On Thursday, Jon Stewart hosted two interesting guests on The Daily Show, Israeli-Palestinian peace activists Anna Baltzer and Dr. Mustafa Barghouti. The episode seemed to draw an angry response from a Pro-Israel crowd so I’m reposting this letter written by Baltzer in hopes that those who read it will help spread it. The content is important. Silencing the Palestinian argument in any shape or form is unjust and anyone who seeks to practice it should be met with a collective and defiant voice. Meanwhile, those who demonstrate enough courage to move against the grain and host the Palestinian side should be supported.
Last night Dr. Barghouti and I were on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart talking about Palestine.
The show was overwhelmed with angry emails and phone calls prior to the appearance, and up until the last minute it seemed like they might cancel. During the taping the show had it’s only heckler in 11 years. The entire staff were very nervous and may come to regret the monumental decision (and not make it again) as they will surely be inundated now that the show has aired.
That is why it is CRUCIAL that the show receive letters of support from anyone who appreciated the interview.
PLEASE take a moment to give a quick thank you to the Daily Show. I’m sure they will likely be affected by numbers rather than length, so it’s OK to make it short, but spread the word to others! Be sure to put “Thank you” in the subject, and maybe Dr. Barghouti & my names. Fill out the form here: http://www.comedycentral.com/help/questionsCC.jhtml (make sure to choose The Daily Show with Jon Stewart as your topic).
I believe the interview wouldn’t have happened 3 years ago. Times are changing. Keep on keepin’ on…
Anna
Part I.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Exclusive – Anna Baltzer & Mustafa Barghouti Extended Interview Pt. 1 | ||||
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Part II.
| The Daily Show With Jon Stewart | Mon – Thurs 11p / 10c | |||
| Exclusive – Anna Baltzer & Mustafa Barghouti Extended Interview Pt. 2 | ||||
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he will be speaking in LA on Monday !! followed by the notoriously racist David Horowitz on Wednesday
my bad, it will be Omar Barghouti who will speak here …
They didn’t host the Palestinian side. They hosted the equal rights side. That’s why they had two guests: one Palestinian, one Israeli.
I think the credit goes to Mr barghouthi for the modern and civilized way that he used to represent the Palestinian case not in that interview only but in all his history. its really sad that he was not elected as a President for the PA
Thank you so much for sharing this! I follow this blog for a while now, and I love what you share. I live in the US and probably wouldn’t have known about this episode without you posting it in Jordan. Really great to see, it’s great to see more of this rhetoric around in the US. And I promise, it is definitely increasingly more of this tone. Anyway, thanks again.
yes there are things that could be criticized about the segment but come on ppl let’s see it as half-full .. at least it’s a start ..
Is there another way to see this interview online? the posted videos can’t be viewed from outside the US, where I am, and it seems it’s not posted on youtube, yet.
@ ammar: try this http://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-daily-show-with-jon-stewart/4od
it’s the episode of thrusday the 29th … but u can’t see the entire interview as u can on the daily show website, just the bits that made it to air unfortunately. hope it helps!
Thank you Deena, and indeed, Thank you Jon Stewart! I actually missed that show, although I get More 4, I guess I’ll have to wait till it’s on youtube, but that was quite an interesting piece, Thanks again Deena.
Thanks for sharing this!
Re: “They didn’t host the Palestinian side. They hosted the equal rights side. That’s why they had two guests: one Palestinian, one Israeli.”
Agreed.
“They didn’t host the Palestinian side. They hosted the equal rights side. That’s why they had two guests: one Palestinian, one Israeli.â€
but at least they had a palestinian, and not a dahlanist one .. so they deserve some credit no .. like i said there are things we can criticize but john stewart deserves a thank you regardless
@Hamzeh: the fact that one of those guests was palestinian (an batghouti no less) is called hosting the palestinian side.
pffffffffffffffffffff, i just can take it with pro Israelis, cant even stand to sit and listen to something other than what their moms told them:S
“i’ll have to leave now”… /spit
http://rawstory.com/2009/10/daily-show-israelipalestinian-conflict/
It’s a fact that anything the depicts Palestinians as normal human beings asking for some well-deserved rights will never be accepted in the US even when the host is Jewish and the other guest is Israeli.
Besides Liz Cheney and her mother, it’s the first time I ever see 2 guests on the same episode of Jon Stewart. He had to do it and they still did not spare him harsh critcism.
I am sending a thank-you letter to Jon Stewart. Not an e-mail, a letter. Some way to counter the hate mail and hoping he’ll still show Palestinians as human beings.
I don’t mean to argue, and I didn’t mean to offend, but I just want to elaborate that what I meant is that Barghouti’s argument is that the conflict or debate is not a Palestinian/Israeli issue only even at the core, but an equal rights vs discriminating and segregating policies issue. The Palestinians just happen to be on the disadvantaged side.
I forgot his exact words.
Ok, so I actually watched the entire interview on the daily show.com, and here are my observations:
1. I am upset that anyone would try to stop this episode or interview from taking place. Censorship vilifies the censor and has no place in a democracy in the 21st century. And criticize what? Giving the spotlight to two people who are working to bring peace? That says more about the critics than the people whose opinions they are seeking to silence. Sadly there are plenty of people on all sides (American, Israeli and Palestinian) who will refuse to hear what the other side has to say, and only want to hear arguments to bolster their side.
2. Anna Baltzer barely got one minute to speak, said nothing of substance and was interrupted by John Stewart more times than I care to remember, while Dr. Barghoutti got more than 5 minutes. So if you are upset about the lack of balance Palestinians get in the general media, you should be upset by this, too. And I watched the ENTIRE interview. Sadly, this was no dialogue between two people with differing opinions: Anna Baltzer and Dr. Barghouti are just two speakers with the same opinion. This was not a meaningful represntation of both sides, just because one is Jewish and the other a Palestinian. The Israeli side was not portrayed at all, which, again, should bother people who are concerned with fairness and wanting to hear both sides.
Israel is no angel, but to simply demonise it and not express some legitimate Israeli concerns does justice and media balance no favors.
3. The commentators above are thrilled because John Stewart hosted on his show two people, a Palestinian and a Jew, who are working together to bring peace to this blood soaked region. Why, then, are the same commentators of this blog so upset by the Jordanian/Israeli peace agreement? What do you want the Jordanian government to do, declare war on Israel? Haven’t we had enough wars in this region?
I am not kidding or being facetious, I really mean this question: Why can’t you just criticize Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians without calling for a revocation of the peace agreement between Jordan and Israel?
Israel has a peace agreement with Egypt, but it doesn’t mean that it can’t criticize Egypt’s lack of human rights. Why can’t all Jordanians do the same?
Neighbour said: “Anna Baltzer barely got one minute to speak, said nothing of substance and was interrupted by John Stewart more times than I care to remember, while Dr. Barghoutti got more than 5 minutes. So if you are upset about the lack of balance Palestinians get in the general media, you should be upset by this, too.”
Give me a break! The bias against Palestinians in the media, in US politics, & in American society in general is so pronounced that Jon Stewart giving Barghoutti more time than Baltzer shouldn’t bother anyone who seeks balance. He’s just redressing an imbalance, imo. I say Bravo! Jon Stewart!
thanks to Jon Stewart Anne Baltzer and Mustafa Barghouti for exposing the other facet to the palestinian israeli conflict
@Neighbor you got pigeon holed. Both Baltzer and Barghouti wrote a book together, it shows it in the beginning that’s why they are on the show! So they stand on the same side of the argument.
I haven’t seen the clips yet although I will as soon as I get a chance. I just want to say, my admiration for Jon Stewart knows no bounds!! I will definitely send the Daily SHow a letter to show my support
Re: “They didn’t host the Palestinian side. They hosted the equal rights side. That’s why they had two guests: one Palestinian, one Israeli.â€
Anna Baltzer is not Israeli, she just happens to be of Jewish background. They are both on the same side, the Palestinian side.
It is not often that we get the chance to hear moderates from both sides. I take my hat off for Jon Steward for standing his ground and both of Ms. Baltzer and Dr. Barghouti for standing up for what they and many others on all sides believe in.
Thank you for presenting the other side of the issue on american Tv/media… hope more will do the same. Thank you again for your courage.
Thanks for letting me know about this, I just sent a letter. As someone said above-its really rare you hear both moderate sides, especially in corporate media. hopefully we’ll be hearing more!
Great work. Took a lot of courage!
in 1776 goerge washington killed lots of dudes also english slave traders of africa afrcian history with slaves orca staragited wierodos who make them like bush gotta go