Jews Behaving Badly

By John Ballard

From this distance it is not possible to know all the details, but this much is plain: whatever official justifications are being cited for removing Palestinians from their homes is not receiving the full support of the Israeli community. A growing number of Israeli citizens are not only opposed to the official policy but are willing to put their energy and support into direct action protests. This link is from Bernard Avishai's blog. 

Academic reinforcement � Dozens of professors from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem on Wednesday joined some 800 students in a protest march from the university to the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sheikh Jarrah. The crowd protested against the entrance of Jewish settlers into the neighborhood, and the eviction of Arab families from their homes.

During the rally, students and professors called out slogans such as "We won�t sit in class while rights are being trampled" and "We won't learn civil rights with racism in Sheikh Jarrah." The protestors waived signs that read "No sanctity in an occupied city" and "Charity begins at home."

Dr. David Sarfati, who lectures on genetics, told Ynet that he came to support the struggle of the Arab residents: "I don't agree with evicting families from their homes. They say these houses belong to Jews, and even if it's true � it's still doesn't make it just.

"Sometimes I pass in the area and see an Arab family's tent adjacent to their previous home, and think to myself: 'Do people have no heart?' People lost their ability to view Arabs as humans," he said.

Ruth Butler, a professor in the department of education, said she has been active in the struggle for quite some time. "The attempt to expel these families from their homes is wrong on the human and moral level. It's clear that this is also done as a political move, in an attempt to sabotage any opportunity to reach a peace agreement with the Palestinians � as it includes the division of Jerusalem," she said.

Close connection to academia
Professor Tamar Rapoport noted that at least 10 education professors attended the protest. "The announcement about the protest was passed along through the social networks and emails. At the end of the day, teachers are also human, and in this country it's impossible not to take a political stance."

Rapoport clarified that the professors were not there on behalf of the university, but on behalf of themselves. "However," she added, "I believe there is a close connection between the struggle in Sheikh Jarrah and the academia."

Dr. Yuval Harari, Who teaches history at the university, came "in the name of neighborliness," he said. According to Harari, "It's the minimum one can do when the neighbor's house is on fire. As far as the university is concerned, to keep ignoring the situation is like cutting off the branch on which it sits.

There are snapshots of the event at the link, but this video from last week (May 16) illustrates Avishai reference.

The movement is not petering out; on the contrary, the weekly Friday protests are starting to feel like a congregation without which the Sabbath Bride cannot be fully welcomed.

I have been watching weekly videos of various non-violent direct actions on the Joseph Dana blog. Like all such events they tend to be repetitious and only mildly dramatic. The Sheikh Jarrah protest is but one of several that take place regularly.

Lisa Goldman, an Israeli journalist, wrote this colorful description of another protest that takes place weekly at Nabi Salih.

The momentum seems to be increasing in recent weeks. De. Avishai's link indicates yesterday's event described in the YNet article may be more notable than most so I expect more video from the Dana blog.

The oil industry's rape of the Gulf of Mexico still dominates the news, but other events continue to play out simultaneously

President Barack Obama has invited Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to the White House for separate meetings, White House officials said Wednesday.

The meetings with Obama will be the first for the Middle Eastern leaders since the start of indirect peace talks which began last month, with Obama's special envoy George Mitchell mediating between the parties.

But Israeli commentators portrayed the surprise invitation to Netanyahu as an attempt by Obama to counter U.S. criticism of what was widely seen as his cold shoulder toward the Israeli leader after a public dispute over Jewish settlements.

Obama has put both Israel and the Palestinians on notice they will be held accountable if either side takes actions to undermine the so-called "proximity talks" Mitchell is mediating.

Obama will use his meetings with Netanyahu and Abbas to give a boost to the proximity talks. "Both meetings are designed to help move that process forward," said a White House spokesman in Washington, Tommy Vietor.

White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel delivered the invitation in person to Netanyahu in Jerusalem Wednesday, while on a family visit to Israel.

I would love to have been a fly on the wall listening to Rham Emanuel's conversation with Netanyahu.