"There are now, as the historian Rashid Khalidi has put it, “two peoples in Palestine, irrespective of how they came into being”, and their “mutual acceptance can only be based on complete equality of rights”. If that sounds utopian, it is largely because of the decay of political leadership in both Israel and Palestine. Whatever happens with the Trump plan, no amount of bulldozer diplomacy or external governance will alter that." Kenan Malik

Without a two-state solution or single state with equal rights, what hope is there?

Kenan Malik 

https://observer.co.uk/news/opinion-and-ideas/article/without-two-state-solution-or-single-state-with-equal-rights-what-hope-palestine 

AS ALWAYS PLEASE GO TO THE LINK TO READ GOOD QUOTES IN FULL: HELP SHAPE ALGORITHMS (and conversations) THAT EMPOWER DECENCY, DIGNITY, JUSTICE & PEACE... and hopefully Palestine, or at least fair and just laws and policies]  

https://profilebooks.com/work/the-hundred-years-war-on-palestine/ 

One of the 'Five Best Books to understand the Israel-Palestine Conflict', as chosen by the Guardian  https://profilebooks.com/work/the-hundred-years-war-on-palestine/     & LOOK INSIDE     https://profilebooks.com/wp-content/uploads/wpallimport/files/PDFs/9781781259344_preview.pdf

11 Palestinian Voices Shaping the Contemporary Narrative on Palestine (in English)

Hala Alyan - author of Salt Houses

Hala Alyan is a Palestinian-American writer, poet, and clinical psychologist who has become widely known for her lyrical exploration of identity, as well as the burdens and blessings of displacement. Her debut novel, “Salt Houses,” which won the Arab-American Book Award in 2018, tells the story of a Palestinian family who was uprooted from their home as a result of the Six-Day War in 1967.

Addressing the themes of conflict, displacement, assimilation, and belonging, Alyan’s work humanises the struggles experienced by 21st-century diaspora communities around the world. Her words serve as a powerful reminder of the impact that hope, resilience, and empathy can have on the human spirit.

11 Palestinian Voices Shaping the Contemporary Narrative on Palestine

by Selma Nouri 

 October 26, 2023

https://www.gqmiddleeast.com/culture/palestinian-voices-shaping-narrative

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

 

Rashid Khalidi has become one of the world’s most prominent Palestinian scholars. Born to a Palestinian father and Lebanese mother in New York City, Khalidi has dedicated his life to the intellectual understanding and preservation of Palestinian identity. Across the world, his writing and scholarship have become fundamental to contemporary movements in support of dignity and justice in Palestine.

Plestia Alaqad is a 22-year old Palestinian journalist, who rose to prominence after using social media to share daily video diaries from her home in Gaza. Her videos expose the realities of a life under siege. From the horrifying sound of explosions to close-up images of rubble and destruction near her home, Alaqad’s videos offer a human perspective to the issues of conflict and displacement. Now, with over 800,000 followers on Instagram, Alaquad has transformed the way that many people receive the news, breathing life into the headlines and statistics that many have become desensitised to.

Alongside her twin brother Mohammed El-Kurd, Palestinian activist Muna El-Kurd became known across the world in 2021 for co-founding a viral social media campaign against the forced removal of Palestinian families from their homes in the Sheikh Jarrah neighbourhood of East Jerusalem. Through her viral posts, El-Kurd offered a window into the unsettling realities of life under occupation and became a voice for the many Palestinian families, who, like her own, sought to protect their homes from forced seizure.

Named one of Time’s 100 Most Influential People in 2021, El-Kurd continues to use her platform and voice to uplift the Palestinian identity and share their struggles for justice with the world.

Wissam Nassar is an award-winning photographer and 2015 Pulitzer Prize finalist whose images have served as a form of visual activism across the Arab world. Born and raised in Gaza, Nassar’s work has covered the Arab Spring, as well as the ongoing conflict between Israel and Palestine. His images have been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and other noteworthy publications and are widely revered for their ability to capture vivid expressions of humanity amidst conditions of brutal conflict and oppression.

As Nassar explained in an interview with TIME Magazine in 2017, his photographs from Gaza focus on how the people simply “want to live normal lives.” They are human beings with hopes, dreams, and families who, even in the midst of rubble, play sports, listen to music, and share meals with friends. These difficult realities are what Nassar captures through his photos.

Mariam Barghouti is a Palestinian-American writer, researcher, and commentator based in Ramallah. Her work has been featured in The New York Times, Al Jazeera, The Guardian, and other notable news outlets.

Throughout her career, Barghouti has served as a prominent academic voice for the Palestinian people, bringing their issues to the global conversation on equality, social justice, and human rights. Her honest and poignant reporting has encouraged people from across the world to not only acknowledge but value the Palestinian perspective amid realities of conflict and occupation. 

Ahmed Hijazi

Ahmed Hijazi is a Palestinian content creator capturing the realities of life under siege. With over 1.2 million followers on Instagram, Hijazi has managed to expose the suffering and challenges endured by the Palestinian people.

By communicating via social media, Hijazi is able to reveal a side of conflict and occupation that is most often ignored. Rather than simply reporting on the frequency of attacks or death tolls, he takes viewers into the hearts and minds of those suffering.

Mosab Abu Toha is a Palestinian poet, short story writer, and scholar who was born in Gaza. He is the founder of the Edward Said Library in North Gaza, the city’s first English-language library, and recently published his debut book of poetry entitled, “Things You May Find Hidden in My Ear: Poems from Gaza.”

His poetic words speak for those whose voices have been silenced or whose lives have been cut short as a consequence of conflict, psychological suffering, and deprivation. He is asking them to never turn a blind eye to the realities of conflict or injustice.

With 5 million followers on Instagram, photojournalist Motaz Azaiza is sharing a different side of Palestine with the world. Azaiza explores the duality of life in Palestine, where laughter and smiles can, within milliseconds, be wiped away.

For years, Azaiza has worked with the UN to document conditions on the ground in Palestine. Through this work, he has seen relentless suffering and joy – livelihoods built but then suddenly destroyed. In situations of both laughter and grief, Azaiza is always ready with his camera pointed, proving that, even in the midst of darkness, there is hope and humanity to be captured through images.

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin 

Ahmed Shihab-Eldin is an Emmy-nominated journalist, producer, and actor of Palestinian descent who has become known globally for his unwavering dedication to the achievement of social justice and human rights in the Middle East. Throughout his career, Shihab-Eldin has used his platform as a poignant and skilled journalist to ask “difficult questions,” explore “taboo” topics, and amplify voices that are often ignored by Western media.

Shihab-Eldin has proven that he is never willing to remain silent. This is especially true in his continued support of the Palestinian struggle. When justice is on the line, no amount of censorship, criticism, or indifference will keep Shihab-Eldin from speaking up. 

Mohammed El-Kurd

GQ Middle East’s April 2023 cover star, Mohammed El-Kurd has become widely known across the world for his activism and eloquent writing on the struggles for justice in Palestine and the Occupied Territories.

His debut collection of poetry, titled “Rifqa,” offers a vulnerable and vivid account of the ways in which settler colonialism and occupation can manifest in the lives of those subjected to its brutalities. For many Palestinians and young people across the world,  El-Kurd has become the voice of a generation seeking hope, humanity, and justice in the midst of oppression.

 https://www.gqmiddleeast.com/culture/palestinian-voices-shaping-narrative

My letter to the NYTimes RE "John Kerry and Israel: Too Little and Too Late" by Rashid Khalidi

RE "John Kerry and Israel: Too Little and Too Late" by Rashid Khalidi

http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/29/opinion/john-kerry-and-israel-too-little-and-too-late.html?ref=opinion

Dear Editor,

Israel's ongoing war on the native non-Jewish population of the Holy Land is wrong and cruel. How different things would be today if Israel had respected UN Resolution 194 in the 1940s regarding every refugee's inalienable right to return to live in peace.... Rather than being surrounded by impoverished refugee camps and hostile neighbors Israel could have shaped itself into a true democracy with full and equal rights for all, becoming a beacon of hope and a wellspring of justice and good business practices empowering peace with prosperity for all regardless of supposed race or religion.  


There is still hope. We can not turn back time but we can move forward with good intentions and Golden Rule thinking shaping our response to the Israel/Palestine conflict.  In light of that, THANK YOU for publishing Rashid Khalidi's forthright and revealing column "John Kerry and Israel: Too little too late" regarding Kerry and Obama as well as Clinton's failure to firmly and clearly condemn Israel's ongoing and flagrant violations of international law and Israel's ongoing and flagrant violations of universal basic human rights vis-à-vis Palestinian men, women and children.

Compassion, basic logic, honesty and good arguments helped officially end slavery in the the United States, laying the ground work for great heroes like Martin Luther King Jr to rise up and lead us all towards a better understanding of our world and the best way forward for everyone's sake. Compassion, basic logic, honesty and good arguments will help end the Israel/Palestine conflict with all its many negative ramifications.


Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab


NOTES
Diana Buttu in the Boston Globe: Kerry describes a reality that Palestinians are living


CNN video Noura Erakat regarding Israel as "The Jewish State"


Hussein Ibish Kerry’s words and the UN vote don’t help Palestinians ..."Israel builds and expands settlements no matter what, but this resolution will undoubtedly lead to even more aggressive building than usual. And Israel may take other retaliatory measures, all of them aimed at Palestinians, who alone are vulnerable to Israeli retaliation."


The Growth of Israeli settlements, explained in 5 charts

 
CNN VIDEO: Palestinian leader Hanan Ashrawi reacts to the UNSC vote calling on Israel to stop building settlements.  https://www.facebook.com/umkahlil?fref=ts 

Growing Gardens for Palestine... #Christmas #Palestine #PalmTrees #Mary... Informative, inspiring and entertaining facebook posts today from my friend Mike

 
Putting a Face on the Facts... An Easy to Understand Essay by Nancy Harb Almendras outlining a Global Controversy: The conflict between the state of Israel and the Palestinians.

Ibrahim's Estate

Jimmy Carter: America Must Recognize Palestine

Newsweek: Award-winning Palestinian teacher on how to help traumatized kids

Baltimore's Susan Muaddi Darraj wins American Book Award for 'A Curious Land'

"We're a really diverse community, actually," Darraj says. "A lot of people think that all Palestinians are Muslims. But, the characters I write about are Palestinian Christians."  American Book Award winner Susan Muaddi Darraj among highlights of Baltimore Book Festival

Freda Hughes' art, created in 2008: Remember Palestine this Christmas

A mural by Norwegian artist, Per Krohg, depicts a phoenix rising from ashes, symbolizing the resurgence of peace, equality and freedom.

" This issue marks the eighteenth year of This Week in Palestine, and we are pleased to present you with another issue filled with articles that attest to Palestine’s cultural wealth. A high level of religious tolerance and the integration of various faiths are defining facets of Palestinian culture, historically and today. Such practice sets Palestine apart in a region where too many people have been immensely traumatized by acts of violence frequently caused by lack of tolerance, greed, and thirst for power and dominance. It is time to remember, in the Holy Land and elsewhere, that the central tenets and pillars of our religions are good will and kind deeds towards our fellow visitors on this planet." Tina Basem, This Week in Palestine editor's message Issue #224, December 2016

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

 

Martin Luther King Jr./Quotes

Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.

The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where he stands at times of challenge and controversy.

Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase.

Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

I look to a day when people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character.

I have decided to stick with love. Hate is too great a burden to bear.

Life's most persistent and urgent question is, 'What are you doing for others?

The time is always right to do what is right.

We must learn to live together as brothers or perish together as fools.

The NYTimes Opinion Pages Room for Debate: Weakness or Realism in Foreign Policy?

[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://www.nytimes.com/roomfordebate/2014/03/11/weakness-or-realism-in-foreign-policy/the-double-standard-for-judging-american-strength

 ROOM FOR DEBATE

What does the Obama administration's reaction to crisis in Ukraine and elsewhere say about its influence in international affairs?

President Barack Obama at the White House in January.  PHOTO CREDIT Stephen Crowley/The New York Times

"Unremarkably, those who advocated a vigorous response to Russian occupation of what before 1954 was Russian territory have been silent about another violation of international law that in June of this year will enter its 48th year. This is Israel’s occupation of the Arab territories it has controlled since the June 1967 war.

The United States is far from sanctioning Israel for this unending occupation, which Secretary of State John Kerry apparently proposes to extend indefinitely, by allowing many years more of effective Israeli control over the occupied Palestinian territories. One of the key elements of the American approach to this occupation has been in effect to subsidize it with aid and investment not only for the occupying power, but also for the structures that help keep the occupied population from resisting its oppression. Thus a conference in Prague this past weekend chaired by Tony Blair and Madeline Albright touted visions – that are central to the Kerry plan – of new investment and Palestinian growth, without a single word about ending the occupation that has crippled the Palestinian economy and society for generations.

This double standard towards these two occupations is one reason why many the world over take a skeptical view of the moral hyperventilation over the Ukraine of both critics and supporters of the Obama administration." Rashid Khalidi The Double Standard for Judging ‘Strength’

*****

Read the debate in full  

Weakness or Realism in Foreign Policy?

The crisis in Ukraine is being seen as a test of Obama’s foreign policy. Critics are accusing the U.S. president of weakening American power. But Obama and his supporters argue that his approach has enhanced diplomacy. 

Does the Obama administration’s foreign policy reflect weakness or realism about the limits to U.S. influence in international affairs?

Ali Wyne, an associate at Harvard University’s Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs, suggested this forum.

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