Jawahar

Photojournalist Mati Milstein surrounded by a cloud of tear gas. Bil'in, 31 December 2010 (photo: Fadi Arouri)

In the West Bank, everyone knows there’s no accountability

The death last week of Bil’in resident Jawaher Abu Rhamah, after she inhaled tear gas at a demonstration, has received a great deal of publicity, making her into a symbol of the violent means the Israeli army uses to maintain its control over the West Bank. Many commentators are parsing the incident as if it…

By Lisa Goldman January 9, 2011

Israel’s open prison for refugees, and other gems of doublespeak

Much will be said in the coming weeks, maybe even years, about the House Committee on UnIsraeli activities, approved yesterday by the Knesset. Roi Maor and Yossi Gurvitz both have excellent posts – Roi on the more optimistic side, Yossi closer to the end of days. While my own estimate lies somewhere between these two…

By Dimi Reider January 6, 2011

Demo against the barrier, Bil'in, 30 November 2007 (photo: Oren Ziv/activestills.org)

Bibi: democracies don’t shoot demonstrators

Last year, at the height of the Green Revolution in Iran, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu gave an interview in which he explained the difference between the way democracies act when faced by demonstrators agitating for their freedom, and the way in which non-democratic states act. In Iran, security agents were shooting and killing Reformist protesters.…

By Lisa Goldman January 5, 2011

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Activist's embrace after court 4.1.2010. Photo: Oren Ziv/Activestills.org

Another activist arrested; police try to search a house without a warrant

Another Israeli activist has been arrested and jailed in connection to the protest in front of the US ambassador’s house last Saturday night. The activist was summoned for ‘questioning’ yesterday afternoon and arrested upon arrival. He has been charged with the same crimes as the other activists who were released yesterday on no bail. Unlike…

By Joseph Dana January 5, 2011

A Palestinian man in Bil'in breathes in a plastic bag while surrounded by tear gas (photo: Oren Ziv/activestills.org)

Evidence discredits army’s version of Bil’in woman’s death

The following is a detailed response to the army’s claims regarding the death on 1 January 2011 of Jawaher Abu Rahmah, who was taken to the hospital on 31 December after inhaling tear gas at the weekly demonstration against the separation barrier in Bil’in, a small Palestinian village near Ramallah. The response was written by…

By Lisa Goldman January 4, 2011

How else to sweeten days? A poem-post

The Hebrew word “shir” means both poem and song, an indication that in ancient time, the two were one. Poetry was not written but recited, it was a musical art. We recite a lot these days, rhyming, chiming, putting words to a rhythm. We chant at protests and outside coutrooms. The result rarely sounds artistic…

By Yuval Ben-Ami January 2, 2011

“We meet again, Super-Gran!” Notes from a protest

Visually, the protest yesterday veered from the Italian cinema Through the violent The contextual And the chique: But the overwhelming sensation – despite the tension and the occasional violent flare-up – was that of an almost good-natured surrealism. After trying to clear the road – using, I should note, only hands* – no clubs, hoses…

By Dimi Reider January 2, 2011