Latest news with #IsraelPalestine
CBS News
5 hours ago
- Entertainment
- CBS News
Israeli producer uses arts to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about Middle East
Israeli producer uses arts to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about Middle East Israeli producer uses arts to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about Middle East Israeli producer uses arts to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about Middle East An Israeli producer is using an immersive play to help Coloradans have meaningful conversations about conflicts in the Middle East. Ami Dayan has been doing theater for a long time. "Oh, about after 'The Big Bang,' I started kind of practicing it," said Dayan. Born and raised in Israel, he left his country and family behind to come to Colorado twenty-six years ago. A rocket propelled grenade impact strike marks the wall of a bomb shelter in Kibbutz Be'eri, the scene of an attack by Hamas militants which killed 120 people, close to Gaza in southern Israel, in this photo from Oct. 20, 2023. OLIVER MARSDEN/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty Images The conflict between Israel and Palestine has always been a part of his life, but he noticed that people in the United States had a hard time talking civilly about the issue. "Israel and Palestine seems to be the forbidden conversation," said Dayan. He says after the terrorist attacks on October 7th, 2023, he noticed people started talking about it in a way he had never heard before. "The whole thing is coming bubbling up, and people are reconsidering the positions like they haven't. I think for a very long time," said Dayan. So, he decided to use his background and professional experience to try to help his community talk about this sensitive issue. Ami Dayan He created "Conversation: Israeli Palestinian Conflict," an immersive theater experience. It's a play where prominent Israeli and Palestinian figures came together for what audience members thought was a panel about the topic. In reality, it was all theater, including questions from the audience, which were pre-scripted and asked by actors. That way, audience members on all sides of the issue can both feel heard and have their beliefs challenged. "People think that they are misunderstood. And the other side doesn't get any of what they see as reality. And the truth is, nobody knows. Both sides are right. Both sides are wrong," said Dayan. It wasn't until the show was over that audience members were let in on the secret. "A lot of audience members don't grasp until the curtain falls that the four volunteers that actually spoke are actors. They thought that they were just members of the audience that got up there," said Dayan. Ami said that it presented some challenges for the actors. "Sometimes somebody is in the middle of the soliloquy and somebody in the audience responds, yeah, and it gets interesting," said Dayan. CBS "Conversations" ran from May 22nd through 31st at the Dairy Arts Center in Boulder. It tragically fell between the killing of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington, D.C., and the terrorist attack on Jewish marchers on the Pearl Street Mall. Ami said they want to make sure the play is as up-to-date as possible, so they discussed the shooting of the staffers and if he were to do it again, he would include the attack in his hometown. "Not only the event, but also the main conversation following it, which is really about the difference between anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism," said Ami. He knows that may be an unpopular decision, but he thinks it's necessary "People say this is not the time to have the conversation. It's too fragile, right now. It's too sensitive right now. I think that if we don't have the conversation, all we're doing is locking ourselves in our own beliefs, in our own understanding of reality and making extremism more and more likely to erupt," said Dayan. Ami said he knows he isn't going to solve the decades-old dispute with just one play, but he thinks we must start somewhere. "We certainly cannot fix anything. We can talk about it, and that's what we're trying to do," said Dayan.
South China Morning Post
3 days ago
- Politics
- South China Morning Post
Has great-power politics fanned the flames of war in Middle East?
As Israeli bombs continue to pound Tehran and other sites throughout Iran, we are witnessing the logical conclusion of a long cycle of escalation and geopolitical intrigue in the Middle East. Despite multiple efforts by various actors to resolve the region's deep contradictions through diplomacy, the fate of the Middle East appears, once again, to be decided by force. The Abraham Accords in 2020 marked a watershed moment, as multiple Muslim-majority nations normalised ties with Israel, marginalising the Palestinian cause in the process. Just as momentum appeared to build towards an eventual Saudi-Israeli normalisation deal, China staged its own diplomatic surprise, brokering a detente between Saudi Arabia and Iran . It was Beijing's first significant foray into Middle Eastern peacemaking, boosting its confidence and ambition to become a global broker. While the prospects for Saudi-Israeli normalisation faltered, China rolled out another bombshell in 2024. On July 23, leaders of major Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, signed the Beijing Declaration , aimed at ending division and strengthening Palestinian national unity. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi called it 'an important historical moment in the Palestinian liberation cause', hailing President Xi Jinping 's contribution of Chinese wisdom for 'addressing the Palestinian question'. Perhaps the next logical step would be to broker an Israel-Palestine deal, but on China's terms, cementing Beijing's international influence by resolving one of the world's most brutal conflicts A man carries a wounded girl after an explosion in downtown Tehran amid Israel's bombing campaign on June 15. Photo: AP/ISNA
Wall Street Journal
3 days ago
- Politics
- Wall Street Journal
With Israel's Major Airport Shut Down, Citizens Scramble to Get Home
When Shay Bialik and her husband, Ido Dembin, left their nine month-old baby to attend an Israeli-Palestinian peace conference in Paris, they thought surely they'd be back in time for a meeting with doctors to discuss a surgery that could give their deaf daughter a chance to hear. But a few hours after they landed, Israel launched a surprise attack on Iran. Its skies are now closed indefinitely. 'I would swim to Israel to make sure we make it on time,' said Dembin.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Traitors fans threaten to BOYCOTT show over casting of controversial Zionist star
Some fans of Peacock's incredibly popular competition series The Traitors are threatening to boycott the new season over one of the celebrity casting choices. The hit show, which will return for its fourth season early next year, announced the star-studded cast last week. Among the names is outspoken actor and comedian Michael Rapaport, best known for playing Gary on Friends. The New York-born comedian, who is Jewish and identifies as a staunch Zionist, has emerged as one of Hollywood's most passionate defenders of Israel since the October 7 terror attacks. He's also become a fierce critic of Palestine, stating that 'Palestine will never be free' and repeatedly mocking Palestinians. One of Rapaport's most controversial videos saw him celebrating and laughing hysterically over Israel's attack on Hezbollah terrorists in Lebanon via explosive pagers. While most of the casualties were Hezbollah members, a number of civilians were killed, including children. Israel then followed up with a similar attack using explosives in walkie-talkies. After the attacks, Rapaport posted a video of himself laughing hysterically while mimicking the sound of the explosive pagers by saying, 'beep, beep!' repeatedly. 'Who the f**k has a beeper in 2024?' he said. 'Dirty, d**k, nasty a** terrorists! Good if they blew up. F**k them where they f***ing breathe,' he continued. In another video shared in late 2023, Rapaport filmed himself celebrating Christmas in Israel, before mocking Gaza for not being able to celebrate Christmas that year. 'Ho-ho-ho, there ain't gonna be no Christmas in the Gaza strip,' he said, before calling Gaza a 's**t hole'. Pro-Palestine supporters were furious over the 55-year-old's casting, with many threatening to tune out of the season altogether Rapaport has also floated support for Donald Trump taking over Gaza, sharing memes of Gaza as 'Mar-a-Gaza' - a reference to Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Pro-Palestine supporters were furious over the 55-year-old's casting, with many threatening to tune out of the season altogether. 'Peacock wants to be boycotted so bad by casting Rappaport,' wrote one, while another posted, 'Michael Rapaport is a raging zionist. Not watching this trash.' 'Michael Rapaport is one of the most disgusting reality TV casting choices imaginable,' wrote a third. 'Michael Rapaport? I might have to skip this season,' commented a fourth, while another wrote, 'Michael Genocidal Rapaport is guaranteed boycott for me.' 'As much as some of my favorite reality figures are in here, the inclusion of Michael Rapaport makes it an easy skip. Not entertained by the reputational laundering of rabid racists and genocide supporters,' wrote another. One fan commented, 'I'm honestly so pissed. I loved The Traitors, watched all US and UK seasons. Putting Rapaport on this show is such an intentionally hostile decision to the fans and the rest of this cast. There are other TV shows to watch, which is what I'll be doing from here on out.' has contacted Rapaport's management for comment. According to the Gaza Health Ministry, the Palestinian death toll from the 20-month Israel-Hamas war has climbed past 55,000, with more than half being women and children. Other celebrities set for the next season of The Traitors include Bachelor star Colton Underwood, Survivor's Rob Cesternino, K-pop star Eric Nam, and Real Housewives stars Lisa Rinna, Dorinda Medley, and Porsha Williams. The Traitors has become one of the biggest shows in reality television, drawing in millions of views in both UK and the US. The season three premiere of The Traitors became Peacock's most-watched premiere ever. It was won by four Faithfuls; Gabby Windey, Dolores Catania, Dylan Efron, and Lord Ivar Mountbatten. Big Brother star Britney Haynes, who was a Traitor, was the runner-up. The Traitors season four cast Natalie Anderson (The Amazing Race) Yamil 'Yam Yam' Arocho (Survivor) Mark Ballas (Dancing With the Stars) Rob Cesternino (Survivor) Stephen Colletti (Laguna Beach, One Tree Hill) Candiace Dillard Bassett (The Real Housewives of Potomac) Ron Funches (Actor/Comedian) Maura Higgins (Love Island UK) Donna Kelce (Travis and Jason Kelce's mother) Kristen Kish (Top Chef) Tara Lipinski (Olympic figure skater) Dorinda Medley (The Traitors, The Real Housewives of New York City) Tiffany Mitchell (Big Brother) Monét X Change (RuPaul's Drag Race) Eric Nam (Singer) Michael Rapaport (Actor/Comedian) Rob Rausch (Love Island USA) Lisa Rinna (The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills) Caroline Stanbury (The Real Housewives of Dubai) Ian Terry (Big Brother) Colton Underwood (The Bachelor, The Bachelorette) Johnny Weir (Olympic figure skater) Porsha Williams (The Real Housewives of Atlanta)
Arab News
4 days ago
- Politics
- Arab News
Unpacking America's Middle East policy
US foreign policy in the Middle East appears to be no longer guided by fixed strategies or clear goals. While the current administration has contributed significantly to this disarray, the bedlam was arguably inevitable. This situation arises when a nation prioritizes the interests of another over itself. Consider the perplexing statements emanating from US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee. It is often impossible to discern whether he speaks on behalf of the US, Israel, Christian fundamentalists or himself. In his latest outlandish remarks, Huckabee last week offered a unique interpretation of old ideas advanced by Israel's most extremist elements. 'Muslim countries have 644 times the amount of land … controlled by Israel,' Huckabee said. 'If there is such a desire for the Palestinian state,' he added, 'there would be someone who would say 'we'd like to host it, we'd like to create it.'' This diatribe followed Huckabee's suggestion early this month that Palestinians relocate to France, reacting to Paris' intention to recognize a Palestinian state. Such defensiveness is neither diplomatic nor indicative of a country with a clear and articulate foreign policy agenda. If anything, it mirrors Israel's own defensive stance toward anyone who dares criticize its military occupation, apartheid or genocide in Palestine. Traditionally, US foreign policy has always tilted in favor of Israel, a historical balancing act between US and Israeli interests Dr. Ramzy Baroud Israeli Foreign Minister Israel Katz is a master of political defensiveness. Overwhelmed by growing pro-Palestine sentiment around the world, Katz, hardly a seasoned diplomat, retorted with equally vindictive language. After Ireland, Spain and others indicated a willingness to recognize a Palestinian state and criticized Israeli actions in Gaza, Katz said that these countries 'are legally obligated to allow any Gaza resident to enter their territories.' To an extent, the shift in Israeli foreign policy discourse is understandable. Before the war, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu devoted much of his time to celebrating Israel's increasing integration into global affairs, particularly its supposed embrace by the Global South. Now, the tables have turned. Israel is essentially a pariah state. Its leaders, including Netanyahu himself, are either wanted by the International Criminal Court, officially sanctioned or under investigation for war crimes. But why does Huckabee exhibit the same degree of defensiveness, attacking other world governments on behalf of Israel? The story becomes even more bizarre. When questioned about Huckabee's theories regarding a Palestinian state, a US State Department spokeswoman, Tammy Bruce, told reporters: 'I think he certainly speaks for himself.' Bruce's remark raises further questions. Why is the US ambassador to Israel 'speaking for himself' and not his own country? And why is he conveying Israel's political sentiments? More urgently, what exactly is American policy and where does the president stand, not only on Palestinian statehood but also on the ongoing Israeli genocide in Gaza? Delving deeper into this would likely yield only confusion and contradictions, some of which are evident in Huckabee's own recent political statements. For example, he contended in a May 10 interview that 'the United States isn't required to get permission from Israel to make some type of arrangement that would get the Houthis from firing on our ships.' It is obvious that US foreign policy in the Middle East is no longer operating based on a clear, complex and dynamic strategy Dr. Ramzy Baroud Coupled with the news that the US was involved in indirect talks with the Palestinian group Hamas, some analysts concluded that the US was steering its policies away from the Israeli agenda, which is heavily promoted by the pro-Israel lobby in the US. Yet, Huckabee soon reverted to his peculiar brand of politics, which, more strangely, is publicly disavowed by the White House. Traditionally, US foreign policy has always tilted in favor of Israel, a historical balancing act between US and Israeli interests. The complete shift toward Israel began taking shape during George W. Bush's presidency, thanks to Israel's ability to insert itself as a critical player in the US' so-called war on terror. Despite Barack Obama's generosity toward Israel, he did, at least toward the end of his second term, attempt to return to the old balancing act. This culminated in the largely symbolic gesture of abstaining from a UN Security Council vote condemning Israel's illegal settlements. The pro-Israel agenda returned with a vengeance during Trump's first term. The difference between Trump's first administration and the current one is that the former was largely coherent. This administration is as confused as it is confusing. It neither subscribes to the fraudulent pro-Israel balancing act of the Democrats nor is it committed to a singular agenda that unifies all its foreign policy actors. It is obvious that US foreign policy in the Middle East is no longer operating based on a clear, complex and dynamic strategy that integrates military, economic and geostrategic interests. This has been exploited by figures like Netanyahu to prolong the chaos in the region and to further push his extremist settler-colonial agenda. However, this chaotic state could also present an opportunity for those striving for a just, peaceful and stable Middle East. Indeed, America's contradictions should compel regional and international players to activate a multilateral approach to conflict resolution that prioritizes the interests of the occupied and subjugated Palestinians, in accordance with international law.
