MICHAEL LYNK, mslynk@uwo.ca
Lynk is the UN Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the Palestinian Territories. See recent statements from May 18: “Gaza-Israel escalation: End violence now, then work to end occupation, say UN experts” and from May 11: “East Jerusalem: UN experts deplore brutal police response to protests, urge eviction threats to be lifted.”
For updates, see @accuracy Twitter list.
BETH MILLER, via Sonya Meyerson-Knox, sonya@jewishvoiceforpeace.org, @jvplive
HASSAN EL-TAYYAB, hassan@fcnl.org, @HassanElTayyab
Miller and El-Tayyab are able to discuss what the Washington Post is now reporting: “Sen. Bernie Sanders to introduce resolution of disapproval on $735 million U.S. arms sale to Israel.” Miller is government affairs manager with Jewish Voice for Peace. El-Tayyab is legislative manager for Middle East policy for the Friends Committee on National Legislation. He has also worked extensively on stopping U.S. weapons to Saudi Arabia as it has attacked Yemen, see CNN report today.
Unless otherwise noted, the people below are currently in Gaza. Electricity, phone and internet availability can be difficult there, which has been under siege and suffering bombing campaigns by Israel, so connections may be intermittent. Medical personnel of course may be especially difficult to reach. WhatsApp is often the best method of communication. If calling from the U.S., prefix numbers with 011.
MALAK MATAR, Malakmattar47@gmail.com
SIMONA SHARONI, simona.sharoni@gmail.com
Matar is a Palestinian artist in Gaza. See her Facebook page and her recent interview on the BBC. Educated at Haifa University in Israel, Sharoni has facilitated showing Matar’s art in the U.S. She is now professor of women’s and gender studies at Merrimack College, is co-founder of Faculty Against Rape and author of Gender and The Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: The Politics of Women’s Resistance.
REFAAT ALAREER, refatr17@gmail.com, @itranslate123
The New York Times recently published Alareer’s piece “My Child Asks, ‘Can Israel Destroy Our Building if the Power Is Out?’.” Alareer is the co-editor of Gaza Unsilenced. He was among the first to report Israel’s bombing critical infrastructure, including hospitals.
LAILA EL-HADDAD, laila.elhaddad@gmail.com, @gazamom
Now in Maryland, El-Haddad’s books include Gaza Mom: Palestine, Politics, Parenting, and Everything in Between.
RAJI SOURANI, rajisourani@gmail.com, @pchrgaza
Sourani is executive director of the Palestinian Center for Human Rights in Gaza, which just released the statement: “Day 9 of Israeli Offensive on Gaza: Houses Bombarded and More Civilians Displaced.” Sourani is a recipient of the Right Livelihood Award.
MEDHAT ABBAS
Dr. Abbas is the director of the Al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza.
BASEM NAIM, basemn63@gmail.com
Dr. Naim is the Director of the Council on International Relations in Gaza. He served as the Minister of Health in Gaza from 2007 until 2012. See his page on Facebook.
HAIDAR EID, haidareid@gmail.com, @haidareid
Eid is author of the book Worlding and associate professor in the Department of English Literature, Al-Aqsa University. See his writings at Middle East Eye.
MOSHEER AMER, mamer@iugaza.edu.ps, @mosheeramer
Amer is the Director of the Center for Political and Development Studies and an associate professor of linguistics at the Islamic University of Gaza.
YOUSEF AL-HELOU, al-helou.y@hotmail.com, @YousefAlhelou
Al-Helou is a Palestinian journalist from in Gaza and is now in London. See his writing in Middle East Monitor.
MOHAMMED ALQATTAWI, Alqattawi24@gmail.com, @m_alqattawi
Alqattawi is an activist, originally from Gaza, and is now in Istanbul.
ISSAM A. ADWAN, issam@wearenotnumbers.org, @WeAreNotNumbers
Adwan is with the group We Are Not Numbers and was recently on the show “Democracy Now!“
