Palestinian Government Minister Ziad Abu Ein scuffles with Israeli police at a demonstration on December 9th shortly before his death. He was unarmed. A longtime leader of Palestinian civil society groups, Mr. Ziad had been appointed this year to head a government-backed protest group, the Committee to Resist Settlements and the Wall.
Conflict
Ten things I did not see (or hear) during my recent 3 week trip to Israel/Palestine
On this map you can see many of the places I just visited during a 3 week tour to Israel/Palestine: Tel Aviv/Jaffa, Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, Hebron, the destroyed bedouin village of al-Araqib, and Canada Park, (itself built on top of 3 Palestinian villages destroyed in 1967).
Together with 7 other curious Canadians on a “come and see tour”, I met with 27 Israeli and Palestinian NGO’s, as well as international organizations. We visited the Knesset and various historical sites. And we also got to talk to many individual Palestinians and Israelis.
We saw a lot, heard a lot and learned a lot. But sometimes its instructive to reflect on what you didn’t see or hear.
Here are 10 significant things we did not see or hear, while we were there.
Mr. Baird, if you believe in the Canadian value of “fairness” why don’t you lead an all-party factfinding trip to Gaza?
See my remarks to a demonstration, Sunday August 17th (more…)
Discussing Hamas with Gazan Expatriate Samah Sabawi
I caught up with Samah Sabawi on August 1st, 26 days into the Israeli assault on Gaza. Samah is a Canadian Palestinian with family roots in Gaza. I wanted to ask her views on the current situation in Gaza and particularly on the role Hamas is playing. She is a playwright, a policy advisor to AlShabaka and is former public advocate for Australians for Palestine. She was for many years a media spokesperson for National Council for Canada Arab Relations (NCCAR) and moved in 2009 to Australia where her parents and many other members of her Palestinian family have found refuge.
My short interview with her follows.
Canadian MP’s visit Israel on “fact finding mission”, but don’t go to Gaza
Hypocrisy or Cowardice?
Former Liberal Cabinet minister John McCallum is in Israel along with 5 other Canadian parliamentarians on a “fact finding mission”. Their activities include visiting an Israeli hospital to sympathize with injured IDF soldiers and attending a Canada-Israel solidarity event. They won’t talk to any Palestinians.
Canada Talks Israel/Palestine 