This month MEMO looks at the US mid-term elections, the razing of a Palestinian village in Israel, the continued fallout from the flotilla and much more.

US capitulates to Israel in the shadow of its mid-term elections

• Obama and Netanyahu met this month in a meeting which saw the US administration capitulate to Israel in the shadow of the upcoming US mid-term election. Obama has backed Israeli demands for direct negotiations with the Palestinians. He promised the US would never ask Israel to do anything that undermines its security and praised Israeli restraint over the last month with regard to illegal settlement construction. The pressure has now been turned on the Palestinians.
  
  
• Netanyahu is now said to be putting together a list of "concessions" to Palestinians aimed at convincing them to enter direct talks. The main proposed "concessions" will be, inter alia, to widen the responsibility of the Palestinian Authority's security forces, [Israel] to cease operating in Palestinian areas altogether and for a reduction in the number of West Bank roadblocks. Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman has stated that Israel has given enough, the concessions will be put to a vote and it will be difficult to convince the inner 7 ministers of the proposals. Netanyahu has alluded to the possibility of discussing an extension of the settlement freeze which is the central Palestinian demand, but it is contingent upon Palestinians agreeing to direct negotiations first which would render Palestinians' participation in negotiations moot.

INCLUDING PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT

On Wednesday 28th July, the Middle East Monitor (MEMO) and the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign (PSC) hosted a groundbreaking and highly successful public event in the Houses of Parliament in Westminster. The special guests were Palestinian members of the Israeli Knesset (parliament) who brought the plight of Arab citizens of the state of Israel to the attention of the British people, particularly our parliamentarians. As representatives of an indigenous people who constitute a minority in the "Jewish State" established around them and on their land, the Palestinian MKs discussed the reality and significance of the Jewish character of Israel for its Palestinian citizens. Dr. Jamal Zahalka, Miss Haneen Zoubi and Mr. Talab Al-Sana gave eye-opening and impassioned accounts of the daily battles fought by their community for equality and basic civil rights in the face of the legalised discrimination that blights every aspect of their lives. The amazing thing was that they were able to maintain a sense of humour about their condition.

This Month's news was dominated by the fatal Israeli assault on the humanitarian aid convoy to Gaza, its consequences and the political fallout.

Also, the struggle for east Jerusalem continues this month.

Israel's attack on the 'Freedom Flotilla'

The Freedom Flotilla - a fleet of eight ships carrying over 10,000 tonnes of aid to the Strip aimed to deliver its cargo, break the naval blockade and draw international attention to the situation. Israel claims that there was no humanitarian crisis in Gaza. It condemned the flotilla as "an attempt at violent propaganda against Israel, and Israel will not allow a violation of its sovereignty at sea, in the air, or on land" despite that the flotilla was headed for Gaza and not Israel.

INCLUDING PHOTOS FROM THE EVENT

SUMMARY

That was the focus of the most recent MEMO event held on Tuesday 1st June in the Brunei Gallery at SOAS. The horrific Israeli attack on the Freedom Flotilla on 31st May cast a shadow over the entire event from the outset. Two of our guest speakers, Arab members of the Israeli Knesset Talab Sana and Dr Jamal Zahalka were unable to attend as a result of the trouble.

Chairing the first session, Clare Short, for Secretary of State for International Development, said, "Israel would not behave like this if our countries stood by international law."
 
Salman Abu Sitta: Ben Gurion, afraid that Palestinians refugees would return, made several deals between 1949-1950 to "sell" the land to the JNF and this was ultimately a way to "hide the loot."

Ben White: According to the "demographic threat discourse," the increasingly high numbers of Palestinians are a threat to the Zionist aims by their mere presence in the land and several tactics are therefore adopted in an attempt to Judaise the land.

Ilan Pappe: In South Africa the black people had an existence. It is true that they were considered to exist as an "inferior" people, which is terrible in itself, but "Palestinians have no existence" in the Zionist concept of the future.

Abed Hakeem Mofeed: Israelis now quite openly talk about transferring Palestinians saying that they are a demographic threat to Israel. Recently Palestinians in Israel have begun to live in a state of extreme fear. "Now we face a real threat to our existence" he said.