Dove's Eye View

Hope Springs Eternal

I was not starry-eyed about President Obama's election; I was concerned about whether he would do anything to bring justice to the Palestinians and a real and lasting peace to the Eastern Mediterranean. I try not to make negative predictions about the future, but I lost some hope, yes I did, after the horror of Israel's assault on Gaza of 2008-2009.

Jewish Voice For Peace does hope to pressure President Obama for peace and justice. They ask you to sign their petition to him. I believe JVP and similar organizations are our best hope for effecting any kind of change on United States Foreign Policy. If you feel moved, please sign and forward.

Download the PDF file of the Palestinian woman above if you want to print this image as a poster.

Petition's text below the jump

Leila writes at Mondoweiss: Ain al Hilweh

Photo by Barre Ludvigsen, 1995

Yesterday Phil Weiss posted a report from Jeffrey Blankfort that recounted the devastation of Ain al-Hilweh during Israel's war on Lebanon in June, 1982. That invasion was one of the biggest crises of my life, and I sent Weiss a strong note about it, which he asked me turn into a post:

Mondoweiss: Americans who wonder 'why they hate us?' should consider Ain al Hilweh in Lebanon.

   

View of Ain el Helweh and Sidon from lower Mieh-Mieh. Photo by Leila Abu-Saba, 2008

Caryl Churchill: Gaza crisis play

Royal Court acts fast with Gaza crisis play | Stage | The Guardian.

By any theatrical standards the latest play by Caryl Churchill has been remarkably speedy, going from pen to performance on a London stage in under a month.

The reason for the speed is Gaza. Churchill was so appalled by events there that she felt compelled to write, and the Royal Court theatre in London felt a duty to quickly produce her play, titled Seven Jewish Children - A Play for Gaza. Churchill, one of the titans of British theatre, said: "Israel has done lots of terrible things in the past, but what happened in Gaza seemed particularly extreme."

The play will be performed for free with a collection afterwards for the charity Medical Aid for Palestinians. After the London run Churchill will publish it online and allow anyone, anywhere to download it. "Anyone can perform it without acquiring the rights, as long as they do a collection for people in Gaza at the end of it."

Hat tip Lutfi Husseini of RAWI, and Dalia Basiouny who sent it to him.