For the best description and analysis of the right of Palestine statehood read this article.
Note: Alison Weir has commented favorably on this article.
www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=241245
(You may have to copy this into your window box).
“Marking the 20th anniversary since the fall of the Berlin Wall Palestinians tore down a section of Israel’s wall in the West Bank village of Ni’lin on Friday.”
www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=237836
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/11/2009119151639325464.html
Alison Weir’s speaking tour of Alaska was truly a success, with thanks to the many of you who came out to hear her presentations. She spoke in Fairbanks, for the World Affairs Council at UAF and for the Alaska Peace Center – in Homer at the Library and at the Homer Foundation – to classes at UAA and three high schools in Anchorage – for the World Affairs Council in Juneau – and at the Bartlett Political Forum, the Alaska World Affairs Council, and at the Loussac Library in Anchorage. She also was interviewed on the Shannyn Moore Show, and reappeared on Eddie Burke. At the Bartlett Club the attendance went beyond the fire code, and at the Alaska World Affairs Council it was standing room only even after the move to a larger room. The podcast of her presentation at the AWAC is at:
http://kska.org/index.php?s=Weir
In all the venues, it was clear that Alaskans like many other Americans have a true hunger for the real information about Palestine, what has been and is taking place there, and our own role in it as U.S. taxpayers…and even more so since the most recent siege of Gaza. A bit of opposition served only to heighten the interest, and many diverse people attended. Someone who heard her speak in Juneau wrote:
Alison’s talk tonight was exceptional. It was a good turnout for a Juneau WAC event and it included some of her target audience, people who know little of the situation. Afterwards she joined several of us for dinner and talked some more. I honestly enjoyed her style. She was not at all combative, mixed in her own truth about learning late in life about the truth, and stayed with reporter-like research for the most part. And still, a quiet passion could be heard in her speech and seen in her eyes, even from nearer the back of the room. I can imagine many people really listening to her just because she makes it easy even for a tragic subject.
It was Alaskans for Palestine who sponsored and coordinated this statewide tour, working with other groups who wished to hold an event(s) with her, and our name has become much better known as a result of this visit and its success. While we have been recovering a bit from all that effort and activity, the absolutely tireless Alison has been in Michigan giving a dozen presentations to groups in Central Michigan and Detroit… but says she has a special place now for Alaska. Our thanks to everyone who helped in any way with her visit, and for your generosity. We plan a follow-up meeting soon, and for those on our mailing list not able to come, a chance to respond by e-mail about what we can do next as a group.
Former President Jimmy Carter is in Gaza…and will be meeting with a Hamas leader…
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/middleeast/2009/06/200961684122470724.html
Juneau peace activist Rich Moniak recently returned from the CODEPINK delegation to Gaza… here is his blog:
http://to-honor-a-rainbow.blogspot.com/
and here’s a radio interview with another member of the delegation about the conditions currently in Gaza:
http://archive.wbai.org/files/mp3/090607_120001btpale.MP3
AND Ann Wright’s article in huffingtonPost today on the treatment of CodePink and other peaceful demonstrators during Netenyahu’s speech yesterday:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/ann-wright/israeli-police-and-milita_b_215477.html
Ali Abunimah voices some reservations about Obama’s speech in Cairo. His report is posted in:
electronicintifada.net/v2/article10576.shtml (you may need to copy and paste into your browser)
This recent article describes the situation in the West Bank which concerns access to water. Does the West Bank and Gaza have equality with Israel when access to water in involved?
6:22 PM Apr 5th · Heading to Egyptian Embassy in DC 2morrow morn 2 get a letter of consent for Palestinian travelers to Rafah Crossing after 5 no-show faxes
3:35 PM Apr 7th · arrived in Cairo- am not being allowed through the airpot. been waiting w/ kids for 4 hours now. can’t go back to US-visa expired.
3:41 PM Apr 7th · thank god for free wifi in Cairo airport. despite the interogation and detentino.
4:11 PM Apr 7th · am now being told I will be deported “somewhere”
4:19 PM Apr 7th · sitting next to a snoring sudanese man and a roach yousuf just crushed
4:34 PM Apr 7th · this is weird- I am opening noor’s cot in the airport for her to sleep in. i think I’m going to film this.
6:58 PM Apr 7th · hour 6 in egyptian detention. low level official told me they plan to deport me to teh UK-even though I have no visa
6:59 PM Apr 7th · Yousuf asked me: why are they not allowing us through? what did we do? and why did they allow Israelis through but not us?
4:35 AM Apr 8th · still stuck: hour 15. now told i will be deported back to the US even though I have no valid visa there. told paln [Palestinian] are not allowed in
4:36 AM Apr 8th · was told that there is a high order not to allow palns into egypt if rafah is closed-even though egy. consul in DC gave me written approval
4:37 AM Apr 8th · i suggested I could parachute into Gaza and avoid Egypt altogether
4:42 AM Apr 8th · this must be a VERY high order because every call I have made has failed. I told them its not my fault egypt is in the way to my home
4:45 AM Apr 8th · i keep getting told “the gaza situation is very special” , as in “you are not human, you have no rights” special
5:00 AM Apr 8th · new information: apparently, I am a security and political threat
7:25 AM Apr 8th · will be shocked if Yousuf and Noor’s immune system survives this 24 jolt – eating and sleeping off roach ridden premises included
8:00 AM Apr 8th · waitng and waiting. this man has no answers and my file has been disappeared or cast aside for teh moment. running out of diapers.
9:17 AM Apr 8th · now sprialling into the world of the kafkaesque- no one has answers and I don’t know how to get them
9:18 AM Apr 8th · thinking of going on a hunger strike
9:32 AM Apr 8th · one officer just asked if I wanted a shelter set up – apparently its going to be a while
4:00 PM Apr 8th · i was placed in a detention room with 17 others for 3 hours then taken to a room and asked “if that’s what I wanted for the forseable future
4:04 PM Apr 8th · then they said “its very uncomfortable isn’t it? we do’nt mind keeping you there you know”
4:04 PM Apr 8th · I told everyone in the detention room I am the only one here because I cannot go home- you are all being deported home, I am denied home
4:11 PM Apr 8th · favorite line by egyptian mockiccer: “honestly, we did not get any sleep over your orrdeal, we feel for you, really we do”
4:13 PM Apr 8th · i was asked by men in holding cell what I did to be in there, I said “I was born Palestinian”
about 22 hours ago · getting ready for deportation trip back to US via London. should be interesting explaining this to US immigration. the saga continues.
about 22 hours ago · thank you everyone for your support- I thought I could get in, I exhausted all options. They said I needed security clearance (to go home)
follow @gazamom
read her blog “Raising yousuf and Noor: diary of a Palestinian mother“
