In homes, on the streets across Gaza, Palestinians are sat, drained and disillusioned, and collecting their lives from the rubble and ruins – mute from sensory shock, loss of life, separation and dislocation. Their lives have been changed, fundamentally, in the way that Walter Benjamin described the trauma and poverty experience of the First World…
Category: War
Harper’s Magazine and Lewis Essay on the UN
Harper’s magazine is running an essay, Wishful Thinking: The Aspirations and Failures of the United Nations, by Amanda Chicago Lewis. I guess if your name is Chicago you may be forgiven to be somewhat myopic, and present your country in the best light possible, or at least everyone else in a bad light. Over many…
A Short Take on British, Canadian and French Statement on Israeli War on Palestinians
Muslim Views Column
I have started writing what would be a regular column for Muslim Views, a newspaper based in Cape Town. The column will deal specifically with global issues that affect Islam and the Muslim world, and muslim-majority countries like Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan, Malaysia and Indonesia, and, of course, the people of Palestine. I will…
Just don’t mention Palestine or Palestinians
Regimes that are repressive are usually those that have legal rights to monitor citizens and through legislation enforce laws. This reach varies from one regime to another; there are as many different means of monitoring and enforcement as there are democracies. There are, also, cultures, traditions, habits or things that are rendered permissible in countries….
Shutting down of Al Jazeera Offices and the Deafening Silence of South African Journalism
There has been a quite strange silence from South African journalism – from working professionals and the academy – about the Israeli military closing down Al Jazeera’s offices in Palestine. I may have missed commentary and/or criticism, but it has been a little strange – yet unsurprising. We’re all trying to save careers and income…