By: Rami El-Amine and Mostafa Henaway

No matter how it unfolds, the Egyptian revolution will go down in the history books as a defining moment in the 21st century. Millions of Egyptians brought down one of the world’s most repressive regimes, that of the U.S.-backed Hosni Mubarak, in just 18 days. Their bravery, perseverance, and tactfulness in the face of the regime’s brutal crackdown not only triggered uprisings across the Arab world but inspired and influenced protests against government austerity in the U.S., Spain, Portugal, and Greece. Despite the fact that it is only a few months old, it’s important to begin piecing together a people’s history of the revolution to convey what happened and how it happened so that the lessons from this critical struggle can be disseminated.
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Bil’in Popular Committee Against the Wall and Settlements Nov. 10th 2010

Photo Oren Ziv ActiveStils Palestinians, international and Israeli activists attended a night demonstration in Bil’in protesting ongoing recently nightly invasions to the village by the Israeli army.

The Israeli Army raids Bil’in the fourth time in three days Today, the 10 November a raid happened again in the village of Bi’lin. The Army entered at around 8 pm for the second time that day. In the morning, at around 3.00 am, they had already entered the village with five jeeps and searched Ashraf al-Khatibs home.The soldiers broke down the door of the neighbor’s house, and went in. However, they were not able to find who they were looking for in neither of the houses. When people from the village arrived, the 20 soldiers pointed their guns directly in the face of the people, and acted very aggressively. They also broke the door from al-Khatib’s house when they entered.

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Jamal Juma’, Electronic Intifada 31 August 2010

Photo Palestinian walk along Israeli apartheid wall.

Israel began constructing the wall in June 2002 following its invasion of cities in the West Bank, which it dubbed “Operation Defensive Shield.” In retrospect, the invasion appears to have been a prelude to the construction of the wall and no one recognized the significance of the invasion’s code name at the time. The immense scale of the 2002 invasion — characterized by the destruction of Palestinian civilian infrastructure, mass arrests, assassinations and massacres — ensured that the construction of the wall would commence with as little resistance as possible.

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Ma’an news September 2010.

Photo Time Anti-Apartheid activist Bishop Desmond M. Tutu.

Archbishop Desmond Tutu of South Africa expressed concern Saturday over the conviction of a Palestinian anti-wall campaign leader by an Israeli military court for his involvement in non-violent protests.

“I am deeply concerned about the conviction earlier this week of Abdallah Abu Rahmah by an Israeli military court. When I met him with my fellow Elders last year, we were very impressed by his commitment to non-violence and the wise leadership he showed,” Tutu said in a statement.

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September 9, 2010. Detroit HipHop news

Photo Matthew Cassel Shadia Mansour at Chicago concert.

British-born Palestinian Hip Hop artist, Shadia Mansour was surrounded by airport security and “intelligence officers” armed with guns on Saturday, September 4, 2010, in Ben Gurion Airport, Israel.

Ms. Mansour was told to return to her luggage after a usual baggage xray and multiple searches, when eight agents ran towards her, weapons drawn and pointed, they aggressively kicked away her bags and surrounded her.

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BADIL statement August 2010

Photo Remains of Palestinian home destroyed via Israeli demolition policies.

While President Barack Obama pressures Palestinians to re-engage in direct peace talks, and Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu loftily counsels President Mahmoud Abbas not to miss the opportunity, recent demolitions within the Occupied Palestinian Territory and Israel continue unabated and unaddressed.

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José Antonio Gutiérrez and David Landy, Electronic Intifada, 6 August 2010

Photo Upside Down World Yankees get out of Colombia and the World

At the beginning of this month the Israeli government announced it would cooperate with one out of two international UN-sponsored investigation commissions into the 31 May Gaza Freedom Flotilla massacre, a move which UN General Secretary Ban Ki-moon claimed was “unprecedented.” However, the details of this commission and who will take part in it — particularly the notorious outgoing president of Colombia, Álvaro Uribe Vélez — cast doubt over its impartiality.

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Report, IRIN 5 August 2010

Photo IRIN Suhair Karam: The UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) says 222,000 children are enrolled in its schools in Gaza.

Gaza City, occupied Gaza Strip (IRIN) – The quality of life, the economy and food security for Palestinians living in Gaza have been severely impaired by Israel’s strict four-year blockade, according to the UN.

Israel says its closure regime is designed to protect Israeli citizens from attacks by militants in Gaza. Hamas, the ruling group in Gaza, says Israel’s blockade is aimed at undermining its rule.

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guardian.co.uk Harriet Sherwood in Al Walaja Thursday 8 July 2010

Photo Israeli apartheid wall colonizing Palestinian lands.

Sixty-three-year-old Ahmed Bargouth sits in the shade of a walnut tree and contemplates the view before him.

Across the valley is Jerusalem’s zoo, which his grandchildren have never been able to visit, although they have watched animals through binoculars.

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Haaretz by Amira Hass. 15/02/2010

Photo Palestinian child next to fruit stall in the streets of Jerusalem.

Something about 12-year-old Bassam caused two Israelis to smile. Two Palestinians noticed, but did not remember their smiles as being disparaging or arrogant. On the contrary. The Palestinians regarded the smiles as a rare moment in which two Israelis – and not just any Israelis, but military judges – realized how ridiculous the situation was.

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