From Partners

Why The Palestinian State of Mind Matters

Politics is inextricably bound up with everyday life in Palestine. This sentence at first sounds so obvious that it seems trite. Why bring it up now? The answer is simple: to highlight a largely ignored issue, Palestinian mental health, an issue that cannot be separated from the fact of Israeli military occupation and colonization.

Palestine's Revolt

Patrick O. Strickland - The immense demonstrations that swallowed the Israeli-occupied West Bank two weeks ago have temporarily subsided, but the calm is temporary. Rather than aiming all of their frustration at Israel, Palestinians of all stripes called for an end to the Western-backed, entirely undemocratic leadership of Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas and Prime Minister Salam Fayyad.

The Syrian Knot

Bobby S. Gulshan - With the massacre in Houla, and the discovery of 13 people who had been apparently bound and executed near Deir az-Zour, the grim reality of the deteriorating situation in Syria has taken center stage across the globe. The diplomatic isolation induced by the expulsion of Syrian diplomats in numerous countries also seems to suggest a turning point in the conflict. Even the Russians couldn’t stay silent. Meanwhile, many commentators now openly speak of the failure of Special Envoy Annan’s Six-Point Plan. With the brutality coming to light – and diplomatic channels being closed – the question looms with a long and stark shadow, what is the way forward in Syria?

Power of Poetry: Hope + Freedom

Karen Jernigan - It was in a West Bank classroom in 2002, at the height of the Second Intifada, that I realized that the students and I were in the middle of another kind of war. I learned quickly that this war, one that I came in contact with for the first time through the eyes of my students, seeks to say anything and everything about what desires can be held hostage in the heart and in the mind when simply trying to survive. Youth in the West Bank know what matters most to them. These students have treasures in their hearts- Peace, an end to war. Justice…Freedom.

2012 Kahlil Gibran Awards: Profiles in Humanity

Last night, the Arab American Insitute hosted its thirteenth annual Kahlil Gibran Spirit of Humanity awards ceremony at the Renaissance Hotel in Washington, DC. The awards are aimed at recognizing individuals, corporations, organizations and communities whose work, commitment and support make a difference in promoting co-existence and inclusion in all walks of life.

February Photo Exhibit: [Re] Evolution

This article appeared on The Palestine Note on February 7,2012

Palestine Note is thrilled to introduce our readers to a creative new way to view the stories of Palestinians in our monthly digital Photo Exhibit highlighting photos that tell the stories of Palestinian life.