An item on Israel's top news program falsely accused a volunteer program that allows young diaspora Jews to directly engage with the occupation, of sending its members to clash with IDF soldiers, causing it to lose its main source of funding. Now one of 'Achvat Amim's organizers is speaking out: 'I hadn't experienced being lied about and mischaracterized in public in such an extreme way before.' Karen Isaacs was on her way to her sister's wedding in Toronto when Israel's most-watched news program ran a primetime item accusing her and her partner Daniel of sending diaspora Jews into violent confrontations with IDF soldiers in the West Bank. Channel…

Over the past decade, Middle Eastern countries have viewed their borders as a physical obstacle. The recent warming of relations between Arab states has led to increase in trade, leaving Israel more regionally isolated than ever before. By Moran Zaga Over the last month, border crossings have opened along both the Jordan-Iraq and Iraq-Saudi Arabia borders, while the border crossing between Jordan and Syria is slated to open soon. Even the crossing between Lebanon and Syria is now accessible, even making it to the news recently after Bashar al-Assad paid a visit to the area for Eid al-Adha prayers, after kicking…

Israel's separation wall will surround the village on nearly all sides, which will separate its villagers from some 250 acres of agricultural land. Over 500 Palestinian and Israeli demonstrators marched Saturday to protest the construction of the separation wall and house demolitions in the West Bank village of Walaje, south of Jerusalem. The march started at the entrance to the nearby city of Beit Jala and proceeded along the road to Har Gilo settlement, with activists chanting against the occupation and in favor of a two-state solution. As the march got underway, Jews and Palestinians stood together forming a bridge with their hands…

Guess who was detained and taken in for questioning. By Yael Marom An Israeli settler attacked a left-wing activist in a settlement in the south Hebron Hills Saturday, breaking his arm. The activist was transferred to Soroka Hospital in Be'er Sheva, where his left arm was put in a cast. [tmwinpost] On Saturday morning, left-wing activists from Ta'ayush arrived for a solidarity visit with the Palestinians of Umm al-Kheir, after settlers from the nearby settlement of Carmel have been throwing stones at them for the past few weeks. A few of the activists headed toward Carmel to protest the stone throwing, where Israeli…

As the pro-peace camp has shrunk into oblivion, human rights groups have become the only real anti-occupation force in Israel today. That has made them uncomfortably political. Israel’s High Court of Justice on Wednesday ruled that equality and human rights are not, or should not be, controversial in Israel. “[It is difficult to accept] the idea that a commercial promoting human rights could be socially or politically controversial,” wrote Justice Anat Baron. “The recognition of and commitment to human rights are intrinsically linked to the very existence of a democratic society.” [tmwinpost] The honorable justice must have missed Israeli Justice…

Growing up, I found that the Conservative movement embraced nuanced approaches to Torah, yet that critical approach never extended to discussions of Israel. Questioning Zionism was verboten.  By Eliana Fishman It was the summer before eighth grade at Camp Ramah in the Berkshires, a Jewish summer camp affiliated with the Conservative Movement. I was 12 years old. Each camper was handed a copy of Mitchell Bard’s Myths and Facts, long considered a foundational hasbara textbook, and we were told that the author would be coming to speak to us. [tmwinpost] Most campers ignored the book and didn’t pay much attention to Bard’s…

In East Jerusalem, entire families have their homes demolished and are thrown into the street. Just a few miles away, Israelis live without having to worry about losing everything they have. By Sahar Vardi Two children in uniform came down from the second floor to say hello to us before our ride left. With broken Arabic I asked the older one, who was all smiles, what his name is and his age. He is four, his younger brother is three. I tried to ask the younger one for his name, but he only stared at me. His mother tried to convince…

What the hell is going on? The Daily Stormer, an American white supremacist and neo-Nazi website dedicated its homepage banner on Tuesday to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son Yair. [tmwinpost] The banner shows a photo of a joint-smoking Yair Netanyahu photoshopped on top of the West Bank separation wall, along with a sniper rifle pointed directly at a racist caricature of a Jewish man. The banner was posted just days after the prime minister's son published an anti-Semitic cartoon on his personal Facebook page Saturday, which he took down a day later following widespread criticism. The cartoon showed Manny Naftali, the former superintendent of the Prime Minister’s…