This has the opportunity to empower peacemaking. Some will say having both East and West Jerusalem mapped legitimises Israel’s control over parts of the West Bank. To them I say this: Knowledge breeds peace. Being able to see Arab suburbs of East Jerusalem will help understand even just a little more the people who live there, and increase knowledge about their disaffection and the inequality they suffer. The more you know, the more likely you will be part of a solution, and the more likely one will come.
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/04/22/explore-jerusalems-old-city-with-google-street-view/
Yesterday Jon Stewart took almost his entire first two segments to talk about the whole Iran-Israel shtick. A few choice quotes: “That Obama hates Israel. Even Mel Gibson and John Galliano are like, ‘whoa, Obama, take it down,’” and “The parameters for debate in the United States about Israel range from ‘I unequivocally support them and might bomb Iran’ to ‘I unequivocally support them and will definitely bomb Iran.’”
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/03/09/video-apparently-in-israel-youre-allowed-to-criticise-israel/
Hamas’s leader in Gaza Ismail Haniyeh, in a speech in Tehran, pledged to never stop resistance or acknowledge Israel. Of course, eight weeks ago, formerly Damascus based Khaled Mashal said Hamas would be giving up weapons-based resistance and would agree to a Palestinian state based on 1967 borders.
Related reading:Tags: Gaza, Hamas, Iran, Ismail Haniyeh, Israel, Khaled Mashal, Mahmoud Abbas, Middle East Conflict, Palestinian Authority, Peace Process, PLO, Yasser Arafat Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/02/13/the-two-sides-of-hamas-haniyeh-says-hell-never-recognise-israel-mashal-says-they-will/
A good op-ed from James Zoby in HuffPo: “Better than threats, which only serve to embolden Iran, I would suggest a combination of direct engagement (which has been tried too little), continued targeted sanctions (which are having a real impact) and a bit of ridicule.”
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/02/06/threatening-iran-only-strengthens-it/
The New York Times reports that on his visit to Gaza, UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s car was pelted with shoes by Gazans angry at his and the UN’s pro-Israel-ness.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/02/05/throwing-shoes-at-the-un-secretary-general-isnt-the-best-way-to-endear-yourself-to-him/
The US Navy ship, the very one the Iranian defence minister had been taunting and threatening all week, has saved a dozen Iranian fishermen from pirates. This would have to be one of the more bizarre incidents I’ve ever heard. Not even those with the wildest of imaginations could have dreamt up such a story.
Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2012/01/08/taken-hostage-by-pirates-us-navy-rescues-iranian-fishermen/
Ha’aretz reports that Hamas has moderated, has ordered its forces in Gaza not to fire rockets, and is ready to accept a two-state solution based on the 1967 borders. Seems that the fruits of the reconciliation talks with Fatah have gone to plan, then, despite what the predictions of the naysayers. Surely soon we say, “these guys are serious,” and we start negotiating with them.
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/30/hamas-self-imposes-a-ceasefire-in-gaza-and-west-bank/
Ynet reports: “Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas said that he has met with Hamas Politburo Chief Khaled Mashaal and the two agreed that the “resistance” against Israel “must be population-based and not with weapons.”" Can we get on with the business of making peace now, please?
Related reading: Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/19/hamas-agrees-a-palestinian-state-will-be-based-on-1967-borders/
Newt Gingrich calls the Palestinians “an invented people.” The main problem we face in the on-going conflict is that we are stuck too much in referring to historical claims and ignoring the here-and-now. We cannot completely deny historical context — indeed, at the very crux of claims to the region are their ancient linkages — but more important is understanding the conflict in present-day terms. That means understanding current demographic and political realities and current machinations of identity. The Palestinians exist now, they now have a link to the land, they now live on the land, they now want self-determination; who are we to deny them that or challenge them? In fact, doing so opens up for question our own, Jewish claim to the land of Israel. Wouldn’t it be more productive if we accepted both sides have claims and then begin moving on to dividing up the land into two states for two peoples?
Related reading:Tags: 2012 US Presidential Election, Islam, Israel, Judaism, Middle East Conflict, Newt Gingrich, Palestinians, Peace Process, Republican Party, Sheldon Adelson, USA Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/11/palestinians-are-an-invented-people-according-to-newt-gingrich/
Very interesting findings on attitudes of Jewish and non-Jewish Israelis from a Brookings Institute poll. Most notably how Arab-Israelis perceive the level of discrimination they suffer within Green line Israel, on how Jewish Israelis see the Iranian nuclear threat, and, most pertinently, that two-thirds of Jewish Israeli think their government should be doing more to get a deal done with the Palestinians.
Related reading:Tags: Apartheid, Arab-Israelis, Brookings Institute, Democracy, Iran, Israel, Jewish-Israelis, Middle East Conflict, Nuclear Weapons, Palestinian Authority, Palestinians, Peace Process, Poll Permalink: http://liamgetreu.com/2011/12/07/interesting-results-in-the-brookings-inst-poll-on-opinions-of-jewish-and-arab-israelis/
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