Feature Archives

In an unprecedented outpouring of popular opposition to U.S. policy in support of the Israeli invasion of Gaza, a full month of nearly continuous protests brought tens of thousands into the streets of major cities in the state of California. In the city of San Jose more than 3,000 people demonstrated over a period of four successive weekends beginning on January 4, 2009. They halted traffic and shopping in Silicon Valley's high-end shopping district, Santana Row. More than 10,000 demonstrated in San Francisco between December 28 and January 10. Thousands more in southern California and in the state capital of Sacramento took to the streets in support of Gaza during the weeks-long attack.

On January 28th, George Cadman interviewed Ali Abunimah on Free Radio Santa Cruz 101.1 FM regarding the future of Palestine/Israel. In this interview they discuss the recent Israeli assault on Gaza, the "ceasefire," the death of the two-state solution, and the potential for a one-state or bi-national state in Palestine/Israel. Abunimah is a Palestinian American journalist and co-founder of Electronic Intifada, a not-for-profit, independent online publication about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict.

Two American Jewish women, Donna and Darlene Wallach, left their lives behind in San Jose six months ago to break the Israeli siege of Gaza. Courageously sailing on the first two Free Gaza boats, SS Free Gaza and SS Liberty, they had no idea of their fate at the hands of the Israeli navy, which has maintained a total sea blockade of Gaza since the 1970s. On January 25th, the two sisters arrived at Mineta San Jose International Airport to a heroes’ welcome.

Schachaf Polakow, a member of Anarchists Against the Wall, will give presentations in the Bay Area on February 5th and 6th that will include film and photos, and will focus both on AATW's recent work in solidarity with Gaza and their ongoing work in the West Bank. Anarchists Against the Wall is a direct action group that fights against Israeli apartheid and oppression in all its forms, most recently the atrocities in Gaza. For five years the group has waged a constant struggle against Israel's Wall.

On January 18th, Israel announced it was ending its attacks on Gaza and after Hamas agreed to stop rocket fire the next day, Israeli troops have begun to withdraw. Gazans who survived the 22-days of Israeli attacks are starting to venture outside and some reporters are starting to get in to the the destruction. At least 1314 Palestinians were killed and 50,000 were left without homes as a result of the fighting. Israeli officials have said that one reason they ended their attacks was to prevent distracting news stories from getting in the way of Obama's inauguration in the US.

Photographs from Palestine taken by Emily Jacir were recently on display at SFMOMA as part of an exhibit about passages and memory. The title of the photo display was where we come from” and it’s a representation of interviews the artist did with Palestinians in the Diaspora and Palestine. Jacir asked her interviewers to answer the question “if I could do anything for you, anywhere in Palestine, what would it be?” Jacir's works was acquired last year by SFMOMA and will likely be shown again in the near future.

On January 15th, about 45 Palestinian, Jewish, immigrant rights and prison abolitionists chained themselves to the Israeli consulate in San Francisco to protest Israeli apartheid and its current attacks on Gaza. The protesters called for an immediate ceasefire; the opening of land, sea, and air borders to allow in emergency supplies; and an end to US financial and political support for Israel.