NEWS ARTICLES & OPINION PIECES

• Washington Post: A Miraculous Victory, An Open Wound - A controversial Israeli historian looks back at the 1948 war of independence., book review by Glenn Frankel (1 June 2008).
  Professor Glen Frankel review of Benny Morris's latest book, "1948: A History of the First Arab-Israeli War", is valuable because it itself helps dispel numbers of Zionist myths about the 1948 nakba, but unfortunately it also contains numbers of contradictory statements which might still lead to more confusion. For example, it states that the Zionist military cleaned out hundreds of thousands of Palestinian civilians from their homes. He also states this occurred before the actual war even started, when there was only internal fighting between militias, and yet he pointedly refuses to call this ethnic cleansing. How is this not ethnic cleansing? Maybe Dr. Frankel should have defined ethnic cleansing because the above description fits the general understanding of the term.

• Chicago Tribune: Miracles in the face of great odds mark Israel's 60 years, by Charles Krauthammer (19 May 2008).
  In his latest op-ed Charles Krauthammer completely blames the Palestinians for the conflict with Israel, while completely ignoring their perspective and claims which are so heavily documented by both UN official agencies and Israeli and world scholars.

• Los Angeles Times: Bush criticizes Arab nations for repression, by Jeffrey Fleishman (19 May 2008).
  This article subtlely criticizes the hypocrisy of President Bush for advocating for democracy and human rights when so many of his Arab allies do the opposite, which thus undermines his and the US's position and standing in the region which in turn builds up the standing of the extremist groups. Curious - no mention of our support for Israel who violates human rights motivating support for extremist groups.

• Boston Globe: First blood: The initial Arab-Israeli struggles and their troublesome legacy, by Andrew J. Bacevich (18 May 2008).
  This book review of Benny Morris's newest book, "1948" itself describes the ethnic cleansing of the nakba as fact (although it doesn't use that term) including "looting, rape, murder, and other atrocities" and Zionist's expansionist plans - thus itself is useful for overcoming Israeli mythology about that war.

• New York Times: The Birth of a Nation, 1948, by Ruth Gruber (18 May 2008).
  This op-ed celebrates the creation of the State of Israel with no awareness or regard for the fact that that involved the displacement and complete disregard for the rights of an entire people.

• New York Times: For Israelis, an Anniversary. For Palestinians, a Nakba., by Elias Khoury (18 May 2008).
  This very interesting essay postulates that Israel's refusal to allow a viable Palestinian state to evolve in the West Bank is going to lead to everyone's destruction in a state of perpetual war it sweeps the surrounding countries toward fundamentalist extremism.

• New York Times: The Middle East in the Year 2068? Some Presidential Prognostications., by Sheryl Gay Stolberg (18 May 2008).
  This article described Bush's last visit to the Middle East, and how the Arab leaders politely criticized his speech to the Knesset and afterward. His speech painted a vision of peace and victory for his point of view, but did not give any ideas how to get there. Pretty much the article painted a picture of a President living in a bubble only seeing what he wants to see.

• Washington Post: Palestinian quilt presents a different viewpoint, by Sylvia Moreno (18 May 2008).
  This article explained the Palestinian perspective of the Nakba straight-forward and without compromise or sarcastic commentary. This article arose out of coverage of a commemoration of the Nakba by local DC Palestine groups on the West Lawn of the US Capitol.

• Atlanta Journal-Constitution, 60 years on, the Arabs still thwart peace,
  Washington Post: The Miracle, at 60,
  both articles by Charles Krauthammer (16 May 2008).
  Once again Charles Krauthammer completely blames the Palestinians for the conflict with Israel, while ignoring their perspective which is so thoroughly documented by both UN official agencies as well as Israeli and world scholars.

• Boston Globe: For Palestinians, bleak mood as Israel marks anniversary, by Ashraf Khalil (16 May 2008)
  Los Angeles Times: In Israel, Bush offers birthday wishes (16 May 2008)
  San Francisco Chronicle: Palestinians still call it 'Nakba,' the catastrophe - They mark the day of Israeli statehood and the pain since, by Ashraf Khalil (16 May 2008).
  These three articles contrast the protests in Palestine and Israel commemorating the Nakba to Bush joining the birthday celebrations for the State of Israel and pledging his support to Israel while hardly mentioning his support for the Palestinians at all which greatly upset the Palestinians who saw it as a missed opportunity.

• Chicago Tribune: Mideast's present is tense, but Bush sees future peace, by Mark Silva and Joel Greenberg (15 May 2008).
  This article in the Chicago Tribune describes how in his speech to the Knesset honoring Israel during its 60th birthday celebrations, Bush lays blame for the faltering peace process on Iran, Hamas and Hezbollah, while ignoring Israel's own role by not halting settlement expansion. And then he forcasted the future where he foresaw Israel celebrating its 120th birthday alongside a Palestinian State. At the same time Palestinians commemorate the Nakba throughout Palestine and Israel.

• Los Angeles Times: Bush makes second visit to Israel (15 May 2008).
  This article claims that Bush's enthusiastic participation in Israel's birthday festivities is mostly just symbolic except that it does gives the impression that Bush is biased toward the Israelis.

• Washington Post: In Israel, Bush Speaks Of Hope - Fresh Mideast Violence Underlines Challenges That Negotiators Face, by Griff Witte and Michael Abramowitz (15 May 2008).
  This article in the Washington Post details some of the major obstacles stalling President Bush's peace efforts such as Israel continuing to expand settlements and not limiting checkpoints in the West Bank in overt violation of agreements made at and following the Annapolis Summit, and the continued fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza. It describes these in light of Bush participation in Israel's 60th birthday celebrations and renewing his support for Israel.

• Baltimore Sun: The Other Side of Israel's Birth, by Alice Rothchild (14 May 2008).
  This beautifully written and felt commentary by Alice Rothchild expresses very human compassion and seeking for justice and understanding, and consequently advocates for acknowledgment of the terrible events of the Nakba and then respecting the right of return of its victims, and how this finally might bring about a true resolution of the conflict between the Palestinian people and the State of Israel.

• Miami Herald: Salute to Israel on its 60th anniversary: Our Opinion: Despite menaces on all sides, nation continues to prosper (14 May 2008).
  This Editorial in the Miami Herald repeats Israeli claims that it wants only peace. It then names Hamas and Hezbollah as examples of obstacles to peace.

• San Diego Union-Tribune: Perspectives diverge on Israel's milestone - 60th anniversary cause for celebration, continued dissonance, by (10 May 2008).
  The San Diego Union-Tribune publishes an otherwise balanced piece by Michele Chabin describing the diverse views of Israel's 60th birthday found amongst the areas' religions, except for the ending in which she quotes Michael Oren saying that the Nakba was the Palestinians fault and that the Palestinian rejection of the UN partition plan in 1947 was self-defeating. This quote ignores the findings of numerous researchers including Jewish-Israeli scholars who have thoroughly documented how a significant percentage of the Palestinian civilians who became refugees in 1948 were driven from their homes by Israeli soldiers, and that the reason why the Palestinian leaders rejected the partition plan was because it gave over half their land to a foreign people who at the time were a minority and only owned about 6% of the land in the area.

• National Public Radio: Morning edition: Israel Celebrates 60 Years of Statehood,
  National Public Radio: Middle East: On Anniversary of a Nation - Voices from Israel,
  2 reports by Linda Gradstein (8 May 2008).
  Both broadcasts celebrate Israel's birthday. The second broadcast interviers about 10 Israelis, including one Palestinian who very diplomatically criticizes life in Israel for Arabs, but the overall feel of the program is celebrating Israel despite its documented record of violating international law and human rights.

• Charlotte Observer: "Let the Refugees return" (11 April 2008)
  This amazing Commentary published by the Charlotte Observer deserves our strongest support. It disputes many important myths of the Zionist cause, and is well written and understandable to the average American. Emails can go to [email protected]

NON-US NEWS MEDIA PIECES

NEWS WIRE SERVICE ARTICLES

• New York Times,
  Washington Post:
  Israel marks 60 years as political clouds gather, by Rebecca Harrison, Reuters (8 May 2008).
• Chicago Tribune:
  Israel celebrates 60th year, by Steven Gutkin, Associated Press (7 May 2008).
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Boston Globe,
  Chicago Tribune,
  Los Angeles Times,
  Miami Herald,
  New York Times,
  Philadelphia Inquirer,
  San Francisco Chronicle,
  Washington Post:
  Israel celebrates its 60th with pride, but also uncertainty, by Steven Gutkin, Associated Press (7/8 May 2008).
• Atlanta Journal-Constitution,
  Chicago Tribune,
  New York Times,
  San Francisco Chronicle:
  Israel's Arab minority ambivalent about Independence Day, by Diaa Hadid and Ian Deitch, Associated Press (7 May 2008)
• Washington Post:
  Israel's Arab minority ambivalent about Independence Day, by Diaa Hadid and Ian Dietch, Associated Press (7 May 2008).
• New York Times:
  Arabs say racism on rise as Israel turns 60, by Mohammed Assadi, Reuters (7 May 2008).