anti-normalization

LGBTQ Palestinians take part in a protest following the stabbing of a queer Arab teen in Tel Aviv, August 1, 2019. (Mati Milstein)

‘LGBTQ rights have become a litmus test in Palestinian society’

The growing visibility of queer Palestinians poses a challenge to Arab political parties that are exploiting homophobia ahead of the Israeli election, says attorney and activist Fady Khoury.

By Edo Konrad March 17, 2021

Palestinians takes part in a protest against the killing of journalist Yasser Murtaja near the Israel-Gaza fence, in Rafah in the southern Gaza Strip, on April 8, 2018. (Abed Rahim Khatib/ Flash90)

What the media got wrong about the Gaza ‘normalization’ saga

A controversy involving a Gaza journalist highlights the Palestinian debate around normalization — but mainstream outlets are failing to take it seriously.

By Ahmad Al-Bazz April 14, 2020

Palestinian youth hold a Palestinian flag outside the Aqsa Mosque in the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount compound, East Jerusalem. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)

‘This is how you change the status quo’: Rethinking the Palestinian boycott of Jerusalem elections

Aziz Abu Sarah withdrew his historic bid for Jerusalem mayor after Israeli and Palestinian pressures, but he hopes his short campaign ‘provokes’ new ideas on how to build stronger, younger Palestinian political activism in the city. Less than a month after declaring his candidacy to become the first Palestinian mayor of Jerusalem, Aziz Abu Sarah…

By Amjad Iraqi September 28, 2018

Latest

Delegation of Israeli academics visiting Kadoorie University (photo: Haggai Matar

For first time in years, Israeli academics pay solidarity visit to Palestinian university

An Israeli delegation of academics visits Kadoorie University in the West Bank city of Tulkarm to show support following a string of IDF raids on the campus. For the first time in many years, a delegation of Israeli academics made an official visit to a Palestinian university. The first, small delegation arrived a month ago,…

By Haggai Matar May 13, 2016

Palestinians enter the main checkpoint separating Bethlehem and Jerusalem. (Activestills.org)

Alternative peace initiative comes under fire for ‘normalization’

Pressure from both Palestinian activists and right-wing Israelis has put the spotlight on a conference that will present a new model for peace and coexistence. That is, if it ever happens in the first place. A launch event for an alternative Israeli-Palestinian peace initiative, slated to take place next week in the West Bank, is…

By Haggai Matar June 4, 2015

Haythem Noor, Amir Babayoff, Bryan Burton, Nicole Kontolefa and Jonathan Raviv in ‘Martyrs’ Street’ (Left to right). (Photo by Lee Wexler/Images for Innovation)

Israeli-Palestinian ‘normalization’ debate reaches NY theater

Palestinian solidarity groups and pro-Israel Jewish groups both stay away from a theater production that addresses the extremists on both sides of the conflict. By Misha Shulman “Thank you for reaching out to us, however, as SJP has a policy of non normalization, we will not be advertising this play.” This was the response we…

By +972 Magazine April 24, 2015

The Israel-Palestine Lorde Diaries, Chapter 3: Two Islands

Between general despair and out of fear of offending the anti-normalization movement, the project moves on and Lorde makes an unlikely fan. Read the previous chapters of The Israel-Palestine Lorde Diaries’ here. More than a week has passed and I haven’t heard from Hanin. I figured we need find another translator. Meanwhile, Jewish-Arab partnership in…

By Yuval Ben-Ami January 19, 2015

Palestinians stand in front of the entrance of Remal Elementary UNRWA School which is used as a temporary shelter for people from the northern part of the Gaza Strip, Gaza City on July 13, 2014. People from northern Gaza left their homes after Israel dropped leaflets warning them to evacuate. Israeli attacks have killed at least 166 Palestinians, including 30 children. (Photo by Anne Paq/Activestills.org)

Dispatch from Gaza: Why Palestinians should speak to Israeli media

When Hamas banned Palestinians in Gaza from working with Israeli media, I understood why, but could not stay silent. If we Gazans stay silent, a large part of the truth will be lost, and I don’t want the truth to be lost. By Abeer Ayyoub Since Operation Protective Edge started earlier last week, I haven’t stopped…

By +972 Magazine July 14, 2014

moha

Moderate Islam meets Auschwitz

It’s hard to think of more divisive activities in Palestinian society today. Regardless of whether one agrees with his actions, it is exceedingly rare to see someone publicly buck the fiercely dominant trends in Palestinian discourse. For nearly 40 years, Mohammed Dajani Daoudi has felt that something was wrong with Palestinian politics. In 1975, while…

By Dahlia Scheindlin April 16, 2014

Women asylum seekers and their children protest against a new detention center and call on the Israeli government to recognize their refugee rights, Tel Aviv, January 15, 2014. (photo: Yotam Ronen/Activestills.org)

Photos of the week: Asylum seeker struggle picks up steam

This week: African asylum seekers continue their struggle in Israel, Afghan asylum seekers march in Brussels, Palestinians block traffic and plant trees, activists promote joint struggle while opposing normalization, visitors express solidarity in the Jordan Valley, and officials demolish homes in South Africa.

By Activestills January 16, 2014

Stephen Hawking during the press conference at the National Library of France (Public Domain)

Stephen Hawking’s message to Israeli elites: The occupation has a price

By choosing to avoid the Presidential Conference – an annual meeting of Israeli generals, politicians and business elites with their international fans, Prof. Hawking reminds that the occupation cannot be forgotten or avoided. A response to Haaretz’s Carlo Strenger. The British Guardian on Wednesday reported that Prof. Stephen Hawking has cancelled his appearance at the fifth Presidential Conference due to take…

By Noam Sheizaf May 8, 2013

Palestinian and Israeil flags (Activestills)

On anti-normalization, dialogue and activism – a response

“Those who reject dialogue as a means of ending occupation are alienating even the most sympathetic activists by positing replacement of one monumental injustice – occupation oppression and dispossession – with another: envisaging the disappearance of most Israelis from the region.” An argument for why the Palestinian struggle could benefit from a new approach to dialogue.…

By +972 Magazine December 1, 2012

Arab-Jewish partnership (Lisa Goldman)

On anti-normalization, dialogue and activism

“Thanks, this was the most awful thing I have read in a long time. Going into fetus position.” This was the reply I got on Twitter from a friend after posting the Facebook anti-normalization debate yesterday. The exchange between Palestinians from Jordan and Israeli activists was unpleasant for me to read as well. I posted…

By Noam Sheizaf September 10, 2012