Human Rights and Palestinian Choices

Stop the racist Prawer-Begin plan to ethnically cleanse Palestinians of the Negev...

(BETHLEHEM) - Mr. Abbas agreed to go back to public negotiations with a pathological liar (Netanyahu, see below). Private negotiations have been ongoing behind the scenes. Public and private negotiations for the past 20 years produced nothing tangible except increasing the number of colonial Jewish settlers in the West Bank from 200,000 in 1992 to 650,000 today and subcontracting Israeli security to Palestinian security officials. Israel will release some prisoners (and replace them with others) and the US will give more money to corrupt officials on all sides. The question is whether the only two choices available to us are sitting around not doing anything or going to fruitless unbalanced negotiations intended to liquidate Palestinian rights? Do we really give up on resistance, on democratizing the PLO or on freedom or on human rights?

Below are some news showing that the BDS movement is working thanks to global and local activists even as it is not supported by Mahmoud Abbas and high level officials who continue to meet and normalize with Israeli officials (the last was a high level meeting with Likud and Shas leadesr at the PLO headquarters).

So that we are reminded who we are dealing with: Netanyahu, caught of-camera speaking his mind (not hasbara) about how he scuttled peace etc
http://youtu.be/3-5hUG6Os68

Despite heavy Israeli pressure, the EU published new guidelines asking all
European entities not to deal with any Israeli entity that works in the
areas occupied in 1967.  Future agreements between the European Union and
Israel must include the explicit exclusion of Jewish settlements in the
West Bank or East Jerusalem, according to a new EU directive described by
an Israeli official as an "earthquake". This include the illegally annexed
Golan and Jerusalem.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/jul/16/eu-israel-settlement-exclusion-clause

Consensus wisdom: The boycott of Israel is working: The only way to stop
its spread is to end the occupation, say a growing number of prominent
voices (none of whom, by the way, support the boycott).
http://972mag.com/consensus-wisdom-the-boycott-of-israel-is-working/74297/

[USA] BDS Campaigns Nationwide: Use the map below to connect with groups
working on specific BDS (boycotts, divestment, and sanctions) campaigns.
You can also search groups by state and resources they offer. If you would
like your group's campaigns included, please email Ramah Kudaimi at
membership@endtheoccupation.org
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?id=3383

Kairos Palestine strongly condemns the planned displacement, dispossession
and eviction of tens of thousands of Palestinian Bedouin citizens of Israel
http://www.kairospalestine.ps/sites/default/Documents/Letter%20of%20Condemnation%20-%20Prawer%20Plan.pdf

 [action needed] Announcing the launch of the “Freedom Stitchers” project
to create self-sufficiency for marginalized and jobless women in Gaza.
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/freedom-stitchers

Stop the racist Prawer-Begin plan to ethnically cleanse Palestinians of
the Negev
http://adalah.org/eng/?mod=articles&ID=1589


A visit to Al-Araqib, the desert village that refuses to be erased by Alice
Rothchild on July 1, 2013
http://mondoweiss.net/2013/07/desert-village-refuses.html

Mazin Qumsiyeh
A Bedouin in cyberspace, a villager at home
http://qumsiyeh.org

Respectfully,

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD
Professor, Bethlehem and Birzeit Universities
Chair, the Palestinian Center for Rapprochement Between People
Bethlehem Canton, Occupied Palestine
http://qumsiyeh.org

Mazin Qumsiyeh, PhD - Popular Committee to Defend Ush Ghrab (PCDUG) "A Bedouin in Cyberspace, a villager at home. Mazin has been an Associate Professor of Genetics; Director, Cytogenetics Laboratory at Yale University School of Medicine since 1999. He previously held a similar position at Duke University. Professor Qumsiyeh has authored over 110 scientific papers in areas of mammalogy, biology, and medicine including mammalian biology and evolution, clinical genetics, and cancer research. He has published over 100 letters to the editor and 30 op-ed pieces in International, national, regional and local papers on issues ranging from politics to environmental issues. His appearances in national media included the Washington Post, New York Times, Boston Globe, CNBC, C-Span, and ABC, among others. He is the founder and president of the Holy Land Conservation Foundation and ex-President of the Middle East Genetics Association, and Prof. Qumsiyeh won the Jallow activism award from the Arab American Anti-Discrimination Committee in 1998. He is author of “Sharing the Land of Canaan: Human rights and the Israeli/Palestinian Struggle” and just published “Popular Resistance in Palestine: A history of Hope and Empowerment.” Visit Mazin Qumsiyeh's amazing and informative Website to learn more: qumsiyeh.org.