I’ve been meaning to congratulate you for some time now. Just get buried in email, though. I know it may be discouraging sometimes, between the paradigm shift we would like and the vile personal attacks, but you’re doing a good ad useful thing. I’m glad I reconnected with you. (And hope that this post gets through your spam filter)

I think you refer to Haim Bar’am’s older brother, Uzi, who was even a minister in Rabin’s second government. Haim never went to politics. He is a journalist who has two columns – one political and one about football (he has a similar “radical” approach, very amusing one, to that sport).

He was always quite to the left of Uzi and more outspoken, but Uzi too probably had his heart more to the left than his party affiliation could allow. He was an OK politician all in all. They were also our neighbors for a while. Their father Moshe Bar’am was an old Labor Zionist leader who was minister for many years (under Golda, etc.).

The Hagada.org.il English site is not worth much yet, they just started it and don’t do a good job of consistently translating articles. Try http://www.kibush.co.il for a more steady stream of English-language news and articles form the Israeli anti-Occupation community. The site both brings articles from places like Ha’aretz English, and translates or even posts English originals. Of course, they also have a Hebrew site (and Arabic and Russian!).

Assaf

Assaf:

“Do you agree with me that in princple 3 out of 4 DK readers have their heart in the right place, but the handful of AIPACists there are turning any I-P debate into such a mudfight that the reasonable people get turned off?”

Well, the poll results seem to support that view. So for example, this recent diary ended with a poll asking whether the U.S. “should end its support for Israel”. 65% of 89 respondents said “yes”. It was badly worded (‘support for Israel’ can mean anything) but it gives an indication of where the broad feelings of the community lie. Other polls with more respondents usually turn out even more strongly in favour of our side.

So yes, that’s an important point – despite the vocal clique of “pro-Israel” commenters, the silent majority is actually quite supportive of the ‘pro-Palestinian’ viewpoint. The problem is that this support doesn’t seem to translate into anything useful, or any political action at all.

I too think it’s important to address non-Jews and agree that it’s often hopeless expecting American Jews, especially our dinosaur leaders, to change their spots & become advocates for real change regarding the IP issue.

I remember Haim Bar’am from my days in Israel in 1980. I think he was then on the left of the Labor party & we had a friend or two in common though I don’t think I ever met him.

Hagada’s site is also in English & I tried to feature it at my blog aggregator but their feed was hinky if I recall. But I didn’t know Baram was featured at the site. Thanks for that news.

You asked about other sources to read in Hebrew. On the website hagada.org.il, there is Haim Bar’am, who’s been writing an influential column in Jerusalem’s alt-weekly Kol Ha’ir for over 25 years. I remember reading him in the 80′s and thinking “what a crazy leftist”, in the 90′s thinking “he’s got a good grasp of things, but why is he so pessimistic about the Oslo process?”. In short, he’s got it. What is amazing is that this alt-weekly is ready by EVERYONE in Jerusalem, not just secular-leftists, and Jerusalemites have respect towards Bar’am even though most of them are worlds apart in their opinions. Hagada.org.il brings an e-copy of his columns every week. Also featured there is veteran human-rights activist Gideon Spiro, who writes a similar column in Tel-Aviv’s Ha’ir weekly.

Assaf

Sorry if a different impression was created: I greatly appreciate your work. The more people do, write, etc., the better. You focus on Jewish audience but also get others to read you. I focus on general audiences (except when writing in Hebrew of course), but do not mind if Jews read and are affected as well. The different efforts complement each other. I wish I had your perseverance and daily commitment.

Hopefully, at some point these little seeds we plant in different places of this political desert, will bloom.

JamieSW,

So you are the Heathlander? Cool. What does the name mean?
Do you agree with me that in princple 3 out of 4 DK readers have their heart in the right place, but the handful of AIPACists there are turning any I-P debate into such a mudfight that the reasonable people get turned off?

Cheers, Assaf

a blog about the Palestinian-Israeli issues, of the progressive slant, run by a Jew, read by Jews, made famous by an Israeli (dare I say Jewish) newspaper is a good thing. It is a great thing.

My blog is read by Jews and non-Jews. It is read by Arabs & even some Palestinians. I’d like it to be read by more. If you know of any non Jews you think should be reading this blog pls. introduce them to it. It is true that I don’t have as much impact as I would like among both Jews & non-Jews. But hopefully that can change over time.

My work has also been published by The Guardian’s Comment is Free blog which reaches a mixed Jewish & non-Jewish audience. I’ve been interviewed by publications that reach both Jewish & non-Jewish audiences.

My strategy here is to aim my work at a Jewish audience but to assume that it will have relevance to a non Jewish audience esp. one interested in the IP conflict.