Radio: Another President, Another Try for Middle East Peace

Palestine Center executive director Yousef Munayyer appeared on a Public Radio International program, To the Point, to discuss the return to talks between Israel and the Palestinian Authority.

The panelists included:

Robin Wright: Senior Fellow, US Institute of Peace
Martin Indyk: former US Ambassador to Israel
Yousef Munayyer: Executive Director, Palestine Center
Yossi Beilin: former Israeli Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister

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The blurb from the show:

Secretary of State Clinton today formally opened the first direct talks in almost two years between Israel and the West Bank Palestinians. In a public ceremony, she addressed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Under non-stop pressure from the United States, the challenge is to resolve decades-long disagreements in the next year, but even advocates of a Palestinian state say failure could make matters worse. How far apart are they on settlements, borders, the "right of return" and the status of Jerusalem? Neither Abbas nor Netanyahu has much domestic support for historic compromise. Did they come together because of their worries about Iran?

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PODCAST: Introductory Remarks by Dr. Naseer Aruri and Dr. Subhi Ali

This year's annual conference, "The Erasure of Palestine," took place at the Palestine Center in Washington, DC on 13 November 2009.

Introductory remarks by Dr. Subhi Ali, chairman of the Jerusalem Fund's board, and Dr. Naseer Aruri, the conference organizer, explains the conference's rationale.

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PODCAST: First Panel with Dr. Leila Farsakh, Ms. Jennifer Loewenstein and Ms. Phyllis Bennis

The first panel was chaired by Ms. Nadia Hijab, and featured Dr. Leila Farsakh, Ms. Jennifer Loewenstein and Ms. Phyllis Bennis discussing "Erasure Before and After 1967.

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PODCAST: Second Panel with Dr. Laurie King and Mr. Will Youmans

The second panel was chaired by Dr. Eid Mustafa, the Treasurer of the Jerusalem Fund, and featured Dr. Laurie King and Mr. Will Youmans focused on "Shrinking Space and Colonization."

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PODCAST: Third Panel with Dr. Elliott Colla and Mr. Ali Abunimah

The third panel discussed "National Fragmentation and Cohesion" and was chaired by Dr. Halim Barakat. Dr. Elliott Colla and Mr. Ali Abunimah presented.

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PODCAST: Fourth Panel with Ms. Susan Akram and Dr. Naseer Aruri

The last panel was chaired by Ms. Zaha Hassan and featured Ms. Susan Akram and Dr. Naseer Aruri speaking on "The Role of the International Community in the Erasure."

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Interview with John Ging, UNRWA

Samar Assad, the Executive Director of the Palestine Center, spoke with John Ging on 1 May 2009 about the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.

Ging is the head of the United Nation's Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in the Gaza Strip. He has been in this position since 2006.

Ging called the humanitarian crisis in Gaza "man-made." He said aid agencies had the funds to ameliorate it, but do not have proper access to Gaza.

Listen:



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Views expressed on this post or on linked web pages do not represent the Palestine Center, the educational program of the Jerusalem Fund for Education and Community Development. All content is for educational purposes only.

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Audio: Zachary Lockman on the Israeli Elections

The Palestine Center interviewed NYU professor Zachary Lockman about the recent Israeli elections.

Zachary Lockman is a professor of Middle Eastern Studies and History at New York University.

This interview was conducted 11 February 2009



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Audio: Pastor and Atallah on Coexistence with Hamas

A Palestine Center panel on 29 January, 2009 discussed the political staying power of Hamas after weeks of Israel's offensive on the Gaza Strip earlier in the month. The Center is offering audio files of the "The Requirements for Co-Existence with Hamas" for you to listen to now or download for later (or you can view video of the event).

Amjad Atallah - Director, Middle East Task Force, New America Foundation.



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Dr. Robert Pastor - Vice President of International Affairs and Professor of International Relations, American University; Senior Advisor on Conflict Resolution in the Middle East, The Carter Center.



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Deprived and Endangered in Gaza

Mr. Joe Stork, Washington Director, Middle East and North Africa Division, Human Rights Watch gave a presentation today, Thursday January 22, 2009. His talk, "Deprived and Endangered in Gaza," follows HRW's release of a report by the same title.

Israel's large-scale military assault on Gaza has magnified the impact of a 19 month highly restrictive Israeli blockade against 1.5 million Palestinians in Gaza. While the military campaign raises questions on the law of war, specifically the use of banned materials, the humanitarian crisis which has existed in Gaza also raises questions of obligations under international humanitarian law. Mr. Stork spoke at the Palestine Center in Washington, D.C.



Listen to the talk:



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Transcripts are coming soon.

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From the Ground in Gaza: A Follow-up Call with A Gazan Teacher

This morning, the Palestine Center spoke with Abu Mazin, a teacher in Beit Lahiya, Gaza.

He discussed the carnage around him during Israel's invasion of Gaza, and the difficulty getting food and medicine. He spoke about what he is seeing, the death of his niece by sniper fire, and how Gazans feel about the United States.

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Gaza from the Ground: An Interview with Bait Lahia Teacher, Abu Mazin

This is 7 January 2009 phone call with Abu Mazin, a teacher in Bait Lahia, Gaza. He discusses the carnage around him during Israel's invasion of Gaza. He said that they have received no supplies or aid during the three hour humanitarian lull and that the hospitals lack basic supplies.

The photo to the right is a picture of the light damage to Abu Mazin's home from fighting in Gaza.

Listen now.

Or, you can listen online here.

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Past Palestine Center Events on Hamas

US Policy Towards Hamas and Hizballah, by Mark Perry (2008)

Mark Perry, Co-Director of the Conflicts Forum, gives a surprising and refreshing evaluation of the political prospects of American dialogue with Hamas and Hizballah. He spoke at the annual Palestine Center conference, 10 October 2008 in Washington, DC.



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Hamas: Past and Present by John Voll and Amjad Atallah (2006)

At a recent Palestine Center briefing, John Voll, associate director of the Prince Al-Waleed bin Talal Center for Christian-Muslim Understanding at Georgetown University, and Amjad Atallah, president of the Strategic Assessments Initiative, analyzed the historical and current political standing of Hamas. John Voll argued that Hamas represents crystallization of the Palestinian nationalist movement and political Islam as they have evolved respectively during the twentieth century. Amjad Atallah, speaking next, argued that Hamas has made itself indispensable to both the United States’ and Fateh’s short-term interests. He said Hamas is linking its steps with regional events but warned that only increased instability can result from attempts to overthrow either Hamas or Hizbollah because of their synchronized actions.



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Transcripts

Hamas, Its Neighbors & the Quartet by Nadia Hijab (2006)

At a 2006 Palestine Center briefing, Nadia Hijab, senior fellow and co-director of the Washington office of the Institute for Palestine Studies, argued that the core principle behind Hamas’ resistance is the deprivation of basic human rights to the Palestinian people. She said recent changes within Hamas represent a challenge to Israel because they indicate that Hamas wants to seek peace with Israel. After analyzing the role in and responses to the conflict of other Arab states and members of the Quartet, she affirmed a recent G8 statement saying the only solution to the most recent violence in the region is a comprehensive Middle East peace.



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Transcripts

More Events:

Finding Equilibrium between Hamas and Israel by Amjad Atallah (2006)

Contextualizing the Hamas Election Win by George Bisharat

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Palestine News Roundup

Abbas to call for Palestinian elections 'very soon' (AP)
Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas said yesterday that he would call general elections...

UN rights boss blasts Israeli treatment of envoy, Richard Falk (Reuters)
UN human rights chief Navi Pillay accused Israel on Tuesday of "unprecedented and deeply regrettable" treatment of a UN investigator it... [Xinhua reported as well]

**Richard Falk spoke at Palestine Center events on several occasions: 24 May 2001; 2 November, 2001; and a 20 April 2001 symposium, which you can listen to:



UNSC: Israeli-Palestinian peace process is irreversible (AP)
The UN Security Council approved a resolution Tuesday stressing that the Israeli-Palestinian peace process initiated by the United...

Bush to host Palestinian leader in farewell visit (AP)

Palestinian killed after rocket fire raises concern over Gaza truce (AFP)

EU: $55 million spent to support Palestinian police (AP)

Season of peace and full tills as tourists return to Bethlehem (Scotsman)

Three Injured in Kassam Attack (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

Hamas Threatens to End Truce Unless Israel Eases Restrictions (Bloomberg)

Gaza militants vague on renewing truce with Israel (International Herald Tribune)

Israel jails Palestinian parliament speaker for three years (AFP)

Brown: Israel should help Palestinian economy (Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

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Salim Tamari Speaks About New Book

The Jerusalem Fund hosted esteemed Palestinian scholar Salim Tamari on Wednesday, November 26, 2008. He discussed his latest book, Mountain Against the Sea: Essays on Palestinian Society and Culture.

This groundbreaking book on modern Palestinian culture goes beyond the usual focal point of the 1948 war to address the earlier, formative years. Drawing on previously unavailable biographies of Palestinians (including Palestinian Jews), Dr. Tamari offers eleven vignettes of Palestine's cultural life in the momentous first half of the twentieth century. He brings to light the memoirs, diaries, letters, and other writings of six Jerusalem intellectuals whose lives spanned (and defined) the period of 1918-1948: a musician, a teacher, a former aristocrat, a doctor, a Bolshevik revolutionary, and a Jewish novelist. These essays present an integrated cultural history that illuminates a watershed in the modern social history of the Arab East, the formulation of the Arab Enlightenment.

Salim Tamari is the Director of the Institute of Jerusalem Studies and Professor of Sociology at Birzeit University.

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Teaching Teachers about Palestine

American teachers and educators from Maryland, West Virginia and other states visited the Palestine Center on Wednesday to learn about Palestinian culture.

Robyn Davis, the Cultural Coordinator, organized lessons in Arabic music, and Palestinian embroidery, poetry, art and literature. She was helped by Fuad Foty, a DC-based musician, as well as two dancers from the Hurriyah Dabkeh troupe. They gave a short instructional dance lesson.

The group of more than 60 K-College educators also received a useful curriculum to help them teach Palestinian history.

Listen to Fuad Fouty's performance and lesson on the Oud and Arabic music.

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Separate Is Never Equal: Stories of Apartheid from South Africa to Palestine

A national speaking tour featuring a South African reverend and Palestinian lawyer started off at the Palestine Center on Monday, 10 November 2008. The tour, sponsored by the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation, draws on the parallels between the South African and Israeli systems of apartheid.

Apartheid, according to the International Criminal Court, refers to "an institutionalized regime of systematic oppression and domination by one racial group over any other racial group or groups and committed with the intention of maintaining that regime."

Ms. Buttu and Rev. Makue shared their experiences living under apartheid policies in South Africa, Israel, and the West Bank. Rev. Makue discussed his role in the historic struggle there. Ms. Buttu gave a presentation using maps to demonstrate Israel’s mechanisms of control in the West Bank, Jerusalem and Gaza.

Diana Buttu



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-Watch it on YouTube

Rev. Eddie Makue

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-Watch it on Youtube

Transcripts

Bios

Ms. Diana Buttu formerly worked with the Negotiations Support Unit of the PLO. She currently does media outreach with the Institute for Middle East Understanding and teaches at Birzeit University in Ramallah.

Rev. Eddie Makue has worked for the South African Council of Churches as a field worker counseling victims of unjust prosecution and also served as Commissioner of International Affairs for the All Africa Conference of Churches. Rev. Makue is currently the General Secretary of the South African Council of Churches.

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Fady Joudah, Poet and Darwish Translator, Reads at the Fund

Last night, the Palestinian-American poet Fady Joudah presented at the Jerusalem Fund. He was a guest of the Fund's Cultural Gallery. Joudah shared his own poetry, as well as some of his award-winning translations of the late Mahmoud Darwish's work. He performed two of Darwish's pieces in Arabic, as well.

The Jerusalem Fund's cultural coordinator Robyn Davis interviewed Joudah and posted it on Youtube. Also, the Fund published video and audio files from the event below.

[See Video and Read More]



Download the audio (mp3) or listen on the player below:



Joudah was the 2007 winner of the Yale Series of Younger Poets Award for The Earth in the Attic. In his poems Joudah explores big themes—identity, war, religion, what we hold in common—while never losing sight of the quotidian, the specific. Contest judge Louise Glück described the poet in her Foreword as "that strange animal, the lyric poet in whom circumstance and profession have compelled obsession with large social contexts and grave national dilemmas." She finds in his poetry "an incantatory quality and concludes, These are small poems, many of them, but the grandeur of conception is inescapable. The Earth in the Attic is varied, coherent, fierce, tender; impossible to put down, impossible to forget."

Fady Joudah is a Palestinian-American doctor and has been a member of Doctors Without Borders since 2001. His translation of Mahmoud Darwishs recent poetry, The Butterfly's Burden, received the 2008 Saif Ghobash Banipal Prize for Arabic Literary Translation.

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How to Download Our mp3's (Audio Files)

Below where this icon appears on the blog, you will find a list of speakers who spoke at the Palestine Center.

Their names are linked to audio recording files (mp3s) of their talks or interviews. If you click directly on the name using your mouse, the file will open up in an audio player (if the file is not playing, it may be running slow, or you may need to download an audio player).

If you want to save the mp3 file to your computer, you can save it by clicking with the right button on the mouse, and selecting 'Save Link As.'

Feel free to use these files in any non-commercial way you like, with proper attribution to the Palestine Center.

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Multimedia

John Mearsheimer
Univ of Chicago
29 April, 2010

Ahmad Tibi
Member, Knesset
20 April, 2010

Ted Swedenburg
Univ of Arkansas
08 April, 2010

VIDEO: Israel's Increasing Grip on Jerusalem
26 March, 2010

Yezid Sayigh
King's College London
19 Mar 2010

Victor Kattan
A chat about his book on international law
6 Mar 2010

Bill Corcoran
ANERA
18 Feb 2010

Ilana Feldman
Professor, GWU
27 Jan 2010

Oussama Kanaan
Representative, IMF
22 Jan 2010

Nathan Brown
Professor, GWU
14 Jan 2010

Hatem Abo Ahmad
Jerusalem lawyer
11 Dec 2009

Shibley Telhami & Asad Ghanem
Palestinian Citizens in Israel: Stakeholders in Limbo?
2 Dec 2009

The Erasure of Palestine
2009 Annual Conference
13 Nov 2009

Mohammed Omer
Gaza journalist
5 Nov 2009

Eyewitness Jerusalem
Firsthand Accounts of Home Evictions
30 Oct 2009

Bassem Khoury
former Econ. Minister
29 Oct 2009

Richard Falk
UN Special Rapporteur for the Occupied Palestine Territories
Visiting Distinguished Professor, University of California at Santa Barbara
6 October 2009

Michael Hudson
Center for Contemporary Arab Studies, Georgetown University
16 July 2009

Amjad Atallah
New America Foundation
16 July 2009

Nadia Hijab
Senior Fellow, Institute for Palestine Studies
9 July 2009

Nadia Bilbassy
MBC News
7 July 2009

Said Nafaa
Knesset Member
23 June 2009

Helena Cobban
Writer and Blogger
31 March 2009

John Dugard
Former UN Official
26 March 2009

Gershom Gorenberg
American Prospect
13 February 2009

Zachary Lockman
New York University
11 February 2009

Amjad Atallah
New America Foundation
29 January 2009

Dr. Robert Pastor
The Carter Center
29 January 2009

Joe Stork
Human Rights Watch
22 January 2009

Samer Badawi
Relief Worker, UPA
07 January 2009

Salim Tamari
Palestinian scholar
26 November 2008

Rev. Eddie Makue
South African Activist
10 November 2008

Fady Joudah
Poet
30 October 2008

2008 Palestine Center Conference 10.10.08

Chris Hedges

Amb. Philip Wilcox

Amb. Mokhtar Lamani

Dr. Michael Hudson

Dr. Hamid Dabashi

Dr. Michael Dunn

Mark Perry

Anthony Shadid

Paul Findley

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