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| Palestine Chronicle | | The Palestine Chronicle is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization whose mission is to educate the general public by providing a forum that strives to highlight issues of relevance to human rights, national struggles, freedom and democracy in the form of daily news, commentary, features, book reviews, photos, art, and more.
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Thanks to your support, we now how two new team members of the Palestine Chronicle - a correspondent in Gaza and an editor in South Africa.
Their advent has doubled the amount of stories we produced in recent weeks and our Nakba coverage, thanks to them and to our other writers has been one of the best anywhere.
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Dear Friends and Readers, For 15 years the Palestine Chronicle has maintained a stance of broadcasting news from and about Palestine. This stance has been maintained with no political or ideological affiliation. It is this stance that has allowed the true suffering of the oppressed and marginalized Palestinian people to be broadcast to the world. The role of sponsors in the continuation of the Palestine Chronicle cannot be over stated. It is only through such sponsors that the work of the Chronicle can continue as it exposes the atrocities occurring in besieged Palestine. Currently, the Palestine Chronicle operates on a limited budget and a highly committed team. It is in need of funding in order to be maintained and to continue its necessary coverage of the siege in Gaza, the intifada in the West Bank and Jerusalem, the BDS effort, the prisoners, and more. Your funding will allow these stories and more to be broadcast to the world. We thank those who have committed to this cause and appeal to those who have not yet. Thank you for your solidarity The Palestine Chronicle Team
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| FEATURED | The Nakba: Never Again? Palestinian refugees seeking safety after they were expelled from their homeland. (Photo: File) On the 11th and 12th May, many Israelis marked the 68th anniversary of their so-called 'Independence Day', Yom Haatzmaut, according to the Hebrew Calendar. That day laid the groundwork for implementing the myth of a 'greater' Israel - a colonial state par excellence. Israeli media sources covered the festivities, which included Israeli Air Force flybys, barbecues, picnics, dramatic increase in military presence, excessive television coverage along with a racist rhetoric, and so on. Even Google displayed to its users in the State of Israel, some of whom are Palestinian, a doodle that marked the day. For Palestinians, however, these were not festive days but rather days of remembrance. Many Palestinians who live in Israel, where Palestinian schools were forced to take the day off and who were ordered to avoid any mention of the Nakba, took to the streets in memory of the losses of Palestinian lives, land, and homes, which was an immediate consequence of the establishment of the State of Israel. Their aim was primarily to keep alive the hope that many Palestinian refugees will return to their homeland. By virtue of their very presence, they wanted people to be reminded that the Israeli festivities took place on land that was taken by force, land that stands upon the graves of large numbers of Palestinians. The message was loud and clear: The Israeli commemoration is a distortion of history and is predicated on the suffering of other human beings. But most Palestinians remember their collective loss and express their downright rejection of that distorted version of history on a different day, namely the 15th of May, the notorious day of the partitioning of Palestine. That day had an indelible impact on Palestinians, primarily because it legitimized expelling Palestinian into neighboring states and rendering them refugees. The so-called legitimacy of the creation of the State of Israel was reinforced by the circulation of the official Israeli narrative, which runs contrary to any reality: Israel did not terrorize or force Palestinians into exile; Palestinians left of their own volition, abandoning their homes and country; and, if that had been really their country, they would have stayed. Even when some Israelis acknowledge that what happened was an expulsion, they claim that refugees are a natural consequence of any war. Benny Morris, the right-leaning Israeli historian who is also known as a new historian, preposterously suggests that the refugee problem was inevitable and born of war, not by design. But even the camp in which Morris is typically classified, the new historians, belies this narrative. Palestinians did not become refugees; they were rendered refugees. That creation was part of a systematic plan, termed Plan Dalet by Israeli generals, as Walid Al-Khalidi reminds us. Israeli state archives confirm the existence of such a plan, as they include statements made by influential Israeli generals and statesmen such as Ben Gurion, Chaim Weizmann, Yitzhak Modai, Yigael Yadin, Moshe Carmel, and many others, all of whose statements show that there was a premeditated plan of transfer. Palestinians, to quote Norman Finkelstein in his informative book Image and Reality of the Israel-Palestine Conflict did not take flight at the behest of Arab orders. The expulsion of Palestinians was and continues to be a strategic goal of the Israeli colonial machine. A cursory look at the increasing numbers of Palestinian refugees corroborates the existence of such a goal. In 1948, more than 750,000 Palestinians became refugees; and in 1967, Israel made more than 350,000 Palestinians refugees. In between those two pivotal years in Palestinian history and after 1967, many Palestinians were unobtrusively forced to leave. More and more Palestinians have had to undergo internal displacement and extradition. The numbers and facts are consistent with the stance of the Israeli States stance against Syrian refugees: Netanyahu recently refused to grant asylum to Syrian refugees. Moreover, the State of Israel discriminates against and deports African refugees. Israel, to state the obvious, is consistent in its colonial, discriminatory, and racist policies. In fact, it is not even consistent when it comes to even its own slogans. The Jewish Defense League, one of the strongest supporters of Israel, popularized the phrase 'Never Again' to make people remember that Jews should never be discriminated against in human history. Nevertheless, that slogan is selectively applied, as it ignores the sufferings of other groups of human beings. The grandchildren and children of Palestinian refugees, and the refugees themselves are determined to re-imagine this slogan and make it inclusive of all human beings. For them, there will never be more Palestinian refugees or another Palestinian Nakba, and their return to their homeland is a legitimate right. More importantly, their suffering, they believe, should not be repeated. Is the Israeli state willing to come to grips with these facts? Absolutely not! This unwillingness, the supporters of the Israeli colonial machine should remember, is the real threat to the State of Israel. - Professer Mahmoud Zidan lives in Jordan. He contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com
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| LATEST NEWS |  By Palestine Chronicle Staff Human Rights Watch has called on the Jordanian government to lift the restrictions imposed based on issuing "non-objection papers" to Palestinians from Gaza who travel through the country. Kenneth Roth, the Executive Director of HRW sent a letter to the Jordanian Prime Minister, which read: "Since August, residents of Gaza have [...] French officials said on Sunday that they will continue to press ahead with plans to host a multilateral Middle East peace conference later this year, despite hearing, quite bluntly, that Israel is displeased with the idea. French Foreign Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to promote the "French Initiative" - [...] A Palestinian man in his 20s was detained for allegedly stabbing and lightly injuring an ultra-Orthodox Israeli on Haneviim Street (Street of Prophets) in central Jerusalem. Israeli police spokesperson, Luba al-Samri, said in a statement that Israeli border police were already deployed around Damascus Gate due to heightened security in occupied East Jerusalem's Old City. [...]  By Palestine Chronicle Staff Palestinians all over the world mark May 15 as a day of loss and displacement after the Zionist militias ethnically cleansed 531 Palestinian villages and made more than 750,000 Palestinians refugees. Protests, galleries and speeches are organized every year to mark this turning point in Palestinian history. This year, Palestinians and their [...]  Yousef M. Aljamal - Gaza On May 15, 2016 The Center for Political and Development Studies in Gaza, Palestine, hosted Irish TD (Member of Parliament) Richard Boyd Barrett, well-known for a powerful video that went viral on social media. The video sees Boyd Barrett calling for the expulsion of Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Boaz Modai, following the Israeli [...] Thousands of Palestinians took part Sunday in a rally in Gaza City organized by various political factions to commemorate the 68th anniversary of the Nakba, or catastrophe, voicing renewed demands that Palestinians to return to the cities, villages, and lands that they were forced to leave in 1948 during the creation of the state of [...]  South African human rights activist, Itani Rasalanavho, was detained and 'humiliated' by Israeli authorities at Ben Gurion airport. He was strip searched before deported from the country. Rasalanavho said he was pulled out of a queue upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv last Friday. "I was interrogated about the purpose of my [...]  "Every Jew can call Israel home," Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wrote on Twitter yesterday. Netanyahu's message came during a live question and answer session on the social media website and in response to a questioned by Twitter user E. S. Martinez who wrote: "#Asknetanyahu You think you have the right to act on behalf [...] Dozens of Palestinian refugees in Lebanon protested today in front of the British Embassy in Beirut to mark the 68th anniversary of the Nakba. They demanded the UK make up for what they described as the "sin" it committed against the Palestinians by supporting the Zionist movement. Refugees from various Palestinian camps in Lebanon, including [...]  Egyptian authorities reopened the Rafah crossing with the besieged Gaza Strip for the second day in a row on Thursday, after an 85-day closure. Gazan crossing briefly opens but even cancer patients remain caged https://t.co/RnMOOtIEx1 #now in #Rafah pic.twitter.com/vHy9TddsOo - Mohammed Omer (@Mogaza) May 11, 2016 The Gaza crossings committee said that 443 Palestinians were [...] Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday took back remarks in which he said that he "had threatened to send commandos to Cairo in 2011 to rescue Israeli security staff besieged by demonstrators who had stormed Israel's embassy," Reuters reported. Netanyahu's office issued a "clarification" on Twitter. It said the Israeli policy was to protect [...]  By Palestine Chronicle staff Ai Weiwei, controversial and dissident Chinese artist and activist is in Gaza to film a documentary based on the suffering of refugees in the Middle East Weiwei crossed into Gaza through Israel with a crew of 10 people. Ai aims to include Palestinian refugees in his documentary stating that they constitute [...]  On Nakba Day, May 15, the Israeli army intends imposing a 'general closure' on occupied the West Bank, and the Gaza Strip. Nakba Day will commemorate the 68th anniversary of the Nakba. "Nakba", "catastrophe" refers to the destruction of hundreds of cities and villages in historical Palestine - and the expulsion of Palestinians from their [...] A leading Israeli research center has urged for the formation of a joint American-Israeli strategy that would guarantee the survival of the governments in Egypt and Jordan. In a study published today on the centre's website, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) considered the stability of Al-Sisi's government of high interest for Israel and the US. However open the Sisi [...]  By Yousef M. Aljamal Two days before his scheduled appearance on twitter, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu was asked some tough questions by social media activists, mainly because of Israel's occupation polices towards the Palestinian people. What Natanyahu thought would be "A Special Independence Day Live Chat" turned into a number of questions which he [...]  International sportswear maker, Reebok, has cancelled and repudiated plans to market a special edition sneaker celebrating what Israel calls its 'Independence Day'. On Monday 9th May, a Facebook post stated the online auction of Israel 68 trainers made by Reebok. This post has since been removed following a huge outcry in support of Palestinian rights. [...] |
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Irish MP on Nakba Day: Israel is not a Normal State Irish MP Richard Boyd Barret addressing a crowd in Gaza. (Photo: Yousef M. Aljamal, PC) On May 15, 2016 The Center for Political and Development Studies in Gaza, Palestine, hosted Irish TD (Member of Parliament) Richard Boyd Barrett, well-known for a powerful video that went viral on social media. The video sees Boyd Barrett calling for the expulsion of Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Boaz Modai, following the Israeli offensive on Gaza in 2014. He stressed that the Palestinian people's struggle for freedom is similar to that of Ireland, adding that Britain has played a major role in dividing both countries. He continued that, "the Palestinian has a strong presence in Ireland where even officials call for boycotting Israel." "From my personal point of view, Israel is not a normal state and it should not be treated as such. Israel is a racist state. The state should be called the state of Palestine in which Muslims, Christians, Jews and people with no religion should live," said the Irish TD Commenting on the future solution to the conflict in the region, he explained, "The solution should be based on one state, because the two state solution will be genocidal to the Palestinians. People should get involved in the Boycott movement against Israel and this is what we are doing in Ireland." Boyd Barrett hinted that his coalition will propose "a parliamentary BDS committee" to support the Palestinian people. He concluded that most of the consequences following his parliamentary intervention against the Israeli ambassador were positive. "Even though the government has a good relationship with Israel, they don't have enough confidence to criticize Palestine or its supporters," he said. Boyd Barrett concluded: "The EU should cut its economical and political relations with Israel." Gino Kenny, an Irish TD, who raised the Palestinian flag when elected to the Irish Parliament joined Boyd Barrett and emphasized his commitment to the Palestinian cause and his support to the Palestinian people. Kenny added that the Irish people would continue to support Palestine until Palestinians are free. Many expressed their appreciation for the Irish MPs and their continuing support for Palestine, highlighting the similarities between the situation in Ireland and that of Palestine. - Yousef M. Aljamal is the Palestine Chronicle Correspondent in the Gaza Strip. |
| NEWS ROUNDUP .. |
By Palestine Chronicle Staff Human Rights Watch has called on the Jordanian government to lift the restrictions imposed based on issuing "non-objection papers" to Palestinians from Gaza who travel through the country. Kenneth Roth, the Executive Director of HRW sent a letter to the Jordanian Prime Minister, which read: "Since August, residents of Gaza have [...] French officials said on Sunday that they will continue to press ahead with plans to host a multilateral Middle East peace conference later this year, despite hearing, quite bluntly, that Israel is displeased with the idea. French Foreign Minister, Jean-Marc Ayrault, met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday to promote the "French Initiative" - [...] A Palestinian man in his 20s was detained for allegedly stabbing and lightly injuring an ultra-Orthodox Israeli on Haneviim Street (Street of Prophets) in central Jerusalem. Israeli police spokesperson, Luba al-Samri, said in a statement that Israeli border police were already deployed around Damascus Gate due to heightened security in occupied East Jerusalem's Old City. [...] By Palestine Chronicle Staff Palestinians all over the world mark May 15 as a day of loss and displacement after the Zionist militias ethnically cleansed 531 Palestinian villages and made more than 750,000 Palestinians refugees. Protests, galleries and speeches are organized every year to mark this turning point in Palestinian history. This year, Palestinians and their [...]  By Mahmoud N. Zidan On the 11th and 12th May, many Israelis marked the 68th anniversary of their so-called 'Independence Day', Yom Haatzmaut, according to the Hebrew Calendar. That day laid the groundwork for implementing the myth of a 'greater' Israel - a colonial state par excellence. Israeli media sources covered the festivities, which included [...] Yousef M. Aljamal - Gaza On May 15, 2016 The Center for Political and Development Studies in Gaza, Palestine, hosted Irish TD (Member of Parliament) Richard Boyd Barrett, well-known for a powerful video that went viral on social media. The video sees Boyd Barrett calling for the expulsion of Israeli ambassador to Ireland, Boaz Modai, following the Israeli [...]  I tried to explain to my late mother that she had to be expelled from Zarnouqa in 1948, leave her memories and house behind because a crazy bigot had committed a pogrom against Jews in Europe, but she neither wanted to understand ("what does that have to do with us?") nor accept (why didn't the [...]  By Jamal Kanj Much had been argued about the creation of Israel and the ensuing 1948 ethnic cleansing of non-Jewish Palestinians. Sadly, however, most had become a desensitized academic debate, a lifeless abstract portrayal failing to depict what it really meant for one to be a refugee without a country. On this 68th commemoration of the [...] South African human rights activist, Itani Rasalanavho, was detained and 'humiliated' by Israeli authorities at Ben Gurion airport. He was strip searched before deported from the country. Rasalanavho said he was pulled out of a queue upon arrival at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv last Friday. "I was interrogated about the purpose of my [...]  By Ahmad Alhaaj - Gaza This extract is part of a book titled Palestine 1948/1949: Willful Savage Displacement: A Personal Experience By Ahmad Khaleel Al-Haaj. Two days later, during the evening, a foreign Jewish Settler force from Bir tibia attacked, without any provocation, the village of Beit Daras, presumably to commit a savage massacre which [...]  By Yousef M. Aljamal The horror of ethnic cleansing campaigns carried out against hundreds of Palestinian villages in 1948 by Zionists militias still haunt survivors 68 years on. Palestinians in Gaza, 80 % of whom are refugees, still recall the mass exodus that Israel celebrates as "Independence Day". Subsequent Israeli attacks on Gaza have always [...]  By Hani Al-Masri On the anniversary of the 1948 Nakba, I think it is appropriate to share what I consider some lessons to be learned from the Palestinian experience since the establishment of Israel on the land of historic Palestine. For a start, it is a lie to say that the Palestinian and Arab rejection [...]  (A Book Talk at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, May 12, 2016, Washington, D.C.) By Ambassador Chas W. Freeman Since the end of the Cold War, we're had a lot of very instructive experience in the Middle East. Back in 2010, I compiled the real-time analyses I had made of our policies and their [...]  By Hasan Afif El-Hasan Arab people today are not only oppressed and marginalized, they are considered dangerous and disposable by their own tyrant rulers and the world's community. From Palestine to Iraq, from Syria to Yemen, and from Egypt to Libya, the Middle East Arab civilians, individuals, families, and communities, who are not involved in [...] By Palestine Chronicle staff Ai Weiwei, controversial and dissident Chinese artist and activist is in Gaza to film a documentary based on the suffering of refugees in the Middle East Weiwei crossed into Gaza through Israel with a crew of 10 people. Ai aims to include Palestinian refugees in his documentary stating that they constitute [...]  By Palestine Chronicle Staff The Palestinian Kefiyeh is celebrated worldwide every year on May 11. This year, fans of the Kefiyeh took to social media to mark one of the major symbols in Palestinian history. The Kefiyeh was widely used and subsequently gained prominence as a symbol of resistance, during the Palestinian Revolution of 1936-39. [...] By Yousef M. Aljamal Two days before his scheduled appearance on twitter, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu was asked some tough questions by social media activists, mainly because of Israel's occupation polices towards the Palestinian people. What Natanyahu thought would be "A Special Independence Day Live Chat" turned into a number of questions which he [...]  By Ramzy Baroud There is a witch-hunt in the British Labour Party. Britain's Opposition party leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is being hounded for not rooting out alleged anti-Semitism in his party. Those leading the charge are pro-Israel Zionists and their supporters within the party, members who are mostly allied with the former Prime Minister, the largely [...] International sportswear maker, Reebok, has cancelled and repudiated plans to market a special edition sneaker celebrating what Israel calls its 'Independence Day'. On Monday 9th May, a Facebook post stated the online auction of Israel 68 trainers made by Reebok. This post has since been removed following a huge outcry in support of Palestinian rights. [...] |
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The Palestine Chronicle is an independent online newspaper that provides daily news, commentary, features, book reviews, photos, art, etc, on a variety of subjects. However, it's largely focused on Palestine, Israel, and the Middle East region. The Palestine Chronicle is a non-profit 501(c)3 organization. To contact the editor, submit an article or any other material, please write to: editor@palestinechronicle.com. For other inquiries write to: info@palestinechronicle.com. |
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