Jul 22, 2014

Finding Inspiration from Green Olive Tours--I want to go to Israel and Palestine

Thanks, Fred, your statement is beautiful...thank you for bringing the world together with history and information.  I really want to go on your tours and meet the people you describe.




27th October - 7th November 2014

Olive Picking Program and Tour • 12 days / 11 nights

Rub shoulders with farmers and villagers from the northern West Bank. Experience this iconic activity connecting today's Palestinians with their ancestors.

Several days of olive picking are blended with tours and activities that will make this a trip of a lifetime


Jerusalem • Bethlehem • Hebron
Nablus • RamallahBeit Ummar





Mission Statement of Green Olive Tours
Green Olive Tours is a social enterprise tour agency providing tours that are informative and analytical, covering the history, culture, and political geography of Palestine (West Bank) and Israel. The tours provide benefit to the indigenous population through the hiring and training of tour guides, overnight stays with families & small guest houses, and encouraging visitors to purchase local crafts directly from producers and Fair Trade outlets. 

The wide range of itineraries include interaction with Palestinians and Israelis, and visit areas that embody the history and current status of the conflict between Israelis and Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem, and between Israel's Jewish, Palestinian-Arab, and Bedouin citizens. The complex mosaic of religions, nationalities, and political viewpoints in the Holy Land are explored in depth. 

Many of the tours also visit sites of historical, cultural and religious interest, placing them within the context of the ongoing analysis provided by the guide.

Green Olive Tours aims to provide our guests with:
  • A cultural, historical and political understanding of Palestine & Israel.
  • Visits to cultural, historical and religious sites.
  • An experience of the political facts on the ground.
  • Interaction with Palestinians and Israelis.
  • Analysis and commentary based on;
    • Human Rights
    • Cultural self determination 
    • The right to political self determination
    • The right to live in safety
    • The right to political freedom
    • The right to a home 
Jerusalem & the West Bank
The tours in the Occupied Territories visit the Separation Barrier, and travel the roads and tunnels that connect to Jewish settlements. Some tours arrange visits with residents of the territories, both Israeli and Palestinian, that help develop an understanding of the complexities of the relationships. A wide range of information about social, cultural and historical issues is provided that help to link together the sites visited and your previous knowledge about the region into a coherent perspective on the situation. The tours provide a unique opportunity to learn about Palestinian culture, gain first-hand, in-depth knowledge of the situation on the ground, and hear critical analysis from knowledgeable Palestinian and Israeli guides.


copied from the website of Green Olive Tours.......

Fred From Green Olive Tours Talks Walking His Dogs in Jaffa and Suffering the Israel/Gaza Conflict


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Dear chloe,
The country is full of pain and suffering in these days. The death toll mounts. Hospitals are being bombed. Cities are being targeted. The poor and the dispossessed have nowhere to hide, and pay the greatest price. The wealthy and powerful hide in their reinforced concrete bunkers or tunnels deep in the sand. The country has once again gone mad with hatred and bloodlust.
Last night I left my home to walk my dogs to the beach of Jaffa and encountered several heavily armed policemen camped out at the end of the block. I discovered later that they were there to protect the neighborhood from racist thugs who were rioting on nearby Yefet street screaming 'Death to the Arabs'. In the meanwhile my good friends in Ra'anana are supervising their children baking cookies to send to the soldiers at the 'front'. It's all a little surreal.
The contradictions and pain of this moment are perhaps best illustrated through the words of Erella, who writes about her conversation a few days ago with a good friend in Gaza.      > > Read on > >
The tour business is of course struggling. The tourists have gone and cancellations keep pouring in. Refunds are draining our dwindling supply of working cash. Also, over the past three months we have added daily Tel Aviv pickups for our day-tours, and hired a full-time driver to better service the anticipated increase in clients. Alas we now have less clients and more overhead. However this too shall pass. From our experience, it takes 2-3 months after a war ends, for the tourists to return in large numbers.
We are also building an expanded Volunteer Program and have engaged a part-time staffer to develop this part of our work. By the end of the summer we will be offering 4-12 week volunteer opportunties at many local charities, NGOs, and economic development organisations throughout Palestine and Israel. We'll be helping Bedouin, Women, Refugee youth and Arab/Jewish Fair Trade organisations to fulful their goals.
Green Olive has also begun a program of continuing education seminars and training tours for our guides and others from the Alternative Tourism sector who want to take advantage of our expertise and experience. The seminar at the end of May gathered over 30 people for two days of learning and discussion. This is one example of how we put to work any excess funds or profits from the tours. 
And so, to ease us through these hard times and build a stronger foundation for the future, we are making you an offer whose time has come - see below.
          In peace,
               Fred Schlomka, CEO
Become a Member of the Green Olive Collective
Green Olive Tours is a project of the Green Olive Collective.  The organisation is a wide-ranging network of Palestinian and Israeli partners, working partners, investors and international members who are committed toour principals.
There has been much talk of BDS, Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions of Israel. While we support selective BDS, we also offer an opportunity to make a positive investment in a civilised future for Palestine/Israel. 
Be part of the solution. Help develop our educational tours, volunteer programs, economic & social development projects - all designed to build momentum towards a post-Occupation reality. 
There are six levels of Membership. Each level comes with privileges and rewards. Take a look at what's being offered and select the level of membership you are comfortable with.
Investment opportunities are also available to interested and qualified individuals and institutions. For more information contact us at this link. This is not a solicitation to invest. 

Geraldo, You're About the Only Republican I Can Stand To Listen To

Al Sharpton
Al Sharpton:  Words of inspiration
That's what Donna from Bergen County said........

Talking about the recent death of Mr. Eric Garner after the use of the choke hold by the New York City cops.

The incident took place on Thursday on Staten Island.

Geraldo making the point the death is tragic but the individual should have been more respectful when the cops attempted to question him.

Geraldo said several times what were the cops suppose to do.

Donna made the point it was not an emergency.....the police were familiar with the man....they knew him--they definitely should have handled it in a different way.

Donna making a brilliant point....so then the question remains......how should the police handle a large man arguing with them or just let's say not going along with the premise of the police.

In all honesty many ladies have been in that situation many times, seriously, arguing with the police over a traffic ticket, or whatever.

Are things handled differently when it is a large man of color?

Was this man dangerous--was he assaulting anyone, was he threatening anyone, was he brandishing a weapon.

Were the police afraid?

Actually, here is my question--are people allowed to talk back or stand up to the police--what rights does a citizen have in this kind of situation?


At the end of the day, this is terrible for everyone involved--I'm the first one to argue with the police and complain about them and I also am  the first one to call the police when I do not think something is right.

Geraldo spoke with a reporter from Italy where New York City Mayor Bill De Blasio is vacationing.  The mayor said it looked like a choke hold to him but he was not an expert in the issue.  The mayor also said he a full investigation will ensue and he has complete confidence in Police Commissioner Bill Bratton.

Geraldo said the officer may be indicted and a large payment will be paid to the family of the man that died.

Geraldo also said according to the the New York Post the officer has received many death threats.

It is a big issue in new York right now with all of the recent controversy over stop and frisk which Geraldo has often said should be reinstated.

He feels the police are intimidated and do not know what to do--they are afraid to do their job.

Some criticised Reverend Al Sharpton for turning it into a race issue.  "I'm a friend of Al Sharpton, he takes a lot of heat but I would be surprised if he did not get involved with this issue," Geraldo replied.

Many people look to Reverend Al sharpton and he has recently received an Essence Award for his community involvement.

My take--have you ever had a bad day--try listening to the Rev on Politics Nation.  For some reason his words can be very soothing.  He has given me strengthen more than one occasion.

You know what--I thought the choke hold was illegal these days.

I do not want anyone to die simply because they argued and did not mind.  I also sincerely do not want the officers to die, as well.

here is more about the story from Eyewitness news:

http://7online.com/news/4-emts-now-suspended-without-pay-for-eric-garners-death-/197357/

from New York Magazine some cops are responding to the story:

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2014/07/cops-react-to-the-death-of-eric-garner.html


That's Tuesday on the Ronnie Republic Radio Round-Up....featuring the Geraldo Rivera Radio Round-Up from WABC News Talk Radio in New York City.

Seriously, actually, at the end of the day.......

Thanks Geraldo for a good show and letting the ladies talk and the people that disagree with you.

A former police officer called in to say the policeman in question should be fired and many callers were in disdain of the police today.