Thursday, December 12, 2013
Prof. Saliba Sarsar Award Speech (ATFP Gala 2013)... a gentle poem of peace
with a beautiful introduction by Dr Hussein Ibish
Gorgeous Pictures Of The Holy Land From 120 Years Ago
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The Damascus Gate, built in its current form in 1537, is the main entrance to the Old City. |
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This print, called the Route To The Station, may show a road leading to the first railroad station, built in 1892. |
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Capernaum, a fishing village that was home to several Apostles |
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the Temple of the Sun in Baalbek |
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The ruins of an ancient colonnade in Samaria |
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The birthplace of Mary Magdalene in Magdala. |
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The Tomb of Lazarus in Bethany |
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Relaxing outside Lydda |
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Making Bread |
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A fisherman's boat on the Sea of Galilee by Tiberias |
For First Time Since 1948, Christmas Tree Lit In Displaced Village
For the first time since Israel was established in the historic land of
Palestine in 1948, and the destruction and displacement of hundreds of
villages and towns, a group of Palestinians managed to set up a
Christmas Tree in the displaced village of Kufur Birim, in the Galilee.
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| Sonara News Agency photo of this year's Christmas Tree in the displaced village of Kufur Birim, in the Galilee |
[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://imemc.org/article/66547
Thursday December 12, 2013 09:06
by Saed Bannoura - IMEMC & AgenciesThe Sonara News Agency has reported that, despite the extreme cold and the snowstorm especially in mountain areas, and despite repeated empty promises by Israeli officials including the Minister of Minorities, the remaining displaced villagers were never allowed back.
Four months ago, a group of young Palestinians started sleeping in the village, as part of an extended campaign to affirm their right in their own lands, and recently installed a Christmas tree in the yard of a local church, affirming their Right of Return following 65 years of displacement.
Talking to the Sonara News Agency, Zatam Zahra, a member of one of the displaced families, said that this Christmas tree, the first in 65 years, is a symbol for the Right of Return of all refugees, displaced from their lands, villages and towns.
He added that the tree is also a symbol of hope to the millions of externally displaced refugees living in dozens of refugee camps in the West Bank, the Gaza Strip and several Arab countries.
“We demand a solution to Kufur Birim refugees”, he said, “The Right of Return is a right not only to the living, but also to the dead”.
"Since the resumption of the peace process in July, Israel has destroyed 207 Palestinian homes and property in the occupied West Bank, displacing 311 Palestinians, over half of whom are children," rights groups and charities including Oxfam, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said in a joint statement.
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| Palestine Flag December 3, 2013 AP Photo by Nasser Nasser |
[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]
UN slams Israel demolition of West Bank properties
Jerusalem (AFP) - The United Nations Wednesday slammed Israel's
demolition of 30 Palestinian properties in the West Bank, saying it
displaced some families for the second time in less than two weeks.
"I am concerned about the
destruction of Palestinian structures in the Jordan Valley yesterday
(Tuesday)," UN Humanitarian Coordinator James Rawley said in a
statement.
"The demolitions
resulted in the displacement of 41 people, including 24 children, and
affected another 20. Both refugee and non-refugee families were
affected." the statement said.
Israel's civilian administration of the West Bank had no immediate comment on the demolitions.
A group of 36 NGOs last week urged Israel to stop demolishing Palestinian homes, hours ahead of a visit by US Secretary of State John Kerry aimed at revitalising Middle East peace talks.
"Demolitions often occur to facilitate the expansion of illegal Israeli settlements, with 60 percent of demolitions occurring in Palestinian communities close to settlement zones," rights groups and charities including Oxfam, Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch said in a joint statement.
"Since the resumption of the peace process in July, Israel has destroyed 207 Palestinian homes and property in the occupied West Bank, displacing 311 Palestinians, over half of whom are children," they said.
Israeli settlement building threatens to derail the fragile peace talks, with the Jewish state announcing thousands of new homes in the West Bank on territory the Palestinians want for a future state.
This year, more than 630 Palestinian structures have been demolished in Area C, the 60 percent of the West Bank that is under full Israeli military control, according to the UN.
Some 1,035 Palestinians have been
displaced by the demolitions, the world body said, adding that more than
80 percent of the displacement occurred in the Jordan Valley.
Mandela Way
After Mandela
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| The world comes to a moral crossroads. |
Patrick Chappatte is an editorial cartoonist for The International New York Times. View more of his work, visit his Web site or follow him on Twitter.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
UNWRA walking with the Palestine refugees on their journey to a better future...
UNRWA joins the United Nations in celebrating Human Rights Day, which
marks the anniversary of the adoption and proclamation of the Universal
Declaration of Human Rights. We're marking the occasion with a selection
of photos from our archive.
http://www.unrwa.org/content/celebrating-human-rights-day
Celebrating Human Rights Day
On 10 December, UNRWA joins the United Nations in celebrating Human Rights Day, which marks the anniversary of the adoption and proclamation, in 1948, of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
For over 60 years, UNRWA has worked to protect the rights of Palestine refugees - their right to knowledge, to health, to shelter. By ensuring that they can reach schools, clinics and the assistance they need, UNRWA seeks to help Palestine refugees enjoy their human rights to the fullest extent possible. In doing so, we not only enshrine the principles of the Universal Declaration, but also support the resilience and the strength of Palestine refugees, walking with them on their journey to a better future.
Article 25: Everyone has the right to a standard of
living adequate for the health and well-being of himself and of his
family, including food, clothing, housing and medical care and necessary
social services…
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| An elderly Palestine refugee woman taking home her ration of milk and supplementary food from an UNRWA centre in Khan Younis camp in Gaza Strip. |
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| Souf camp was set up by UNRWA near the ancient Roman colony of Jarash in east Jordan for some 10,000 Palestine refugees from the West Bank. |
Article 23: Everyone has the right to work, to free
choice of employment, to just and favourable conditions of work and to
protection against unemployment…
Article 26: Everyone has the right to education. Education shall be free, at least in the elementary and fundamental stages. Elementary education shall be compulsory. Technical and professional education shall be made generally available and higher education shall be equally accessible to all on the basis of merit.
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| Ali and his sisters settle down to do their homework by the light of an oil lamp. UNRWA Archive, Jack Mavdo. |
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| Palestine refugee children at the UNRWA Play centre in Baqa'a camp, East Jordan. UNRWA Archive. |
contains more than 430,000 negatives, 10,000 prints, 85,000 slides, 75 films and 730 videocassettes
Despite setbacks, UN ushered in 65 years of progress on human rights... The UN's Universal Declaration of Human Rights adopted 65 years ago paved the way for decades of progress. The picture of human rights today is hardly as encouraging. But changing norms takes time and doesn't follow a linear path.
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| Indian Dalits, members of the outcast community once known as untouchables, applaud a speaker at a sit-in protest on Human Rights Day near the Indian Parliament in New Delhi, India, Dec. 10. Tsering Topgyal/AP |
HUMAN RIGHTS DAY December 10, 2013: “Promoting human rights is one of the core purposes of the United Nations, and the Organization has pursued this mission since its founding,” Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in his message for the Day. “Then, as now, the key to success is the political will of Member States.”
After the Second World War and the creation of the United Nations, the
international community pledged never again to allow atrocities such as
those of that conflict. World leaders decided to complement the United
Nations Charter with a road map to guarantee the rights of all people
everywhere and at all times.
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| United Nations International Nursery School children examine a poster of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at its second anniversary. (New York, December 1950) |
Eleanor Roosevelt regarded the Universal Declaration of Human Rights as
her greatest achievement. Mrs. Roosevelt, widow of the former US
president and a lifelong human rights advocate, chaired the commission
that drew up the text of the Universal Declaration, and was recognized
as the driving force behind its adoption in Paris in December 1948.
Human Rights Day stems from the General Assembly’s adoption the
Universal Declaration of Human Rights on 10 December 1948. The
Declaration sets out a broad range of fundamental human rights and
freedoms to which all men and women, everywhere in the world, are
entitled, without any distinction. ... photo story of the Declaration’s birth.
Honouring human rights activism, including the legacy of Nelson
Mandela, senior UN officials today mark Human Rights Day calling for
greater political will and resources to implement laws and standards
designed to promote and protect the rights and dignity of all people
everywhere.
Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela
The world mourns the passing of Nelson Mandela, one of the greatest statesmen of the modern era. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay remembers her fellow countryman as a man who fought for dignity and liberty for all citizens, regardless of race.
This year marks the 20th anniversary
of the World Conference on Human Rights, which led to the adoption of
the Vienna Declaration and Programme of Action, and the establishment of
the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights to oversee the international
human rights framework, promote human rights and protect individuals
against abuse.
A series of international human rights treaties and other instruments adopted since 1945 have conferred legal form on inherent human rights and developed the body of international human rights. Other instruments have been adopted at the regional level reflecting the particular human rights concerns of the region and providing for specific mechanisms of protection. Most States have also adopted constitutions and other laws which formally protect basic human rights. While international treaties and customary law form the backbone of international human rights law other instruments, such as declarations, guidelines and principles adopted at the international level contribute to its understanding, implementation and development. Respect for human rights requires the establishment of the rule of law at the national and international levels.
International human rights law lays down obligations which States are bound to respect. By becoming parties to international treaties, States assume obligations and duties under international law to respect, to protect and to fulfil human rights. The obligation to respect means that States must refrain from interfering with or curtailing the enjoyment of human rights. The obligation to protect requires States to protect individuals and groups against human rights abuses. The obligation to fulfil means that States must take positive action to facilitate the enjoyment of basic human rights.
Through ratification of international human rights treaties, Governments undertake to put into place domestic measures and legislation compatible with their treaty obligations and duties. Where domestic legal proceedings fail to address human rights abuses, mechanisms and procedures for individual complaints or communications are available at the regional and international levels to help ensure that international human rights standards are indeed respected, implemented, and enforced at the local level.
- 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 letter to the Washington Post RE Imbalance in Israel by Richard Cohen
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Time for honesty about dialogue with Israel: There’s a healthy alternative to the hypocrisy of engaging Israel privately while condemning "normalization” publicly... Hussein Ibish:"As everyone who doesn't live inside a warm cocoon of willful ignorance
knows, the Arabs and Israel are in constant contact. They talk about
everything from security to trade, intelligence to diplomacy."
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RE Imbalance in Israel by Richard Cohen
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/richard-cohen-imbalance-in-israel/2013/12/09/3d0dd316-60fe-11e3-bf45-61f69f54fc5f_story.html
Dear Editor,
I started reading Richard Cohen's most recent op-ed about Israel totally expecting to vehemently disagree with all he said... and I want to but I can't. I can, however, see more clearly why so many Boycott Israel activists are also advocates of a one state dream, rather than supporters of a two state solution to actually end the Israel Palestine conflict.
I confess, because of the Boycott Israel campaigns, I had already noticed that one state "pro-Palestine" activists tend to rely on Israeli resources (with facts taken out of context) to arm their arguments, in much the same way that anti-America hate mongers use American resources (with facts taken out of context) to arm their arguments.
Big picture is that Richard Cohen just set a fine example proving that arguing about/for or against Boycott Israel tactics and hypothetical ramifications can be thoughtful diplomacy and savvy publicity for Israel and its most talented authors.
Meanwhile- what about Palestine?!!!!
Hussein Ibish in a recent article Time for honesty about dialogue with Israel points out that " The American Task Force on Palestine (ATFP) – where I serve as a senior fellow under the leadership of its President, Ziad Asali – has a strategy of public, open engagement with Jewish-Americans, Israel, and Israelis, in pursuit of its mission to help end the occupation and create a Palestinian state. Hence ATFP simply cannot be intimidated or bullied by "accusations" of "normalization"... On the contrary, ATFP has been able to demonstrate how constructive, positive dialogue with all potential partners – in the open and without any pretense – can make real headway in developing a broader, stronger constituency for the creation of an independent Palestine."
In context, I think it is obvious that what really matters most is diplomacy and conversations that actually empower the creation of a just and lasting peace for both Israel and Palestine- based on full respect for international law and universal basic human rights.
Sincerely,
Anne Selden Annab
NOTES
The Last Chance... a poem for Palestine
Remember that Mandela emerged from jail as a peacemaker, not a soldier.
"He inspired us to walk the path of forgiveness and reconciliation and so South Africa did not go up in flames..."
Nelson Mandela Quotes We Love
American Task Force on Palestine front page & ATFP News Roundup December 6, 2013 ... Mandela's mixed legacy for the Middle East
"It always seems impossible until it's done"... Nelson Mandela
Nelson Mandela's support for Palestine- and negotiations to end the Israel Palestine conflict with a two state solution..."strengthening the voice of peace and friendship in Israel and Palestine"
"Our human compassion binds us the one to the other - not in pity or patronizingly, but as human beings who have learnt how to turn our common suffering into hope for the future." Neslon Mandela
Nelson Mandela, The Global Icon Who Left Footprints Around The World ...Palestinian campaigners describe him as “totally inspirational”
"No one is born hating another person... if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love." Nelson Mandela
Abbas hails Mandela’s ties to Palestinian cause: Nelson Mandela, who first visited Israel and the Palestinian territories in 1999, was an ardent supporter of the Palestinian cause and a champion for Middle East peace. File picture: Jerome Delay
Now that his three-year world tour for "The Wall" has finally come to an end, Roger Waters wants to set the record straight over criticism he's received from Jewish groups regarding his use of the Star of David symbol in the show and his support for a cultural boycott of Israel.
British human rights organization Amnesty International condemns the Israeli blockade on the Gaza Strip in a statement released on Monday, demanding Israel "immediately lift its blockade" on the besieged coastal enclave
Israel To Build 3000 New Settlement Units
Christmas message from Bethlehem Mayor Vera Baboun of Palestine..." Today, our little town has become even smaller due to the continued expansion of Israeli settlements, but the message of Jesus Christ remains in our hearts, overcoming with hope the despair of decades of living under a foreign occupation and being deprived of our rights."
Our Compass: Nelson Mandela by Salam Fayyad of Palestine
"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." ATFP's Ziad Asali: To honor a tragic history, we must work for peace
International Emmys Award for Best Documentary to "5 Broken Cameras" in which a Palestinian farmer examines upheaval in a West Bank village.
Arab Idol Assaf in appeal for UN Palestinian agency
"Where,
after all, do universal human rights begin? In
small places, close to home - so close and so
small that they cannot be seen on any maps of
the world. Yet they are the world of the
individual person; the neighborhood he lives
in; the school or college he attends; the
factory, farm, or office where he works. Such
are the places where every man, woman, and
child seeks equal justice, equal opportunity,
equal dignity without discrimination. Unless
these rights have meaning there, they have
little meaning anywhere. Without concerted
citizen action to uphold them close to home,
we shall look in vain for progress in the
larger world." Eleanor Roosevelt
The Office of International Religious
Freedom ( http://www.state.gov/j/drl/irf/)
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
Why Muslims should love secularism: Though secularism is widely misunderstood as anti-religious and iconoclastic, all it means is the neutrality of the state on religious affairs ... "Muslims must recognize secularism as the only real path to religious freedom, rather than confusing it with an attack against religion." Hussein Ibish
"The direct threat to Israeli and Palestinian existence — and, in fact, to the existence of all peoples in the region — is the absence of peace in Palestine." Ahmad Y. Majdoubeh in The Jordan Times
'It is where religious freedom is most dishonored or repressed that the forces of violent religious extremism are likely to thrive.' Katrina Lantos Swett, vice chairwoman of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom: JFK's call for religious freedom can transform...
- 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
Live by the Golden Rule
Dear President Obama... Let Freedom Ring
194
Globalizing Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dear President Obama... Let Freedom Ring
194
Globalizing Martin Luther King, Jr.
Palestinian Refugees (1948-NOW) refused their right to return... and their right to live in peace free from religious bigotry and injustice.
The Arab Peace Initiative
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.
Jordan's King Abdullah II explains
that extremism has "grown fat" off of the longstanding
conflict between Israel and the Palestinians.
The Charter for Compassion
is a call to restore the Golden Rule
to the center of religious, moral and civic life. The
path to a just economy and a peaceful world requires
listening, understanding and treating all others as we
wish to be treated ourselves.
Freedom for Palestine - OneWorld
"The global consensus is practically unanimous: Palestinians deserve a state alongside Israel, which is already a United Nations member state." Hussein Ibish of the American Task Force on Palestine
Freedom for Palestine - OneWorld
"The global consensus is practically unanimous: Palestinians deserve a state alongside Israel, which is already a United Nations member state." Hussein Ibish of the American Task Force on Palestine
Sunday, December 8, 2013
The Last Chance... a poem for Palestine by Anne Selden Annab
The Last Chance
This- right now,
but not for long,
is the last chance
for Palestine.
Until May- come what may...
The last chance
to push back a foreign army
The last chance
to create zones free of snipers
The last chance
to end land grabs
The last chance
to dismantle checkpoints
The last chance
for Palestine to be free
with sovereign power...
The last chance,
this- right now,
but not for long,
is the last chance
to move beyond conflict
stop loss
start gain.
The last chance
to hone diplomacy.
Until May- come what may...
The last chance
to be taken seriously
to be listened to
to be understood
The last chance,
to make the case
that Palestine
is a good idea
that Palestine
is a worthwhile investment.
In hindsight some heroes
will be seen as frauds
Some but not all
as time moves on
with or without
a Palestinian state.
Remember that Mandela emerged from jail as a peacemaker, not a soldier.
"...Both Palestinians and Israelis have much to learn from the great
leader. The most important lesson for Palestinians is to maintain the
momentum of their global campaign – and to remember that Mandela emerged
from jail as a peacemaker, not a soldier. Israelis, on the other hand,
should heed these words from Mandela: “Talk of peace will remain hollow
if Israel continues to occupy Arab territories ... If there is going to
be peace, there must be complete withdrawal from all of these areas.”
Palestinian officials paid tribute to Mandela on Friday, expressing appreciation for his inspiration and support. “This is a great loss for all the peoples of the world, and for Palestine,” the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas said, hailing Mandela as a “symbol of freedom from colonialism and occupation” who would never be forgotten by the Palestinian people.
There is never going to be another Nelson Mandela. We can all only hope that we can properly learn the lessons from his life. And perhaps for Palestine, in Mandela’s past is its future."
Palestinian officials paid tribute to Mandela on Friday, expressing appreciation for his inspiration and support. “This is a great loss for all the peoples of the world, and for Palestine,” the Palestinian Authority president Mahmoud Abbas said, hailing Mandela as a “symbol of freedom from colonialism and occupation” who would never be forgotten by the Palestinian people.
There is never going to be another Nelson Mandela. We can all only hope that we can properly learn the lessons from his life. And perhaps for Palestine, in Mandela’s past is its future."
In Mandela’s life is a lesson for Palestinians
National Editorial
December 7, 2013
As South Africa and the world mourn the death of Nelson Mandela, his
passing will perhaps be even more acutely felt in Palestine for the
possibilities he pointed to. Just a week before his death, former
Palestinian prime minister Salam Fayyad described the great man as a
“compass” for the Palestinian cause. In an op-ed for the New York Times,
he wrote: [Mandela’s] persistent defiance exemplified the immense power
of non-violence in resisting the entrapment of victimhood and
overcoming the burdens of injustice.”...READ MORE
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