Global

Criminalizing UNRWA: How Israel is Delegitimizing the United Nations

On October 28, the Israeli Knesset passed a second reading of two bills that effectively ban the United Nations Agency for Palestinian Refugees (UNRWA) from carrying out “any activity” in Israel and occupied Palestine.

 Simply put, the decision is catastrophic, because UNRWA is the main international body responsible for the welfare of millions of Palestinians throughout the occupied territories, and throughout much of the region. 

I voted to make my voice heard. Why did I choose three write-in candidates?

I voted today, on Nov. 5th, to make my voice heard because not voting was not an option for me, and it would not help either Gaza or Lebanon.  From day one, I knew I would not vote for either Trump or Harris because they both support the Israeli genocide in Gaza, and both are very hostile toward Muslims and Palestinians as well as Lebanese.  Dr. Jill Stein was my candidate. She was the only anti-genocide candidate. She met with Arab and Muslim Americans. She took part in pro-Palestinian protests against the US-Israeli genocide in Gaza, which I know of. I was fully aware that it would be next to impossible that Jill Stein would win but I would not sleep well at night if I voted for either Trump or Harris, whose nicknames are Doormat Donny and Holocaust Harris. My initial response after Jill Stein's name was removed from the ballot in Ohio 10 days was sadness and disappointment. So, it was time to choose another write-in candidate. After some serious thought, I decided on Gadi Francis for President and Rania Khalek for Vice President. After filling up my absentee ballot and before mailing it, I realized Gadi Francis was not a US citizen (Sorry, Miss Ghadi).

Israeli Teens Prefer Going to Jail Over Enlisting in the Israeli Death Forces (Idf)

Sofia Orr, 19, is an Israeli teenager who chose jail over enlisting in the Israeli Death Forces (IDF). Before turning 19, Sofia was jailed three times for refusing to enlist in mandatory military service and spending her time in Neve Tzedek, which is a military prison in Tel Aviv, in protest of the ongoing Israeli war and genocide in Gaza. She believes the two sides "have to exist" and that "revenge is not the answer." This brave Israeli teenager made it loud and clear that she would continue resisting even if the government extended her jail time because it was the right thing to do. Finally, after spending 85 days in prison, Orr was recognized as a conscientious objector. 

Long before the Israeli war on Gaza and when Sofia was 15, she made up her mind not to serve in the military because, to her, the occupation and the war on Gaza and the West Bank was and is still enough reason to refuse and she would rather work advocating for peace.   

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