Listen to the podcast of Psycho-Political Resistance in Israel-Palestine held at Birkbeck College 15 – 16 October 2009.

Ghada Karmi, author of In Search of Fatima: A Palestinian Story, spoke about International Support and Involvement in Psycho-active Work/Acknowledgement. Listen here.

Jacqueline Rose, author of The Last Resistance, spoke about The Politics of Apology and other forms of Acknowledgement; Denial in the Face of Atrocity. Listen here.

The Real Deal/ Khalid Mashal’s visit to Cairo /09 /06/ 2009:

George Galloway Interviews Ghada Karmi on current issues concerning Palestine

Palestine Video – A Palestine Vlog

Tariq Ali is appearing on the Edinburgh International Book Festival’s opening day, Sunday 16 August at 15.00.

He will be talking about about his new book ‘Protocols of the Elders of Sodom, and other essays’ which explores the links between literature, history and politics.

Photographer: Nina Subin

A Festival highlight, Tariq Ali’s event will be filmed for podcast by Festival sponsors The Times.   Co-sponsor The Sunday Times Scotland will be streaming an interview with Tariq on their website later in the day.

Tune in to BBC Radio Scotland on Sunday at 09.05 for Shereen Nanjiani’s interview with Tariq, and listen out for Colin MacKay’s ‘A Life in Question’ interview with the renowned historian, filmmaker, novelist, political campaigner and commentator later in the month.

“Ali is provocative, polemical and often very funny” -  Scotland on Sunday

Paul Mason is Economics Editor of BBC’s Newsnight, and the author of ‘Meltdown: The End of the Age of Greed’, a gripping and incisive account of the financial crisis that has brought us to the brink of depression.

He is in conversation with Philip Augar at 10.30 on Tuesday 18th August.

Paul will also be talking about his book at Word Power Books 43 – 45  West Nicolson Street, Edinburgh EH8 9DB at  13.00 on Monday 17 August.

“A page turning account … Mason is refreshingly clear-eyed — and angry.”  – Will Hutton,  The Guardian

Ghada Karmi is the author of the best-selling  ‘In Search of Fatima: A Palestinian Story’.  She will be in conversation with newspaper editor Abdel Bari Atwan at 15.30 on Sunday 23 August.

“An important memoir” – The Financial Times

““Compelling and Beautifully Written” – Karen Armstrong, The Independent

The new, revised paperback edition is this month’s Editor’s Choice for the Good Book Guide

The Good Book Guide, Biography, Editor’s Choice:

In Search of Fatima: A Palestinian Story by Ghada Karmi

(new paperback edition)

When Ghada Karmi returned to her family home in Katamum in Israeli West Jerusalem in 2000, while researching this new edition, the American Jewish incumbents refused to let her in to the house where she had been born.  Her family had fled in 1948, refugees from the war that had ended in the foundation of the State of Israel.  In this poignant memoir she fills in the gaps left by half a century of separation from her homeland, and describes what it is like to feel as if you belong nowhere.

“An important memoir” – Financial Times

“Compelling and beautifully written.” – Karen Armstrong, Independent

Ghada Karmi will be speaking at the Edinburgh International Book Festival

with newspaper editor Abdel Bari Atwan at 15.30 on Sunday 23 August

Marxism 2009: a festival of resistance is now underway. Running between 2-6 July at venues in central London, several Verso authors are speaking:

• Tariq Ali on Pakistan’s growing crisis. Tariq’s latest book Protocols of the Elders of Sodom will be available very soon from all good bookshops, the Book Depository, and Amazon.

• Terry Eagleton on socialism and culture. Walter Benjamin or, Towards a Revolutionary Criticism is part of Radical Thinkers Set 4, and The Task of the Critic: Terry Eagleton in Dialogue is coming soon.

• Slavoj Žižek, author of the forthcoming First as Tragedy, Then as Farce

• Ghada Karmi, author of  In Search of Fatima, on the creation of Israel.

• Sheila Rowbotham, author of the award-winning biography, Edward Carpenter: A Life of Liberty and Love, available in paperback soon.

• Chris Harman on the current crisis and the 21st century working class. Chris is the author of A People s History of the World: From the Stone Age to the New Millennium.

• David Harvey, author of the forthcoming title Introduction to Marx’s Capital, on Marx.

An interview with Ghada Karmi on the anniversary of the Nakba.

A new edition of her memoir of exile In Search of Fatima: A Palestinian Story is out with Verso this week.

This summer’s ‘festival of resistance‘ will feature a number of Verso authors.

David Harvey, Terry Eagleton, Ghada Karmi and Tariq Ali all have books that will be published by Verso in the coming months; see our Spring 2009 catalogue for details.  Slavoj Zizek, Chris Harman and Sheila Rowbotham have just published their highly successful recent books with Verso.

Marxism 2009 takes place in Central London from 2nd-6th July and involves a series of cultural events and courses, as well as talks.  Further details will be posted in the future.

Marxism 2009 – A Festival of Resistance

CAPITALISM ISN’T WORKING…

COME AND DISCUSS THE ALTERNATIVE AT…

Marxism 2009 – a festival of resistance

Thursday 2nd – Monday 6th July 2009, central London

BOOK NOW TO GET £5 OFF YOU TICKET PRICE!

Online: http://www.marxismfestival.org.uk

Phone: 020 7819 1190

Over 1,000 people have already bought tickets for Marxism 2009. We are now entering the last full week of the £5 discount on Marxism tickets: get yours now at:  http://www.marxismfestival.org.uk or call us in the office on 020 7819 1190.

With the current £5 discount, prices are: Waged – £40, Unwaged – £27, HE student – £20, FE student – £10.

Remember, if you can’t afford to pay now but want to get the £5 discount you can register before 31st March and postdate your payment – just give us a call in the office: 020 7819 1190.

Highlights include:

* Alex Callinicos vs Slavoj Zizek – a debate on “What does it mean to be a revolutionary today?”

* David Harvey on Marx’s Capital and debating Chris Harman on “The crisis of neoliberalism”

* Tariq Ali on Pakistan’s deepening crisis

* Terry Eagleton on “Socialism and culture”

* Sheila Rowbotham discusses pioneering gay rights campaigner Edward Carpenter

* Gary Younge speaks on Obama’s rise to power

* Ghada Karmi participates in a course of meetings on Palestinian liberation

* Michael Billington and Sam West take part in a tribute to Harold Pinter

* Bernadette McAliskey speaks 40 years on from her election to parliament and the Battle of the Bogside

* John Bellamy Foster takes part in a course on “Marx and Darwin” and speaks on Marxist ecology

Other participants include: Tony Benn, Paul Gilroy, Eamonn McCann, Mark Serwotka, Sally Hunt, Jeremy Corbyn MP, Nick Broomfield, Michael Rosen, Istvan Meszaros, Roy Bailey and David Ferrard, Pat Devine, Danny Dorling, Zoe Williams, David Edgar, Haifa Zangana, Steven Rose, Ambalavaner Sivanandan, Ben Fine, Ron Oppenheim and Natalie Adler, Jeremy Dear, Ludi Simpson, Leo Zeilig, Graham Turner, Chris Searle, Adam Tooze, Costas Lapavitsas, Omar Puente… and many more!

Courses and meetings include: Capital for beginners * The Marxist method * The economic crisis – causes, consequences and questions * Resistance and recession in Britain * The culture of crisis * The International Socialist tradition * 1989 and the collapse of the Soviet block – before, during and after * Islam and Islamism * Lenin and Leninism * Trotsky * Revolution and beyond * Racism, segregation and multiculturalism * British society today * The fight against fascism * Women’s liberation * LGBT rights * The US – then and now * China – from Mao to markets * Imperialism today and the “war on terror” * Pakistan * Voices from the Middle East * Palestine’s fight for freedom * Latin America * Africa * Climate Change – saving the planet * Darwin and Marx – evolution revolution * Education * Students and the struggle * Capitalism and the media

Posted here by Glenn Rikowski

The Flow of Ideas: http://www.flowideas.co.uk

Interview with Dr. Ghada Karmi on Israel’s Operation Cast Lead Against Gaza:

“Interview with Dr. Ghada Karmi, author of ‘Married to Another Man’ on Israel’s Operation Cast Lead Against Gaza”

Palestine Video – A Palestine Vlog

60th Anniversary of UN Resolution 194 for the Return of Palestinian Refugees:

“Afshin Rattansi interviews Palestinian academic, Ghada Karmi on the eve of the 60th anniversary of the passing of United Nations General Assembly Resolution 194, guaranteeing the right of return and compensation to Palestinian refugees.”

Palestine Video – A Palestine Vlog

Collapse of the Two State Solution 1/10:

A talk on the collapse of the Two State solution with Professors Salim Tamari, Ilan Pappe, Mick Dumper, and Dr. Ghada Karmi at the Institute of Arab & Islamic Studies, University of Exeter, U.K. 10-11-08

Part 1

Palestine Video – A Palestine Vlog

Den alltid läsvärde Jonathan Leman har idag en mycket läsvärd bloggpost – Palestinagruppernas teori och praktik. Jag rekommenderar läsning av hela bloggposten, och det finns många fler utmärkta inlägg på Jonathans blogg.

I en debattreplik för en tid sedan signerad Palestinagruppernas Per Gahrton och Anna Wester påstod de följande:

“Vi tar alltid tydligt avstånd från alla former av rasism och antisemitism…”

Jo, det är ju lätt att påstå men hur ser det ut i verkligheten?

Jag visade i ett tidigare inlägg hur palestinagruppernas Anna Wester (webredaktör och informationsansvarig) fullständigt okritiskt låter pro-palestinska evenemang marknadsföras i antisemitiska sammanhang och under parollen “Palestinierna – Förintelsens senaste offer”. En titt i Westers länklista visar tydligt att medvetenheten om antisemitism är fullständigt obefintlig. På en fråga om varför hon länkar till siter med rasistiskt innehåll svarar hon: “Jinge är inte rasist. Jag länkar inte till rasister.“

Tidigare i år har Wester passionerat hyllat Ghada Karmi vars konspiratoriska och rasistiska propaganda jag skrivit om här.
[...]
I Mana nr 1/2008 kunde fanns en artikel av Palestinagruppernas ordförande Per Gahrton där forskning om och engagemang mot antisemitism, som påstods ha stöd av “mäktiga intressen”, hånades och beskrevs som försök att tysta legitim kritik mot Israel. Per Gahrton verkar ha gjort försvaret av antisemitism till något av en livsuppgift. Förr var det Ahmed Ramis litteratur och radiosändningar som skulle försvaras. Nu är det tidskriften Mana som Gahrton tar under sina vingar.

Intressant är att Gahrtons försvar av Ahmed Rami och Radio Islam innehöll exakt samma argument som han 2008 använde i Mana-debatten. Uppmärksammandet av antisemitism påstås ledas av resursstarka/mäktiga grupper som egentligen bara är ute efter att tysta legitim kritik mot Israel.

Liberal International British Group (LIBG) maintained its tradition of stimulating lively political debate by holding a fringe meeting at the Liberal Democrats’ Bournemouth Conference last night on the question of whether a two-state solution in the Middle East is still viable. This is a taboo subject in some quarters — indeed, I am not aware that any other major British political party has dared address it — but given the fact that most peace plans see a two-state solution as essential, it’s a vital question to ask. Thanks to the continued growth of Israeli settlements in the West Bank and the division of the Palestinian territories into Gaza and the West Bank under mutually hostile administrations, the notion of a coherent Palestinian state seems increasingly in doubt.

That was certainly the line taken by star speaker Jeff Halper, from the Israeli Committee against House Demolitions, who is currently on bail for the ‘crime’ of going to Gaza as an Israeli citizen. Not surprisingly, Ghada Karmi, the distinguished Palestinian writer and academic also though things were heading towards a de facto one-state situation. Ran Gidor, from the Israeli Embassy, put up a spirited defence of Israeli determination to see a two-state solution work, while Willie Rennie, MP, who was recently on a parliamentary fact-finding mission to the region, highlighted some of the problems on both sides of the Israeli/Palestinian divide. Lord (William) Wallace provided some wise and firm chairing in a session that understandably roused some passions among some of the attendees. There was no clear conclusion — it would have been surprising if there had been — but it was important that this ‘forbidden’ question be raised.

The great debate on how much – or how little – Barack Obama would change US foreign policy especially with regard to the Middle East, still continues.

Ghada Karmi, a research fellow at the Institute of Arab and Islamic Studies at Exeter University in the UK, told Al Jazeera, that despite Obama’s platform for “change” – there is little difference between Democrats and Republicans foreign policy vision.

Words above and video below posted by AlJazeeraEnglish

Although I agree with Ghada Karmi, it’s also not fair to assume that because Obama is campaigning on a platform for change that he plans to change American foreign policy towards Palestine and Israel. Obama is not the messiah of the Arabs not the young Washingtonian social justice vegans.

In fact, I would go even further to say that pro-Israeli policies are so much engrained in the American psyche that the assumption of change is a bit arrogant. And although I would love for a US presidential candidate to engage serious debate on Palestinian-Israeli conflict, at the end of the day- Washington is still Washington and the Jewish lobby would raise hell if Obama were any other way. He is actually trying to be elected.

Biden calling himself a zionist is a separate issue that stirs some feelings of pity and disgust for me. Such a strong declaration seems suspiciously enthusiastic and quite worrying. What else is there to say? Alles scheisse…

SIDA OCH FOLKE BERNADOTTEAKADEMIN finansierar uppenbarligen verksamhet som riktas mot staten Israel, vilket nedanstående skrivelse till Riksrevisionen ger uttryck för.

Till Riksrevisionen

ÄRENDET:

Två statliga myndigheter: Folke Bernadotteakademin och SIDA finansierar i betydande omfattning verksamhet i Sverige och utanför landet riktad mot staten Israel.

Vi undrar om det är tänkbart att Riksrevisionen i samband med sina kommande projekt granskar verksamheten av dessa två statliga institutioner för att besvara frågan om deras propagandaverksamhet riktad mot en annan stat är förenlig med deras uppdrag och uppfyller krav på god resursanvändning och en effektiv förvaltning av statens resurser.

BAKGRUND:

Under den senaste månaden har Palmecentret organiserat eller samarbetat vid organisationen av flera aktiviteter med medverkan av representanter för olika politiska grupperingar som motsätter sig statens Israel existens. Palmecentrets verksamhet betalas till 90 % av SIDA. Folke Bernadotteakademin har stött vissa av Palmecentrets aktiviteter med direkta bidrag.

Söndagen den 15 juni rapporterade “Expressen” om Palmecentrets konferens “Med sikte på hållbar fred” som ägde rum den 12 juni. Till denna konferens bjöd man in Azzam Tamimi och Ghada Karmi. Dessa personer har i flera skrifter och offentliga framträdanden ifrågasatt Israels rätt att existera som stat. Azzam Tamimi är bl.a. känd för sitt uttalande om att “Israel är en cancer som måste utrotas” som han har upprepat vid flera tillfällen. Han är också känd för sin glorifiering av våld och i synnerhet självmordsbombningar. Han är emot fredsprocessen i Mellanöstern och han betraktar varje arabiskt initiativ för fred som förräderi. Enligt “Expressen” möttes hans åsikter på Palmecentrets konferens med ovationer. Palmecentrets konferens inledes av Ghada Karmi vars antisemitiska bok såldes under konferensen på Palmecentret. I boken utvecklar hon rasistiska teorier om att judarna varken är ett folk eller en nation. Hon sprider kända klichéer om judiska konspirationer och påstår att information om Förintelsen är en del i “sionistisk propaganda”.

Mellan den 6 och 8 juni medverkade Palmecentret i en konferens på Sjöviks Folkhögskola under rubriken “Därför lever hoppet i Palestina-Israel”. Denna konferens finansierades bl.a. av Folke Bernadotteakademin (ett bidrag på 160.000) och SIDA. Ordet “fred” finns inte ens i rubriken eller i konferensprogrammet på Palmecentrets hemsida. I stället syftar man på “hoppet” om att Israel ersätts av en så kallad “enstatslösning”. Konferensen samlade representanter för palestinska araber, svenska medlemmar i olika “Palestina grupper” och några få judar från Sverige, Israel och USA med extrema åsikter av marginella judiska och israeliska grupperingar. Det fanns, oss veterligen, inga representanter för araber eller judar som stödjer aktuella fredsförhandlingar i Mellanöstern.

Den 26 maj medverkade representanter för Palmecentret med dess generalsekreterare Viola Furubjelke i en “Försoningskonferens på Gaza”. I detta fall syftar inte “försoning” på fred med Israel utan på en gemensam kamp av alla arabisk-palestinska fraktioner mot Israel. Enligt Palmecentrets hemsida:”The participants highly appreciate Olof Palme International Center and the Sweden people support welfare of the Palestinian People.”Man behöver inte påpeka att denna konferens i Gaza ordnad av Hamas med medverkan av Palmecentret inte hade som syfte fred med Israel.

SLUTSATS:

Rent formellt är inte Palmecentret en statlig institution. Men existensen av Palmecentret är helt och hållet beroende av statlig finansiering huvudsakligen genom SIDA (90 %) och andra statliga finansiärer som Folke Bernadotteakademin. Alltså är statliga institutioner, i egenskap av finansierer, avgörande för att Palmecentrets verksamhet får fortskrida.

Därför undrar vi om Riksrevisionen kan granska SIDA:s och Folke Bernadotteakademins användning av statens resurser för att finansiera Palmecentrets säregna partiska initiativ riktade mot en annan stat.

Göteborg den 17 juni 2008

Bertil Adania, Judith Berger Baum, Sigmund Baum , Victor Bouganim, Juliusz Brzezinski, Lars Henriksson (v.ordf i FiM), Cecilia Nyström, Torbjörn Karfunkel, Oded Meiri (ordf. i FiM), Dag Selander, Sigmund Waserbrot, medlemmar i föreningen Fred i Mellanöstern (FiM) ::

honestreporting.com Communiqué (2), 19. März 2007

Israels Sache in den Medien zu vertreten ist keine leichte Aufgabe. Deshalb ziehen wir unseren Hut vor Gavin Gros von der Zionist Federation, der sich in die Höhle des Löwen wagte. Gros war zugegen bei der vom Iran gesponserten TV-Pressekonferenz in der geschmacklos überschriebenen Debatte „Versucht der zionistische Staat, die Palästinenser von der Landkarte zu tilgen?“

Das von Yvonne Ridley moderierte Programm präsentierte auch die altgediente Antiisrael-Aktivistin Ghada Karmi. Ridley, wohl kaum Inbegriff des neutralen Beobachters, ist auch eine verhärtete Extremistin, die zum Beispiel eine Grußbotschaft bei einer Hassdemonstration der Islamisten ausrichtete, in der sie ihre Unterstützung für die Hisbollah bekundete, zu einem Boykott von Firmen aufrief, die mit Israel Geschäftsbeziehungen haben und behauptete, dass der „Genuss von Coca Cola dasselbe ist wie das Blut von palästinensischen Kindern zu trinken.“ Wenn Sie auf den Button unterhalb drücken, können Sie das ganze Programm sehen.

Ghada Karmi – Why Israel is a Failed State.: 1/7

“Ghada Karmi is a Palestinian who, having been forced out of Palestine with her family in 1948, was brought up in the UK, where she became a Doctor, author, academic, and renowned commentator on the Israel-Palestine issue. Filmed at a Day School on Palestine, Edinburgh 26 Jan 2008.”

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Ghada Karmi – Why Israel is a Failed State.: 1/7

“Ghada Karmi is a Palestinian who, having been forced out of Palestine with her family in 1948, was brought up in the UK, where she became a Doctor, author, academic, and renowned commentator on the Israel-Palestine issue. Filmed at a Day School on Palestine, Edinburgh 26 Jan 2008.”

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