Category Archives: Uncategorized

From a rural distance, the city of Toronto dazzles.  It also puzzles me. I gather that the municipal government there faces enormous challenges, and ever-shrinking resources.  Same dilemma in the small rural county where I live. How then do a … Continue reading →

SodaStream corporate website:  “We seek to revolutionize the beverage industry by reducing plastic bottle waste and being an environmentally friendly product.” Forbes.com, February 6:  “SodaStream sells its beverage systems in 15,000 retailers across the United States and many thousands more … Continue reading →

From David Shulman in Jerusalem, January 4, 2013.  He teaches at Hebrew University, and wrote the book Dark Hope. — I meet the drummers on the city bus to French Hill. They ask me: “Are you going there?”  Yes. Smiles. … Continue reading →

The Israeli secret police don’t like the Israeli mathematician Dr Kobi Snitz.  Or perhaps it would be more accurate to say they fear him.  But how can one of the most powerful military states on the planet be afraid of … Continue reading →

Twenty-five years ago this month, young Palestinians launched an uprising that came to be known as the First Intifada.  It wasn’t the first uprising against the Israeli military occupation of Palestine, but the first to reach widespread international attention. This … Continue reading →

Normally cartoonists follow the rule that a picture is worth a thousand words.  But yesterday, under attack for a recent cartoon on Palestine, Australian cartoonist Michael Leunig felt compelled to use his words as well, quite powerfully, in the newspaper … Continue reading →

On Tuesday December 4, the National Assembly of Quebec adopted a motion to recognize the right of Palestinians to self-determination and statehood. March for Palestine, Montreal The motion originated with Québec Solidaire, a new political party that won two seats … Continue reading →

How the world voted: Yes: 138       No: 9      Abstain: 41 Yesterday, Thursday November 29, 2012, the United Nations General Assembly voted to approve Palestine’s bid to become a non-member observer state.  The final vote stood at 138 in favor, 9 … Continue reading →

This message & video link just arrived from Jewish Voice for Peace, in Washington DC: Hours from now, Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, will speak to the United Nations General Assembly and ask 193 countries to vote for non-member … Continue reading →

If the truce holds, life in Gaza goes back to normal.  (For the 104 civilians killed, one third of them children, it’s too late.) In Gaza, for the survivors a return to normal means: Israel continues to impose its suffocating, … Continue reading →

Gaza City, today.  Photo: The Guardian, UK 1.  Due to the long Israeli siege, Gaza’s medical system was already badly damaged before this latest assault.  Now it has to deal with a wave of traumatic injuries.  Medical Aid for Palestine … Continue reading →

Tal el Hawa neighborhood, Gaza city, Nov 16, after Israeli air attack.  Photo: Activestills.org From The Real News Network, 16 November 2012: UN Holds Urgent Security Council Meeting, US Stands With Israel. No surprise there.  Of 79 United Nations resolutions … Continue reading →

The latest Israeli assault on Gaza is impossible to comprehend if one relies on the mainstream media.  Once again they obscure and distort what’s actually happening on the ground, and why. On the ground, Gaza, Nov 14, 2012. By contrast, … Continue reading →

A fascinating essay by Nadia Hijab, Alaa Tartir, and Jeremy Wildeman, published last week in Foreign Policy, a prestigious journal based in Washington DC. Olive harvest, Palestine Nadia Hijab is the director, Alaa Tartir the program director, and Jeremy Wildeman … Continue reading →

At age 18, Omar Saad, a young Druze Palestinian musician from the Galilee village of al-Mughar received the usual summons to enlist in the Israeli army.  Recent studies show that if given the choice, two thirds of Druze youth would … Continue reading →

International pressure has finally succeeded in forcing the Palestinian Authority to release Zakaria Zubeidi from prison, after they had held him without charge since May 13.   But he’s still not free.  An update follows.  First, exhilarating news from the Freedom … Continue reading →

Good news from Anna Baltzer, National Organizer with the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation: The Quaker Friends Fiduciary Corporation (FFC) has become the first national fund in the United States to divest from Hewlett-Packard and Veolia Environment, based … Continue reading →

From the irrepressible Freedom Theatre, a thrilling new initiative is set to go on the road: For nine days, 23 September – 1 October, the Freedom Bus will embark on a historic and ground-breaking solidarity ride through the West Bank of Occupied … Continue reading →

Just arrived, a petition to the Palestinian president for the immediate release of Zakaria Zubeidi, co-founder of the Freedom Theatre.  Doctors say it’s unlikely he can survive more than 3 days.  Please don’t delay in signing the petition, here.