A media junket to Israel
Alexander Willis, a journalist based in Alabama, took up the offer of a five-day trip to Israel courtesy of the American Middle East Press Association. He was treated to pure Israeli propaganda of an extreme kind.
Latest Posts
The unprecedented surge of Israel killing children in the West Bank
By Leah Levane
How can Palestinian parents keep their children safe in the West Bank? It is nearly impossible. This Guardian article is a collection of heartbreaking stories from families whose children have been killed over the past year. This is not a new phenomenon but has risen exponentially over the past year and punishment of those guilty is rare
COP 29 – and Palestine is a key issue
By Leah Levane
the “war” on Gaza is literally a “scorched earth” policy. After the destruction, how long would it be before the earth could sustain growth. Environmental campaigners in Palestine link the catastrophe in Gaza with energy and ask that : countries stop selling energy to, and buying gas from, Israel. Furthermore companies must end their involvement in extracting “gas from illegally occupied Palestinian waters.”
For Palestinian citizens of Israel – things keep getting worse
By Leah Levane
The terrible situation for Palestinians in the Gaza and the West Bank can often mean we do not pay the necessary attention to Palestinian citizens of Israel (PCIs). We have posted about the oppression and displacement of Bedouin in the Negev but less about the deteriorating situation for those living, for example in East Jerusalem …
Jewish Journeys from Zionism (14) – Felicity Laurence
By Leah Levane
JVL Introduction This is the 14th in the Jewish Journeys from Zionism series and, like the others, makes for fascinating reading. Felicity was born in New Zealand and spent time living in Germany and elsewhere. Her work as a musician and her work with children’s choirs has taken her into Israel and the West Bank … Continued
Erasing Palestine in the name of Jewish trauma
Joseph Finlay explains the evolution of the dominant Israeli world view – that historical Jewish trauma justifies the erasure of the Palestinian people because any violence against the state is a genocidal attempt to kill all Jews.
Islamophobia in the UK 2 – it is intensifying
By Leah Levane
Islamophoba is on the rise and not only in the UK. Politicians’ rhetoric and actions too often marginalise and discriminate against Muslim people and the genocide in Gaza has been followed by further escalation. In the UK, there is ample evidence of, for example, disproportionate targeting of Muslim people by the Prevent programme and a …
Islamophobia in the UK (1) many Muslims want to leave
By Leah Levane
Islamophobia is rising in the UK and elsewhere. There was a big rise following the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7th 2023 and another following the killing of three girls in Southport in July and the terrifying riots that followed. This article summarises the findings of ‘Tell Mama’, a respected organisation monitoring hate crime …
Masafer Yatta destruction: the film and German reaction
By Leah Levane
The film ‘No Other Land’ (see JVL post 15.11.2024), now on general release in the UK, has been highly praised by critics around the world (a rare 100% score on Rotten Tomatoes) but not in Germany. The film, focuses on Masafer Yatta within the South Hebron Hills and is a directorial collaboration between Palestinian, Basel Adra, …
If This Is Not Genocide, What Is?
Francesca Albanese, the UN Special Rapporteur on Palestine was recently in London, speaking at several venues. There were objections to her speaking at an attempt to “Ban Fran” by the self named “Campaign Against Antisemitism” which regards almost any criticism of Israel and any support for Palestinian rights as antisemitic. The protest was present when …