DOCSLIB.ORG

Celebrations Where Commemoration Meets Celebration

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
Celebrations Where Commemoration Meets Celebration Issue No. 162, October 2011 Celebrations Where Commemoration Meets Celebration ..................................................................4 Dhikr, Mawlid, and the Praise of God ..........................................................................10 Our theme for this issue, Celebration, is of course connected with events Annual Cultural Events ................................................................................................18 at the United Nations. By the time you read this the situation should be Popular Traditions and Customs .................................................................................24 clearer, or, if recent events are any guide, murkier still. Celebrating Palestine through the Art of Abdul Hai Musallam .....................................30 The saga has provided real insight into the processes of the elite nations Public Access: The Presence of Presents ...................................................................34 and institutions. It is sad that the issue of Palestinian statehood has been RIWAQ Wins Prince Claus Award for Culture and Development ................................36 reduced to a platform for grandstanding, horse-trading, and the promotion Regional Food Fests ...................................................................................................38 of special interests. The lack of transparency and consistency from many Celebratory Gunfire Is an Indiscriminate Killer ............................................................44 of the key players, notably the United States, is a stain on their noble, Should Palestinians Celebrate the Mysterious Revolutions? ......................................46 founding principles. Can the Samaritans Bounce Back? .............................................................................52 Aware that this important phase of Palestinian history was never likely to World Osteoporosis Day – 20 October ........................................................................56 be smooth sailing, we have split our own vote with this issue. We feature In the Limelight ............................................................................................................62 interpretations of celebration that deal with marking tragedies of the past Reviews .......................................................................................................................68 and whether or not we should support mysterious “rebel” armies as they Events ..........................................................................................................................72 emerge in the region. Another dark tale questions the culture of gun usage Listings ...................................................................................................................76-92 at celebrations and the suffering it causes. Maps .......................................................................................................................93-97 The Last Word .............................................................................................................98 But this is also a chance to celebrate in the purest sense and to revel Picturesque Palestine .................................................................................................99 in the good things. This means taking a look at the best festivals, events, and special occasions, and how we mark them. We applaud RIWAQ for its latest success, and we should direct reader attention toward Dr. Ali Qleibo’s splendid exploration of Sufi culture and customs. In the spirit of balance, we thought that any nervous readers might appreciate a final thought on the UN vote from Rudyard Kipling, taken from his 1895 poem “If–”. Emphasising the importance of maintaining a balanced outlook regardless of fortune, he wrote that we should “meet with Triumph and Disaster, and treat those two impostors just the same.” Telefax: + 970/2-2-2951262 e-mail: [email protected] From the TWIP Collective www.thisweekinpalestine.com Printed by Studio Alpha, Al-Ram, Jerusalem Binding by Al-Asdika’, Al-Ram, Jerusalem Forthcoming Issues: Maps: Courtesy of PalMap - GSE Distributed by • Palestine on the World Map - November 2011 Theme: Celebrations • Initiatives - December 2011 Cover: “The Bridal Trousseau” 1991. Art work by Abdul Hai Musallam. George Al Ama collection. • Image and Reality - January 2012 Advisory Board Lana Abu Hijleh Jane Masri Country Director – CHF International, Palestine Director of Communications - Zoom Advertising Razan Kaloti Rev. Mitri Raheb The views presented in the articles do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher. Marketing and Communications Manager – British Council President - Diyar Consortium Maps herein have been prepared solely for the convenience of the reader; the designations and presentation of material do not imply any expression of opinion of This Week in Palestine, its publisher, editor, or its Issa Kassissieh advisory board as to the legal status of any country, territory, city, or area, or the authorities thereof, or as to the delimitation of boundaries or national affiliation. Office of the President 2 3 human. In this context dates become and a far longer history of conflicts, wars, Where Commemoration Meets Celebration important and have particular meanings. and occupations going back over 4,000 This, of course, happens at the personal years. It is thus not surprising that we By Mazin Qumsiyeh level where people commemorate certain have plenty of history to relate to in our On 15 May this year, a teenager events that we call celebrations or dates (the death of a loved one, for memory, much of it is unfortunately sad. climbed the abandoned house of the commemorations in unique and personal example) or celebrate others (a birthday, But we also have the most amazing story original Al-Walaja Village and raised a ways. No two individuals can share a wedding anniversary, etc.). But even of survival and persistence (sumud). Palestinian flag as Israeli jeeps arrived. exactly the same perception of any event. here the language fails us because Like the yin and yang of Eastern Ahmad had a big smile on his face as Yet, for us Palestinians, personal history giving a name to an historical event is a philosophies, it would be hard to imagine those gathered clapped their hands and and national experienced history are very poor way of reflecting our feelings us commemorating a sad event without sang a national song. We were young intertwined as a reflection of a common and the understanding of its significance. also celebrating another (including our and old, male and female, Christians, narrative that includes dispossession, That feeling (of happiness, joy, sadness, positive responses to tragedy). Our Muslims, and even some Jews. We had survival, and longing for return. or love) can also change from year to struggle was and will continue to be crossed the mythical Green Line, and we celebrated this achievement as we commemorated the Nakba. Later in a holding pin at Atarot, we felt freer than our captors. Palestinians in Syria had also crossed that mythical line into the occupied Golan Heights. Hassan Hijazi, 28 years old, not only crossed but kept going to arrive in Jaffa. He told Israeli TV: “It was my dream to go to Jaffa because it is my homeland.” This young man also had a smile on his face. He had done it albeit for a brief period and was expelled just like his family was expelled. In the middle of Jaffa, he said without blinking an eye that “This isn’t Israel, this is my country … I want to stay here where my father and my great-grandfather were born, and I want to bring my family here.” Hassan added that his success was indeed symbolic but significant because it shows what individuals can do. Israeli authorities reacted violently to the peaceful infiltrations this year and murdered many nonviolent activists and imprisoned many of us. How does one characterise such events? The human language, by definition, tries to set boundaries on concepts that “Return of the Soul - The Nakbah Project” (2007-2008), from Tank Art, Jane Frere. defy borders and boundaries. Words such as commemoration, celebration, We the disinherited Palestinians fought year in recalling the same event. If this against a mighty military machine that is and demonstration sometimes appear for survival at many levels, but perhaps is true for individual and personal events, backed up by a strong, worldwide Zionist artificial and certainly limited in telling one of the most important aspects is then surely it is even more complex for lobby that deployed a narrative based us about what actually happens. We that of memory, which constructs our group events. on myth and propaganda. That struggle are a species that uses language that narrative. Our narrative is simply what Palestinians remain the largest refugee is strengthened by our memories of our reflects thoughts that are shaped by we as a people put together from our population on earth. We are experiencing history with all its ups and downs. our experiences, both personal and memory and from history to make sense the longest remaining occupation – the inherited (experiences of our parents and of what happened to us. Narrative links suffering has endured for 63 years. We Nakba grandparents). By nature we experience the temporal and the spatial with the have a history of 130 years of colonisation For us Palestinians the most pressing 4 5 and most indelible of our experiences thousands succeeded.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Rethinking Palestinian Refugee Communities in Pre-War Syria and the Right of Return
    Bard College Bard Digital Commons Senior Projects Spring 2017 Bard Undergraduate Senior Projects Spring 2017 Rethinking Palestinian Refugee Communities in Pre-War Syria and the Right of Return Eliza Wincombe Cornwell Bard College, [email protected] Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/senproj_s2017 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 4.0 License. Recommended Citation Cornwell, Eliza Wincombe, "Rethinking Palestinian Refugee Communities in Pre-War Syria and the Right of Return" (2017). Senior Projects Spring 2017. 367. https://digitalcommons.bard.edu/senproj_s2017/367 This Open Access work is protected by copyright and/or related rights. It has been provided to you by Bard College's Stevenson Library with permission from the rights-holder(s). You are free to use this work in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights- holder(s) directly, unless additional rights are indicated by a Creative Commons license in the record and/or on the work itself. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Rethinking Palestinian Refugee Communities in Pre-War Syria and the Right of Return Senior Project Submitted to The Division of Social Studies of Bard College by Eliza Cornwell Annandale-on-Hudson, New York May 2017 Acknowledgements I would like to thank Michelle Murray and Dina Ramadan for unending support and encouragement throughout my time at Bard. I would also like to thank Kevin Duong for helping me formulate my ideas, for inspiring me to write and re-write, and for continuously giving me a sense of purpose and accomplishment in completing this project.
    [Show full text]
  • A Framework of Sustainable Design for the Region of Palestine
    The Pennsylvania State University The Graduate School College of Arts & Architecture A FRAMEWORK OF SUSTAINABLE DESIGN FOR THE REGION OF PALESTINE A Thesis in Architecture by Hala Marwan Haddad © 2010 Hala Marwan Haddad Submitted in Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Master of Architecture December 2010 The Thesis of Hala Marwan Haddad was reviewed and approved* by the following: Ute Poerschke Associate Professor of Architecture Thesis Advisor James Wines Professor of Architecture Madis Pihlak Associate Professor of Architecture Alexandra Staub Associate Professor of Architecture *Signatures are on file in the Graduate School. ii Abstract: Many definitions of sustainable design have emerged in the past twenty years, most of which focused on the environmental part of the design process. In recent years, especially with the emergence of sustainable design as an international trend, more attention has been directed towards the social and economic part of sustainable design for a building to be truly sustainable and able of fitting in any context, for the long run. This thesis explores into the different dimensions of sustainable design, studying what makes a building sustainable, and using that as a base to define sustainable design in the region of Palestine, a small country in the northern part of the Middle East and east of Mediterranean, to define a framework of sustainable design. The framework achieved at the end of this study uses the vernacular as a passively sustainable prototype of sustainable design, for its environmental, socio cultural and economic complexity of a building, integrated with modern active techniques, that helped define the framework and helps define the future of the vernacular as a sustainable structure in different regions of the world.
    [Show full text]
  • How a United Church Congregation Articulates Its Choices from the 41St General Council's
    “What Language Shall I Borrow?” How a United Church Congregation Articulates its Choices from the 41st General Council’s Recommendations Regarding Peacebuilding in Israel/Palestine by Donna Patricia Kerrigan A Thesis submitted to the Faculty of Emmanuel College and the Toronto School of Theology In partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Ministry awarded by Emmanuel College and the University of Toronto © Copyright by Donna Patricia Kerrigan 2016 “What Language Shall I Borrow?” How a United Church Congregation Articulates its Choices from the 41st General Council’s Recommendations Regarding Peacebuilding in Israel/Palestine Donna Patricia Kerrigan Doctor of Ministry Emmanuel College and the University of Toronto 2016 Abstract The thesis of this dissertation is that members of the United Church of Canada who respond to the Report on Israel/Palestine Policy select from its peacebuilding recommendations according to their attitudes to theological contextualizing. Two attitudes give rise to two different methods, which are seldom articulated but underlie choices regarding peace initiatives such as boycotting or ecumenical/multifaith cooperation. The dissertation includes five parts: an investigation of contextual theologies for peacebuilders; a history of the UCC and ecumenical partners who have struggled to assist peace in Israel/Palestine; strategies for peace-minded ministers; a case-study of one congregation choosing peace strategies; and recommendations for denominational communications and peacebuilding. This thesis poses a taxonomy for theologizing in context, moving from initial interaction with the other by translating local systems of thought into terms of the Gospel message. Contextualizers proceed either to immerse in the local culture (anthropological) or to engage with locals in mutual learning (synthesis).
    [Show full text]
  • Ruta Essential Oils: Composition and Bioactivities
    molecules Review Ruta Essential Oils: Composition and Bioactivities Lutfun Nahar 1,* , Hesham R. El-Seedi 2, Shaden A. M. Khalifa 3, Majid Mohammadhosseini 4 and Satyajit D. Sarker 5,* 1 Laboratory of Growth Regulators, Institute of Experimental Botany ASCR & Palacký University, Šlechtitel ˚u27, 78371 Olomouc, Czech Republic 2 Biomedical Centre (BMC), Pharmacognosy Group, Department of Pharmaceutical Biosciences, Uppsala University, Box 591, SE-751 24 Uppsala, Sweden; [email protected] 3 Department of Molecular Biosciences, The Wenner-Gren Institute, Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden; [email protected] 4 Department of Chemistry, College of Basic Sciences, Shahrood Branch, Islamic Azad University, Shahrood, Iran; [email protected] 5 Centre for Natural Products Discovery (CNPD), School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University, James Parsons Building, Byrom Street, Liverpool L3 3AF, UK * Correspondence: [email protected] (L.N.); [email protected] (S.D.S.); Tel.: +44-(0)-1512312096 (S.D.S.) Abstract: Ruta L. is a typical genus of the citrus family, Rutaceae Juss. and comprises ca. 40 different species, mainly distributed in the Mediterranean region. Ruta species have long been used in traditional medicines as an abortifacient and emmenagogue and for the treatment of lung diseases and microbial infections. The genus Ruta is rich in essential oils, which predominantly contain aliphatic ketones, e.g., 2-undecanone and 2-nonanone, but lack any significant amounts of terpenes. Three Ruta species, Ruta chalepensis L., Ruta graveolens L., and Ruta montana L., have been extensively studied for the composition of their essential oils and several bioactivities, revealing their potential medicinal and agrochemical applications.
    [Show full text]
  • The Plight of Palestinian Refugees in Syria in the Camps South of Damascus by Metwaly Abo Naser, with the Support of Ryme Katkhouda and Devorah Hill
    Expert Analysis January 2017 Syrian voices on the Syrian conflict: The plight of Palestinian refugees in Syria in the camps south of Damascus By Metwaly Abo Naser, with the support of Ryme Katkhouda and Devorah Hill Introduction: the historical role of Palestinians the Oslo Accords in 1992 and the resulting loss by both the in Syria Palestinian diaspora in general and the inhabitants of the After they took refuge in Syria after the 1948 war, al-Yarmouk refugee camp in particular of their position as Palestinians refugees were treated in the same way as a key source of both material and ideological support for other Syrian citizens. Their numbers eventually reached the Palestinian armed revolution in the diaspora. This was 450,000, living mostly in 11 refugee camps throughout Syria due in part to the failure of the various Palestinian national (UNRWA, 2006). Permitted to fully participate in the liberation factions to identify new ways of engaging the economic and social life of Syrian society, they had the diaspora – including the half million Palestinians living in same civic and economic rights and duties as Syrians, Syria – in the Palestinian struggle for the liberation of the except that they could neither be nominated for political land occupied by Israel. office nor participate in elections. This helped them to feel that they were part of Syrian society, despite their refugee This process happened slowly. After the Israeli blockade of status and active role in the global Palestinian liberation Lebanon in 1982, the Palestinian militant struggle declined. struggle against the Israeli occupation of their homeland.
    [Show full text]
  • History and Politics of Nomadism in Modern Palestine (1882-1948)
    History and Politics of Nomadism in Modern Palestine (1882-1948) A Dissertation submitted to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences of Georgetown University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Arabic and Islamic Studies By Seraje Assi, M.A. Washington, DC May 30, 2016 Copyright 2016 by Seraje Assi All Rights Reserved ii History and Politics of Nomadism in Modern Palestine (1882-1948) Seraje Assi, M.A. Thesis Advisor: Judith Tucker, Ph.D. ABSTRACT My research examines contending visions on nomadism in modern Palestine. It is a comparative study that covers British, Arab and Zionist attitudes to nomadism. By nomadism I refer to a form of territorialist discourse, one which views tribal formations as the antithesis of national and land rights, thus justifying the exteriority of nomadism to the state apparatus. Drawing on primary sources in Arabic and Hebrew, I show how local conceptions of nomadism have been reconstructed on new legal taxonomies rooted in modern European theories and praxis. By undertaking a comparative approach, I maintain that the introduction of these taxonomies transformed not only local Palestinian perceptions of nomadism, but perceptions that characterized early Zionist literature. The purpose of my research is not to provide a legal framework for nomadism on the basis of these taxonomies. Quite the contrary, it is to show how nomadism, as a set of official narratives on the Bedouin of Palestine, failed to imagine nationhood and statehood beyond the single apparatus of settlement. iii The research and writing of this thesis is dedicated to everyone who helped along the way.
    [Show full text]
  • The London School of Economics and Political Science the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement
    The London School of Economics and Political Science The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement: Activism Across Borders for Palestinian Justice Suzanne Morrison A thesis submitted to the Department of Government of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, October 2015 1 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without my prior written consent. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that my thesis consists of 75,359 words. 2 Abstract On 7 July 2005, a global call for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) was declared to people around the world to enact boycott initiatives and pressure their respective governments to sanction Israel until it complies with international law and respects universal principles of human rights. The call was endorsed by over 170 Palestinian associations, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, charities, and other Palestinian groups. The call mentioned how broad BDS campaigns were utilized in the South African struggle against apartheid, and how these efforts served as an inspiration to those seeking justice for Palestinians.
    [Show full text]
  • BDS: How a Controversial Non Violent Movement Has Transformed The
    8/6/2019 BDS: how a controversial non-violent movement has transformed the Israeli-Palestinian debate | News | The Guardian BDS: how a controversial nonviolent movement has transformed the sraeliPalestinian debate Israel sees the international boycott campaign as an existential threat to the Jewish state. Palestinians regard it as their last resort. By Nathan Thrall Main image: Bethlehem, June 2015. Photograph: Thomas Coex/AFP/Getty Images Tue 14 Aug 2018 06.00 BST he movement for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions against Israel – known as BDS – has been driving the world a little bit mad. Since its founding 13 years ago, it has acquired nearly as many enemies as the Israelis and Palestinians combined. It has hindered the efforts of Arab states to fully break their own decades-old boycott in pursuit of increasingly overt cooperation with Israel. It has shamed the Palestinian Authority government in Ramallah by denouncing its security and Teconomic collaboration with Israel’s army and military administration. It has annoyed the Palestine Liberation Organization by encroaching on its position as the internationally recognised advocate and representative of Palestinians worldwide. It has infuriated the Israeli government by trying to turn it into a leper among liberals and progressives. It has exasperated what is left of the Israeli peace camp by nudging the Palestinians away from an anti-occupation struggle and towards an anti-apartheid one. It has induced such an anti-democratic counter-campaign by the Israeli government that it has made Israeli liberals fear for the future of their country. And it has caused major headaches for the Palestinians’ donor governments in Europe, which are pressured by Israel not to work with BDS-supporting organisations in the Palestinian territories, an impossible request given that nearly all major civil society groups in Gaza and the West Bank support the movement.
    [Show full text]
  • Bibliographies
    VOLUME II MIDDLE EAST PEACE NEGOTIATIONS WORKING GROUP ON REFUGEES GROUPE DE TRAVAIL SURLES REFUGIES NEGOCIATIONS POUR LA PAIX AU MOYEN-ORIENT Bibliographies 92--0801-00 Middle East Expert and Advisory Services Fund Phase I prepafi produced for project r - .. I ...... ~ E F 0 R R E no access restriction k University Toronto Canada BRIEFING BOOK INDEX Volume I Section I - References Section II - Contacts Volume II Section III - Bibliographies 1. Israel-Arab Conflict - General 2. Palestinian Refugees - General 3. Sample Annotated Bibliography - Palestinian Refugees 4. Jews from Arab Lands 5. Repatriation - General Bibliographies-Disclaimer *All the five bibliographies in Section III (Volume II) are samples. The source material for the bibliographies is primarily in English and the selection is limited. At present, sources other than in English (Hebrew, Arabic, French and other languages) are not included. Therefore, the current document should be utilised only as a prototype. It is an acknowledged need that future work must include preparation of (multi-lingual) exhaustive bibliographies on Repatriation, Arab-Israeli Conflict, Palestinian Refugees and Jews in Arab Lands as well as Kurdish Refugees. **The format used for the entries is as follows: Author (year) "Title of the article" in Title of the Journal. Vol. #(series#): page#. - or - Title of the Book. Place of Publication: Publishing Company. number of pp. Abstract: Keywords: BIBLIOGRAPHY !: ARAB-rSRAELI CONFLICT - GENERAL :1937) The Palestine Royal (Peel) Commission Report. Keywords: Arab states; Europe (1965} Israel and the Uniced Nacions, Report of Study Group. Keywords: Israel; United ~ations General Assembly; Law; self-determination (1977) Tb.e Palestinian Arab National .'1ovement: From Riots to Rebellion, 1929-1939, Vol.
    [Show full text]
  • A Guide to Understanding the Struggle for Palestinian Human Rights
    A Guide to Understanding the Struggle for Palestinian Human Rights © Copyright 2010, The Veritas Handbook. 1st Edition: July 2010. Online PDF, Cost: $0.00 Cover Photo: Ahmad Mesleh This document may be reproduced and redistributed, in part, or in full, for educational and non- profit purposes only and cannot be used for fundraising or any monetary purposes. We encourage you to distribute the material and print it, while keeping the environment in mind. Photos by Ahmad Mesleh, Jon Elmer, and Zoriah are copyrighted by the authors and used with permission. Please see www.jonelmer.ca, www.ahmadmesleh.wordpress.com and www.zoriah.com for detailed copyright information and more information on these photographers. Excerpts from Rashid Khalidi’s Palestinian Identity, Ben White’s Israeli Apartheid: A Beginner’s Guide and Norman Finkelstein’s This Time We Went Too Far are also taken with permission of the author and/or publishers and can only be used for the purposes of this handbook. Articles from The Electronic Intifada and PULSE Media have been used with written permission. We claim no rights to the images included or content that has been cited from other online resources. Contact: [email protected] Web: www.veritashandbook.blogspot.com T h e V E R I T A S H a n d b o o k 2 A Guide to Understanding the Struggle for Palestinian Human Rights To make this handbook possible, we would like to thank 1. The Hasbara Handbook and the Hasbara Fellowships 2. The Israel Project’s Global Language Dictionary Both of which served as great inspirations, convincing us of the necessity of this handbook in our plight to establish truth and justice.
    [Show full text]
  • The London School of Economics and Political Science The
    CORE Metadata, citation and similar papers at core.ac.uk Provided by LSE Theses Online The London School of Economics and Political Science The Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions Movement: Activism Across Borders for Palestinian Justice Suzanne Morrison A thesis submitted to the Department of Government of the London School of Economics for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy, London, October 2015 1 Declaration I certify that the thesis I have presented for examination for the MPhil/PhD degree of the London School of Economics and Political Science is solely my own work other than where I have clearly indicated that it is the work of others (in which case the extent of any work carried out jointly by me and any other person is clearly identified in it). The copyright of this thesis rests with the author. Quotation from it is permitted, provided that full acknowledgement is made. This thesis may not be reproduced without my prior written consent. I warrant that this authorisation does not, to the best of my belief, infringe the rights of any third party. I declare that my thesis consists of 75,359 words. 2 Abstract On 7 July 2005, a global call for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) was declared to people around the world to enact boycott initiatives and pressure their respective governments to sanction Israel until it complies with international law and respects universal principles of human rights. The call was endorsed by over 170 Palestinian associations, trade unions, non-governmental organizations, charities, and other Palestinian groups. The call mentioned how broad BDS campaigns were utilized in the South African struggle against apartheid, and how these efforts served as an inspiration to those seeking justice for Palestinians.
    [Show full text]
  • Boycott Divestment Sanctions (Bds) Against Israel an Anti- Semitic, Anti- Peace Poison Pill
    BOYCOTT DIVESTMENT SANCTIONS (BDS) AGAINST ISRAEL AN ANTI- SEMITIC, ANTI- PEACE POISON PILL BY DR. HAROLD BRACKMAN SIMON WIESENTHAL CENTER MARCH 2013 TABLE OF CONTENTS Preface 1 Executive Summary 2 Introduction 4 6 BDS and “the Durban Strategy” for Destroying Israel Not All Boycott Movements Are the Same 7 BDS Movement and Sharansky’s “3Ds” Test for Anti-Semitism 9 BDS’s Multiple Battlefields: From Boardroom to Union Halls To Supermarkets 12 Academic Institutions and the BDS’ Jihad Against Israel 14 BDS’ “Shaming” Cultural War on Israel 16 The Churches and the BDS’ Theology of Hate 17 In their own words: 19 Defenders of BDS 19 Critics of BDS: 20 Conclusion 23 Appendix: BDS Hall of Shame—A Chronology 24 Endnotes 30 copyright 2013 www.wiesenthal.com BOYCOTT DIVESTMENT SANCTIONS (BDS) AGAINST ISRAEL AN ANTI- SEMITIC, ANTI- PEACE POISON PILL 1 preface For decades, diplomats, politicians, and pundits have weighed in as to how best bring peace to the Holy Land. In 2013, U.S. President Barack Obama is paying his first presidential visit to Israel and the Palestinian Territories to try to reboot hopes for peace. There is, however, one campaign—BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions)—that presents itself as a pro-peace initiative but in reality is a thinly-veiled, anti-Israel and anti-Semitic “poison pill,” whose goal is the demonization, delegitimization, and ultimate demise of the Jewish State. Taking a page from the late twentieth century worldwide campaign against the South African Apartheid regime, BDS casts a global anti-Israel net on campuses, among unions, entertainers and Churches.
    [Show full text]