Common Grounds

Open Letter to Theresa May: On 100th anniversary of Balfour Declaration recognize an independent Palestinian state

March 29, 2017 16:48
Source: Mondoweiss

March 22, 2017

http://mondoweiss.net/2017/03/anniversary-declaration-independent/

By: Rev. Dr. Alex Awad
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Will EU take the lead on two-state solution?

April 03, 2017 15:29
Source: Al-Monitor

http://www.al-monitor.com/pulse/originals/2017/03/israel-eu-palestine-two-state-solution-trump-middle-east.html

By: Uri Savir

The EU leadership both at headquarters and in its main member states have become disillusioned with US President Donald Trump’s foreign policy. After Trump’s March 17 meeting with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson’s Feb. 9 meeting with Federica Mogherini, the EU high representative for foreign affairs and security policy, it is clear to both Berlin and Brussels that on the main international agenda issues, the EU will have to develop an independent foreign policy. As an independent policy, it will not depend on US approval, but only on coordination with Washington. A senior EU official close to Mogherini told Al-Monitor on condition of anonymity that while the EU still sees the United States as the leader of the Western world, it is concerned about America’s growing isolationism and significant policy differences on key issues such as Russia, climate change, free trade and the Israeli-Palestinian issue.
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The Price of Fear, the Price of Dictatorship ثمن الخوف، ثمن الديكتاتوريه يدفعها العرب الان

March 13, 2017 14:42
By: Sami Jamil Jadallah, JD

Founder and Executive Director

New Arab Foundation

Mr. Sami Jamil Jadallah is a Palestinian-American immigrant with over 50 years in the US and is a Veteran of the US Army where he received leadership award.

Sami attended Indiana University where he earned his BA, MPA/School of Public and Environmental Affairs and Doctor of Jurisprudence.

After a two-year stint with a major Wall Street law firm, Sami and for the last 35 years served as international legal and business consultants with clients from the Middle East, Europe, Latin America and the US.

I grew up when there were curfews that lasted for days, when listening to the wrong radio station can land you in jail, when a stupid illiterate “security/mukhabarat” can haul you to jail for no reason. I remember when and have seen "gendarmerie" on horses raiding villages, breaking into homes; mixing rice, oil, lentil and flour in the middle of the floor.
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Addressing growing needs of Palestinian women and children in Gaza: Need for moral Diplomacy

April 11, 2017 20:36
By Anant Mishra

Anant Mishra is a Former Youth Representative to the United Nations. He has extensively served in the United Nations Security Council, the United Nations General Assembly along with the Economic and Social Council. He is also a visiting faculty for many prominent universities and delivers lectures on conflict management, foreign policy and non proliferation subjects.
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Israeli Practices towards the Palestinian People and the Question of Apartheid

March 21, 2017 17:51
Submitted by Under Secretary-General of the United Nations, Dr. Rima Khalaf

Palestine and the Israeli Occupation, Issue No. 1

Executive Summary

This report concludes that Israel has established an apartheid regime that dominates the Palestinian people as a whole. Aware of the seriousness of this allegation, the authors of the report conclude that available evidence establishes beyond a reasonable doubt that Israel is guilty of policies and practices that constitute the crime of apartheid as legally defined in instruments of international law.
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Palestinian, Jewish Voices Must Jointly Challenge Israel’s Past

May 01, 2017 13:41
Source: Foreign Policy Journal

By Ramzy Baroud

Published April 26, 2017

https://www.foreignpolicyjournal.com/2017/04/26/palestinian-jewish-voices-must-jointly-challenge-israels-past

Fortunately, the Palestinian voices that have fought against the official Israeli narrative are now joined by a growing number of Jewish voices.

Israel has resorted to three main strategies to suppress Palestinian calls for justice and human rights, including the Right of Return for refugees.
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The Biblical Abraham is key …

April 28, 2017 11:22
By Abraham van Kempen

When will the people in Israel – Palestine greet each other with: “Welcome home”?

What if, in the beginning, the Jews entered the ‘Land’ with humility, recognising and honouring the indigenous people of Palestine, like the Biblical Abraham? We cannot turn the clock back. But we can move toward a better tomorrow. There are good people. There are bad people. Good people on all sides can learn to get along. Bad people can’t. Of course, the good can become bad and vice versa because we all have the good, bad and ugly within us. Which we choose defines who we are. Right now, and for too long, the bad people in the region hijack the good people, a minority tyrannising the (silent) majority. Most people – the majority – in the Region want peace. But it is fear that keeps them apart.
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Guess which of these human rights Israel guarantees to Palestinians

May 16, 2017 15:10
Source: +972 Magazine

By Fady Khoury

Published April 29, 2017

https://972mag.com/guess-which-of-these-human-rights-israel-guarantees-to-palestinians/126987/

Everyone on Facebook is playing a game where they post nine concerts they’ve been to and one they haven’t. The idea is your friends have to guess which band you haven’t seen.
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5 Reasons Why I’m A Christian Who Stopped Supporting Israel

May 18, 2017 12:05
Source: Patheon

The official blog of Benjamin L. Corey

By Benjamin L. Corey

Published November 5, 2015

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/formerlyfundie/5-reasons-why-im-a-christian-who-stopped-supporting-israel/

Growing up conservative Evangelical, we loved Israel as much as we loved America– probably even more.

And why not, right?
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Israeli human rights lawyer in detention without defence or trial, a victim of judicial abuse

May 19, 2017 12:49
Source: Redress Information & Analysis

By Marianne Azizi

Published 18th May 2017

http://www.redressonline.com/2017/05/israeli-human-rights-lawyer-in-detention-without-defence-or-trial-a-victim-of-judicial-abuse/

An Israeli human rights lawyer who for over seven years wrote to the United Nations requesting help for children and families damaged by Israeli judicial corruption is now himself a victim of illegal arrest and detention.
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