vjp-global

http://tabletmag.com/jewish-news-and-politics/189842/confessions-non-zionist-jew?utm_source=fb&utm_medium=post&utm_content=True+Confessions+of+a+Non-Zionist+Jew&utm_campaign=march2015 Embarrassment. Revulsion. Outrage. Righteous defensiveness. Impatience. Visceral reactions of one Jew toward the Jewish State. Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://972mag.com/diaspora-jews-its-time-to-step-up/104978/ For years there have been calls for on-the-ground opposition to the occupation. Now there are a growing number of Jewish platforms — and voices — seeking to make it happen... … It is important that Jewish communities with connections to Israel take part in this movement. Whether they have a personal, communal, religious or cultural relationship with this land, diaspora communities should be on the forefront, stepping up to take responsibility for a peaceful and just future here… There are important roles for people from all over the world, of various backgrounds, in organizing opposition to the occupation. Right now, at this very moment, there is a growing call for diaspora Jews to to find their way here and stand up for equality. It's time to answer that call. Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://mondoweiss.net/2015/03/american-taking-israel?utm_source=Mondoweiss+List&utm_campaign=fbea2d2738-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b86bace129-fbea2d2738-398495333   … Yesterday the White House chief of staff got rousing cheers in Washington from J Street, the liberal Zionist group, as he slammed Israel  as an occupier: "An occupation that has lasted for almost 50 years must end…."   Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://blogs.forward.com/jj-goldberg/217283/israeli-left-splits-on-tactics-at-j-street-confere/ Speaking at a press conference on the margins of the J Street national convention today, a group of left-wing Knesset members split over the role they'd like American Jews to play in American diplomacy, particularly at the United Nations. Responding to a reporter's question, Zionist Union lawmakers Yoel Hasson and Ksenia Svetlova said they opposed a UN resolution on a Palestinian state...   By contrast, Tamar Zandberg of Meretz welcomed the prospect of a UN resolution as a way of helping Israelis and Palestinians come together around a joint framework… Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://972mag.com/its-time-for-a-one-state-solution/104766/     There is no use convincing the Jewish public to support the two-state solution, especially when over 500,000 settlers live beyond the Green Line and there is no guarantee that a Palestinian state will not be the source of terror against Israelis. The only way forward is to grant full equality to all.   Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://972mag.com/israelis-elected-a-non-democracy/104716/   Obama must understand that these elections were more than just a referendum on Netanyahu — they were a referendum on Israel's character, and Israelis did not vote for democratic ideals...   Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://www.haaretz.com/weekend/magazine/jerusalem-born-thinker-meron-benvenisti-has-a-message-for-israelis-stop-whining.premium-1.469447 A powerful interview from 2012 which will likely produce some intellectual indigestion. For example: " I do not accept the allegation that Israel is an apartheid state. Even what is happening in the territories is not exactly apartheid. But what is taking shape here is no less grave. This is a master-nation democracy; in German, a "Herrenvolk democracy." We are a country that behaves like a full-blooded democracy, but we have a group of serfs − the Arabs − to whom we do not apply democracy. The result is a situation of extreme inequality." Submitted by Donna Hicks, AIME member

RAMALLAH (Ma'an) -- Dozens of Palestinians and foreign activists suffered from tear-gas inhalation when Israeli forces suppressed the weekly protest march in Bilin on Friday. http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=760006 Posted by Sam Bryan, AIME member

http://mondoweiss.net/2015/03/save-israel-now?utm_source=Mondoweiss+List&utm_campaign=1cdb39ff72-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b86bace129-1cdb39ff72-398495333   …All has been revealed to a watching world. Netanyahu's reversion to racism in the last days of a desperate campaign, his explicit denunciation of "Arab voters" on Facebook so as to get his people out, along with his repudiation of the two-state solution—and the huge reward delivered to him by Israelis for these statements — should be clarifying revelations to the American political class. This is Israel. Everything you have been told about the "Jewish democracy" by the Israel supporters: it is wrong. It may be Jewish, but it is no democracy, this is a white settler society where a fearful privileged group of Jews holds on to its power in ever-expanding colonies by reelecting a strong leader, now in his tenth year as premier, who will use threats and violenc

3-19-2015 The Historic Night for the Arab List – Allison Deger Mondoweiss   http://mondoweiss.net/2015/03/historic-night-list?utm_source=Mondoweiss+List&utm_campaign=1cdb39ff72-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_b86bace129-1cdb39ff72-398495333 …"This party from now on is the one and only legitimate party representing the Arab people in the Knesset, and is the only legitimate representative of the democratic movements against Zionism," said Jamal Zahalka, a current Knesset member and an Arab list Knesset-elect, when the first counts were aired on Tuesday night at the rally in Nazareth. At that time early releases showed Herzog and Netanyahu were neck and neck, and the Arab list was earmarked to get 13 seats. Everyone in the room watched from the same set of televisions—journalists, candidates and supporters alike—and Arab list candidates took the stage. There was still some ambiguity over who would be the next prime minister, and i

This is regarding Iran and does not relate to the election. Full article: http://www.pressreader.com/search?query=points%20to%20know then click on title "Seventeen Points to Know About Netanyahu." Posted by Sam Bryan, AIME member

Full article: http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/19/opinion/netanyahus-win-is-good-for-palestine.html?_r=0 Snippet: WASHINGTON — IF anyone doubted where Benjamin Netanyahu stood on the question of peace, the Israeli prime minister made himself clear just before Tuesday's election, proclaiming that there would never be a Palestinian state on his watch. Then he decided to engage in a bit of fear-mongering against Palestinian citizens of Israel in hopes of driving his supporters to the polls. "The right-wing government is in danger," Mr. Netanyahu announced on Election Day. "Arab voters are heading to the polling stations in droves." But Mr. Netanyahu's victory is actually the best plausible outcome for those seeking to end Israel's occupation. Indeed, I, as a Palestinian, breathed a sigh of relief when it became clear that his Likud Party had won the larg

http://www.democracynow.org/2015/3/18/after_netanyahu_wins_israel_vote_with To discuss the election, we are joined by two guests: Jamal Zahalka, an Arab member of the Israeli Knesset and chair of Balad party, which is part of the Joint List of Arab parties; and Amira Hass, correspondent for the Israeli newspaper Ha'aretz in the occupied Palestinian territories... [Amira Hass is particularly cogent.] Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

  http://972mag.com/the-israelis-who-are-giving-their-votes-to-palestinians/104408/   The 'Real Democracy' campaign provides a platform for those living under Israeli rule without voting rights to cast a ballot on Tuesday. In the last elections many Palestinians asked their Israeli proxies to boycott the ballot box; this time they are largely supporting the Joint List.   Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member  

3-13-15 In Israeli Race, Winning First Place Is No Guarantee of Becoming Premier - ISABEL KERSHNER New York Times   http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/14/world/middleeast/israel-election-rules-complicate-naming-a-winner.html?&moduleDetail=top-news-1&action=click&contentCollection=Middle%20East&region=Footer&module=TopNews&pgtype=article&_r=0   When the first election results begin to flow in on the night of March 17, Israelis may need to get out their calculators. Under Israel 's fractious, multiparty system, the leader of the party that garners the most votes is not guaranteed to become the next prime minister. Instead, victory belongs to the party leader who has the best chance of cobbling together a government coalition with smaller parties in order to control at least 61 seats in the 120-seat Knesset, or Parliament… Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/16/opinion/paul-krugman-israels-gilded-age.html   …while Israel's economy has grown, this growth has been accompanied by a disturbing transformation in the country's income distribution and society. Once upon a time, Israel was a country of egalitarian ideals — the kibbutz population was always a small minority, but it had a large impact on the nation's self-perception. And it was a fairly equal society in reality, too, right up to the early 1990s. Since then, however, Israel has experienced a dramatic widening of income disparities… Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/16/world/middleeast/ayman-odeh-arab-alliance-rises-as-force-in-israel-vote.html?_r=0     Israeli Arabs have experienced a political awakening as potent alliances have formed that could prevent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from cobbling together a ruling coalition.   Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

http://www.jta.org/2015/03/10/news-opinion/politics/black-lawmakers-vow-to-stand-by-israel-despite-sitting-out-netanyahu "Leading black lawmakers have taken pains to put the blame for the speech incident on Boehner and convey their continued support for Israel. At the news conference with Lewis, Rep. G.K. Butterfield (D-N.C.), the caucus chairman, described a phone call he had with Ron Dermer, the Israeli ambassador to Washington who organized the invitation with Boehner, and who agreed to Boehner's request to keep it secret from the president and congressional Democrats. "During that telephone conversation I pleaded with the ambassador to seek a postponement of the joint session, but he dismissed that idea," Butterfield said. "Notwithstanding, I pledged my continued personal support and explained that Israel has many friends in the Congressional Black Caucus, and do not think that Speaker Boehner's conduct will interfere with our relationship." Posted

Full text: http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/truthdigger_of_the_week_rabbi_michael_lerner_20150308 Snippet: As Benjamin Netanyahu's fear-mongering speech echoed through the chambers of Congress, an American Jewish voice could be heard directly opposing the Israeli prime minister's bellicose machinations—that of Rabbi Michael Lerner. Posted by Sam Bryan, AIME member

Full article: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/07/anti-netanyahu-rally_n_6823346.html Snippet: TEL AVIV, Israel (AP) — Tens of thousands of Israelis are gathering at a Tel Aviv square under the banner "Israel wants change" and calling for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to be replaced in March 17 national elections. Saturday night's rally at Rabin Square is the highest profile demonstration yet in the run-up to the election. It is organized by a non-profit organization seeking to change Israel's priorities and refocus on health, education, housing and the country's cost of living. Though not officially endorsed by any political party, it drew mostly supporters of leftist and centrist parties. The rally's keynote speaker is former Mossad chief Meir Dagan who recently slammed Netanyahu's conduct and called him "the person who has caused the greatest strategic damage to Israel." Posted by Sam Bryan, AIME member

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4633454,00.html   A political battle to install a water pipeline for the first planned Palestinian city of Rawabi is now over, with Palestinian American entrepeneur finally able to reach his goal of establishing a beautiful city in area A of the West Bank…   Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member

Snippet: Obama said Netanyahu didn't offer any "viable alternatives" to the nuclear negotiations with Iran, while adding "there was nothing new"  in the speech. However, there were some things Netanyahu failed to mention that deserve brief consideration. Here are five of them. Full article: http://rt.com/op-edge/237729-netanyahu-iran-speech-congress-washington/ Posted by AIME member, Sam Bryan

https://consortiumnews.com/2015/03/03/congress-cheers-netanyahus-hatred-of-iran/ Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu showed off his extraordinary control of the U.S. Congress as he bathed in waves of applause while denouncing President Obama's proposed deal with Iran and urging America to sign up for the Israeli-Saudi regional war on Iran and its Shiite allies… Netanyahu's enthusiastic reception signaled to President Obama that he has little political support for a negotiated agreement with Iran and signaled to Iran that all their concessions are unlikely to lead to any meaningful easing of sanctions from the U.S. Congress. Posted by Judith Ferster, AIME member