I want to tell the World a story
Redeeming the land: Kibbitznik to Hilltop Youth, Changing faces of Zionist colonialism
Inside Occupied Hebron with Breaking the Siege's Yehuda Shaul
Colonizing project built on lies
Embarrassment of the Wretched
PITCHER .
Because of increasing continual Israeli settler violence in Palestine-Israel and recent war & massacres in Gaza of more than 400 children and 600+women and men
Ignoring occupation was born. It is an offshoot website of Pitcher (Pundits ignoring human,
civil and essential rights) Ignoring Occupation has created a list of the pundits, organizations, politicos,
video games and individuals who continue to ignore the 41-year-old occupation of the West Bank,
Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem which began during the Six Day war in 1967 when Israel captured and conquered the now occupied Palestinian territories from Jordan and Egypt,
Golan Heights from Syria and Sheba Farms from Lebanon. The Sinai was also conquered by Israel and illegal settlements were built across the peninsula as rightwing Zionist and
religious groups within Israel placed pressure on governments to promote the growing Israeli Settlement Movement in the early 1970s spearheaded by the hardline Gush Emunimum in 1972.
Ignoring Occupation looks at the Israeli occupation, Palestinian culture, pundits support for rightwing policies and its consequences on the lives of Palestinians as a peace deal seems unreachable this year.
From campus organizations to news pundits dehumanization of the Muslims world and countries are ignored while stereotypes about Arabs and Africans persist. Dehumanization of
Palestinians and Iraqis justify Israel and America's presence in the occupied Palestinian territories, occupied Iraq or support illegal settlements (International Law states no occupying power shall move
its own citizens to occupied territory) and increasing settler violence against Palestinians, their olive orchards & farmlands and peace organizations.
It also leads to retaliation by terrorists groups (or militant groups depending on one's view)
through rocket fire targeting Israeli cities i.e. Sredrot bordering Gaza Strip suffocating and dying under Israel's and U.S. backed siege after Palestinins elected Hamas to the Palestinin government in 2006 presidential
elections across occupied Palestine. The reason for electing Hamas was cited by ordinary Palestinians time and time again but ignored by the pundits and mainstream media, corruption within the long ruling
Fatah government and party. Despite Democracy, ordinary Palestinians have bore the brunt of Hamas' election alongside Israelis bearing the brunt of rocket fire from Gaza. Ignoring Occupation commends the rocketfire
on Israel but also condemns the Israeli-U.S. supported Siege against innoncent Gazans men, women and children. Right to Education for Palestinian children who are denied freedom
of movement and basic access to their schools and universities because of the 600+ roadblocks and checkpoints. This is an ongoing project and hopefully its not censored...
Joe Sacco is a renowned Maltese-American independent journalist. He is also one of the few reporters in the world with the rare distingtion of graphic novel journalist
who has written many books on conflicts around the world particulary the war in Bosnia and Palestine. He was awarded The American Book Award in 1996 for his graphic novel on the
Bosnian war entitled, "Safe Area: Gordaze". He gained international fame after the publication of his first and most famous graphic novel book on international conflicts
entitled, "Palestine" which was written about the first 1988-1990 Palestinian Intifada in occupied Palestine. After more than 15 year absence, Sacco returns with yet another novel about Gaza called
"Footnotes in Gaza" about the unknown and forgotten history of how Israeli military massacred 111 Palestinians in Rafah and Khan Younis in 1948 and 1956. Ignoring Occupation salutes Sacco
and hope he will continue his rare journalism work.
Apartheid & Seperation Wall in occupied West Bank and Gaza
Water as a weapon of war
Amnesty International has stated that Israel is purposely denying water to Palestinians in occupied territories in hopes of pushing them off their lands which is against and violates International Law and ignores Palestinian human rights and equal access to water.
Water is a scarce resource in the Middle East and as climate change becomes a harsher and bigger challenge, water will become a necessity that could led to war on a regional and global scale.
Israeli military actions allows illegal Israeli settlers to not only steal water owned by Palestinian farmers but also to have more land to build illegal settlements. "Water, water everywhere and not a drop to drink." From the Rhyme of the Ancient Mariner.
CBS 60 Minutes: Exposing Israeli Aparthied
Part 1. Summary is compliments of Youtube author Calpolyis who posted 60 minutes magnum opus piece. On Sunday, January 25, CBS 60 Minutes aired an amazing segment exposing Israel's apartheid against Palestinians.
The piece is by Senior CBS Foreign Correspondent Bob Simon, who is Jewish living outside Tel-Aviv and produced by Robert G, Anderson. Also includes interviews with Palestinian leaders such as Marwan Barghouti on occupation,
settlers and Palestinian life. Shows footage of Israeli bulldozers destroying Palestinian homes, olive trees and livehoods to make room for illegal settlements and illegal security/aparthied wall. For this unbelievable and rare
criticism of Israeli government policies against Palestinians by mainstream media, 60 Minutes and CBS were slammed by Anti-Defamation League, their crime was critizing Israeli government not the people.
Congratulations Al Quds/Jerusalem as Arab Cultural capital
Despite 42 year old Israeli occupation, East Jerusalem or Al Quds in Arabic was named and won the prestigious title for Capital of Arab culture for 2009!
Al Quds 2009 Capital of Arab culture
People not Places-Detriot's Hiphop group Inconceivable on dispossession of Palestinians & lost of Palestine
Compliments to Mondeweiss. Above is a "docu-music-video" of Detroit MC Invincible’s song People Not Places. Kabobfest calls it the "greatest hip hop song for Palestine ever."The video, like the song, is a powerful indictment of both the ongoing dispossession of the Palestinian people, and attempts to shield young American Jews from this reality through programs like Birthright.
Be sure to watch the entire thing. The video continues after the song is over to show how there are some very similar conditions to Israel/Palestine right here in the US, and that as hopeless as the situation might feel at times there is an amazing capacity for change.
Mondoweiss: People not Places
Ir Amim "City of People"-Palestinian/Israeli Organization examining Israeli occupation in East Jerusalem
Conscientous Objectors
Soldiers and reservists in Israeli and American army, military and armed forces are refusing to kill innoncent men, women and children
in the name of War on terrorism, national security and defense. For their refusal to continue to serve in the military or refuse redeployment,
they have been labeled traitors and unpatriotic. These objectors have spoken out on the consequences of violence and war towards occupied and
oppressed people in both Occupied Palestine and Iraq. They see the way to stop terrorism is to stop terrorise peoples and nations with armoured tanks,
weapons and use of force. Read below
Israel's New Generation of Conscientious Objectors
Shministim Letter
Pictures from Palestine & Israel
Photos by Palestinians and Israelis on daily life in occupied Palestine particulary East Jerusalem and West Bank, olive trees, Aparthied wall,
schools and neighbors dealing with occupation forces, etc. A little bit of everything else. Also includes images from Israel as well.
The photos are part of an interesting slide show. Compliments to
Active Stills
Jerusalem Dispossed
What U Think U See
Al Damir al Arabi (The Arab Conscience)
100 Arab celeberites from various Arab countries join together to sing for Peace and promote justice and equality between all humanity!
Al Damir al Arabi part 1, Eng sub
Al Damir al Arabi part 2, Eng sub
Al Damir al Arabi part 3, Eng sub
Al Damir al Arabi part 4, Eng sub
Holy Land Grab
Israel alongisde the Jerusalem Municipality uses archeology and brutal eviction notices to remove Palestinian Jerusalemites from their homes and city to expand illegal settlements, increase the Jewish presence and violate International Law in Occupied East Jerusalem. Many Palestinians see it as a form of ethnic cleansing in Israel's quest to make occupied East Jerusalem part of the "eternal, undivided capital of Israel."
Anti-Arab and Palestinian sentiment in everyday Israel
Dirty Arab and common anti-Palestinian sentiment in Israeli slang
Playing for Peace, ignoring reality: Cellcom Soccer AD in Israel
The new infamous cellcom cellaur phone commercial. Israeli soldiers play soccer with invisible Palestinians and Seperation/Aparthied Wall that cuts the occupied West Bank into cantons is normalize to represent a moment if idealize image of "peace" at the expense of Palestinians who endure continual Israeli military closures, face tear gas and violence from IDF
for protesting the illegal wall in weekly non violent demonstrations in Bil'in, Nilin, Umm Salyma and other Palestinian villages, towns and cities now divided and seperated by the glaring wall.
The village of Bil'in's response to the Cellcom Ad above provides a more realistic view of playing soccer and friendly matches between the IDF and visible Palestinians who protest the illegal wall. Tear gas and shouts greet the Palestinian soccer players kicking the ball over barb wire fence that form part of the larger seperation barrier
Cellcom Parody: A handcuffed Palestinian is struck unconscious by the soccer ball from Israeli soldiers
Gaza Cellcom Parody #1: Violence against Gazans during Israeli bombing in January
Gaza Cellcom Parody #2: Same as the previous ones but shows bombing of Gaza during Operation Cast Lead again in January
Palestinian Cinema
Amreeka
A brandnew award winning comedy film about what it means to Arab American and a human being, an immigrant in a new and strange land and part of the Palestinian Diaspora
The Land Speaks Arabic
Director Maryse Gargour's 61-minute film The Land Speaks Arabic documents the founding of the Zionist movement and the expulsion of Palestinians in the early part of the 20th century.
The historical narrative is reconstructed by weaving archival materials such as photographs, films, news reels and official documents, with the testimonies of Palestinian survivors
of the forced expulsion of 1947-48, referred to as the Nakba, and the findings of British-Palestinian historian Nur Masalha.
Salt of This Sea
French trailer for Salt of This Sea. This film was also under French production.
Closed Zone:
One of the creators of Oscar-nominated animation Waltz With Bashir has made a short film to alter Israeli perceptions of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.
A 90-second film Closed Zone has been launched online in support of the human rights group Gisha, which advocates freedom of movement for Palestinians.
It shows a Palestinian boy chasing a bird but having his path blocked.
Closed Zone official website
Gish: Legal Center for the Freedom of Movement of Palestinians.
A human rights groups based in Israel advocating, demanding and calling for freedom of movement of
palestinians in the occupied territories particulary Gaza that has endured a 2 year long Siege, war,
holocaust and continual occupation by Israeli military.
Arab Film Festival
Palestinian culture
Palestinian culture has an ancient history 4,000 years that predates Israel's creation and Nakba of 1948.
Palestinian culture is similiar to cultures and traditions of its neighbors
across the Arab World & Middle East, particulary Lebanon and Syria. On a religious note, Christianity and Islam have played a major role throughout Palestinian culture for 2000 years.
Palestinians, both Christian & Muslims claim descendant from the ancient Canaanites who originally lived in ancient Canaan before being exiled and expelled
by the ancient Israelites who the Israelis claim descendant from. Many cities and towns long associated with Jesus, Abraham,
Issac, etc and many figures of the Bible such as Nazareth, East Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Hebron, Gaza, etc are all
Palestinian towns and have existed for a millenium and are regarded as religious and culturally signficant and sacred to Palestinian society.
Palestinian Christians regarded themselves as children of Jesus & Holy Land along with their christian brothers and sister in U.S., Europe and Africa who have been forgotten by the
wider Christian World because of the conflict between Israel-Palestine constantly identified as a war between Islam and Judiasm with no reference made to the vibrant and surviving
Christian Palestinians living under Israeli occupation in occupied East Jerusalem & West Bank under the same conditions as their Muslims brothers and sisters.
The most famous and well known aspect of Palestinian culture is the debkah,
a popular and ancient dance across the Arab world and in African countries. The debkah has symbolized the resistance of Palestinian people to continual
Israeli occupation and land confiscation. It's a folk dance which tells the story of land, fellahin, history, culture, nature, freedom and poetry
through fast rythms, music and dance. It is often danced by several Palestinian dance troups such as Al Juthoor (roots), Al Zaytoun and many others.
The land and olive tree are greatly important to Palestinian identity, history, politics and culture. It's often plays with oud another famous instrument from Palestine and other Arab countries.
The olive tree is renowned across the world as the symbol of peace and also for its strong, deep roots embedded into the soil, its ability to grow in the harshest climate
and under stessed conditions. It has symbolized the determination and steadfastness of Palestinian people to remain on their lands as the
Israeli occupation's destruction and illegal settlement growth literally eats up what remains of privately owned lands and farms in occupied Palestine.
For many Palestinian families agriculture is still forms a large part of a suffocated Palestinian economy
as most of Palestine relies on agriculture and light industry. Throughout history, families have always been connected to the land through farming,
growing and planting orange, lemon, olive, date palm orchards, fishing in Mediterranean Sea, producing ceramics, textiles, distinct artwork and
belonged to the fellahin class of society. In Palestinian poems, literature, art work, folksongs and folklore, the land is seen as a living being with feelings,
a heart & with an identity of its own. Poetry is the most famous literature in Palestine and across the Arab World and has been so for several thousand years.
State of Siege by Mahmoud Darwish
State of Siege or Hilat Hissar
Right to Education
Visit Palestine & experience Palestinian culture
Despite the continual violence from settlers, Israeli military, continual land confiscation & checkpoints, there are many Palestinian, Western
and Israeli organizations that offer trips, delegations, fact finding missions, study abroad programs and cultural exchanges & activist programs to occupied Palestine to experience
Palestinian culture, art society and life. These programs offer rare opportunities for anyone to see what life and reality is like in occupied Palestine beyond the headlines.
Palestine Summer Encounter
Palestine Summer Encounter (PSE) is a one, two, or three month service learning and cultural immersion program in Bethlehem, Palestine.
Participants study Arabic in and outside of the classroom setting, live with a Palestinian host family, meet with both Israeli and Palestinian
NGOs and peacemakers and volunteer with one of thirty-seven participating nonprofits and organizations.
Holy Land Trust
Holy Land Trust seeks to deepen international awareness and advocacy by presenting unique travel and
encounter programs as well as authentic and comprehensive media and news programs. Holy Land Trust recognizes the important
role played by the international community in advocating for a just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East. It also hosts Palestine Summer Encounter
Siraj Center
Siraj is a non-governmental organization based in Beit Sahour, Palestine.
Zochrot
Other Voice-Srderot, Israel
Interfaith Peace Builders
