Palestine / Israel Mapping: A Talk: London This Friday

One land, two people. That's how it's usually represented. And after all, both Palestinians and Israelis display the map, the one map from the Mediterranean to the Jordan river, from the gulf of Aqaba to the Lebanese border. If you can't read Arabic or Hebrew you might not notice the difference between a Israeli and a Palestinian map. But is it really one land? What happens when one place has two names?

After 1948, hundreds of Palestinians villages were destroyed, and their inhabitants became refugees. The remains of these villages - usually no more than a tombstone, a mosque or a few stone walls - are kept hidden from public view, they are never marked, and they disappeared off Israeli maps. Mountains, valleys and historical sites were all renamed in Hebrew in a massive campaign in the 1950's. The Palestinian map was kept alive through the memories of refugees and the work of historians, geographers, writers and political activists. Lately, a Israeli group called 'Zochrot' started posting signs in Arabic and Hebrew commemorating these destroyed villages, in an attempt to increase Israeli awareness to the tragedy of 1948, the Palestinian 'Nakbah'. This talk will discuss the work of 'Zochrot' and the politics of naming as it is manifested on signs and maps in Israel/Palestine. The talk will also discuss the conceptual geographies which Jews and Arabs had, before Zionism and the British mandate; and about the adoption of the north-south Western geographical map as a political symbol, by both sides of this conflict.

56a Infoshop, 56 Crampton St, London SE17 at 7.30pm
Bus or Tube to Elephant + Castle or Kennington

Part of YOU ARE HERE BUT WHY? A Free Festival of Mapping...programme of events on website above.

Capt Mopp
e-mail: winterwind@hellokitty.com
Homepage: http://www.mdx.org.uk/mapfestival.html

Comments

Hide the following 5 comments

FUCK Al Nakba

21.06.2005 11:56

"
After 1948, hundreds of Palestinians villages were destroyed, and their inhabitants became refugees."

Prior to and after 1948, many jewish villages became "arab" villages due to ethnic cleansing, rape and murder.
Hebron is a perfect example. It was cleansed of Jews before the State of Israel was created. "Arab" east Jeruslaem?? It only became "Arab" as a result of ethnic cleansing and murder in 1948, when Trans Jordan attacked and captured East Jeruslaem, which was supposed to become an international city. The "refugee" situation was created by the ARAB APARTHEID STATES. Aks youself, why did so many Arabs choose to stay in the new Nation of Israel instead of leaving and coming back to slaughter the Jews?
ARAB EXPANSIONISM IS THE PROBLEM, ARAB RACISM IS ALSO THE PROBLEM

Suicidse Bombers for Peace

Who are all these trolls?

23.06.2005 22:46

Why is it that whenever someone posts anything about Palestine, there's always some right wing nutter who comes on and writes the usual drivel?

Are these people who just come to indymedia to look for stuff to disagree with?

it's so predictable. there's at least one every time.

We are not Trolls

24.06.2005 11:32

No - we merely are democrats who believe that Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, should be fairly criticised in the same way that France is, or Spain or any other democracy.

To criticise Israel out of all context, to always side with her attackers, to disregard the wonderful things Israel has given to the world and to twist history to always show Israel as an aggressor, when that simply is not true - is evidence of the bias always shown to Israel.

We are not right wing but believe in fair and accurate reporting, debate and democracy.

Every time we challenge you - we are called Trolls.

This is rubbish - many of us are heavily involved in charitable work and human rights work, we simply feel that Israel should be subject to fair debate, not the one sided poison often spouted by extreme left racists.

J&P

Trolls perhaps not,still a Zionist though (more dangerous!)

24.06.2005 21:37

Is it really a viable option to conduct a "fair debate" on Israeli politics and/or the meaning of Zionism as a separatist/expansionary ideology and political practice, as suggested by J&P,from the Zionist standpoint which J&P willingly adopts? As fror the rest,there is no such thing as great "state" in existence,either in the past or in the present,just talented/inspired etc people functioning individually and/or collectively.Finally, the fact that many of you are engaged in charity work or focus on human rights issues doesn't necessarily render you progressive or democratic in all respects.I've,in fact, met several,seemingly well-meaning,tolerant,soft-spoken Israelis,who, in the final analysis,consider the construction of the apartheid wall (or however else you might want to call it-perhaps simply fence) as a reasonable protective measure against suicide bombings .How short-sighted (though partly understandable as an emotional reaction),how racist,how undemocratic of people who,too,claim to constitute citizens of the only "democracy" in the Middle-East!

PS:Do I qualify for the "extreme left racist" labelling?If so,it would just prove that no ciriticism of Israeli politics/history et al is acceptable, unless it is aligned with the official Zionist version/interpretation of it.Otherwise,it is perceived as de-legitimised/immoral/racist etc

Yannis

Not at all Yannis

27.06.2005 09:18

No I merely call you racists because that is what you are - just like the extreme right but they are more honest.

The fence has saved numerous lives and there has been a massive number of bombers stopped because of it - of course you are against it as it stops Israelis being murdered.

J&P

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