This episode features two conversations. The first is with Ben Turk, anarchist, playwrite and prison abolitionist. We chat briefly about the upcoming North American Anarchist Black Cross conference in Colorado, about what folks can expect if they go and how to support the event.
After that, a conversation with Alexander Abbasi. Alex is a Palestinian-American from Los Angeles, an activist in the BDS (that’s boycott, divest and sanctions movement against the Israeli occupation of Palestine) and a student at Harvard’s divinity school. We talk about decolonization, the uprisings in Ferguson, the struggle to liberate Palestine from the occupation by Israel and what solidarity and liberation might look like.
Initially, when I (Bursts) contacted Alex for this conversation I was attempting to suss out what anarchists in Palestine had to say about the siege of Gaza by Israel, the national question, what Anarchism looked like to them and what how that might differ from the U.S. context. That’s a conversation I’m still looking to have. Alex was kind enough to have a conversation but it went in a different, albeit worthwhile direction as is clear when one listens to the questions that I ask. We hope that you enjoy it. The second half of it will be featured in an upcoming episode and will be linked here soon.
This week’s show features an interview with Abrasha Blum and Ruth, who work with Anarchists Against The Wall. AATW is a coalition of Israeli Anarchists doing solidarity work alongside Palestinians struggling against the aparthied wall and system in and around the West Bank. As the 45th anniversary of the 1967 Arab-Israeli War approaches (June 5th-10th), we talk about Zionism, the Settlers, solidarity and how folks can support the popular struggles for Palestinian autonomy and dignity. If you have the ability to help them cover legal fees, check out awalls.org and donate.
Main Episode:
Birthright Program Segment
An archive of this show, as well as an extra segment on the Birthright Program and the Boycott, Divestment & Sanctions (BDS) movement can soon be found on www.archive.org by searching the show title.
Other useful links include:
http://www.icahd.org/ – Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions website
http://www.awalls.org/ – Anarchists Against the Wall website
http://www.popularstruggle.org/ – Popular Struggle Co-ordination Committee website
http://www.alternativenews.org/english/ – Alternative Information Centre
http://www.addameer.org/ – Palestinian prisoner and human rights organisation
http://972mag.com/ – daily commentary from West Bank, Israel and Gaza
http://www.taayush.org/ – direct action group supporting Palestinian farmers particularly in South Hebron Hills
http://www.bdsmovement.net/ – In 2005, Palestinian civil society issued a call for a campaign of boycotts, divestment and sanctions (BDS) against Israel until it complies with international law and Palestinian rights. A truly global movement against Israeli Apartheid is rapidly emerging in response to this call.
http://boycottisrael.info/ – Israelis supporting the BDS call
http://activestills.org/ – Israeli and Palestinian photography collective
http://www.btselem.org/ – Israeli Information Centre for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories
http://punksagainstapartheid.com/ – clue is in the title 😉
