Miko, I admire your courage. Too many BDS activists have fallen into the trap of thinking that BDS is only against “the occupation” by which they mean the lands taken in ’67. As you know, and so eloquently state, the demands of the BDS movement go far beyone that. Good for you.
The BDS call originally left :”occupation” unqualified, meaning it included the ’48 occupation. Somewhere along the line, the call was changed without discussion or anything, just simply changed to reflect something about lands occupied since ’67. This is ok inasmuch as PLO was willing to settle for this in any case. But everyone has lost sight of the switcheroo.
Should we expect the Government of the United States to support the people of Palestine in their hour of need, when their own citizens are treated outrageously by the forces of law. Black Americans are treated as second class citizens, with a shoot to kill policy and no justice. The same policies are pursued by the Israeli State. Should we wonder why the two countries support each other. Freedom for the oppressed, freedom for Palestine.
Very very few people are telling the truth as fully, as clearly, and as articulately as Miko Peled. This is the full truth, the truth that is ignored by “well meaning” Liberal Zionists and the U.S. government & media. This is the truth Americans & Europeans have to learn: that the entire state of Israel is stolen Palestinian land and every inch of it belongs to the Palestinian people. The solution? Just what Miko says: a genuine egalitarian democracy; the right of return for the Palestinian people, the end of the racist, settler-colonialist Zionist regime, and the transformation of Israel into a nation for all its people.
Thank you Miko Peled for all you have been doing to promote peace to all Palestinians and Israelis. In my opinion it is not only Israel to be blamed but a lot of the blame falls on the American government for bending over to a racist regime. Israel uses America as a shield. If it wasn’t for America protecting Israel; there probably would be some sort of peace in the middle east as whole specifically in Israel-Palestine. it is amazing how much influence a tiny country (Israel) has on a supper power nation (America) where politicians are afraid to speak up against Israel actions in the middle east. It is amazing how little knowledge the American public posses in regards to foreign policies and foreign affairs which is a good advantage for Israel to gain their support. It is sad to hear from Americans about how much they support Israel with little knowledge they have regarding the truth. It is easy to brain wash someone (Americans) with little knowledge they have and make them believe every little piece of information you feed them. America could resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if they are serious about it. America dismantled the Soviet Union and liberated many of its colonies in a short period of time without firing a shot, they reunited East Germany with West Germany without firing a shot. They resolved the conflict of Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, Croatia, etc…in a short period of time. But they are unable to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where they supposedly have been trying for the last sixty years to resolve with no success; are you kidding me!!! That shows you who is in control, Israel of course. I just hope to see peace in the middle east soon.
Thank you again for all you’ve been doing in the name of justice and peace. I wish there are more like you.
Thank you, Mr. Peled, for being a voice of justice and reason from within Israel. As you know, those of us who are not Jewish are immediately labelled ‘anti-Semitic’ if we dare criticize Israel in the slightest way, let alone denounce its brutality and racism. A person with your credentials, together with other honest and brave Jewish Israelis, like Shlomo Sand, Gideon Levy and Ilan Pappé, do an essential job in unmasking the dishonest trick of playing the anti-Semitic card. You are a credit to human decency in the world.
Thank you Miko. I took the liberty of reproducing your very informative comments as an introduction to Israel and Zionism on my “Fact not Fiction” blog.
I totally agree with Miko Peled I want to participate in every possible way
To let the world know the great injustice to the palestine people by Israel the US and many other countries. There would be no justice or peace in the world until this reality is fully recognised. The US with its unconditional suport to Israel has no moral right to lead the world and to tell any country to behave. They are a terrible bad example of twisting moral see what is happening in Ucraine and Russia….
The US Senate has allowed a bill to unconditionally add more support to increase the Apartheid State activities in illegal and criminal militaristic, racist, and heathenish atrocities. Escalating their crimes only makes their desire to create a pure racist state even more apparent and visible to everyone. The race to the cliff has become an all out sprint. Russia has just added its name to the Palestinian state bid.
Dear Miko, Thank you for always sending me your comments, always so coherent and true. I just spend 3 weeks ( in April) in Palestine and in Israël, most of what I saw and heard is so terribly hopeless for the palestinians……..but I continue my little stubborn work, am preparing my second book and my next (2015) festival. Whe, oh when will we finally get a chance to meet in “real”? All my warm wishes for a peaceful Hanukah, Chrismas and new year Janine Le 5 déc. 2014 à 17:12, Miko Peled a écrit :
Mr. Peled. You write: ” … the latest recognition by several European countries of a so called “State of Palestine” … does not help a single Palestinian, it does not bring an end to unjustifiable siege on Gaza, or the release of Palestinian prisoners nor does it bring relief to Palestinians who live in constant horror that they will be evicted from their homes by Israeli settler gangs or the Israeli terrorist organization AKA the IDF.” This is an empty rhetorical device. No one claims it does. (Nor do your many speeches help Palestinians in a concrete way.) We should learn to work with potential allies, not denounce them.
Peled draws our attention to the emptiness of the “recognition” gesture compared, for example, to what is needed. Nonetheless, it is better than nothing, just like the BDS call citing the 67 borders is not the whole thing but is also something. Peled regards all of Israel as occupation and he’s right, but nobody is going there in the near term. Before then, world institutions have to be de-Zionized and while that could happen quickly, it must first get started. In the meanwhile, something is better than nothing.
Peled cannot be speaking as an activist but a reflective ex-Israeli, Zionist. He is bitter about the hypocrisy of “liberal” Zionism and his writing is an effort to get, and keep, himself out of that trap. It helps keep the rest of us out of that trap as well.
What does the abbreviation “BDS” stand for literally. I may have read this speech too quickly, but would like to know what it means. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
They pulled the plug on South African apartheid, once all the minerals were removed from the ground and they no longer wanted the territory. Then Zimbabwe and Mugabe, now the minerals are extracted from there. Apartheid was no longer needed to distract people’s attention. Same as with the Palestinians, it is a land-grab pure and simple. I would say based on the articles, under the illusion of “indiginization”, in fact this is a cover-story to present a face that people will buy into. Note: mining has increased, and export farming has withered. Mugabe gets his money from the same bankers that financed Israel. The illusion of different players is just that.
Thank you Miko for all your hard work and for being a voice for the voiceless. The Palestinian people need all the help we can give them.
I have the outmost respect for you.
At some point I thought you were writing about the African American struggle in the USA.
Nonetheless, this is a pain we will regretfully carry in our generation. Just like our ancestors carry the guilty of past atrocities.
I also admit “sitting on the fence” because I felt too ignorant to take part in any significant support.
Today I strongly support the BDS movement and other movements opposing injustices all around the world.
I’ve jumped the fence and the other side is grim but we will make it beautiful one day.
We here in the USA long for Freedom of Religion, Speech and equality of all people. Walk through a US Military Cemetery and look at the individual stones with the names of all those who made the extreme sacrifice in defending our Freedoms and way of life. It matters not their religion, color of their skin or political beliefs, They were all Hero’s
In 1933 a movement very similar to BDS was started in Berlin Germany. It’s name was condensed and their followers became know as “NAZI’s”. Shortly after they came to power there leader had the courts in Nuremberg pass very restrictive laws against one specific group in Germany. They banned the Jews of Germany from owing business, Doctors and Lawyers and Teachers were not allowed work. Children were banned from school. In 1938 This group wasn’t satisfied with the punishment dished out to the Jews and “The Night of the Broken Glass” took place Jewish houses of Worship, Private Homes, innocent people murdered, books burned and over 80,0000 sent to death camps all only because who they were identified to be.. That night was the beginning of the Holocaust and 1/3rd of the World’s Jews were murdered for one reason only, being Jewish.
As one listens to all the the inflammatory words issued by BDS and their followers they have totally omitted several very important facts. In 1948 the United Nations decided to take the remainder of Palestine, The initial half of the territory was used to establish a country called “Trans Jordan”, and divide it into Two separate countries,, An Arab Palestine and a Jewish State to be called “Israel” that at that time had only about 600,000 Jews. The day the independence was announced the Arab League with countries have over 225,000,000 people declared war against that small band of Jews. It should also be noted the very sacred part of Jerusalem being part of the Arab State. For all their supposed might the Giant Arabs lost the Battle to the Little David. The failure to win that war was also taken out against the 800,000 Jews who had lived in piece with their Arab neighbors for more than 2000 years forced them out with only the clothes on their backs. Talk about refugees!!! Almost all arrived in Israel doubling the size of that tiny country.
In the aftermath of that initial war one has to ask why no legitimate Arab State wasn’t officially declared. Answer quite simple.fact was the Arab League now had a political pawn to continue to press for the destruction of Israel and drive their people into the sea. There have been several wars against Israel over the 66 years each ending in defeat of the Arabs. David always managed to beat the Giants.
In the ensuing years one has to ask why Israel has built Hospitals, K to 12 public schools and over 20 schools of higher learning. Plus the most promising young Palestinian students in the area can go to the best Universities in Israel.
For over 60 years Israel has extended its hand to resolve the injustice suffered by the Palestinian. Instead, The peace feather has been placed in the fire and rejected. The Peace accords reached between Arafat of the PLO and the Heads of the Israeli government was immediately denounced by Arafat upon his return to his home.
Just remember that with a world population of less than 2 tenths of one percent thee Jewish contribution t the world at large is the same as Little David defeating the Giant. The Nobel Prizes for many different fields that are awarded annually have 22 percent of all rewards given to Jews. Not One to Any of the World’s Arabs
If BDS succeeds with their efforts do you know who will lose the most? The Palestinian’s. Reason, there Arab country neighbors will still not lift a finger to assist them. With all their complaints against Israel, many of which all good people agree is not solved by this very obvious action of Anti-Jew and Israel
Miko Peled 
Miko, I admire your courage. Too many BDS activists have fallen into the trap of thinking that BDS is only against “the occupation” by which they mean the lands taken in ’67. As you know, and so eloquently state, the demands of the BDS movement go far beyone that. Good for you.
The BDS call originally left :”occupation” unqualified, meaning it included the ’48 occupation. Somewhere along the line, the call was changed without discussion or anything, just simply changed to reflect something about lands occupied since ’67. This is ok inasmuch as PLO was willing to settle for this in any case. But everyone has lost sight of the switcheroo.
Should we expect the Government of the United States to support the people of Palestine in their hour of need, when their own citizens are treated outrageously by the forces of law. Black Americans are treated as second class citizens, with a shoot to kill policy and no justice. The same policies are pursued by the Israeli State. Should we wonder why the two countries support each other. Freedom for the oppressed, freedom for Palestine.
Miko, Miko… Our Hero if ever we had one !!! We love you. Stay safe.
Nadia Saba.
Very very few people are telling the truth as fully, as clearly, and as articulately as Miko Peled. This is the full truth, the truth that is ignored by “well meaning” Liberal Zionists and the U.S. government & media. This is the truth Americans & Europeans have to learn: that the entire state of Israel is stolen Palestinian land and every inch of it belongs to the Palestinian people. The solution? Just what Miko says: a genuine egalitarian democracy; the right of return for the Palestinian people, the end of the racist, settler-colonialist Zionist regime, and the transformation of Israel into a nation for all its people.
Thank you Miko Peled for all you have been doing to promote peace to all Palestinians and Israelis. In my opinion it is not only Israel to be blamed but a lot of the blame falls on the American government for bending over to a racist regime. Israel uses America as a shield. If it wasn’t for America protecting Israel; there probably would be some sort of peace in the middle east as whole specifically in Israel-Palestine. it is amazing how much influence a tiny country (Israel) has on a supper power nation (America) where politicians are afraid to speak up against Israel actions in the middle east. It is amazing how little knowledge the American public posses in regards to foreign policies and foreign affairs which is a good advantage for Israel to gain their support. It is sad to hear from Americans about how much they support Israel with little knowledge they have regarding the truth. It is easy to brain wash someone (Americans) with little knowledge they have and make them believe every little piece of information you feed them. America could resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict if they are serious about it. America dismantled the Soviet Union and liberated many of its colonies in a short period of time without firing a shot, they reunited East Germany with West Germany without firing a shot. They resolved the conflict of Serbia, Albania, Kosovo, Croatia, etc…in a short period of time. But they are unable to resolve the Israeli-Palestinian conflict where they supposedly have been trying for the last sixty years to resolve with no success; are you kidding me!!! That shows you who is in control, Israel of course. I just hope to see peace in the middle east soon.
Thank you again for all you’ve been doing in the name of justice and peace. I wish there are more like you.
Thank you, Mr. Peled, for being a voice of justice and reason from within Israel. As you know, those of us who are not Jewish are immediately labelled ‘anti-Semitic’ if we dare criticize Israel in the slightest way, let alone denounce its brutality and racism. A person with your credentials, together with other honest and brave Jewish Israelis, like Shlomo Sand, Gideon Levy and Ilan Pappé, do an essential job in unmasking the dishonest trick of playing the anti-Semitic card. You are a credit to human decency in the world.
Thank you Miko. I took the liberty of reproducing your very informative comments as an introduction to Israel and Zionism on my “Fact not Fiction” blog.
I totally agree with Miko Peled I want to participate in every possible way
To let the world know the great injustice to the palestine people by Israel the US and many other countries. There would be no justice or peace in the world until this reality is fully recognised. The US with its unconditional suport to Israel has no moral right to lead the world and to tell any country to behave. They are a terrible bad example of twisting moral see what is happening in Ucraine and Russia….
The US Senate has allowed a bill to unconditionally add more support to increase the Apartheid State activities in illegal and criminal militaristic, racist, and heathenish atrocities. Escalating their crimes only makes their desire to create a pure racist state even more apparent and visible to everyone. The race to the cliff has become an all out sprint. Russia has just added its name to the Palestinian state bid.
Perhaps it would have been more meaningful if these countries were to have abandoned their recognition of the State of Israel…
Dear Miko, Thank you for always sending me your comments, always so coherent and true. I just spend 3 weeks ( in April) in Palestine and in Israël, most of what I saw and heard is so terribly hopeless for the palestinians……..but I continue my little stubborn work, am preparing my second book and my next (2015) festival. Whe, oh when will we finally get a chance to meet in “real”? All my warm wishes for a peaceful Hanukah, Chrismas and new year Janine Le 5 déc. 2014 à 17:12, Miko Peled a écrit :
> >
Mr. Peled. You write: ” … the latest recognition by several European countries of a so called “State of Palestine” … does not help a single Palestinian, it does not bring an end to unjustifiable siege on Gaza, or the release of Palestinian prisoners nor does it bring relief to Palestinians who live in constant horror that they will be evicted from their homes by Israeli settler gangs or the Israeli terrorist organization AKA the IDF.” This is an empty rhetorical device. No one claims it does. (Nor do your many speeches help Palestinians in a concrete way.) We should learn to work with potential allies, not denounce them.
Peled draws our attention to the emptiness of the “recognition” gesture compared, for example, to what is needed. Nonetheless, it is better than nothing, just like the BDS call citing the 67 borders is not the whole thing but is also something. Peled regards all of Israel as occupation and he’s right, but nobody is going there in the near term. Before then, world institutions have to be de-Zionized and while that could happen quickly, it must first get started. In the meanwhile, something is better than nothing.
Peled cannot be speaking as an activist but a reflective ex-Israeli, Zionist. He is bitter about the hypocrisy of “liberal” Zionism and his writing is an effort to get, and keep, himself out of that trap. It helps keep the rest of us out of that trap as well.
Kol hakavod
What does the abbreviation “BDS” stand for literally. I may have read this speech too quickly, but would like to know what it means. Thanks in advance for your assistance.
Boycott, Divestment, Sanction.
They pulled the plug on South African apartheid, once all the minerals were removed from the ground and they no longer wanted the territory. Then Zimbabwe and Mugabe, now the minerals are extracted from there. Apartheid was no longer needed to distract people’s attention. Same as with the Palestinians, it is a land-grab pure and simple. I would say based on the articles, under the illusion of “indiginization”, in fact this is a cover-story to present a face that people will buy into. Note: mining has increased, and export farming has withered. Mugabe gets his money from the same bankers that financed Israel. The illusion of different players is just that.
Thank you Miko for all your hard work and for being a voice for the voiceless. The Palestinian people need all the help we can give them.
I have the outmost respect for you.
At some point I thought you were writing about the African American struggle in the USA.
Nonetheless, this is a pain we will regretfully carry in our generation. Just like our ancestors carry the guilty of past atrocities.
I also admit “sitting on the fence” because I felt too ignorant to take part in any significant support.
Today I strongly support the BDS movement and other movements opposing injustices all around the world.
I’ve jumped the fence and the other side is grim but we will make it beautiful one day.
We here in the USA long for Freedom of Religion, Speech and equality of all people. Walk through a US Military Cemetery and look at the individual stones with the names of all those who made the extreme sacrifice in defending our Freedoms and way of life. It matters not their religion, color of their skin or political beliefs, They were all Hero’s
In 1933 a movement very similar to BDS was started in Berlin Germany. It’s name was condensed and their followers became know as “NAZI’s”. Shortly after they came to power there leader had the courts in Nuremberg pass very restrictive laws against one specific group in Germany. They banned the Jews of Germany from owing business, Doctors and Lawyers and Teachers were not allowed work. Children were banned from school. In 1938 This group wasn’t satisfied with the punishment dished out to the Jews and “The Night of the Broken Glass” took place Jewish houses of Worship, Private Homes, innocent people murdered, books burned and over 80,0000 sent to death camps all only because who they were identified to be.. That night was the beginning of the Holocaust and 1/3rd of the World’s Jews were murdered for one reason only, being Jewish.
As one listens to all the the inflammatory words issued by BDS and their followers they have totally omitted several very important facts. In 1948 the United Nations decided to take the remainder of Palestine, The initial half of the territory was used to establish a country called “Trans Jordan”, and divide it into Two separate countries,, An Arab Palestine and a Jewish State to be called “Israel” that at that time had only about 600,000 Jews. The day the independence was announced the Arab League with countries have over 225,000,000 people declared war against that small band of Jews. It should also be noted the very sacred part of Jerusalem being part of the Arab State. For all their supposed might the Giant Arabs lost the Battle to the Little David. The failure to win that war was also taken out against the 800,000 Jews who had lived in piece with their Arab neighbors for more than 2000 years forced them out with only the clothes on their backs. Talk about refugees!!! Almost all arrived in Israel doubling the size of that tiny country.
In the aftermath of that initial war one has to ask why no legitimate Arab State wasn’t officially declared. Answer quite simple.fact was the Arab League now had a political pawn to continue to press for the destruction of Israel and drive their people into the sea. There have been several wars against Israel over the 66 years each ending in defeat of the Arabs. David always managed to beat the Giants.
In the ensuing years one has to ask why Israel has built Hospitals, K to 12 public schools and over 20 schools of higher learning. Plus the most promising young Palestinian students in the area can go to the best Universities in Israel.
For over 60 years Israel has extended its hand to resolve the injustice suffered by the Palestinian. Instead, The peace feather has been placed in the fire and rejected. The Peace accords reached between Arafat of the PLO and the Heads of the Israeli government was immediately denounced by Arafat upon his return to his home.
Just remember that with a world population of less than 2 tenths of one percent thee Jewish contribution t the world at large is the same as Little David defeating the Giant. The Nobel Prizes for many different fields that are awarded annually have 22 percent of all rewards given to Jews. Not One to Any of the World’s Arabs
If BDS succeeds with their efforts do you know who will lose the most? The Palestinian’s. Reason, there Arab country neighbors will still not lift a finger to assist them. With all their complaints against Israel, many of which all good people agree is not solved by this very obvious action of Anti-Jew and Israel