 |
"The greatest danger to our future is apathy. You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.”
Let her words of love & faith inspire you every day.
Together, let’s honour Jane Goodall’s legacy by working towards a better world. #ActNow |
Showing posts with label Good Role Models. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Good Role Models. Show all posts
Monday, October 6, 2025
United Nations Geneva: "The greatest danger to our future is apathy. You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you.” Let her words of love & faith inspire you every day. Together, let’s honour Jane Goodall’s legacy by working towards a better world. #ActNow
Thursday, March 17, 2016
Prize Winning Palestinian Teacher Returning To A Hero's Welcome In The West Bank Says "It's Time For All Kinds Of Violence To Stop."
 |
| Palestinian teacher Hanan al-Hroub, left is kissed by her father Hamed Obeidallah during a welcome ceremony upon her arrival back home, in the West Bank city Jericho, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. Officials, family members and friends celebrated the teacher upon her return to the country after attending the One Million Dollar Global Teacher Prize nnouncement ceremony at the Global Education and Skills Forum in Dubai last Sunday, March 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) |
 |
| Palestinian teacher Hanan al-Hroub, right, holds her One Million Dollar
Global Teacher Prize at a welcome ceremony upon her return to the West
Bank city Jericho, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. (AP Photo/Nasser Nasser) |
 |
| Palestinian teacher Hanan al-Hroub, holds her trophy while attending a
welcome ceremony upon her arrival back home, in the West Bank city
Jericho, Wednesday, March 16, 2016. Officials, family members and
friends celebrated the teacher upon her return to the country after
attending the prize announcement ceremony at the Global Education and
Skills Forum in Dubai last Sunday, March 13, 2016. (AP Photo/Nasser
Nasser) |
Thursday, February 19, 2015
My letter to the NYTimes RE The ISIS Theater of Cruelty By HUSSEIN IBISH
Conscientiously refusing to, in any way shape or form, accidentally promote the image and ugliness of
Daesh/ISIS/ISIL/The Islamic State (or whatever you want to call it),
and I've blogged my unpublished letter with a beautiful painting by
Magritte.
 |
The Return (Le Retour) by René Magritte 1940 oil painting... WIKIART: "Rene Magritte’s witty and thought-provoking paintings sought to have viewers question their perceptions of reality, and become
hypersensitive to the world around them."
|
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/19/opinion/the-isis-theater-of-cruelty.html?ref=opinion
[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 Editor,
Daesh/ISIS/ISIL/The Islamic State (or whatever you want to call it) has viral violent videos as part of their recruiting tool kit, but I think we must also assume they have a plethora of much more subtle propaganda and a whole arsenal of psychological warfare tricks aimed at silencing dissent: Please don't let any one bully you away from publishing more- much much more- of the brilliant Hussein Ibish's exceptionally relevant and helpful analysis on the situation in the Middle East.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES
World Press Roundup: Middle East News
The Net ... a poem
Forwards ...a poem
The Connectors ... a poem
Mideast Quartet calls for speedy resumption of peace talks... "Pending the resumption of negotiations, the Quartet called on both parties to refrain from actions that undermine trust or prejudge final status issues."
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
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
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
... 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
“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.
"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.
Friday, February 13, 2015
My letter to the Washington Post RE Kathleen Parker's "The irresponsible reporting in the Chapel Hill killings"
 |
| Deah Barakat, Yusor Abu-Salha and Razan Abu-Salha set an inspiring example in life and in death. |
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-partisan/wp/2015/02/11/the-irresponsible-reporting-in-the-chapel-hill-killings/
Dear Editor,
Kayla Jean Mueller,
Kayla Jean Mueller,
Kayla Mueller
Irresponsible reporting is indeed a problem, and so is the rise of
Islamophobic anti-Muslim hate... and half a world away so is Hamas,
Hezbollah, and Daesh/ISIS militancy- as well as Israel's refusal to
respect international law and the Palestinian's basic human rights.
There is plenty of tragedy and plenty of blame to go around, with
many different bellows seeking sparks.Parker makes a point to point out that on very same day of the tragic Chapel Hill killings, we had gotten confirmation that 26 year old Kayla Mueller, the American aid worker kidnapped by "the Islamic State" was indeed dead.
The word Daesh would be a more accurate and more helpful word to use to describe the terrorist group in Syria that kidnapped and murdered Kayla Mueller. It is a derogatory term used by millions of Muslims. "The name Daesh is a "loose acronym" for "Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant" (al-Dawla al-Islamiya al-Iraq al-Sham). The name is commonly used by enemies of ISIS, and it also has many negative undertones, as Daesh sounds similar to the Arabic words Daes ("one who crushes something underfoot") and Dahes ("one who sows discord"). Samantha Rollins" http://theweek.com/speedreads/446139/france-says-name-isis-offensive-call-daesh-instead
Hussein Ibish wisely explains in a recent column concerning the word Islamophobia that "The history of the battle against anti-black racism, or anti-Semitism for that matter, in the 20th century in the United States demonstrates that, in spite of the inherent difficulties posed in trying to use language for constructive social purposes (as opposed to demagoguery), real progress is, indeed, genuinely possible. And it all depends on developing, slowly and painfully, by fits and starts, new and improved social consensuses about the equality of all people in our societies and the basic respect they should be accorded in our national and collective conversations." https://now.mmedia.me/lb/en/commentary/564741-defining-islamophobia
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES
World Press Roundup: Middle East News
Mideast Quartet calls for speedy resumption of peace talks... "Pending the resumption of negotiations, the Quartet called on both parties to refrain from actions that undermine trust or prejudge final status issues."
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
Hamas confirms that it has banned a visit by Palestinian orphans from the Gaza Strip to Israel because it was in the context of “normalization” with Israelis.
During World War II, the Allies adopted the Four Freedoms—freedom of speech, freedom of religion, freedom from fear, and freedom from want—as their basic war aims.... The United Nations Charter "reaffirmed faith in fundamental human rights, and dignity and worth of the human person" and committed all member states to promote "universal respect for, and observance of, human rights and fundamental freedoms for all without distinction as to race, sex, language, or religion"
A Palestinian’s journey from stone-throwing to conflict resolution
“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
Jordan's King: World must stand up to radicals
What Will Israel Become?
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?
Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
... 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
“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.
"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.
Friday, December 5, 2014
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 |
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
************
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
"Where,
after all, do universal human rights begin?
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
The Golden Rule... Do unto others as you would have them do unto you
Wednesday, December 3, 2014
My letter to the New Yorker RE The Civility Wars By Hua Hsu
 |
| Maan News via American Task Force on Palestine: A Palestinian woman walks in the rain past houses that were destroyed during the 50-day Gaza war between Israel and Palestinian militants, on Nov. 24, 2014 (AFP Mohammed Abed) |
http://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/civility-wars?utm_source=tny&utm_campaign=generalsocial&utm_medium=twitter&mbid=social_twitter
Dear Editor,
Free Speech and civility are compelling catch phrases easily tweeted in order to escalate a social media witch hunt case against the University that decided, for what ever reason, that it did not want to give Steven Salaita a permanent podium.
I fell badly for Steven Salaita, but I feel much worse for the children of Gaza who are trapped in and tortured by a horrible conflict they did not create. Right now there are some very active social media savvy "pro-Palestine" activist-entertainers who seek to blame Zionists and pro-Israel supporters for pressuring the University into "unhiring" Salaita. These "pro-Palestine" activist-entertainers do not support state building efforts for Palestine, they do not support a two state solution to actually end the Israel-Palestine conflict, and they do not approve of dialogue with Israel.
Step back and think: Seems to me American students work hard to get into college, and their parents have already invested a huge amount of time and money in raising them. College tuition and text books are punitively expensive and either hard earned savings are spent or loans are taken out, with the expectation that college will be a good influence, and a college degree will hopefully help one's beloved child get and keep a better job in a very competitive global world.
Parents and students have a right to investigate: Is Palestinian American Steven Salaita a good role model- and a good poster child for Free Speech, or Palestine, or Native America Studies? Or is he a cautionary tale... Will Congressmen and women and voters following the Salaita conversation on "civility" elect to welcome in more Palestinian refugees? What about funding for UNWRA?
Furthermore, do astute business executives looking to hire new graduates already quietly prioritize resumes from colleges and universities that value civility and diplomacy?
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
Thursday, October 30, 2014
Palestinian-American Author Ibtisam Barakat: "Religions need inspiring people as much as people need inspiring religions. . . "
 |
| Ibtisam Barakat's butterfly |
"Religions
were sent to improve the conditions of people. . . And now people
should improve the conditions of religions by making them sources of
inspiration and beauty, not sources of pain and violence.
Religions need inspiring people as much as people need inspiring religions. . . "
Author Ibtisam Barakat 2014
Religions need inspiring people as much as people need inspiring religions. . . "
Author Ibtisam Barakat 2014
Friday, October 24, 2014
Golden Rule thinking every day for 69 years & counting: Happy 69th Birthday to the United Nations! #UNDay
From distributing food rations to improving maternal health, the United Nations is committed to helping people every day. Tell them why you support the UN. #UNDay
Golden Rule Thinking
 |
| Eleanor Roosevelt 14 years old in 1898... America's Eleanor Roosevelt (1884-1962) helped shape the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights in 1948 |
The Commission on Human Rights was made up of 18 members from
various political, cultural and religious backgrounds. Eleanor
Roosevelt, widow of American President Franklin D. Roosevelt, chaired
the UDHR drafting committee.
With her were René Cassin of France, who composed the first draft of
the Declaration, the Committee Rapporteur Charles Malik of Lebanon,
Vice-Chairman Peng Chung Chang of China, and John Humphrey of Canada,
Director of the UN’s Human Rights Division, who prepared the
Declaration’s blueprint. But Mrs. Roosevelt was recognized as the
driving force for the Declaration’s adoption.
After adopting it on December 10, 1948, the UN General Assembly called upon all Member States to publicize the text of the
Declaration and "to cause it to be disseminated, displayed, read and expounded principally in schools and other educational institutions, without distinction based on the political status of countries or territories."
Wednesday, October 22, 2014
Israel is Transforming Jerusalem into Jewish city, says Ashrawi
 |
Dr. Ashrawi Receives the HCEF 2014 Path of Peace Award On October 17, PLO Executive Committee Member, Dr. Hanan Ashrawi,
traveled to Washington D.C. to accept the Holy Land Christian Ecumenical
Foundation (HCEF) 2014 Path of Peace award. In her acceptance speech,
she described the award as a "humbling and empowering honor."
|
[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]
http://english.wafa.ps/index.php?action=detail&id=26831
RAMALLAH, October 21, 2014 (WAFA)
- PLO Executive Committee Member, Hanan Ashrawi, said that Israel’s illegal steps
in Jerusalem are “transforming it into an exclusively Jewish city” where
Palestinian Christians and Muslims have become temporary residents in their own
homeland.
“Israel is annexing Jerusalem and
destroying the authenticity and character of the occupied city with its
oppressive and severe laws,” said Ashrawi during a keynote speech delivered on October
18th in Washington.
The speech entitled, “Framing the
Current Issues in Palestine,” discussed the escalation of Israeli violations of
international law and Palestinian human rights, and the status of Jerusalem and
its Muslim and Christian Palestinian population.
Ashrawi stressed that “without
Jerusalem as our capital, there can be no Palestinian state or chances for
peace or stability.”
“With its illegal measures of
demolishing Palestinian houses, evicting Palestinians from their ancestral
homes, revoking Palestinian IDs and constructing settlements and apartheid
walls, Israel is transforming Jerusalem into an exclusively Jewish city where
Palestinian Christians and Muslims have become temporary residents in their own
homeland,” added Ashrawi.
She further discussed the current
facts on the ground, future Palestinian political initiatives, including the
Palestinian bid at the United Nations, the domestic reconciliation process and
future prospects for elections, as well as the tragic situation of the
Palestinians and Israel’s most recent campaign of aggression and terror in
Gaza.
Ashrawi accepted the 16th Holy
Land Christian Ecumenical Foundation (HCEF) 2014 Path of Peace award, which she
described as a “humbling and empowering honor.”
T.R/M.H
Sunday, October 19, 2014
Kerry: 'Imperative' to resume Israel-Palestinian talks: "There wasn't a leader I met with in the region who didn't raise with me spontaneously the need to try to get peace between Israel and the Palestinians, because it was a cause of recruitment and of street anger and agitation,"
"... We need "to find a way to create two states that can live together side
by side, two peoples, with both of their aspirations being respected,"
Kerry added.
"I still believe that's possible, and I still believe we need to work towards it."
He said the unresolved Israel-Palestinian conflict was fueling recruitment for the Islamic State militant group.
"There wasn't a leader I met with in the region who didn't raise with me spontaneously the need to try to get peace between Israel and the Palestinians, because it was a cause of recruitment and of street anger and agitation," Kerry said.
"People need to understand the connection of that. And it has something to do with humiliation and denial and absence of dignity," he added.
Kerry was the architect of the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process between July 2013 and April, which broke down after Israel announced plans for 700 new illegal settlements..."
"I still believe that's possible, and I still believe we need to work towards it."
He said the unresolved Israel-Palestinian conflict was fueling recruitment for the Islamic State militant group.
"There wasn't a leader I met with in the region who didn't raise with me spontaneously the need to try to get peace between Israel and the Palestinians, because it was a cause of recruitment and of street anger and agitation," Kerry said.
"People need to understand the connection of that. And it has something to do with humiliation and denial and absence of dignity," he added.
Kerry was the architect of the resumption of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process between July 2013 and April, which broke down after Israel announced plans for 700 new illegal 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]
Kerry: 'Imperative' to resume Israel-Palestinian talks
***
 |
Al-Aqsa is located in East Jerusalem, a part of the internationally
recognized Palestinian territories that have been occupied by the
Israeli military since 1967... Al-Aqsa Mosque (Arabic:المسجد الاقصى al-Masjid al-Aqṣā, IPA: [ʔælˈmæsdʒɪd ælˈʔɑqsˤɑ] ( ), "the Farthest Mosque") also known as Al-Aqsa and Bayt al-Muqaddas, is the third holiest site in Islam and is located in the Old City of Jerusalem. The site on which the silver domed mosque sits, along with the Dome of the Rock, also referred to as al-Haram ash-Sharif or "Noble Sanctuary," |
Emanating
from the conviction of the Arab countries that a
military solution to the conflict will not achieve peace
or provide security for the parties, the council:
1.
Requests Israel to reconsider its policies and declare
that a just peace is its strategic option as well.
2. Further calls upon Israel to affirm:
I- Full Israeli withdrawal from all the territories occupied since 1967, including the Syrian Golan Heights, to the June 4, 1967 lines as well as the remaining occupied Lebanese territories in the south of Lebanon.
II- Achievement of a just solution to the Palestinian refugee problem to be agreed upon in accordance with U.N. General Assembly Resolution 194.
III- The acceptance of the establishment of a sovereign independent Palestinian state on the Palestinian territories occupied since June 4, 1967 in the West Bank and Gaza Strip, with East Jerusalem as its capital.
3. Consequently, the Arab countries affirm the following:
I- Consider the Arab-Israeli conflict ended, and enter into a peace agreement with Israel, and provide security for all the states of the region.
II- Establish normal relations with Israel in the context of this comprehensive peace.
Wednesday, October 15, 2014
My letter to USAToday RE "Palestinian advocacy misunderstood: Objections" by Andrew Dalack & Bayan Founas, National Students for Justice in Palestine
 |
USA Today: Members of Students for Justice in Palestine at University of Tennessee and others march in Knoxville, Tenn., on July 18.(Photo: Megan Boehnke, AP)
|
http://www.usatoday.com/story/opinion/2014/10/14/campus-activism-palestinians-israelis-your-say/17287593/
Dear Editor,
Delighted to see the USAToday letter "Palestinian advocacy misunderstood: Objections" by Andrew Dalack & Bayan Founas, National Students for Justice in Palestine. Delighted that the students wrote a such a thoughtful letter in response to being misunderstood, and delighted that USAToday chose to publish their letter.
I would have posted my comment online in your comment section but some hate filled individual already posting there ten hours ago was practicing his free speech by being rude to and about Muslims. His comment is not only rude it is also irrelevant since many Palestinians are Christians. They are living links to a precious heritage, as are all citizens of the world in one way or another.
Ending the Israel-Palestine conflict ASAP with a fully secular two state solution in line with international law, and fully respecting universal human rights (including but not limited to the Palestinian refugees inalienable right to return to original homes and lands), would go a long way towards curbing religious bigotry and extremism everywhere, even here in America.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES
Our words have a way of echoing out into either war or peace.... My Published Letters 2014
Citizens of the Earth
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.
In #Palestine #Olive Trees witnessed foreign invaders for thousands of years...
THIS WEEK IN PALESTINE: Ethnographic Habitat, Place Memories, and Cultural Identity
UK Parliament votes to recognize Palestinian state- a symbolic move intended to increase pressure for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Dorothy Shea: "Palestinians should be applauded for largely eliminating the gender gap in education. Unlike in some parts of the Middle East and North Africa, Palestinian girls and young women enjoy equal access to education as their male counterparts."
Islamic State Seeks to Justify Enslaving Yazidi Women and Girls in Iraq... The article on slavery confirms practices documented by Human Rights Watch, which says Yazidi women and girls were forced to marry Islamic State fighters and shipped out in busloads from Iraq to Syria to be sold off as prizes
UK MPs To Vote On Recognition Of Palestine... "Dr Hanan Ashrawi, executive committee member of the PLO, told Sky News the Palestinian cause must be "rescued" to prevent jihadists [from] using it to fuel radicalisation and further extremism in the region."
Translating the Obvious ... A poem for peace in Growing Gardens for Palestine by Anne Selden Annab
U.S. calls for renewed commitment to lasting Mideast peace: "... a renewed commitment from everybody to work for peace that meets the aspirations of all, for Israelis, for Palestinians for all people of this region"
In a common struggle for education and against extremism: "“If with my humble efforts the voice of tens of millions of children in the world who are living in servitude is being heard, congratulations to all,” Kailash Satyarthi on winning the Nobel Peace Prize 2014
Today is International Day of the Girl Child! To mark the day, Hina Jilani calls on the international community and civil society to work together to improve the lives of girls and women: Let's not be afraid to challenge the traditions that harm girls
New Ibish 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."
To promote the values of dialogue, tolerance and mutual respect, among religions and cultures... Let’s teach our youth to build, not destroy
Ashrawi: The recognition of Palestine is Human, Moral, Legal, and Political Imperative
"Let’s not feed Islamophobic bigotry... The great divide is not between faiths, but one between intolerant zealots of any tradition and the large numbers of decent, peaceful believers likewise found in each tradition." Nicholas Kristof
Last Thursday, the United Nations released a report that could provide us with one of the keys to defeating ISIS. Unfortunately, it received almost zero media attention.
"We see martyrs, children as young as 7, being portrayed as resistance fighters after being slaughtered by Israeli forces. Although we would like to convince ourselves that they have died for “the cause”, they have in fact died because of the cause." Mariam Barg
Hussein Ibish: US has a responsibility to rein in Israeli settlements
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."
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
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"
Vatican seeks Mideast Christians' right of return
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
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
My Published Letters 2014
The New York Times
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/07/11/opinion/how-to-answer-the-fears-of-a-palestinian-mother.html?ref=opinion
The Opinion Pages | Letters
How to Answer the Fears of a Palestinian Mother
To the Editor:
Re “A
Mother’s Fear in East Jerusalem,”
by Rula Salameh (Op-Ed, July 10), and “Religious
Freedom in Peril,” by Nicholas
Kristof (column, July 10):
Horrified by the hate crimes and
violence generated by the
Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Ms.
Salameh condemns Israel, but she doesn’t
condemn the nefarious part that
Islamists are playing in perpetuating
the tragic conflict.
Mr. Kristof admits that he was reluctant
to write his column “because religious
repression is an awkward topic when it
thrives in Muslim countries.”
The Israeli-Palestinian conflict is
ruining many lives; it needs to end, for
everyone’s sake. Big-picture, inclusive
thinking is the only way out of this
cruel mess.
Ending the conflict with a just and
lasting peace built by two fully secular
sovereign states, Israel and Palestine,
both fully respecting international law
and universal human rights, is the best
way forward.
ANNE SELDEN ANNAB
Mechanicsburg, Pa., July 10, 2014
Mechanicsburg, Pa., July 10, 2014
*************
The Baltimore Sun
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-israel-20140709,0,1374094.story#ixzz370OY2jif
Freedom of religion, as well as freedom from religion, is
crucial to the stability of all countries. Arming religion with
lethal weaponry plus public funds is a very bad idea ("A
dangerous turning point in Israel," July 7).
The Israel-Palestine conflict has always been personal for the people who live there, and the momentum for making the Israel-Palestine conflict into a religious conflagration starts with the fact that Israel foolishly insists on being "a Jewish state."
Israel being "Jewish" translates into taxpayers' money and international aid generously funding Israeli policies that privilege Jews, including but not limited to Israel's illegal occupation of the West Bank and Jews-only settlement projects built on land usurped from native, non-Jewish Arab Palestinians.
These policies have created and exasperated a huge refugee crisis, with countless Palestinians pushed into poverty, forced exile and despair.
Islamist extremists have risen up to make a bad situation worse in every possible way. Were it not for the Islamists' reign of terror, many more people and governments worldwide would have much more sympathy and compassion for the Palestinians' plight.
Advocating full respect for international law and universal basic human rights to shape a secular, two-state solution with two sovereign nations living side by side in peace and security is the only way out of the mess made by the religious extremists and hatemongers on both sides.
There are many good and decent people on both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict who deserve a chance to live and raise their children in peace and dignity. Worldwide the rule of fair and just laws is an ongoing process that requires educated, empowered and engaged citizens who are willing and able to see beyond their own personal suffering and sorrows. The best revenge is living well.
Anne Selden Annab, Mechanicsburg, Penn.
The Israel-Palestine conflict has always been personal for the people who live there, and the momentum for making the Israel-Palestine conflict into a religious conflagration starts with the fact that Israel foolishly insists on being "a Jewish state."
Israel being "Jewish" translates into taxpayers' money and international aid generously funding Israeli policies that privilege Jews, including but not limited to Israel's illegal occupation of the West Bank and Jews-only settlement projects built on land usurped from native, non-Jewish Arab Palestinians.
These policies have created and exasperated a huge refugee crisis, with countless Palestinians pushed into poverty, forced exile and despair.
Islamist extremists have risen up to make a bad situation worse in every possible way. Were it not for the Islamists' reign of terror, many more people and governments worldwide would have much more sympathy and compassion for the Palestinians' plight.
Advocating full respect for international law and universal basic human rights to shape a secular, two-state solution with two sovereign nations living side by side in peace and security is the only way out of the mess made by the religious extremists and hatemongers on both sides.
There are many good and decent people on both sides of the Israel-Palestine conflict who deserve a chance to live and raise their children in peace and dignity. Worldwide the rule of fair and just laws is an ongoing process that requires educated, empowered and engaged citizens who are willing and able to see beyond their own personal suffering and sorrows. The best revenge is living well.
Anne Selden Annab, Mechanicsburg, Penn.
*************
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/readersrespond/bs-ed-israel-asa-letter-20140215,0,2785848.story
Don't silence criticism of Israel [Letter]
I totally agree with Melani McAlister's point that the
"question of how Americans should respond to the
deteriorating situation in Israel and Palestine — what our
government should do, what we as individuals can or should
do — should be openly and freely debated" ("Maryland
bills would stifle academic freedom," Feb. 12).
Already, social pressure tends to convince numerous concerned Americans to voluntarily refrain from criticizing Israel. Some stay silent because they do not want to be falsely labeled as anti-Semitic. Meanwhile, many other people, including movie stars who prefer to empower Israel and Israeli propaganda continue to be highly motivated to do so at every opportunity.
More than 60 years ago, Israel's application to membership in the United Nations clearly pointed out that Israel was directly contravening "the previous recommendations of the United Nations in at least three important respects: in its attitude on the problem of Arab refugees, on the delimitation of its territorial boundaries, and on the question of Jerusalem."
Already, social pressure tends to convince numerous concerned Americans to voluntarily refrain from criticizing Israel. Some stay silent because they do not want to be falsely labeled as anti-Semitic. Meanwhile, many other people, including movie stars who prefer to empower Israel and Israeli propaganda continue to be highly motivated to do so at every opportunity.
More than 60 years ago, Israel's application to membership in the United Nations clearly pointed out that Israel was directly contravening "the previous recommendations of the United Nations in at least three important respects: in its attitude on the problem of Arab refugees, on the delimitation of its territorial boundaries, and on the question of Jerusalem."
Since then, things have only gone from bad to
worse. Did you know that the number of Palestinian
structures (including many Palestinian homes) demolished
by the Israeli authorities in the Jordan Valley more than
doubled, from 192 in 2012 to 393 in 2013? Adding in
American legislation to penalize the few American scholars
and students who are willing to publicly discuss the very
real suffering and plight of the Palestinians gives
sovereign Israel even more power to oppress, persecute,
disenfranchise and displace the native non-Jewish
population of historic Palestine.
Anne Selden Annab, Mechanicsburg, Pa.
*************
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0111-saturday-israelis-palestinians-20140111,0,6299511.story#axzz2q99pO6jx
Letters: Bringing peace to the Middle East
January 11, 2014The peace process has been tragically unsuccessful, and war in the region has produced terrible consequences. No one in the Middle East is safer, and many countries are much less stable now than before.
Multiple factors, including religious extremism and terrorism motivated by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, are likely to make this dangerous situation go from bad to worse.
Considering all that, I have to agree with the gist of your editorial, and I very much hope that more people do what they can to help make a just and lasting peace for both Israel and the Palestinians a reality.
Anne Selden Annab
Mechanicsburg, Penn.
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