By Leah Levane
It is not working: looking at the world only through a Jewish lens with other people and peoples reduced to bit players or, at best, supporting actors. This is looking through a lens that leads to, for example, not seeing a context for October 7th and refusing to believe that stories of death and destruction in Gaza is Hamas propaganda prompted by antisemitism to make Israel and Jews as a whole look bad.
On the 10th anniversary of the Bataclan massacre in Paris, Tony Karon has reposted extracts from three articles he wrote in the past, reflecting on the wider significance of that event, and of the political nature of football.
He reminds us of the huge symbolic significance in the initial choice of target – the Stade de France – where a friendly international football game was in progress.
By Leah Levane
David Miller has achieved hero status among many on the left for his attacks on Israel. But increasing numbers of those who have been organising for decades for Palestine are coming to see him as a danger to the solidarity movement. Why?
By Leah Levane
We commend this Ha’aretz interview with Aida Touma-Sliman, the only female Hadash member of the Knesset, where she explains why she will not be standing again at the next election. A feminist and fighter for justice for Palestinians she has given a decade of her life to trying to change things from within the system and now concludes the Knesset is just another aspect of Israeli society that must be fought. There is no room for partnership any longer – and she has tried but, especially since the war on Gaza, it is impossible.
By Leah Levane
The government was hell bent on banning Palestine Action despite warnings from its own advisers that such a move could be divisive and also enhance the organisation’s profile. It included “…a community impact assessment, (which) said a ban under terrorism laws could heighten Muslim-Jewish tensions and be perceived as government bias in favour of Israel.” (my emph Ed)
By Leah Levane
Ceasefire means that the firing ceases. But by 11th November 25, at least 240 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more injured in c.150 ceasefire violations by Israel since a ceasefire was declared, as outlined by Al Jazeera. No Israelis had been killed.
In the deadliest 24 hours since the “ceasefire” began, Israel claimed it hit more than 30 targets. Israel claimed that the targets were “terrorists in command positions within terror organisations”. However, the world (again) saw babies, children and other civilians being pulled from the rubble, dead or destined for hospitals which lack the capacity to assist them.
All references will be found at the foot of the article, but if you click on the hyperlink numbersbelow, you will be taken to the original publication in the BMJ. Multiple credible reports have emerged since 2023 detailing the torture and inhumane treatment of Palestinians held in Israeli detention sites.12345678 At least 75 Palestinians—including children—have … Continued
By Leah Levane
We have shared criticisms of the Trump plan before; its lack of a serious planning or a way to enforce it, the lack of any way of enforcing it, the absence of any word about the West Bank and much more not least that Israel is directly occupying 58% of Gaza. Right now the most serious aspect is that in the month since the ceasefire “plan” was agreed, it has already been violated countless times by Israel such that at least 250 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed, many for crossing that invisible demarcation line between the 58% under Israeli control and the 42% where Palestinians are allowe3d to move. Also
Horrifying reports from Sudan have drawn attention to a battle between rival militias that has for years been causing untold suffering to millions of Sudanese, with global complicity.
It was difficult to imagine, in the immediate aftermath of the Hamas-led October 7 attacks, the utter scale of genocidal devastation that Israel would unleash on Gaza, and the extent of the world’s failure to intervene for two years. What was already painfully clear, though, was that the status quo that had preceded the attacks … Continued