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December 17, 2001
Edward
Said
Mahfouz
and the Cruelty
of Memory
December 16, 2001
Amira Howeidy
Dangerous By
Definition?
Bahour
and Dahan
Zinni's
Doomed Mission
December 15, 2001
John Isaacs
Bush's 12
Lumps of Coal
for Christmas
Dana Cook
The
Execution of bin Laden
Yusuf Agha
Tale of the
Tape:
Osama Gump?
December 14, 2001
Don Atapattu
A Conversation with
Norman
Finkelstein
December 13, 2001
Trojanow and Hoskote:
Nonsense
Mantras of Our Times
Dr. A.
Tajudeen
Afghanistan
and Zaire
Michael Williams
Prohibit
Prohibition
December 12, 2001
Jack McCarthy
Hitchens,
Walker
and Osama's Tape
Laura W. Murphy
Ashcroft's
Jihad
Shahid
Alam
Race
and Visibility
December 11, 2001
Joshua Orton
University
of Wisconsin
Won't Aid FBI Interviews
Philip
Farruggio
Cleansing
the Nation's Soul
Robert Fisk
Why I Was
Beaten
December 10, 2001
Robert
Dunham
Race
and the Death Penalty:
Partners in Injustice
Andy Kershaw
Chamber of
Horrors
Near the Garden of Eden
John Touchie
Isaac's
on Chomsky
December 9, 2001
Jo Dillon
Journalist:
The CIA Wanted
Me Killed
John Chuckman
High-Tech
Puritanism
December 8, 2001
Laurence Tribe
Military Tribunals
Undermine the Constitution
Patrick
Cockburn
The
End of a Strange War
December 7, 2001
John Troyer
Blacklist Me!
Sen. Edwards
v. Ashcroft
Military
Tribunals
George Naggiar
Occupation
as Terrorism
Hugo von
Sponek
and Denis Halliday
Iraq
the Hostage Nation
David Vest
The Coen
Brothers'
Minstrel Show
Alexander
Cockburn
Sharon
or Arafat:
Who's the Terrorist?
CounterPunch Wire
Human
Rights Abuses and
Nuke Waste Shipments
Alexander
Cockburn
Harry
Potter and Terrorism
A Photographic Journal of Life
in an Afghan Refugee Camp
By Judith Mann
Resources:
100s of Links
About 9/11
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Days That
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Seattle and Beyond
By Alexander
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War Diary
CIA's Assassination Plan a History of
Torture in US Prisons
bin Laden and Bush
Business Connections
Aisha Ikramuddin on the Hidden Hype
of US Food Bombs
Peter Linebaugh on
Pakistan
Christopher Hitchens' Love for Mrs. Thatcher
Jiang Zemin Tells Bush:
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CIA, Drugs & the
Press
by Alexander
Cockburn
and Jeffrey St. Clair
The Memphis Blues Again:
Six Decades of Memphis Music Photographs
Photos by Ernest Withers
Text by Daniel Wolff
The New Intifada:
Resisting Israel's Apartheid
Edited by Roane Carey
A Pocket Guide to
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The
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December 19,
2001
Palestine and You
By Sam Bahour
"...Whereas it is essential, if
man is not to be compelled to have recourse, as a last resort,
to rebellion against tyranny and oppression, that human rights
should be protected by the rule of law"
Universal Declaration
of Human Rights
As the world witnesses yet another chapter in
the never ending Palestinian-Israeli saga, it seems the political
gridlock is so complex and the media spin so intense that even
seasoned observers and actors are at a loss for a script that
will end this all to lengthy story. For Palestinians, the pains
associated with this latest distraught chapter in our history
are not new, albeit the forthcoming outcome may prove fatal.
A source of strength to those living
under occupation is the renewed calls from all corners of the
world asking for advice on how they may support the legitimate
and irrevocable Palestinian rights to freedom, statehood and
return.
Being the recipient of many of these
requests, I attempt to provide a modest resource framework for
those living in the U.S., and elsewhere. Being born in the U.S.;
having lived and worked there for 30 years before relocating
to the West Bank; and having been part of the movement to change
public opinion and safeguard Palestinian rights, I am aware of
the paramount task before us. After 9/11, this task has been
undoubtedly increasing exponentially.
We must acknowledge that historically,
and today, the Palestine Liberation Organization and the Palestinian
National Authority have utterly failed to systematically and
institutionally engage Palestinians in the Diaspora and those
non-Palestinians in solidarity worldwide. This is a distinct
missing link in the Palestinian struggle for independence in
comparison to the successful anti-Apartheid movement of South
Africa or even the successful worldwide Jewish mobilization to
build Israel.
In the spirit of "thinking globally
and acting locally," one factor in today's Middle East chaos
is clear -- it is past time for the grassroots to rise to the
occasion and make their voices heard. Unfortunately, in the
age of the Internet many well intended supporters of human rights
spend too many precious hours behind the keyboard and not enough
effort is spent speaking and engaging churches, synagogues, classrooms,
congresspersons and media editorial boards. The Internet is
a godsend tool in our global village, but decisions are still
made in closed rooms with real people that represent a matrix
of interests. Employing of the Internet tool is only one facet
to a successful campaign for Palestine, the more potent action
is returning to the ABC's of people's action.
I offer the following resource framework
for all those who have expressed support to stopping the illegal
Israeli military occupation. More important than the resources
below is the need for everyone interested in supporting the Palestinian
cause to become active in their local community by joining the
numerous organizations active in this area. Individual action
is necessary, but nothing replaces collective efforts.
Education
and Awareness
Different consistencies relate to Palestine
in different ways. To focus on the aspect of Palestine you're
interested in, I urge a visit to http://www.birzeit.edu/links/index.html,
which offers a comprehensive directory of Palestinian websites
that range from government to business to travel.
Our national struggle is embedded in
history and international law. For an excellent site that provides
both the historical background of the issue as well as references
for the related documents and official positions, the Permanent
Observer Mission of Palestine to the United Nations website
and the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion
of Global Dialogue and Democracy- MIFTAH provide an excellent
resource. Likewise, the official PLO's Negotiations
Affairs Department addresses the current political issues.
Al-Awda, the Palestine
Right to Return Coalition is another excellent resource for
the issue of the Palestinian Right of Return, which is often
labeled as the issue that negotiations broke down on. Another
largely forgotten issue is that of Palestinian political prisoners.
ADDAMEER (CONSCIENCE) Prisoners
Support and Human Rights Association aims to disseminate
information on this issue.
A superb official site is the
Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics (PCBS). This site
has statistics on almost any issue related to the Palestinian
society.
One of the many Israeli organizations,
B'Tselem, The Israeli Information
Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories, deserves
mention here given its unfettered monitoring and reporting Israeli
violation of human rights over the last 13 years. B'Tselem has
published excellent newspaper inserts and flyers that I recommend
any community action to order or download and use in their dissemination
of information. Another excellent Israeli site is Gush
Shalom.
Information on all of these sites are
excellent for self-learning and are professionally prepared for
distribution at public events or to be used as flyers at rallies
and the like.
Media
During our times it has become clear
beyond any doubt that the media is a key factor in molding political
opinion. Media is an animal that requires billions of dollars
and skilled personnel to tame. Unfortunately, the Palestinian
movement has never been able to fully utilize the power of the
media in a central way. Thus, decentralized local media efforts
are absolutely critical to fill the gap.
During the first Intifada and during
this Intifada, Israel has hired very expensive and high-powered
professional public relations firms in New York to deal with
their desire to justify their illegal occupation and cruel aggression
on Palestinians. The Israeli government utilizes U.S. taxpayer
aid to employ a mini-army of multi-lingual spokespersons that
tow the state line and provide the required thick cover to Israel's
gross violations of human and national rights.
To address this gap in resources, the
current Intifada has gone online at http://www.electronicintifada.net
and at http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/main.html.
These professional, media-oriented, sites specialize on the
media and are invaluable resources that may be utilized by all
those in solidarity. The media is much more than sending letters
to the editor or complaining that coverage is unequal or unfair.
Physical persons -- citizens, community leaders and clergypersons
-- need to knock doors and meet in a professional way with editorial
boards and foreign affairs corespondents to educate them on the
issue and to demand equal time and space, if need be. Building
personal relationships and becoming a source of objective information
to media staff is a long process that requires patience and persistence
but will pay off in the long run. Every opinion editorial placed
in your local paper reaches hundreds of thousands of people,
whereas a forwarded email is flooded with the millions of other
messages and only available to the minority of people online.
Other sites that may be used to address
the media are http://www.amin.org
where opinion editorials may be tapped and http://www.abunimah.org,
which is an excellent site to get sample letters and talking
points.
Community and
Political Action
At the end of the day, all education,
awareness and media efforts must funnel into a concentrated political
action that is tangible. For the last few decades, the powerful
and greatly feared pro-Israel lobby, the American Israel Public
Affairs Committee (AIPAC), has instilled an indescribable amount
of fear into every level of U.S. politics. If you doubt this,
please read former U.S .Congressman Paul Findley's book They
Dare to Speak Out : People and Institutions Confront Israel's
Lobby (Lawrence Hill Books; ISBN: 1556520735).
It is absolutely critical that every
community personally meets with their elected representatives
and explains the seriousness of the situation and the injustice
and illegality of the Israeli occupation. Elected officials
must hear the 'other side' and know that there is also an electoral
price to be paid for blindly supporting Israeli occupation.
These officials need to be advised that the 'generous offer'
that Israel supposedly provided in Camp David is no where to
be found, never documented, never presented. They need to be
reminded of International Law. They need be asked to take action
to stop illegal Israeli use of U.S. armaments on civilians in
blatant violation of the U.S. Arms Export Control Act and the
Foreign Assistance Act.
With the Arab world handicapped in the
lobbying arena, grassroots action becomes a key component. Several
organizations are professionally specialized in this field and
can provide help, namely, the Arab
American Institute.
Additionally, the organization Stop
US Tax-funded Aid to Israel Now! (SUSTAIN) is a well focused
effort and resource to address a major U.S. sore spot which is
their continued, blind funding of Israel in spite of the role
these funds play in the illegal occupation.
The American-Arab
Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC) is another long-standing
organization that provides an institutional framework for channeling
US support to Palestinian rights.
During this holiday season, I strongly
urge that every community request their local church, mosque
or synagogue to dedicate a service to those Palestinian children
that have been killed by the Israeli occupation forces during
the last 15 months. Names of those killed could be read aloud,
along with their age, during the service. If you live in a community
with Palestinians, maybe Palestinian children can light a candle
for each one of the names read. We must never forget that there
were bubbling lives and bright smiles behind each of the numbers
being tallied on the nightly news.
Civil Society
The Palestinian
Non-Governmental Organizations Network (PNGO) offers the
focal point for all Palestinian Civil Society organizations.
These Palestinian NGO's are in need of funds and support. Their
activities are broad and their resources are being drained, especially
in the healthcare, children and education fields. With the inability
of the Palestinian National Authority to function under the Israeli
siege and closures, these NGOs fill an important gap to the average
citizen under occupation.
With regards to the health sector, in
specific, the Palestine
Red Crescent Society, our equivalent to the Red Cross, The Union of Palestinian Medical
Relief Committees, and the Union of Health Work Committees,
which may be reached at bsmc@p-ol.com
are all doing excellent work in the field attending to those
injured and are all worthy of support.
On the humanitarian front, The Society
of In'ash El-Usra, a well known and long-time service provider
to families in need is still active and may be reached at, 970-2-240-2876.
Academic Community
Education in the Palestinian society
is just as important as water, shelter and clothing. Israel
knows this and exercises pressure on the academic world to perpetrate
a silent exodus from Palestine, a 'voluntary transfer' policy,
if you will.
Palestinian schools and universities,
a partial list of which may be found at http://www.birzeit.edu/links/snu.html,
are attempting to operate in one of the most volatile conditions
ever. Continuous Israeli bombing raids and closures interrupt
elementary and secondary schools; teachers are not able to make
it to their classrooms, thus interrupting the educational process;
and students are subjected to harassment while travelling to
and from their classrooms.
Institutions of Higher Education are
even worse off with many of the students not able to travel to
attend class or forced to literally climb mountains and be subjected
to inhumane treatment at the numerous Israeli checkpoints, let
alone those that have been imprisoned. Many will not graduate
on time. Even more will not be able to afford the extra cost
of lost time and added expense to continue.
Student bodies and organizations abroad
can build sister university relationships with Palestinian universities
in an effort to expose the ramifications of Israeli occupation
on the academic world as well as provide material support by
means of books, journals, equipment, etc to help the next generation
of Palestinians gain a proper education.
Economy and
Business
Israel has yet to face a divestment campaign,
as was the case with Apartheid South Africa. While it continues
to illegally occupy Palestinian lands and livelihood, Israel
funds its actions by selling Israel Bonds. These bonds have
been downgraded more than once and as the Israeli economy fails
during this Intifada so does the value of these bonds. Hundreds
of private and public U.S. funds have invested in these financial
instruments which are out of sight to the public eye. I urge
community action to investigate and expose municipalities, pension
funds, 401K plans, and the like, that have chosen to invest in
these bonds and take action to have them re-invested in instruments
that are not stained with Palestinian blood, occupation or gross
violation of human rights.
Closer to home, Palestinian investors
entered the Palestinian economy full-force following the 1993
Oslo Peace Accords. At the time, two major, fully private sector,
investment groups were created, mainly by Palestinian Diaspora
funds, the $200 million Palestine Development and Investment
Ltd., located at http://www.padico.com,
and the $100 million Arab Palestinian Investment Company, located
at http://www.apic-pal.com.
Despite the treacherous business environment, these holding
companies, and others, still exist and remain active today, dealing
on a day to day basis with the disastrous ramifications to their
business due to the Israeli aggression and constant blockades.
The Palestinian private sector is usually
a group that people do not think of while Israeli aggression
rages on. However, the Palestinian private sector deserve recognition
and grassroots support as well. These are the entities that fight
all odds to build an economy while under fire. They provide
critical jobs during periods of extended closures and economic
destruction. I have coined a phrase to describe the kind of
support that one may provide this sector, "charitable equity".
Charitable equity is the act of investing in these firms, or
others active within Palestine, with the clear intention to help
sustain their existence and jobs and potentially, in the long-term,
to regain your investment once stability returns.
One way to invest in charitable equity
is either by direct investment into non-publicly traded firms
or buying shares on the Palestine
Securities Exchange via the network of brokers throughout
the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
Others ways to help our economy is to
assist Palestinian products or services to reach your market.
For those interested in importing Palestinian goods or services
they may contact the Palestine
Trade Center. In the information technology sector Palestinian
software and Internet firms may be reached through http://www.pita-palestine.org.
The above list is neither comprehensive
nor an official approach to tapping the wealth of resources that
can be employed by those who support us around the world.
In addition to this starting point of
action, I urge my fellow Palestinians to speak loud and clear
to Palestinian representatives, at home and around the world,
in an effort to develop a national plan of action, well funded
and professionally staffed, to channel international support.
Collectively we can turn the final page of our struggle and
bring the occupation tumbling down and in its place the free
State of Palestine, or New Palestine, that so many have sacrificed
for over the last 54 years will rise.
Together, we will end Israeli occupation,
once and for all.
Sam Bahour
is a Palestinian-American living in the besieged Palestinian
City of Al-Bireh in the West Bank and can be reached at sbahour@palnet.com.
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