In a story rich with irony, a middle-aged Palestinian nonviolent activist is arrested for illegal protests (the protest was legal), throwing a “flammable object” — a tear gas canister that Israeli soldiers had fired at him (illegallly?), and "unspecified violent crimes." Cherry on top: he was protesting the wrongful imprisonment of Ahed Tamimi. Everything about this is wrong.
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DON'T BLINK. Israeli leadership, with help from Washington, is on the move. Naftali Bennett has declared the intention to annex the West Bank right out from under Palestinians: “They have a Palestinian state in Gaza.” Later, he elaborated: International opposition would dissipate, he said. “After two months it fades away and 20 years later and 40 years later, [the territory is] still ours.”
Read Moreby Kathryn Shihadah
In the age of fake news, fact-checking is a responsibility that citizens should take seriously. Thankfully, this is also the age of the internet, so fact-checking isn't as tough as it used to be. Let's take a look at free speech in Israel, and see whether it is a universal right in that small but important country.
Read MoreIsrael supporters will often try to debunk accusations of apartheid by reminding us that non-Jewish Israelis are elected to parliament. But this story (and this one) are just two examples of how Arab voices and opinions are shut down. Google "Arab Israeli Knesset jail" to see dozens of stories. Yes, there are Arab Knesset members, but only for show.
Read MoreIn the upside-down world that is Israel, it is punishable to say that Israeli soldiers are murderers (they are), but it's not punishable for them to actually BE MURDERERS. Just like it's punishable for Ahed Tamimi to slap a guy who shoots kids in the face, but it's not punishable to shoot kids in the face.
Read MoreAt first, Hamas was blamed for this assassination attempt - but why would Hamas do such a thing? It makes more sense that Israel would try to break up any attempt at reconciliation between Gaza's and the West Bank's leaders.
Read MoreWhat if the US Ambassador to the UN had a party for all of America’s true friends? The room might be pretty empty.
Read MoreThe idea of Israel as an “apartheid state” has been floated – by Israelis – for years. Nobody listened, and now it’s too late.
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