| Tell Congress: "NO to bankrupting Palestine!" | | Alison Weir - If Americans Knew - Palestinians are being demonized
again by Congress. The proposed laws would enable American victims
of violence from Palestinian perpetrators (for example, suicide
bombings) to sue the PA through the American court system – even
though the PA had no connection to the culprits, and even though
Israeli bombings killed vastly more civilians. (Meanwhile, American
victims of violence inflicted by the Israeli military would continue
to have no recourse.) As pro-Israel lawmakers lay this trap for
Palestine, US laws are already on the books – for example, the Leahy
Laws – that limit aid to countries practicing Gross Human Rights
Violations. These laws have never been applied to Israel – in spite
of its well-documented history of human rights violations. Tell your
representative and senators to keep their names off H.R.1837 and
S.2132! [ak] | 24/9/2019 |
| Hundreds of authors protest revocation of Kamila Shamsie`s literary prize | | Alison Flood - The Guardian - The German city of Dortmund intended
to grant this year`s Nelly Sachs Prize to the British Pakistani
writer Kamila, but changed its mind on learning she backed the BDS
movement, stating: “Actively participating in the cultural boycott
[of Israel] contrasts with the claim of the Nelly Sachs prize to
proclaim and exemplify reconciliation among peoples and cultures”.
Hundreds of authors signed a letter of protest: "“What is the
meaning of a literary award that undermines the right to advocate
for human rights, the principles of freedom of conscience and
expression and the freedom to criticize? Without these, art and
culture become meaningless luxuries.” Arundhati Roy, JM Coetzee and Noam Chomsky were among the hundreds of signatories of the protest. [ak] | 24/9/2019 |
| Hague court to deliberate war crimes proceedings charges against Benny Gantz, ex-Israeli Army Chief and leading opposition candidate | | Amira Hass - Ha`aretz/IMEMC - While Israelis go to the polls next
Tuesday, The Dutch Central Court in The Hague will deliberate on a
civil lawsuit filed against Benny Gantz - former Israeli Army Chief
of Staff and at present an opposition politician, the main contender
against Netnayahu. The suit concerns alleged war crimes committed
during the 2014 Israeli offensive on the Gaza Strip, when Ganz was
in command. It was filed by Dutch citizen Ismail Ziada, a resident
of Gaza’s al-Bureij refugee camp and whose home was bombed by
Israeli forces on July 20th, 2014. In the bombing, Ziada lost his
mother, three of his brothers, his sister-in-law, a nephew, and a
friend who was visiting the family. Gantz`s lawyers asserted that an
official in Israel he could claim immunity unless proven to have
acted with intent to cause harm or disregard the possibility of
harm. In the ongoing Israeli elections campaign, Ganz was less
restrained - actually boasting of his responsibility for the killing
of thousands in bombing Gaza, in the hope that this would win
right-wing voters. [ak]
| 10/9/2019 |
