Showing posts with label Doc Jazz. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Doc Jazz. Show all posts

Jul 17, 2014

Seumas Milne of The Guardian Talks Isolation and the Shameful Injustice in Gaza

Gaza: this shameful injustice will only end if the cost of it rises

The idea that Israel is defending itself from unprovoked attacks is absurd. Occupied people have the right to resist
A relative of the four Palestinian children killed by a shell fired by an Israeli naval gunboat.
A relative of the four Palestinian children killed by a shell fired by an Israeli naval gunboat. Photograph: APAimages/REX
For the third time in five years, the world’s fourth largest military power has launched a full-scale armed onslaught on one of its most deprived and overcrowded territories. Since Israel’s bombardment of the Gaza Strip began, just over a week ago, more than 200 Palestinians have been killed. Nearly 80% of the dead are civilians, over 20% of them children.
Around 1,400 have been wounded and 1,255 Palestinian homes destroyed. So far, Palestinian fire has killed one Israeli on the other side of the barrier that makes blockaded Gaza the world’s largest open-air prison.
But instead of demanding a halt to Israel’s campaign of collective punishment against what is still illegally occupied territory, the western powers have blamed the victims for fighting back. If it weren’t for Hamas’s rockets fired out of Gaza’s giant holding pen, they insist, all of this bloodletting would end.
“No country on earth would tolerate missiles raining down on its citizens from outside its borders,” Barack Obama declared, echoed by a mostly pliant media. Perhaps it’s scarcely surprising that states which have themselves invaded and occupied a string of Arab and Muslim countries in the past decade should take the side of another occupier they fund and arm to the hilt.
But the idea that Israel is responding to a hail of rockets out of a clear blue sky takes “narrative framing” beyond the realm of fantasy. In fact, after the deal that ended Israel’s last assault on Gaza in 2012, rocketing from Gaza fell to its lowest level for 12 years.
The latest violence is supposed to have been triggered by the kidnapping and killing of three Israeli teenagers in the occupied West Bank in June, for which Hamas denied responsibility. But its origin clearly lies in the collapse of US-sponsored negotiations for a final settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the spring.
That was followed by the formation of a “national reconciliation” government by the Fatah and Hamas movements, whose division has been a mainstay of Israeli and US policy. Israeli incursions and killings were then stepped up, including attacks on Palestinian civilians by armed West Bank settlers. In May, two Palestinian teenagers were shot dead by the Israeli army with barely a flicker of interest outside the country.
It’s now clear the Israeli government knew from the start that its own kidnapped teenagers had been killed within hours. But the news was suppressed while a #BringBackOurBoys campaign was drummed up and a sweeping crackdown launched against Hamas throughout the West Bank.
Over 500 activists were arrested and more than half a dozen killed – along with a Palestinian teenager burned to death by settlers. Binyamin Netanyahu’s aim was evidently to signal that whatever deal Hamas had signed with Mahmoud Abbas would never be accepted by Israel.
Gaza had nothing to do with the kidnapping, but Israeli attacks were also launched on the strip and Hamas activists killed. It was those killings and the West Bank campaign that led to Hamas resuming its rocket attacks – and in turn to Israel’s devastating bombardment.
Hamas is now blamed for refusing to accept a ceasefire plan cooked up by Netanyahu and his ally, the Egyptian President Sisi, who overthrew Hamas’s sister organisation the Muslim Brotherhood last year and has since tightened the eight-year siege of Gaza.
But having already suffered so much, many Gazans believe no further truce should be agreed without the lifting of the illegal blockade which has reduced the strip to hunger and beggary and effectively imprisoned its population.
As the independent Palestinian MP Mustafa Barghouti puts it, the Egyptian proposal was a “game” Israel will now use to escalate the war. Some sense of what can now be expected was given by the Israeli reserve major general Oren Shachor, who explained: “If we kill their families, that will frighten them.”
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu.
Israeli prime minister Binyamin Netanyahu. Photograph: Dan Balilty/EPA
The idea that Israel is defending itself against unprovoked attacks from outside its borders is an absurdity. Despite Israel’s withdrawal of settlements and bases in 2005, Gaza remains occupied both in reality and international law, its border, coastal waters, resources, airspace and power supply controlled by Israel.
So the Palestinians of Gaza are an occupied people, like those in the West Bank, who have the right to resist, by force if they choose – though not deliberately to target civilians. But Israel does not have a right of self-defence over territories it illegally occupies – it has an obligation to withdraw. That occupation, underpinned by the US and its allies, is now entering its 48th year. Most of the 1.8 million Palestinians enduring continuous bombardment in Gaza are themselves refugees or their descendants, who were driven out or fled from cities such as Jaffa 66 years ago when Israel was established.
It can’t seriously be argued that Israel’s refusal to withdraw from the rump of the territory on which the United Nations voted to establish a Palestinian state in 1947 is because of rocket fire. It was after all during the period of quiescence over the past year that the Israeli government rejected the US plan for even a figleaf of a two-state solution – and stepped up illegal colonisation. As Netanyahu made clear this week, there cannot be “any agreement in which we relinquish security control” of the West Bank.
So we’re left with a one-state solution, operated on ethnically segregated apartheid-style lines, in which a large section of the population has no say in who rules over them, indefinitely. But it’s folly to imagine that this shameful injustice will continue without an escalating cost for those who enforce it.
Palestinian resistance is often criticised as futile given the grotesque power imbalance between the two sides. But Hamas, which attracts support more for its defiance than its Islamism, has been strengthened by the events of the past week, as it has shown it can hit back across Israel – while Abbas, dependent on an imploded “peace process”, has been weakened still further.
The conflict’s eruptions are certainly coming thicker and faster. Despite heroic Israeli efforts to fix the narrative, global opinion has never been more sympathetic to the Palestinian cause. But the brutal reality is that there will be no end to Israel’s occupation until Palestinians and their supporters are able to raise its price to the occupier, in one way or another – and change the balance of power on the ground.
seumas.milne@theguardian.com

Jul 14, 2014

Thank Goodness Geraldo is Back!!!!!

Geraldo Rivera
Geraldo Rivera--the boys are back in town
The one thinking Republican on the planet has returned to his radio show on WABC New York Talk Radio after his much needed vacation to Rome..........I'm jealous.

Seriously, my daughter wasn't in Rome 5 minutes before she said......have you seen the leather jackets here?  I just feel like it would be wrong to leave Rome without actually getting one.

Back to G/jay........got in a good go round with Alan Dershowitz about the recent collective punishment of the Palestinians from Israel.

My question.........why is Gaza/Palestine an occupied country.  How does anyone do anything.

Geraldo.....why not have someone like Doc Jazz on your show for an interview.  He is trying to bring the world together with music....and he is a surgeon...an average working successful individual trying to go on with the activities of daily living and suffering the trials and tribulations of occupation.  Lets chat with this regular work-a-day guy and see what he says.  Lets see......Doc Jazz.....what is your take on the current situation.  What are you good ideas to stop the violence.

Also we got to hear from my favorite talking cop, Bernie Kerik.  Love to hear his take on things.....my favorite part about Bernie.......he always speaks with a certain compassion towards police officers and the guys on the street in a way that is loving and refreshing.  It sends a good message out there for the police and the citizens.  Talking about stop and frisk and how it affects the officers walking the beat in New York City today.

Noam Laden, news/jay and fellow talker on the show shared with us his agreement and disagreement with Geraldo Rivera about the situation in Palestine since he does have family in Israel.

This Israel/Palestine situation is extremely difficult.  Geraldo said the one way for sure to wreck a media career in NYC is to bash the actions of Israel.

At the end of the day, Geraldo Rivera, is not afraid to stand up for what he believes in and suffer the heated radio back lash.

All the bashers that I had to endure while he was gone....Mad man Mendte, Stunningly beautiful and successful and stunningly incorrect Judge Jeanine Pirro; it was exhausting to hear them yell and shout.  Judge Napolitano was okay with his back and forth over police actions in the city.

The home grown talent of Rita Cosby and Noam Laden are always enjoyable as they can think, talk and disagree all at the same time without getting angry....who knew.......

Again asking the age old question.........will the talk show inspire new thoughts with chat and info about current events or shall we adopt the opinions of the shouting host.

I'm sticking with Geraldo Rivera on this one.

from the ronnie republic radio round-up.........and thank you to Larry Mendte for being my friend on facebook......welcome you opinion and thoughts.......cl


A story about Doc Jazz:

http://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2014/06/fighting-racism-with-doc-jazz-bringing.html


and.........

http://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2013/06/copied-from-palestine-chronicle-cl.html


about the Palestine Youth Orchestra:

http://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2013/04/the-palestine-youth-orchestra.html


from Roger Waters.....

http://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2013/04/from-doc-jazz-open-letter-to-roger.html

from the ronnie republic.....Roger Waters Begs Mick Jagger for the Sake of Palestine.......

http://theronnierepublic.blogspot.com/2014/05/roger-waters-begs-mick-jagger-for-sake.html


Jun 4, 2014

Fighting Racism with Doc Jazz: Bringing the World Together with Food and Fabric and Music from The Ronnie Republic

Voices of Resistance: The Mixtape by FRFI, available now for download!

Doc Jazz has contributed his song 'Intifada' to the new mixtape 'Voices of Resistance', that was released on May 1, 2014 by Fight Racism, Fight Imperialism (FRFI) from Britain. Here follows their announcement.
Voices of Resistance opens the stage to hear from revolutionary youth in Britain and around the world. Presented by the Britain-based activist organisation Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism!, a range of cultural and musical alternatives are united in this mixtape of original material. This comes at an important time as the British ruling class drive forward with Victorian-style cuts in welfare and criminalisation of those most dependent on it. The millionaire politicians and their allies use racism as an age old tool to divide and rule the working class. Internationally, they push for more war and bloodshed to save their sinking system, while defending the apartheid regime of Israel.
And yet, with organisation, inspired by poem and song, all of the division, silence and indifference to today’s situation can be exposed and overcome. The global crisis of capitalism and imperialism is expressing itself throughout the world in wars and revolutions. Despite everything, the people of Palestine refuse to give up their revolutionary fight. The struggle for socialism in Latin America, led by Cuba and Venezuela, is meeting people's needs and giving hope to millions across the world. An alternative truly does exist! People united in voice and spirit can never be defeated!

Oppose the war on welfare!
Victory to Palestine!
Join the voices of resistance!


Track list

1. Intro
2. We Rise – RENU, London
3. How - Verbal Wisdam, Manchester
4. Free Talha, Free Babar – Rot Jaws, London
5. M1 Speaks! - Dead Prez, Amerika
6. Intifada – Doc Jazz, Palestine
7. Taqaseem – Reem Anber, Gaza, Palestine
8. 51% Female – Dido Porter, Newcastle
9. Sunday's No Rest Day – Domi O'Hara, Glasgow, Scotland
10. Down and Broke – Dirty North feat. Jim Adama, Manchester
11. Labour Force (Parts 1&2) – Cal Shaw, Newcastle
12. Bulletproof Vest – Leon F. Brehony
13. The Red Rose Means Death – James R. Bell, Newcastle
14. Meltdown – Louie B, Manchester
15. Probationary Citizen – Gertrude, London
16. Rip Up the Sun – Class Actions, Salford
17. Smash the Bedroom Tax – Mark Moncada, Newcastle
18. Baobab Tree - Ken Hughes, London


About the artists

RENU is a London-based world percussionist, composer and producer. Her track We Rise first appeared on her 2012 album Midnight Radio and includes lyrics and vocals by ROSINA, one half of Toronto based electro duo LAL.

MC Verbal Wisdam has performed at FRFI's Rebel Music nights in Manchester and is gaining a reputation as a conscious, political rapper. The track How was written especially for the Voices of Resistance mixtape and was produced by WRZL.

Rot Jaws are a band specialising in 'punk motivated sound and politics' and are fronted by lyricist Sara Mahmoud. Their song Free Talha Free Babar comes from the 2013 EP of the same name and is dedicated to the struggle against 'anti-terror' imprisonment and criminalisation of the Muslim community. They are joined by Gertrude, an all-female post punk group, who rage against social control in their track Probationary Citizen. In early 2014 both Rot Jaws and Gertrude performed at a benefit gig for the Focus E15 Mothers housing campaign in East London.

Cal Shaw, Dido Porter and James R Bell are poet-activists involved in FRFI in Newcastle. Their work features at Rebel Music nights in the city and gave birth to the RED blog for revolutionary politics and art. Here, their work is presented to contrast the radical music on our mixtape. Cal Shaw tells the story of the Newcastle 14, anti-racist protesters arrested in 2013 with the collaboration of local 'anti-facists' loyal to the Labour Party. Picking up on that theme, James R Bell offers a powerful poetic presentation of Labour's bloodsoaked history. Dido Porter speaks up against sexism and offers a renewal of anti-capitalist militancy to traditional ideas of feminism.

Domi O'Hara is a Glaswegian activist and songwriter whose songs have literally travelled the world. In December 2013 he joined a group of young FRFI activists in the World Federation of Youth and Students in Quito, Ecuador. He is also active in the Glasgow Defence Campaign for democratic rights and against political policing. His song Sunday's No a Rest Day is testament to this political campaigning and calls for a new culture of political activity on the streets of Britain. Edinburgh-based Mancunian filmmaker Leon F. Brehony sneaks into our Scottish contingent with his folk flavoured resistance track Bulletproof Vest.

We are extremely proud to present a number of tracks in solidarity with the struggle of Palestine. The fight to boycott apartheid Israel remains an important part of FRFI's work in Britain. In an interview with Dead Prez after their Manchester show in early 2014, rapper M1 told us why he supports the Palestinian cause. We present part of this interview here, followed by tracks from Palestinian musicians Doc Jazz and Reem Anber.

Doc Jazz is a surgeon and self-taught multi-instrumentalist. His songs mix elements of rock, rap, jazz, funk and Arabic styles and his website The Musical Intifada is dedicated to promoting action in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle. Reem Anber is an oud player based in Gaza. As we release her Taqaseem, Israel enforces the blockade of Gaza, with the support of Britain, the US and the military government in Egypt. There are no recording studios in Gaza, yet musicians like Reem maintain their musical traditions in the face of continuing Israeli aggression.

Dirty North are well known in Manchester for supporting Stone Roses during their comeback shows in Heaton Park. In front of a crowd of thousands, singer Johnny launched into Money and Guns, a song written after Britain's invasion of Iraq. On this FRFI mixtape, they collaborate with blues-influenced songwriter Jim Adama in Down and Broke, a recession anthem telling the real life story of poverty faced by growing numbers of young people at the hands of austerity capitalism.

Staying up north, Class Actions are a group of Salford-based socialist rappers and activists. Their track Rip Up the Sun is dedicated to the Hillsborough justice campaign and was performed recently at the Barton Moss anti-fracking camp during the 25 year anniversary of the tragedy. The song deals with the shameless anti-working class coverage presented by the Sun newspaper at the time and live performances feature shredding of issues of the paper!

FRFI's Mark Moncada and Louie B are active in Newcastle and Manchester respectively. This recording of Mark Moncada's song Smash the Bedroom Tax comes from a live performance at a Newcastle Rebel Music night and features crowd participation – a hallmark of Mark's militant, protest-driven, songs. Louie B has featured in Manchester bands The Scrotes and Frazer King and this version of Meltdown is a call to action to combat cutbacks in working class communities.

The late Ken Bodden (also known as Ken Hughes) was a Panama-born socialist and musician who wrote many great protest songs during his time working with FRFI. He was a leading member of the anti-apartheid pickets of the South African embassy in London in the 1980s and is missed by everyone who knew him, comrade and friend alike. Here we pay tribute to Ken with his excellent song Baobab Tree.


Links

RENU – www.soundcloud.com/renu
Verbal Wisdam – www.soundcloud.com/verbalwisdam
Rot Jaws – www.rotjaws.com
Gertrude – www.gertruderock.com
RED blog – www.redrevolutionart.wordpress.com
Dead Prez – www.deadprezblog.wordpress.com
Doc Jazz – www.docjazz.com
Reem Anber – www.soundcloud.com/reem-anber
Dirty North – www.soundcloud.com/dirtynorth
Jim Adama – www.jimadama.bandcamp.com
Class Actions – www.classactionsuk.com
Louie B – www.soundcloud.com/guitarlouie
Ken Bodden – obituary at http://tinyurl.com/m9sckhm

Fight Racism! Fight Imperialism! - www.frfi.co.uk

copied from DocJazz.com

Jun 11, 2013

Doc Jazz: a Palestinian Surgeon’s Musical Intifada

copied from the Palestine Chronicle  by cl...........

Doc Jazz: a Palestinian Surgeon’s Musical Intifada

Apr 1 2013 / 6:44 pm
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doc_jazz_cover
By Sahar Mansour
Times change, situations change, people change. This is how the world has always been, and this can definitely be said about these turbulent first decades of this 21st century. For this reason, it’s nice to know that there are also things and people that seem to be weathering these changes, and stubbornly remain there as constant and dependable factors.
In the limited world of music for the Palestinian cause, the phenomenon known as ‘Doc Jazz‘ can certainly be counted as one of these dependable factors. Almost since the very beginning of internet activism, he has been present and active, which is why to most people who are interested in the Palestinian cause, he would barely be in need of any introduction. He is the Palestinian surgeon who, next to his ongoing career as a surgeon, has been engaging in activism on and off the internet, with his music, his writings, his organizing skills at demonstrations and inspiring speeches, and his unstoppable energy.
These aspects of Tariq Shadid have indeed remained unchanged, but be careful not to mistake this constancy for lack of evolution and development. Those who remember him from his first songs for the Palestinian cause and have not checked back since, will probably be unaware how the quality of his musical recordings has been evolving constantly, now resulting in high-fidelity songs of a high quality, and with rich arrangements. His musical repertoire – at least those songs of his that are available online – has now reached 100 songs, most of which deal with almost all aspects of the Palestinian cause. There is barely an aspect of the struggle that is not represented in one of his songs. Best of all is: he does the entire production by himself, writes the songs and the lyrics, plays all the instruments, and does all the vocals.
His most recent album is ‘Intifada’, which was released in November 2012, and which features a selection of his most popular Palestine-songs, like Intifada, Right of Return, We Resist (Free Palestine) and Freedom Flotilla, as well as two of his Arabic songs for the cause. In the beginning of this year, he also came out with the song ‘Hungry’, dedicated to the cause of Samer Issawi and the other Palestinian political prisoners who protest against their detention by their unimaginably long hunger strikes. The song was well-received, and was featured on Dubai TV in a special about the Palestinian hunger strikers.
He has also recently joined the Free Samer Issawi Campaign, and has contributed to keeping the ongoing Twitter campaigns for that cause alive. Every day, at the same time, so-called ‘Twitterstorms’ are organized, which are joined by hundreds of dedicated tweeters, and rarely fail to get the daily hashtag to trend on the Worldwide list. On his website, all these world trending hashtags are collected, together with information on how to contribute to trending on Twitter effectively.
Another aspect that underlines the continuous evolution and expansion of his musical and activist project, the ‘Musical Intifada’, is his impressive following on Facebook. His Doc Jazz fan page there now boasts an impressive 31,000 members, a sign that his work is steadily increasing in scope and exposure. Having a quick and superficial listen to his music may not immediately explain why, and the reason for that is its almost incredible variety of musical styles. If you have listened to one of Doc Jazz’s songs, don’t assume that you already know the drill. The sound and style is not exactly what you will find in the entertainment world’s Top 40, so if that is what you are looking for, you may end up with a prejudiced judgment. This is a more sophisticated type of music that requires you to take time and really listen, but if you do, you are very likely to be captivated. You will encounter hip-hop, rock, funky jazz-pop, piano ballads, Palestinian folkloric music and modern Arabic music, and this description still doesn’t cover everything you can find in his impressive repertoire.
What perhaps best illustrates this, is the statement of recognition that was recently presented to Doc Jazz by the Edward Said National Conservatory in Palestine, for publication on his website. It reads:
“The Edward Said National Conservatory recognizes the musical work of Dr. Tariq Shadid, who goes by the name of Doc Jazz, as an important contribution to Palestinian music. We are impressed by the magnitude of his oeuvre and the richness of his compositions, wherein he manages to combine a wide variety of musical styles with a message that expresses the hopes and aspirations of our people. We appreciate the fact that he embraces modern musical trends just as much as his efforts to conserve the folkloric traditions of Palestinian music. We believe that his work can serve as an inspiration to aspiring young Palestinian musicians to develop their own efforts at musical composition and creativity.”
Indeed, that sums it up quite beautifully. Imagine if this was all we had to say about Dr. Tariq Shadid, wouldn’t that already be quite something? Well, to be truthful, it doesn’t end here.
Tariq Shadid has been writing for the Palestine Chronicle for well over a decade, and many of his writings can be found there, as well as on his website. A selection of his writings from before 2007 has also been published into a paperback called ‘Understanding Palestine’, which is available on Amazon. His articles mostly have one thing in common: they call for Palestinian self-determination, and they mobilize against normalization, and against racism. This is probably why his pieces are read and shared so widely: even though they may refer to current events happening at the time they were written, they are almost invariably characterized by timelessness, and contain truths that are applicable to the entire history of the Palestinian struggle.
Besides being an excellent musician and writer, this incredible allrounder also has a very artistic hand at drawing and painting. He painted the cover of his album ‘Front Door Key’, of a small Palestinian girl holding a key that symbolizes the return of Palestinian refugees to their homes, and recently drew a portrait of Samer Issawi that can now be found on websites and social media all over the world.
It’s hard to imagine that someone who is not only a full-time surgeon, but even the Head of Department of Surgery at his hospital, is able to do all these things and excel at all of them. However, if you realize that he is a Palestinian, you will undoubtedly conclude that it is that legendary Palestinian drive and dedication that forms this basis of excellence. Those who are willing to look around, will never fail to see the amazing talents that the Palestinian people – both inside of Palestine and in the diaspora – are able to present to the world.
No one lives forever, but it has become obvious that as long as Tariq Shadid can breathe, sing, write and operate, he will not change who he is, and what he stands for. In this ever-changing and evolving world, this one-man production machine of Palestinian activism will remain a force to be reckoned with. The world emphasizes and celebrates the talents of Jews – even when it comes to the Palestinian cause, as if there aren’t any Palestinians available to represent themselves – but this is only because they are not willing to see the amazingly talented icons of the Palestinian people. They are there, they are impressive, and they will be seen and overwhelm the world.
- Sahar Mansour, originally from Jenin in Palestine, was born and raised in Belgium. She is studying English Literature at the University of Ghent. She contributed this article to PalestineChronicle.com.