Tag Archive for "Israel"

Posts Tagged Israel

Why 34 mentions of Israel got me trashed last night

Before last night’s debate, I created a little drinking game for myself and anyone who wanted to join. The instructions were to drink every time Israel was mentioned and drink twice every time the candidate emphasized how close he was with Israel and/or its Prime Minister or criticized his opponent for not being close enough. I had no idea how intoxicating and expensive this drinking game would be. Because it turns out that during the debate, Israel was mentioned 34 times!

I was too trashed from all the Israel mentions to keep track of how many times the candidates praised Israel or accused each other of not hearting Israel sufficiently, so I had to check the transcript.

From Obama

it [Israel] ...

By Katie Halper • 11 years ago

“Racist” signs expose racist signs

Signs saying “racist” are being posted on, but not covering, ads that are, well, racist. Anti-Islamic advertisements are now gracing New York City’s subway system after a federal judge ruled that the city’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) could not legally refuse to display the signs because they expressed “demeaning” language. The ads say “In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man. Support Israel. Defeat Jihad” and are the creation of American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), an organization considered a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center watch group. Pamela Geller, the executive director of AFDI is so Islamophobic, that the very “pro”-Israel Anti-Defamation League says she “fuels and fosters anti-Muslim bigotry in society.” ...

By Maya Dusenbery • 11 years ago

What We Missed

More on the gender breakdown of election coverage from the 4th Estate.

Here’s a pretty adorable video about kids unlearning stereotypes and learning they can be anything they want.

Mitt Romney’s sister, Jane, assures us her brother’s “not going to be touching abortion.” Too bad she’s not the Republican nominee.

An Israeli religious women’s rights group is suing an Orthodox radio station for barring women from working as broadcasters or appearing as interviewees.

More on the gender breakdown of election coverage from the 4th Estate.

Here’s a pretty adorable video about kids unlearning stereotypes and learning they can be anything they want.

Mitt Romney’s sister, Jane, assures us her ...

By Katie Halper • 12 years ago

Israel bans German Nobel Laureate over this poem

Sunday, The Israeli Government barred German author Gunter Grass from entering Israel over a poem the Nobel Laureate wrote on Israel, Iran and nuclear weapons. So called pro-Israel Hawks often accuse people who are critical of Israeli policy of anti-Semitism. I, myself, have had the honor of being called a self-loathing Jew.

But what makes Grass’s relationship with Israel and anti-Semitism more complicated is that he served briefly in the Nazi SS Waffen, as he revealed in 2006. I don’t think that Grass is an anti-Semite. He was drafted at age 17, just like the Pope was drafted at age 14, and has dedicated much of his life to anti-Nazi writing. But his past makes it that much easier for ...

By Katie Halper • 12 years ago

AIPAC’s Banned Journalists Weekend

The American Library Association may have Banned Book Week, but this weekend, AIPAC kicked off its first banned journalist weekend. That’s right, AIPAC, the American Israel Public Affairs Committee, which claims to represent American Jews, but only represents the most hawkish, jingoistic and myopic among us, banned or revoked the press credentials of writers from Alternet, Philip Weiss from Mondoweiss, and Mitchell Plitnick from The Third Way for their yearly conference in Washington D.C. And, what’s more, they haven’t explained why. While I don’t support AIPAC’s decision, I see the logic behind blocking Weiss, Plitnick (after all, why would AIPAC support a blog committed to “Finding Balance In Mideast Analysis”), and Alternet’s world affairs editor, Alex Kane. ...

By Katie Halper • 12 years ago

GOP Debate #10,924: The Israel Edition

Mustafa Tamimi. Photo by Haim Scwarczenberg

If you spent your Saturday night doing anything other than watching the GOP Debate in Iowa, you have much more of a life than me. In all honesty, these Republican debates do work really well as comedy, so let’s just pretend that I spent my Saturday night at a comedy show and not in front of a TV. Here’s what you missed.

Basically, everyone hates the government, but at the same time really want to run it. Everyone loves Israel, except for Ron Paul, who is consistently critical of the inappropriate lovefest between the US and Israel. He’s kinda like that drunk uncle who talks about the gold standard 80% of the time and is ...

Mustafa Tamimi. Photo by Haim Scwarczenberg

If you spent your Saturday night doing anything other than watching the GOP Debate in Iowa, you have much more of a life than me. In all honesty, these Republican ...

By Samhita • 13 years ago

Travel Diaries from the Nobel Women’s Initiative in Israel and Palestine: Part Three

We are really excited to have Jaclyn Friedman share with us her travel diaries from her current travels to Israel and Palestine with the Nobel Women’s Initiative. This is part three, you can check out part one and part two if you haven’t already.

Monday, 10/4

Today was the last full day of delegation work. We started the day meeting with members of the Parent’s Circle – Families Forum, an organization that works with bereaved families of Israelis and Palestinians killed in the ongoing conflict. They meet in pairs – one Israeli, one Palestinian, and slowly get to know each other and come to understand how much ...

We are really excited to have Jaclyn Friedman share with us her travel diaries from her current travels to Israel and Palestine with the Nobel Women’s Initiative. This is part three, you can ...