<nettime> Re: independent media in the Palestine - Israel

[Bill Horne <bhorne@goldcity.net>]

At 01:49 PM 10/23/00 +1100, you wrote:
>If anyone is a journalist or reporter or writer or artist in the Palestine
>at the moment or working near there, or working in support of any 
>politicized grassroots peace efforts in Israel or remotely to Israel, or 
>is aware of and actively producing alternative media regarding the 
>situation in the Middle East and/or is involved with the Net and the news 
>in the Palestine or is working in independent
>media in Israel or has been interviewing or working on, with persons in
>that part of the world who may be using the Net, TV, radio, newspapers to 
>report effectively on the situation, or to stop a war, or to aid persons 
>there....
>
>please start sending accounts of what your activity is...
>
>I write on net.time, a net list, and there seems to be a dearth of any
>broadminded information coming out of the media on what is going on...not 
>necessarily only in terms of the dominant media, but in terms of 
>independent entities creative efforts aside from the dominant media...and 
>I beleive there is
>significant compassion and interest in what is going on...
>
>Net.time would like to hear from activists and journalists regarding
>independent media, use of telecommunications...etc. use of the Net....you
>can post reports dealing with this activity to:
>
>nettime-l@bbs.thing.net

hi there:
I wrote the article below for our local paper. Usually I write a biweekly 
arts column for them, but they printed some alternative material I provided 
during the NATO bombing of Yugoslavia last year and I think they'll run 
this one.

Z Magazine's site has had good material: http://www.zmag.org/
Also Indy Media of course: http://www.indymedia.com/

yours in peace,
Bill Horne
Wells, British Columbia, Canada

Peace is possible in the Middle East
© Bill Horne
Not to be reproduced without permission of the author
This article first appeared in the Quesnel Cariboo Observer, Quesnel, 
British Columbia, Canada

Do you feel hopeless about the prospects for peace in the Middle East? TV 
news usually gives the impression that the situation in Israel and the 
Occupied Territories is hopelessly polarized, with both sides firmly 
entrenched in their positions. Politicians and diplomats seem unable to 
find real solutions. In fact, all over the world, there are grassroots 
efforts for peace, justice and reconciliation between Palestinians and Jews.

On Oct. 10, Sima Elizabeth Shefrin, a Jewish Vancouver artist, was on CBC 
TV News with Hayim Deeby, a Vancouver Palestinian, talking about how the 
recent violence in Israel and the West Bank has affected their communities. 
They also talked about their efforts to maintain dialogue through their 
group "Palestinian and Jewish Women for Peace". At a Palestinian 
candlelight vigil a few days later, many Vancouver Jews attended in 
solidarity, and were publicly welcomed.

Sukkot, or Peace Tabernacles are growing up all over Israel. A joint 
Jewish-Arab demonstration in Haifa was scheduled for Oct. 21, calling for 
"A Just Peace" and "Equality for All". An ongoing sit-in takes place every 
afternoon in Jerusalem's Paris Square, to demand an end to the occupation. 
A Peace Tabernacle, organized by "Netivot Shalom", has remained in 
Jerusalem throughout the Jewish High Holidays.

Jewish and Arab inhabitants in Jaffa have erected a Peace Tent together, 
and there's another such tent near the Arab village of Beit Zarzir, where 
hundreds of Palestinian and Jewish families had a peace picnic. On Saturday 
(Oct. 21) Jews and Arabs planned to join in an olive harvest at Ar'ara, to 
help an Arab farmer whose land lies in a "military area" and who has been 
too afraid to enter it.

These are just some of the positive, constructive actions taking place. If 
you would like to find out more, or communicate your support, here are a 
number of interesting links:

The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories 
B'tselem. www.btselem.org

Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT) is an initiative among Mennonites, 
Brethren and Quakers who support violence reduction teams around the world. 
CPT Hebron has maintained a violence reduction presence in Hebron since 
June of 1995 at the invitation of the Hebron Municipality. 
www.prairienet.org/cpt

Bat Shalom is a feminist peace organization working toward a just peace 
between Israel and its Arab neighbors. Bat Shalom, together with The 
Jerusalem Center for Women, a Palestinian women's peace organization, 
comprise The Jerusalem Link. www.batshalom.org

The Palestinian Human Rights Monitoring Group. Founded in 1996 by former 
B'Tselem fieldworker Bassem Eid. Monitors human rights violations by both 
Israel and the Palestinian Authority. www.lebnet.com/phrmg

Amnesty International www.amnesty.org
-end-

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