LA Jews for Peace

Interesting and Important Essays

Recent Entries
  • LA Jews for Peace analysis of May 18, 2009 White House meeting between President Obama and Prime Minister Netanyahu.
  • "The Case for Putting a Mideast Peace Agreement First, Barack Obama should address the need for an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement sooner rather than later" by Gershom Gorenberg, The American Prospect, November 14, 2008 .
  • "A Plea from Israel, Come, Obama, Change My Life" by Edna Canetti, Counterpunch, Nov. 6, 2008. A challenge to Barack Obama .
  • "Breaking the Siege of Gaza: Of Pirates, Provocateurs and Peaceful Pests" by Ed Gaffney, Counterpunch, Sept. 13/14, 2008. Puts the Free Gaza trip into a bigger picture.
  • Jeff Halper was a passenger on the Free Gaza boat trip from Cyprus to Gaza City Harbor that broke the Israeli siege ogf the Gaza Strip, at least by sae. Here are two essays by Jeff Halper. In the first Halper anticipats the trip, and in the second Halper summarizes his experience and describes Israeli reaction to the trip.
                 "Only We Can End the Conflict," Aug. 5, 2008.
                 "End of an Odyssey," Sept. 1, 2008.  
  • "Facing Hamas and Hezbollah" by Helena Cobban, The Nation, Nov. 19, 2007.
  • Israeli academicians and peace activists oppose attack on Iran, July 5, 2008.
  • Yossi Beilin's speech to Brit Tzedek v'Shalom in Washington, DC, June 22, 2008.
  • "Summary of Jeff Halper Talks in Los Angeles, June 29, 2008" by Jeff Warner.
  • "An Apology" by Uri Avnery, June 14, 2008.
    Response and critique by Barry Weiss, June 18, 2008.
  • "Peace activist seeks two-state solution" by Vik Jolly, Orange County Register, May 25. 2008. Retired geologist says a sense of justice drives him to protest Israeli policies.
  • "Rethinking Israel After Sixty Years" by Jeff Halper, May 2008.
  • "U.S. Imperial Strategy in the Middle East" by Gilbert Achcar, Monthly Review, 55:9, Feb. 2004.
  • "What are You Doing? What Have You Become? Israel as an Extension of American Empire" by Jeff Halper, Counterpunch, Nov. 5, 2005.
  • "Israel is 60, Zionism is Dead, What Now?" by Tony Karon, Rootless Cosmopolitan blog, May 8, 2008.
  • "Palestine: Liberation Deferred" by Rashid Khalidi, The Nation, May 26, 2008.
  • "A Somber Anniversary" by Avi Shlaim, The Nation, May 26, 2008.
  • "Forget the two-state solution: Israelis and Palestinians must share the land. Equally" by Saree Makdisi, LA Times, May 11, 2008.
  • "Israel's unhappy birthday: After six decades, the Jewish state's hopes for peace are near death" by Benny Morris, LA Times, May 11, 2008.
  • "Blood on Our Hands: American Involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict" by Dick Platkin, May 2008. PDF copy of Dick's latest PowerPoint presentation on U.S. and wesdtern imperialism and its control of the Middle East.
  • "HAMAS – Viewed through the lens of class analysis" by Chuck O'Connell, May 2008.
  • "Remember These Digits: 78-22" by MJ Rosenberg, IPF Friday, April 11, 2008. MJ Rosenberg argues that the essence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is who will control the West Bank. MJ suggests that for political power, prompted by settler extremists, Israel is forfiting peace for control of the land.
  • "Different Lessons from the South African Experience" by Jeff Warner, Palestine-Israel Journal of Politics, Economics, and Culture, vol. 14, no. 4, p. 74-79, 2007.
  • "A Call for One State " by Marcy Winograd, Speech delivered at the Sabeel Conference From Occupation to Liberation: Voices We Need To Hear, February 15-16, 2008, Pasadena, CA.
  • Review of "Robin Wright in Conversation with Warren Olney," ALOUD lecture series, March 13, by Jeff Warner, Levantine Center Newsletter, April 2008.
  • 27 minute video of Yossi Khen being interviewed by Grace Aaron on the show "Global Issues and Answers." Yossi discusses the occupation and the prospects for peace through a two-state solution.
  • Hamas accepts a two-state solution, article in Ha'aretz, April 2, 2008. This article is startling! Khaled Meshal, the extremist leader of Hamas stationed in Damascus, accepts a 2-state solution based on an Israeli withdrawal from the West bank to the Green Line. Meshal also called for the right of return, which makes his position not acceptable to Israel. Nevertheless, Meshal calling for 2-states is a major step. Hamas is now on record as accepting 2-states, and by implication accepting Israel's existence. This is the best news I have heard in a while.
  • "Unforgiven" by Jeffrey Goldberg The Atlantic Monthly, May 2008. This article profiles Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his relation with novelist David Grossman. Grossman is a leader if the Israeli peace camp; he lost a son dueing the2006 Lebanon war. The article describes Olmert's conversion to believe that the future of Israel demands a two-state solution and abandonment of the West bank settlements.
  • Review of Avraham Burg's lecture at Chapman College, April 3, 2008, by Jeff Warner
  • "Imerial History of the Middle East," an animated map by Maps of War that graphoically shows the succession of empires that controlled the Middle East since 1500 BCE.

    Recurring and Special Entries

  • Weekly analysis of the news in Israel by Gershon Baskin and in Palestine by Hanna Siniora
  • Weekly essay by Uri Avnery.
  • SPECIAL The Israel Lobby and U.S. - Israel relations, Critiques and Discussions.
  • SPECIAL U.S. Empire with Focus on the Middle East and Capturing Resources, Analyses.
  • SPECIAL Stephen Zunes Essays, analyses of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  • SPECIAL Jeff Halper Essays, analyses of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
  • Summary of Peace Plans

    Older Entries

  • Jimmy Carter speech about his book, Democracy Now, Nov. 30, 2006 "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid."
  • Jimmy Carter OpEd about his book, LA Times, Dec. 8, 2006 "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid."
  • Introduction to the Ilan Pappe vs. Uri Avnery One-State vs. Two-States debate held in Tel Aviv May 8, 2007. Includes links to an English translation of the full transcript (opening remarks plus question and answers) as well as links to translations of Pappe's and Avnery's written opening statements. Review of "Robin Wright in Conversation with Warren Olney," ALOUD lecture series, March 13, by Jeff Warner, Levantine Center Newsletter, April 2008.
  • 27 minute video of Yossi Khen being interviewed by Grace Aaron on the show "Global Issues and Answers." Yossi discusses the occupation and the prospects for peace through a two-state solution.
  • Hamas accepts a two-state solution, article in Ha'aretz, April 2, 2008. This article is startling! Khaled Meshal, the extremist leader of Hamas stationed in Damascus, accepts a 2-state solution based on an Israeli withdrawal from the West bank to the Green Line. Meshal also called for the right of return, which makes his position not acceptable to Israel. Nevertheless, Meshal calling for 2-states is a major step. Hamas is now on record as accepting 2-states, and by implication accepting Israel's existence. This is the best news I have heard in a while.
  • "Unforgiven" by Jeffrey Goldberg The Atlantic Monthly, May 2008. This article profiles Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his relation with novelist David Grossman. Grossman is a leader if the Israeli peace camp; he lost a son dueing the2006 Lebanon war. The article describes Olmert's conversion to believe that the future of Israel demands a two-state solution and abandonment of the West bank settlements.
  • Review of Avraham Burg's lecture at Chapman College, April 3, 2008, by Jeff Warner
  • "Imerial History of the Middle East," an animated map by Maps of War that graphoically shows the succession of empires that controlled the Middle East since 1500 BCE.
  • "Remember These Digits: 78-22" by MJ Rosenberg, IPF Friday, April 11, 2008. MJ Rosenberg argues that the essence of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict is who will control the West Bank. MJ suggests that for political power, prompted by settler extremists, Israel is forfiting peace for control of the land.

  • MORE TO COME