It's the 40th Aniversary of more than Sgt. Pepper. The six-day war, which resulted in the Israeli occupation of East Jerusalem, the West Bank, the Golan Heights and the Gaza Strip, also took place 40 years ago this week. For me, cursed with an irrational affection for Israel, the war has been a source of pride (we win) and the occupation a source of shame (we act oppressively). After the jump, info on an interesting, related, event.
There's retrospecting. See a transcript of the start of a huge NPR series here . Al Jazeera features "in the street" interviews.
Ha'aretz writers are getting an especially tough workout. Slate's article is by Shemul Rosner and features a photo slide show. Tom Segev, also of Ha'aretz, was on the op ed page of the NY Times Tuesday.
As it happens, Segev's book on the 6-day war, was the subject of a really smart, thoughtful New Yorker review by editor David Remnick. (More Segev? See The Nation's Jon Weiner) Also interesting, in my view, is a re-analysis of the events leading up to the war by Sandy Tolan in Salon.
On a related issue, Gawker has a disturbing report of how Phillip Weiss was pushed from the Observer for -- it appears -- being too critical of Israel. Why the owner and editor of the Observer think it's helpful to silence a critic of the Israeli government is, to me, a mystery. But perhaps I'm accepting of Weiss because I'm critical of Israel's government.
If, after reading all this, you can stand even more, come hear Segev talk about the war, occupation & his book Thursday evening in Brooklyn. I'm certainly going.
June 7, 2007 8:00 - 10:00pm
Sponsored by Congregation Beth Elohim
in association with Brit Tzedek v'Shalom
At Congregation Beth Elohim (Park Slope, Brooklyn)
In the Temple House: Garfield Pl. near 8th Ave across from the main
sanctuary building.
Subways: 2/3 to Grand Army Plaza; F (front/downtown end of train) to
Seventh Avenue
See you there.
