NEW EVENTS ARE HIGHLIGHTED IN RED
Fridays 10:30 AM Eastern: KKFI Radio
KKFI Radio Show: "Understanding Israel Palestine"
Featuring: Weekly radio interview show with Jamie Jackson and Margot Patterson. Archived episodes at www.kkfi.org/program/understanding-israel-palestine/
For more info: http://www.kkfi.org
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VFHL Online Film Salon recording now posted: "The Truth: LOST AT SEA"
Featuring: 8/20/23 Q&A discussion on "The Truth: LOST AT SEA" with panelists Rifat Audeh - director, producer, activist, survivor of 2010 Gaza Freedom Flotilla, Ann Wright - US Army Colonel (ret.); US diplomat; 2010, ‘15, ’16, ‘23 Gaza Freedom Flotillas; 2018, ‘23 ground crew, Awni Farhat - Gaza activist; 2018, ‘23 Gaza Freedom Flotilla participant, and Alex McDonald (moderator) - author, educator, activist; 2018, ‘23 Gaza Freedom Flotilla participant. This event was Co-Sponsored by the Freedom Flotilla Coalition.
For more info: https://www.voicesfromtheholyland.org/online-film-salon-videos/online-film-salon
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9/12/2023 12:00 PM: Register for event
Gaza Webinar, "Barriers to Meeting the Critical Needs of Gaza's Elderly"
Featuring: Join us in conversation with Issam Younis, Director General of Al Mezan, the Center for Human Rights in Gaza, as we discuss the current situation in Gaza, how the blockade impacts the ability to meet humanitarian needs, and how we can advocate for change, presented by American Friends Service Committee.
For more info: https://afsc.org/GazaElderlyWebinar?emci=5552ea06-334c-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&emdi=f656ad72-7e4d-ee11-a3f1-00224832eb73&ceid=287085
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9/12/2023 3:30 PM: Register for event
ACMCU Professor Shenila Khoja-Moolji Book Launch - "Rebuilding Community: Displaced Women and the Making of a Shia Ismaili Muslim Society"
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9/13/2023 12:30 PM: Register for event
Live Webinar, "From the Protests to the Ballot Box: Prospects for Progressives in Israel's Upcoming Local Elections"
Featuring: Israel’s local elections, held once every five years in hundreds of cities and local and regional councils, often fly under the radar, compared to the country’s turbulent national elections. But this year’s October 31 local elections are different. Against the backdrop of the Netanyahu government’s efforts to disempower the judiciary and target the rights of minority groups, and the massive protest movement that has sprung up in resistance, progressives and other supporters of democracy are hoping to translate the intense political awakening into major political gains. Our discussion will include three panelists, from three very dissimilar Israeli cities, who are members of their respective city councils and are running for election in this year’s hotly-contested campaign. This event, presented by Partners for Progressive Israel, is co-sponsored by our friends at The Abraham Initiatives.
For more info: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_Z64VaS2zQJqew4LnRgWVmw#/registration
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9/13/2023 1:00 PM: Register for event
Webinar, "Storytelling as Resistance: Palestinian Identity and Resiliance in Literature for Young People"
Featuring: Our theme for this year’s Annual Gala is Stitch by Stitch: Interwoven Solutions. Each stitch represents a deliberate action, a choice made in pursuit of a larger purpose. We make decisions, gather resources, and take small steps that gradually shape our c
For more info: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZApcemvqT4sH9Eby03pFp4Gyqmmjkua6HP2#/registration
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9/13/2023 2:00 PM: Register for event
Join Jim Zogby for Coffee and a Column, "I Supported Oslo Because it Shattered a Taboo"
Featuring:
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9/14/2023 10:00 AM: Register for event
Zoom Webinar, "Can Interreligious Engagement Be a Realistic Tool for Diplomacy and Peacebuilding?"
Featuring: This is a virtual launch event for a new report on “Religion and Peacebuilding in Contemporary Global Crises” published by the Italian Institute for International Political Studies (ISPI). This event will feature five of the leading experts on religion in world affairs who contributed to the new ISPI report. Judd Birdsall, a Berkley Center senior research fellow and project director of the Transatlantic Policy Network on Religion and Diplomacy, will moderate the discussion.
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9/14/2023 12:00 PM: Register for event
Virtual book talk, "The 1936-39 Revolution in Palestine"
Featuring: The Jerusalem Fund and Palestine Center cordially invite you to a book talk celebrating the release of a new translation of Ghassan Kanafani’s “The Revolution of 1936-1939 in Palestine: Background, Details, and Analysis.”
Within its pages, Kanafani provides a comprehensive analysis of the mass uprisings against Zionism and the pursuit of independence from British colonialism in Palestine from 1936 to 1939
For more info: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_k5RRm7I-QZqLHHc4Be0Mzw#/registration
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9/16/2023 10:00 AM: Register for event
Middle East Peace Now Forum, "US Policy Toward Israel at a Turning Point"
Featuring: Despite Israel’s escalating violence and its de facto annexation of much of the West Bank, mainstream congressional Democrats have doubled down on their support for Israel while the Biden administration has accelerated efforts to broker a normalization agreement between Israel and Saudi Arabia.Michael Plitnick will discuss the implications of all of these factors and how they are connected.
For more info: https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_ZBGCDjTxRHiKfVBcuOtxwA#/registration
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9/16/2023 7:00 PM: For more information
Celebration of and poetry reading by Zeina Azzam, MPPs "Making Their Mark" newest member
Featuring: Join us for a reading and book signing in celebration of Zeina Azzam's new poetry book, "Some Things Never Leave You."
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9/16/2023 7:00 PM: Register for event
“Be the Hope”, 4th Annual Virtual Fundraising Gala
Featuring: Featuring personal testimony, letters, and memories by those who survived and those who did not, "KEYS: A Troubled Inheritance" is a challenging audio series that has been beautifully dramatised and narrated by renowned broadcaster Mike Joseph.
For more info: https://events.r20.constantcontact.com/register/eventReg?oeidk=a07ejtp13bs8aaac33d&oseq=&c=&ch=
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9/16/23-9/23/23: For more information
World Week for Peace in Palestine and Israel
Featuring: During this week, which includes the International Day of Prayer for Peace on 21 September, church organizations, congregations, and people of faith are encouraged to bear a common witness by participating in worship services, educational events, and acts of support in favor of peace and justice for Palestinians and Israelis. Link includes access to available resources.
For more info: https://www.oikoumene.org/events/world-week-for-peace-in-palestine-and-israel
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9/17/2023 11:30 AM: Westmoreland Church Parlor, 1 Westmoreland Circle, Bethesda MD
Presentation, "U.S. Funding of Israel and Neighboring Countries: How much? To which Country? For what purpose?"
For more info: Middle East Committee Program
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9/17/2023 12:00 PM: Register for event
Webinar meeting, "Israeli Palestinian Peace Simulation"
Featuring: Hussein Ibish is a senior resident scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington. He writes a weekly column for The National, a publication in the UAE, and he used to write for Bloomberg. He also regularly contributes to The New York Times and The Daily Beast, as well as many other publications in the US and the Middle East. He has appeared on thousands of radio and television shows and used to be the Washington DC correspondent for the Daily Star, a publication in Beirut where he was born. His most recent book is titled "What’s Wrong with the One-State Agenda? Why Ending the Occupation and Peace with Israel is Still the Palestinian National Goal".
For more info: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZwpc-2vpz4vGNLtxjEK26xWjeXngThmEa5B#/registration
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9/18/23 7:00 PM: Zoom
Washington Episcopal Holy Land Committee meeting
Featuring: Bi-monthly committee meeting
For more info: Contact tojo@att.net for link
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9/19/23 6:30 PM: RSVP to attend in person or virtually
Panel Discussion, "The Oslo Legacy: Thirty Years On"
Featuring: Marking 30 years since the signing of the first Oslo agreement and the start of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process, this special evening will offer reflections on the past, analysis of the current moment, and a vision for the future. Presented by Israel Policy Forum and hosted by Adas Israel.
For more info: To attend in person: https://israelpolicyforum.org/the-oslo-legacy-thirty-years-on/; to attend virutally: https://israelpolicyforum.zoom.us/webinar/register/7616944440179/WN_PxfD-WUfQbeCEqQ1mLxkXA#/registration
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9/21/23 12:00 PM: Register for event
Webinar, Dr Dahlia Scheindlin discusses "Crooked Timber"
Featuring: In a new book, political scientist and public opinion expert Dr Scheindlin provides a comprehensive analysis of the endemic democracy in Israel, but also shows Israel's capacity for and responsibility to fulfill the promise of democracy.
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9/21/23 12:00 PM: Register for event
Zoom event, "Art Under Occupation"
Featuring: "Art Under Occupation" will feature Palestinian actor Saleh Bakri, who was most recently the lead actor in the highly acclaimed film "The Present." We also have Palestinian artist Sliman Mansour who was responsible for the symbolic Watermelon representing the Palestinian flag when flying the flag was banned within the 1948 territories. Dareen Tatour will be joining us to talk about her poetry and photography and the time spent in an Israeli jail for her poems. Tatour also bravely spoke out about being a survivor of sexual abuse and inspired Palestinian women all over the globe. From occupied Akka we will be joined by Kher Fody, lead musician in the Palestinian band Walla'at as well as Yazid Sadi, owner of Nawaya Art Gallery.
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9/21/23 12:30 PM: Register for event, ICC 270, Georgetown University
Book Talk, "Jews, Muslims, and the French Republic"
Featuring: This free event, features author and Global Fellow, Dr Steven Kramer, discussing his new book.which explores the complex, triangular relationship between the French Republic, Jews, and Muslims. It is the first book to compare the experience of French Jews and Muslims over the longue durée, tracing their experiences and interactions in both metropolitan France and the colonies under the evolving regime of laïcité.
For more info: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/book-talk-jews-muslims-and-the-french-republic-tickets-706244565507?aff=oddtdtcreator
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9/22-24/23: Register for event
Palestine Writes Literature Festival
Featuring: Held at University of Pennsylvania, this is the only North American literature festival dedicated to celebrating and promoting Palestinian writers and artists. Panel discussions, workshops, music, children’s programming, readings, dance and much more.
For more info: https://pfp.networkforgood.com/events/52172-palestine-writes-2023?utm_campaign=dms_email_blast_2361684
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9/26/23, 10/3 & 10/23: Register to receive viewing notices
Watch "Boycott" as 3 part series
For more info: https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/su/96Bs1YF
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9/27/23 8:00 PM: Register for event
Join JVP mass meeting, "History Calls: JVP's Five Year Strategy to Challenge Israeli Apartheid"
Featuring: Jews in the U.S have a critical role to play in ending U.S. support for Israeli oppression of Palestinians. And history calls on all of us, Jews and non-Jews, people from all walks of life, to show up for Palestinian liberation.
After a year of seeking out input from thousands of people — Palestinian leaders, JVP members and movement partners — we know how we can most effectively contribute to Palestinian freedom. And we’ve designed a plan. But it will only be possible if every one of us shows up.
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9/27/23 & 9/28/23 1:00 PM: 1736 N Street NW, Washington DC 20036; register for zoom and in person
In person and Zoom webinar, "Oslo at 30: Legacies, Hard Realities and Alternatives for Israel-Palestine"
Featuring: This conference will discuss approaches for breaking the current impasse and potential end-games following the demise of Oslo, the significance of the emerging apartheid debate, the impact of growing global multipolarity on future peacemaking efforts, trends in internal Palestinian politics, the political project of Israel's empowered new right, and the relationship between Israel’s democracy protests and the denial of Palestinian rights.
For more info: https://mei.edu/events/oslo-30-legacies-hard-realities-and-alternatives-israel-palestine
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9/28/23 12:00 PM: Register for event
Webinar, "Traditional Crafts, Economic Opportunity & Turquoise Mountain"
Featuring: Join us as the Abraham Path catches up with Turquoise Mountain CEO Shoshana Stewart. We’ll hear about how Turquoise Mountain revives traditional crafts, brings job and income opportunities to small communities through training, education and connection to international markets, and how this work helps preserve cultural heritage under threat.
For more info: https://us06web.zoom.us/webinar/register/9116877972316/WN_sKXuq-0ERJ6Ik-Syd1TYAQ#/registration
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9/29/23-10/11/23: First link for pilgrimage information; second link to sign up
St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square and Christ Church, Georgetown co sponsored pilgrimage
Featuring: Christ Church, Georgetown, and Saint John’s Church, Lafayette Square, will co-sponsor a pilgrimage to the Holy Land. The voyage will offer pilgrims the opportunity to visit many of the major sites of our faith. The group will be guided by Iyad Qumri, a Palestinian Christian who has been leading pilgrims through this special place for more than 25 years.
For more info: https://www.iyadqumripilgrimages.com; https://stjohns-dc.org/contact-paulbarkett/
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10/13/2023: Learn more; get tickets
Save the Date for ANERA Annual Gala
Featuring: Our theme for this year’s Annual Gala is Stitch by Stitch: Interwoven Solutions. Each stitch represents a deliberate action, a choice made in pursuit of a larger purpose. We make decisions, gather resources, and take small steps that gradually shape our creation. Like an embroiderer selecting colors, textures, and patterns, we choose our tools and strategies to bring our creation to life.
For more info: https://www.anera.org/how-to-help/events/gala/?emci=7b0271a3-4914-ee11-a9bb-00224832eb73&emdi=16bb925f-9e16-ee11-a9bb-00224832eb73&ceid=1110461; https://support.anera.org/a/annual-gala?emci=7b0271a3-4914-ee11-a9bb-00224832eb73&emdi=16bb925f-9e16-ee11-a9bb
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10/14-23/23: Contact Dave Jones for information
Come and Pick Olives in the West Bank with IPMN
Featuring: This trip is an opportunity for those who have never been to Palestine to see and experience life in the West Bank and the issues confronting the Palestinian people today. For those who have been before it is a chance to reconnect with Palestinian friends and communities. Besides olive picking, the program features introductory presentations about the current situation in Palestine and the effects of the Apartheid Wall, tours in the old city of Jerusalem, Hebron, and Bethlehem, in addition to evening sessions, cultural events, and social gatherings.
For more info: djones1948@sbcglobal.net
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10/22/2023 11:15 AM: In person and live streamed
The Most Rev Hosam E. Naoum to preach at Washington National Cathedral
Featuring: The Anglican Archbishop of Jerusalem and Primate of the Province of Jerusalem and the Middle East will preach at the Washington National Cathedral’s 11:15 am service. He will participate in a Q&A following the service.
For more info: http://cathedral.org
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10/23-24/2023: For more information and to register
8TH Annual Palestine Advocacy Days
Featuring: At AJP Action’s Palestine Advocacy Day, you will have an incredible opportunity to travel to Washington D.C. and directly engage with your Members of Congress, shed light on the importance of Palestinian human rights, and work towards dismantling the oppressive systems that continue to hinder their freedom and dignity.
For more info: https://ajpaction.org/pad2023/
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10/24/2023 8:00 PM: Register for event
APN Virtual Gala, “Celebrating our Movement Champions”
For more info: http://peacenow.salsalabs.org/GalaRegistration2023/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=35784c1e-28bc-4663-9061-f50b6951b386
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10/27-29/23: Register for event
USCPR National Conference, “Seize the Moment”
Featuring: Seize the Moment! The worldwide movement for Palestinian liberation is growing. Together we're building toward a vibrant future where all people can be free, in defiance of Israeli repression and U.S. imperialism. Join us at the USCPR National Conference in Houston this October to mobilize for our collective liberation. We'll convene at a critical moment, in solidarity with the Palestinian people resisting 75+ years of ethnic cleansing. Seize the moment with us and reimagine a liberated future, beginning with the demand to end U.S. military funding to Israel, once and for all.
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10/28/2023: For more information and tickets
Save the date, 13th Annual Mass and Benefit Dinner
Featuring: Come and celebrate the 800th anniversary of the first nativity scene, created by St. Francis, and honor the Holy Family Hospital of Bethlehem for their work caring for mothers and infants in the birthplace of Christ and for their collaboration with our Franciscan parish to aid the Christians in Bethlehem. Save the date and join the celebration!
For more info: https://myfranciscan.org/mass-benefit-dinner/?mc_cid=fdf3321ae2&mc_eid=029c305605
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10/29/2023 1:00 PM: Register for event
Zoom event, "Palestine on the Edge"
Featuring: Every day, Palestinians wake up to a new nightmare. Sam Bahour and Mariam Barghouti’s brave political commentary and research work highlight the trials of Palestinian life under occupation. This is vital to the congressional advocacy and human rights activism with which we engage. This program will offer their insights and critique of current realities as well as priorities in this moment for the Palestinian movement as well as advocacy in the US. Presented by Delawareans for Palestinian Human Rights.
For more info: https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZ0vdOGrqjIpE9X8FrjCsnVeBc_HEMN-Frmb#/registration
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11/3/2023 6:30 PM: Patterson Mansion, 15 Dupont Circle, Washington DC
Save the Date for Museum of the Palestinian People Annual Gala
For more info: www.mpp-dc.org
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11/16/23: Willard InterContinental Hotel, 1401 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington DC
Save the Date, National Council on US-Arab Relations 40th Anniversary Gala Celebration
Featuring: Commemorating Ffour deades promoting educational and cultural understanding. The council will honor and recognize outstanding leaders who have made significant contributions to building bridges between the United States and the Arab region. There will also be keynote remarks by HRH Prince Turki Al Faisal Al Saud during the program as well as music, entertainment, and a unique silent auction in support of the Council's educational mission.
For more info: https://ncusar.org/40-gala
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11/20/23 7:00 PM: Zoom
Washington Episcopal Holy Land Committee meeting
Featuring: Bi-monthly committee meeting
For more info: Contact tojo@att.net for link
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2/2024:
St. Anne’s Pilgrimage to the Holy Land
For more info: Contact Rev. Jon Musser, frjon@stannesdamascus.org
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3/4-3/13/24: Register for Pilgrimage
Americans for Peace Now Pilgrimage to Israel-Palestine
For more info: https://mejditours.com/open-tour/americans-for-peace-now-2024/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=80166007-2c05-41df-a145-894ca8d9eae4
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4/9-11/24: For more info
2024 CMEP Advocacy Summit
Featuring: Join CMEP in Washington, DC as we mark Four Decades of Pursuing Peace at our annual Advocacy Summit from April 9-11, 2024. Spend time looking back at CMEP's 40 year history while hearing how CMEP will continue its work to advocate for peace and justice for all in the Middle East.
For more info: https://cmep.org/event/40th-anniversary-advocacy-summit/?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=c6ed9450-fdb7-4879-9875-c740fd6689ca
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5/8/24 - 5/18/24: Rescheduled from Oct 2023 - Contact Laurie Salameh for more info: lauriesalam@gmail.com
Seraj Tour of the Holy Land
Featuring: Seraj Executive Director Laurie Salameh and her staff have set the date for the 2024 Seraj Tour. View a short (9 minute) video at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=easOKBPYViE from the 2022 tour, shot in various locations, with heartfelt testimonies from several participants. Clear your calendar for the tour dates and we’ll send more information soon.
For more info: https://www.serajlibraries.org/2024-tour
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6/23/24 - 7/6/24:
"Living Stones" Solidarity Tour - Palestine and Israel
Featuring: Pilgrimage tour to the Holy Land. Dr. Spath is Executive Director of the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace and has led over 30 trips to Palestine/Israel.
For more info: Contact Dr. Michael Spath, lmichaelspath@gmail.com
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Other Items
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Link to report
Read, “State of the Occupation Year 56: A Joint Situation Report”
Featuring: A joint report published by 17 Israeli NGOs warns of deepening occupation and apartheid in occupied Palestine. The report highlights acceleration, security forces' violence, displacement, and attacks on human rights groups.
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Voices from the Holy Land Online Film Salon Recordings
Featuring: Panel discussions focusing on focusing on "The Truth: LOST AT SEA", "My Tree", "The First 54 Years: An Abreviated Manual for Military Occupation", “NAKBA 75: Remembering the Voices”, “Marketing the Israeli Occupation - Part 1”, “The Law and the Prophets”, “The Law and the Prophets”, "Til Kingdom Come", “Is Israel an Apartheid State”, "Come and See; Go and Tell", "BOYCOTT", "Skies Above Hebron", "How to Make a Revolution", "Journalism Under Occupation - In Memory of Shireen Abu Akleh", "Palestine Poster Project", "Art & Resistance", "Of Land and Bread", "Advocate", "Soldier on the Roof", "Gaza: Still Alive", "Christians in Palestine", "1948: Creation & Catastrophe", "Bethlehem Today", "Valentino's Ghost: Why We Hate Arabs", "Stitching Palestine", "Gaza Fights for Freedom", "Radiance of Resistance", "MAYOR", "On the Side of the Road", "Occupation of the American Mind", "We All Live in Gaza", "Next Generation's Perspectives on the Occupation: Three Student Films", "Detaining Dreams" and "OBAIDA", "Objector", "The Ruins of Lifta", “Roadmap to Apartheid”, “Rock the Boat: Anatomy of a non-violent action", “Naila and the Uprising”, “It’s What We Do”, and “Home Front: Portraits from Sheik Jarrah”.
For more info: https://www.voicesfromtheholyland.org/online-film-salon-videos/online-film-salon
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Listen to “Jenin: The Full Story”, a Q&A with Mustafa Barghouti
Featuring: Dr Mustafa Barghouti is the leader of the Palestinian National Initiative, and also the president of the Palestinian Medical Relief Society. He is a former Palestinian presidential candidate and a medical doctor.
For more info: https://www.palestinedeepdive.com/watch/jenin-the-full-story-a-q-a-with-mustafa-barghouti
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Read report
"Injustice: Palestinian children's experience of the Israeli military detention system", Save the Children-Child Resource Center
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View the YouTube webinar
Webinar recording: Mixed Cities in Israel - a Conversation with Shahira Shalabi
Featuring: Americans for Peace Now hosts discussion with Shahira Shalabi, former Deputy Mayor of Haifa and among the founders of the Palestinian feminist movement in Israel. There are some 300 local and regional councils up for election of which are 7 Israeli cities known as "mixed" or "shared" where Jews and Arabs live together.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5p6dTygXWGY
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Link for purchase
Release of Policy of Deceit: The British Betrayal of Palestine
Featuring: Through a comprehensive analysis of official records and private papers, the author, Peter Shambrook, lays out how Britain abandoned its pledge to the Arabs. He reveals for the first time how successive British governments attempted to cover up the fact that the promise had ever been made, and exposes as a whitewash the 1939 Anglo-Arab Report issued in the wake of discussions with a visiting Arab delegation.
For more info: https://balfourproject.org/peter-shambrooks-policy-of-deceit/
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Link to film
Virtual tour of Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount
Featuring: This video explains the sensitive situation of the site that is home to the three Abrahamic religions. Narrative in Hebrew with English subtitles.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V9SZk4OIIOw
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1763 N Street NW, Washington DC 20036
MEI exhibition, "A River Flows Downstream"
Featuring: The exhibit explores the theme of water and rivers in the Middle East and the impact of floods and droughts on communities, landscapes, and ecosystems. Through 10/13/23.
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Recording of July 13 webinar, “School’s Out - Hopefully Not Forever: On Israel’s Practice of School Demolition in the Occupied Palestinian Territory”
Featuring: ubb Al Dhib Elementary. The Umm Qusah School. The Khashem al Karem school. These are the names of just a few of the dozens of Palestinian K-12 schools in the Occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem which either have been demolished by Israel already, or have received notice of impending demolition. One of the more underreported aspects of Israel’s occupation is its pernicious impact on Palestinian schoolchildren and their right to education.
For more info: https://www.progressiveisrael.org/what-we-do/conversations-with-israel-palestine/schools-out-hopefully-not-forever/
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Podcast, “Creeping Israeli Annexation”
Featuring: Dahlia Scheindlin and Yousef Munayyer discuss the process of creeping Israeli annexation of the West Bank. Scheindlin is a Fellow at Century International, a public opinion expert and an international political and strategic consultant, as well as a scholar and a writer.
For more info: https://arabcenterdc.org/resource/creeping-israeli-annexation/
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YouTube
Recording of July 21st discussion, “UNRWA’s Financial Crisis: A Lifeline for Palestine’s Refugees On the Brink” with Andrew Whitely
Featuring: Live with Andrew Whitley, founder & executive director of Geo-Political Advisory Services (GPAS) & Chair of the Balfour Project. Andrew has had an expansive career first as a journalist for the BBC & Financial Times, before serving as the New York Director of UNRWA & then as Policy Director & interim Chief Executive of The Elders.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RjDCfPKJeJ0
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Email for more information
Volunteer Opportunity with The Abrahamic Reunion: Translation Volunteers needed
Featuring: The Abrahamic Reunion has numerous video interviews with peacemakers that we need translated from Arabic to English, and some from Hebrew to English, and transcribed into English. We are seeking help from someone who is fluently bilingual or a translator. Please contact us if you’re interested in helping with this project.
For more info: chris@abrahamicreunion.org
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Link for more information
Volunteer Opportunity with The Abrahamic Reunion: Video Editing Internship.
Featuring: The Abrahamic Reunion is seeking a part-time Intern in Video Editing to work with footage from events in the Holy Land to produce a series of interviews, smaller clips for social media and marketing, and work on a documentary on the renowned Christian peacemaker, Elias Jabbour, one of the co-Founders of the Abrahamic Reunion, which will be shown at The Parliament of the World’s Religions, August 2023 in Chicago, and other locations.
For more info: https://www.abrahamicreunion.org/opportunities/
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Available on Soundcloud
Podcast, “Living Memory: Palestinian Artists Mark 75 Years of the Nakba”
Featuring: Foundation for Middle East Peace & Project48 proudly present a very special podcast commemorating 75 years of the Palestinian Nakba. We are honored to share the voices of 10 powerful Palestinian artists, sharing their works and that of other iconic Palestinian creators.
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Available on YouTube
Watch video, book launch talk by Dr Ghada Karmi, One State: The Only Democratic Future for Israel/Palestine
Featuring: Part of Palestine Deep Dive’s UK event series. Mark Seddon speaks with Dr Ghada Karmi about her vision for Palestinian liberation.
For more info: https://www.palestinedeepdive.com/watch/ghada-karmi-one-state
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Available on Peacecast
Listen to Professor Daniel Bar-Tal speak about his new book, Sinking into the Honey Trap-The Case of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict
Featuring: Prof. Daniel Bar-Tal is one of the world's leading experts on intractable condlicts. In his new book, Sinking into the Honey Trap - The Case of the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Bar-Tal lays out his analysis of Israeli society's attitude toward its conflict with the Palestinians.
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Link for information
“Two Blue Lines”, DVD available for free (only pay for shipping)
Featuring: Shot over a period of 25 years, Two Blue Lines examines the human and political situation of Palestinian people from the years prior to the creation of Israel to the present day. By primarily featuring the narratives of Israelis whose positions run counter to their country's official policy, filmmaker Tom Hayes provides a portrait of the ongoing conflict not often depicted in mainstream media.
For more info: https://www.middleeastbooks.com/products/two-blue-lines?_pos=1&_sid=0ddc7d892&_ss=r&mc_cid=54b91811b0&mc_eid=a03c0f9ae4
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Available to rent or buy
“Walled Off, The Movie”
Featuring: A secret museum in an art hotel sparks intrigue when it's revealed to be a creation of controversial artist, Banksy. Using art as a form of political resistance, the hotel highlights the reality of life underIsraeli military occupation.The film journeys through the hotel, Palestine, and a relevant past to dismantle the mainstream media's bias towards the Palestinian struggle for freedom and equality."
For more info: https://www.walledoff.org/
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Available on YouTube
MECA short film highlighting project to enhance food sovereignty in Gaza
Featuring: A new video highlights some of the incredible women MECA and partner the Gaza Urban and Peri-Urban Agricultural Platform (GUPAP) supported during a special project to enhance food sovereignty in Gaza.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PCW7QHdcxtQ
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Link to videos
Webinar series, “Unmasking Injustice”
Featuring: Documentation can take many forms – like that of a video, sharing about the difficult reality on the ground. It serves to remind those in power that the world is watching and will hold them accountable for their silence. Watch Community Peacemaker Teams’ episodes on “Zionism and Palestine (Parts 1&2) and “From Turtle Island to Palestine: Understanding Settler Colonialism”.
For more info: https://cptaction.org/zionism-and-palestine/?blm_aid=64990; https://cptaction.org/zionism-and-palestine-part-2/?blm_aid=64990; https://cptaction.org/from-turtle-island-to-palestine-understanding-settler-colonialism/?blm_aid=64990
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More information and application link
Just Vision, position open, Director of Public Engagement
Featuring: Just Vision is seeking a Director of Public Engagement (DPE) to develop and drive strategic audience engagement campaigns around the organization’s storytelling efforts including its documentaries, journalism, digital media, and other projects. The DPE will ensure that Just Vision’s work is reaching strategic and broad audiences, from thought leaders and policymakers to journalists, faith leaders, students, educators, activists and beyond, and is contributing to Just Vision’s larger impact goals. They will be responsible for managing Just Vision’s events, outreach and communications with support from our Public Engagement Associate and in tandem with our Communications team. Externally, they will develop and maintain strategic relationships, building partnerships in order to advance our mission. They will also play a vital role in shaping Just Vision's internal culture through thoughtful, collaborative and effective supervision of the public engagement team (which includes outreach and communications staff).
For more info: https://justvision.org/jobs/director-of-public-engagement
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Link for information
Israel Policy Forum multimedia “explainer page” on West Bank Settlements
For more info: https://israelpolicyforum.org/west-bank-settlements-explained/
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Review of Dr Shawki Harb’s memoir “A Surgeon under Israeli Occupation”
For more info: https://mondoweiss.net/2022/12/resisting-israeli-military-occupation-as-a-surgeon-in-palestine/
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Available on Apple TV, Google Play, Amazon and Vimeo on Demand
“Boycott” now streaming worldwide
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"Farha"
Featuring: Jordan's Academy Award entry available on Netflix. Inspired by a true story of a young girl's Nakba experience, the film, released on Netflix earlier this month, includes the depiction of atrocities committed by Israeli forces in1948. It has been condemned by the Israeli government. CNN gave it a positive write-up (https://cnn.it/3FV8en5).
For more info: Screen via Netflix
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Al Jazeera video
"Why are Palestinian Christians Leaving Jesus' Birthplace?"
Featuring: Al Jazeera recently released a 12-minute video on this topic. The video features Tent of Nations and other areas around Bethlehem.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pa6igKc1M9s
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The Interactive Encyclopedia of the Palestine Question is live!
Featuring: If you subscribe to Netflix, watch it; invite friends to join you.
For more info: https://www.palquest.org/en/home
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Link to video
ANERA video on visit to Deir al Balah, Gaza
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YouTube
Watch video, “Water Discrimination in the West Bank”
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nol8PXahZEQ
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Produced by AlJazeera
Watch Fault Lines, “The Killing of Shireen Abu Akleh”
For more info: https://www.aljazeera.com/program/fault-lines/2022/12/1/the-killing-of-shireen-abu-akleh
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Link for recording
Webinar recording, “Confronting the Israeli Government’s Attack on Democracy with ACRI’s Rabbi Noa Sattah
Featuring: Noa Sattath, executive director of the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, is also a Reform rabbi and a prominent LGBTQIA+ rights activist.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0qnStF_nSCw
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Link for YouTube and on line course
Makan sponsored film ,“Palestine: A Story of Colonialism and Resistance”, and online course, “Understanding Palestine”
Featuring: ‘Understanding Palestine’, has been created in cooperation with The Institute of Palestine Studies. It gives a cohesive and complete story of Palestine through the lens of history, identity, and politics. Via expert speakers and in-depth research, learn about key issues such as the Nakba, refugeehood and Israeli apartheid that affect Palestinians today.
For more info: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1T3kNTu9CXE; https://www.makan.org.uk/online-courses/
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Link for podcast
Podcast “Palestine, Israel and the rule of law”
Featuring: In January, just before the tragic killings in Jenin and Neve Yaakov, Arab Digest editor Bill Law talked with Palestinian journalist and commentator Nour Odeh about the deteriorating situation on the ground and the prospects for 2023.
For more info: https://arabdigest.org/podcasts/palestine-israel-and-the-rule-of-law/
***
Link for podcast
Podcast “Challenging Anti-Boycott Laws in the US” with Tariq Kenney-Shawa
Featuring: Tariq Kenney-Shawa, Al-Shabaka's US policy fellow, joins host Yara Hawari to discuss the escalating legal attacks on the right to boycott in the US led by the Israeli regime's defenders. He highlights the multifaceted nature of this assault on social and political expression in the country.
For more info: https://rethinkingpalestine.buzzsprout.com/1433386/12130238-challenging-anti-boycott-laws-in-the-us-with-tariq-kenney-shawa
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CMEP Action Alerts
Featuring: HR 3477 The Justice for Shireen Act July 2023 and HR 3103 The Palestinian Children and Families Act (McCollum bill)
For more info: https://cmep.salsalabs.org/July2023ActionAlertJusticeforShireenAct/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=8a090030-c9da-4e81-a05e-13fb4d55d180 and https://cmep.salsalabs.org/May2023McCollumbill/index.html?eType=EmailBlastContent&eId=1937132c-9732-4c1d-84e
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PALESTINE TOUR INFORMATION
as of March 17, 2023
Information compiled by Voices From the Holy Land.
Table of Contents
Scheduled Tours for 2023 ........................................................................................................................1 Tour Organizations..................................................................................................................................4 Virtual (Online) Tours..............................................................................................................................6 Handbooks, Maps, and Guides ................................................................................................................6
Scheduled Tours for 2023
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RCA Immersion Tour of Palestine Nov. 5-18, 2023 This trip will be led by Rev. Joshua Vis, Ph.D., who serves as Church Engagement Facilitator in Israel and Palestine with RCA Global Mission. He stands alongside Palestinian and Israeli individuals and organizations who seek an end to the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza, in a ministry of peace with justice. He leads immersion tours that include a deep dive into both the history and archaeology of the Bible and the history and current realities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. https://www.rca.org/global-mission/missionaries/josh-sally-vis/ Register here: https://sforce.co/3y0mxDe For more information and to request flyer, contact Stephanie: ssoderstrom@rca.org |
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Joint Advocacy Initiative Youth Journey for Justice - Palestine July 8-16, 2023 Youth, 17 - 30, from all over the world are invited to join the Journey for Justice in Palestine. https://www.jai-pal.org/en/advocacy-visits-trips/advocacy-programs-palestine/journey-for-justice |
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9-Day Architectural Tour of Palestine (Siraj Tours) Oct. 6-15, 2023 Visiting: Nazareth, Nablus, Ramallah, Bethlehem, Jericho, Hebron, Jerusalem. Tour covers Palestine's architectural heritage and “the architecture of the occupation.” It will be centred in the occupied West Bank and Jerusalem but will also include a couple of days in Nazareth (a predominantly Palestinian city in Israel), where guided by a Palestinian architect we’ll visit the site of Palestinian villages destroyed in 1948 and explore the newly regenerated old city. Link to photos from previous tours: https://bit.ly/Palestine_snapshot Contact: karena.batstone@gmail.com |
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Travel2Palestine Tours Encounter Palestine Tour May 28 – June 1, 2023 Aug.27 – 31st, 2023 Oct. 29th – Nov. 2, 2023 Palestinian Citizens of Israel Tour Nov. 5 – 9, 2023 We run small expert-led tours. Our mission is to educate and inform on the situation in Palestine and Israel, specifically on the impact on human rights. We have Palestinian and Israeli guides and UK organisers. We focus mainly on occupied Palestine, but also look at human rights of Palestinians living within Israel. We take you to refugee camps, settlements, checkpoints and villages under attack by settlers. You get top-level briefings from Palestinian and Israeli NGOs and from the United Nations. You meet politicians and experts and activists. The focus is very much on the occupation and the conflict, with only basic sightseeing (tour participants can stay on to do sightseeing on their own). https://travel2palestine.org/bookvisit/ Contact: Martin director@t2ptravel.com or Mary organiser@t2ptravel.com |
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St. John’s Church, Lafayette Square and Christ Church, Georgetown Co-sponsored pilgrimage Sept. 29 - Oct. 11, 2023: The voyage will offer pilgrims the opportunity to visit many of the major sites of our faith. The group will be guided by Iyad Qumri, a Palestinian Christian who has been leading pilgrims through this special place for more than 25 years. For more info: https://www.iyadqumripilgrimages.com Sign up: https://stjohns-dc.org/contact-paulbarkett/ |
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Holy Land Franciscan Pilgrimages 12 pilgrimages planned for 2023 When you travel with us, your pilgrimage benefits the Christians who live in the Holy Land in a couple of ways. First, you can support their livelihood because we’re able to direct you to Christian-owned businesses and restaurants. And secondly, any support to the Holy Land Friars supports the work they do in the Holy Land, work in providing education, healthcare, care for children and the elderly, and maintenance of the holy shrines themselves. https://holylandpilgrimages.org/upcoming-pilgrimages/ For more info: info@holylandpilgrimages.org |
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“Living Stones” Tour of Palestine-Israel June 11-24, 2023 Featuring Dr. Michael Spath, founder of the Indiana Center for Middle East Peace https://indianacmep.org For more info: lmichaelspath@gmail.com |
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Americans for Peace Now Dual-Narrative Tour of Israel, Palestine And Morocco March 2023 The tour will combine the traditional elements with new, exciting programming that takes advantage of MEJDI Tours' expertise. Meet Israeli and Palestinian elected leaders and other officials at the Knesset and in Ramallah, and Palestinians in East Jerusalem, Sheikh Jarrah and Silwan. For more info: kpaul@peacenow.org |
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Community Peacemaker Team Delegation Visits to Palestine Nakba Day May 10-22, 2023 Multifaith Peacemaking Sept. 27 – Oct. 9, 2023 Olive Harvest Nov. 3-15, 2023 CPT sends short-term (7-14 day) peacemaker delegations into crisis settings around the world. These delegations link communities experiencing violence with individuals and groups. Delegations offer participants a first-hand experience of CPT’s on-the-ground experiment in non-violence. https://cpt.org/delegations/palestine |
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Tour Organizations
Kairos Recommended trips to Israel/Palestine
https://www.kairosresponse.org/recommended_trips-1.html
Adventure tours
Abraham Palestine HeritageTrail
https://phtrail.org/trail/
Amos Trust Palestine Marathon
https://www.amostrust.org/amos-travel/run-palestine-2023/
Amos Trust Travel
https://www.amostrust.org/amos-travel/
Amos Trust
https://www.amostrust.org/amos-travel/experience-palestine-2023/
Bike Palestine
https://bikepalestine.com/
Siraj Center
https://sirajcenter.org/
Walk Palestine
https://www.walkpalestine.com/en
Human Rights/Factfinding Tours
Alternative Tourism Group
http://atg.ps/
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel (3-month stays, coordinated by the World Council of Churches)
https://www.quaker.org.uk/our-work/eappi
Eyewitness Palestine
https://eyewitnesspalestine.org/
The Palestine Committee (Norway)
https://palestinakomiteen.no/ [website is in Norwegian]
To Be There
https://tobe-there.com/
Travel2Palestine (UK)
https://travel2palestine.org/
UCC Palestine/Israel Network
https://www.uccpin.org/witness-trips
USPCR
https://uscpr.org/activist-resource/ethical-travel-to-palestine-challenging-apartheid-tourism/
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Wi’am
https://www.alaslah.org/tours/
YMCA and YWCA
https://www.jai-pal.org/en/advocacy-visits-trips/advocacy-programs-palestine/journey-for-justice
Zaytoun (UK)
https://zaytoun.uk/visit-palestine/
Responsible Religious Pilgrimages
Center for Jewish Nonviolence
https://cjnv.org/
Churches for Middle East Peace
https://cmep.org/travel/
Community Peacemaker Teams
https://cpt.org/delegations
Footsteps of Jesus (Disciples of Christ)
http://www.footstepsofjesustour.org/
Friends of Sabeel Witness Trips)
https://www.fosna.org/come-see-visit-the-holy-land friends@fosna.org
Holy Land Franciscan Pilgrimages
info@holylandpilgrimages.org
Laila Tours & Travel (Bethlehem)
https://www.lailatours.com/
Lightline Pilgrimages (UK)
https://www.lightline.org.uk/
Living Stones (Holy Land Trust)
https://www.fosna.org/come-see-visit-the-holy-land
Living Stones Pilgrimages (Pilgrims of Ibillin)
https://www.pilgrimsofibillin.org
Living Stones Tours (United Methodists for Kairos Response)
https://www.kairosresponse.org/tours.html
McCabe Pilgrimages (UK)
https://www.mccabe-travel.co.uk/
Network of Evangelicals for the Middle East
https://neme.network/
Pilgrimage People (UK)
https://pilgrimagepeople.org/
RCA Immersion Tours of Israel-Palestine
https://www.rca.org/global-mission/missionaries/josh-sally-vis/
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Tangney Tours (UK)
https://www.tangney-tours.com/
Tree of Life Journeys (First Congregational Church of Old Lyme)
https://tolef.org/
Virtual (Online) Tours
Green Olive Tours
https://greenolivetours.com/online-events/
Visit to Deir al Balah, Gaza (ANERA, video)
https://www.anera.org/blog/a-visit-to-deir-al-balah-gaza/
We Are Not Numbers (video shorts)
https://www.youtube.com/@wearenotnumbers2698
Handbooks, Maps, and Guides
“Palestine & Palestinians” Guidebook (ATG)
http://atg.ps/guidebook
Comprehensive information on Palestinian culture, history, archaeology, religion, architecture, and politics, along with practical information (transport, hotels, cafes, restaurants, museums, hiking routes, cultural centers, etc.) to travel responsibly.
Wujood “Existence/Presence” (Grassroots Jerusalem)
https://www.grassrootsalquds.net/wujood
Political tourist guide of Jerusalem, emphasizing the city’s unique attractions while drawing a picture of the realities of Palestinian Jerusalemite communities from a grassroots perspective. It invites visitors to take an active role in supporting Palestinian freedom by supporting the Palestinian economy or volunteering.
Interactive Map of Jerusalem (Grassroots Jerusalem)
https://www.grassrootsalquds.net/
Profiles the neighborhoods, history, stories, businesses, and local organizing of Palestinian Jerusalemites.
Palestine Open Maps (Visualizing Palestine and Columbia University Studio X Amman) https://palopenmaps.org/
An online interactive map of the geography of Palestine, including present-day Palestinian localities and the hundreds of destroyed Palestinian villages often erased from official government maps.
VisitPalestine.tech
https://visitpalestine.tech/
Itineraries, logistical support, and more for travelers interested in the Palestinian technology and startup sector.
Welcome to Palestine
https://www.welcometopalestine.com
A website offering comprehensive destination guides, broken down by city and village.
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A Short Bibliography on
Israel & Palestine
This bibliography is meant as a starting point, a listing of books that some have found useful in seeking to better understand the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis
People at the birth of modern Israel, the human side of the story, a good starting place
Elias Chacour, Blood Brothers
Father Elias Chacour is a Catholic priest and the Archbishop of the Melkite Church in Israel. Born in a village in the Galilee, he and his family were expelled in 1948 as part of the ethnic cleansing of Palestine by Zionist forces. Father Chacour has stayed in Israel, devoting himself to peace through the education of Palestinian children and working for reconciliation between Palestinians and Jews. This is the memoir of an extraordinary man
Tolan, Sandy, The Lemon Tree: An Arab, a Jew, and the Heart of the Middle East
The histories of two families, a Bulgarian Jewish family that barely escapes the Holocaust and a Palestinian family forced to flee their home during the establishment of the state of Israel, bound together in a house lived in and loved by both. Meticulous endnotes anchor the human narration firmly in the history and events of the time.
Historical works
Gershom Gorenberg, The Accidental Empire
An essential and well-written book. An Israeli journalist and historian, Gorenberg recaps Zionist History as the preamble to conditions that set up the Occupation of the Palestinian territories post-1967. He then tells the whole tragic story of fanaticism, political cowardice, and failed opportunities. A unique and courageous window into Israeli society and politics.
Ilan Pappe, The Ethnic Cleansing of Palestine
Pappe is an Israeli historian. He is among a group of Jewish revisionist historians called the “New Historians” who have documented the actual actions of Zionist and then Israeli forces at the time of the founding of the State of Israel. This book relies greatly on material from Israeli military archives. It is often emotionally difficult to get through.
Allis & Ronald Rodash, A Safe Haven: Harry S. Truman and the Founding of Israel.
This book studies the politics and decision making process that led President Truman to support the founding of the modern state of Israel.
Avi Shlaim, The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World since 1948
Shlaim, Jewish revisionist historian and professor at Oxford, covers in detail relations between Israel and the Arabs from Israel's 1948 War of Independence to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In doing so, he shatters the “David vs. Goliath” view of the conflict so common among Israelis and the West. Criticized for being too simplistic in presenting Arab side of the conflict.
Jewish experience:
Alice Rothchild, Broken Promises, Broken Dreams: Stories of Jewish and Palestinian Trauma and Resilience
Dr. Rothchild, a medical doctor who worked throughout the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem shares what she witnessed there and carefully describes how her views evolved because of what she saw.
Brant Rosen, Wrestling in the Daylight: A Rabbi’s Path to Palestinian Solidarity
Shocked by what he read about the 2008 Israeli military campaign in Gaza, American Rabbi Rosen began to publically question his long held "liberal Zionist" beliefs in his blog Shalom Rav.
Miko Peled. The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine
In 1997, a tragedy struck the family of Israeli-American Miko Peled: His beloved niece Smadar was killed by a suicide bomber. That tragedy propelled Peled onto a journey of discovery. It pushed him to re-examine many of the beliefs he had grown up with, as the son and grandson of leading figures in Israel’s political-military elite.
Other
Jimmy Carter, Peace Not Apartheid, and We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land
The former president reflects on the actions necessary to bring a true peace to a troubled region he knows well.
Mitri Raheb, I am a Palestinian Christian
Pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Christmas Church in Bethlehem, he conveys an “active hope” even through the long Israeli military occupation.
Phyllis Benni’, Understanding the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict: A Primer
Helpful to those who want to know the basic story of the conflict. She provides a great deal of information in a very short book – unfiltered by ideological lenses. This is an excellent book for someone who wants a brief but thorough overview.
Rashid Khalidi, Brokers of Deceit: How the U.S. has Undermined Peace in the Middle East
Dr. Khalidi has written a relatively short, readable and frankly depressing overview of the more than 35 years of U.S. diplomacy in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The noted Columbia University historian provides important empirical evidence and sobering analysis that shatters the mythology that the United States has a genuine desire for a just and lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Dr. Naim Ateek, Justice and only Justice: A Palestinian Theology of Liberation
This work sets the biblical foundation for Palestine’s liberation theology movement. Dr. Ateek is the Canon of St. George’s Cathedral in Jerusalem and founder of Sabeel, an ecumenical and international organization committed to shedding light on the occupation and providing a Christian nonviolent response to it
SELECTED DOCUMENTARY FILMS
Voices Across the Divide - 57 min. Filmmaker Alice Rothchild is an American Jew raised on the tragedies of the Holocaust and the dream of a Jewish homeland in Israel. The film follows her personal journey as she begins to understand the Palestinian narrative while exploring the Palestinian experience of loss, occupation, statelessness, and immigration to the US. The documentary is both a personal journey to understand the Palestinian narrative as well as the implications and contradictions of deeply held cultural beliefs in the Jewish community. Rothchild interviews those who participated in the Nakba – and those affected by it.
Budrus (2009) - 70 min. Budrus is an award-winning feature documentary film about a Palestinian community organizer, Ayed Morrar, who unites local Fatah and Hamas members along with Israeli supporters in an unarmed movement to save his village of Budrus from destruction by Israel’s Separation Barrier
Peace, Propaganda and the Promised Land (2004) - 80 min. This video shows how the foreign policy interests of American political elites-working in combination with Israeli public relations stratgies-influence US news reporting about the Middle East conflict. Combining American and British TV news clips with observations of analysts, journalists and political activists, Peace, Propaganda & the Promised Land provides a brief historical overview, a striking media comparison, and an examination of factors that have distorted U.S. media coverage and, in turn, American public opinion.
With God On Our Side (2010) - 82 min. With God On Our Side takes a hard look at the theology and politics of Christian Zionism, which teaches that because the Jews are God's chosen people, Israeli government policies should not be questioned, even when these policies are unjust.
Life in Occupied Palestine - 55 min. Anna Baltzer, a Jewish-American Columbia graduate and Fulbright scholar, presents her discoveries as a volunteer with the International Women's Peace Service in the West Bank, documenting human rights abuses and supporting Palestinian-led nonviolent resistance to the Occupation. Baltzer's presentation provides those interested in the Israel/ Palestine conflict with critical information and documentation that can be difficult to obtain through mainstream Western media sources, and to encourage dialog towards taking action on the issue. Topics discussed include checkpoints, settlements, Israeli activism, Zionism, 1948 War & refugees, censorship, the Wall, the ongoing annexation of Palestinian land, and the almost unbearable living conditions under the occupation.
Little Town of Bethlehem (2010) - 75 min. The documentary shares the gripping story of three men, born into violence, willing to risk everything to bring an end to violence in their lifetime. A Christian, a Muslim, and a Jew-shaped by events of their Palestinian and Israeli upbringing-find inspiration in the words and actions of Martin Luther King Jr. and Mahatma Gandhi. Sami, Ahmad, and Yonatan believe that violence can indeed be stopped but recognize their own struggles will remain. Yet they will struggle together to discover a common humanity through non-violent action. In the city of Bethlehem where it is said God became man, these men stand alongside others whose central desire is to be accepted and treated as fully human.Their story brings fresh hope to the ongoing conflict between Palestine and Israel while taking a stand against violence throughout the world.
The People and the Olive - 70 min. What do olive trees mean to Palestinian farmers? Olives are their livelihood, their source of sustenance and the way they root themselves, historically and spiritually, to the land. But Palestinians are denied access to nearly 30 percent of their beloved olive trees in the West Bank as they struggle to live under Israeli military occupation. How do they persevere? And what should the international community understand about Palestinian olive farmers, who love their land and harvest it every season to feed their families — just as farmers across the world do?
On the Side of the Road - 103 min. Filmmaker Lia Tarachansky is a Jew who was born in Kiev. When she was six her family moved to the Ariel settlement in the West Bank. Her mother wanted to contribute to Zionism, Lia said. Tarachansky turns the camera on herself as she revisits settlements and interviews current residents. She says her goal is just to examine and narrate.
Occupation Has No Future - 84 min. Through conversations with Israeli conscientious objectors, former soldiers, and Palestinians living under occupation, Occupation Has No Future creates a survey of the current atmosphere in Israel and the West Bank. The film explores the Israeli social environment that creates heightened militarism and leads to fear and aggression; and examines the consequences of Israeli policies for the Palestinian people as well as for Israeli civil society. Additionally, this documentary looks at the Israeli anti-militarist movement and Israeli youth refusing conscription, refusing orders, and partnering with a growing grassroots Palestinian campaign of civil disobedience against the occupation
Checkpoint - 80 min. Documentary filmmaker Yoav Shamir's depiction of the checkpoints that the Israel Defense Forces man in the Palestinian Authority.
Defamation (2009) - 101 min. Intent on shaking up the ultimate 'sacred cow' for Jews, Israeli director Yoav Shamir embarks on a provocative - and at times irreverent - quest to answer the question, "What is anti-Semitism today?"
Encounter Point - 85 min. Film follows a former Israeli settler, a Palestinian ex-prisoner, a bereaved Israeli mother and a wounded Palestinian bereaved brother who risk their lives and public standing to promote a nonviolent end to the conflict. Their journeys lead them to the unlikeliest places to confront hatred within their communities. The film explores what drives them and thousands of other like-minded civilians to overcome anger and grief to work for grassroots solutions
Occupation 101: Voices of the Silenced Majority - 90 min. A thought-provoking and powerful documentary film on the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and U.S. political involvement.
Five Broken Cameras - 90 min. When his fourth son, Gibreel, is born, Emad, a Palestinian villager, gets his first camera. In his village, Bil'in, a separation barrier is being built and the villagers start to resist this decision. For more than five years, Emad films the struggle, which is led by two of his best friends, alongside filming how Gibreel grows. Very soon it affects his family and his own life. Daily arrests and night raids scare his family; his friends, brothers and himself are either shot or arrested. One Camera after another is shot at or smashed, each camera tells a part of his story.
Living under the Occupation: Daily Life in Occupied Palestine - 27 min. A film made by EFA MEPs (Members of the European Parliament) François Alfonsi, Jill Evans and Ana Miranda during their visit to the West Bank and East Jerusalem.
Promises (2002) -106 min. Several Jewish and Palestinian children are followed for three years and put in touch with each other, in this alternative look at the Jewish-Palestinian conflict. The three filmmakers followed a group of seven local children between 1995 and 1998. These seven children tell their own story about growing up in Jerusalem. When the protagonists speak out in an epilogue a couple of years later, it becomes apparent that all have lost their childlike innocence.
Salt of the Earth: Palestinian Christians in the Northern West Bank (2004) - 193 min. Marthame and Elizabeth Sanders lived in the Christian Palestinian village of Zababdeh from August, 2000, through December, 2003. Volunteers with the Presbyterian Church (USA), their ministry was one of ecumenical support to the Church in the land of its birth. The film documents the lives of nine Palestinian Christians living in the northern West Bank. This film grew out of a desire among their Palestinian neighbors to share their stories, and a desire among Christians in the West to hear them. The Sanders describe the project as "a labor of love, a response to the graciousness, warmth, hospitality, and welcome we received from our Palestinian neighbors and colleagues."
The Colour of Olives - 97 min. Like many Palestinian families, the Amers live surrounded by the infamous West Bank Wall where their daily lives are dominated by electrified fences, locks and a constant swarm of armed soldiers. Constructed with a combination of verité scenes and re-enactments, this poignant and richly crafted film offers its audience a much needed opportunity to reflect on the effects of racial segregation, the meaning of borders and the absurdity of war.
The Gatekeepers - 101 min. A documentary featuring interviews with all surviving former heads of Shin Bet, the Israeli security agency whose activities and membership are closely held state secrets
The Law In These Parts (2013) - 105 min. What is legal and what is just? The wide gap between the two is explored meticulously by this Israeli investigation of the legal structure created after the 1967 Six Days War, specifically to treat the West Bank and Gaza Strip as occupied territories. Speaking with some of Israel’s most respected lawyers and judges – men who helped to craft and later interpret these laws – filmmaker Ra’anan Alexandrowicz asks tough, pointed questions and gets even tougher answers. He asks his subjects to consider the consequences of their actions in a highly politicized environment. This documentary takes the position that unjust laws create unjust realities. Laws that everyone admits are not perfect but are the best that can be done under difficult circumstances may result in tragedy for everyone: both the judges and the judged.This film is winner of the Best Documentary Award at the Sundance and Jerusalem Film Festivals.
It's Better to Jump - 75 min. There is a centuries-old seawall in the ancient port of Akka, located on Israel's northern coast. Today, Akka is a modern city inhabited by Muslims, Christians, Jews, and Baha'i, but its history goes all the way back to rule of the Egyptian Pharaohs. Young people dare to stand atop the 40' one-meter thick block structure and risk their fate by jumping into the roiling sea. This perilous tradition has continued for many generations, and has become a rite of passage for the children of Akka. "It's Better to Jump" is about the ancient walled city of Akka as it undergoes harsh economic pressures and vast social change. The film focuses on the aspirations and concerns of the Palestinian inhabitants who call the Old City home.
Home Front – Portraits From Sheikh Jarrah - Getting beyond the sensational headlines and broad generalizations that normally dominate discussions of Jerusalem, Home Front captures voices rarely heard, of those struggling to stop settlement expansion in East Jerusalem and build a future of pluralism and equality in the city. Featuring the accounts of a Palestinian teenager forced to give up half his home to Israeli settlers, an American-born Israeli mother who gets drawn into the demonstrations after her children’s arrest, a Palestinian community organizer who brings local women to the forefront of the struggle, and a veteran of the Israeli army who becomes one of the campaign’s leaders, Home Front chronicles the resolve of a neighborhood, and the support it receives from the most unexpected of places.
Censored Voices - The 1967 'Six-Day' war ended with Israel's decisive victory; conquering Jerusalem, Gaza, Sinai and the West Bank. It is a war portrayed, to this day, as a righteous undertaking - a radiant emblem of Jewish pride. One week after the war, a group of young kibbutzniks, led by renowned author Amos Oz, recorded intimate conversations with soldiers returning from the battlefield. The recording revealed an honest look at the moment Israel turned from David to Goliath. The Israeli army censored the recordings, allowing the kibbutzniks to publish only a fragment of the conversations. 'Censored Voices' reveals the original recordings for the first time.
Teaching Ignorance - 2015, 52 Minutes. This powerful film follows several Israeli and Palestinian teachers over the course of an academic year. It asks: How do the Palestinian, Israeli Arab, and Israeli Jewish educational systems teach the history of their peoples? By observing teachers, the film shows us their exchanges and confrontations with students as they transmit the values of religion, politics, and nationalism in the classroom. In Teaching Ignorance, educators from all sides of the conflict debate their peoples’ official curriculum, wrestling with is restrictions. This film offers an intimate glimpse into the profound and long-lasting effect that the Israeli/Palestinian conflict transmits to the next generation.
INTERNET RESOURCES
Church-Related Resources
Episcopal Diocese of Washington Companion Diocese Committee for Jerusalem www.edow.org/ministries/overseas/jerusalem/
Episcopal Peace Fellowship/Palestine Israel Network: http://epfnational.org/PIN
Episcopal Public Policy Network: http://www.episcopalchurch.org/eppn
The Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem: http://www.j-diocese.org/.Kids4Peace: http://www.k4p.org
American Friends of the Episcopal Diocese of Jerusalem: http://www.afedj.org
American Friends Service Committee: http://www.afsc.org/office/palestine
Churches for Middle East Peace: www.cmep.org
World Council of Churches: http://www.oikoumene.org (search “Middle East”)
Ecumenical Accompaniment Programme in Palestine and Israel – US: http://www.eappi-us.org/
Evangelical Lutheran Church in America: http://www.elca.org/middleeast/,
Peace Not Walls http://www.elca.org/Our-Faith-In-Action/Justice/Peace-Not-Walls.aspx
Presbyterian Church (USA), Israel Palestine Mission Network: http://www.theipmn.org/
United Methodist Kairos Response: https://www.kairosresponse.org
Resources (Washington DC)
The following organizations host numerous interesting events related to Israel and Palestine:
Foundation for Middle East Peace: http://www.fmep.org/
Carnegie Endowment for International Peace: http://www.carnegieendowment.org/events/
Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University: http://ccas.georgetown.edu/
The Jerusalem Fund: http://www.thejerusalemfund.org/
New America Foundation:http://www.newamerica.net/
The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars: http://www.wilsoncenter.org/
News, Blogs
Electronic Intifada http://electronicintifada.net/
Ha’aretz (Israeli daily): http://www.haaretz.com/ (subscription)
Institute for Middle East Understanding: http://imeu.net/
Ma’an News Agency: http://www.maannews.net/eng/
M.J. Rosenberg: http://mjayrosenberg.com
Palestine Monitor: http://www.palestinemonitor.org
Philip Weiss: http://mondoweiss.net/
Rabbi Brian Walt: http://rabbibrian.wordpress.com/
This Week in Palestine (monthly): http://www.thisweekinpalestine.com/
Tikun Olam: http://www.richardsilverstein.com/
More Information
Adalah (Legal Center for Arab Minority Rights in Israeli): http://www.adalah.org/eng/
Americans for Peace Now: http://www.peacenow.org
B’tselem (Israeli Info. Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories): http://www.btselem.org
Friends of Sabeel, North America: http://www.fosna.org
Jewish Voice for Peace: http://jewishvoiceforpeace.org/
Kairos Palestine: http://www.kairospalestine.ps/Kairos USA: http://www.kairosusa.org
Miftah: http://www.miftah.org/
Tent of Nations: http://www.fotonna.org
US Campaign for Palestinian Rights: http://uscpr.org/
UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs: http://www.ochaopt.org/
Who Profits?: www.whoprofits.org
Zochrot: www.zochrot.org/en