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Gaza: 1,000 candles mark 1,000 days of siege 3/13/2010 - Gaza - Ma'an - Hundreds gathered in Gaza City on Thursday night to mark the 1,000th day of siege on the coastal enclave, lighting candles representing the thousands dead since the Israeli-led blockade began in 2007. The Popular Committee Against the Siege organized the vigil, encouraging those who lost loved ones to carry their photos in the streets as the rally took place in the Square of the Unknown Fighter. Others carried candles and banners calling for an end to the siege and a return to a life of dignity. Children from the Baladna Cultural Theater presented performed skits illustrating the damage done to kids and families during the siege, demanding protection from injustice and violence. Jamal Al-Khudari, the head of the popular committee, addressed those gathered. "We will never surrender," he said, stressing the strength of the people in the face of rights violations. VIDEO - Najla Said reads from her play of her teenage visit to Gaza 3/12/2010 - P U L S E - Najla Said, daughter of the late great Edward said, is not known for her father’s analytical acumen. She is all American sensibility and speech, and not as politically inclined as some of the rest of her family. But as an actress and playwright she gives a very human and compelling portrait of being an Arab-American, and specifically a Palestinian-American visiting Gaza as a teenager in this excerpt from her play. It was a trip that changed her, and coincided with highly personal events such as her father learning he had leukemia and her anorexia. And in this human portrait, Najla may well reach an audience which the best political analysis will miss. [end] From Jerusalem With Love… Naji WAFA 12 Mar 2010 - JERUSALEM, March 12, 2010 (WAFA)- The U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem and the Palestinian National Theater “Al Hakawati” have joined forces on an innovative cultural exchange program that brings Second annual Ann Arbor Palestine film fest opens with "Pomegranates and Myrrh" Electronic Intifada: 11 Mar 2010 - The second annual Ann Arbor Palestine Film Festival opened on 10 March 2010 at the Michigan Theater with hundreds of attendees for Najwa Najjar's Pomegranates and Myrrh . The film festival showcases films about Palestine and by Palestinian directors. Educating through the screen arts, the film festival amplifies the voice of the Palestinian people as a nation and diaspora by bringing films to the fore that would not otherwise be seen. Weekly Protest Video Round-Up Palestine Monitor: 6 Mar 2010 - Palestinian, Israeli and international activists joined demonstrations in villages up and down the West Bank yesterday, marking the Global Week Against racism. A Palestinian boy was seriously wounded during An Nebi Saleh protest. Here is what happened. Bi'lin Once again, creativity distinguished Bi'lin protest. Activists dressed as figures representing Mahatma Gandhi, Martin Luther King, Jr. and Nelson Mandela joined anti-Wall protesters in Bil'in, marching to commemorate their nonviolent struggle against occupation, oppression and colonialism. “ The struggles of Gandhi against oppression and occupation in India , Martin Luther King, Jr. against racism in the USA and Mandela against the apartheid in South Africa are all similar to Bili'n's ongoing struggle against occupation here” , a statement from the Popular Committee said. International and Israeli activists, delegations from the Freedom Theater in Jenin and the Palestinian People's Struggle Front also joined the rally. Protesters marched towards the separation barrier, chanting slogans and singing... Weekly Protest in Bi'lin Marks International Week Against Racism IMEMC - Friday March 05, 2010 - 16:13, This week’s protest in Bi’lin was joined by international and Israeli peace activists, and groups representing the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine political party and the Freedom Theatre in Jenin. Protests: Troops fire tear gas at journalists, ’Ghandi’ 3/5/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Delegations from the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) and the Freedom Theater in Jenin joined over 100 anti-wall ralliers in Bil'in on Friday, to mark Global Week Against racism. As the group finished Friday prayers and marched toward the site of the separation barrier, which cuts villagers off from their agricultural and village lands, the group was met with tear-gas canisters, organizers said. "The occupation forces fired tear gas towards the citizens of Bil'in, foreign peace activists and peace-loving Israelis," a statement from the popular committee said. First to be hit with the tear gas, organizers noted, were actors from the Jenin Theatre group dressed as figures from the anti-facism struggle around the world, Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King, jr. The statement alleged that Israeli troops "deliberately fired tear gas towards. . . " Oscar hopes high as 'Ajami' crew heads for Hollywood Ha'aretz 4 Mar 2010 - The Israeli filmmakers behind the Oscar-nominated picture "Ajami" arrived in Los Angeles on Thursday to attend this Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theater. ... Hopes high for an Oscar as'Ajami' crew heads for Hollywood Ha'aretz 4 Mar 2010 - The Israeli filmmakers behind the Oscar-nominated picture "Ajami" arrived in Los Angeles yesterday to attend this Sunday's Academy Awards ceremony at the Kodak Theater. ... Gaza: A Dark Comedy Curtis Doebbler, Ma’an News Agency 2/27/2010 When Israel attacked Gaza just over a year ago, the Israeli government undoubtedly believed it could get away with murder with little damage to its reputation. The way that this would happen, however, was probably not envisioned. Neither the Israeli generals who ordered the attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure and whatever else was in sight, nor their most unyielding defenders could have foreseen the dark comedy into which they had stepped. While they might have assumed they could act with immunity, they probably did not expect that this immunity would come as much from Palestinian actions as their own. The one-year history of how the tragedy in Gaza has been handled at the UN today seems to have devolved to a dark comedy. The Israeli government, their supporters, much of the wider international community, and even the Palestinian authorities themselves have all contributed to the surreal compliance with which the ongoing, man-made disaster in Gaza has been handled. The most recent leading actor in this dark comedy is the UN secretary-general, Ban Ki-moon, who responded to a demand by the UN General Assembly that he report on progress being made to investigate the war crimes in Gaza by providing a one-and-a-half-page note essentially saying he wasn’t sure that any progress was being made. He cited the commitments of the single state involved, as well as those of actors the UN does not yet recognize as states, as indicating that they would undertake proper investigations of the allegations made in the Goldstone report. more.. e-mail Israeli forces commemorate Goldstein Massacre with tear gas and sound bombs 2/26/2010 - International Solidarity Movement - 25 February 2010 - On 25 February 2010 eight ISM volunteers gathered at the Hebron Municipality building alongside Hebron residents, Israeli activists and other international volunteer groups. Television crews were already interviewing local organizers and political leaders; Israeli activists scrambled to finish the last of their demonstration placards with phrases in Hebrew saying "Open Shuhada Street," "There is No Holiness in an Occupied City," and "Ibrahim's Mosque is a Bi-national holy Site;" Shebab (young Palestinian boys) danced a few steps of dabke, a traditional Palestinian dance, to a popular Arabic song playing from a cell phone projected through a megaphone. At 2pm, multiple buses appeared in the parking lot below the municipality and both international and Israeli activists were instructed towards a small white bus at the far end. Listen to the Heroes of Israel John Pilger, Antiwar.com 2/25/2010 "Our children," said Nurit at a rally last December to mark the anniversary of the Israeli assault on Gaza, "have learned this year that all the disgusting qualities which anti-Semites attribute to Jews are actually manifested among our leaders: deceit, greed, and the murder of children … " I phoned Rami Elhanan the other day. We had not spoken for six years and much has happened in Israel and Palestine. Rami is an Israeli graphic designer who lives with his family in Jerusalem. His father survived Auschwitz. His grandparents and six aunts and uncles perished in the Holocaust. Whenever I am asked about heroes, I say Rami and his wife Nurit without hesitation. Soon after when we met, Rami gave me a home videotape that was difficult to watch. It shows his daughter Smadar, aged 14, throwing her head back, laughing and playing the piano. "She loved to dance," he said. On the afternoon of 4 September, 1997, Smadar and her best friend, Sivane, had auditions for admission to a dance school. She had argued that morning with her mother, who was anxious about her going to the centre of Jerusalem. "I didn’t want to row," said Nurit, "so I let her go." Rami was in his car when he turned on the radio to catch the three o’clock news. There had been a suicide bombing in Ben Yehuda shopping precinct. More than 200 hundred people were injured and several were dead. Within minutes, his mobile phone rang. It was Nurit, crying. They searched the hospitals in vain, then the morgue; and so began, as Rami describes it, their "descent into darkness." Rami and Nurit are two of the founders of the Parents Circle, or Bereaved Families Forum, which brings together Israelis and Palestinians who have lost loved ones. "It’s painful to acknowledge," he said. "but there is no basic moral difference between the [Israeli] soldier at the checkpoint who prevents a woman who is having a baby from going through, causing her to lose the baby, and the man who killed my daughter. And just as my daughter was a victim [of the occupation], so was he.".... more.. e-mail "The ground is shifting": An interview with comedian Ivor Dembina Electronic Intifada: 26 Feb 2010 - Ivor Dembina's one-man show This is Not a Subject for Comedy has been running, growing and developing for more than five year, dealing with Dembina's upbringing in a 1960s "mainstream Jewish household" broadly supporting the Zionist cause. Set to perform before the British House of Commons, Dembina was recently interviewed by The Electronic Intifada contributor Sarah Irving. No Tutu Is Big Enough To Cover Israel's War Crimes Palestine Monitor: 22 Feb 2010 - Last week, American and Israeli human rights activists interrupted a performance by the Israel Ballet at the Flynn Theater in Burlington, Vermont, holding banners which read "Sponsored by Apartheid Israel" and "No tutu is big enough to cover War Crimes". The Israel Ballet is currently touring the U.S. as part of "Brand Israel", a campaign launched in August 2009 by Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs as attempt to give the controversial state a new international image, in the wake of unanimous condemnation from the major human rights organizations and, most recently, the U.N. "Goldstone Report. Video of the action is currently being censored by Youtube who claim it violates a “terms of use” policy, however the video can be viewed at the following links: Israel ballet interrupted in Burlington, Vt. - No tutu is big enough to cover Israel's War Crimes from samayfield on Vimeo . The activists, who had purchased... Friday Night Lights: American and Israeli human rights activists disrupt ballet performance in Vermont 2/20/2010 - P U L S E - BURLINGTON, VT- Greetings from the Green Mountain State! I want to give a shout out to those who participated in a successful night of activism. Several activists leafleted 249 people attending last night’s Israeli Ballet performance at the Flynn Theater. The leaflet asked “Would you like some information about Don Quixote and the Israel Ballet? ” — which was an accurate presentation of last night’s performance. “Israel’s ‘Golden Helmet of Mambrino’ — which makes one invisible, thus capable of all actions — is slowly turning into Don Quixote’s version of it — a upside-down shaving bowl plopped on the head — incapable of nothing but making its wearer more obvious and actionable to the world. Brand Israel will continue to call forth increasing protests as audiences realize they are being used,” said author and activist Marc Estrin. In photos: US hip hop group HaviKoro perform in Nablus 2/19/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The US Consulate in Jerusalem sponsored local performances by The HaviKoro Crew, a hip hop group based in Houston, Texas, playing to capacity crowds in the West Bank and East Jerusalem, organizers said. The crew, whose next stop is Jordan, are part of an ongoing initiative by the US representatives officeto promote "mutual understanding and stronger ties between Palestinians and Americans," a statement said. The initiative has seen Jazz, rap and Swing groups perform across Palestine in recent years, in what was described as an effort to expose Palestinians to music and culture that is uniquely American, with a global influence. HaviKoro, like the bands that came before them, performed for audiences and conducted workshops across Palestine. Students in Ramallah, Nablus and East Jerusalem were treated to day-long dance classes as the crew shared their moves with eager children and young adults. Sunday 'Resisdance' Protest to Tell Israel Ballet It can’t Tip-Toe Around Apartheid 2/19/2010 - WAFA - Palestine News Agency - BROOKLYN, NY, February 21, 2010 (WAFA)- Human rights activists will call upon New Yorkers to boycott the Israel Ballet at their Sunday afternoon performance at the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College. The protest will include contemporary and folk dance, anti-apartheid ballet-themed chants, and more. Organizers of the protest affirmed the boycott call by the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and stated that Israeli cultural and academic institutions that do not openly denounce Israeli crimes against Palestinians and dissociate themselves from Israeli policy should be subject to a popular boycott. Allison Brown of Adalah-NY comments, “Rather than distancing itself from the Israeli state’s cynical use of the arts to whitewash its apartheid and colonial policies, the Israel Ballet, which receives around $1 million annually from the Israeli government, has proudly embraced its ties with the state. Climbdown: Britain knew Mossad used fake passports for Dubai assassination Mondoweiss - 19 Feb 2010 - That’s the news from Haaretz . It’s all kabuki theater in the name of diplomatic cover. The matter will disappear from the headlines within days. Related posts: Were those Mossad assassins wearing tennis outfits in Dubai? Ripped from the headlines Will Dubai get Gaza to the ICC?... Gaza: A dark comedyAt first the Goldstone Report seemed a breakthrough. Now most hopes for justice have been dissipated Uruknet February 18, 2010 - When Israel attacked Gaza just over a year ago, the Israeli government undoubtedly believed it could get away with murder with little damage to its reputation. The way that this would happen, however, was probably not envisioned. Neither the Israeli generals who ordered the attacks on civilians, civilian infrastructure, and whatever else was within sight, nor... Don’t let the Israel Ballet tip-toe around Apartheid! Adalah-NY 2/5/2010 Adalah-NY, the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, the US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel, Boycott! Supporting the Palestinian BDS Call from Within, and American Jews for a Just Peace call for a boycott of and protests against the performances of the Israel Ballet during their February, 2010 US tour, due to the Israel Ballet’s complicity in whitewashing Israeli apartheid. The Israel Ballet will perform from February 8 – 27, 2010 in Panama City (FL), Ft. Myers (FL), Sarasota (FL), Bunnel (FL), West Palm Beach (FL), Gainesville (FL), Newport News (VA), Burlington (VT), Worcester (MA), Brooklyn (NY), Morgantown (WV), Buffalo (NY), Elmira (NY) and Rockville (MD). We call on individuals and groups to mobilize to boycott and protest against these performances. The Israel Ballet comes to the United States as part of the ongoing effort to “re-brand” Israel’s image in the West as an enlightened center of arts and technology, to conceal the facts about its occupation, racial discrimination and grave violations of international law and fundamental Palestinian rights. The Israeli government-sponsored campaign to promote cultural performances is a result of the steady decline of Israel’s standing in international public opinion. Consistent reports by the UN and leading human rights organizations have revealed the extent of Israel’s colonial oppression, gradual ethnic cleansing and even war crimes against the Palestinian people, as pointedly revealed in the UN’s recently published Goldstone Report on Israel’s war of aggression on Gaza. The Israel Ballet, which receives around $1 million annually from the Israeli government, is being advertised as a cultural ambassador of the state by the Israeli Consulate in New York. The dance group also boasts holding “special performances” for Israeli soldiers. -- See also: Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel and US Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel more.. e-mail Nuzha Nusseibeh named Knight of Jerusalem 2/14/2010 - Jerusalem - Ma'an - Nuzha Nusseibeh was named the Knight of Jerusalem during a ceremony celebrating her lifetime achievements in education, women and prisoners' rights, at the Dar At-Tifl school and orphanage in Jerusalem on Saturday evening, organized by the Jawwal Theatre Group. Nusseibeh was awarded the title for her pioneering role in establishing a number of Palestinian institutions dedicated to providing education to both young girls and orphans, most prominent of all being the Young Women's Islamic Association which hosts one of the most successful secondary schools for girls in Jerusalem. Under Nusseibeh's leadership, theYWIArecently opened a new school and community center on the Mount of Olives following a lengthy battle with the Israeli Jerusalem Municipality. Touring Israeli ballet company has no Palestinian dancers Mondoweiss - 7 Feb 2010 - Several BDS groups, including Adalah-NY here , have called for boycott of the Israel Ballet’s tour to Florida and the Northeast this month. The groups say that the ballet is part of the government’s rebranding campaign– The Israel Ballet, which receives around $1 million annually from the... Ban’s report pleases Israel 2/5/2010 - Jerusalem Post - But rights groups say UN chief failed to assess Israeli, Palestinian probes - “Israel is satisfied that the secretary general of the United Nations accurately reflected the Israeli document submitted this week,” the Foreign Ministry said in a statement published Friday afternoon. The ministry said Israel’s document “fully expresses Israel’s obligation to hold independent and reliable investigations, which would measure up to the yardstick of international law. ”“Despite the difficulties presented by the Gaza theater, Israel kept international norms and will continue to do so in the future, while primarily maintaining the security and well-being of its citizens,” the statement continued. A senior Israeli official said Israel has been in constant contact with UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon and other UN officials. The United States has also been a key advocate, deploying senior officials to convey a strong message on the issue. Video: Theatre in the shadow of the Palestinian Nakba The Guardian 5 Feb 2010 - Playwright Amir Nizar Zuabi on how growing up in Galilee after the 1948 conflict inspired his latest theatre piece, I Am Yusuf and This Is My Brother Andrew Dickson Mustafa Khalili Laurence Topham "A different kind of occupation": an interview with Elia Suleiman Electronic Intifada: 1 Feb 2010 - Nazareth-born filmmaker Elia Suleiman is one of the darlings of Cannes and stands out from the pack of contemporary Palestinian filmmakers for his unique style of filmmaking based on sewing together a series vignettes, silence -- an emphasis on visual storytelling versus dialogue, and deadpan comedy found in often grim humor in the lives of everyday people living under the tyranny of what he calls a "pathetic occupation." Sabah Haider recently interviewed Suleiman for The Electronic Intifada. "A different kind of occupation": an interview with Elia Suleiman Uruknet February 1, 2010 - Nazareth-born filmmaker Elia Suleiman is one of the darlings of Cannes and stands out from the pack of contemporary Palestinian filmmakers for his unique style of filmmaking based on sewing together a series vignettes, silence -- an emphasis on visual storytelling versus dialogue, and deadpan comedy found in often grim humor in the lives of everyday... "A different kind of occupation": an interview with Elia Suleiman Electronic Intifada: 1 Feb 2010 - Nazareth-born filmmaker Elia Suleiman is one of the darlings of Cannes and stands out from the pack of contemporary Palestinian filmmakers for his unique style of filmmaking based on sewing together a series vignettes, silence -- an emphasis on visual storytelling versus dialogue, and deadpan comedy found in often grim humor in the lives of everyday people living under the tyranny of what he calls a "pathetic occupation." Sabah Haider recently interviewed Suleiman for The Electronic Intifada. I laughed and then it felt weird Mondoweiss - 27 Jan 2010 - Below is a skit from "A Wonderful Country," the Israeli TV comedy show that’s been applauded in the US , mocking Israel’s effort to resuscitate its image post-Gaza by helping Haiti. It’s funny and dark (and shows that our posts on this issue have been legit). The... Kendeda winner Tennis in Nablus' at the Alliance Theatre PNN 26 Jan 2010 - Theater preview “Tennis in Nablus” by Ishmail Khalidi Jan 29-Feb 21. $25-$30. Alliance Theatre’s Hertz Stage, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., 404-733-5000, www.alliancetheatre.org (http://www.alliancetheatre.org/). By Pierre Ruhe Never mind attempts at witty conversation and flirting. Everyone knows there is just one measure of a successful first date: It leads to a second, and a third. So it is with the world premiere of... I Am Yusuf and This Is My Brother: PNN 14 Jan 2010 - Palestinian story about Palestinians.In the war of 1948, thousands of Palestinians were uprooted from their homes never to return, and playwright Amir Nizar Zuabi is determined to tell their stories. It was six decades ago, but the fallout from the war continues. A few months ago, one fast-rising, rightwing Israeli party tried to introduce a bill that would ban Palestinians from commemorating... Fayyad unveils sculpture series dedicated to Palestinian women 1/13/2010 - Ramallah - Ma'an - Prime Minister Salam Fayyad unveiled a mural dedicated to Palestinian women on Tuesday in Ramallah, highlighting the role of women in Palestinian life, history and culture. The mural, funded by the European Union, was the outcome of the Celebration of Art and Culture of Palestinian Women project and was created by the Women's Affairs Association. The project was undertaken to highlight the role of Palestinian women in maintaining traditional Palestinian art. Part of the mural will be displayed at Al-Quds University in the Abu Diss campus and near the Ashtar Theatre in Ramallah. During his speech, Fayyad emphasized the value of the project, asserting not only that the mural reflected Palestinian women's work but their vigilance preserving Palestinian memory. The caretaker prime minister further underscored the need to encourage Palestinian women to participate. . . Making Contact Jeruslalem Post 12 Jan 2010 - Israel is the latest chapter in the travel log of dancer Sadira Smith. I Am Yusuf and This Is My Brother: A Palestinian story about Palestinians The Guardian 11 Jan 2010 - In the war of 1948, thousands of Palestinians were uprooted from their homes never to return, and playwright Amir Nizar Zuabi is determined to tell their stories It was six decades ago, but the fallout from... Accountability Now! A Symposium on Human Rights and International Justice Alternative Information Center 9 Jan 2010 - Al-Quds University Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic Cordially invite you to: Accountability Now! A Symposium on Human Rights and International Justice Tuesday, 12th January 2010 2-4pm, Main Theater, Abu Dis Campus, Al-Quds University On occasion of the... Accountability Now! A Symposium on Human Rights and International Justice Alternative Information Center - 9 Jan 2010 - Al-Quds University Al-Quds Human Rights Clinic Cordially invite you to: Accountability Now! A Symposium on Human Rights and International Justice Tuesday, 12th January 2010 2-4pm, Main Theater, Abu Dis Campus, Al-Quds University On occasion of the one year anniversary of Israel’s 22-day-long offensive on the Gaza... Record numbers crowd Bethlehem for New Year’s 1/2/2010 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Bethlehem's halls and restaurants were filled New Year's Eve with an estimated 10,000 out of town visitors from all parts of the West Bank, and the city's Manger Square was full of celebrators though no official event had been arranged. Tickets for private parties in dozens of Bethlehem hotels were sold out, celebrations in Beit Sahour and Beit Jala were also full. Parties had guests from Hebron in the south, Ramallah in the center, Nablus, Qalqiliya, and Jenin in the north as well as Nazareth, Haifa and Jerusalem. For the first time, Bethlehem residents saw street parties, concentrated in Manger Square, where locals and international tourists and pilgrims celebrated and danced to music spontaneously pumped out of car speakers and phones. Police were caught off guard by the large numbers in the street, and huge ammounts of traffic turning Bethlehem streets into parking lots in the hours around midnight. ’Just the beginning of an all-out war’ 12/27/2009 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - During the first four minutes of Israel's devastating winter assault on the Gaza Strip, launched 11:25am local time one year ago today, over 60 warplanes struck 50 targets, ultimately killing and injuring hundreds by midnight. At least 228 Palestinians lost their lives during the opening hours of the offensive, including 25 women and children, making 27 December 2008 the deadliest day for the local population in the occupied territories since Israel first invaded in 1967. Medical officials say some 700 Palestinians were injured by nightfall, 140 of them seriously. Hospitals turned away patients as doctors performed multiple surgeries in the same operating theaters, as well as in ordinary examination rooms. "The situation - actually there was chaos, total chaos," according to the head of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the Strip, Mahmoud Daher, who. . . Confluence of holiday and protest set stage for high drama in Iran LA Times 26 Dec 2009 - Celebrations of Ashura, always a dramatic street ritual among Shiites, are expected to include an element of political theater this weekend, fueled by Iran's postelection unrest. The haze of burning esfand, a Persian weed, and the scents of thick-brewed tea and rose water fill the black funeral tents that have bloomed over Tehran. Sweeping black banners of mourning and small green lights hang outside mosques. Manger Square celebrations a party for all 12/25/2009 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - After Latin Patriarch Fuad Twal lead dozens of scouts through Bethlehem's Star Street and into Manger Square, families milled around the Old City, enjoying carols, hot corn, roasted nuts and cotton candy. Kids of all ages and visitors from all corners of the West Bank joined pilgrims and dignitaries for the live music under the glow of thousands of Christmas lights. Palestinians of every faith shared in the sounds of artists from around the world, preferring dance rhythms to the mournful songs, many penned in the honor of peace for Palestine. Khalid, selling hot cardamon coffee to revelers in the square, rolled his eyes at one artist, telling his customers to "make peace happen. ""We forget about the occupation today, it's a party; we are here to have fun," he said. Dancers took the break as songs for peace in Spanish rippled across the open air venue,. . . POMEGRANATES AND MYRRH PNN 17 Dec 2009 - International Narrative Feature FilmsPalestinianTerritories, 2008, 95 mins., color Director(s):Najwa Najjar Screenwriter(s): Najwa Najjar Producer: Hani E. Cort Coproducers: Robin Gutch, Thierry Lenouvel, Kamel Kacimi and Daniel Gobner Cinematographer: Valentina Caniglia Commissioning Editor: Meinolf Zuhorst Editors: Bettina Bohler, Sotira Kyriacou Dancer Kamar’s joyful wedding to Zaid is followed almost immediately by Zaid’s imprisonment in an Israeli jail for refusing to give up his... Yasmine Elmasri PNN 8 Dec 2009 - Yasmine Al Massri is a Palastinian French actress, Video artist, and a dancer, born in Lebanon, who graduated and lived in Paris, got her Diplome Nationale Superieure, from l'Ecole des Beaux Arts de Paris. She got her first acting chance with a Lebanese movie called Caramel with director Nadine Labaki, that got her the red carpet in Cannes Film Festival, and four... Olive harvest concludes with festival, new report 12/6/2009 - Stop The Wall - Several weeks ago, the olive harvest concluded with a festival in the Nablus area village of Burin. Under the banner “our enemies are the settlements and our path is resistance”, the festival celebrated the end of the harvest with traditional dance and music from local groups and a number of speakers. Both party representatives as well as grassroots activists attended the festival, where they praised farmers and their steadfastness (sumud) in the face of the ongoing assault by soldiers and settlers. The settlers near Burin are especially infamous, meaning the village is attacked frequently; last month 1,200 trees were burned or cut by settlers, and 3,000 faced the same fate the month before. Speakers then turned to the Palestinian National Authority (PNA), demanding that it take up its responsibility to protect and support the farmers. -- Link: Download the Olive Harvest 2009 report (PDF) Palestinian 'terrorist' takes aim at Sasha Baron Cohen Ha'aretz 7 Dec 2009 - A Palestinian grocer from Bethlehem filed suit against comedian Sasha Baron Cohen on Monday, for the sum total of $115 million in libel damages over his film Bruno , which is equal to half of the movie's gross box office earnings. ... Palestine theatre linked with Wales arts centre 12/5/2009 - Bethlehem - Ma'an/Agencies - Palestine's The Freedom Theatre and the Aberystwyth Arts Centre have established ties, the news agency Wales Online reported on Saturday. The exchange scheme was being established between the two organizations to help develop the skills of the young people working for the Freedom Theatre, according to the news agency. In early 2010, two trainee technicians from Jenin were expected to travel to Aberystwyth for a two-month work placement. [end] Gaza Freedom March less than one month away 12/5/2009 - International Solidarity Movement - Electronic Intifada, 4 December - The Gaza Freedom March that will take place in Gaza on 31 December is an historic initiative to break the siege that has imprisoned the 1. 5 million people who live there. Conceived in the spirit of Mahatma Gandhi, Nelson Mandela and nonviolent resistance to injustice worldwide, the march will gather people from all over the world to march - hand in hand - with the people of Gaza to demand that the Israelis open the borders. Marking the one-year anniversary of the December 2008 Israeli invasion that left more than 1,400 dead, this is a grassroots global response to the inaction on the part of world leaders and institutions. More than 1,000 international delegates from 42 countries have already signed up and more are signing on every day. Participants include Pulitzer Prize winning author Alice Walker, leading Syrian comedian Duraid Lahham, French Senator. . . . Haifa theater hit with lawsuit for allowing smoking on stage Ha'aretz 4 Dec 2009 - In what is believed to be the first legal action of its kind in the world, a Haifa Theater may be hit with a class-action lawsuit for allowing an actress to smoke on stage as part of her role. ... [uruknet.info] WE HAVE ONLY GOD Uruknet November 30, 2009 - In Gaza City I have seen 1948 in 2009. The same images: the images of the Nakba, the Palestinian catastrophe. But now they were moving. It was not a film. It was not theater. It was real. On Saturday 27 December 2008, at precisely 11:25, Israeli Occupation Forces launched a ferocious offensive against the Gaza Strip... Standing up for Israel Jeruslalem Post 29 Nov 2009 - Butch Bradley isn't concerned about coming here on a comedy tour; NJ is 'more of a war zone,' he says. Syrian soap superstars tour Gaza 11/23/2009 - Syrian soap opera superstars were among a delegation of actors that entered the Gaza Strip on Sunday on a solidarity visit to the besieged enclave. The group of 12 included Wafa Mousselie and Salim Kallas, who play leading characters on the hugely popular soap opera Bab Al-Hara (Gate of the Neighborhood), which appears nightly during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan. Watched by tens of millions across the Arab world, Bab Al-Hara is popular among Palestinians, particularly for its depictions of Syrian resistance to French colonialism in the 1930s. The delegation included Duraid Lahham, a leading comedian and director, who was visiting Gaza for the second time this year. Jamal Suleiman of the show Ahla Raya was also on the delegation. Among the group were Assad Eid, Rafiq Sbeie, Assad Fadda, Susan Najem Ad-Din, Radwan Aqili, Talhat Hamdi, Hadi Baqdunes, Hesham Hasbani and TV cameraman Ayman Salameh. Palestinian schools mark Children’s Day; Israel boycotts 11/21/2009 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - Sports and music events hosted by UNIFEC and Right to Play will mark the 20th anniversary of Palestine's adoption of the Convention on the Rights of the Child on Friday, the UN International Children's Day. Hundreds of children in Ramallah, Hebron, Jenin and Nablus will mark the occasion with concerts, road races, theater performances, football matches and kids games. In Israel, however, a decision by the Ministry of Education not to hold any special activities this year to mark Universal Children's Day, was pushed through earlier in the week, a Wednesday report from Haaretz noted. The Convention entered into force in Israel in November 1991, but Israel denies its applicability Palestinian areas, as with most other international treaties, according to Defense for Children International. The Israeli argument is that ratification of the treaty was intended for. . . Real Estate Shopping Is Used as Political Theater on Jerusalem’s Contested Ground New York Times 19 Nov 2009 - The conundrum of Jerusalem was fully in evidence as a Brooklyn lawmaker talked of buying into a Jewish apartment complex in a Palestinian neighborhood. Burin celebrates successful olive harvest, despite numerous settler attacks 11/19/2009 - International Solidarity Movement - 18 November 2009 - On Wednesday 18 November, the village of Burin (south of Nablus) celebrated the successful conclusion of its olive harvest. More than 400 villagers came together to hear speeches by locals and nationally renowned politicians (including member of Knesset Mohammed Baraka, general secretary of Hadash), as well as to see the young men of the village dance the Dabke, the traditional dance of Palestine. A large stage with sound system had been set up outside the local boys' school and the festivities commenced at around 11am. Braving weather that seemed to change every 5 minutes from pleasantly warm to freezing cold, the villagers listened to speeches and music in clear view from the illegal settlement of Yitzhar, one that has caused its fair share of problems for the village during the harvest. Only 6 days before the event, settlers from Yitzhar attacked the fields of Burin, cutting down 97 trees. Real Estate Shopping Is Used as Political Theater on Jerusalem’s Contested Ground New York Times 19 Nov 2009 - The conundrum of Jerusalem was fully in evidence as a Brooklyn lawmaker talked of buying into a Jewish apartment complex in a Palestinian neighborhood. Real Estate Shopping Is Used as Political Theater on Jerusalem’s Contested Ground 11/18/2009 - New York Times - JERUSALEM — Dov Hikind, a member of the New York State Assembly, was in this disputed city on Wednesday looking for property to buy. He said he was most excited about a new apartment complex overlooking the Old City called Nof Zion. At noon, Mr. Hikind led a group of about 50 American Jews in laying a cornerstone for the next phase of Nof Zion, with construction scheduled to start next spring. “I want to buy here,” Mr. Hikind said. “I might make a deal while I am here this time. ”More than a real estate deal, though, it would be a statement: Nof Zion, a private Jewish project, is in Jebel Mukaber, a Palestinian Arab neighborhood of East Jerusalem, in territory Israel captured from Jordan in the 1967 war. Israel claims sovereignty over all Jerusalem; the Palestinians demand the eastern part as the capital of a future state. London Christmas concert to highlight 'plight of the Holy Land' 11/17/2009 - Bethlehem - Ma'an - The Voices of Bethlehem '09 Christmas concert in London will host a handful of literary celebrities in what hopes to be an event to raise awareness the "plight of the Holy Land,"ť organizers said. The event, where a full choir and brass band, with members of the Adhoc Humanitarians Orchestra, will perform Christmas and seasonal works, as Samira Hassassian, former lecturer at Bethlehem University gives audience members background on the occupation on the Holy Land. Also addressing concert goers will be British author Deborah Moggach, who recently took part in the Palestine Literature Festival, whose debut readings in Jerusalem were shut down by armed Israeli soldiers. Moggach will be joined by British playwright Caryl Churchill, whose short play "Seven Jewish Children - A Play for Gaza," released during the last days of Israel's war on Gaza, was distributed. . .
Is Caryl Churchill’s play Seven Jewish Children antisemitic? Charlotte Higgins, The Guardian 2/18/2009 The fast-response, eight-minute play that Churchill has written for the Royal Court in London has provoked a furore - First of all – I should say that I heartily recommend that you go and see Churchill’s Seven Jewish Children yourself, if you can get to the Royal Court theatre in London. It’s free to get in, it’s only eight minutes long, and it’s on until 21 January. The play did not strike me as antisemitic and I do not now believe it to be antisemitic. The work contains seven short scenes marking seven moments in Israeli history from the Holocaust via the first intifada to the present day. In those scenes Israeli adults discuss how they will explain those moments to an absent child. Here’s an example of a few lines from the last section of the play. " Tell her she can’t watch the news / Tell her she can watch cartoons / Tell her she can stay up late and watch Friends. / Tell her they’re attacking with rockets / Don’t frighten her / Tell her only a few of us have been killed. . . [etc]". . . more.. e-mail
Israeli comedy show satirises Gaza violence Ben Lynfield in Jerusalem, The Independent 1/10/2009 With nearly 800 Palestinians and 13 Israelis killed, four of the latter by so-called friendly fire, the Gaza war is no laughing matter, putting Israel’s most popular comedy show in a delicate position. Eretz Nehederet (Wonderful Country) -- the Israeli equivalent of the Daily Show -- has nonetheless been highlighting the lopsided fatality count of the war raging in the Gaza Strip. Last week’s episode featured a warmongering military correspondent, played by actor Tal Friedman, repeatedly breaking in to the newscasts with updates on the rising Palestinian death toll as if the war was a sports match. "It’s 500 for the visitors, four for the home team," the correpondent says. "The result is good but we can’t be complacent and we have to widen the lead. "A moment later he announces "a direct hit on a fashion studio, we are up to 501". more.. e-mail
News in Brief - 1000 march against Gaza offensive in Tel Aviv Ha’aretz 12/28/2008 Some 1,000 people marched in Tel Aviv last night to protest the military offensive in the Gaza Strip. The demonstrators, including leftist and human rights activists, walked from the Cinematheque theater on Carlebach Street to the Defense Ministry. Police on horseback accompanied the protesters, one of whom became caught between a horse’s legs. The demonstrators argued that the operation in Gaza does not advance Israeli citizens’ security. "No one can tell us that a massacre against the people of Gaza is intended to protect the citizens of Sderot and Ashkelon," said Matan Kaminer, a student who participated in the procession. (Ofri Ilani) Labor and the new Meretz alignment announced yesterday they would be temporarily stopping their election campaigning due to the operation in Gaza. Yesterday afternoon, several hours after the offensive began, Labor announced that its leader, Defense Minister Ehud Barak, would stop his campaign activities. more.. e-mail
Doctors worry about Gazans’ reliance on sedative painkiller The Associated Press, Ha’aretz 12/14/2008 The new drug overtaking the Gaza Strip doesn’t stimulate hallucinations or boost endurance at the dance club. It merely chills you out, which is exactly what many Gazans say they need. Ruled by Islamic hard-liners from Hamas and locked in by Israel and Egypt, Gazans can’t travel outside the strip, have few places to go for fun and are faced with a failing economy. Thus the boom in the popularity of tramadol, a painkiller known here by a common brand name, Tramal. Growing numbers of Gazans have begun using the drug over the past year and a half to take the edge off life in the impoverished seaside strip, pharmacists and residents say. This worries medical personnel, who say the drug can cause dependence. It is a prescription drug in many countries, and the Hamas-run Health Ministry has made efforts to control it, but without much success in a society where medicines available only by prescription elsewhere are often sold over the counter. more.. e-mail
Clowns bring comic relief to streets of Beirut Middle East Online 12/9/2008 BEIRUT - Clowns and street performers danced in the rainy streets of Lebanon’s capital on Tuesday bringing holiday cheers to the traffic-jammed Hamra shopping district. Thirty performers from Germany, Italy, Morocco and Lebanon donned rainbow-coloured wigs and red plastic noses to put on a show, as frustrated drivers blasted their horns. Some clowns walked on stilts as others danced, juggled, blew balloons and took pictures with the crowd that gathered to watch the show under pouring rain in west Beirut. Tuesday’s performance, which fell on the second day of the Muslim holidays of Eid al-Adha and in the runup to Christmas, was the culmination of a week-long workshop in Beirut on street performances. "It is meant to introduce street performances and comic relief as a way to deal with tense situations and conflict," said Tonnie Selwood Choeiri, one of the organisers. more.. e-mail
In Gaza coffee shops, men and women break strict taboos Amira Hass, Ha’aretz 11/21/2008 GAZA CITY - A womens association celebrating the end of a management course, combined with a party for the 20th anniversary of the Palestinian declaration of independence is no big deal in itself. In Gaza, however, the combination of these events last Saturday, at a beachfront event hall, was more than the sum of its parts. It was an overt display of mixing between men and women, both at the tables and on the dance floor. During the holy month of Ramadan, a number of parties with mixed participation and singing took place at this restaurant, spurning police pressure on the owners to put a stop to them. The womens association is headed by a senior member of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine. Many of the guests were members and supporters of the PFLP. The choice of this restaurant was a statement of their position, and a show of support for the owners. more.. e-mail
Tel Aviv residents fear ultra-Orthodox invasion Eli Senyor, YNetNews 10/15/2008 Residents of Ramat Aviv neighborhood urge Mayor Ron Huldai to act on growing haredi presence there. Chabad representative says in response, ’My suggestion to people who complain is to come talk to us’ - Is Ramat Aviv becoming ultra-Orthodox? It depends who you ask. The Tel Aviv neighborhood’s veteran inhabitants have recently taken notice of a few incidents causing them to fear for their secular lives. One of the local movie theaters turned into a "kollel" (an institute for advanced studies of Talmud and rabbinic literature for Jewish men), a Histardrut (labor federation) clubhouse on Reading Street turned into a haredi kindergarten, and previously, a Jewish Agency building was transformed into a mikveh (ritual bath). Moreover, the Ramat Aviv mall is closed on Shabbat. For all the abovementioned reasons, the suburb’s inhabitants turned to Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai in a request to act on the subject. more.. e-mail
’Not a time for celebrations,’ says Acre mayor, as theater festival is cancelled Tzipi Shochat, Ha’aretz 10/12/2008 The city of Acre announced over the weekend its intention to cancel the Fringe Theater Festival that was scheduled to take place there over the Sukkot holiday. The decision came following unrest in the mixed Jewish-Arab city during the Yom Kippur holiday that saw 30 people arrested, and some 40 stores and 100 cars damaged. The riots erupted around midnight Wednesday, hours after the start of the holiday (when traffic comes to a standstill in Jewish areas) when an Arab resident drove his car through a predominantly Jewish neighborhood, allegedly playing loud music, in what Jewish residents called a deliberate provocation. "This is not a time for celebrations," Acre mayor Shimon Lankri said over the weekend. It remains unclear when the festival will be held, if at all. Playwrights and actors expressed their disappointment at the cancellation. more.. e-mail
Rap music evokes feeling of national unity in Jenin Ali Samoudi, Palestine News Network 7/23/2008 more.. e-mail
Maori tribes to reinforce Jewish people? Itamar Eichner, YNetNews 6/29/2008 Dozens of indigenous Polynesian people of New Zealand discover Judaism, study Kabbalah; one even converts to Judaism - Is Israel about to welcome new immigrants belonging to New Zealand’s indigenous Polynesian people? Israel’s Ambassador to Australia and New Zealand Yuval Rotem paid an unusual visit this week to the Maori community, which has recently drawn closer to Judaism and Kabbalah. The ambassador and the embassy workers were welcomed by the community members in a Maori ceremony, which included dances, greetings in the local language, songs and the traditional "hongi" (greeting guests by pressing noses with them). The meeting was initiated by the deputy president of Auckland’s reform synagogue, a Maori man who converted to Judaism several years ago. His English name is Steve and his Hebrew name is Shimshon. more.. e-mail
Going local Nehad Selaiha, Al-Ahram Weekly 6/26/2008 This year, I did not catch as much of the annual Modern Dance Theatre Festival as I would have liked to do. Out of the 15 performances which made up the festival, I watched only 9, and of those 2 I had already seen earlier this year. What follows therefore is not a thorough coverage or evaluation of this year’s edition, but rather a few impressions I thought I’d share with you. I missed the opening, but, fortunately, the same programme was repeated the following night. It consisted of a short speech by Walid Aouni, the founder of the festival, in which he dedicated this year’s edition to the name of the world-famous choreographer and dancer, Maurice Bejart, who died on 22 November last year. Before he settled in Cairo in the early 1990s, founding the first Arab modern dance theatre troupe at the Cairo Opera House, Aouni had worked as scenographer, set and costume designer with Bejart. more.. e-mail
’Modesty police’ patrols bridge ceremony Neta Sela, YNetNews 6/26/2008 Dancers scheduled to appear in opening ceremony of new Chords Bridge in Jerusalem undergo emergency wardrobe change after ultra-Orthodox elements deem original outfits immodest, threaten mass protest - A cover-up:The dancers hired to perform at Wednesday inauguration ceremony of Jerusalem’s new Chords Bridge had to undergo a last-minute wardrobe change, after ultra-Orthodox elements deemed their costume "too revealing," and threatened to stage a mass protest at the ceremony. Jerusalem Mayor Uri Lupolianski was reportedly under significant pressure to cancel the performance altogether, but eventually, a compromised was reached: The dancers were dressed in long outfits - complete with headdress - which rendered their figures unrecognizable. The performance was also cut from three segments to one. David’s Harp? Jerusalem undecided - bridge a blessing. . . more.. e-mail
Palestinian Festival of Dance – and Debate Joshua Mitnick, MIFTAH 5/6/2008 more.. e-mail
Is Art the Answer? Joharah Baker, MIFTAH 4/16/2008 more.. e-mail
Ramallah dance festival resists crushing of culture Palestine News Network 3/23/2008 Ramallah / PNN -- The Ramallah Dance Festival is preparing for its third year with 14 groups and 140 artists. "We are expressing what remains of the surge in our life-force, as survivors, at time that the occupation would have us crushed. "We are defending ourselves against the violence we endure that would take away our culture and our civilization," Director Khalid Alian said Monday. The Ramallah festival of contemporary dance will run from 17 April through 5 May with the participation of European dance troupes, in addition to the Palestinians. Featured will be traditional works through hip-hop. The festival comes during the memorial of 60 years of Al Nakba, the Catastrophe, that marks the founding of the state of Israel. "This commemorates the plight of Palestine and reaffirms the steadfastness of the people who have remained on their land. " more.. e-mail
Hundreds celebrate Purim at attacked J’lem yeshiva Ynet, YNetNews 3/21/2008 Religious Zionist members gather at Mercaz Harav rabbinical seminary to observe holiday mitzvahs ’despite the pain’ - Hundreds of members of the Religious Zionist Movement celebrated Purim under heavy security Saturday night at the Mercaz Harav rabbinical seminary in Jerusalem, which lost eight of its students in aterror attack carried out by a Palestinian resident of the capital two weeks ago. The celebrators, who arrived at the yeshiva in costume, danced in circles to hasidic renditions of traditional Purim songs. During the festivities a drunken student of the yeshiva turned to the officers on hand and asked that they "better protect the establishment in case of another terror attack". Another student said, "Despite the horrible attack and the ensuing pain, terrorists have not and will not prevent us from observing the holiday mitzvahs. more.. e-mail
VIDEO - Muslim American uses ethnic humor to turn biases into laughter Haaretz Staff and Channel 10, Ha’aretz 3/16/2008 Haaretz. com/Channel 10 news roundup for March 16, 2008. Azhar Usman is one of many Muslim Americans who sprung up after September 11 whouse comedy to cope with stereotypes against their community. Usman’s stand up routine, which he has taken to over a dozen countries, takes some of our ugliest biases and uses them to turn fear into laughter. Usman, who is of Indian origin, grew up in Skokie, Illinois, a Chicago suburb with a sizeable Jewish populationAmerica (and Jews specifically for that matter) has a rich tradition of ethnic humor, and Usman has succeeded in making a living out of it. He is the co-founder of "Allah Made Me Funny ? The Official Muslim Comedy Tour. " more.. e-mail this link
Straddling Cultures, Irreverently, in Life and Art Isabel Kershner, MIFTAH 1/8/2008 Being an Arab Israeli has always been a complex affair, at times almost a contradiction in terms. For Sayed Kashua, 32, an Israeli-born Arab journalist and author, it just got more complicated. His latest work, a prime-time situation comedy on Israel’s commercial Channel 2 television, deals with Israeli society’s prejudices and peccadilloes through the eyes of a Muslim Arab family that bears an uncanny resemblance to Mr. Kashua’s own. The series is popular with its mostly Jewish audience, which finds it irreverent and funny. But many among the 1. 4 million Palestinian citizens of Israel — 20 percent of the population — say it borders on insulting. The Arabic press reviews have been “deadly — the critics are attacking everything I’ve done,” Mr. Kashua said. “They say that I work at a Zionist newspaper” — he writes a satirical weekly column in the liberal Hebrew daily Haaretz — “and that I supply stereotypes for the Jews. ” The lavish praise by the Hebrew-language critics has not helped. more..
For Dutch educators, Islamophobia can be a teaching aid for Holocaust studies Cnaan Liphshiz, Ha’aretz 1/2/2008 When teaching Holocaust studies to Dutch Muslim teenagers in Amsterdam, Mustafa Daher says he first has to defuse his pupils’ own hostility toward Jews and Israel. "If I don’t capture their interest, then I have done nothing. So I use the rising Islamophobia to help them connect to the persecution of the Jews," the seasoned educator says. "For example, I tell them that when the Nazis suspected someone was Jewish, they would pull down his pants to see if he was circumcised. Then I remind my Muslim students they are also ’snipped. ’ So they, too, would’ve ended up in a concentration camp," says Daher. Judith Whitlau, who teaches groups about the Holocaust at the Dutch Theater in Amsterdam, says she has to contend with another analogy. "Some point to media reports from the occupied territories, and they want to know what exactly Israel itself is doing to internalize the Holocaust’s lessons as it preaches others should do. more..
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