Permission To Narrate

Paul-Gordon Chandler takes the listener on a fascinating journey through the all-embracing spirituality of Kahlil Gibran, the early 20th century Lebanese-American poet artist and mystic, author of the bestselling book The Prophet. He explores how Kahlil Gibran, a supreme East-West figure, can be a much-needed guide for our time, related to peace, harmony and building bridges between the creeds of the Middle East and West.

Historically China portrayed itself as on the side of Palestinians, despite claims of neutrality and non-interventionism. Yet after the end of the Mao era and China’s endorsement of an “open door” policy, up to its participation in the Madrid Peace Conference in 1991, Chinese policy toward Israel and Palestine became more aligned with the international community and the status quo. This has been particularly the case since President Xi Jinping’s rise to power in 2013, with Xi taking an active role in proposing plans for peace.

The ICJ issued five main legal conclusions: i) that the construction of the Wall in the Occupied Palestinian Territory and its associated regime violate Israeli obligations under international law; ii) that Israel must cease further construction, re-route or remove the completed sections from within the West Bank, and completely terminate the permit regime associated with it; iii) that Israel must restore all Palestinian properties confiscated for the Wall construction and pay damages for all losses; iv) that all states must ensure compliance with humanitarian law by not recognizing the wall regime and by ceasing any aid to Israel that supports it; and finally, v) that all states and the UN must take action to terminate the illegal situation arising from the construction of the Wall.

“The irony is that Israel has spent many years delegitimizing the UN and torpedoing its efforts of implementing international law regarding the situation in Palestine,” Baroud said. “The strategy of elevating its status at the UN can been seen as an admission of failure of that antagonistic strategy. But if Israel wins that seat, it is likely to use the new position to strengthen its occupation of Palestine, as opposed to adhere to international law. With the US on its side, Israel would labor to prevent any efforts aimed at criticizing its illegal settlement policies or any other illegal practices.”

By endorsing this McCarthyite bill, senators would take away Americans’ First Amendment rights in order to protect Israel from nonviolent pressure to end its 50-year-old occupation of Palestinian territory and other abuses of Palestinian rights.