Understanding The Map Of Jerusalem, Or Trying To
NPR 13.5.2018
Tag: Palestine
Madonna and the bias of some American artists
Popstar Madonna caused controversy by performing in the Eurovision Song Contest in Israel last weekend. She was reportedly paid one million dollars by Canadian-Israeli businessman Sylvan Adams. Madonna defended her decision to perform in her statement:
“I’ll never stop playing music to suit someone’s political agenda nor will I stop speaking out against violations of human rights wherever in the world they may be.” (1)
According to Sylvan Adams, it was easy to choose Madonna to be the star attraction of the event. Madonna “has expressed an affinity with the country and with Judaism via her Hebrew name Esther and her interest in Kabbalah.” Adams said:
“She’s a genuine friend of Israel, and she knows firsthand what our detractors – the lunatics from the BDS world – say is not true. She’s well aware about Eurovision and was keen to give it a boost.” (2)
Madonna is by no means the only American cultural figure or artist who has shown very unfortunate bias when it comes to Israel and Palestine. Last year, Pharrell Williams demanded that President Trump should stop playing his music at political rallies. The demand was completely justified, particularly because Williams’s song “Happy” was played at a Trump rally just hours after the horrible mass shooting at a Pittsburgh synagogue. (3) However, soon after that Williams performed his song “Happy” in the annual fundraising gala for Israel Defence Forces IDF in Los Angeles. Other celebrity guests included Ashton Kutcher, Andy Garcia and Gerard Butler. (4, 5)
References:
1) “Israel brushes off Eurovision boycott calls with a big assist from Madonna” The Washington Post 17.5.2019
2) “Sylvan Adams – The entrepreneur who’s bringing Madonna to Eurovision” The Jerusalem Post 13.5.2019
3) “Pharrell Williams demands Donald Trump stop playing his music at rallies” The Guardian 30.10.2018
4) “Pharrell Williams criticised for singing ‘Happy’ to Israeli soldiers as part of army fundraiser” The National 12.11.2018
5) “Friends of the Israel Defense Forces Gala Raises Record $60 Million for Soldiers” Variety 2.11.2018
My dilemma regarding Airbnb and other hospitality companies
Palestinian campaigners call for mass boycott of Airbnb today, on Wednesday the 15th of May, which is the 71st anniversary of the Nakba. Airbnb was supposed to refuse listing of rentals in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem, but Airbnb has reversed their decision. (1, 2) The amount of illegal settlements has risen significantly during Trump’s presidency and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu is even going to name one Jewish settlement in the disputed Golan Heights after Trump. (3, 4)
I am a lifestyle traveler and I have used Airbnb – and other hospitality companies – frequently. As an avid supporter of two-state solution and Palestinian rights I was happy to learn that Airbnb had decided to remove listings that are in illegal Israeli settlements. The fact that Airbnb has reversed their decision is very disappointing. Human Rights Watch, Amnesty International and other organizations have condemned companies such as Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia and TripAdvisor because they have accepted listings from illegal Israeli settlements. (1, 2) Amnesty International mentioned those four companies in their report:
“In doing business with settlements, all four companies are contributing to, and profiting from, the maintenance, development and expansion of illegal settlements, which amount to war crimes under international criminal law.” (2)
I am probably not the only small income traveler who has this great dilemma: how to find affordable accommodation while traveling without compromising the things that are important to me? How many hospitality companies will have courage to support two-state solution and Palestinian rights?
References:
1) “Palestinian campaigners call for mass boycott of Airbnb on May 15” Al Jazeera 14.5.2019
2) “Airbnb to allow listings from illegal Israeli settlements” Al Jazeera 10.4.2019
3) “Trump era boosted illegal Israeli settlement building, report reveals” Daily Sabah 14.5.2019
4) “Netanyahu Seeks to Name a Golan Heights Settlement for President Trump” New York Times 23.4.2019
https://www.nytimes.com/2019/04/23/world/middleeast/netanyahu-golan-heights-trump.html
Important statement in defense of two-state solution
Large group of prominent European politicians published a letter in defense of the two-state solution for Israel and Palestine. Read the full letter in today’s The Guardian:
As American-Israeli alliance is becoming more and more right-wing and the Trump administration is more and more biased, it is up to European and other countries to make sure that we can reach peaceful and fair solution in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Israel’s cooperation with European right-wing populists and far right
The Guardian reported today that antisemitism has been rising sharply in Europe. According to French historian Marc Knobel, during the past two decades the amount of antisemitic attacks has risen whenever there have been tensions in the Middle East. He said that “rather than attacking Israelis, people went for Jews.” Frédéric Potier of the French government’s anti-racism and antisemitism body Dilcrah said that more traditional forms of antisemitism are also starting to re-emerge and it is due to “the resurgence of a virulent, far-right identity politics.” (1)
However, Israel has also been building cooperation with European right-wing populists and far right for years. Nick Cohen reported in the British newspaper The Jewish Chronicle in 2011 that Ron Prosor, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, talked 20 minutes with Marine Le Pen, the leader of the French far-right party the National Front (now the National Rally). Later on Prosor claimed that he hadn’t realized who he talked to. According to Cohen, no one in France or Israel believed the official explanation. Cohen continued:
“…it is safe to assume that elements within the Israeli right are toying with the idea of doing business with elements within the European far right. They reason that, because fascistic or ultra-nationalist movements have turned their hatred from Jews to Muslims, they are now partners they can embrace.” (2)
Danny Shek, Israel’s former ambassador to France, said in 2012:
“What worries me as a Jew and as an Israeli is that more and more Jews find her (i.e. Marine Le Pen) appealing. There is a growing popularity for the primitive formula, ‘my enemy’s enemy is my friend’.” (3)
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has had close relationship with Hungary’s right-wing populist Prime Minister Viktor Orban in spite of Orban’s aggressive political campaign against Hungarian-American billionaire George Soros and in spite of the fact that Orban has also praised Miklos Horthy who was ruler of Hungary and Nazi collaborator during World War II. When Orban visited Israel last summer, Netanyahu called him “true friend of Israel.” (4, 5)
Even though Israel does not officially accept right-wing extremists as guests, Netanyahu’s Likud Party has received several European far-right visitors. For example, Italy’s post-fascist leader Gianfranco Fini visited Israel at the beginning of 2000s. Matteo Salvini, current Italian Interior Minister and federal secretary of the far-right party Northern League, visited Israel in 2016. (4) Heinz-Christian Strache, leader of the far-right Austrian Freedom Party FPÖ and current Vice-Chancellor of Austria, has visited Israel several times during recent years (6, 7).
Human rights groups have protested against sale of Israeli weapons to Ukrainian neo-Nazi militia Azov Battalion. Israel has also expressed strong support for Germany’s far-right party Alternative for Germany AfD. (4) Rafi Eitan, former Israeli minister and Mossad spymaster, sent a video message to AfD:
“We all in Israel appreciate your attitude towards Judaism… I’m sure that if you work wisely, strongly and, most important, realistically … that instead of ‘Alternative for Germany,’ you might become an alternative for all of Europe.”
According to Israeli media reports, Eitan also wrote in German a message on his personal Facebook page:
“…the Muslim world and its culture are very different from those of the West. Anywhere there are Muslims today, in any European country, one can expect violence and terror because of these differences.” (8)
Ramzy Baroud and Romana Rubeo believed in their article last year that Israel has been operating with European right-wing populists and far-right leaders in order to find ways to pressure Europe and the European Union, because European countries have criticized Israel’s actions against Palestinians and, more recently, Israel’s decision to accept the Nation State Law. Baroud and Rubeo wrote:
“The Israeli government seems intent on weakening Europe by investing in existing divisions and offering political validation to groups that, until recently, were on the political fringes.
It hopes that a divided Europe will be more easily controlled and coaxed back into Israel’s loyalty camp.
It remains to be seen whether Israel’s embrace of far-right, neo-Nazi and fascist Europe will pay off, the way its government hopes for, or whether it would backfire…” (4)
References:
1) “Antisemitism rising sharply across Europe, latest figures show” The Guardian 15.2.2019
2) “Ambassador, how you spoil us” The Jewish Chronicle 23.11.2011
https://www.thejc.com/comment/columnists/ambassador-how-you-spoil-us-1.29461
3) “Marine Le Pen: Don’t French Jews get it?” The Jewish Chronicle 26.4.2012
https://www.thejc.com/news/world/marine-le-pen-don-t-french-jews-get-it-1.33041
4) “An unlikely union: Israel and the European far right” Al Jazeera 17.7.2018
https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/opinion/union-israel-european-180716085952930.html
5) “Netanyahu greets Hungary’s Orban as ‘true friend of Israel’” AP News 19.7.2018
https://www.apnews.com/938bb193c0894691bf42a6457d1fae4c
6) “Far-right Austrian leader visits Israel’s Holocaust memorial” Reuters 12.4.2016
7) “Austrian far-right leader sympathetic to Israel on Jerusalem recognition” The Times of Israel 11.12.2017
8) “Ex-Israeli spymaster, who helped capture Adolf Eichmann, releases video in support of German far-right party” The Washington Post 3.2.2018
Hardliners campaigning in Israel
The political campaigning is heating up before the upcoming elections in Israel. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is trying to win the elections and continue as a Prime Minister, even though he is facing several charges of corruption (1). His biggest challenger is a newcomer, former army general Benny Gantz and his new “Israel Resilience” party (2).
Gantz caused uproar by saying that he wants Israel to end rule over Palestinians and because of his statement that was interpreted by hardline right-wingers as willingness to support some sort of unilateral withdrawal from the West Bank which would be similar to Israel’s pullout from Gaza in 2005. Prime Minister Netanyahu attacked his rival by warning of “Abbas-Gantz conspiracy”:
“The problem is that Abbas is satisfied, because Benny Gantz said today that he would carry out a second disengagement in Judea and Samaria, and Abbas wished him success in the election. This is why we have to go together, win these elections and prevent this. This is what election is really about: whether there will be a left-wing government led by Gantz or a Likud government led by me.” (2, 3)
The new far-right party “The New Right Party”, founded by former leading members of “The Jewish Home Party” (3, 4), said in their statement:
“He (i.e. Gantz) wants to expel more and more Jews from their homes during a unilateral disengagement from Judea and Samaria. Benny Gantz must not be Israel’s next defense minister. As we said: A ‘New Right’ or a weak Left.” (2)
References:
1) “The Corruption Cases Against Netanyahu” The New York Times 2.12.2018
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/02/world/middleeast/netanyahu-cases-guide.html
2) “Anyone but Bibi: In Israel, ex-general stirs hope of change” AP News 8.2.2019
https://www.apnews.com/d86043ffdc2a47b2849c9c97bdfc01ec
3) “Netanyahu warns of Abbas-Gantz conspiracy” Jerusalem Post 6.2.2019
4) “Bennett, Shaked’s ‘New Right’ party said set to unite with Jewish Home” Ynet News 30.12.2018
US Senate approves anti-BDS bill
The US Senate approved new anti-BDS bill by votes of 77-23, yesterday. The bill will be sent to the House of Representatives where it will probably face new debate. The only Republican who voted against the bill was Senator Rand Paul. (1, 2) He said:
“Our country was founded upon the concept and in the midst of a great boycott. At the time, we were boycotting British goods and most specifically, British tea. There is likely nothing more American than to protest, to dissent and to boycott.”
“The sad thing today is that we will be debating whether or not to place limitations on the First Amendment right to boycott, and we will do it because the vast majority of this body disagrees with the concept of what the people are boycotting over.” (1)
Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders said last week:
“While I do not support the BDS movement, we must defend every American’s constitutional right to engage in political activity. It is clear to me that this bill would violate Americans’ First Amendment rights.” (2)
References:
1) “US Senate approves anti-BDS bill, slowdown of Syria withdrawal” Al Jazeera 6.2.2019
2) “Senate approves Syria, anti-BDS bill” The Hill 5.2.2019
https://thehill.com/blogs/floor-action/senate/428572-senate-approves-syria-anti-bds-bill
Significant increase in settler violence in Israel
According to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), the average number of violent incidents instigated by Jewish settlers each month have increased by 57 per cent in 2018, when compared with 2017, and by staggering 175 per cent, when compared with 2016.
Read the full story on Al Jazeera:
Jordan and France concerned about Palestinian-Israeli conflict
The foreign ministers of Jordan and France said on Sunday that lack of solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict threatens the security of the Middle East. Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi said that Jordan and France would “work together with the international community to create the necessary political environment to move forward towards a two-state solution (to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict.”
Read the full story on Xinhua Net:
The planned anti-BDS bill in USA
There have been interesting developments regarding the new planned anti-BDS bill “Combating BDS Act” introduced by Republican senator Marco Rubio. The bill targeting boycott, divestment and sanctions movement BDS is considered to be highly controversial and liberals, progressives, civil liberties organizations and prominent Democrats oppose the bill (1, 2). Senator Diane Feinstein said that the bill would be unconstitutional (3). The anti-BDS bill was stalled, partially because of the government shutdown, on Tuesday. However, Senator Rubio tweeted that he would try to organize another vote (4). Zack Beauchamp noted that the controversy regarding the bill shows how the two main parties’ approaches to Israel is changing:
“Support for Israel, so long a bipartisan issue, is becoming polarized, with Republicans willing to back Israel virtually unconditionally while Democrats are more willing to question Israeli policy and US support for it. “ (5)
References:
1)”Marco Rubio accuses Rashida Tlaib of anti-Semitism in battle over anti-free-speech pro-Israel bill” Alternet 9.1.2019
2) “Senate anti-BDS bill slammed as ‘absurd’ amid US government shutdown” Middle East Eye 7.1.2019
3) “US Senator calls anti-BDS act unconstitutional” Daily Sabah 9.1.2019
https://www.dailysabah.com/americas/2019/01/08/us-senator-calls-anti-bds-act-unconstitutional
4) “Anti-BDS measure stalled in US Senate but ‘will come back'” Al Jazeera 9.1.2019
https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2019/01/anti-bds-measure-stalled-senate-190109150723359.html
5) “The controversy over laws punishing Israel boycotts, explained” Vox 9.1.2019
https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2019/1/9/18172826/bds-law-israel-boycott-states-explained
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