Gilad Atzmon's Blog, page 123
October 14, 2012
An open letter to Ali Abunimah & Co
In the spirit of the ‘Jews only’ tradition inherent to Zionism, Israel and even the Jewish left, a bunch of Palestinian prominent activists last night signed a ‘Palestinian only’ declaration of both the necessary and the obvious.
An open letter to Ali Abunimah & Co
Your recent Palestinian declaration stands firmly against racism and bigotry – well done!
Considering my relentless efforts against Jewish racism, and bearing in mind the fact that both my parents hold British Mandate Palestinian birth certificates and that I define myself as a ‘Hebrew-Speaking Palestinian’, I ask that you add me to your ‘Palestinian-only’ list.
Such a move can only serve to demonstrate that, unlike ‘Jews Only’ organisations, you really are pluralist, diverse, inclusive and genuine in your anti-racist call.
Sincerely Yours
Gilad Atzmon
The Wandering Who? A Study Of Jewish Identity Politics, Jewish political interest and Jewish hegemony within the Palestinian Solidarity Movement...
The book can be ordered on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
Gilad Atzmon @ BBC World Services' Weekend Radio Show Earlier Today
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x4eSH2tq67w
To listen to the entire program: http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p00yxrs8
Screening of Gilad & All That Jazz + Q&A tomorrow at the Frontline Club, London
http://www.frontlineclub.com/
Watch Trailer:https://vimeo.com/24659402
Gilad and all that Jazz [TRAILER] from David Alamouti on Vimeo.
The Wandering Who? A Study Of Jewish Identity Politics and Jewish political interests..
The book can be ordered on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
October 12, 2012
Hezbollah says it sent drone over Israel
Sheik Hassan Nasrallah claimed responsibility Thursday for launching an Iranian-made drone aircraft into Israeli airspace earlier this week.
Sheik Nasrallah warned that it would not be the last such operation by his Lebanese militant group.
Israeli warplanes shot down the unmanned plane, but the infiltration marked a rare breach of Israel's tightly guarded airspace.
Israel and Hezbollah fought a brutal month long war in mid-2006. Hundreds of people were killed, and Hezbollah fired several thousand rockets and missiles into Israel before the conflict ended in a stalemate.
Israel routinely sends F-16 fighter planes over Lebanon, in violation of a U.N. Security Council resolution that ended the 2006 war. The Israeli planes have often broken the sound barrier over Beirut and other places as a show of strength, most recently after the drone incident.
"This statement today is a claim of responsibility by the Islamic resistance for this qualitative operation" of dispatching the drone, Nasrallah said in a televised address late Thursday.
Wagner and Me
[image error]Yesterday I came across this hilarious JC's "news item"
Rogue note at Klezmer bash
September 21, 2012
Regent’s Park annual klezmer celebration had the crowds rocking to the sounds of the shtetl.
But one visitor could not believe his ears when he heard a presenter announce a piece of music this year by Gilad Atzmon. The notorious Israeli jazz musician and self-styled “self-hating” Jew did not actually perform at Klezmer in the Park: one of his tracks was broadcast between live acts.
After a complaint, a spokesman for the event’s organisers, the Jewish Music Institute, said they had not been aware of Atzmon’s views but “I’m sure we would not have played it if we had.”
The Wandering Who? A Study Of Jewish Identity Politics, Jewish political interest, the Jewish and the fear of music...
The book can be ordered on Amazon.com or Amazon.co.uk
October 11, 2012
Free Gaza's New Board - We support justice in Palestine not demonizing each other
In the past few days, Free Gaza and Greta Berlin have been viciously attacked for a mistake that Greta made when she posted a video to her Facebook page instead of sending it to her small group for discussion. During that time, dozens of people have come to the defense of Greta and Free Gaza.
We, the new board of Free Gaza II would like to add our comments and support for Greta’s work and for the ongoing work we need to do to keep the illegal blockade of Gaza front and center. For, after all, our work has always been about freedom and justice for the Palestinians
It’s time we got back to work and stopped battering one of the leaders of the non-violent direct action Palestinian solidarity movement.
Statements from the new board of Free Gaza II
I have known Greta Berlin and have worked with Free Gaza for several years. In neither word or action have either Greta or members of the Free Gaza movement been anti-semitic. They challenge Israeli policies, but that is not anti-semitic.
Col Ann Wright, Board Member
Lately our friend and colleague, Greta Berlin, has been attacked for mistakingly posting an anti-Semitic video to the FG twitter feed. Greta apologized for this mistake, and said that she doesn't agree with the material that was posted. In the meantime, many groups and individuals have continued their attack on her without considering her apology.
I, and many of my Palestinian friends have known Greta Berlin for years, and appreciate her work and activism for the Palestinian cause and for human rights in general. Greta has never been a racist nor anti Semitic. We stand by her and to take into consideration all the many years she has given for the human rights cause. We are not going to make this one mistake blind any of us to what she has done to break the siege in Gaza.
Lubna Masarwa, Board Member
I was a member of the old FGM Board and am a member of the newly formed Board. I worked as a human rights lawyer in Jerusalem and the West Bank for six years before being deported by Israel in 2008, after participating in the second successful attempt to break the blockade of Gaza. Greta Berlin is a comrade, an inspiration and a good friend. As the child of a Holocaust survivor, I am particularly sensitive to anti-Semitism. I have some political differences with Greta (for example concerning Gilad Atzmon), but in all the time I have known her I have never seen nor heard any signs of anti-Semitism.
I’m not on FaceBook or Twitter and therefore it took me a while to realize and react to the uproar over the posting of the vile video on FG’s Twitter account. But I totally accept her explanation and apology.
I am shocked at the lack of solidarity by some members of the Palestine solidarity movement. Folks interested in justice are remarkably quick to be unjust to someone who has invested so much time, energy and love as a leader of the non-violent direct action campaign for Palestinian rights. I hope we can keep our eyes on the prize and all get back to the serious work of supporting the struggle of the Palestinian people for justice, dignity, and their national and human rights.
Audrey Bomse, Board Member
I am a retired Spanish lawyer. I have been a nonviolent activist for Palestine for some years now. In 2005 I was hurt by the Israeli army in Bil’in during a demonstration with Palestinian, Israelis and other internationals. As a consequence, I underwent surgery and have 11 pins in my shoulder. Really nothing compared with the attacks that Palestinians are undergoing on a daily basis. Afterwards I continued going to Palestine to support the nonviolent struggle of my Palestinians brothers and sisters, both in the West Bank and Gaza.
I met Greta in 2008 in Cyprus where we spent some weeks preparing the voyage of “Free Gaza” and “Liberty” which broke the siege of Gaza for the first time in 41 years on August 23, 2008. It was a good opportunity to know Greta and my other comrades well, in such a situation of real danger. It was really great to know personally and through others the amazing task she has been doing on behalf of Palestinian people. I can assure that during the long time we spent altogether nor afterwards, I never suspected of anti-Semitism or racism at all neither in her nor in any other of the team.
Ever since I’ve been linked to the Free Gaza Movement and have been added to the new board some weeks ago. I know all Greta’s efforts to break the siege of Gaza together with Palestinians once and many times through FG, participating in Flotillas… Anybody that reads the book “Freedom Sailors” can feel Greta’s amazing personality.
Really I can’t believe that a single anti-Zionist person can believe anything bad of Greta Berlin. She is a human being who is working hard, very hard and she made a mistake. It’s as simple as that. Is it so difficult to believe? Has anybody not made a mistake in his or her life? I cannot really understand why her explanations have not been enough. I fully believe her.
There was no need for many Zionists to attack Greta for her mistake. Why? Maybe because some good pro-Palestinian folk have done it. Please let us be serious and put an end to this story. It’s time to continue all united supporting Palestinian people instead of trying to find any flaw among us. As an end, I want to express my full support to Greta Berlin, a great person and activist.
Maria del Mar Fernandez, Board Member
Additional comments from board members will be posted.
October 9, 2012
Ramzy Baroud's message on Facebook re Greta Berlin
GA: Bless Ramzy for standing for truth and justice.
Greta Berlin, our support and total solidarity with your noble efforts will not cease, but double. Thank you for all you have done for justice in Palestine. For the numerous hours you spent brainstorming ways to break the siege on Gaza, to dodge the Israeli navy, to act upon your beliefs in ways that some of us can only tweet about. You are an indefatigable warrior. I am sorry about the misguided attacks on you and your integrity. Please don't stop. Your courage will continue to inspire us. Much Love. Ramzy Baroud
Jeffrey Blankfort to Ali Abunimah (must read)
I know you have great ambitions, Ali, but Abe Foxman does not plan to retire yet although you do give a very good imitation of him as grand inquisitor. Perhaps, he will hire you as the ADL's expert on "anti-Semitism" in the solidarity movement since at the moment you seem to be doing the job for free. After reading what you have written about Greta Berlin, one of the leading activists in the struggle for justice in Palestine and the Free Gaza Movement, in particular, you obviously did not learn any lesson from your earlier scurrilous denunciation of Gilad Atzmon. Gaza’s Ark Statement regarding Greta Berlin and the Free Gaza Tweet
http://www.gazaark.org/2012/10/05/gazas-ark-statement-regarding-the-free-gaza-tweet/
______________________________________________________________________________
An unfortunate mistake resulted in a message – perceived as antisemitic rhetoric – being sent on Free Gaza’s official Twitter feed. The sender of the message was Greta Berlin, co-founder and board member of Free Gaza.
It was later revealed that the message being tweeted was taken out of context. It was a personal Facebook message intended for a private discussion among a group of people exchanging about propaganda and racism. Greta’s Facebook account was linked to the Free Gaza Twitter feed which resulted in the message being tweeted unintentionally and, more importantly, out of context.
Gaza’s Ark is disturbed by this mistake that should not have happened and believes that measures should be taken so such a mistake would never be repeated.
This said, we are satisfied by Greta’s apology and explanation. We have known Greta for many years, we have never witnessed any sign of racism or antisemitism in her work and we appreciate her many contributions in the struggle for justice and human rights. These contributions and years of work cannot be wiped out because of such an incident.
Meanwhile we are dismayed by the way some media took the issue out of context, ignored Greta’s explanation and tried to smear her and any group she is or was affiliated with, unjustly.
We assert that we denounce in the strongest terms all forms of antisemitism, racism and/or hate mongering. It is our raison d’être as a movement to stand firmly against such ills that are the root cause behind most suffering on earth.
We urge all people of conscience to focus on the real issue at hand: ending the suffering and misery for all peoples and making the world a better, safer and more just place.
Gaza’s Ark Steering Committee
Relevant information:
Greta’s statement: http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/56-news/1369-statement-from-greta-berlin
Free Gaza’s statement: http://www.freegaza.org/en/home/56-news/1367-apology-regarding-tweet
