The fixation on Barghouti's op-ed bio distracts from the strike's impact on Palestinians, which is as much about restoring political direction as it is about attaining prisoners’ rights. In 2015, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) created the “Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.” Nicknamed after the renowned South African leader who spent 27 years behind bars, the “Nelson Mandela Rules” form an international blueprint for the basic rights of all prisoners regardless of the charges against them, including telephone calls, medical examinations and educational programs, among many others. [tmwinpost] The demands of the 1,200 Palestinian prisoners who…

Before he was killed in a gunfight with Israeli forces, Basel al-Araj was a nonviolent activist who fought for his village. His transition from nonviolence to armed struggle feels like a personal defeat for me. By Aviv Tatarsky Earlier this week, as I sat in my car in the morning, I overheard on the radio that soldiers had killed a Palestinian after coming to arrest him in the city of Al-Bireh, next to Ramallah. An hour later I see that Issa had uploaded a photo of Basel al-Araj. to his Facebook page. "Strange," I thought to myself, "I had no idea Issa…

A decade ago popular protests against the separation wall, settlements, and occupation were the great promise of the Palestinian struggle. Now a new book takes a look at why these demonstrations were never actually able to bring out the Palestinian masses to the streets, and what activists can learn for the future. By Thimna Bunte In what may be the most insightful, comprehensive, and sensitive academic study of today's Palestinian popular resistance, Marwan Darweish and Andrew Rigby's new book, Popular Protest in Palestine – The Uncertain Future of Unarmed Resistance, provides an excellent analysis of Palestinian unarmed resistance to the Israeli…

The recent escalation in violence has caused many in Gaza to support renewing armed struggle against Israel. Hamas, however, is wary of firing rockets, preferring to cheer on Palestinians from the sidelines.  By Abeer Ayyoub GAZA CITY — While usually considered one of the most volatile places in Palestine, the Gaza Strip seems to be taking a “let’s wait and see’’ approach to the most recent round of violence with Israel. Since the start of the escalation earlier of this month, the besieged, Hamas-ruled enclave has not immediately reacted to the events at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Only on Friday, October 9…

It is often difficult to view the Palestinian struggle as an attempt to protect land, livelihood, and life. But the faster we do so, the faster we may be able to prevent more innocent blood from being spilled. History, after all, may not end up being so kind to us. As an American, Israelis often tell me I have no right to criticize Israel's treatment of Palestinians. "Look at what the U.S. did to the Indianim," I hear more often than you might think. And justifiably so: the sheer scope of the U.S. government's decimation of Native Americans feels, frankly, impossible to wrap my…

Thousands of Palestinians mark Prisoners Day across the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. President Abbas calls for releasing Palestinian prisoners, while Hamas calls for kidnapping Israelis. By Oren Ziv / Activestills and Haggai Matar Hundreds of Palestinians, Israelis and international activists marched in the West Bank village of Bil'in on Friday to mark Palestinian Prisoners' Day. Additional demonstrations took place in Ni'ilin, Nabi Saleh, Kafr Qadum, Ma'asara, as well as in front of the United Nations offices in Gaza. On Thursday, Palestinians also protested outside Ofer Military Prison to show solidarity with Palestinians being held in Israeli jails. The…

A settler in the Jordan Valley was killed in his yard Thursday night. This is the third such incident in the West Bank in less than a month. A retired Israeli colonel was killed in his home last night (Thursday) in the Brosh Habika settlement in the Jordan Valley. The incident brings the number of Israeli casualties in the West Bank to three in less than a month. According to his wife, Seraiah Ofer was attacked with iron rods and axes in his front yard. She escaped through a hole in the back fence, while her husband was beaten to…