Banning BDS supporters is incompatible with a Western-style democracy

First published by the Middle East Eye on 14/3/2017 The next time you hear Israel laud its democratic credentials, remember the ban on BDS supporters and take it with a pinch of salt Israel’s parliament began the year with a volley of bills designed to entrench its occupation of the Palestinian territories, insult the indigenous …

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Expecting more of the same for Palestinians

First published by the Arab Weekly on 25/12/2016 London - Palestinian Christians and Palestinian Muslims are looking back with deep concern at a year in which they saw their struggle for freedom and independence bat­tered. The Palestinians end the year with no sign of reconciliation be­tween the main political factions Hamas, which rules the Gaza …

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Interview: ‘Netanyahu wanted to send a message to Iran to end its hostility towards Israel’

Interview published by Muslim Press on 18/12/2016 In an interview with Muslim Press, British Palestinian academic and writer on Middle East Affairs Kamel Hawwash said, “Netanyahu wanted to send a message to Iran to end its hostility to Israel hinting that any attack would be costly and that Israel is a 'tiger not a rabbit'.” …

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The Palestinians too should take back control of their destiny

First published by the Middle East Monitor on 12/12/2016 From the Middle East Monitor 2016 will be remembered for a new phrase that came to characterise popular uprisings against “the establishment” in the West. From the UK to the USA, “taking back control” struck a chord with the voters when it was adopted by Donald …

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Empty condemnation of Israeli settlements doesn’t work: We need action

Firs published by the Middle East Eye on 10/11/2016 Instead of finding creative language of condemnation, the international community should declare that settlements are illegal and prohibit trade _____________________________________________________________ Israel is the only state in the world that believes that it can continue to build settlements only for Jews in East Jerusalem, the West Bank …

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Redefining anti-Semitism will not silence Palestinians’ struggle for justice

First published in the Middle East Eye on 19/10/2016 The UK home affairs select committee has fallen for the Israeli lobby's attempt to conflate criticising Israel with anti-Semitism I would not be writing this column in this way if the UK Parliament’s home affairs select committee had not dragged my homeland, Palestine, into the controversy surrounding …

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TV interview: American intellectuals call for Iarai settle the boycott 

I was interviewed by Press Tv on 26/9/2016 https://www.youtube.com/shared?ci=TgNXi38hITc

Netanyahu turns to ‘ethnic cleansing’ and sophistry to justify Israel’s criminal acts

First published by the Middle East Monitor on 23/9/2016 Having failed to convince most of the world to accept its colonisation of Palestine, Israel has been busy redefining the long standing meaning of words and phrases in the hope that their new definition becomes the accepted norm. Words and phrases such as terror, anti-Semitism, security, …

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Israel’s ‘apartheid wall’ inspires more violence than it deters

This first appeared on the Middle East Eye on 12/9/2016 For more than a decade, Israel has been building a wall which it claims provides security for its citizens. The wall, which the Israeli cabinet decided to build in 2002 with the declared objective of "regulating the entry of Palestinians from the West Bank into …

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Conference: Holding Palestine in the light

Lichfield is holding a conference entitled Holding Palestine in the Light 7-9 October. This promises to be an excellent event and I am privileged to be contributing to it. Details here