presentation on occupation of palestine

http://www.annainthemiddleeast.com/

Posting this from email:

ANNA BALTZER TO SPEAK ON PALESTINE:

Jewish American scholar and Palestine solidarity activist Anna Baltzer is returning to Columbia. As those who attended her talk in May know, Anna, author of “Witness in Palestine: Journal of a Jewish American Woman in the Occupied Territories,” through her photography and story-telling, puts a human face on the situation confronted today by the Palestinians. She offers an insightful and compelling look at life under occupation, and a powerful critique of the actions of Israel and its sponsor the United States.

Anna will be giving three public Columbia presentations, thanks to the organizing efforts of our good friend Jeff Stack of the Fellowship of Reconciliation.

* On Monday, October 23rd at 7:30 pm in the Ellis Library auditorium on the MU campus;

* On Tuesday, October 24th at 7:00 pm in Charters Auditorium located in the Dudley-Walter Halls on the Stephens College campus; and then

* On Wednesday, October. 25th, in the Islamic Center, at Locust and 5th St. A socializing time will begin there at 6:30 pm followed by her talk at 7:00. She will also speak on a few different radio talk shows and in classrooms across mid-Missouri (details forthcoming).

The events, free and open to the public, are sponsored by the Columbia Peace Coalition, including Peaceworks, the Stephens College Women's Studies Program, UMC Peace Studies program, Boone Tikkun, Islamic Center of Central Missouri and the Muslim Student Organization. Anna’s website is www.annainthemiddleeast.com. For more information call 449-4585 or 875-0539.

I saw the presentation tonight and it was quite interesting particularly because little is heard about Palestinians unless of course it is about violence and attempts to make these individuals look like nothing more than crazed & terrorists. What I especially appreciated is that this presentation was given by someone who is 1) American and 2) Jewish and because of this she has been met with comments about how her stance against Israeli occupation of Palestine is 'anti-Semitic' or 'self hate.' She didn't seem to be someone ashamed of being Jewish. She did make a point, however, to distinguish 'Jewish' from 'Israeli' from 'Zionist' which may be sometimes - inappropriately & incorrectly - used synonymously.

Anyway, I think it's well worth seeing.

-Monique