I’m pleased to announce that Ta’anit Tzedek – Jewish Fast for Gaza will sponsor “Gaza and the Arab Spring,” a conference call with prominent Palestinian writer and human rights advocate Nadia Hijab on Thursday, May 19 at 12:00 pm EST. 

The Arab Spring – a series of popular uprisings all over the Arab world – has brought new hope for greater freedom, justice and democracy to millions of people throughout the Arab world and beyond. The uprisings have already brought about dramatic changes in several countries and the popular movement is growing in strength. How will these changes affect the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and more particularly the people of Gaza? What is impact of related developments, such as the Hamas – PA unity agreement and Egypt’s opening of the Rafah crossing into Gaza?

Our guest, Nadia Hijab was born in Syria to Palestinian parents and was raised in Lebanon. Ms. Hijab began her career as Editor-in-Chief of Middle East Magazine and later moved to New York to work for the United Nations Development Program where she served in several UNDP departments and helped organize the Program’s contribution to the 1993 World Conference on Human Rights.

After leaving the United Nations, Ms. Hijab became Executive Director of the Palestine Center, a Washington, DC-based think tank affiliated with the Jerusalem Fund. In 2000 she established her own consulting business on human rights, human development, and gender. Ms. Hijab has served as co-chair of the US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation and is on its advisory board, and is a Past President of the Association of Arab American University Graduates.

Ms. Hijab appears frequently as an Arab-affairs commentator on television, radio and print outlets and has authored more than 100 articles and has published two books: Womanpower: The Arab Debate on Women at Work. and Citizens Apart: A Portrait of Palestinians in Israel.

To participate in the call:

Dial the Access Number: 1.800.920.7487 

When prompted, enter your Participant Code: 92247763# 

There will be a question and answer period during the call.

Participants in the call are encouraged to read one or more of the following three articles by Ms. Hijab.

The Arab revolutions and the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict

Understanding Obama’s Settlement Posture

The Palestinian Narrative: Then and Now

We are honored to welcome Ms. Hijab to our monthly conference call and invite you to join the conversation!