Adam Shapiro
Encyclopedia
Adam Shapiro is an American co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement
(ISM), a pro-Palestinian
organization, the stated mission of which is to bring civilians from around the world to resist nonviolently the Israeli occupation of West Bank
and previously the Gaza Strip
. He became famous for visiting Yasser Arafat
in his Mukataa
(government palace) in Ramallah
while it was besieged during the March 2002 Israeli military operation in the West Bank and Gaza
.
Shapiro received his B.A.
in political science and history from Washington University in St. Louis in 1993. He subsequently spent a year studying Arabic
in Yemen
after receiving his M.A.
in Arab studies at Georgetown University
. He received his M.A. in political science from New York University
. He is currently pursuing a doctorate at American University
in Washington.
started with his involvement with "Seeds of Peace
," an organization seeks to foster dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian youth. In 2001, he was Co-Director of the Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem. There he met Huwaida Arraf
, a Christian
Palestinian American
, whom he married in 2002. In 2001 they co-founded the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
During the 2002 Israeli incursions into the West Bank and Gaza, ISM members would ride in ambulances in the hope of expediting their passage through checkpoints. Shapiro, who was living in Ramallah, volunteered with Irish
activist Caoimhe Butterly
to ride in ambulances. He recounts hearing that there were wounded people at the headquarters of Yasser Arafat
, President of the Palestinian National Authority
, and "several members of the movement marched by Israeli tanks into the Palestinian leader's office." Trapped inside by Israeli fire towards the compound, they remained overnight and Shapiro had breakfast with Arafat. Shapiro was allowed to leave when a doctor took his place. At the time he left the compound, over 300 people were inside, mostly policemen, though also civilian employees at the headquarters.
Shapiro's visit to Arafat's headquarters was reported in the American press. A New York Post
columnist labeled him "the Jewish Taliban", after John Walker Lindh
, "the American Taliban" who was captured serving in the Taliban army in Afghanistan. Shapiro's life was threatened, as well as that of his family, credit for which was taken by local chapters of Betar
and the Jewish Defense League
. His parents were temporarily forced out of their home by threats.
Shapiro explained his actions to the New York Times:
On a subsequent trip to Israel, Shapiro was arrested, jailed, and ordered deported after he and others chained themselves to a checkpoint. Shapiro stated that he left Israel of his own accord, and vowed to appeal, though he stated he was starting a doctoral program at American University
. According to Shapiro's Israeli lawyer, little can be done to stop the deportation as Israeli law gives the Minister of the Interior broad discretion to issue deportation orders. Israeli government spokesman Capt. Joseph Dallal stated, "It's unfortunate that time has to be spent on removing people who are there just to cause provocation."
interview, Paula Zahn asked Shapiro about the Palestine Chronicle article in which he wrote: "Palestinian resistance must take on a variety of characteristics, both violent and nonviolent. But most importantly, it must develop a strategy involving both aspects. Nonviolent resistance
is no less noble than carrying out a suicide operation." According to Zahn, Shapiro's writings could bring some people "to the conclusion that you were promoting suicide bombing". Shapiro responded: "You have to deal with the reality on the ground. The reality on the ground is that Palestinians are living in a context of extreme violence. The occupation itself is violence, as has been pointed out by many international organizations, including the United Nations."
, the first documentary after the 2003 invasion of Iraq
. It features the return to Baghdad of the poet Sinan Antoon
. In a Democracy Now interview Shapiro said: "I think it's hard to compare although what we’re seeing today in Iraq, unfortunately, and really tragically, is very reminiscent and of the tactics of the occupying forces that we find among Israeli forces."
In 2006 Shapiro, with Aisha Bain and Jen Marlowe, released Darfur Diaries. Filmmakers explored the history of the conflict in Darfur
and interviewed refugees and displaced persons, particularly victimized women and children. Shapiro explained his interest in a Democracy Now interview, saying: "[J]ust looking around and seeing what I had been doing in the Occupied Territories, the recent film I had done in Iraq, I realized that if nobody else was going to do it, then it's incumbent upon us as individuals to try to do whatever we could."
Shapiro's next documentary, Chronicles of the Refugee, is a six-part documentary series about the experiences of Palestinian refugees worldwide. Shapiro conducted over 250 interviews in 18 countries. It was filmed for Palestinian and Arab audiences.
He was inspired by his experiences trying to find homes for Palestinian refugees fleeing Iraq and having trouble finding countries to offer asylum and resettlement.
International Solidarity Movement
The International Solidarity Movement is an organization focused on assisting the Palestinian cause in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict using nonviolent protests. It was founded in 2001 by Ghassan Andoni, a Palestinian activist; Neta Golan, an Israeli activist; Huwaida Arraf, a...
(ISM), a pro-Palestinian
Palestinian nationalism
Palestinian nationalism is the national movement of the Palestinian people. It has roots in Pan-Arabism and other movements rejecting colonialism and calling for national independence. More recently, Palestinian Nationalism is expressed through the Israeli–Palestinian conflict...
organization, the stated mission of which is to bring civilians from around the world to resist nonviolently the Israeli occupation of West Bank
West Bank
The West Bank ) of the Jordan River is the landlocked geographical eastern part of the Palestinian territories located in Western Asia. To the west, north, and south, the West Bank shares borders with the state of Israel. To the east, across the Jordan River, lies the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan...
and previously the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. He became famous for visiting Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
in his Mukataa
Mukataa
Mukataa is the name used to refer to the offices and administrative centers of the Palestinian National Authority.Mukataas were mostly built during the British Mandate as Tegart forts and were used both as British government centers and as dwellings for the British administrative staff. Some...
(government palace) in Ramallah
Ramallah
Ramallah is a Palestinian city in the central West Bank located 10 kilometers north of Jerusalem, adjacent to al-Bireh. It currently serves as the de facto administrative capital of the Palestinian National Authority...
while it was besieged during the March 2002 Israeli military operation in the West Bank and Gaza
Operation Defensive Shield
Operation Defensive Shield was a large-scale military operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces in 2002, during the course of the Second Intifada. It was the largest military operation in the West Bank since the 1967 Six-Day War. The operation was an attempt by the Israeli army to stop the...
.
Early life and family
Shapiro was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and brought up in a Jewish home, but he doesn't "identify as Jewish. I see it as a religion rather than an ethnicity and, as I have no religious feelings, I don't regard myself as Jewish."Shapiro received his B.A.
Bachelor of Arts
A Bachelor of Arts , from the Latin artium baccalaureus, is a bachelor's degree awarded for an undergraduate course or program in either the liberal arts, the sciences, or both...
in political science and history from Washington University in St. Louis in 1993. He subsequently spent a year studying Arabic
Arabic language
Arabic is a name applied to the descendants of the Classical Arabic language of the 6th century AD, used most prominently in the Quran, the Islamic Holy Book...
in Yemen
Yemen
The Republic of Yemen , commonly known as Yemen , is a country located in the Middle East, occupying the southwestern to southern end of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by Saudi Arabia to the north, the Red Sea to the west, and Oman to the east....
after receiving his M.A.
Master of Arts (postgraduate)
A Master of Arts from the Latin Magister Artium, is a type of Master's degree awarded by universities in many countries. The M.A. is usually contrasted with the M.S. or M.Sc. degrees...
in Arab studies at Georgetown University
Georgetown University
Georgetown University is a private, Jesuit, research university whose main campus is in the Georgetown neighborhood of Washington, D.C. Founded in 1789, it is the oldest Catholic university in the United States...
. He received his M.A. in political science from New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
. He is currently pursuing a doctorate at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
in Washington.
Activism
His interest in the Palestinian causePalestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
started with his involvement with "Seeds of Peace
Seeds of Peace
Seeds of Peace is a peacebuilding youth organization based in New York City. It was founded in 1993. As its main program, the organization brings youth from areas of conflict to its international camp in Maine. It also provides regional programming to support Seeds of Peace graduates, known as...
," an organization seeks to foster dialogue between Israeli and Palestinian youth. In 2001, he was Co-Director of the Center for Coexistence in Jerusalem. There he met Huwaida Arraf
Huwaida Arraf
Huwaida Arraf is a Palestinian Christian human rights activist, lawyer and co-founder of the International Solidarity Movement , a Palestinian-led organization focused on assisting the Palestinian side of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict using non-violent protests...
, a Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
Palestinian American
Palestinian American
Palestinian Americans are Americans of Palestinian ancestry. It is difficult to say when the first Palestinian immigrants arrived at the United States; however, many of the first immigrants to arrive were Christians escaping persecution from the Ottoman Empire in the late 19th century...
, whom he married in 2002. In 2001 they co-founded the International Solidarity Movement (ISM).
During the 2002 Israeli incursions into the West Bank and Gaza, ISM members would ride in ambulances in the hope of expediting their passage through checkpoints. Shapiro, who was living in Ramallah, volunteered with Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
activist Caoimhe Butterly
Caoimhe Butterly
Caoimhe Butterly is an Irish peace activist who has worked with AIDS victims in Zimbabwe, the homeless in New York, and with Zapatistas in Mexico as well as more recently in the Middle East and Haiti. In 2002, during an Israeli attack in Jenin, she was shot by an Israeli soldier. She spent 16 days...
to ride in ambulances. He recounts hearing that there were wounded people at the headquarters of Yasser Arafat
Yasser Arafat
Mohammed Yasser Abdel Rahman Abdel Raouf Arafat al-Qudwa al-Husseini , popularly known as Yasser Arafat or by his kunya Abu Ammar , was a Palestinian leader and a Laureate of the Nobel Prize. He was Chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization , President of the Palestinian National Authority...
, President of the Palestinian National Authority
Palestinian National Authority
The Palestinian Authority is the administrative organization established to govern parts of the West Bank and Gaza Strip...
, and "several members of the movement marched by Israeli tanks into the Palestinian leader's office." Trapped inside by Israeli fire towards the compound, they remained overnight and Shapiro had breakfast with Arafat. Shapiro was allowed to leave when a doctor took his place. At the time he left the compound, over 300 people were inside, mostly policemen, though also civilian employees at the headquarters.
Shapiro's visit to Arafat's headquarters was reported in the American press. A New York Post
New York Post
The New York Post is the 13th-oldest newspaper published in the United States and is generally acknowledged as the oldest to have been published continuously as a daily, although – as is the case with most other papers – its publication has been periodically interrupted by labor actions...
columnist labeled him "the Jewish Taliban", after John Walker Lindh
John Walker Lindh
John Phillip Walker Lindh is a United States citizen who was captured as an enemy combatant during the United States' 2001 invasion of Afghanistan. He is now serving a 20-year prison sentence in connection with his participation in Afghanistan's Taliban army...
, "the American Taliban" who was captured serving in the Taliban army in Afghanistan. Shapiro's life was threatened, as well as that of his family, credit for which was taken by local chapters of Betar
Betar
The Betar Movement is a Revisionist Zionist youth movement founded in 1923 in Riga, Latvia, by Vladimir Jabotinsky. It has been traditionally linked to the original Herut and then Likud political parties of Israel, and was closely affiliated with the pre-Israel Revisionist Zionist splinter group...
and the Jewish Defense League
Jewish Defense League
The Jewish Defense League is a Jewish organization whose stated goal is to "protect Jews from antisemitism by whatever means necessary"...
. His parents were temporarily forced out of their home by threats.
Shapiro explained his actions to the New York Times:
"I think there's an incorrect supposition that someone who is Jewish necessarily has to stand with Israel, or that someone who is Arab or Muslim has to stand with everything the Palestinians or the Arab countries do. My philosophy is that we're all human beings, and I don't buy into ethnicity and sectarianism. I do what I think is right, and there are plenty of Israelis out there standing with me. Allowing the Palestinians to live in freedom is good for Israel and good for the Jews." Shapiro told the New York Times that some Israeli actions remind him of KristallnachtKristallnachtKristallnacht, also referred to as the Night of Broken Glass, and also Reichskristallnacht, Pogromnacht, and Novemberpogrome, was a pogrom or series of attacks against Jews throughout Nazi Germany and parts of Austria on 9–10 November 1938.Jewish homes were ransacked, as were shops, towns and...
. Such comparisons outrage his critics, but Shapiro argues that the comparisons are valid and chooses them specifically to resonate with Israelis and Jews. In actuality, nonviolence is not enough. Rather, what is needed is nonviolent direct action against the occupation." "The Palestinian resistance must take on a variety of characteristics— both nonviolent and violent. But most importantly it must develop a strategy involving both aspects. No other successful nonviolent movement was able to achieve what it did without a concurrent violent movement. In India militants attacked British outposts and interests while Gandhi conducted his campaign, while the Black Panther Movement and its earlier incarnations existed side-by-side with the Civil Rights Movement in the United States".
On a subsequent trip to Israel, Shapiro was arrested, jailed, and ordered deported after he and others chained themselves to a checkpoint. Shapiro stated that he left Israel of his own accord, and vowed to appeal, though he stated he was starting a doctoral program at American University
American University
American University is a private, Methodist, liberal arts, and research university in Washington, D.C. The university was chartered by an Act of Congress on December 5, 1892 as "The American University", which was approved by President Benjamin Harrison on February 24, 1893...
. According to Shapiro's Israeli lawyer, little can be done to stop the deportation as Israeli law gives the Minister of the Interior broad discretion to issue deportation orders. Israeli government spokesman Capt. Joseph Dallal stated, "It's unfortunate that time has to be spent on removing people who are there just to cause provocation."
Perceived support of terror
In a May 2002 CNNCNN
Cable News Network is a U.S. cable news channel founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. Upon its launch, CNN was the first channel to provide 24-hour television news coverage, and the first all-news television channel in the United States...
interview, Paula Zahn asked Shapiro about the Palestine Chronicle article in which he wrote: "Palestinian resistance must take on a variety of characteristics, both violent and nonviolent. But most importantly, it must develop a strategy involving both aspects. Nonviolent resistance
Nonviolent resistance
Nonviolent resistance is the practice of achieving goals through symbolic protests, civil disobedience, economic or political noncooperation, and other methods, without using violence. It is largely synonymous with civil resistance...
is no less noble than carrying out a suicide operation." According to Zahn, Shapiro's writings could bring some people "to the conclusion that you were promoting suicide bombing". Shapiro responded: "You have to deal with the reality on the ground. The reality on the ground is that Palestinians are living in a context of extreme violence. The occupation itself is violence, as has been pointed out by many international organizations, including the United Nations."
Documentaries
In 2004 Shapiro was part of a collective that released About BaghdadAbout Baghdad
About Baghdad is a documentary film shot in Baghdad, Iraq in 2003. It is the first documentary film to have been made in Iraq following the fall of the Baath regime. The film features the artist Sinan Antoon as he returns to his native Baghdad...
, the first documentary after the 2003 invasion of Iraq
2003 invasion of Iraq
The 2003 invasion of Iraq , was the start of the conflict known as the Iraq War, or Operation Iraqi Freedom, in which a combined force of troops from the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Poland invaded Iraq and toppled the regime of Saddam Hussein in 21 days of major combat operations...
. It features the return to Baghdad of the poet Sinan Antoon
Sinan Antoon
Sinan Antoon is an Iraqi poet and novelist, he also featured in the film About Baghdad and Voices in Wartime.Antoon was born in Baghdad to an Iraqi father and American mother. After emigrating to the United States after the Gulf war, he studied English literature at Baghdad University, and...
. In a Democracy Now interview Shapiro said: "I think it's hard to compare although what we’re seeing today in Iraq, unfortunately, and really tragically, is very reminiscent and of the tactics of the occupying forces that we find among Israeli forces."
In 2006 Shapiro, with Aisha Bain and Jen Marlowe, released Darfur Diaries. Filmmakers explored the history of the conflict in Darfur
Darfur
Darfur is a region in western Sudan. An independent sultanate for several hundred years, it was incorporated into Sudan by Anglo-Egyptian forces in 1916. The region is divided into three federal states: West Darfur, South Darfur, and North Darfur...
and interviewed refugees and displaced persons, particularly victimized women and children. Shapiro explained his interest in a Democracy Now interview, saying: "[J]ust looking around and seeing what I had been doing in the Occupied Territories, the recent film I had done in Iraq, I realized that if nobody else was going to do it, then it's incumbent upon us as individuals to try to do whatever we could."
Shapiro's next documentary, Chronicles of the Refugee, is a six-part documentary series about the experiences of Palestinian refugees worldwide. Shapiro conducted over 250 interviews in 18 countries. It was filmed for Palestinian and Arab audiences.
He was inspired by his experiences trying to find homes for Palestinian refugees fleeing Iraq and having trouble finding countries to offer asylum and resettlement.
External links
- International Solidarity Movement (official)