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UK Government and allies support BDS
Rank hypocrisy and shameless double standards are by now the unsurprising hallmarks of the UK Government. But it has excelled itself in its rapid and enthusiastic conversion to BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) now seen as both a morally appropriate, and potentially efficacious, strategy designed, in this case, to persuade Russia to reverse its invasion of Continue reading
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Campaigning for Palestine: Victories, threats, and resolve
There’s been a cluster of events, of which I shall mention only four, that have gladdened the heart, prompted admiration, and that serve to reinforce resolve. Ambassador sent on her way One was the protests undertaken by Cambridge University students against the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom, Tzipi Hotovely. She was giving a speech Continue reading
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Freeing Palestine: Victories, threats, and resolve
There’s been a cluster of events, of which I shall mention only four, that have gladdened the heart, prompted admiration, and that serve to reinforce resolve. Ambassador sent on her way One was the protests undertaken by Cambridge University students against the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom, Tzipi Hotovely. She was giving a speech Continue reading
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Sheffield Hallam University corrects itself in the case of Shahd Abusalama
The immediate purpose of this post is to share with readers Shahd’s – @ShahdAbusalama – heartening announcement on Twitter. Plus a few words of my own. But first, Shahd in her own words: ‘We’re celebrating a fantastic victory for Palestine today @sheffhallamuni will not be progressing with any further investigation of the malicious smears that Continue reading
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Latest Position (29.01.2022) on the Shame of Sheffield Hallam University
For this post it is sufficient to quote the words of Shahd Abusalama and to reiterate that the matter is a long way from being settled satisfactorily. The hope is that readers of this blog will add their voice of protest to Sheffield Hallam University. Shahd Abusalama’s position I am reinstated, which shows how powerful Continue reading
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The shame of Sheffield Hallam University – letter of protest
Introduction Along with many others, I have written to Sheffield Hallam University protesting the suspension of Shahd Abusalama from her teaching post. That letter appears below after this brief introduction. The suspension appears to be based on accusations made by Jewish News and the Israel lobby group Campaign Against Antisemitism that she had been fostering Continue reading
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December 4, 2021. Tuba, South Hebron Hills (David Shulman)
A richly evocative article in words and pictures. It connects readers, as much as any medium can, to the lived experience of the villagers, and Israeli activists supporting them, as they suffer and resist the brutalities of the agents of the Israeli state. Touching Photographs Tuba in 2018. credit: Margaret Olin It’s 8:00 on a Continue reading
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Palestine, Israel and the Labour Party: Is it racism that I see?
Labour Party leader, Keir Starmer, struck the right tone in his tribute to Archbishop Desmond Tutu who died on the 26 December 2021. He described Tutu as: ‘a tower of a man and a leader of moral activism’ who ‘dedicated his life to tackling injustice and standing up for the oppressed…’His impact on the world Continue reading
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Hamas and the politics of silencing
It is not to be supposed the British Home Secretary, Priti Patel, in announcing her ban on the political wing of Hamas, that she based her proposed policy on a dispassionate, objective consideration of Palestine/Israel issues. Rather, her motivations are in part domestic, the proposed ban pandering to the strong UK Zionist lobby, not least Continue reading
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As Olive Harvest Begins, Israeli Soldiers Prevent Palestinians From Reaching Their Groves
I reproduce without comment an article in Haaretz by Amira Hass, dated 17 October 2021 When it isn’t the settlers who try to directly disrupt Palestinians’ olive picking, it’s the Israeli army that prevents it from taking place Mohammed al-Khatib from the village of Bil’in uses every opportunity he has to talk to soldiers, in Continue reading
About Me
This is Bernard Spiegal’s blog.
I write mainly about Palestine/Israel and related issues; sometimes other stuff too
Bernard Spiegal 