Madison-Rafah Journal

We are excited to announce that on Thursday, November 3 the world-renowned Ibdaa Children's Dance Troupe will perform for the first time in Madison at 7:30 pm in the UW Union Theater.

This group of 10 boys and 10 girls between the ages of 10 and 13 is touring major cities in the U.S. under the sponsorship of the San Francisco-based Middle East Children's Alliance (MECA). The dancers combine traditional "debke" dance and brilliant costumes with a modern narrative about their experiences as Palestinian refugees growing up and living in the Dheisheh refugee camp near Bethlehem. The Ibdaa children's troupes have performed all over the world to great acclaim.

The Madison performance will be free and open to the public. It is sponsored by MRSCP, the Arab Student Association, and Al-Awda Wisconsin. For more information e-mail rafahsistercity@yahoo.com or asomadison@yahoo.com.

NATIONAL TOUR:
Albuquerque, NM, Amherst, MA, Austin, TX, Boston, MA, Chicago, IL, Dallas, TX, Detroit, MI, Houston, TX, Keene, NH, Los Angeles, CA, Minneapolis, MN, Sacramento, CA, , Santa Fe, NM, Seattle, WA

For venues, and information:
events@mecaforpeace.org

The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: 9A
Tuesday, October 18, 2005
Kathy Walsh, Madison

Dear Editor: I attended the talk by Dr. Tawfiq Nasser at Memorial United Church of Christ. While your article was both enlightening and accurate, it made it seem as though Palestinian anger at the Israeli checkpoints and travel restrictions are the main fuels that spark Palestinian suicide bombings that have resulted in deaths and injuries to Israeli civilians.The article missed Dr. Nasser's point that Palestinians are suffering a much higher rate of death and injury due to direct Israeli violence than vice versa.

Palestinian children and adults have also died at checkpoints while trying to access medical care. These deaths show that the travel restrictions placed on Palestinians often have mortal consequences.

Statistics collected by the Israeli human rights group B'Tselem and the group Remember These Children show the ratio of Palestinians to Israelis killed during the Second Intifada is greater than three to one. For children the ratio approaches six to one. Remember These Children posts all deaths of minors on both sides along with the causes of death. Some of the children killed on both sides were infants and toddlers. Few if any of the children could be considered security risks.

These facts suggest that Palestinian anger is also fueled by the high number of deaths due to direct Israeli violence.

(Read on …)

The Capital Times :: EDITORIAL :: 13A
Saturday, October 15, 2005
Barb Olson, Madison

Dear Editor: Thanks to Samara Kalk Derby and The Capital Times for reporting on Dr. Tawfiq Nasser's Madison area talk.As Dr. Nasser joked, it's great to get media coverage without him having to jab an Israeli colleague with a steak knife in order to get their attention.

However, there was one significant item omitted from your story. The continued existence of Augusta Victoria Hospital, where Dr. Nasser is director and CEO, is imperiled by Israel's decision to unilaterally revoke the decades-old tax-exempt status of the charitable hospital. The Israeli government reportedly now demands $350,000 in annual taxes and $1 million in back taxes from Augusta Victoria. It would also subject expensive medical equipment imported by the hospital to heavy taxes.

It is hard to imagine what might be the motive for such a decision, considering the damage that would be done to Palestinian health care. Could it be that Augusta Victoria, standing atop the Mount of Olives in Jerusalem, is seen as prime real estate ripe for the taking by Israel?

In any case, Dr. Nasser urged Americans to write to their senators and congressmen in opposition to the tax status change. The very existence of Augusta Victoria is at stake.

Samara Kalk Derby, The Capital Times, October 10, 2005

To get to work each day, Tawfiq Nasser needs a green card, known as a "dirty ID." He also needs what is called a magnetic card to show that he is not a terrorist or security threat.

On top of that, he must carry two permits, both of which have to be renewed every few months.

Nasser is one of the lucky ones. As director and CEO of Augusta Victoria Hospital in Jerusalem, the Palestinian doctor moves about the city and the rest of Israel with some aggravation and complication.

"This is a privilege, a real privilege," he told an audience of about 40 Sunday afternoon at Memorial United Church of Christ in Fitchburg.

Nasser, who has studied and worked in the U.S., was in Madison to give a presentation, "A View From Jerusalem: Challenges for Palestinian Health Care." He also spoke at St. Stephens Lutheran Church in Monona. His appearances were co-sponsored by the Madison-Rafah Sister City Project.

(Read on …)

A Personal Account

Wisconsin Historical Society Auditorium
UW Library Mall
5:30 - 7:00 PM

Dr. David Shulman, Professor of Indian Studies and Comparative Religion at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem, will speak on "Peace on the Ground in Israel-Palestine: A Personal Account".

Although the very existence of an active Israeli peace movement is perhaps not well known abroad, Israeli activists, together with their Palestinian counterparts, have in fact had a real impact on conditions in the Palestinian territories still occupied by Israel.

Dr. Shulman is an activist in Ta'ayush (Jewish-Arab Partnership) which engages in direct political and humanitarian action in the West Bank. This has included bringing food and medical supplies to Palestinian villages under siege, standing up to the settlers who have been trying to drive the cave-dwellers of the south Hebron hills from their homes, and spearheading the struggle against the proposed route of the Separation Barrier that Israel is building, largely on Palestinian lands.

On another level, Ta'ayush is one of several groups working continuously toward renewing final-status peace negotiations in
Israel-Palestine and building a durable infrastructure for an eventual peace agreement.

David will speak of his own experiences on the ground and show video of the protest demonstrations in Palestinian villages hit hard by the Separation Barrier around Jerusalem.

(Read on …)