By Yousef Munayyer
There are few individuals in the modern history of Israel/Palestine whose actions have been as consistently destructive as those of Ariel Sharon. Sharon, who died on January 11, had been involved in Israel’s war machine as early as 1948. He was known for his cut-throat attitude on the battlefield, often with wanton disregard for civilian lives. Time and again, Sharon left some of the bloodiest marks on the history of Palestine.
Yousef Munayyer: In a historic decision this week, the American Studies Association voted to boycott Israeli academic institutions, endorsing Palestinian civil society’s call for boycotts, divestments and sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law and ends abuses against Palestinian human rights.
Yousef Munayyer: Nelson Mandela was a freedom fighter. Sometimes this fight included violence, precisely because Apartheid was a system of violence directed against the native black population of South Africa. Non-violence for Mandela was not a principle but rather a tactic.
For Palestinians, the olive tree has a special significance. Perhaps more than anything else, it symbolizes their connection with the land, rooted in centuries of Palestine’s fertile soil and tended to by generation upon generation of Palestinian farmers. The autumn, which brings with it the olive harvest, is a highly anticipated and celebrated season for Palestinian agriculture.
It is said that naturalized United States citizens often have a greater appreciation of their adopted country than those born on American soil. As a naturalized U.S. citizen who has traveled extensively, particularly across borders where the very notion of citizenship can be a contentious political idea, I have a deep appreciation for my navy blue passport.
Yousef Munayyer: Childhood is a beautiful and strange thing. Before we truly learn how precious it is, it is already over. For many Palestinians living under Israeli military occupation childhood ends even earlier than you’d think. The commonplace elements of a child’s life in Palestine, which under normal circumstances would be….
Yousef Munayyer: It is farcical to talk about the impending death of the two-state solution – it’s been long dead and decomposing before our eyes, yet few have had the common decency to bury it.
Yousef Munayyer: 16,875 days of military occupation. Each day has its own story, its own victims, and its own loss. Day upon day, however, it can all blur together and become commonplace.
Yousef Munayyer: The most central and persistent theme is the construction of illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territory. During intifadas, not during intifadas, during peace talks, not during peace talks, it didn’t matter. For the Israelis, every year was a good year to build more settlements.
Through educational events, humanitarian support, and cultural preservation, the Jerusalem Fund is helping build the movement for Palestinian liberation.
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