that those who have experienced the highest levels of migration turned out to be the least concerned about it. Fear of the unknown often underlines bigotry and xenophobia. We know that." Her article makes more interesting points and is worth reading <o:p></o:p>

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/jun/25/scary-people-of-colour-migrants-eu<o:p></o:p>

Europe went through the Middle Ages for ten centuries (medieval period), a period not much different from the disarray and religious fervor gripping the Arab world today. Europe paid a heavy price for the transition from these dark ages to the renaissance and then they had the set-backs of colonialism and nationalism (including WW1 and WW2). I am hopeful that Europe will not slip back and its people learned from the past. Now the focus is on the Arab world to finally rise out of the disarray and weakness into an era of science and technology and knowledge based decision making (our own renaissance) and this is inevitable. But then in 100 years (if climate change has not killed us all), we hope we will not be back into the colonial or nationalist mentality whether here or in Europe. Zionist colonialism like all other colonialism is already struggling to stay alive in a sea of native rejection in the 21st century. There is so much we can learn from history of Europe and we must all consider it our human history. Humanity is evolving and we must work together to make sure it evolves in a good sustainable direction.<o:p></o:p>

Good news according to a friend (Mai): "Two years ago, Presbyterians passed divestment by a razor thin margin of just 7 votes. This year, they moved boldly forward with huge majority votes on further strong measures. Meanwhile, the Unitarians achieved a majority on their first attempt at divestment (remember, the Presbyterians took 10 years!)...In addition, Re/Max issued a statement to the Presbyterians prior to their Re/Max vote (which passed) that they will no longer profit from Israel's illegal settlements properties- see links below"<o:p></o:p>

http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=4806<o:p></o:p>

http://mondoweiss.net/2016/06/presbyterians-announces-settlements/?utm_campaign=trueanthem<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-46159160751372759752016-06-22T02:14:00.001-07:002016-06-22T02:14:26.613-07:00Motivation

On a lengthy trip (due to checkpoints and alternate roads under occupation) to Ramallah, we had a chance to think and discuss issues like human condition and motivations. Three of us from the Palestine Museum of Natural History were on the way to meet with an official of the UN Development Program and with leadership of an active NGO working on agriculture and the environment. Having a very busy life working 16 hours a day seven days a week basically leaves us little time for reflection. Back in Bethlehem, I decided to take a bit more time last evening to do more reflection and share some thoughts especially on the state of our world and our role in it. I am sure all of us considered these same issues. There is unprecedented connectivity and access to information and we have richness of nature and enough resources to give everyone on this planet a comfortable life. Yet, we have over 1 billion people living in poverty. Hundreds of millions go hungry. There are murders, terrorism, war, and all other human cruelty to other humans (and to animals and to nature). There is a deterioration of quality of politicians and proportional increase in governmental lies. The global environment is at the breaking point (climate change etc.). The rich are getting richer and the poor getting poorer. In this man made mayhem, it is not too difficult to understand why cynical right wing politicians can rally people based on "safety/security" concerns (the most powerful human emotion of fear). A friend of mine from a developed country noted that " We'd better figure out ways to spread some equity around if we want to go on living in a society that is at least semifunctional. ." But the devil is in the detail. We should take the time to think of what world we want and how do we get there.

I am sure that all people like me somehow dream of a better world. If I was a child and drew it, I would draw it as a natural world, beaches, streams, beautiful trees,colorful animals running around, children playing and living in harmony with this "natural ecosystem". Envisioning such a world of harmony, bliss and happiness is not a utopian silly dream. But not achievting it soon should not be an impediment to (re)thinking our own role in this. First we do need to understand human needs and motivations. The US psychologist Abraham Maslow proposed that there is a hierarchy of needs in his 1943 paper "A Theory of Human Motivation". We can think of this is a pyramid with these needs from bottom to top of pyramid: physiological needs (food, drink, sex etc), safety, love/belonging, esteem/recognition, and finally self-actualization. Today most people especially in underdeveloped and developing countries are actually at that bottom rung in the pyramid. We in Palestine do not have too many answers since most of our people are still at that subsistence level. It is irritating to see the elites (including Palestinian and Israelis) who have their basic needs met refuse to rise to higher levels and get motivated to do something different to make this a better world. At least they should/could follow Howard Zinn's advise and get off the train (His book "you can't be neutral on a moving train" ). By not being part of the problem, humans at least open the possibility of being part of the solution. The next step is of course "trouble-making": stirring the stagnant waters so to speak. One of the inspiring groups I know that does this is CodePink whose members put themselves in places challenging political elites and challenging hypocrisy. The third stage of this process is to envision the alternative and build it. Many people do a great job at separating them-selves from the oppressive and apathetic hords and challenging the oppression. But few go to that third level of building and thus self-actualizing. I ended my book "Sharing the Land of Canaan" (published 2004) with this:

BEGIN QUOTE
Breaking through the conundrums humans have created is not easy. It will require transcending a part of our selves that may seem familiar and reassuring. Learning to live together, while initially uncomfortable, can lead to a new way of thinking. Joseph Campbell wrote in 1968: "Today, the walls and towers of the culture-world that then were in the building are dissolving ... But of course, on the other hand, for those who can still contrive to live within the fold of a traditional mythology of some kind, protection is still afforded against the dangers of an individual life; and for many the possibility of adhering in this way to established formulas is a birthright they rightly cherish, since it will contribute meaning and nobility to their unadventured lives, ... and to those for whom such protection seems a prospect worthy of all sacrifice, and orthodox mythology will afford both the patterns and the sentiments of a lifetime of good repute. However, by those to whom such living would be not life, but anticipated death, the circumvallating mountains that to others appear to be of stone are recognized as of the mist of dream, and precisely between their God and Devil, heaven and hell, white and black, the man of heart walks through. Out beyond those walls, in the uncharted forest night, where the terrible wind of God blows directly on the questing undefended soul, tangled ways may lead to madness. They may also lead, however, as one of the greatest poets of the Middle Ages tells, to 'all those things that go to make heaven and earth.' "(Campbell, Joseph. 1968. The Masks of God: Creative Mythology. Viking Penguin Inc., New York, p. 37.)

It is indeed a journey of awakening at the individual level that is not only spiritual, but also require concrete action to bring true peace and justice to fruition. We Canaanites, who invented the alphabet, domesticated animals and developed agriculture, and made this arid land into a land of milk and honey, surely can do this. An Arab poet wrote "Itha Asha3bu yawman Arad al-7ayata fala budda an Yastijeeb al-qadar. Wala budda lillayal an Yanjaili wala budda li-thulm an yankasir." Roughly translated, it means: If the people one day strive for life, then ultimately destiny will respond and the night will give way and the injustice will be broken. The path to peace is not served by the creation of more states or unjust "fixes" to perceived demographic "problems." It has to do with justice and implementation of human rights and international law. It requires grass root action to accelerate its arrival but it is the only solution possible in the long term. We can either remain locked in our old mythological and tribal ways or we can envision a better future and work for it. The choice is obvious.
END QUOTE

But much more needs to be thought of and said and acted upon in these areas. It is after all this search for a meaning of live and our role in it that is at the heart of what makes us human. Let us all resolve to take less time on things like facebook and more time to really look and act deeper. I for one hope to spend more time with intelligent thoughtful people thinking more collectively of these things and acting on them.

A Museum and Institute of Sustainability and Biodiversity at Bethlehem University
http://middleeast-business.<wbr></wbr>com/a-museum-and-institute-of-<wbr></wbr>sustainability-and-<wbr></wbr>biodiversity-at-bethlehem-<wbr></wbr>university/

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-78630837759053786802016-02-19T04:08:00.001-08:002016-02-19T04:08:50.997-08:00grateful

<o:p></o:p>

"Let us be grateful to the people who make us happy; they are the charming gardeners who make our souls blossom." Marcel Proust<o:p></o:p>

I am so grateful for all that is happening in resistance to the incredible odds and repression practiced by the elites in power. While some may get activism or compassion "fatigue" , there are literally millions of people deciding to leave their apathy behind and put their hands with other people to work. Our tiny little small part of the world (Palestine now an apartheid sate called a "Jewish state") has become a major center of global activism. This centrality can be due to many factors:

1.Religious centrality to three main religions, one of which was hijacked for political purposes locally in the past (Christianity --> Crusaderism), the other hijacked in the past 150 years and is still strongly hijacked (Judaism -->Zionism) and the other more recently and in nearby areas beginning to be hijacked (Islam --> Isis and Wahhabism).<o:p></o:p>

2. Nowhere else on earth is Western government hypocrisy more evident than in Palestine. While the western leaders speak of democracy and human rights, they support an apartheid racist "Jewish state" that engaged and engages in racism, war crimes, crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing (so far 7 million of us Palestinians are refugees or displaced people). Thus, this is the Achilles heel of Western propaganda.

3. The 12 million Palestinians in the world, most refugees and others squeezed into bantustans have been remarkably peaceful and tolerant and had a long history of popular resistance for the past 130 years that provided a stellar example to the world (see my 2012 book "Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of hope and empowerment").

4. Israeli citizens and the global community are increasingly joining hands with us to demand justice as the only road to peace.

5. More and more people realize that peace in the "Middle East" (Western Asia) and around the world is dependent on peace for Palestine. Zionism with its (sometimes dominant, sometimes subservient) twin US imperialism are and have been most destructive forces in causing global conflict.

But what really gives us optimism daily are the people we interact with. Students at the universities who see the importance of knowledge (power) and come to school with enthusiasm even in the face of suppression of their movement. Farmers that work hard in their fields even as land and water are being taken from them by the occupiers. Unarmed young demonstrators showing bravery in challenging the heavily armed Israeli forces (who occasionally murder them). Thousands of political prisoners and "administrative detainees" who resist the prisoners (one on hunger strike is close to death). Activists who sometimes sacrifice comforts to be with us. Organizers of boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) activities around the world who refuse to be silenced by illegal measures their governments try to impose on them to suppress free speech. Volunteers at our activities from refugee camp youth centers like Al-Rowwad to our Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability (http://www.palestinenature.org/about-us/ ).

Sometimes small actions make us retain our sanity. Just this past week:
- A small village of Izbet al-Tabib managed to gather 300 demonstrators protesting the illegal confiscation of land and resources to serve settlers.
-We saved a cattle egret (bird with long legs and beak from the heron group) which had been shot and with a macerated wing. We did an operation that saved its life (unfortunately the wing had to be amputated).
-We released a fox that was drowning in a water treatment pool in the Bethlehem garbage dump site.
- My tourism class did an exercise to help in a local tourism promotion project.
-We noted several species of butterflies in our botanic garden already and the flowers of rare orchids and even the Star of Bethlehem
-We had our first class in biodiversity for the new master program in environmental biology at Birzeit University.
-We received dozens of visitors to our facilities and added to our very large network of friends (now tens of thousands)
-We submitted two small grant proposals (we hope to start to do major fundraising soon for our museum, botanical garden, and institute of biodiversity and sustainability)
-Our aquaponic system is doing great and we expect our first harvest next week (lettuce)
- We said goodbye to some volunteers and we welcomed others who helped us build this institution.

We expect to receive more volunteers next week including a professor from Jordan and an aquaponics researcher from Switzerland and at least 10 students from Bethlehem University doing their community service. We are so grateful for all the above and we welcome volunteers and supporters with all backgrounds and skills. We are guided by love and respect (to ourselves, to others, then to nature). We are strengthened amid all the suffering (here in Gaza, in Syria, in Yemen etc) by human connections and by caring for each other.

Israeli soldiers beat detained Palestinian teenaged boys https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mzw2D5iL0bg

Palestinian Teacher Among World's Top 10 http://www.palestinechronicle.com/palestinian-teacher-among-worlds-top-10/

Reconstruction Of Gaza: Zero Buildings, Massive Profit
http://www.whoprofits.org/content/reconstruction-gaza-zero-buildings-massive-profit

Should Jews Have To Pay Reparations for Slavery? Richard Kreitner
http://forward.com/culture/213776/should-jews-have-to-pay-reparations-for-slavery/<o:p></o:p>

"Some people grumble that roses have thorns; I am grateful that thorns have roses." Alphonse Karr<o:p></o:p>

Stay human<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-22215565134366436592016-02-14T05:23:00.003-08:002016-02-14T05:51:32.227-08:00Biodiversity and terrorism

Hizma flying checkpoint

(also see ACTIONS below)

I was with two of my students and an International visitor heading to Birzeit for our first class in biodiversity this semester on Saturday when we got selected for search at an Israeli "flying checkpoint". There are hundreds of fixed checkpoints inside the illegally occupied West Bank, most are between one Palestinian area and another and not on the "Green line" but we also have to face the "flying checkpoints" which literally can be anywhere and anytime. In this case a long line of cars were held at Hizma. When it was our turn, a young Israeli younger than my son told me to stop. I said can I pull to the side to let other cars pass. He said no. There were several of them young recruits dressed in police uniforms and in army uniforms. In the occupied territories the two services are indistinguishable and operate as one fascist occupation force. Another Israeli was nearby so I said why can't I pull to the side. He turned over to his commanding officer who nodded his agreement. Then the officer asked me to pull onto the circle in the middle of the road. They asked for all our ID cards and handed them to another person who went to check them via his computer. Then they demanded each of us get out of the car in turns. My students in the back first, then the international visitor, then me. Some of the uniformed occupiers pointed their guns at us while others demanded we empty all our pockets and frisked us.

They searched the car and they flipped through the camera memory to see all our pictures. They were saying things in Hebrew and I was telling them repeatedly we do not speak Hebrew and that we can speak in English or Arabic to them. I think they all understood English and at least two showed they understood Arabic after persistence from us. I repeatedly asked in Arabic and in English why we were picked on. One occupier said it is because he liked the shape of my car! When I turned to a female soldier and asked her the same question and adding "are we living in a fascist state," she merely shrugged her shoulders and said "he liked your car". They did not smile but I did, which seemed to irritate them. Ryan was asked if he smokes anything and why is he here. Then they asked him "do you like Palestinians," to which he answered "I like all people!" After delaying us for half an hour, they handed our ID cards to the international visitor and let us go. For me, I was used to this. One of my students (also a museum employee) is from an isolated village of Nahhalin which is frequently closed off has also been frisked and checked many times in the past. His village was closed in the last three days and he sleeps in Bethlehem instead. My other student (also a museum employee) and the international visitor had never experienced such harassment. We joked later that this was a "good taste" of colonial occupation for them.

We discussed how these are really mild experiences compared to others. For example, for the first five weeks of 2016, Israel demolished an average of 30 Palestinian structures weekly, displacing an average of 66 persons a week (this is three times the weekly average than that in 2015). Palestinian young people as young as 12 continue to be murdered by Israeli occupation forces almost every other day. Israeli soldiers carry knives in their backpacks to plant as "evidence" against many Palestinians they murder. But there is growing Palestinian desperation. Israeli occupation forces currently hold hundreds of Palestinian political prisoners without charge ("administrative detentions".) At least one of those who has been held for nearly three months is on hunger strike (taking only water and salt.) He will likely die in the next couple of days if Israel does not release him (Mohammad Al-Qeeq). The Israeli Knesset continues to add racist laws to an already long list of racist laws (over 50) that discriminate against non-Jewish "nominal citizens". This is not counting hundreds of military orders that discriminate against us who are not considered "nominal citizens" in our own country occupied by individuals with a superiority-inferiority complex gathered from around he world under the banner of Zionism.

Gaza's situation is far worse than the West Bank and Gaza prisoners get no family visits and the Strip is besieged and starved of basic supplies. Most of the tunnels that "smuggled" humanitarian supplies have been destroyed. A slip of the tongue by Israeli Infrastructure Minister Yuval Steinitz revealed that Egypt's new policy of flooding the tunnels between the Gaza Strip and the Sinai Peninsula with seawater had come at Israel's request. The promise of rebuilding after Israel's last genocidal attack on Gaza never materialized. We shudder to think that it is again time for Israel to test new weapons on the Gaza "laboratory". Israel's largest "export" is weapons-related technology, and Israeli leaders have to "test" their weapons on the nearly two million captives in the open air prison called Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile Fatah and later Hamas have taken the bait/infection of "Oslo process" believing it is possible to have an authority under occupation. Here in teh West Bank many good Fatah leaders admit to us privately that they do not support the president whose erm expired years ago and who firest anyone who criticizes him. Yet he takes unilateral decisions to join the despots in "Saudi Arabia" and his speeches are frequently dotted with statements like "we have our hands stretched for peace.. we stop any armed resistance..we arrest activists... we believe only in peaceful demonstrations...ask [beg] the US and International community to exercise its responsibilities .. etc". Contrast this with what Ho Chi Minh once said: "Viet Nam has the right to enjoy freedom and independence and in fact has become a free and independent country. The entire Vietnamese people are determined to mobilize all their physical and mental strength, to sacrifice their lives and property in order to safeguard their freedom and independence." Or what Martin Luther King Jr said from Birmingham jail: "I have been gravely disappointed with the white moderate...who is more devoted to 'order' than to justice; who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive peace which is the presence of justice; who constantly says: 'I agree with you in the goal you seek, but I cannot agree with your methods of direct action'; who paternalistically believes he can set the timetable for another man's freedom; who lives by a mythical concept of time and who constantly advises the Negro to wait for a 'more convenient season.'" Or even what Yasser Arafat said during the siege in Beirut or when Israel was pounding his last two rooms in his Ramallah headquarters "we will have freedom or die as martyrs".

It is hard to cope with political leaders who do not seem to push strong enough but it is harder to deal state terrorism (which is far more devastating than individual terrorism). I (almost) retain sanity by staying busy (teaching plus other volunteer jobs including directing the Palestine Museum of Natural History, clinical laboratory work, writing, lecturing on Palestine, visitor guiding, research, and more.) Birzeit University where I teach (more coach) a Biodiversity course is a beautiful campus with great students and faculty. Before class, and having been delayed at the flying checkpoint, my two students had to rush to finish their work on "fruit flies/Drosophila". Spring is here and he gardens are blooming. The smell of freshly dug air mixes with the smell of almond blossoms. Good people and good food ameliorate life under occupation. It helps to have a larger cause than one self. Like MLK Jr and Steven Biko and Malcolm X, we are some times bewildered by the people around (including internationals and Palestinians) who show signs of "mental occupation" or are simply apathetic. But I would like to focus on those who have freed their minds and are helping others do the same. There are literally millions of points of light out there. We do not "win" over the darkness but it is those lights that make life meaningful. My own students (at Bethlehem Bible College, Birziet, and Bethlehem University) are also lights. For all those points of light we say thank you. <o:p></o:p>

Here are a few lights expressing via writing "We are not just numbers" http://www.wearenotnumbers.org/
<o:p></o:p>

And here is a timeline of positive actions using boycotts, divestment, and sanctions (BDS) done in 2015 as examples of points of light http://bdsmovement.net/2015/bds-full-2015-round-up-13628<o:p></o:p>

Having humility to recognize all these lights can help us amplify our own small light.

If you want to help in lighting our small candle locally, please see this
http://www.palestinenature.org/about-us/<o:p></o:p>

Photoassay of colonialism<o:p></o:p>

http://www.palestinechronicle.com/occupation-colonialism-and-apartheid-in-israel-a-photo-essay/<o:p></o:p>

ACTION: The UK and US government are introducing new rules that would prevent local councils from supporting BDS. <o:p></o:p>

If you live in the UK, please take action to stop the government doing this.

http://waronwant.org/protect-local-democracy<o:p></o:p>
In the US, please write your representative
http://org.salsalabs.com/o/641/p/dia/action3/common/public/?action_KEY=19106

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-18697466776677888482016-01-30T04:08:00.000-08:002016-01-31T09:18:48.332-08:00Advise to Palestinians
I posed the question to readers a while ago as we moved from 2015 to 2016: "What would YOU advise Palestinian to do? I am genuinely curious as to how many of my readers have constructive advice based on what they know of geostrategic structures, capabilities etc." I received dozens of answers including some really very insightful commentary. Every Palestinian should read at least these 26 sample responses [now over 60] from smart activists:

"I would like to be remembered as a person who wanted to be free and wanted other people to be also free... I will always work for human rights for all people." ― Rosa Parks
Let this quote be your guidepost and maybe the truth will set you free.
----------------------
in a nutshell - Oslo is a Zombie. i.e. it is long dead but still walking. so, the obvious thing to do is simply to bury it. Close down the masrahiyeh. Bold steps are needed. The very best, in my view, would be to close down the Sulta once and for all. The only option that, I believe, threatens Israel's delicately balanced "stability and normality" of the occupation. It is a bold and stark step back in some ways, so Palestinian leadership would need to open up a true discussion and get consent from the people for this step. No more acting on behalf..If less dramatic steps would turn out to represent what an informed Palestinian public truly wishes, then aim for less. But surely no more "extend & pretend" (Varoufakis) that currently we would still be walking down a path towards "statehood" (sovereignty, let alone freedom or justice)
------------------------
The leadership seems inclined not to ask and not to discuss and not to change course. So, then - just like everywhere else in the world - it becomes the people's obligation to form a will and impose it on the leadership......an organized campaign for this tricky task to from a will, certainly requires not only mass participation but also (new or revived) organisations..
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I believe that while Israel holds the (earthly) power, Palestinians hold the key (pun intentional). Israel has taken the position that it is interested only in solving (or "managing") the situation so as to serve its own people's interests. This is so entrenched and understood that no one even mentions or considers it, but it leaves Israel tremendously vulnerable. "Interbeing" is the reality of our existence, period. We are all one. That the stronger regime refuses to acknowledge it, does not make it be not so. I believe that to counter that, Palestinians might (could, should, must?) take the position that they are interested in solving the situation so as to serve the interests of all concerned -- not least because that is by far the surest way of serving your (their) own interests.
 To date there has been some writing published in this vein: While we get free, we'll free you of your guilt/shame/burden/shadow etc. But I think a lot more can be done in this direction. From the soil of Palestinian suffering and sumud can come the flowering of a new way of co-resolving our situation. It has to start somewhere. Why not in Bethlehem? (Good vibes...)
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Surely to change the narrative, to have many Palestinians to dedicate efforts to that aim toward both the west and the arab countries (and this last is a full other chapter, of which I know too little to dare to say much more than ..I believe there is tearing inside, a great pain and questioning, and at the same time anger for those that are muslims and a great difficulty also for all minorities in beliefs. But there is also an incredible social tension around corruption justice and freedom, and because of the extreme poverty of the majority in some countries, first of all egypt, there is also a request for social improvements if not yet justice.
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I firmly believe that the answers to overcome the conflict have to come from the inside of the Palestinian society (meaning Gaza, West Bank, '48, refugees...), an agreement on the strategy to follow in order to prepare a better future for the Palestinians, but including a broad consensus on what Palestinians want. What I would advise to the Palestinian leaders is to try to get leverage on Israel and US through the BDS campaign to change the conflict. I think that the global solidarity movement with Palestine keeps growing and it could turn the BDS campaign in a powerful tool to transform the conflict. So the Palestinian leaders should be closer to the campaign and coordinate their actions with the campaign. It this way, Palestinians would benefit from the advances of the campaign in form of political power in front of Israel.
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I have long despaired of the way the Palestinian leadership fails to use the media in terms of presenting in a professional way the issues facing Palestine to those of us in the West. There must be western educated Palestinians who could do this and challenge the slick media trained people the Israeli government is able to use. So my first suggestion is to recruit suitable people to carry out this task. Secondly I suggest that using such people, the leadership should issue a plea to the international community for protection of Palestinians, particularly those living in Area C. This protection could be in the form of a UN/EU sponsored multi-national civil force which would be tasked with the protection of civilians in Area C and, with a development fund provided by international donors, help Palestinians to reverse the damage done by Israeli policies and enable economic development. The plea could perhaps begin with this: " Area C and the Future of the Palestinian Economy", a report published by the World Bank in 2013, has shown that more than half the land in the West Bank, much of it agricultural and resource rich, is inaccessible to Palestinians. The result, according to the Bank, is a disastrous loss to the Palestinian economy of about US$3.4 billion. It goes on to say that if businesses and farms were permitted to develop in Area C, this would add as much as 35 percent to the Palestinian GDP. Development would in the long term reduce dependency on foreign aid. It could continue with a clear explanation of how Israeli policies have affected Area C.
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 If, and I know this is a big IF, everyone who feels the way we do would write to newspapers, legislators, church leaders and keep on writing, often and loudly, perhaps we could finally generate enough noise to wake folks up to the point that their very own tax dollars are in part responsible for the outrage. It seems like such a small thing to do, but as little people in a community, we need to combine our little voices to become one big one. Some churches are quite active, but church membership these days seems to be waning sadly. I hope that someone comes up with a great idea for better ways than this to get the word out and creaet the changes that are necessary. I'll be reading every word you print, hoping for a breakthrough.
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 I believe that it might be useful to hold a referendum of Palestinian opinion concerning the single-state/two-state alternatives and proceed from there. With a Palestinian state acceptable to Israel, it is certain that the Palestinian people would be allowed no sovereignty over their airspace or coastal waters nor would they be permitted any defence capability. Likewise, control of precious water and other resources would be much more in the hands of the more powerful Zionist state than could ever be exercised by what would inevitably be a vassal state of Palestine. In 1947/1948 Palestine was already too small to partition and today further division of the decimated non-contiguous and pathetically tiny remnant is unconscionable. There are Israelis who advocate a single-state solution, probably one of the best known of them is, of course, Miko Peled. There needs to be a worldwide single-state movement developed along the lines of BDS and, it is to be hoped, operating in parallel with it. But that's just my opinion!
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I greatly respect the Truth and Reconciliation process in South Africa, which has been copied in several other countries. It's not perfect, although there's no perfect means of dealing with fascism, genocide, etc. ……With Israel and Palestine, some one is going to have to be the last victim, unavenged, if there's ever going to be peace……Of course, an effective Truth and Reconciliation process would need more than apologies and admissions, the living conditions and structural arrangements would have to change. Merely saying "sorry" while continuing occupation is not tenable. In the long run, the occupation is dependent on concentrated fossil fuels, as the oil declines so will the ability of high tech militaries to function.
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We can and must imagine a different future where Israelis and Palestinians work together to produce a unique experiment in democracy in the region. Here again I fully concur with Ian Lustick who says: " In such a radically new environment, secular Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank could ally with Tel Aviv's post-Zionists, non-Jewish speaking Russian-speaking immigrants, foreign workers and global-village Israeli entrepreneurs. Anti-nationalist ultra-Orthodox Jews might find common cause with Muslim traditionalists. Untethered to statist Zionism in a rapidly changing Middle East, Israelis whose families come from Arab countries might find new reasons to think of themselves not as "Eastern," but as Arab. Masses of downtrodden and exploited Muslim and Arab refugees, in Gaza, the West Bank and in Israel itself could see democracy, not Islam, as the solution for translating what they have (numbers) into what they want (rights and resources). Israeli Jews committed above all to settling throughout the Greater Land of Israel may find arrangements based on a confederation, or a regional formula more attractive than narrow Israeli nationalism."……
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Palestinians must demand their freedom themselves. BDS is improving the understanding and acceptance of the Palestinian position in European states, and even in the United States. But BDS is not enough because it is something done by Europeans and Americans. BDS is not a Palestinian activity. BDS will not be enough. Palestinians must demand their freedom with continuous, massive, non-violent protests. Israel will violently attempt to suppress these demonstrations. But the Palestinians must keep coming. Imagine if 100,000 Palestinians marched from Ramallah to the Qualendia crossing on Friday morning and demanded to go to the Al-Aqsa mosque to pray
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….In the Year 2027 Israel will be a state of Zealots, and all Secular Jews will be mainly in Central Germany (3rd Israel). I can guest, the end of "The Glorious Israel" in the Kingdoms of David and Solomon! Until now Israel had succeeded in beating us because we were unarmed and weak. …..Now they have realized that we can hit back hard, and the fun of the game is over! Conclusion: all what you have mentioned is the reality, but I add : The "Homo sapiens" is the biggest blunder the Evolution had ever made! Our wonderful planet would have been much better-off if the Evolution would have stopped by the Chimpanzee, Gorilla and Orang-utan! I do still believe that Palestine will be ours, sooner or later - perhaps not in my life time!...............
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Rudyard Kipling's first 4 verses
 "If you can keep your head when all about you
 Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,
 If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
 But make allowance for their doubting too;

 If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
 Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
 Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
 And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise

 If you can dream - and not make dreams your master;
 If you can think - and not make thoughts your aim;
 If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
 And treat those two impostors just the same;

 If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
 Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
 Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
 And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools

 Restiamo humani!
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I believe that a Third World War has already began - a war against the people constituting a crime against humanity. We may not be dying in the UK , as people are in Palestine, Syria, Eastern Ukraine, Iraq, Afghanistan. Kurdistan, Libya, Yemen, Egypt, Pakistan, Somalia....., the list goes on, but as we see our freedoms eroded and our government representing, not us, but an entitled elite which encompasses a Zionist/ fascist ideology, I fear for our future.., I fear for the future of our children and grandchildren. Mazin, you are most definitely on the front line, but you are not alone. All of humanity is being threatened. Our strength comes from our numbers and from the rightness of our cause. I once heard a refugee say that we needed to create a global chain, then rattle it so that the din we create is so loud that those at the top of the pyramid will shake with fear. Maybe the vibration of our angst will shake them from their perch so that they tumble down and join us in our humanity.
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What I would advise the Palestinian leadership to do is to assemble the best legal team and move in a determined fashion (no backsliding under pressure) to put the settlement issue before the ICC. I read that they now say they will consider doing this - but there can be no backing down! Unlike Israel's aggression against Gaza - where the court can say that it cannot get involved because Israel is conducting its own investigations - it is difficult to see how the ICC can fail to rule that the settlements are
 illegal under international law. This would put a major spoke in Israel's wheels and could thwart its most frenzied efforts in the hasbara department. If not now, when?
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Palestinians should [take away fear of violence from Israelis and ] make it clear that they are not all Muslims and that Zionism is in process of destroying what is left of Middle Eastern Christianity. They should never cease to remind the world that the Jewish and Christian communities survived and thrived through more than 13 centuries of Muslim rule and that the greatest danger they faced was from the Crusades.
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Palestine should first get sufficient strength, before engaging with Israel, otherwise there is no use of getting killed many people. Your museum project is nice, educate the people through it.
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I can only say or suggest what might affect us to better help you to work out your own solution. But I know that right will win in the end whichever way it turns out - one state or two. Restiamo humani and hope springs eternal. I send this brief paragraph to you in all humility and with our continuing prayers for peace and reconciliation between all faiths and creeds. I read this little excerpt today that I thought you would appreciate. It is a short thought provoking quotation from an Red Indian chief called John (Fire) Lame Deer Sioux Lakota: "Before our white brothers arrived to make us civilized men, we didn't have any kind of prison. Because of this, we had no delinquents. Without a prison, there can be no delinquents. We had no locks nor keys and therefore, among us there were no thieves. When someone was so poor that he couldn't afford a horse, a tent, or a blanket, he would, in that case, receive it all as a gift. We were too uncivilized to give great importance to civilized property. We didn't know any kind of money and consequently, the value of a human being was not determined by his wealth. We had no written laws laid down, no lawyers, no politicians, therefore we were not able to cheat and swindle one another. We were really in bad shape before the white men arrived and I don't know how to explain how we were able to manage these fundamental things that (so they tell us) are so necessary for a civilized society." which all goes to show that all that glitters is not gold or put it another way that money and materialism doth not make the man.
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 I am surprised at your optimism about PA figures wanting to do something new, at least I think that is what you are saying. I would be very cynical about that. Maybe you were saying rank and file Palestinian leaders like you. What is required to build a mass movement is to break the law, which I doubt anyone in authority, even PA "authority"' is prepared to do. No doubt very many Palestinians and some Israelis are ready to do something, but it must be under leadership that is not tied to the politicians and capitalists who are currently in charge. I liked your suggestion of mass uprisings against the wall as one tactic, or check points, and some Israelis would join. Bet the folks in Budrus would too. If it is like here, the reason things changed in Ferguson was because the young people refused to listen to the misleaders like Sharpton or Jesse Jackson or the local clergy who told them to be peaceful and rely on the courts or voting. Once they began and continued a mass militant movement it sparked the frustrations everywhere. Now the task is to maintain the movement without it getting sucked back into the system, which will probably not succeed at this time except with small groups. So that's the task as I see it, build militancy while ingraining the goal of an anti-racist, non-capitalist society. A long, arduous, but necessary task. Anxious to hear how you do.
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I recommend focusing on one and only one message to all audiences, that all people (Jewish or Israeli or German or American or French, etc, depending on who you are talking to) are good people who agree that-- while Jews have suffered from persecution throughout history-- it would be wrong to expel peaceful non-Jewish families from their homes to create a state run by and for Jewish people. It is wrong to mistreat anyone, whether Jewish or not Jewish; that was the lesson of the Holocaust. All Palestinians refugee men, women and children must be allowed-- encouraged-- to return to their homes immediately to live in peace and equality alongside Jewish families. Nothing more, nothing less.
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I agree that having Palestinian leaders shift all emphasis to the creation of a workable one state solution that respects diversity and human rights of all citizens would seem more viable to sway popular opinion in Canada or the US in favour of.
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I do not believe that Israel will ever give up the West Bank or Jerusalem (or the Golan). I feel that the Israeli plan, with the cooperation of the puppet PA, is to allow for the creation of a Bantustan style of Palestinian state in small parts of the West Bank. As part of this action, the Zionists will do a "land for peace" deal and will transfer a bit of Israeli land, along with most of Israel's Palestinian-Israeli citizens, into this Palestinian statelet, and of course, Israel will transfer all of the settlements (colonies) into Israel. By using fascistic laws on the few remaining Palestinian-Israeli citizens, they will control and or drive them out, and so keep Israel as a racist state for many many generations to come. As such, I feel that the only hope for the Palestinians is to dissolve the PA, and legally hand complete authority for the West Bank and Jerusalem back to the Israelis (the Zionists), and turn it all back into "occupied territory and people" as per international law. Then, the Israelis will either be forced to incorporate the West Bank and Jerusalem, and it's Palestinian citizens, into Israel, which in the long term would mean Israel would become a majority Arab state, or they will have to ignore any semblance legality, and unilaterally transfer (drive) the Palestinians out of Palestine (and Israel) and seize their land. The key will be whether Palestinians will be able to wrestle control of the PLO/PA away from Abbas and the other puppets, before they sign a sell-out agreement with the Zionists. Sadly I think Gaza will continue to be cut off from Israel and the West Bank, but will hopefully be left in relative peace someday soon, especially once it's marine border is opened. Perhaps someday in the distant future, Gaza will be able to join a truly democratic and majority Palestinian controlled Israel, but that would be a very long ways down the road.
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 I think that Muslims need to make museums everywhere they can in the Western World to show what is happening in the Middle East and specifically Palestine. I suggest that they construct museums next to Mosques in the United States, Canada and Europe for starters. One of the big problems that the Palestinians have is that the Jews around the world are very good at keeping the world from finding out what is really happening in Palestine and to Palestinians everywhere. Also, they say that the people united will never be defeated. I believe this is true. What would Israel do if all the men in an area marched toward a check point to take it over or destroy it? Would they Jews attack the check point? Just suggesting a possibility. What would they do if all the people in a village tried to tear down a fence or barrier? There is also silent and peaceful resistance to policies you don't like.
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1. The PLO should declare the Oslo Accords are dead.
2. The Palestinian Authority should dissolve itself since
a. It never had any authority
b. It relieved Israel from the costs of administering the occupied West Bank
c. It was at the mercy of its funders, the US and its allies, who continually threatened to withhold funding if it didn't toe the line
d. Is guilty of spending 21 years in futile negotiations while Israel move 650 thousand colonists into the West Bank
3. People should be mobilized to engage in peaceful resistance
4. Reach out to the 1.7 million Palestinian citizens of Israel
5. Emphasize the unity of the struggle of the 6 million Palestinians in occupied Palestine: those in the West Bank, Gaza and Palestine 1948 by calling for a non-sectarian state in Palestine
6. Promoting the goals of BDS (ending the occupation, equality for all and the return of the refugees) in all Arab and international forums through solidarity groups
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I am distressed by growing anti-Arab Islamaphobia, which only makes a reasoned approach to settling the Palestinian Question even more difficult. Humbly, I suggest to my Palestinian brothers & sisters to stay the course of an intellectually based legal and ethical presentation of the inescapable merits of advocating for a fair & just Palestinian homeland. Few can argue with an ethical quest for national liberation…..as we all, at some time were part of such a process. I am heartened by both the swelling global support for Palestinian rights/justice (albeit small) AND the foibles of the Israeli government….plus the right-wing settler movement showing its true colors of racist hatred & violence. Sadly we watch the cognitive dissonance of so many settlers allow the committing of crimes once ascribed to the former torturers of Jews. As much as it pains me to see this…..it does have the predictable effect of reflecting a comparatively more flattering light upon the mainstream Palestinians who simply want the American/English/French/German/etc dream of autonomy, 2 flat screen TVs and a car in the garage. Do not squander this opportunity to show yourselves as the humans I know so well. Do not allow the marginal minority to spoil the soup. Secure your alliances with similar movements which already have support in their respective countries.
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My suggestion is to insist on culture and literature meeting and knowledge also like your life project reserve the nature of Palestine Land. Making weekly meetings under the name of Literature and Culture will help build one opinion and education and preparation for new generation with one and unified opinion and understanding for what we need and lack. Palestinian people has never been mindly unified or having real real unity for stable future life. Unless the Nakba happened, every city or area were living away from being a one nation. Now they have a vague unity about returning back to Palestine but without any way of planning or thinking how. The unity in mind is very important. So we have to make Cultural Societies in every big and small cities and towns. Then make weekly meetings just to talk or read poetry or speakers or lecturing and publish the results on internet and may be books distributed free to people and to schools and universities. We need college students and professors to participate in the plan. All outsiders will be able to do any favor to Palestine. The Palestinians themselves must do the job and the world will respect and support their deeds and struggle like South Africa. I sill ask or you may know the only people that have no central Cultural Association are the Palestinians. Amazeegh and Kurds and other races are much and better arranged and prepared to self rule or freedom better than us who've been suffering for over a 100 years. It is painful and regret for those who know about the case.
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I don't know what the answers are but I think I know WHERE they are. We met with Israeli groups and Palestinian groups as well as groups containing both "sides". Thy had many good ideas, but the Israeli govt opposes them and does not want to give them exposure. If they encouraged them and encouraged press coverage, things could have changed, though it may not be possible since Israeli has confiscated 90% of the land.
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Some Palestinian-Americans -- and other advocates of justice for the Palestinians -- should compare (and maybe this has been done often) what the early U.S.-American settlers-colonialists (in expanding their grip
on north American territory) did to the indigenous people. They were placed on reservations, as you know. Howard Zinn wrote about this very forcefully.
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HAVE HAD ENOUGH OF PEOPLE COMPLAINING ABOUT OCCUPATION !
RESISTANCE IS A FINE ATTITUDE, BUT IT IS NOT ENOUGH . ALL PALESTINIANS SHOULD BE READY TO BE IMPRISONED FOR CIVIL REFUSAL OF ALL OCCUPIERS`` LAWS AND LET THE WORLD SEE HOW THE ZIONISTS ARE TERRORIZING THE PEOPLE UNDER OCCUPATION.
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Palestinians and Arabs in general are doing so so much already, using direct action to resist, risking their lives on a daily basis, attempting to survive an ongoing genocide by Israel, the West and the Gulf Nations. The burden is not on Palestinians and Arabs. The responsibility should be on people elsewhere of good conscience to use ALL of their privilege to force their governments, military and corporations to end the invasion, the genocide, to end zionism. In the U.S., people, left-wing activists and all, derive immense financial benefits from the ongoing invasion and genocide. People should renounce these benefits, get focused and grounded, and sacrifice their privilege and take nonviolent direct action. The problem with the above is that is what people in the West should do. We're not doing it and it's hard for me to foresee, short of some rare holdouts and martyrs, it happening in my lifetime. Could there be a cataclysm, natural or man-made, that could quickly rewire our colonized brains and launch us into action?
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In today's world where communication is everything, the Palestinian struggle needs some "re-packaging" to stimulate a renewal of interest all over the world. BDS has been a very fruitful campaign since 2005 but it's already 10 years old, and it also needs to be "refreshed". The opportunity is coming soon to revisit the message: the year 2017 is a huge historical anniversary, as the 50 year of the occupation but also the 100 year of the Balfour declaration, and the 70 year of the UN partition plan - pointing to the global responsibility, of Israel, of the UK and the Western world, in the whole conflict - so an opportunity for the Palestinian not only to say ENOUGH is ENOUGH but to engage citizens of the world - yes, why not a democratic debate online where everyone can join? - to launch the second century of this Epic Journey, after a first century of tragedy, launching a second century of hope and construction of a future turned towards justice and inclusiveness in the land of Canaan - which by the way is the key question of the 21st century everywhere: how can we learn to live all together in all of our diversity and differences, and how can humankind grow into humanity?
I would be happy to continue this conversation with you at some point
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I have just read all the comments and replies right to the end. I found them interesting and helpful when I infrequently come across a vocal Zionist here. I'm not in a position to advise Palestinians. The best I can do is support BDS, call on my local Archbishop to ask the Synod to do the same (which I have done unsuccessfully -- he sits on the fence because he knows the Synod would vote No), write the occasional letter to politicians, and exchange my Free Palestine badge for my Israel Terrorist State badge, which I am about to do now.
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It's simple. All Americans have to do it to cut off ALL aid to Israel! However, as you know, that's not simple. But that's what we have to work for...fight, fight, fight for the truth so that we can convince our country to cut off all aid to Israel.
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As a non-Palestinian American Jew, I read them, to look for ideas how I can support Palestinian people in their struggle for freedom and equality.
For me, it comes to being willing to confront hate and intolerance when I come across it.
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האינתיפאדה של הסיכנים לא יכולה לנצח ורק מחזקת את הימין בישראל. יש
להחליפה בהתקוממות עממית נוסח האינתפאדה הראשונה ולסלק את הרשות ולהחליפה
בהנהגה ראויה שאינה משתפית של ישראל
המאבק צריך להיות בעד מדינה אחת דמוקרטית עם שיבת הפליטים תוך מאבק למען
חברה שוויונית ולא קפיטליסטית
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By every means possible (non-violent and violent) continue your resistance: Rebellion, national liberation, free Palestine.
this is a fight that in the face of the overwhelming forces against us requires that we follow those possessed by sublime madness, that we become stone catchers and find in acts of rebellion the sparks of life, an intrinsic meaning that lies outside the possibility of success. We must grasp the harshness of reality at the same time as we refuse to allow this reality to paralyze us. (Chris Hedges)
stay human, end Israel, Free Palestine
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...This brings us to the crux of the matter. If we look at the power wielded by tribal Jewry in the Western democracies, not only in the English speaking Old Testament besotten cultures, but in France, Germany etc., we are always impressed that a mere 2% of the population, more or less - in some cases considerably less - has managed to wrest de facto control of the political, economic, media and educational spheres. All of this power is focused on fanatical support of the State of Israel. It is not that the majority of Jews wield this sword - most of them just go along to get along, particularly as they are constantly being bombarded with tribal propaganda and it so psychologically satisfying to seem to be, at least, part of an exclusive club. But the small number of wealthy, influential, dedicated Zionist Jews and the rest of the ZPC (Zionist Power Configuration) who actually run the show may finally be losing their grip, albeit just a little bit. The traditional progressivism of young Jews has begun to surface again, and they are flocking to Palestinian support groups and the BDS movement.
Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-56360396093176321502016-01-14T02:25:00.000-08:002016-01-14T04:12:31.829-08:00Lebanon Encounter

Cedars in Shouf

My visit to beautiful amazing, diverse, and edgy Lebanon left memories and emotions that will stay with me the rest of my life but also established new friendships and collaborations that will enhance environmental research and conservation. I was supposed to travel to Lebanon Sunday evening but missed my flight at the trip from Bethlehem to Amman aoirport took 10 hours! But this gave me time to spend with our friend Prof. Zuhair Amr in Jordan who we publish much research together. I took the next flight to Beirut Monday morning and was met at airport by Dr. Mounir Abi Said who took me on a whirlwind tour of the Shouf mountains, its beautiful nature reserve with the ancient cedar trees. In the reserve we met with the reserve staff and manager and discussed collaborations. I then visited the American University in Beirut. I personally have never been there before but I almost could swear that I was there in a previous life.

 At AUB- Been there in another life?

My uncle Sana Atallah did both his bachelor and master degree at AUB in the 1960s and his summer visits to Palestine he would take me with him to the fields for nature walks and work. I was only a child and I remember the beauty of nature but not much else from that time. It is what made me follow in his footsteps and start my own collection of objects of nature immediately after he died in a car accident in 1970 (shortly after he finished his PhD). I literally followed in his footsteps, took care of part of his collection that was here in Palestine and did graduate studies in the same US university where he studied. But having never been to AUB (a university that literally shaped his short life), I was very emotional. My mind raced as we stepped into the old natural history museum and I saw the mammal collection that Uncle Sana and His mentor Robert Lewis collected. I could almost smell and feel and hear those two great people and wished I could have been their student at AUB. An old statue and an old bench gave me shivers as I felt that surely I must have been here before. A mixture of sadness, happiness, nostalgia, wishful thinking and more swept through my mind in ways hard to put down in writing.

 Specimens collected in Palestine by Sana Atallah, now at AUB

After meeting with a few people at AUB, I went to visit a project started by Dr. Mounir and his wife Dr. Diana to rescue animals captured or injured by hunters. They rehabilitate them and release some while keeping some for environmental education for children (see http://www.animalencounter.org/). Unlike other environmental awareness facilities in our region, this one is run by experts based on scientific principles. They initially started it in their home and then the municipality gave them land to do this on. We also started the Palestine Museum of Natural History at our house and then moved to Bethlehem University Mar Andrea campus. So we connected in Lebanon with colleagues like Mounir and Diana on so many levels. We now must start joint research and development projects.<o:p></o:p>

<o:p> </o:p>

Mounir and friendly Hyaen and wolves at Animal Encounter

Representing Bethlehem University, I joined other colleagues from other universities in Palestine, Jordan, and Lebanon for a conference in Tuesday at the Lebanese university dealing with European funding under the Jean Monnet program. It was a good opportunity to lean and to network. I took time in the evening to walk around Al-Hamra area of Beirut. I was saddened to see how electricity is off in Beirut just like in Gaza (6 hours on, 6 hours off). I was saddened to see many women with children begging to sell gum on the side of streets like Al-Hamra street.

 Trash piled up in Beirut as the country goes without a President and contending parties blame each other (Young man there was collecting garbage for reccycling).

 Al-Hamra street (busy commercial street but hotels and businesses depend on generators at night)

Lebanon, like Palestine, is such a beautiful rich country but its political leaders do not seem to get their act together. Being divided into sometimes intermixing and sometimes contending communities is not a bad thing if you think in terms of a healthy diverse human communities just like a health diverse ecosystem (many species competing, conflicting, sometimes cooperating). It is fertile ground for innovation and Lebanon has lots of innovative smart people. For example (among many), I met brilliant researchers and teachers like Dr. Mounir (mammals), Dr. Dany Azar (Paleontology), Dr. Efat Abu-Fakhr (Crop Protection and Entomology) and many more. Like in Palestine, we just need to collect all those good people in networks to better help young talent to grow and promote collaboration and healthy but not destructive competition. Our museum motto is RESPECT (for ourselves, for others, for nature). I found so many good Lebanese and Palestinians who do have that respect and thus are able to make a positive impact in their/our societies. By giving of themselves they build their character and have a very productive career. By devoting ourselves to things bigger than ourselves we also have personal growth and success. Being selfish or self-centered will only diminish us. Anyone close to death can tell you what they regret most in life and what they appreciate more in life and it is never that they wish they had made more money or ate more food or had a bigger house; instead they wish they gave more and took care of others more. I am inspired and energized by this visit.<o:p></o:p>

I am back in Palestine now where martyrs are still falling (three the day before I returned) and where thousands of political prisoners languish in Israeli gulags. This is where checkpoints and walls rule. Where Israel even banned "Breaking the Silence" (an Israeli group of soldiers and ex soldiers who tell about the crimes they wee ordered to commit). But this one land refusing to be divided continues to build and where good things still happen. For example here at the museum grounds (Bethlehem University), we have a dozen individuals at the museum (9 of them from Gaza with permits facilitated through GIZ) learning about aquaponics! They are good energetic people and good energetic instructor (Philip) who want to improve life in Gaza by growing plants and fish !!

Things have piled up for me to take care of including several deadlines for proposals and publications. I also teach several courses this semester including: cultural and eco-tourism for Masar Ibrahim, research and writing, and anthropology for the master in Hotel Management and tourism (all at Bethlehem University), research tools and peacemaking courses (at Bethlehem Bible College master program in conflict resolution), and biodiversity at the master program in Environmental Biology (at Birzeit University). Join us to be part of a growing team for nature and for Palestine. Since my last email a week ago asking for signing up to our network of supporters and volunteers, over 110 people signed up from around the world. To reiterate: We now have an integrated system for research and education to address areas in need in Palestine: healthcare, environment, and agriculture (especially permaculture). We have dozens of volunteers and we are grateful to all volunteers and donors but we can accelerate our progress with more of YOUR help and thus accomplish much more. So look over our website (http://palestinenature.org) and fill out this form http://goo.gl/forms/Z7nmOGFC9i (if you have difficulty email us at firstname.lastname@example.com) to tell us you can help from your location (any and all countries including Palestine). Tentative name is "Network for Palestine Nature" (your suggestions on name would be appreciated). Thank you for your kind support.<o:p></o:p>

Come visit us http://palestinenature.org

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-9884680900731904192015-10-12T06:02:00.001-07:002015-10-12T06:32:25.724-07:00Beyond Global Disorder

I just came back to Palestine from aa high profile meeting on The World Beyond Global Disorder: Rhodes Forum (Greece, http://wpfdc.org/ ). It was a great productive meeting with hundreds of great attendees who shared their views on everything from political turmoil to refugeesexcept for an unexpected appearance of Russian billionaire Viatcheslav (Moshe) Kantor (representing European Jewish Congress) who hijacked the spirit of the meeting and lectured the attendees to promote his Zionist and Islamophobic views. No response or balancing view was allowed (see below for discussion of this disturbing incident).

<o:p></o:p>

My speech (I skipped some portions of this in my delivered remarks due to time constraints.<o:p></o:p>

Thank you for your kind invitation to speak at this forum. I am honored and the settings are very beautiful. My only question is why this hotel has selected three channels from the area of WANA and the three are Al-Jazeera, Al-Masriuya, and Israeli channel 2. Do you have many tourists from Qatar, Egypt, and Israel? Anyway, I will not reiterate what was said earlier by the distinguished copanelists. The title of this session is which way WANA (really the Arab world) and on the cover of teh program book we are have "Beyongd Global Disorder". Yes we want to look for solutions and I am pleased that below it says "scientific program". I am a scientist and a medical geneticist. Having taught at Yale and Duke Medical schools and now at Bethlehem University in Palestine, I tell my students that our task is always to provide accurate diagnosis based on medical history and present symptoms, offer appropriate therapies, and give the prognosis. This can also be applied to social phenomena like the conflict in Palestine. <o:p></o:p>

Patient history <o:p></o:p>

In this paper we discuss the current mayhem in the Arab world as an inevitable outcome of a historical process originating in Europe 150 years ago and not as claimed going back hundreds and even thousands of years. In reality Palestine is part of the Fertile Crescent where we humans first left the hunter-gatherrer life style and adopted agriculture and shepherding ifestyle. This is thus the dawn of civilization (Jericho is one of the oldest continuously inghabited towns on earth >10,000 years). In this long history there were attempts to make Palestine monoloithic on rare occasions and conflicts also ion rare occasions such as the crusaders and oe muslim ruler and more recently Zionism. All these conflicts and attempts failed and all constitute less than 1% of our long history. The most recent attempt is Zionism and here are key dates:<o:p></o:p>

1840 British government contracts the services of Lt. Col. George Gawler to make a study on colonization by Jews of Palestine. He was selected because he was responsible for the penal colonies in Australia. Government adopts his recommendations to advance British Interests at the expense of the Ottoman Empire.<o:p></o:p>

1860s Zionism coined as a political ideology and beginning of its funding<o:p></o:p>

1880 First Zionist colony in Palestine (then less than 3% Jewish)<o:p></o:p>

1916 Sykes-Picot secret agreements to divide Western Asia (France, England and Russia but Russia later withdrew)<o:p></o:p>

1917 Balfour and Cambon declarations in support of Zionism partially quid pro quo for Zionist lobby to get the USA into WWI<o:p></o:p>

1919 Paris "Peace Conference" (Palestinian natives not invited)<o:p></o:p>

1920 San Remo Conference (dividing up spoils of war affirming commitment to Zionism)<o:p></o:p>

1921 Appointment of first Jewish Zionist ruler of Palestine, British Lt. Col. Herbert Samuels and beginning of enacting and implementing apartheid laws)<o:p></o:p>

The unifying thread of these key events was western support for fragmentation of the Arab world via sectarian and ethnic divisions spearheaded by the formation of a Jewish state in the heart of the area. <o:p></o:p>

Present situation (patient symptoms)<o:p></o:p>

Israel was created via armed invasion of Palestine and concomitant ethnic cleansing that left 7 million of 12 million of us as refugees or displaced people. 530 villages and towns were depopulated of their native and most wiped out. Massacres were committed (my mother's school friend 18 year old Haya Balbisi was killed in the massacre od Deir Yassin). Massacres and state terrorism continue today with killing of unarmed civilians by trigger happy Israeli soldiers and colonial settlers, home demolitions, political imprisonment without trials and with ill treatment, prevention of rights of movement, religious rights, and other civil rights. Nearby countries were set-up by the west with dictators who overtly try to say they are for Palestinian rights but covertly work with the US/Israel (and they are the same since the US government is largely Israeli occupied territory to be liberated). I was not surprised then that the Arab Spring started.<o:p></o:p>

December 2010 26-year-old Tunisian named Mohamed Bouazizi set himself on fire. Less than a month later, the Tunisian president Bin Ali was gone and a domino effect was in progress as more autocratic leaders were under pressure. The young who led the popular movements that pressured and some cases toppled regimes had strengths in number but weakness in organizational structure. From Jan to February 2011, dissent had spread to Egypt, Yemen, Bahrain, UAe, and Syria. This left a power vacuum and the more organized Islamic forces mobilized to fill this power. It is worth here to reflect on the real reasons for the discontent and its trajectory since. The first sparks in the Arab world started modestly and in Egypt when on March 23, 2008, few young people called for a strike and mobilization on April 6 (henceforth called April 6 Youth Movement). It started with a Facebook page to support a planned textile workers' strike in Mahalla al-Kobra protesting low wages and high prices. The April 6, 2009 movement later developed four demands: 1- Minimum monthly wage of 1200 Egyptian pound (about 210 $), 2- Indexation of wages, 3- Election of a constituent assembly to draft a new constitution to guarantee the country's political and trade union freedoms and to set a maximum of 2 terms for any president to stay in power, and 4- Suspension of exporting gas to Israel (http://6aprilmove.blogspot.com/ )<o:p></o:p>

Mayhem rains at least partially because of an Israel lobby that pushed the US for war on Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia, Syria, and now pushing for conflict with Iran. Much can be said about that but my time is limited and I do want to focus on Palestine. <o:p></o:p>

Therapy<o:p></o:p>

In Palestine we had 14 uprisings in the past 140 years (because social movements are never a straight line but go through waves). We are apparently at the beginning of a new wave. The two state solution is dead (I think was always dead and a mirage but even if you think it was alive, Zionism killed it). The apartheid system we have is even worse than in South Africa as testified to by many leaders from South Africa. The resistance is the main form of combatting injustice, occupation, and colonization. I wrote a book on this (Popular Resistance in Palestine) and it was largely successful (here I gave a few examples). We also could use outside interventions just like we did with South Africa through Boycotts, Divestments, and Sanctions (BDSmovement.net). The fact that today 6.2 million of us live in historic Palestine with 6.1 million Israeli Jews suggest that Zionism has failed (past tense) to achieve its goals. That is thanks to this resistance. (more can be said here but look up the information).<o:p></o:p>

Prognosis<o:p></o:p>

In short the prognosis is very Good but we have to pass through one more acute crisis. If we agree on the diagnosis being colonialism and racism (apartheid/segregation/hafrada) then we can think of models to stabilize (if not resolve) the conflict: Algerian Model (natives win), New Zealand/Australia Model (natives lose), and South Africa Model (compromise). For reasons I can discuss only the latter model is possible in the 21stcentury. (perhaps we can do better on the economic rights area). S a biologist now we are building a museum of natural history. Our motto is respect (for oneself hence empowerment, for others who differ from us hence diversity, and for nature). We scientists know that a sign of healthy ecosystem is many species with few individuals of each species while an unhealthy ecosystem is dominated by one or two species. Same for human societies: health societies have a diversity of backgrounds and beliefs and Palestine will go back healty once we discard the notions of chosenness, a "Jewish state" (or a Muslim or a Christian state) and accet plurality and equality.<o:p></o:p>

What is our role<o:p></o:p>

While I appreciate conferences and academic papers, I am a grassroot activist and organizer (I was arrested several times by Israel). Many of ending charges against me have to do with incitement. So here I am inciting you: ACT. A Chinese saying is "I hear and I forget, I see and I remember, I do and I understand". I urge you to come see for yourself and then I urge you to act. You can't be neutral on a moving train as Howard Zinn said. Read Martin Luther King Jr letter from Birmingham jail to understand why he and many of us today believe apathy is far more dangerous than those who oppose human rights actively. Perhaps the best thing about this conference is meeting many of you and I hope we can develop further collaboration in the months ahead.<o:p></o:p>

============<o:p></o:p>

Addendum 1: The attendees were surprised when in the closing session, we see space given to a surprise guest: Mr. Moshe Kantor a biollionaire Russian Tycoon living in London. Even board members of the Rhodes forum apparently were not consulted and were equally surprised as we were. Mr. Kantor proceeded to regurgitate the same lies and distortions he had done in articles and letters to key Europeans. Lies and distortions that act as a fog to cover up Israel's crimes against the Palestinians. He claimed that unprecedented Jewish emigration is occurrirng out of Europe because of rise of anti-Semitism (his definition which is being imposed). Cantor's letter on behalf of the European Jewish congress to the European Union's Fundamental Rights Agency in April 2012 is illustrative and it claimed that "the new form of anti-Semitism, which emanates from pro-Palestinians, from Arabo-Muslim extremists [sic], is today considered by European Jews as a real threat, which creates fear and tension among European Jews. Therefore, the definition of anti-Semitism should be clarified: the new form of anti-Semitism emanates from Arabo-Muslim extremists, from pro-Palestinians, being one way importers of the mid-East conflict into Europe." [1]<o:p></o:p>

The reality is that Kantor and EJC do not speak for European Jews as they claim. Many European and other Jews are horrified at Israel's crimes. For a partial list of decent Jewish organizations who disagree with Kantor libelous accusations [see 2]. Much more can be said about Mr. Kantor [e.g. 3]. Perhaps The reality is that over 300,000 Israeli Jews moved and now live in German! Kantor commanded us that anti-Semitism should be "punished in Europe more severely than ordinary crimes" and that Europe should watch out for perhaps 500,000 of "those people" (Muslims) are coming with different cultures and would start violence because they have "different culture". He claimed all sort of other unsubstantiated claims. No one was allowed to rebut him. Russian born Israel Shamir and I tried but we were told the conference is over and we can send our remarks by email (this is what I am doing but to a slightly larger email list). I believe in speaking truth to power and I believe in the idea of the Rhodes conference of a dialogue of civilizations (though I believe we are all one civilizations but with many ideologies and ideas). <o:p></o:p>

it is important to say positive and perhaps the organizers can create some positive energy when they get feedback. Perhaps they will invite me for a debate/dialog with Kantor next year where attendees are afforded the chance to really discuss real anti-Semitism versus imagined one, discuss Zionism, and more. In the meantime we need to continue to act.<o:p></o:p>

[1] Tony Blair recruited by cheerleader for Israel's crimes by David Cronin<o:p></o:p>

https://electronicintifada.net/blogs/david-cronin/tony-blair-recruited-cheerleader-israels-crimes<o:p></o:p>

[2] http://qumsiyeh.org/predominantlyjewishlinks/<o:p></o:p>

[3] Kantor pushed EU to not work with a Palestinian unity government<o:p></o:p>

http://ejpress.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=48745&Itemid=7<o:p></o:p>

Addendum 2: My sister's blog of love (I agree with her)<o:p></o:p>

http://saharqumsiyeh.blogspot.com/2015/10/lord-open-eyes-of-world.html<o:p></o:p>

Mazin Qumsiyeh<o:p></o:p>

Professor and Director<o:p></o:p>

Palestine Museum of Natural History- Bethlehem University

http://palestinenature.org<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-4611335051028258652015-09-05T23:50:00.000-07:002015-09-05T23:54:25.721-07:00Black September Reflections
Black September Reflections

And they searched his chest
But could only find his heart
And they searched his heart
And could only find his people
(Palestinian Poet Mahmud Darwish)

My political awareness started out in September 1970 when I was 13 years old. That is the first time I saw my late father cry. My parents had tried t isolate us from the miseries of the world but in this case he could not help it as he watched how politics results in innocent people massacred. The quarrel between the PLO and the Jordanian monarchy had peaked into a war. Jordanian troops with tanks entered refugee camps killing perhaps thousands (no one knows the number) of Palestinian refugees as they uprooted the PLO armed factions from Jordan. My father still would not talk much politics so I turned to my mother who gave me a brief history lesson much of it personal. For example she told me about her school friend Hayah Balbisi who was murdered with her students in Deir Yassin. The images on TV of flattened shaggy shantytowns over dead bodies still haunts me. I began to educate myself of things they do not teach us in school about our own history: that British invasion of Palestine September 1918 was a direct result of Zionist lobbies that gave the Balfour and the Jules Cambon declarations 1917 and learned of the British imposition of apartheid through the first Zionist ruler here Herbert Samuels.

In September 1982, it was my turn to cry uncontrollably as I saw images of the massacres at the refugee camps of Sabra and Shatila (Israeli paid proxy militias). By September 2001, I had been living and working at Yale University for 1.5 years and I had been in the US for 22 years. In those 1.5 years in Connecticut, we had held over 20 events for Palestine and I had published dozens of letters and opinion articles on Palestine. We were happy we succeeded in pressuring Yasser Arafat not to sign onto the humiliating agreement offered him at Camp David that abrogated the right of Palestinians to return to their homes and lands (I cofounded a group that managed to collect over 800,000 signatures for refugee rights between 1997 to 1999). We were planning moe actions and more events especially in protest of the ongoing massacres committed by the war criminal Ariel Sharon in the occupied Palestinian territories. That was what some people had called the second Intifada 2000-2005 (my book on Popular resistance actually shows it is number 14 or 15). We planned events, held rallies, organized protest and also cared for the injured. We had already brought a girl who was 8 years old who lost her eye to an Israeli rubber-coated steel bullet and gave her a prosthetic eye (Hiam was one of hundreds of children to lose eyes and limbs in 2000-2003). Another girl Marwa Alsharif was coincidentally with us in September 2001. Marwa Al-Sharif had a bullet in her head which was just removed by neurosurgeon in Hartford and she was recovering (I acted as translater for her and her mother). On 10 September 2001 I was dealing with Zionist back lash and media distortions about the Israeli targeting of these children. On September 4, 2001, the Zionist group CAMERA posted to their members one of our media alerts and added "As you will see, pro-Palestinian activists are very focused and energetic and are using sophisticated and diverse methods to press their case. We can do no less!" An article by Rhonda L Maacarty and me appeared in Q magazine about the growing role of international solidarity in the struggle for freedom in Palestine. The struggle was plodding along but then it came to the USA in a big way on 11 September 2001. My first message after I recovered from the shock of the news was this sent at 11:30 AM on Tuesday 11 September 2001:

Talking points on the catastrophe
Many have already been contacted by the media for commentary on the attacks in NYC and Washington. Here are possible talking points:
1) This is an awful catstrophe
2) Our first thoughts must be with the victims.
3) We condemn acts of terror in the strongest possible ways.
4) It is important not to jump to conclusions about who or how this was caused and to wait for the situation to be clear.
No need to say anything else.
Mazin Qumsiyeh

I checked on my friends in New York (an area only 40 minutes from our home in Orange, CT) and we held vigils for the victims at Yale (hundreds of victims were also Arab and/or Muslim Americans). I was interviewed at least 10 times in the next few hours. That night was sleepless night as we addressed emails and made phone calls etc. Marwa Al-Sharif and her moher were at the Friday prayers called for by all the mosques in the US after this catastrophic event to pray for the victims and pray for peace.

Marwa and her mother at the mosque after 11 Sept 2001

 In the next few weeks I gave over 50 talks dealing with this issue. In these talks and in my writings (including a book I published soon after) I warned that unless the west changes its foreign policy in the Arab world (stop supporting dictatorships like "Saudi Arabia" and the apartheid colonial system in Palestine "the Jewish state of Israel", that we will have many more black Septembers. I warned of a potential refugee flood much worse. We even mobilized a roving bus called the "Wheels of Justice Bus Tour" which talked about Palestine and Iraq and the importance of changing policies. We spoke at in 4 years in 48 states of the USA. We protested, we marched, we did civil disobedience etc. My contract at Yale was not renewed in September 2005 and I left the USA in September 2008 to try and make a bigger difference in Palestine. September 2015, we see more suffering, more refugees, children washing ashore in the Mediterranean. We still cry, we still mourn, but we must still act. It is not enough to tell the callous western leaders "we told you so". They still make horrible catastrophes. Please act to stop them (e.g. the USA/Saudi collusion to attack Yemen is creating another catastrophe).

Here in Palestine in the past 7 years, I adapted methodologies and changed directions to push for change. I donated much of what I made working at Duke and Yale to Palestine. I was detained, arrested, and harassed but luckily much better off than 95% of other Palestinians with a conscience. Now I spend a majority of my time "lighting candle better than cursing the darkness" and "having joyful participation in the sorrows of this world". I am blessed to be surrounded by good active people, volunteers of all backgrounds and from many countries. Our email colleagues are in the tens of thousands. A luta continua – the struggle continues. I want to take this opportunity to thank those thousands of you who act for peace and justice. You donate of your time and money but most important you give of yourself. As the great Kahlil Jubran once wrote:

"You give but little when you give of your possessions. It is when you give of yourself that you truly give. For what are your possessions but things you keep and guard for fear you may need them tomorrow? And tomorrow, what shall tomorrow bring to the overprudent dog burying bones in the trackless sand as he follows the pilgrims to the holy city? And what is fear of need but need itself? Is not dread of thirst when your well is full, the thirst that is unquenchable?

There are those who give little of the much which they have--and they give it for recognition and their hidden desire makes their gifts unwholesome. And there are those who have little and give it all. These are the believers in life and the bounty of life, and their coffer is never empty. There are those who give with joy, and that joy is their reward. And there are those who give with pain, and that pain is their baptism. And there are those who give and know not pain in giving, nor do they seek joy, nor give with mindfulness of virtue; They give as in yonder valley the myrtle breathes its fragrance into space. Through the hands of such as these God speaks, and from behind their eyes He smiles upon the earth.
It is well to give when asked, but it is better to give unasked, through understanding; And to the open-handed the search for one who shall receive is joy greater than giving. And is there aught you would withhold? All you have shall someday be given; Therefore give now, that the season of giving may be yours and not your inheritors'.

You often say, "I would give, but only to the deserving." The trees in your orchard say not so, nor the flocks in your pasture. They give that they may live, for to withhold is to perish. Surely he who is worthy to receive his days and his nights, is worthy of all else from you. And he who has deserved to drink from the ocean of life deserves to fill his cup from your little stream. And what desert greater shall there be, than that which lies in the courage and the confidence, nay the charity, of receiving? And who are you that men should rend their bosom and unveil their pride, that you may see their worth naked and their pride unabashed? See first that you yourself deserve to be a giver, and an instrument of giving.
For in truth it is life that gives unto life while you, who deem yourself a giver, are but a witness.

And you receivers... and you are all receivers... assume no weight of gratitude, lest you lay a yoke upon yourself and upon him who gives. Rather rise together with the giver on his gifts as on wings; For to be over mindful of your debt, is to doubt his generosity who has the freehearted earth for mother, and God for father."

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-21620877645238050082015-08-18T09:01:00.002-07:002015-08-19T00:53:29.361-07:00Beit Jala

Seventy years ago at the height of the human induced tragedy called World War II, two bombs ("Little boy" and "Fat man") were dropped respectively on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. 250,000 human beings were incinerated to death and hundreds of thousands died slow deaths later with radiation poisoning. It was an unspeakable act of state terror still unparalleled in human history. It was politically motivated to sen d a signal to the Soviet Union. The lessons were not learned and today nine countries have arsenals of nuclear weapons (US, Russia, China, France, England, Pakistan, India, Israel, North Korea). A fraction of this arsenal is enough to wipe out human life on earth. Burning people alive continues ofcourse though on "smaller scale" and the West seems to ignore this. Take the burning of the Dawabsheh family in Duma (near Nablus in Palestine). Father and 18 month old died, mother and second sibling still in bad shape in the hospital. Perpetrators funded by the Israeli government are still unpunished.

Yesterday morning the army of the colonial new "Jewish state" of Israel, 68 years of mayhem in the building, destroyed 15 ancient olive trees dating back 2-3000 years old in Beit Jala. The reason? Israel is going to close off the most fertile valley of Beit Jala western Bethlehem (Wadi Abu Ahmed, Cremisan area). Closing it off from its owners (55 Christian families of Beit Jala) is a step in confiscating it as happened before in thousands of locations. The world community and the Palestinian authority ignore the continuing massacre of land and people while occasionally making meaningess "statements". In practice though, the Western governments support Israel and have close working ties with it (thus are co-conspirators in the crime in the legal sense). But I do want to focus on the Palestinian authority (PA) and will argue that it is the biggest enabler of the occupation today.

Let us start for the history creation of the PA. The idea of a self-governing authority in teh heavily populated centers of occupied Palestinian territories was an Israeli government idea adopted after a commission was created headed by General Yigal Alon in 1968 immediately after conquering these areas in 1967. After the 1973 war and the US interventions clearly acting on behave of Israel (Henry Kissinger,Arms shipments and other support that saved Israel), the "compromising" ("compromised"?) faction of the PLO decided to move to get the Western governments primarily the US to accept them. The ten point program in 1974 and the "declaration of Independence" in 1988 and the Oslo process in 1993 where all steps on the downhill course to implementing the Alon plan. Oslo succeeded brilliantly in fully "domesticating" the PLO and finally rendering it a meaningless shell and replacing it with the PA, a subcontractor of the Israeli occupation. The nepotism and corruption of the PLO hierarchy under Yasser Arafat where the only real inheritance passed down to the PA. Money and jobs and privilege became the currency of those whose parents and uncles and friends suffered and even sacrificed their lives for. The latter believed in revolution and resistance, the former believed in endless talks and sacred security coordination with Israel and the US. Does anyone even wonder how is that in 1993, 150,000 settlers lived in these occupied territories and many of them were afraid for their lives and required armed escorts. Today in 2015, 650,000 colonial settlers are here and they live with impunity even burning Palestinian families alive. This is squarely the responsibility of the process described above and its fruit the PA which remains paralyzed to do anything and relies on the excuse of division between Fatah and Hamas. This was not some unforeseen outcome. The Palestinian advisers and other experts involved with the political leadership did warn of this. Some of these advisers left the "negotiations" in disgust and have nothing to do withe PA. Some to them realized they can do nothing but decided to get on the wagon of privilege and power and were thus co-opted by the Alon-plan's fruit, the PA. In the case of the wall that the International court of justice rule to be illegal in 2004, it is still being built on Palestinian land and the only way to stop it it is to end the mental occupation.

The most damaging is the consolidation of a system of mental occupation among both the elites and large segments of the Palestinian population. This mental occupation is characterized by:

a) Implicitly or explicitly accepting that Apartheid Israel is powerful and here to stay (basically accepting the sub-humanization)

b) Implicitly or explicitly accepting that Apartheid Israel will alwqays be supported by western governments especially the US

c) Believing that the only options for having a semi-comfortable life is either to work for the PA or for NGOs (we will deal with NGOs in a separate article). This illusion of manageable life under occupation without a struggle for freedom is mental occupation.

d) The "why rock the boat" attitude combined with lack of belief in others (PA officials always tell me the Palestinian people are hopeless and tribalistic and weak etc).

e) the widespread mistrust of all who claim they resist (but the examples of martyrs and prisoners on hunger strike remain a challenge to this skepticism).

In my book on "Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of hope and empowerment" I explain why such corrupt leadership eventually fades away and that people make their own history. Every day I see examples of heroism and self-sacrifice parallel with examples of cowardice and mental occupation. But those who put their personal interest ahead of their people interest are also fighting with each other over a shrinking "pie". History will disgrace them. Our job is to help people shed this mental occupation and arise from the ashes. The screams of women defending the Aqsa compound echo with the screams of the children burned alive and of the land owner in Beit Jala as he watched 2000 year live trees uprooted. These echos say "wake-up" and "fight". After all what choice besides living and fighting with dignity or living as slaves mentally occupied in fancy offices in Ramallah and elsewhere. If the PA leaders want to reclaim a shred of decency, they would go in front of the bulldozers that even today demolished a home in Jerusalem and they would be arrested instead of begging the occupiers for crums. Remember the South Lebanon Army! Arise and reclaim your dignity!

Ali Dawabsheh, Cecil the Lion and the biopolitics of animal life

http://www.truth-out.org/<wbr></wbr>opinion/item/32346-ali-<wbr></wbr>dawabsheh-cecil-the-lion-and-<wbr></wbr>the-biopolitics-of-animal-life

Haaretz: Israel build separation barier in Beit Jala despite high court ruling

https://medium.com/@<wbr></wbr>thepalestineproject/israel-<wbr></wbr>builds-the-separation-wall-<wbr></wbr>despite-high-court-ruling-<wbr></wbr>857eb62a26fe

PS: in local news, we continue to receive numerous delegations every week at the Palestine Museum of Natural History, we continue to join action, we continue to learn and teach, we continue to grow (with many volunteer and donor help), and we continue to research and try to conserve biodiversity in our small area of this big beautiful planet. To stay abreast of these development please join us on facebook under Palestine Museum of Natural History.

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-77295219425038369312015-05-30T03:01:00.001-07:002015-05-30T03:01:04.013-07:00FIFA

Israeli FIFA head shakes hands with Rjoub and declares victory

Life here goes on in all its ups and downs. On the down side we noted with dismay how Mr. Jibril Rjoub decided unilaterally to capitulate to the Israeli government and not pursue them in FIFA (Fédération Internationale de Football Association) even though they violate basic human righst including rights of athletes. The capitulation decision was with no democracy, no consulting of people (even our own athletes). There is an Avaas campaign to gather signatures to "red card" Mr. Rjoub (see https://secure.avaaz.org/ar/red_card_rjoub/?rc=fb&pv=61 ) . This is one of a series of setbacks that keep proving that the Oslo process was indeed a second Nakba for us. It created a cadre of benefited elites who for the sake of PR must keep speaking as if they are against the occupation but in practice facilitate and entrench the occupation/colonization.

Questions for philosophical thought to the likes of Jibril Rjoub: who was the women who refused to give up her seat to a white man in a bus in America? Now who was prime minister of England at the time or minister of youth or athletes etc? Who made the difference and who is remembered? In 50 years who will remember you and if they do how will they remember you? How do we remember Vichy or Buthalesi?

We think philosophically of how many humans are weak and do not show a backbone. They do not respect themselves or believe in themselves. They get down the slippery slope of "getting along" to advance their individual financial or personal ego interest. Jesus said "what good is it for man to gain the whole world and lose himself". I have compiled hundreds of such examples maybe for my next book.

On the up-side good people keep doing amazingly good work. We had a Bethlehem Rotary gathering to celebrate end of one project in Gaza (maternal and Child health) and start another with help from our Japanese colleagues. Dr. Asaad Ramlawi (ministry of health) gave us a sobering presentation on malnutrition in Palestine. We had growth in our activities. Museum volunteers do two field trips every week with volunteers (this week was to Wadi Fukin and Neni Naim/Kufr Breik). We had a productive discussion about the Jordan Valley project (sustainability and biodiversity). We planted new plants. We met with numerous visiting delegations including a group of visiting innovators (writers, artists etc) who came for the first time in Palestine (program has been doing this http://palfest.org/ ). We had an event in the Manger Square to gather fingerprints for freedom (initiated by colleagues from Nazareth to break three records, see http://www.fpp.today/ ) and had the honor to meet Waheeb daughter of Tawfiq Ziyad. He is the famous Palestinian poet and we with help of Mr. Qavi (donor) in the Museum of Natural History have been distributing plaques for two months with part of his poem Baqoun:

Here we will stay
In Lidda, In Ramle, in the Galillee
We shall Remain
Like a wall on your chest
and in your throat
like a shard of glass, a cactus thorn
and in your eyes
a sandstorm....

On personal news: I finished writing a chapter on BDS (boycotts, divestments and sanctions) highlighting opportunities (e.g. with churches) and challenges (e.g. with Oslo and the PA structure). I also finished two reports. I am going to Amman (3 days) for a conference on biodiversity then to Marseille briefly (2 days) for a conference on climate change. Next month to Germany. Biggest challenge is shortage is time. Biggest opportunity/pleasure is working with youth.

A luta continua.

Come visit us in Bethlehem under Israeli apartheid.

Mazin Qumsiyeh
Professor and Director
Palestine Museum of Natural History
Palestine Institute of Biodiversity and Sustainability

Bethlehem University
http://palestinenature.org

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-31641377696427309162015-05-21T08:46:00.001-07:002015-05-21T08:48:09.911-07:00dream

Compassion fatigue is a term I heard many years ago perhaps when there were a number of natural and man-made disasters and conflicts in the late 1980s. The term came to my mind in the last few weeks. Another saying: think globally and act locally. So thinking globally, I was thinking how humanity could descend to such barbarity around the world. How could African migrants risk their lives to leave countries wrecked psychologically and economically by colonial Europeans to seek to arrive in the same continent that subjugated them? How could Myanmar's Rohingya Muslims be slaughtered in the thousands by the majority Buddhists and surviving people end up in boats and sent back to starve and die at sea rejected by nearby countries including countries like Indonesia with Muslim majorities? How could relatives of Jewish holocaust survivors engage in racism and ethnic cleansing for native Palestinians while relatives of Armenian holocaust survivors lead amazingly rich productive caring lives? How could a very wealthy country like "Saudi Arabia" (the quotes are needed because it is an imposed name for a country stolen by the Saud Family) spend billions to support the US/Israeli agenda of destruction and mayhem in countries like Yemen and Syria? How could a pilot who claims being Muslim drop bombs on Muslim civilians? How could a powerful and rich country like the USA be so occupied by the Zionist lobby that they send their "police" to train in racism and oppression in Apartheid Israel and then go back to kill blacks in American cities? How does the world tolerate the continued siege on Gaza and its starving and dying population (the largest open air prison with 1.7 million inmates whose only crime is being born in Palestine)? How could the world stand by and let Egypt execute political dissidents or imprison them for decades simply for demanding freedom from the entrenched military dictatorship funded by US taxpayers? The US and Canada Zionist lobbies just might succeed in getting unconstitutional laws passed to ban standing up for human rights (supporting BDS against the apartheid regime). It might get worse with the lobby getting the subservient governments to force the political neutered Palestinian leadership to accept a version of apartheid (and no refugees' right of return). But then that is what the PA leadership knew would happen when they signed the articles of surrender known as the Oslo accords.<o:p></o:p>

So did humans develop compassion fatigue and does this bode ill for our future as a species? I do not know and cannot predict the future. I can only act against the negative trends and draw closer to other activists. When we do find people who still cares, we latch onto them and try to do something together to keep our sanity. Palestinians were genuinely happy that the Pope decided to canonize two 19th century Palestinians nuns as saints and conclude an agreement recognizing "state of Palestine". Those positive people trying to do good things are so needed when so many are either apathetic or directly benefitting Israel while getting rich. Without the few lights in the darkness, we would all be lost and very depressed. Perhaps this is why the presence of volunteers around us in the museum and the botanical garden/integrated ecosystem is so crucial to our health. When we walk or work in the garden with others, we feel reinvigorated physically and psychologically. In fact when we do any work together, we feel empowered. On Nakba memorial day last week we had a number of activities including installing a large visible plaque that included sections of the famous poem by Tawfiq Ziyad ("here we stay"). The next day, we hosted a workshop on trauma relief through herbal medicines and working on gardens. We then hosed 44 Nazareth colleagues on a tour of Battir then lunch at the museum. Yesterday we attended a meeting on biodiversity, did field work and got two Bedouin children to help us near their camp by picking up some round rocks we needed for our pool at the museum. They were so nice and so friendly and their smiles even after the sweaty job will always be with me. Their community spirit is strong even when they are threatened as a community with evictions (was done to them before). So while thinking globally we are able to act on location and keep going based on a vision that all these borders and divisions and conflicts they foist on us will be gone one day. We dream of an interconnected free society and of traveling free from Bethlehem to Jaffa to Nazareth to Beirut and Damascus without anyone stopping us at any border. On my desk is a quote from the Dalai Lama "Never give up. No matter what is going on around you. Never give up…" Sometimes we do not know the best way forward but we should never give up. I have a friend in Gaza whose son had spinal cord cancer and now partly paralyzed and the family constantly calls for support. But that is one of dozens of stories, needs fulfilled or unfulfilled etc. It is natural occasionally to have doubts about our future as a species and frequently to reassess our methods. But we must keep the hope alive. We must keep dreaming, keep trying, keep working, and keep living. We must never give up. We must "stay human" as Vittorio used to write to us.<o:p></o:p>

South Africans apologize over forest planted on Palestinian village<o:p></o:p>

 http://electronicintifada.net/content/south-africans-apologize-over-forest-planted-palestinian-village/14494<o:p></o:p>

(incidentally our studies and those of others show how environmentally destructive was the planting of European pine trees to cover-up the destroyed Palestinian Villages)<o:p></o:p>

In Gaza, the Nakba is ongoing and you can help us end it<o:p></o:p>

http://electronicintifada.net/content/gaza-nakba-ongoing-and-you-can-help-us-end-it/14527<o:p></o:p>

US press blacks out Israeli defense minister's citation of 'Nagasaki and Hiroshima' as model for dealing with Iran - See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2015/05/ministers-nagasaki-hiroshima<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-13203683723910997352015-03-01T13:38:00.000-08:002015-03-01T13:42:25.719-08:00Destroying history

The kingdom of "Saudi Arabia" is going to behead a man for "apostancy" (renouncing his belief in Islam and the Quran) while welcoming Egyptian Al-Sisi whose security forces are torturing people to death in Egypt for being supportive of an Islamic political system more moderate than that of that Kingdom! Meanwhile the Egyptian kangaroo courts are declaring resistance movements outside of Egypt who have little to do with Egypt to be terrorist organizations. Sisi is also helping Israel enforce a siege on 1.6 million Palestinians (now that is terrorism). The Jewish State in Israel and the Levant (JSIL) in the name of ancient mythologies is using colonial settlers to kill natives, ethnically cleanse them, and torch churches and mosques with impunity. Meanwhile their progeny ISIL loots and destroys priceless human heritage going back thousands of years. It started in 2003 when US invaded Iraq and its soldiers sacked Baghdad. US soldiers were instructed to go and protect the ministries of oil and internal security but allowed pillaging 15,000 priceless archaeological artifacts from Baghdad. At that time I wrote warning that the plan was to break-up Iraq by encouraging sectarianism (until then unknown and people living harmoniously for hundreds of years).

Ashurian and Babylonian and Sumerian cultures were perhaps more civilized than our current "civilization" (based on monotheistic "religions" or on secular traditions). It is no wonder the remannts of those are being destroyed in Iraq in favor of the new idols (Netanyahu and Zionism). The congress of the strongest military power on earth (the USA) funds regimes that commit Nazi-like atrocities around the world. Israel gets the lion share of this (several billion annually). Netanyahu will try to justify genocide and ethnic cleansing of Palestinians and others. Republicans and some democrats will listen to Netanyahu call for yet another war for Israel. Zionists pushed for the catastrophic war on Iraq and Syria (Mesopotamia) and now are pushing for an even more catastrophic war on Iran (ancient Persia). Persian history and archaeology maybe destroyed like they are now doing for Mesopotamian history. Many of the bible myths are taken from ancient Mesopotamian and Persian stories recounted >1000 years before they were taken by the writers of the Bible/Torah (the stories of Adam and Eve, Noah and the flood, Abraham and Sara, Moses and an "exodus"). Perhaps the selective historiography while destroying records of earlier periods of human history is useful to those who want to use their religious narrative to rule. But it seems also useful for those secular people who want to advance hegemonic racist ideas. But it is not just history but the fragile environment that is targeted (see below on Red-Dead canal).

Perhaps the Obama administration is starting to see this and maybe that is why they declassified a document showing how the US helped Israel skirt International obligations and develop nuclear weapons (see below). Maybe that is a first and I hope that more documents would be released that show how previous administrations hurt US interests to help the Israeli lobbyists get their way (from hiding the Israeli deliberate attack on the USS liberty to selling US technologies to US enemies to the Iran-Israel-Contra affair etc).

Hypocrisies and atrocities go on daily in this "Middle East" thanks to all the weapons pouring in from countries that claim they want peace. The USA is the largest weapon exporter in the world and most of it comes here. Here is a novel idea if we want peace here: A total arms embargo on shipments of weapons to all countries in the Middle East (Israel, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Syria, and others). Spending one percent of that money on human needs instead of on promoting killing would go a long way to reclaim our humanity. Here in ocupied Palestine, we are trying on a small scale to resist. From the Friday demonstrations in several village (this was tenth anniversary of the demonstration in Bilin) to trying to open Shuhada Street in Hebron (closed to punish Palestinians after a Jewish racist settler massacred dozens of Muslims at the Ibrahimi mosque) to daily sumud stories (we are planting hundreds of trees weekly) to education and research....Life goes on.

Note: Please write to object to the environmentally devastating project to link the Red Sea to the Dead Sea (supposedly to save the Dead Sea) whose first $800 million stage was launched last week. The Dead Sea was shrinking because of the Israeli diversion of the waters of teh Jordan valley starting in the 1950s, a catastrophic project. The onlty way to fix that is to return the flow of the Jordan river to its pre-Zionist plan. The envisioned project will destroy the coral reefs in the Gulf of Aqaba and will devastate the fragile ecosystem of Wadi Araba. http://electronicintifada.net/content/how-historic-israel-jordan-water-deal-leaves-palestinians-high-and-dry/13139

US Helped Israel With H-bomb - 1980s Report Declassified
http://www.informationclearinghouse.info/article40986.htm

This opinion piece in the NY Times explains the importance of the work we do in the Palestine Museum of Natural History (Palesinenature.org). Libraries of Life: "... These collections are particularly critical in today's era of rapid ecological and climate change, providing a unique and vitally important glimpse into ecological conditions of the past...." http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/opinion/libraries-of-life.html?_r=0

Banksy's Grim Tour of Gaza: Watch a Mini Documentary by the Shadowy Street Artist http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/02/25/banksy-s-grim-tour-of-gaza-watch-a-mini-documentary-by-the-shadowy-street-artist.html

Remarkable: How two Palestinian Americans plan to PIVOT the world
http://mondoweiss.net/2015/02/working-pivot

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-42027142038755912052015-02-13T23:57:00.001-08:002015-02-14T02:19:14.648-08:00Greek Tragedies

Life rolls on not in any monotony but in the crazy waves of ups and downs and scenarios reminiscent of ancient Greek tragedies. We take the punches, resist the evil acts of some, act to help where we can, accept the things we cannot change and try to change those we can. That is life. This week we lost several friends and neighbors (Advocate Judeh Shahwan, Professor Naseer Aruri, Human Rights activist Kayla Mueller, Ihab Rishmawi) and we mourned atrocities committed in the US, Syria and Iraq . The racist Zionist Debbie Schlussel wrote that she has no sympathy for our friend Kayla for being "anti-American" (actually anti-Zionist control of American Foreign policy) and called Kayla other names so obscene to be mentioned here. A brief on Naseer Aruri just to show you the quality of the many we mourn (all of them are candles in the darkness and remain so even after death; truly inspirational): http://www1.umassd.edu/communications/articles/showarticles.cfm?a_key=3553

We were not surprised that the highest court in the apartheid regime rejected the well-documented evidence of the murder of Rachel Corrie and accepted the fascist soldier's version that it was an "accident." Western media ignored this travesty of justice. Time for the international criminal court. In other news in the last few days, a hate-filled criminal terrorist killed three young Muslim students in North Carolina. That is where I lived and worked for six years and knew intimately the Muslim and Arab community and I recognized many of the faces of the mourners at the funeral videos. After significant protest, Mr. Obama made a brief statement but it was not even close to his statement about the Paris killings. The media was even more hypocritical either ignoring the story or calling the executions as a parking altercation! (yes I know it is unbelievable). See these videos about this incidence<o:p></o:p>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ijEL191kIrA<o:p></o:p>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnOI2CD8Fak<o:p></o:p>

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=THbG6fov_7U<o:p></o:p>

We find the mainstream media so distorted, so biased; they are either run by Zionist racists or afraid of backlash from Zionist racists if they tell the truth. Otherwise how does one explain the discrepancy of extensive almost round-the-clock coverage by American media of the hate crimes committed in Paris but little or no coverage of the crime in North Carolina. What little coverage they did was distorted claiming the guy killed those three innocent young Muslims because of a "parking space" issue! How else can we see that a story like the French police catching a Jewish Zionist who was spray painting cars of Jews as a false flag operation to increase emigration of French Jews to Palestine (transformed to the Jewish state of Israel). Why coverage mentioning this is in some obscure website not on mainstream media? Here is a report mentioning this: http://www.f169bbs.com/bbs/news/86206-france-police-catch-73-year-old-jew-spray-painting-the-word-jew-on-20-cars#axzz3Rdh6Lytv<o:p></o:p>

But here is the Times of Israel interested in getting Jews to migrate out of France telling us the police arrested the guy but not saying he is Jewish and that Israel expects 10,000 Jewish French to come join the land thieves: http://www.timesofisrael.com/suspect-arrested-for-anti-semitic-graffiti-in-paris/<o:p></o:p>

Such hypocrisy, such lies and countless false flag operations (billions spent on psy-ops to brainwash common people), and such evil forces are all around us. But then again I think of goodness. I think of those who organized vigils in Bethlehem and other towns for victims like the Jordanian pilot. http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2015/02/jordan-kaseasbeh-palestine-hamas-ondemnation.html#

I think of 14-year-old Malak (english Angel) Alkhatib. She is a true angel who was incarcerated in Israeli gulags (fascist prisons). She was finally released and the video of her reunion with family and supporters is touching. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6PkQ8x8uRE<o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-12245271353036369062015-02-10T12:41:00.000-08:002015-02-10T12:41:41.827-08:00

On Politics and a Request: What is going on in the world today is serious transformation and transfiguration of power relationships from a unipolar to a multipolar world and from power centered in the north to that centered in the southern hemisphere. The height of power of the unipolar world was in 1989-1991. Since then, things have been changing and unless we establish a world based on justice and human rights, the US/Israel axis will lose big. Let me again remind you that our choices are 1) a livable world based on justice and human rights, 2) a dead-end world based on might is right, 3) there is no other choice. The Israeli leadership of Netanyahu tried to reassert Israel's "might is right" impunity by attacking a group of Hizbollah fighters deep inside Syrian territory (Israel also illegally occupies the Syrian Golan heights). Ten days later and on January 28,
Hizbollah resistance struck back at Israeli soldiers inside the illegally occupied Shebaa Farms (Lebanese territory occupied by Israel illegally since 1967). This operation buried the notion that Israel can attack anywhere and everywhere with impunity.

In other world news, an employee of a US subsidiary of Israeli defense company Elbit Systems was apparently killed ("suicide" by falling off of his hotel room) in Saudi Arabia. His family says it has to do with the complicated business of Israeli weapons being sold to Saudi Arabia! That country had a shake-up recently with the new king even more allied with Israel and the US and he removed a number of officials who were "only" 90-95% pro-Israel. We also had more Snowden leaks about US and Israeli "intelligence" cooperation including in extrajudicial
assassination of Imad Mughniyeh and also Iranian scientists. The Jewish State of Israel in the Levant (JSIL) apparently also convinced US intelligence to identify Palestinian resistance (that presumably includes everything from Hamas to nonviolent popular committees in Nebi Saleh etc.), Hizbollah, Iran, and Syria as joint enemies (hay perhaps that should give us a hint!). But then again even Egypt today is more pro-Israel than ever before (an Egyptian court ruled that Hamas military wing is a terrorist organization and Egyptian government enforces the Israeli siege on Gaza that is killing civilians every week). And the US government budget of nearly $4 trillion will add $0.5 trillion to the exploding US national debt which will ensure the US gets bankrupt soon (unless they devalue the
dollar and thus default on much of this obligation). The US will soon become a third world power and Zionists are already looking to move on to China and India (as they did when they moved from Britain to the USA).

Huge changes are unfolding here in Palestine, the epicenter of much of the conflict in Western Asia and North Africa. Zionists push their luck by pressuring the moderates within the PLO who were always ready to have a two-state solution. The two-state solution was never alive but if it was then it was also killed by the Israeli settlement enterprise (650,000 Jewish settlers now live in the Palestinian areas of the West Bank). The upcoming Israeli elections are of "who is most fascist". Zionists are intent on pushing further by stealing more natural resources, stealing Palestinian taxes, daily killing civilians, and even using their hegemony in the US to get judges there to rule to give them money for being victims of "terrorism". Of course, the real victims of terror (millions of Palestinians) are not allowed to get any compensation. The Oslo process tied the hands of Palestinian officials. Some want to change now and when there is a will, there is a way. But what would YOU advise us Palestinian leaders to do? I am genuinely curious as to how many of my readers have constructive advice based on what they know of geostrategic structures, capabilities etc. I will keep your advice confidential (unless you tell me otherwise) but summarize all responses received (I suspect >100) and share them with receptive Palestinian authority
figures.

Thank you to those of you who responded to volunteer your time and in some cases your money for the Palestine Museum of Natural History (palestinenature.org). The museum is important to present young people with alternatives to violence and a new way of looking at themselves and their environment (empowerment and nature conservation). Things are moving along: a beautiful garden is flourishing, animals are happy in natural settings, research is expanding, we were nominated for an
environmental award and for membership in several exclusive professional societies, our database is growing, students are here learning every day, and much more. But we could still use your help, so do contact the museum via info at palestinenature.org

A new initiative to encourage young Palestinians in Gaza to write (I am proud to be part of this as a mentor). You can also support it
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/we-are-not-numbers--2/x/8477661

Zionist tour for Muslim-Americans sparks anger in Palestine
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=754587
http://www.israelnationalnews.com/News/News.aspx/190211#.VL4oBEeUfHU

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-67003342926473526212014-12-15T04:32:00.001-08:002014-12-15T04:32:17.037-08:00Veritasphobia

Veritasphobia (fear of truth)
By Mazin Qumsiyeh

Fear is an emotional state produced in human beings and other animals to watch for real or anticipated dangers. An animal that reacts to danger or even potential danger and escapes lives and reproduces. Selection favored such mechanisms to be hightened in situations of danger of predation, of starvation of accidental death and so on. But an animal that is exceptionally fearful is also disadvantaged because it can avoid going out to find food or a better shelter or a mate. Fear is a double edged sword; useful in moderation especially when accompanied by logical thinking based on real phenomena and harmful in certain situations. Psychologists call the latter phenomenon of excessive fear as phobia. Phobia can lead to extreme behaviors or to hiding in ourselves and not taking any risks (risk taking is needed for progress). There are actually hundreds of named phobias ranging from Ablutophobia (irrational fear of washing or bathing) to Zoophobia (fear of animals). All humans are afraid of something or another but perhaps a significant proportion of humans are suffering from pathological phobias that impair or result in self damage or damage to others.I wrote in my 2004 book "Sharing the Land of Canaan" about role of fear in political discourse:

Begin quote
Fear is the most powerful tool ever used by governments. Fear caused good Germans to support the Nazis in 1934 and surrender their liberties for supposed protection from "terrorism" and domination by the communists who some capitalists believed at the time to be dominated by "Jewish elements." It causes many good Jews to support Israeli atrocities and it caused good Americans, Canadians and British today to support limiting civil liberties, engaging in profiling and other acts that are of undemocratic nature. Fear is the most potent political propaganda because it destroys all rational capacity for logical thought.

While invading other countries, the Nazi government always argued they were defending Germany from others and not fighting a war of aggression. They often claimed that they were "invited" by allies or fighting "defensive" wars. The Blitzkrieg by Israel on Arab countries in 1967 was also thought of as a "defensive war" and "preemptive" in nature. Many Americans also were duped to think that the invasion of Iraq in 2003 was not an aggression but rather an action taken in self-defense. Even though American troops have bombed over 30 countries since 1946 and American troops and "advisers" are now stationed in over 140 countries, many still believe that we are defending "our freedom." Yet, not one Iraqi, Korean, Nicaraguan, Vietnamese, Dominican, Grenadan, Panamanian, or Lebanese troops has ever set foot on United States soil. In each case, fear spread by those in power led the population of the aggressor nations to accept the absurd propaganda of their governments and to acquiesce in the victimization of other people.

The esteemed psychologist Dr. William Sargant argued that governments use fear to create temporary impaired judgment and heightened individual and mass suggestibility creating a "herd instinct" most noticeable during times of conflict (William Sargant, Battle of the Mind: a Physiology of Conversion and Brainwashing, Cambridge: Malor Books, 1957, 255 pp.). A good example of this psychological effect is the public sentiments in the crisis atmosphere following the attacks on the United States on September 11, 2001. It is now well documented how the administration in Washington used this atmosphere of fear to promote its own agenda of hegemony and control ranging from the so-called PATRIOT act to the invasion of Iraq.
End quote

But upon further reflections in the past 11 years since I wrote TAT, I now think fear is not only a tool of the politicians but that politicians are the worst victims of a particular kind of phobia. Most of them know the truth but are deathly afraid of it and so choose the path of lies. I believe the main reason is that they worry that acknowledging truth can be a first step to working to correct things and this could jeopardize the status quo which includes their position, their wealth, their popularity or some other thing that they cherish (other than their conscience which is suppressed). Zionist politicians are paranoid when it comes to the truth of Zionist history of racism of ethnic cleansing and of massive violation of Palestinian human rights. They are afraid of the truth that Zionism based on lies is unsustainable and that coexist ace and equality are possible. Many Palestinian politicians are paranoid when it comes to the truth of their own corruption, nepotism, collusion with Zionism (see Oslo accords) and hidden racist thoughts about the other. Hamas politicians are deathly afraid of Fatah politicians and vice versa.

But this is also true of us common lay people. Phobias suppress our strong desire to shout out the truth, to challenge injustice, to speak our minds fully, to be rebellious, to not worry about being ridiculed. Ironically in our heart of hearts, mind of minds we know that all excellence emerges from defeating this phobia of the truth. The list of >530 phobias compiled and listed at phobialist.com misses that one so shall we call it veritasphobia or VP for short (Veritas is latin for truth)! Acknowledging the truth that it is possible to let go of our egos, try new things, and love others seems a Utopian dream. But those who suffer from VP also ignore history. After all, it was those who conquered their VP who shaped all positive events in human history from ending slavery to women rights, to civil rights, to human rights. History of progressive humanity is a history of conquering VP by few dedicated individuals.

20th century "heroes" like Helen Keller, Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King Jr, Malcolm X, Che Guevara, Ho Chi Minh, Nelson Mandela, Ghassan Kanafani, Rosa Parks, and thousands of others others follow those who in earlier centuries were called "prophets". They are common people who shed their VP and thus achieved remarkable things. I actually think those who do not do that, are also afraid of proving themselves wrong: i.e. that if they shed their VP, they could accomplish more in their lives than they ever dreamed possible. They are afraid that embarking on a risky road more afraid of potential success than of potential failure! But that is why most people (including most politicians) live mediocre lives risking little and achieving little. [note: I do not consider getting wealth as achieving much unless it is totally dedicated to serving people].

Where are the 21st century heroes and prophets who overcame their Veritasphobia? I did cite some of those from Palestine in my 2012 book "Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope and Empowerment". But looking for those is only inspiring and they are a minority and we need more of them. Each of us (our politicians included) can and should look in the mirror and say "what about me?"

Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-13764851312304833472014-11-25T05:01:00.000-08:002014-11-25T05:02:32.078-08:00Days of science

We are in the midst of the "Days of Science Festival" in Palestine (in 18 cities). In Bethlehem District, it is inspiring to watch hundreds of school children learn basics of questioning and basics of knowledge acquisition. Students just need opportunities to learn not to be lectured to. Unfortunately education is taking a back seat among Israelis and Palestinians to the ongoing daily distorted realities of the governments. For example 43% of the Palestinian authority budget goes to security (for Israel as subcontractors of occupation). Israel spent $8 billion just on the expansion and annexation apartheid wall to steal more Palestinian land. The Oslo and Paris accords ensured expansion of corruption to unprecedented levels (both in NGOs and government level). Glittery buildings and fancy SUVs and hotels ensure the rich in Ramallah and Tel Aviv know little and care less about the marginalized in our society. Thus 25% of Israeli children and >50% of Palestinian children live below the poverty line. Otherwise good people (Palestinian and Israeli) now spend their days begging for aid from Europeans and Americans and writing progress reports and filling in text and pictures on imaginary "development activities". The Palestinian authority figures and Israeli leaders play games and meet with "dignitaries" in 5-star hotels hoping they could delay the inevitable collapse of the corrupt system they created. Perhaps they think that one more year of the status quo means one more year to accumulate wealth of the hapless people. Meanwhile, the Zionist Knesset passes a racist "basic" law that consecrates Israel as the state of "the Jewish people" (Jewish national anthem, laws based on Jewish mythology etc). I do not know why people complain about the "Islamic State" when Israel has similar racist laws that set it up as a "Jewish state". <o:p></o:p>

Insightful letter from US President Thomas Jefferson to Mordecai Noah, May 28, 1818: "I thank you for the Discourse on the consecration of the Synagogue in your city, with which you have been pleased to favor me. I have read it with pleasure and instruction, having learnt from it some valuable facts in Jewish history which I did not know before. Your sect by its sufferings has furnished a remarkable proof of the universal spirit of religious intolerance inherent in every sect, disclaimed by all while feeble, and practiced by all when in power. Our laws have applied the only antidote to this vice, protecting our religious, as they do our civil rights, by putting all on an equal footing. But more remains to be done, for although we are free by the law, we are not so in practice."<o:p></o:p>

Colonization activities here in Palestine go unchecked: Jerusalem is being mutated to a Jewish city and its natives removed, and the common people suffer horridly (house demolitions, killing, jailing, ethnic cleansing etc). The rich get richer and the poor get poorer. International law and human rights are not relevant to the racist Zionist "might makes right." Yet, we do not have the luxury of despair and we must redouble our efforts even in the spheres we can work. That is why we teach students at our universities. That is why over 30 volunteers are working hard every day on the science festival in the Palestine Museum of Natural History (at Bethlehem University). Changing behavior is critical to build the human resources needed to reshape the future. We believe we can make our own future and write our own history. The challenges we face are both external and internal and the internal challenges are far more pressing. We must end the mental colonization before we end the physical one. <o:p></o:p>

I end with a message from a South African who participated in work with the World Council of Churches in Palestine: "Dr Mazin: your article today reads like a discourse from our apartheid South African history. It takes me back to my own childhood & growing up, the displacement of communities, creation of what they called homelands, alienation of family & friends. Tensions flaring, arrests, loved ones leaving the country of their birth, some to never be seen again. Violent killings or imprisonment of those who resisted. All this in the name of religion & the entitlement of one over another. It was legitimized by many countries around the world. That was why I couldn't just walk away in 2004 when I volunteered to heed the call of the Palestinian religious leaders via EAPPI & stayed for 2 years. I later realised why. It was something I knew, grew up with could relate to & also knew it would not, could not last forever. Unfortunately the world is so slow to react to this gross injustice, the same as with apartheid or the holocaust, or ebola, or South Sudan & so I can go on. Evil can only prevail when good man do nothing. My comrade never get tired with what you are doing, this too shall end. Aluta continua!!! In SA we also have another slogan : Amandla - Awethu!!! (Power to the people). Stay strong, I was born under Apartheid & lived & worked to see its end."<o:p></o:p>

I may add that like with South Africa, help of the international community must be directed at ending apartheid not at making conditions of imprisonment (colonization) a bit more tolerable to the native people. Hence I say encourage BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) and encourage real resistance to the apartheid state of Israel. Try to avoid those who claim they are resisting in order to get a few more donor dollars! Try to put your effort (and money) in a direction that produces measurable impact in that direction. <o:p></o:p>

To see pictures of our activities in the science festival and more, look for our facebook page under Palestine Museum of Natural History. Also come visit us anytime. <o:p></o:p>

The battle for Jerusalem <o:p></o:p>

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/david-hearst/the-battle-for-jerusalem_b_6187818.html<o:p></o:p>

Mazin Qumsiyeh<o:p></o:p>

Professor (Bethlehem University) and director PMNH<o:p></o:p>

Bethlehem, Occupied Palestine<o:p></o:p>

http://palestinenature.org<o:p></o:p>

http://qumsiyeh.org <o:p></o:p>

Qumsiyehhttp://email@example.com:blogger.com,1999:blog-2771563516536608026.post-30484331029808298022014-09-05T05:55:00.004-07:002014-09-05T06:15:27.187-07:00Gaza Ground Zero
[First a correction/apology: Last week I broadcast information I received erroneously from Twitter: It was not David but his brother Richard Attenborough who died. Many of you wrote to correct me (over 200 messages), so in a way this error showed that people read and check and that is good].

According to the United Nations, the Palestinian Ministry of Health and the Palestinian Center for Human Rights, in its latest assault on the people of Gaza, the occupation forces killed 2170 and injured 10900 human beings (about 80% of them civilians, >519 children killed, 2114 children injured).

Israel was using the media distraction it created with slaughter of Palestinians in Gaza (while shouting "hamas, hamas") to hide the intensification of its ethnic cleansing policies in the occupied West Bank. For example, Israel announced one of the largest expropriation ordesr of Palestinian lands to expand its illegal Gush Etzion complex of colonies. 3799 dunums of land (1000 acres) are to be taken from the villagers of Husan, Nahhalin, and Wadi Fukin.

The latest "ceasefire" arrangement between the resistance factions and Israel are closer to resistance demands than Israeli demands. A majority of Israeli citizens supported the genocide in Gaza and they wanted even more mayhem. Polls also reveal that many do not buy their government propaganda that the Israeli military won. But in wars there are no winners but only losers and worse losers. Gaza was devastated because the Israeli military was unable to find or attack resistance forces and vented its frustration on civilians. But politicians have a ways of twisting things to their advantage. Even Mahmoud Abbas joined the fray to adopt the Israeli myth that the ceasefire agreed to in the end was the same as the ceasefire offered in the beginning. But Israel has just violated the cease fire by attacking fisherman off the coast of Gaza. Alas, we are in for a long struggle and I urge people to intensify the BDS movement against the apartheid regime of Israel. I get interviewed a lot and speak to visiting internationals regularly. The Palestinian cause is one of the most just causes in history. What we need o do is change ourselves first and move towards more actions (especially by us Palestinians but also by global activists).

Drones have been flying over Bethlehem i n the past few dauys. A prelude to Gazafication of our ghetto? Drones are a core part of Israel's military occupation and ethnic cleansing strategy. Londoners have been doing great actions including taking over the roof of a British drone supplier. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/aug/06/uav-factory-protest-drones-palestinian-gaza
Australian copycat action, also targeting Elbit: Palestine protesters occupy roof of Port Melbourne factory http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/palestine-protesters-occupy-roof-of-port-melbourne-factory-20140815-104dl4.html
For more actions from the London group http://londonpalestineaction.tumblr.com/

Powerful virtual tour of Gaza ground zero. (click to go through panoramic views from different locations) http://www.kolor.com/virtual-tours/20140818-kolor-lewis-whyld/#s=pano116

"Civil resistance and conflict transformation: Transitions from armed to nonviolent struggle" has just been released! I have a chapter in it on Palestine struggle (colonial anti-colonial and tactics of the resistance) http://www.routledge.com/books/details/9781138019423/

ARIJ reports and maps (in Arabic and Hebrew) of the recent orders affecting villagers (Nahhalin, Husan, Wadi Fukin, AlKhader): http://www.poica.org/details.php?Article=6868

A Common Dreams investigation has discovered thousands of anti-Semitic comments over the past two years were posted by proxies who support Israel. One included posting comments by a screen name, "JewishProgressive," whose purpose was to draw attention to and denounce the anti-Semitic comments that HE had written under many other screen names. One proxy commentator posted inflammatory comments under sixty names and a host of identities/ Black, White and Jewish!!! http://www.commondreams.org/hambaconeggs

Schlars at Risk Network: Occupation attack on Palestinian Universities (another reason to boycott) http://monitoring.academicfreedom.info/reports/2014-06-22-birzeit-university-arab-american-university-al-quds-university-palestine
Qumsiyehhttp://firstname.lastname@example.com

subset: commoncrawl