The Anti-Imperialist Archive

160. INSIDE ISRAEL Israeli citizen and Peace Now activist Ilan Ziv gives us startling insights into the psychology of his country's leaders and citizens. He also evaluates the peace movement in Israel and the peace protests within the Israeli armed forces. Most revealing, however, is his analysis of the great affect the Holocaust had on the Israeli psyche--particularly that of this generation of Israeli leaders- which has caused severe psychological distortions, resulting in a country and leadership unlike no other on earth. News: April, 1985 Recorded August, 1982 288. NAZARETH IN AUGUST We almost never see anything on television about what life is like in Isreal from the point of view of the Palestinians who are living there. New York activist Dan Walworth presents such information with his documentary "Nazareth in August". Filmed in Israel, the documentary shows the impoverished living conditions of the Palestinians and the discrimination which they face daily. The history of Israel is provided, emphasizing what happened to the Palestinians in the process, especially the confiscations of their lands. Also shown are the various ways of self-help which the Palestinians have undertaken in the attempt to improve their situation. Not only are Palestinian spokespeople presented, but "liberal Israelis" speak out against the domestic and foreign policies of Israel. "Nazareth in August" copyright 1986 Copyright Apr., 1986 398. PALESTINIAN UPDATE A Palestinian woman who is now a U.S. citizen and a Jewish woman who was born in Palestine and came to America at the end of the British mandate discuss the current situation in the occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza. We get an update containing startling information as to what is happening in the Intifada and the opposition among Israeli citizens to the occupation and behavior of the Jewish settlers and army. The women also analyze the reaction to the situation by Jews in the U.S. who are torn between loyalty to Israel and their own sense of ethics and justice. Additionally, we discuss the American mass media, which do not present criticism of Israel, even though there is criticism in the Israeli press itself. News: February 13, 1990 Recorded: October, 1989 As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

Refaat's Twitter account was @itranslate123, he was a Palestinian writer, poet, professor, and activist from the Gaza Strip. He taught literature and creative writing at the Islamic University of Gaza and cofounded the organization We Are Not Numbers. First: Robin Brickner (our beloved social media manager) reads excerpts from the 972mag article on the Israeli "mass assassination factory" Second: Refaat at TedxShujaiya (2015) included blurb: Refaat Alareer’s major concern was that older people’s stories aka the oral history is dying out because due to modern technology we stopped caring about stories. “I am the man I am because of the stories told to me by my mother and grandmother,” he states. As Palestinians under occupation, storytelling transcends the didactic value to an urgent need to owning our narrative, something that gives back power to the people rather than the elite. Stories that people can tell about a land are proofs of their right to that land.  Editor of "Gaza Writes Black", RefaatAlareer teaches Creative Writing and World Literature at the Islamic University, Gaza. Alareer has an MA in Comparative Literature from University of London. After the Israeli aggression of 2008 on Gaza, Alareer expanded his interest to include young Palestinian writers in storytelling as a form of growth, understanding and resistance. Refaat believes in storytelling and its role in building and shaping individuals and communities. "We are what stories have been told to us," he says. In Gaza, storytelling, an activity that has been diminishing recently, has always been women's strategy to exercise power and overcome men's dominance. Third: I Am You, a poem by Refaat AlAreer, read by a guest (2022) Fourth: Refaat's appearance on the Electronic Intifada Podcast (2022) included blurb: On episode 63, we speak to Refaat Alareer, a professor, writer and father in Gaza, about the latest Israeli military assault on Gaza that killed nearly 50 Palestinians, including 17 children, in early August. "What Israel is doing is nonstop campaigns of mowing the lawn, killing as many Palestinians and putting us [in] a corner where we can’t do anything to defend ourselves and our rights,” Alareer tells us. He wrote a striking feature for The Electronic Intifada during the assault, expressing the difficulty of parenting his young children during Israel’s incessant attacks and the ongoing siege on Gaza. But he also described the resilience of the ongoing liberation struggle and Palestinian resistance. Alareer explains to us that Israeli politicians frequently launch attacks on Gaza in the lead-up to elections, but that it’s wrong to assume that Israel only kills when elections are on the horizon. He says that these regular killings are part of a century-long strategy to eliminate Palestinians despite political theater. “They know how to win votes, they know how to win seats, they know how to do it – by killing Palestinians, by making our life miserable,” he says. “It was [former Prime Minister Naftali] Bennett who said ‘I killed Arabs, I’m proud of it.’ Because he knows, despite [that] this could resonate horribly globally, they don’t care about the public opinion – because there will not be punishment, and there will not be consequences for what they do.” We also talk about Israel’s rampant arrest raids and attacks across the West Bank, as well as the ransacking of seven Palestinian human rights groups’ offices by Israeli soldiers just two weeks ago. Fifth: Refaat appearance on Democracy Now on the status of the bombing campaign by October 10th (2023) included blurb: As hospitals in Gaza are overwhelmed by those killed and wounded in Israel’s massive bombing campaign, we go to Gaza City to speak with Palestinian academic and writer Refaat Alareer about conditions inside the besieged territory. Israel announced Monday it was completely cutting off all food, fuel and electricity to Gaza amid airstrikes of unprecedented intensity, launched in response to Saturday’s surprise attack by Hamas militants on southern Israel. Hamas has threatened to begin killing hostages if civilians inside Gaza are targeted without warning. “No one is safe. No place is safe. Israel is bombing everywhere,” says Alareer, who describes his own children as “shaking out of fear” amid the assault. “Why is this happening? Because we refuse to live under occupation. We refuse to live in total submission. We want freedom.” Sixth: Refaat appearance on EI livestream (9.29-35.33) included blurb: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HcY2KlllgPo "The whole room is filled with gunpowder. … We don’t deserve this. We’re not animals like the Israelis think. Our kids deserve better." This is what our contributor Refaat Alareer, an academic and writer in Gaza City, told us on a special livestream broadcast of The Electronic Intifada Podcast. Alareer spoke to us on Monday evening from his home, as relentless Israeli bombs exploded in the background. You can watch the entire broadcast above. Israel pounded the Gaza Strip from air, land and sea overnight Sunday as a major confrontation that began with a surprise assault launched by Hamas stretched into its third day. The health ministry in Gaza said that there were at least 413 fatalities in the territory by the end of the day on Sunday. Israel killed multiple members of several families when it bombed their homes over their heads without warning, rights groups said. Meanwhile, Israel’s war minister Yoav Gallant promised more genocidal attacks and collective punishment against Gaza’s population and infrastructure, which are war crimes. “It’s very bleak, it’s very dark, there’s no way out,” Alareer added. “If there is no water, there is no way out of Gaza. What should we do, drown? Commit mass suicide? Is this what Israel wants?” “We believe that if we give up, then everybody is going to say, ‘Look at the Palestinians. They gave up. Why don’t you behave like the Palestinians? Why don’t you bow down?’” he said. Seventh: Refaat appears on NDTV October 12th (2023) included blurb: Educator at the Islamic University in Gaza, Refaat Alareer, said that the siege of Gaza is horrible and that Israel is systematically bombing Gaza. He said that as Israel is an occupying power, it has no right to defend itself. Final: A reading of Refaat's final poem, read by a Palestinian woman (credit rejected) As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

John Mearsheimer and Stephen Walt discuss their book "The Israel Lobby and U.S. Foreign Policy," at Cambridge Forum. They argue that a group of pro-Israel activists are manipulating U.S. foreign policy. This talk was taped on October 29, 2007. Mearsheimer is one of the foremost political scientists and teaches at the University of Chicago. As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

In his book "Gaza: An Inquest into Its Martyrdom," Norman Finkelstein argues that Israel, with U.S. backing, has caused a "humanitarian disaster" in Gaza, and that international human rights groups have failed to uphold justice for its besieged people In part three of our interview on his new book "Gaza: An Inquest into Its Martyrdom," Norman Finkelstein discusses the legality, and utility, of Hamas' armed resistance to Israel's occupation In his new book "Gaza: An Inquest into Its Martyrdom," Norman Finkelstein argues that Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the UN Human Rights Council, and other defenders of international law have succumbed to Israel's pressure and whitewashed its crimes in the Gaza Strip Visit http://therealnews.com for more stories and help support their work by donating at http://therealnews.com/donate. Aaron Mate is the interviewer. As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

Life in Gaza is a constant gauntlet of Israeli sniper fire, military rockets and army bulldozers. No one is safe, least of all the children. This documentary is a hard-hitting exposé of life in the occupied territories. We speak to the children caught in the crossfire and find out the true cost of Israel's targeted assassinations policy. The feeling in Gaza is that the West accepts this type of action. It doesn't matter how much so called 'collateral damage' it causes. For more information, visit https://www.journeyman.tv/film/1653  As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

Israel's Vietnam? (1997): A look at Israel's war with Lebanon, one which became grossly unpopular with the public. In a graveyard in Tel Aviv, a mother weeps as her soldier son is lowered into his grave. Like so many others he was killed in a Hezbollah attack. For the Jewish State, the defence of the so-called 'security zone' in south Lebanon has been its Vietnam, a thoroughly unpalatable battle in tune with military strategy but not public sentiment. "We no longer want to send our sons off to die in a meaningless war," is the word from typical families. In this report we take a rare look inside the security zone, assessing the possible outcomes should Israel pull out of Lebanon before reaching agreement with Syria over the Golan Heights. A premature withdrawal from Lebanon could well induce a frustrated Syria to crank-up the violence of Hezbollah. Lebanon - Readying for War (1999): A new generation of Palestinian die-hards are training in Lebanon's refugee camps in preparation for confrontation with Israel. Inside the training camp of the hard-line '13th September Group' a commander hardens up a group of freshly armed teenage recruits by firing at their feet. Later there are lessons on using Katyusha rockets. Abu Khaled, chief of another radical Palestinian group, explains how he co-ordinates attacks with Hezbollah. Recognizing the popularity of resistance, the Amal movement, a rival Shia Muslim group to Hezbollah, has also resumed it's attacks against Israel. Watching the Amal fighters fire on an Israeli position, it is clear they are well trained and well armed. Forgotten Palestinians (September 2000) - After half a century in exile, the Palestinians in Lebanon still live in appalling conditions. It's a cynical move to ensure the refugees remain visitors and not citizens. More than 300,000 Palestinians in Lebanon still live in subhuman conditions. That is more than in any other Arab country. The plight of these people was once a central concern of the Arab world, but today, they feel forgotten. They are unwanted in Lebanon and have no place in the new Palestine. As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

One of the problems that people face when trying to understand the conflict in Palestine/Israel is that the information usually lacks context. This talk will put all aspects of the conflict in context so that the chain of events are clear and we can clearly see the beginning, the middle, and through that, understand what it will take to end this conflict. Miko Peled is an Israeli peace activist, author, and has written one book, "The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine". As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

Included are several episodes taken across different years in the 80s from Alternative Views, a public access TV show in Austin, Texas. 159. INSIDE LEBANON In an interview and a documentary we get an intimate feel for the situation in Lebanon from both the Israeli and Palestinian sides. Israeli citizen and Peace Now activist Ilan Ziv is a photo-journalist who made a documentary inside Lebanon during the fighting. He talks with Israeli soldiers as well as Palestinian refugees. Ziv captures the entire atmosphere and feeling of this tragic war and provides new insights into the thinking of the Israelis and the Palestinians. Recorded August, 1982 556. UNDER SIEGE (PART I) English surgeon, Dr. Pauline Cutting, and Dutch nurse, Ben Alofs, went through almost unbelievable times in Lebanon during a siege of their Palestinian camp, Bourj al-Barajneh, by the Amal militia. For six months they tried to keep their hospital running despite starvation, disease and military attacks. People were reduced to eating cats and dogs, and finally were considering cannibalism before the siege was finally lifted. Cutting was nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize. In Part One we show some history of the area by presenting sections of previous documentaries on the Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the effects it had on the people. Included is footage of the massacre at Sabra and Shatilla and of the visciousness of the Israeli attacks in other areas of Lebanon. Ben Alofs recounts his experiences in the area at the time. Interview recorded 1987 557. UNDER SIEGE (PART II) The final hour is devoted completely to what happened in Bourj al-Barajneh and what all the people endured. Interview recorded 1987 As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

This lecture titled "The Hundred Year War in Palestine" was given by Rashid Khalidi (Columbia University) at the Centre for Palestine Studies at SOAS University of London on 11 March 2016. The Balfour Declaration of 1917 launched what amounts to a hundred years of war against the Palestinians. This war had a unique nature – it was formally sanctioned and authorized by the great powers of the day at different times during this century, and via different fora, such as the League of Nations and the United Nations, but it was mainly waged by other actors. A much distorted and maligned feature of this long war has been the Palestinians’ continuing resistance, against heavy odds, to what amounts to one of the last ongoing attempts at colonial subjugation in the modern world. Rashid Khalidi is Edward Said Professor of Arab Studies and Chairman of the Department of History at Columbia University. As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com

ABC Aus interview with Ashrawi (2011) Dr. Hanan Ashrawi, a compelling and influential voice in the contemporary theatre of Middle Eastern politics, has been a central player in the struggle for a Palestinian homeland. Series: "Conversations with History" Second clip unknown source Palestinian scholar Hanan Ashrawi says Israel’s latest assault on Gaza is turning life in the besieged territory into “sheer hell,” aided by U.S. military and diplomatic support. “Israel has total license to use unbridled power to kill and destroy and maim and get away with it,” Ashrawi says. We also speak with Rashid Khalidi, Edward Said professor of modern Arab studies at Columbia University, who says President Joe Biden’s continued defense of Israeli actions reflects long-standing erasure and dehumanization of Palestinians. “One wonders what proportion you have to have of Arab deaths, of Palestinian deaths, over Israeli deaths. Is it 20 to 1 before the United States finally begins to recognize that this is not legitimate self-defense?” Khalidi says. “This is a perfect illustration of the bias that has been a feature of American policy for many, many years.” (Democracy Now, 2021) Hanan Ashrawi is a former member of the Palestinian Liberation Organisation’s Executive Committee and has been a central figure in Palestinian policies for four decades. As Netanyahu's 12 -year tenure ends, she says he has 'created a situation where the chances of peace have become all the more difficult, if not impossible'. Sky's Mark Stone spoke to her. (2021) Sky's Mark Austin discusses the current crisis between Israel and Hamas with the Palestinian politician and activist Hanan Ashrawi. She told him it would be impossible to wipe out Hamas in Gaza as the group was not solely a military organisation. She was speaking from the Palestinian city of Ramallah in the West Bank. (2023) As always, edited by Ian Anderson (@starsalwayslost), with special thanks / credit to Sina Rahmani + The East is a Podcast. Robin Brickner is our social media coordinator. Our Twitter presence is @AntiImpArchive, and if you would like to reach out directly we have an email address at: antiimperialistarchive@gmail.com