development towns

A Jewish man walks with his prayer shawl early in the morning on the hill overlooking Ofra in the Jewish settlement of Amona in the West Bank, December 18, 2016. (Miriam Alster/Flash90)

Resource: Choosing annexation over development

A new report compares and contrasts two of of Israel’s largest and most important settlement projects: development towns built before 1967 and the settlements in the occupied West Bank. Text by Rachel Shenhav-Goldberg There are many ways of calculating the “cost” of the occupation. Since 2008, the Adva Center, a leading Israeli progressive think tank that monitors social and economic…

By +972 Resources August 26, 2019

Members of Kibbutz Amir, June 30, 1940. (Zoltan Kluger/GPO)

Even inside Israel, colonialism is far from over

The attempt to bar Arabs from buying land in one of the wealthiest, more liberal towns in Israel is a disturbing reminder of Israel’s colonial past — and present. It keeps happening over and over again. A Jewish town somewhere in Israel finds a way to prevent Arab citizens from buying homes, using its swimming…

By Edo Konrad March 18, 2018

Kibbutz members march in a 1951 ceremony. (photo: אביבה שני בית חרות/CC BY 2.5)

It’s time for the Israeli Left to part with the kibbutz

Between unequal distribution of municipal taxes that discriminate against development towns and admittance committees that bar entry to those who do not belong to the ‘white tribe,’ the Left must lead the struggle against the kibbutz’s sectorial policies. By Elad Wolf Since the founding of the state, the kibbutzim have undergone a process of privatization.…

By +972 Magazine September 26, 2015

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'Haaretz' newspaper (Photo: Hmbr/Wikimedia/CC)

A different look at democracy: Impressions from a ‘Haaretz’ conference

What does it feel like to be thought of as someone who endangers democracy? Sometimes, all it takes is having dark skin, curls and a kippa. Thoughts on Mizrahi identity from Haaretz’s Conference on Democracy. By Eli Bareket Several weeks ago I attended the Israel Conference on Democracy sponsored by the liberal Haaretz daily. It was…

By Haokets March 1, 2015

Israelis march during a protest calling for social justice, Hatikva neighborhood, south Tel Aviv, June 14, 2012. (photo: Activestills.org)

Israeli Black Panther: Mizrahim must boycott the elections

Since its establishment and until today, not a single election has fundamentally changed the status of Mizrahim in the ‘only democracy in the Middle East.’ Now we must use the only tool we have left at our disposal and refuse to participate in the game altogether. By Reuven Abergel For Palestinian citizens of Israel, the upcoming…

By Haokets February 20, 2015

Protesters march on Tel Aviv's Ayalon highway on July 15, 2012. (photo: Activestills.org)

What Mizrahi activists really want: A ten-point program

Mizrahi activists have tried explaining their positions for years. Now, in the run-up to the elections, they lay out their political vision for education, land reform, health care and representation in a ‘ten-point program.’ By Roi Grufi Throughout my years of being active in the Mizrahi struggle in Israel, I found that there are several…

By Haokets February 14, 2015