Book Readings
Palestine – A reading list
A reading list of ten articles on the colonization faced by the Palestinian people, read and discussed by the circle in two sittings in early 2024.
Past reading
- When
- January 27, 2024 at 3:00 PM PST
- Where
- 1590 Old Oakland Rd, Suite B211, San Jose, CA, and online
Explore the following articles to gain an understanding of the colonization faced by the Palestinian people.
The Context
The history of the land and its people
The first in a five part series on the history of Palestine and the settler-colonial basis of the Zionist movement.
Palestine throughout history from DecolonizePalestine.com.
Gaza, in the eyes of an Israeli journalist
“Gaza embodies the entire saga of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict; it represents the central contradiction of the state of Israel – democracy for some, dispossession for others; it is our exposed nerve” – read a Jewish journalist’s expose on the experiences of Palestinians on their occupied land.
A 2001 interview with Amira Hass, from the independent.uk.
Manufactured terrorism through “The Essential Terrorist”
On how the west manufactured the concept of terrorism to create an enemy for imperialism.
A reproduction of a 1987 article written by Edward W. Said, who provided an important framework to understand how the people and the cultures of the East have been reduced to caricatures, with all nuances stripped away, so as to make it easy for the west to control, dominate and appropriate without a shred of guilt.
The Dahiya Strategy – a clear statement of genocidal intent
A chilling article from Israel with their mental gymnastics leading to their openly stated conclusion that “there is no longer any need for complicated distinctions” between civilians and the military of the country they are fighting because the people voted for those in power.
Without US Aid, Israel Wouldn’t Be Killing Palestinians En Masse
Examining the U.S.-backed, foundational Israeli government policy of using strategies of “terror and expulsion” in an effort to expand its territory by killing and displacing Palestinians.
A 2021 Truthout interview with Noam Chomsky.
The argument that Israel practices apartheid, explained
Learn why South Africa is at the forefront of the struggle against Israeli occupation.
The Way Forward
Variants of Fascism – Hindutva and Zionism
Different dressings on the same ideology of exclusion.
A 2019 article on the genial relationship between two vicious regimes.
Solidarity across boundaries – a generational shift
The intersectionality imperative of our times. How we band together to resist all forms of violence and subjugation.
NYT article on how American Unions long back Israel and how a shift is now on the cards.
Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions
How can we resist? How can people of conscience organize to, one by one, end their institutions’ complicity in Israel’s crimes?
Continuing the thread of intersectionality, learn about the successes of the BDS movement in the Berkeley Journal of Sociology.
Fight fascism from a position of strength!
Creativity in the pursuit of Justice. Solidarity in the pursuit of Fairness. Direct Action to move power to the people.
An Open Democracy article with methods to oppose Fascism and come out stronger!
Discussion dates
The first reading was on Saturday, January 27, 2024 at 3:00 PM, at 1590 Old Oakland Rd, Suite B211, San Jose, and online. A second discussion of these articles followed on February 17, 2024.
Topics
- Solidarity
- History
- Hindutva
- Civil rights
Originally published at akscusa.org/reading-and-discussions/palestine-reading-list.