Comment I posted RE Hussein Ibish: The tragedy in Yarmouk

NOW: A man stands inside a demolished building in the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp in the Syrian capital Damascus on 6 April 2015. Around 2,000 people have been evacuated from the camp after ISIS seized large parts of it. (AFP/Youssef Karwashan)

The tragedy in Yarmouk: The Syrian Palestinian refugee camp has become "hell on earth"by
Hussein Ibish
https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/commentary/565103-the-tragedy-in-yarmouk

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

[Dear...]

Heart breaking- but a very good column by Hussein Ibish.  I am glad Ibish has not abandoned Palestine and the refugees. 

While I understand Ibish's call is for the international community, I have to wonder what exactly is the international community- is it formal governments worldwide, or is it mainly people speaking out to persuade their peers and elected leaders and newspapers to promote preferred story lines?   I can not help but think of all the many "pro-Palestine" activist individuals who constantly knock support away from diplomacy and state building efforts for Palestine.  Why are one-staters, anti-Israel Jewish activists and Islamists, who all tend to scorn negotiations, never ever held accountable for prolonging the Israel-Palestine conflict?

How many reasonable able advocates has Palestine lost, and how many good arguments for negotiations and statehood simply are not being made because 'pro-Palestine' in America has been hijacked by anti-state activists?

Seems to me the real Imperialism of today is a conglomeration of all the many "pro-Palestine" activist inciters weighing in to exasperate racism, religious bigotry, extremism, escalating conflict... further disenfranchising people connected to Palestine, and alienating America (and donors for UNWRA), rather than giving people concerned about the very real plight of the Palestinians the tools to help build a future with good jobs and real freedom based on a just and lasting peace for both Israel and for Palestine.

I wish more people had given more public support to American Task Force on Palestine efforts... I wish more people understood the vital importance of diplomacy and dialogue... and citizenship. American Task Force on Palestine might not be super active today, but all the many wise words, honest insights and good advice written through the years by Ibish & Dr. Ziad Asali (and others) remain in view providing a glimmer of hope that reasonable arguments for a real Palestine can still be made.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES

Hussein Ibish: Israel’s new indifference to the occupation is toxic...."Israel’s dominance over the Palestinians has reached a stage where, when they want to, Israelis can actually completely ignore the reality of the Palestinian people and get away with it."

Israel's prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint session of the US Congress. Mandel Ngan / AFP

Hussein Ibish

March 7, 2015

"The most important thing about the Israeli prime minister’s speech before a joint session of the US Congress was what he didn’t say. Benjamin Netanyahu never uttered a word about the Palestinians. This astonishing evasion has become the standard Jewish Israeli response to the existence of the Palestinian people and of their national movement. Palestinians have simply been written out of the equation in most facets of official and unofficial mainstream Jewish Israeli discourse. A number of leading Palestinians have complained that Israelis have become “blind” to them. It’s an apt metaphor.

Israelis increasingly speak and, presumably, think about their national, strategic and security challenges as if there were not 2.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank, 200,000 more in East Jerusalem and another 1.6 million in Gaza.

It’s a striking change because in the past, Israelis spoke openly, and almost obsessively, about the “Palestinian problem”. Those were times when the dimensions of the “problem” were, in every respect, much less challenging than they are now. Even when their discourse was characterised by rage, Israelis in the 1980s, 1990s and even the 2000s generally recognised that the Palestinians and the occupation were vital national security issues, and indeed existential ones."...READ MORE

Hussein Ibish is a senior fellow at the American Task Force on ­Palestine

On Twitter: @ibishblog

***

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

My letter to the NYTimes RE Netanyahu’s Nuclear Deceptions & What Bibi Didn’t Say & Mr. Netanyahu’s Unconvincing Speech to Congress

Learn more and sign up for ATFP's news roundup at http://www.americantaskforce.org/

 

RE Netanyahu’s Nuclear Deceptions & What Bibi Didn’t Say & Mr. Netanyahu’s Unconvincing Speech to Congress
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/opinion/benjamin-netanyahus-nuclear-deceptions-on-iran.html?ref=opinion
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/opinion/thomas-friedman-what-bibi-netanyahu-didnt-say.html?ref=opinion
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/04/opinion/netanyahu-israel-unconvincing-iran-speech-to-congress.html?ref=opinion

Dear Editor,

Our Congress's rapturous applause for Israel's Netanyahu was creepy- and misguided.  This is what our Congress really needs to hear: "Israeli extremists set fire to a Greek Orthodox seminary in the Old City of Jerusalem on Thursday and sprayed hate slogans on the walls, police said" and this "On Tuesday, extremist Jewish settlers set fire to a mosque in the southern West Bank town of al-Jaba west of Bethlehem, locals told Ma'an." Israeli extremists set fire to Christian seminary in Jerusalem Maan News 2-26-2015

And this: "Israeli aggression and the occupation of Palestinian territories have always been of major propaganda value for extremist recruitment... During the quarter-century that Mr. Netanyahu and his allies have tried to keep Iran’s nuclear program at the forefront of the global agenda, they increased the number of illegal settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem to more than 750,000 from about 300,000. At the same time, Palestinians have continued to be evicted from their homes and land. This historic wrong, coupled with the blockade of Gaza, is the real ticking bomb in the Middle East. The whole world should work to defuse it by rising above petty politics and the lobbying of narrow-minded pressure groups." (Ambassador to the United Nations, Gholamali Khoshroo in the NYTimes 3-4-2015)

And this: "Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries..."  Diplomacy in Action- U.S. Department of State

And this: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Palestinian-American, ATFP (American Task Force on Palestine) founder Ziad Asali.

With the internet and the right priorities we, the people, have the power to help shape algorithms, conversations, organizations, and individuals that empower decency, dignity, justice & peace... and hopefully Palestine.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
American homemaker & poet

NOTES
"The battle against extremism can’t be really joined, let alone won, until the key societies, especially the United States and its key Arab allies, begin to seriously fund, support and promote the moderates in the trenches. Wealthy extremists have been very generous to their allies, which has been a major factor in the growth of terrorism in the Middle East. The mainstream has been a lot less forthcoming. Countless Arab and Muslim organisations around the world are struggling to promote one aspect or another of moderate politics or religiosity, but find themselves unable to secure even the most modest funding. Until that changes, we’re likely to hear more talk about the need for new narratives, but very little movement in that direction." Hussein Ibish We must tackle extremist ideas on multiple fronts

World Press Roundup: Middle East News

Think on: Banksy's tour of a ruined Gaza

"I paint; there are no galleries to show what I paint. A woman and an artist at the same time — this is a catastrophe.” Palestinian artist Nidaa Badwan. NYTIMES: "Ms. Badwan speaks in poetry and moves, in rainbow-striped socks, like a dancer. When a truck rolled by outside blaring Hamas slogans, she made a sour face and yanked the window shut... READ MORE & share the link.

Global Citizenship... laying the foundation for a culture of peace

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

... Ibrahim's Estate... The Promised Land: In Celebration of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights & Peace Day

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

KEEP CALM AND CARRY ON ...

 “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.

"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968) American minister, humanitarian and social activist- a cherished leader of the Civil Rights Movement in the United States, whose inspiring words continue to influence and empower diplomatic efforts to bring more justice, more security, more peace and more jobs to more people, every one and every where.

"We are brothers. It's not a question of Jews, of Christians or of Muslims. We're all in the same boat, we have to help each other to get out of this crisis." Lassana Bathily

IBISH: Clarifying why Arab and Muslim Americans should be smart rather than stupid

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

#JeSuixAhmed

#JeSuisAhmed: a crucial message that everyone should hear

A memorial to Ahmed Merabet, one of two police officers killed in the Charlie Hebdo massacre ( Marc Piasecki/Getty Images)

 The hashtag is also a reminder that the victims of Islamist terrorists are primarily Muslim

***

Terrorist acts not cartoons provoke Islamophobia.... "It is not obnoxious and freewheeling satire but terrorist atrocities that really and devastatingly promote Islamophobia in France and around the world." Hussein Ibish, PhD
Senior Fellow
ATFP
http://www.americantaskforce.org/

My letter to the Economist RE Palestine and the UN: Another gambit- How far will Mahmoud Abbas push a resolution to end Israeli occupation?

Christmas Magi Forever® stamp

RE Palestine and the UN: Another gambit- How far will Mahmoud Abbas push a resolution to end Israeli occupation?
http://www.economist.com/news/middle-east-and-africa/21636779-how-far-will-mahmoud-abbas-push-resolution-end-israeli-occupation-another

Dear Sir,

Rage, self righteousness, religious extremism, hate mongering and bad advice on all sides exasperate the Israel-Palestine conflict, and the very real plight and suffering of the Palestinians. 

Diplomatic efforts based on FULL respect for international law and universal human rights (including but not limited to the Palestinian refugees right to return to original homes and lands) are the only way to actually end the conflict.

Hussein Ibish, senior fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine, quite reasonably concludes in a recent column Agreement on UN text is in everyone’s interest that "All parties have a clear interest in reaching an agreement over a text that can advance the prospects for peace, and reiterate the international community’s commitment to a two-state outcome between Israel and the Palestinians" http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/agreement-on-un-text-is-in-everyones-interest

The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) "supports Palestinian institution-building, good governance, anti-corruption measures, economic development, and improved living standards. ATFP holds that these same values are relevant to the broader Arab world, and that the question of Palestine is inextricably linked to regional realities and developments." ... Abbas & the PLO would be wise to follow ATFP's attentive lead rather than rushing forward with a badly worded self defeating draft. 

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
An Open Door Beckons in the West Bank

Why Muslims Love Jesus Too: The virgin birth is mentioned in the...what...gasp...Koran?! It is indeed. So have yourself a merry Muslim Christmas.

A Christmas poem... in Growing Gardens for Palestine: Star Street Bethlehem Palestine 2014

US general rebrands Isis 'Daesh' after requests from regional partners

What Do Palestinians Want for Christmas

A Palestinian’s journey from stone-throwing to conflict resolution

What Will Israel Become?

“The United States casts its lot with the problem solvers, the healers, and the builders,”  US Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs Wendy Sherman in a September speech, quoted by CSM in their recent editorial

Kerry heads to talks on Palestinian statehood bid: "There are a lot of different folks pushing in different directions out there, and the question is can we all pull in the same direction," Kerry said Friday, when asked about his meeting with Netanyahu."

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

Jordan's King: World must stand up to radicals

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

Five Reasons to Walk the Holy Land
 
Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968)

 “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.

My letter to the NYTimes RE Still Failing Syria’s Refugees

Barriers to Health for Palestinians Under Occupation

RE: Still Failing Syria’s Refugees
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/12/14/opinion/sunday/still-failing-syrias-refugees.html?ref=opinion

Dear Editor,

Still Failing Syria’s Refugees: "Normally, the United States takes the majority of refugees referred annually by the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees; in 2013 this totaled 70,000 refugees from 65 countries — more than the rest of the world combined. But the approvals have become more time consuming as Washington seeks to screen out applicants with connections to militants."

Many of the refugees from Syria are originally from Palestine.  Times are changing: Religious tyrants, thieves and thugs are actively destroying the Middle East, and they are also eliminating avenues of escape for Arabs and Muslims- and Palestinians... as well as jeopardizing crucial funding for UNWRA & support for the United Nations.

Active "Pro-Palestine" advocates of a one state status quo claim to be for Palestine and peace but they are mainly an anti-Israel/anti-America echo chamber cherry picking story lines and blurring facts to build rage.

Doors are closing... and so is the window of opportunity to actually end the Israel-Palestine conflict.  Right now the PLO Delegation in Washington DC is foolishly obsessed with following and promoting Mondoweiss blog posts, as if a handful of very angry at Israel Jewish bloggers help shape a conversation that will end the Israel-Palestine conflict: The plight of the Palestinians continues to get more dire, but The American Task Force on Palestine, composed of articulate Arab Americans advocating for a two state end to the Israel-Palestine conflict in line with international law and fully respecting universal human rights, is downsizing due to lack of support.

Life is not fair- never has been. Every day brings personal pain, suffering, shocking tragedy, trauma, and betrayal to many people worldwide, with most stories never heard.  But if humankind can be industrious enough to put a man on the moon, and if humankind can be inventive enough to create the internet so that voices everywhere can be heard and preserved, surely humankind can also figure out ways to work together to empower decency, dignity, and diplomacy so that more people will have a better chance to live in peace with the rule of fair and just laws shaping a better future for all our children.

 “Your living is determined not so much by what life brings to you as by the attitude you bring to life; not so much by what happens to you as by the way your mind looks at what happens.” Khalil Gibran (1883-1931), born in Lebanon, immigrated to the United States in 1895 where he grew up to become a beloved poet and respected writer.

"There is some good in the worst of us and some evil in the best of us. When we discover this, we are less prone to hate our enemies" Martin Luther King Jr. (1929 – 1968)

Kerry heads to talks on Palestinian statehood bid: "There are a lot of different folks pushing in different directions out there, and the question is can we all pull in the same direction," Kerry said Friday, when asked about his meeting with Netanyahu."

It's all interconnected- ending the Israel-Palestine conflict with a just and lasting peace based on a two state solution would go a long way towards ending the refugee crises and the religious extremism inspired by that conflict.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
Shibley Telhami 2014: The power and weakness of inciting violence

Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

King Abdullah of Jordan says the threat posed by ISIS represents a struggle between "good and evil." (AP)

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

My letter to CSM RE Global Newsstand: Rami G. Khouri's "Constant cycle of violence won’t bring peace to Israelis and Palestinians"

Palestinian dress and golden key

 RE Global Newsstand: Rami G. Khouri's "Constant cycle of violence won’t bring peace to Israelis and Palestinians"
http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Global-Newsstand/2014/1204/Constant-cycle-of-violence-in-Israel-regulating-working-hours-in-Japan-Bangladesh-s-quiet-mobile-revolution-Kenya-standing-against-terrorist-attacks-Latvia-s-first-openly-gay-politician

Dear Editor,

Thank you for linking to and publishing Rami G. Khouri's excellent commentary "Constant cycle of violence won’t bring peace to Israelis and Palestinians" on the Global Newsstand.  I hope many people forward the link, and read and think about the article- and figure out what they can personally do to help empower and promote a just and lasting peace. But don't be surprised if they don't. 

Khouri is right to conclude that "neither popular grassroots movements nor enlightened leaderships have emerged on either side to pull us all out of the endless cycle of death."   In today's world the internet provides information, and heart wrenching photographs and stories all about the very real plight of the Palestinians, but the internet also provides a podium for bad ideas and hate campaigning activist-entertainers, as well as religious extremists who are fueled by the Israel-Palestine conflict. Half truths flourish, basic logic is ignored, and reasonable people are harassed and pushed away. 

Enlightened leadership is not supported.  Compassion and diplomacy are scorned.  State building for Palestine is sabotaged by Israelis and also by "pro-Palestine" activists who use Israeli sources to build a case to boycott and destroy Israel.  It would be funny if it weren't so very very tragic... and dangerous.

Ending the Israel-Palestine conflict ASAP with a fully secular two state solution based on international law and fully respecting universal human rights is the best way forward. Weighing in one can chose to exasperate and perpetuate the Israel-Palestine conflict with all its many negative ramifications including the escalating rage that both sides feel towards "the other", or one can follow the lead of many noble and courageous albeit unsung heroes who, day after day, conscientiously focus in on ending the Israel-Palestine conflict for everyone's sake.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab

NOTES
Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

UNITED NATIONS

• About Palestine
  • Government of the State of Palestine
  • Palestine Liberation Organization
  • Diplomatic Relations
• Status of Palestine
  • Membership Application
  • Resolutions & Reports on Status
• Mission Documents
  • Statements
  • Identical Letters
  • Press Releases
  • Mission Reports on GA
• UN Resolutions
  • General Assembly
  • 10th Emergency Special Session
  • Security Council
  • The Wall – Landmark Documents
• Conferences
• Palestine Programmes
• International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2014

************
Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Hussein Ibish: Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

AMERICAN TASK FORCE ON PALESTINE:

A Moderate Palestinian Group Struggles As Hope For A Two-State Solution Wanes

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

My comment posted online regarding the Buzzfeed news that The American Task Force on Palestine canceled its annual gala and is preparing to downsize as it faces an uncertain future.

Annie Annab 

I think ATFP has the right approach, and I very much admire their efforts, their integrity, their wisdom and all their hard work to help mainstream America understand and believe in Palestine.

What a shame to see the rude rambling comment in this comment section by the misguided and misinformed Palestinian who is "elated at the downfall of this terrible organization". Perhaps that rude cynic thinks UNWRA will continue to be funded no matter what, and that plight of the Palestinians will magically morph into glorious freedom and justice for the people of historic Palestine. That cynic claims to know and speak for all Palestinian and Palestinian Americans, but he certainly does not understand or speak for the many I personally know!

I very much hope the good people over at ATFP continue on with their valiant efforts to use diplomacy, facts, and strong arguments for Palestine's sake, convincing reasonable people that peace and Palestine are a worthwhile investment.

 

http://www.buzzfeed.com/rosiegray/a-moderate-palestinian-group-struggles-as-hope-for-a-two-sta?utm_term=4ldqpia

A Moderate Palestinian Group Struggles As Hope For A Two-State Solution Wanes

The American Task Force on Palestine cancels its annual gala and prepares to downsize as it faces an uncertain future.

 

 WASHINGTON — The American Task Force on Palestine launched in 2003 with the goal of bringing the cause of Palestinian statehood into the mainstream of the U.S. political establishment. Since then it has hung on, with a tiny budget and staff, and its yearly gala often counts high-ranking U.S. government officials and other Washington eminences among its attendees. 

Policymakers have seen ATFP as representing the best in Palestinian politics, partly due to their association with former Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad, who was praised in the West for his approach of institution-building. Hillary Clinton gave a speech at the group’s gala in 2010, while still serving as secretary of state.

But things changed for ATFP this year. This summer’s war between Israel and Hamas and the breakdown of U.S.-mediated peace talks between the Israelis and Palestinians aiming to broker a two-state solution, which is core to ATFP’s mission, have proven to be a toxic combination to the nonprofit. The group has decided to cancel its annual gala this year, which usually brings in half of its annual fundraising. And its founder says it will have to cut staff and office space. ATFP’s situation is a casualty of a larger shift: The hope for a two-state solution, which is official U.S. policy and regarded by the establishment as the only legitimate way to end the conflict, is running out of steam, causing a major existential crisis for some of those most dedicated to it.

In an interview on Tuesday with BuzzFeed News at ATFP’s office in downtown Washington, Founder and President Ziad Asali outlined ... READ MORE

 

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Hussein Ibish: The three-way Israeli-Palestinian impasse- Israel, the PA and Hamas are all trapped in their own policies with no idea how to move forward.

"...The Palestinian groups are simply too divided to meaningfully reunify under current circumstances. Each of them faces a dead-end for their policies, and no notion of what a good alternative would be. Yet Israel, too, is in a dead end of its own. It's addicted to the status quo, which is unsustainable and, eventually, will almost certainly lead to another brutal confrontation. Israel has no idea what to do with the millions of Palestinians that live under its rule. And those Palestinians don't know what to do to get rid of Israel's rule. The three-way standoff is unprecedented and exceptionally dangerous.

It may be the broader regional changes are required to resolve the conflict. But that really means that Israelis and Palestinians have proven utterly incapable of resolving it themselves, including with the help of the United States. What those regional changes might be, moreover, is itself a source of potential alarm. With all three of the principal actors in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict stuck in their own traps and unable to see a way forward, they have essentially lost agency and left themselves at the mercy of events they do not, and cannot, control." Hussein Ibish

Hussein Ibish is a columnist at NOW and The National (UAE). He is also a senior fellow at the American Task Force on Palestine. He tweets @Ibishblog

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/commentaryanalysis/564237-the-three-way-israeli-palestinian-impasse

Palestinian women, one holding up the national flag, push against a metal gate part of the controversial separation barrier being constructed by Israel. (AFP/Abbas Momani)

My letter to Ma'an News RE Salaita & Analysis: On the incivility of Palestinians By Heike Schotten

Palestinian girls walk past the rubble of a building that was destroyed  during the Israeli army summer's military offensive on the Gaza Strip, on Oct. 2, 2014, in Khan Younis (AFP/Said Khatib, File) UNRWA to make biggest ever Gaza aid plea

RE Analysis: On the incivility of Palestinians By Heike Schotten,
http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=730563

Dear Editor,

No wonder America's mainstream media shies away from more fully covering the Israel-Palestine conflict... as all the world's eyes are on Palestinian statehood, American's loudest activists for Palestine are doing everything but promoting support for Palestinian statehood. 

I feel deep sorrow for all the children of Palestine, not just the ones killed in and by the Israel-Palestine conflict, but also the ones stuck living in the ongoing Israel-Palestine conflict with all its many dangers and negative ramifications.

Salaita is not stuck in stateless limbo. 

Salaita has the freedom to find another job, whereas countless Palestinians do not have that freedom.

Salaita is free to travel, and free to keep his own children safe from Israeli bullets and bombs, whereas countless Palestinians do not have that freedom.

Salaita is a grown man making his own choices, living in a safe and secure, fully sovereign nation state where you are free to speak out, but so is everyone else:

MAYBE Zionists once 'owned' the conversation, and MAYBE Zionists did help prod the university to reconsider the wisdom of hiring Salaita, but in the age of the internet with blogs, online journals, comment sections, facebook, tweets, and forwards Zionists most certainly do not own the conversation, although they do tend to make many intelligent and diplomatic contributions in many forums.

I think Ma'an news, which is supposed to be about and for Palestine, should look for and publish pro-Palestine writers who actually support statehood and diplomacy for Palestine. 

My personal favorites to follow are the folks at ATFP - the American Task Force on Palestine.  As Hussein Ibish says in his most recent article: Hisham, Hope and Despair..."The crucial point is that the one thing that is certain is that the choices that we make individually and collectively will have a direct and profound impact on the short, medium and long-term outcomes. And, therefore, our choices must be carefully considered, deliberate and purposive, while apathy and inaction are not options." 
 https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/commentaryanalysis/564209-hisham-hope-and-despair

And as ATFP's (born in Jerusalem) founder Ziad Asali wisely points out with a pertinent twitter retweet on the same basic topic: To promote the values of dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect, among religions and cultures... Let’s teach our youth to build, not destroy

 http://anniesnewletters.blogspot.com/2014/10/to-promote-values-of-dialogue-tolerance.html

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab,
American homemaker & poet

To promote the values of dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect, among religions and cultures... Let’s teach our youth to build, not destroy

"We must protect our young from the vicious ISIS campaign that preys on innocent minds promising them paradise and a better life. We need to provide our young with the proper religious education and awareness to renounce violence and extremism and to promote the values of dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect, among religions and cultures." Khaled Almaeena

   Let’s teach our youth to build, not destroy

http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2014/10/06/Let-s-teach-our-youth-to-build-not-to-destroy.html

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

  Anne Selden Annab retweeted

Ziad Asali @ZiadAsali  ·  24h 24 hours ago

Let’s teach our youth to build, not destroy - Al Arabiya News http://english.alarabiya.net/en/views/news/middle-east/2014/10/06/Let-s-teach-our-youth-to-build-not-to-destroy.html#.VDKk9jsT-ac.twitter … @KhaledAlmaeena

*** 

IMHO

The Marketplace of Ideas is (and always will be) an ongoing dialogue.

Listen, really listen and learn to look for the best, the most honest and honorable and intelligent. 

Empower decency, dignity, diplomacy, and civilization itself at every opportunity. 

 
START in small ways every day- find & promote good ideas and good role models. 

Take the time to click forward or "like" or retweet or recommend, highlighting the best and brightest and most helpful essays and comments.

Accept responsibility for your own part in making things better or worse. 

AND ALWAYS

REMEMBER

The Golden Rule

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you

&

The Universal Declaration of Human Rights because...

All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

 

Hussein Ibish: US has a responsibility to rein in Israeli settlements

"Israeli leaders and others were livid at Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas’s recent United Nations speech, which included the hyperbolic claim that Israel is guilty of “genocide” in Gaza. This unusually strong language from Mr Abbas was undoubtedly aimed at a domestic audience and designed to express the anger and frustration of Palestinians who seemingly have no viable strategy for moving forward towards national liberation.

Even though such remarks – including Israel’s own hyperbolic claims on social media recently that that “Hamas = ISIL” – aren’t helpful, they don’t actually change the strategic equation on the ground. They are, in both cases, snapshots of a political moment, and crucially one that can pass quickly without leaving a deep scar.

The same cannot be said for ­Israel’s latest announcement of impending settlement activity in occupied East Jerusalem. Plans for 2,610 new settler housing units were revealed last week in the so-called Givat Hamatos settlement, to the south of Jerusalem." Hussein Ibish 

 US has a responsibility to rein in Israeli settlements

[AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD ARTICLES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine]

The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP): Established in 2003, its mission is to articulate and educate about the United States national interest in helping to create a Palestinian state living alongside Israel in peace, security and dignity. ATFP is committed to strengthening Palestinian-American relations at every level. The Task Force supports Palestinian institution-building, good governance, anti-corruption measures, economic development, and improved living standards. ATFP holds that these same values are relevant to the broader Arab world, and that the question of Palestine is inextricably linked to regional realities and developments.

 

My letter to the Guardian RE Netanyahu says US criticism of settlements is 'against American values'

Champion of Human Rights
America's Eleanor Roosevelt (1884–1962)

RE Netanyahu says US criticism of settlements is 'against American values'
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/oct/05/netanyahu-says-us-criticism-settlements-against-american-values

Dear Editor,

“The idea that we’d have this ethnic purification as a condition for peace, I think it’s anti-peace.” Yes indeed Netanyahu has a point about peace and American values, but he fails to apply the same exact logic to Israel's brutal mistreatment of the native non-Jewish Palestinians who have been refused their inalienable right to return to original homes and lands since Israel first started pushing them into forced exile more than sixty years ago.

Hussein Ibish points out in his most recent op-ed, US has a responsibility to rein in Israeli settlements http://www.thenational.ae/opinion/comment/us-has-a-responsibility-to-rein-in-israeli-settlements, that "Hamas at least can claim to have established agency, initiative and momentum. Israel’s latest settlement activity seems almost calculated to play into their hands. It certainly delivers another brutal blow to Mr Abbas and all those who seek a negotiated agreement. It undermines the credibility of potential negotiations, and of the negotiators themselves."

Israel is playing a very VERY dangerous game of exasperating despair as well as religious extremism on all sides.

As Ziad Asali points out in his most recent op-ed Confronting ISIL: The Day and Decade "After"  "There is a vicious circle of mutual self-reinforcement between state and society failure on the one hand and the rise of extremist non-state actors on the other."

A fully secular two state solution to once and for all end the Israel-Palestine conflict ASAP is the best way forward. No more dithering, no more distractions, no more red herrings, no more shell games: Religion should be a personal private matter, not a state funded dictate determining who gets freedom, jobs, subsidized housing, security, justice, peace, and praise.

Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
American homemaker & poet

NOTES
Tala Haikal: "It may not be possible to immediately free all the kidnapped girls and women due to the scope of the conflict with ISIS and the geographical dispersal of the captives in various locations. Some of these women and girls can be freed only once ISIS is destroyed."

UN report spotlights 'staggering' Islamic State atrocities in Iraq... "The group, which is fighting in Iraq and Syria, has carried out a wide range of atrocities, including mass executions, abductions, rape and other forms of sexual and physical violence against women and children"

"There is a vicious circle of mutual self-reinforcement between state and society failure on the one hand and the rise of extremist non-state actors on the other." Ziad Asali: Confronting ISIL: The Day and Decade "After"

USA Today... Sweden PM says nation will recognize Palestinian state: "It doesn't change a thing on the ground," Ibish said. "It changes the number of countries that have recognized the Palestinian state. It changes the Western commitment to a two-state solution, (and) it does put more pressure on Israel to make concessions."

Vatican seeks Mideast Christians' right of return

Salam Fayyad: How To Fix the Israeli-Palestinian Peace Process

Excellent letter in the Guardian by Chris Doyle: Trouble and shock in the West Bank

STAY CONNECTED... Given the U.S. commitment to religious freedom, and to the international covenants that guarantee it as the inalienable right of every human being, the United States seeks to: Promote freedom of religion and conscience throughout the world as a fundamental human right and as a source of stability for all countries

US sharply criticizes new Israeli housing project

Non-violent resistance is Palestine’s most powerful weapon

Tala Haikal: Empathy Is Essential to Humanity

Normalizing Intelligent Conversations, Diplomatic Support, and Hope for Palestine... ATFP Panel Briefing: Israeli-Palestinian War in a New Regional Landscape.

ATFP... American Task Force on Palestine

ATFP Calls for De-Escalation between Israel and the Palestinians

To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace : "The only way to honor our tragic histories is to create a future for our children free of man-made tragedy. This means making peace fully, completely and without reservation, between Israel and Palestine." Ziad Asali

International Year of Solidarity with the Palestinian People 2014

UNRWA photo and film archive for Palestine refugees

About UNWRA: ’The Long Journey of Palestine Refugee Women’ candidly portrays the lives and experiences of Palestine refugee women, this collection is a testament not only to their own strength and dignity, but also to the richness and resilience of their community.

Walking Palestine & The Abraham Path... a creative space for stories that highlight the unique culture, heritage and hospitality of the region

It's time for Palestinians and Israelis to share a just peace... It's time for freedom from occupation... It's time for equal rights.... It's time for the healing of wounded souls..... World Week for Peace in Palestine Israel: "Let my people go!"... 21 - 27 September 2014 An initiative of the Palestine Israel Ecumenical Forum (PIEF) of the World Council of Churches

Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.

1948

Time and time again I have watched the cycle of incitement and spin sabotage support for Palestine

Clarifying why Arab and Muslim Americans should be smart rather than stupid

Live by the Golden Rule

• “Forgiving is not forgetting; it’s actually remembering - remembering and not using your right to hit back.”

An Anne Frank Moment ... a poem by Anne Selden Annab

"Where, after all, do universal human rights begin?

America/Israel/Palestine 1776

America/Israel/Palestine 1948: All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights.They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood.

The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you