Blog — Blockade
Wednesday December 28, 2011
Two new Israeli settlements, Har Homa and Givat Hamatos, will completely alter the two thousand-year-old geography and biblical landscape which connects two of the holiest cities in Christendom: Jerusalem and Bethlehem. Israeli checkpoints at breaks in the wall surrounding Bethlehem on its northern border already constitute a near-impenetrable barrier for Palestinian travelers, but now, beyond ethnic lines, Christians in Bethlehem are scared that at the current rate of Israeli expansion their holy places may soon be completely off-limits to them. Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 4:58 pm / / Leave a comment
Wednesday October 05, 2011
Congress officially announced on Monday that security aid to the Palestinian Authority as well as much needed humanitarian aid has been blocked in response to the Palestinian leadership’s attempt to gain UN recognition. “These are mainly humanitarian and development projects – it is another kind of collective punishment which is going to harm the needs of the public without any positive contribution,” PA spokesman Ghassan Khatib said. Read More »
Posted by Yasmine Taeb at 3:08 pm / / Leave a comment
Friday May 20, 2011
Arab American Institute President Jim Zogby comments on today's meeting between President Barack Obama and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Read More »
Posted by Jim Zogby at 3:20 pm / / Leave a comment
Wednesday April 20, 2011
I wanted to draw your attention to the work of the National Arab American Medical Association (NAAMA). Today NAAMA sent out a press release announcing their efforts to provide "urgently needed" medical supplies throughout the Arab World. The release cites the abysmal state of emergency medical care in Arab countries and highlights the organization's commitment to provide supplies where they are needed. NAAMA's future goal is to "have funds available not only for the ongoing tragedy in Libya but to have contingency plans for emergency medical relief wherever the need may suddenly arise in other parts of the Arab world." Read More »
Posted by Omar Tewfik at 2:42 pm / / Leave a comment
Wednesday January 19, 2011
A group of over 40 former senior foreign policy officials, prominent academics and political figures have signed a public letter to President Obama urging him to vote in favor of a U.N. Resolution condemning illegal Israeli settlements in occupied Palestinian territories. Among the letter's signatories were AAI President, Jim Zogby and Chairman, George Salem. Read More »
Posted by AAI at 3:04 pm / / Leave a comment
Thursday August 05, 2010
A few weeks ago, Israel's attack on a Turkish flotilla heading to Gaza marked a turning point in international opinion about the Gaza Blockade. Since then, the Obama Administration has called on Israel to take steps to ease the blockade. We believe that Israel's policy is impossible to defend, and instead of just easing the blockade, it should be ended. Read More »
Posted by AAI at 1:10 pm / / Leave a comment
Wednesday August 04, 2010
Israel’s blockade of Gaza is counterproductive, immoral and illegal. Our government’s position on this flawed and tragic policy must change. We ask policymakers to consider the facts and work with our allies to end this policy. Doing so is in the best interest of the Palestinians, the Israelis, and our own national security interests. Read More »
Posted by AAI at 10:45 am / / Leave a comment
Wednesday August 04, 2010
Nearly 1.5 million Palestinians are trapped in Gaza, with 4 out of 5 depending on humanitarian aid agencies for basic necessities. UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon described the suffering inflicted on the people of Gaza by the blockade as “unacceptable.” The blockade’s purpose was not merely to keep weapons out of Gaza, but was deliberately designed to target the civilian population of Gaza, with bans on things like potato chips, soda pops, pasta, and other things that clearly posed no security threat. Read More »
Posted by AAI at 10:01 am / / Leave a comment
Wednesday August 04, 2010
The health situation in Gaza, already worrisome during the early period of the blockade, was severely exacerbated in the aftermath of Israel’s assault on Gaza in 2008/09 (known as Operation Cast Lead), in which much of Gaza’s infrastructure destroyed with the possibility of repair due to the blockade. Read More »
Posted by AAI at 9:57 am / / Leave a comment
Wednesday August 04, 2010
Under the blockade policy, Palestinians are forbidden to leave Gaza except in special cases. Those who can’t leave Gaza include many patients who need to leave for necessary treatment. Movement inside Gaza is also restricted by a unilaterally imposed “buffer zone” along the inside of the walls and fences surrounding Gaza. The buffer zone as enforced goes much deeper into Gaza than publicly acknowledged, taking up “between a quarter and a third of Gaza’s agricultural land.” Read More »
Posted by AAI at 9:43 am / / Leave a comment
Tuesday July 27, 2010
According to press accounts, a senior US envoy has warned Palestinian President Abbas that he must quickly engage in direct negotiations with Israel if he wants President Obama’s help in the establishment of a Palestinian state Read More »
Posted by AAI at 4:21 pm / / Leave a comment
Monday June 14, 2010
On June 9, 2010, President Obama met with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas to discuss improving the situation in the Palestinian territories, as well as moving the peace process forward. The President put forth a number of proposals designed to ease the crisis in Gaza, including $400 million in aid to Gaza and the West Bank, and reiterated his administration’s support for a credible and independent investigation into the lethal flotilla raid. Read More »
Posted by AAI at 8:56 am / / Leave a comment
@AAIUSA BUT there is the issue of #delegates. For the constant #default candidate, #Romney nothing changes, #politically. #Rick!
shouldn't be surprised by #Santorum sweep. Don't ever underestimated the strength of #GOP's "anybody but #Mitt" - Rick is new/old "anybody"
@AAIUSA Be sure to follow Corey Stapleton’s campaign @stapletonCorey for an exclusive announcement today.
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