This week: Pope Francis visits Bethelehem and Jerusalem, where Palestinian worshipers attempt to put a focus on the separation barrier and hunger striking prisoners; right-wing Israelis march through the Old City of Jerusalem in a demonstration of Zionist nationalism; Palestinians in Israel and the West Bank protest in support of hunger striking prisoners.
A general view on Manger Square in the West Bank town of Bethlehem, where Pope Francis celebrated an open-air mass next to the Church of the Nativity, May 25, 2014. The church is believed by many to be the birthplace of Jesus Christ. (Mustafa Bader/Activestills.org)
Pope Francis waves to the crowd, from his pope-mobile, as he leaves the Manger Square after presiding over an open-air mass on May 25, 2014, outside the Church of the Nativity in the West Bank town of Bethlehem. (Mustafa Bader/Activestills.org)
Palestinians hold the Pope picture calling him to take action on the Palestinian prisoners’ issue, during a demonstration in solidarity with hunger-striking Palestinian administrative prisoners, Nablus, West Bank, May 25, 2014. More than 100 Palestinian administrative prisoners in Israeli jails launched a mass, open-ended hunger strike on Thursday, April 24, 2014. A few of them are now hospitalized in Israeli medical centres due to the strike. (Ahmad al-Bazz/Activestills.org)
Hundreds of Palestinians participate in Friday prayers alongside a protest tent in solidarity with hunger-striking Palestinian administrative prisoners, Nablus, West Bank, May 23, 2014. More than 100 Palestinian administrative prisoners in Israeli jails launched a mass, open-ended hunger strike on Thursday, April 24, 2014. A few of them are now hospitalized in Israeli medical centres due to the strike. (Ahmad al-Bazz/Activestills.org)
The former Palestinian prisoner Khader Adnan holds a picture of Pope Francis calling him to take action on the Palestinian prisoners’ issue, during a demonstration in solidarity with hunger-striking Palestinian administrative prisoners, Nablus, West Bank, May 25, 2014. More than 100 Palestinian administrative prisoners in Israeli jails launched a mass, open-ended hunger strike on Thursday, April 24, 2014. A few of them are now hospitalized in Israeli medical centres due to the strike. (Ahmad al-Bazz/Activestills.org)
Samer Issawi holds takes part in a protest with other Palestinians activists living in Israel and Israeli activists in a solidarity with the Palestinian prisoners on hunger strike in Israeli jails, Jaffa, May 25, 2014. More than 100 Palestinian administrative prisoners in Israeli jails launched a mass, open-ended hunger strike on Thursday, April 24, 2014. A few of them are now hospitalized in Israeli medical centres due to the strike. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Israeli border policemen detain a Palestinian journalist before Israeli settlers and Ultra-nationalists take part in the ‘flag march’ through Damascus Gate in east Jerusalem, on May 28, 2014, celebrating the anniversary of its capture in the 1967 Six-Day War. Police prevented from Palestinians to gather and protest against the march, and attacked journalists that were covering the event. (Oren Ziv/Activestillsorg)
Palestinians take cover as Israeli policemen shot rubber bullets to disperse activists gathered to protest against the ‘flag march’, in which Israeli settlers and Ultra-nationalists march through Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem, on May 28, 2014, celebrating the anniversary of its capture in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Police prevented from Palestinians to gather and protest against the march, and attacked journalists that were covering the event. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Israeli policemen shot rubber bullets to disperse Palestinians gathering to protest against the ‘flag march’, in which Israeli settlers and Ultra-nationalists march through Damascus Gate in east Jerusalem, on May 28, 2014, celebrating the anniversary of its capture in the 1967 Six-Day War.
Police prevented from Palestinians to gather and protest against the march, and attacked journalists that were covering the event. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Israeli settlers and Ultra-nationalists take part in the ‘flag march’ through Damascus Gate in east Jerusalem, on May 28, 2014, celebrating the anniversary of its capture in the 1967 Six-Day War. Police prevented from Palestinians to gather and protest against the march, and attacked journalists that were covering the event. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Israeli border policemen checks the ID of a photojournalist as Israeli settlers and Ultra-nationalists take part in the ‘flag march’ through Damascus Gate in east Jerusalem, on May 28, 2014, celebrating the anniversary of its capture in the 1967 Six-Day War. Police prevented from Palestinians to gather and protest against the march, and attacked journalists that were covering the event. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
A Palestinian cleaning worker argues with Israeli settlers as during a protest against the ‘flag march’, in which Israeli settlers and Ultra-nationalists march through Damascus Gate in East Jerusalem, on May 28, 2014, celebrating the anniversary of its capture in the 1967 Six-Day War. Police prevented from Palestinians to gather and protest against the march, and attacked journalists that were covering the event. (Oren Ziv/Activestills.org)
Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war – the atrocities committed by Hamas in Israel and the massive retaliatory Israeli attacks on Gaza. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing violence.
We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed unleashed by these events has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Hamas’ murderous assault in southern Israel has devastated and shocked the country to its core. Israel’s retaliatory bombing of Gaza is wreaking destruction on the already besieged strip and killing a ballooning number of civilians. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to escalate their attacks on Palestinians.
This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 13 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, the entrenched occupation, and an increasingly normalized siege on Gaza.
We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives.
Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is the leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists and activists can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.