VIDEOS: 2009 Annual Conference. "The Erasure of Palestine"

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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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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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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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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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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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.

Download Audio (mp3) [right click the link and select 'save link as']

read more...

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.

Download Audio (mp3) [right click the link and select 'save link as']

read more...

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."

Download Audio (mp3) [right click the link and select 'save link as']

read more...

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.

Download Audio (mp3) [right click the link and select 'save link as']

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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."

Download Audio (mp3) [right click the link and select 'save link as']

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Annual Conference -- The Erasure of Palestine -- This Friday

Friday, 13 November 2009

The Zionist movement and the Israeli state are in the last stages of achieving effective sovereignty over all historic Palestine. The Israeli nomenclature, “Judaization” of the land, first entered general public discourse in 1976. We must acknowledge that we are witnessing the Judaization of what remains to Palestinians of historic Palestine (with the possible exception of the Gaza Strip). Failure to understand the process of Judaization, on one hand, and the concomitant erasure of Palestinian wujud (existence) in all its forms, on the other hand, dooms all of us to continue granting Israel and its supporters the power to accomplish the process of negating Palestinian identity and nationhood.

It is the intention of this conference to underscore the reality we are facing by: first, examining and illuminating current Palestinian existence in historic Palestine; second, by truthfully and candidly pursuing the historical process of the Judaization of the country; and third, by exploring the roles available to people seeking justice for the Palestinian people.

Register Today! Attendance is by pre-registration only. Guests without registration confirmations will not be admitted. We encourage you to register early as registration may be cut off as space is limited. Registered participants should plan to arrive early the day of the conference to secure parking and seating.

Register Now

Or, watch it online live here during the conference.

2009 Conference Agenda

9:00-9:10 Welcome Remarks

Dr. Subhi Ali
Chairman, The Jerusalem Fund Board of Directors

9:10- 9:30 Introduction and Rationale

Dr. Naseer Aruri
Conference Program Chair

9:30-10:45 Panel I: Erasure Before and After 1967

Chair: Ms. Nadia Hijab
Senior Fellow, Institute for Palestine Studies

A. Gaza and Israel's Long-term Objective

Ms. Jennifer Loewenstein
Faculty Associate of Middle East Studies, University of Wisconsin-Madison

B. The Erasure of the Palestinian State Project

Dr. Leila Farsakh
Assistant Professor of Political Science, University of Massachusetts-Boston

Ms. Phyllis Bennis
Fellow, Institute for Policy Studies

10:45-11:00 Break

11:00-12:30 Panel II: Shrinking Space and Colonization

Chair: Dr. Eid Mustafa
Treasurer, The Jerusalem Fund Board of Directors

A. Bantustanization: The Wall, Settlements and Colonization

Dr. Laurie King
Adjunct Professor of Popular Culture, Georgetown University

B. Greater Jerusalem: What Is It?

Mr. Will Youmans
New Media Consultant, The Jerusalem Fund

12:30-1:30 Lunch

1:30-3:00 Panel III: National Fragmentation and Cohesion

Chair: Dr. Halim Barakat
Scholar of Sociology and Novelist

A. Identity Card: Darwish and National Assertion-Presence in the Shadow of
Erasure

Dr. Elliott Colla
Associate Professor of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Georgetown University

B. Palestinian Existence (wujud): Grassroots Activism and Solidarity

Mr. Ali Abunimah
Author and Journalist

3:00-4:15 Final Remarks: The Role of the International Community in the Erasure

Chair: Ms. Phyllis Bennis
Fellow, Institute for Policy Studies

A. The Role of the United Nations and International Law

Ms. Susan Akram
Clinical Professor of Law, Boston University

B. United States Policy and Palestine: Oslo, the Intifada and Erasure

Dr. Naseer Aruri
Professor Emeritus, University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth

4:15-5:00 Discussion

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2008 Conference Proceedings Published

2008 Palestine Center Annual Conference
"The U.S. and the Arab World: An Assessment of American Policy in the Middle East"

At the 2008 Palestine Center Annual Conference in October, "The U.S. and the Arab World: An Assessment of American Policy in the Middle East," a wide array of experts analyzed United States foreign policy towards the Middle East during the last eight years and the challenges facing the next U.S. president. Speakers included:

Mr. Chris Hedges (transcript)
Ambassador Philip C. Wilcox
Ambassador Mokhtar Lamani
Dr. Michael C. Hudson
Dr. Hamid Dabashi
Dr. Michael Dunn
Mr. Mark Perry
Mr. Anthony Shadid
Mr. Paul Findley

(For transcripts of Shadid and Findley's speeches)

The proceedings have been published on the website.[LINK down]

The website also features video of the speakers and panels. [LINK down]

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VIDEOS & TRANSCRIPTS: 2008 Palestine Center Conference

This year's annual Palestine Center conference, "The US and the Arab World: An Assessment of American Policy in the Middle East," was illuminating and provided attendees a comprehensive overview of US policy in the region. It was held at the Palestine Center in Washington, DC on 10 October, 2008.

Watch the conference videos.

Some transcripts are online as well. Former New York Times journalist Chris Hedges, discussed American foreign policy, Islamophobia and religious fundamentalism. Washington Post journalist, Anthony Shadid and former Congressmen Paul Findley wrapped up the conference with a discussion of the Bush legacy and where US foreign policy in the Middle East should go next.

More transcripts will follow soon.

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