life in spite of everything

From the Israeli Human Rights group B'Tselem:

Gaza, Sderot, Life in spite of everything. An interesting video letting the people speak for themselves.

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Let's hope that the following actually eventuates into something, and is just not more bluster whereby western nations murmur, Israel murmurs, and everything remains the same:
New government may face EU sanctions over two-state solution. What is at stake is the two-state solution, which seems almost impossible, anyway, considering how many illegal settlements there are in the occupied territories, and the settler only roads and apartheid wall that divides it up, but if the international community really got involved in ensuring it, it could work. However, according to the article, President Obama said: "The United States is committed to Israel's security, and that cannot be undermined." Which means no help will come from that quarter. Considering how much aid it gives to Israel, it might be foolish to think anything can change, but the whole world is not the United States.

Boycotts are apparently affecting 21% of the Israeli economy, and if sanctions really were enforced by Europe, then maybe the rest of the world would have to pull its head out of the sand.

The article about possible EU sanctions states:

One communique expressed the impression of one guest at the dinner, who spoke of an atmosphere of "ganging up on Israel," and that terms were imposed "on a government that had not yet been formed."

The message also indicated that several ministers spoke of the "need to teach Israel a lesson about its treatment of the Palestinians."

The Belgian foreign minister called for a renewed examination into Israel-EU ties, while at the same time evaluating the possibility of establishing ties with a Palestinian unity government composed of Hamas and Fatah.

The central issue discussed at the dinner was the future of Israel-EU relations. Many ministers demanded that Israel be presented with an ultimatum stating that an upgrade of those relations be carried out only with an Israeli government explicitly committing itself to the two-state solution.

Regarding that "ganging up on Israel" - I wonder why that would have occurred? Maybe because of Israel's behaviour? Perhaps? I also wonder if the Palestinians ever feel that the western international community is and has "ganged up" on them. No doubt.

After the dinner [Foreign Minister Karel Schwarzenberg of the Czech Republic] told a Czech newspaper that a decision had been made to cancel a summit between the Israeli prime minister and EU leaders planned for late May or early June.

That is an excellent start. In the U.S., it seems that former (or maybe still current) Mossad members who have not always had the best intention of the U.S. at heart, and have been denied entry to the U.S. previously, are to get visas, anyway, because they are now part of the Israeli government.

Regarding the sanctions, if they were ever to come into place, wait for the calls of racism to echo long and loud.

200 metres, boycotts and orchestras

The fishermen were forced at gunpoint to strip naked and swim from their boats to the Israeli warships. After being taken to Ashdod they were all released within 24 hours. The Israeli Navy have however impounded all of their boats - 7 in total.

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It is unclear what the Israeli military regard as the official “forbidden” area. There are no official channels of communication open between the Israeli Navy and the fishermen from Gaza. All the information regarding this that the fishermen have is delivered at gunpoint, and is inconsistent with the actions of the gunboat crews. Experience informs the fishermen that at any moment any portion of Gaza’s territorial waters can be deemed “prohibited” by the gunboat crews, no matter how close to shore, and irrespective of what the gunboat commanders have previously decreed (the status of these decrees as both arbitrary and illegal in the context of international law should also be noted).

This uncertainty is further compounded by what the fishermen say are unusually high levels of aggression by the gunboats. On the 17th March 2009 a gunboat crew shot Deeb Alankah, in the arm and the back. He was less than 200m from shore near Beit Lahia, and says that no warning was given to him nor demand made before he was shot. Other fishermen confirm that typically when the Israeli gun boats begin shooting at them, they now do so without warning.

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Israel is refusing to return the 7 fishing boats - the sole means of income for fishermen already greatly impoverished by the siege on the Gaza Strip.Read more

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Taking in the above, let's hope that this report is true, Economic Boycott of Israel Works: 21% of Israeli Exporters Affected and that boycotts are having some effect. I guess with foreign aid guaranteed, it might not make too much difference. __________________________________________________________________

Palestinian authorities have seen to the disbanding of a Palestinian Youth Orchestra who played for Holocaust survivors in Israel. A spokesperson said:

"The Holocaust happened, but we are facing a similar massacre by the Jews themselves," Hindi said. "We lost our land, and we were forced to flee and we've lived in refugee camps for the past 50 years."

It seems that no-one was in the know, except for their teacher and the charity which organised the performance. Too sad, especially considering the Ni'lin paid tribute to the Jewish victims of the in February by holding a well-attended exhibition.