Israeli Day Celebration in Kingston
Members of the Middle East Crisis Response are shown holding signs condemning Israel's siege of Gaza. They are on a public sidewalk near an Israeli Day Celebration at Waterfront Park in Kingston, NY. Soon, the Kingston Police forced the group to move to a "designated" protest area behind a nearby building. Several in the group asserted their right to stand on a pubic sidewalk in front of the park with their signs. Threatened with arrest, the group finally moved. The police also stated that anyone from the group handing out flyers in an area not designated for protest would also be arrested.
Maurice Hinchey, a speaker at the celebration was asked about this violation of First Amendment rights, but he deferred to the local authorities.
The newly named street signs are an indication of the political power of the pro Israeli lobby, even in a small city like Kingston, NY.
14 members of the Middle East Crisis Response attended the demonstration.
For a great video by DeeDee, click here.
Talk by author Ghada Karmi
Wednesday, April 23
7:00 pm
Woodstock Community Center
56 Rock City Road, Woodstock
Ghada Karmi is Research Fellow at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies. Her most recent book, "Married to Another Man: Israel's Dilemma in Palestine," was published by Pluto Press in 2007.
About 35 people gathered to listen and ask questions on Wednesday night. Her stories and analysis of the Palestinian plight were both moving and thought provoking.
Discussion Addresses Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
The New Paltz Oracle Volume 15 Issue 79 Thursday, March 6, 2008
By Andrew Lipkowitz, News Editor
Almost 70 local activists and residents packed into New Paltz Village Hall Sunday night for a discussion about the Israel-Palestine conflict, which organizers said was created to present a view of the situation not typically seen in the U.S. media.
The discussion, which was titled, “Speaking Out against the Occupation of Palestine,” presented the Palestinian perspective on the conflict and was critical of the Israeli government, as well as American support for Israel. A short film titled “Jerusalem in Exile,” and two speakers, Joel Kovel and Jane Toby, explored the subject of Palestinian oppression in the Gaza strip and the West bank.
“The purpose in organizing this meeting was to look at the perspective of the Palestinians, to balance out what has been a totally one sided area,” said Jack Smith, editor of the Hudson Valley Activist Newsletter, and an organizer of the event.
The main speaker at the event was Joel Kovel, a professor at Bard College and author of the book “Overcoming Zionism: Creating a Single Democratic State in Israel/Palestine.” Kovel’s speech criticized Israel for violating the human rights of the Palestinians by cutting off water, reducing electricity and limiting their movement throughout the country.
“There is no moment when they are not engaged in trying to eliminate the remaining Palestinians by taking away the things that make them human,” Kovel said.
Matthew Averbach, a senior graphic design major, said that Israel usually cuts off water or reduces electricity in response to attacks from Palestinian militants. He also said that checkpoints in Israel are for safety precautions.
“If you go into a mall in Israel, it doesn’t matter who you are, you will be stopped,” Averbach said.
Averbach founded the group Hawks for Israel on campus last year, which seeks to educate students about Israel.
Kovel’s presentation took a strong stance against Zionism, which is the doctrine that supports the creation of a nation-state for the Jewish people.
“I thought a lot of it was valid, but I can understand why you might walk out of one of his presentations, especially if you are Jewish,” said senior communication and media major Ian Taylor, who attended the event.
The conflict in the Middle East took renewed importance this week, as violence between Israel and Palestine in the Gaza strip and West bank left approximately 116 Palestinians and three Israelis dead. The violence started Feb. 27 when Hamas militants launched rockets from the Gaza strip, killing an Israeli civilian. Israeli air strikes before the attack killed several Hamas members. Palestinian officials claim many of the dead are civilians.
“I think we are verging on genocide in Gaza and the West bank,” said Fred Nagel, an organizer of the event and member of the Middle East Crisis Response Group, which supplied the speakers for the event.
The Middle East Crisis Response Group is based in Woodstock, N.Y. and formed after the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, to oppose “the Israeli occupation of Palestine,” their Web site says.
“Before people jump to conclusions and begin hating one side,” Averbach said, they need to realize, “the future of Palestinian and Israeli children are at stake.”
By Andrew Lipkowitz, News Editor
Almost 70 local activists and residents packed into New Paltz Village Hall Sunday night for a discussion about the Israel-Palestine conflict, which organizers said was created to present a view of the situation not typically seen in the U.S. media.
The discussion, which was titled, “Speaking Out against the Occupation of Palestine,” presented the Palestinian perspective on the conflict and was critical of the Israeli government, as well as American support for Israel. A short film titled “Jerusalem in Exile,” and two speakers, Joel Kovel and Jane Toby, explored the subject of Palestinian oppression in the Gaza strip and the West bank.
“The purpose in organizing this meeting was to look at the perspective of the Palestinians, to balance out what has been a totally one sided area,” said Jack Smith, editor of the Hudson Valley Activist Newsletter, and an organizer of the event.
The main speaker at the event was Joel Kovel, a professor at Bard College and author of the book “Overcoming Zionism: Creating a Single Democratic State in Israel/Palestine.” Kovel’s speech criticized Israel for violating the human rights of the Palestinians by cutting off water, reducing electricity and limiting their movement throughout the country.
“There is no moment when they are not engaged in trying to eliminate the remaining Palestinians by taking away the things that make them human,” Kovel said.
Matthew Averbach, a senior graphic design major, said that Israel usually cuts off water or reduces electricity in response to attacks from Palestinian militants. He also said that checkpoints in Israel are for safety precautions.
“If you go into a mall in Israel, it doesn’t matter who you are, you will be stopped,” Averbach said.
Averbach founded the group Hawks for Israel on campus last year, which seeks to educate students about Israel.
Kovel’s presentation took a strong stance against Zionism, which is the doctrine that supports the creation of a nation-state for the Jewish people.
“I thought a lot of it was valid, but I can understand why you might walk out of one of his presentations, especially if you are Jewish,” said senior communication and media major Ian Taylor, who attended the event.
The conflict in the Middle East took renewed importance this week, as violence between Israel and Palestine in the Gaza strip and West bank left approximately 116 Palestinians and three Israelis dead. The violence started Feb. 27 when Hamas militants launched rockets from the Gaza strip, killing an Israeli civilian. Israeli air strikes before the attack killed several Hamas members. Palestinian officials claim many of the dead are civilians.
“I think we are verging on genocide in Gaza and the West bank,” said Fred Nagel, an organizer of the event and member of the Middle East Crisis Response Group, which supplied the speakers for the event.
The Middle East Crisis Response Group is based in Woodstock, N.Y. and formed after the 2006 conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, to oppose “the Israeli occupation of Palestine,” their Web site says.
“Before people jump to conclusions and begin hating one side,” Averbach said, they need to realize, “the future of Palestinian and Israeli children are at stake.”
Nakba Vigil in Rhinebeck
We had a good turnout (15 people) for the Nakba Vigil in Rhinebeck on Saturday, February 23. This was the first time we tried a Nakba vigil outside of Woodstock, and we are hoping to organize vigils in other surrounding towns. Contact us if you would like to organize one.
In 1947 and 1948, more than 700,000 Palestinians became refugees in a widespread campaign of ethnic cleansing. Today, they and their descendants number over four million. Their right to return to their homes has been affirmed by international law.
Can peace come without justice for the Palestinians?
Planet Waves covers Nakba Vigil
Harriet Malinowitz of Kingston, NY and Fred Nagel of Rhinebeck, NY, on Woodstock's Village Green on Saturday afternoon, Feb. 2. They and others, members of the mid-Hudson Valley activist group Middle East Crisis Response (MECR), were conducting a vigil commemorating the Nakba. The Nakba ("catastrophe" in Arabic) is what Palestinians call the ethnic cleansing of their population circa 1948 via a series of massacres, murders, rapes, looting, burnings, and expulsions by Zionist militias (Haganah and Irgun). Israel calls it the "War of Independence." Over 700,000 refugees were created by the Nakba; today, they and their descendants number four million. They still seek the right of return to their homeland granted to them by U.N. Resolution 194, but this right is refused by Israel. Photo by Eric Francis. Prior cover: Anya from the Book of Blue.
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I've finally tracked down the cover of Planet Waves from February 5, which featured a photo (with caption) of our most recent Nakba vigil on its cover. The link is http://planetwaves.net:80/previouscovers/20080205.html. The editor/publisher, Eric Francis, had stopped and read our signs on the sidewalk, talked to Fred and me a bit, then took the picture. It's a rather unusual publication to feature us (horoscopes and such--and this week's cover features the headline, "Cunnilinigus and Clover"--not only racy, but misspelled! well, whatever...), but it's nice for our message (very nicely captured by the camera) to reach a fresh audience, isn't it?! Plus, absolutely no shrinking from the true grit in the caption--much appreciated.
-Harriet
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