Middle East

Gosh, why would they do that? Martin Solomon posts some e-mail from one of the organizers:

The effect of a silent march through the (mostly but not entirely) liberal Jewish neighborhood on the Sabbath with a banner saying Freedom and Equality for Palestine! should be strikng indeed...

And yes, there will be pro-Israel counter march, with people standing outside the temples along the route.

Scooterdude, the guy you see sailing around Copley Square with his plastic sail, was out yesterday enjoying a ride (yes, in the rain), when a family got out of a car and walked to the center of the park with a flag and then stood there:

... I approached them and asked about the flag and their purpose.

They explained that it was the flag of Iran and that they were there to continue a witness to the ordeal the Iranian people are currently suffering in their homeland.

I couldn't help but admire their solitary witness, their commitment and resolution that, despite this dismal day of wind and wetness, they came out to stand for their people and for the democratic principles that all of us share. ...

5 to 8 p.m. in City Hall Plaza.

Solomonia reports that Geert Wilders, the Dutch lawmaker banned from Britain for criticizing "the creeping tyranny of Islamization," will speak at a Stoughton temple on Feb. 25.

The Bulletin reports it's a particular issue in Allston/Brighton, which has a relatively large Jewish population, but that police are keeping a closer eye on institutions across the city.

Be posts some video of a pro-Israel rally in Copley Square last night.

Dennis Fox held a sign in support of Gaza in Coolidge Corner yesterday:

... I had two decent conversations with supporters of Israel that went beyond sloganeering, until in both cases they had enough and moved away. I don't believe such conversations will change many minds, and I doubt that changing individual minds will change Israeli policy, but it was more pleasant than mutual screaming.

One of my fellow protestors asked me what I thought made sense to do. I didn't have a good answer.

Miss Kelly, meanwhile, notes a pro-Gaza rally at 5 this afternoon in front of the Israeli consulate in Park Plaza, urges Israeli supporters to attend:

... Please go and show your support for Israel tomorrow. Don't let the Hamas-supporting, Muslim Brotherhood-backed Boston Muslim American Society get all the press coverage.

The Somerville News reports the Somerville Divestment Project is trying to get a non-binding question on the ballot in state Rep. Denise Provost's district that would ask her to get the federal government to renounce Israel or something.

Solomonia has the details on the latest efforts of the Somerville Divestment Project, which keeps not getting Somerville to sell off any holdings in companies that do business in Israel.

Of course, JP is just a neighborhood, but don't be surprised to see them hook up with city councilor Chuck Turner, who would love to have Israel disappear, Zionism being a major tool of white supremacists and all.

Dennis Fox was there, reports, posts photos.

Third Decade posts photos. So does Amyblog.

Chris Walton explains why he's participating in an anti-war rally on the Common this evening.

Joe Carr, one of the presenters at last week's "Wheels of Justice" rally at Andover High School posts his account: Zionists vs. the truth. Compare to Solomonia's account.

Solomonia has the report (and audio of a shouting match at the end): Too many pesky parents demanding to know why a pro-Palestinian group was collecting the names, e-mail addresses and phone numbers of students.

Sounds like more than just open debate over the Middle East. Sounds like open intimidation.

Have a Rosa Parks rally in Downtown Crossing that features large banners showing things like blood-drenched crosses stabbing "Palestine" and Sudan and calling for driving out the Jews:

... Shame on the organizers for letting marchers threaten the same human rights they claim to support and that the day is supposed to celebrate.

Solomonia posts a copy of a letter from the Attorney General's office to the Somerville Divestment Project that basically threatens legal action if the project - registered with the state as a charity - continues to raise funds without filing financial reports for 2003, 2004 and 2005.

Grace Ross, the Green Party's candidate for governor, wants her black and female opponents (OK, and that white guy) to join her in speaking out against discrimination against blacks and women.

Israeli citizens, however, are fair game.

The Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party's state convention last week tabled a motion to amend its current position in favor of the destruction of the state of Israel with a new platform calling for the right of Israelis to stay in Palestine after Israel is dismantled. The measure would also have directed party members to stop referring to Israel as "a merely fictitous place."

Shai Sachs relays an account of the Cambridge City Council's debate on ol' Khatami's visit.

Margalit and her kids were among the protesters outside Khatami's speech yesterday. She describes and photographs.

Solomonia has video and photos.

James Moore relays an account, from a friend who was shopping for vegetables at the organic farmers' market outside the Charles Hotel this morning when a small convoy of large black SUVs with submachine guns pointed out the windows rolled up:

... The Secret Service agents were on high alert. Numerous agents emerged from the cars and surrounded the front of the hotel, with guns drawn, sweeping back and forth over the crowd that quickly came to attention. Imagine a few dozen electified organic farmers, Cambridge moms, hotel guests and Harvard Square morning tourists. ...

Solomonia has the details on the Sunday protest at the Kennedy School.

Yes, that would be Gov. Mitt Romney, as described by Dan Kennedy:

... Romney may have "a genius for free PR," as the Phoenix's Adam Reilly writes. Unfortunately, crowd-pleasing assaults on free speech play well with the conservative voters whom the governor is courting in his pandering campaign for president.

But what does Elias think?

... Humble Elias could point out that while the governor opportunistically rants and raves for the cameras, the roads and bridges of the Commonwealth fall into disrepair and our public transport systems are groaning under new stresses and strains. ...

No, forget all that, instead I'll just suggest that Romney is a passive aggressive nerd of the first rank.

I mean, if he really thinks Khatami is a terrorist, then why not have him arrested at Logan? ... Or at least run up to Khatami, kick the guy in the shins and run away bawling like a schoolgirl. ...

Aaron Margolis, of course, sees things a bit differently:

... Welcoming different opinions and cultures is one, but a terrorist is a terrorist. Is anyone besides the appeasers in the Democratic Party going to try to suggest that al Qaeda leaders like Osama bin Laden someone with "different opinion and culture"? Sorry, but when someone's "culture" is terrorism, you aren't welcome. ...

So the Massachusetts Green-Rainbow Party will have four candidates on the statewide ballot this year. Solomonia notes that in addition to a cleaner environment and gay rights, the party also stands for the destruction of the state of Israel and opposes efforts to stop the genocide in Darfur.

Geoff Edgers has the details on how the Gloucester Stage Theatre's Web site had its normal content replaced with pro-Hezbollah images of wounded children and rubble on Friday night.

The theatre's founder and artistic director is Israel Horovitz.