beachside during daytime

From Economy of Occupation to Economy of Genocide

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“Booking Holdings Inc. and Airbnb, Inc. list properties and hotel rooms in Israeli colonies. Booking.com has more than doubled its listings in the West Bank–from 26 in 2018 to 70 by May 2023–and tripled its East Jerusalem listings to 39 in the year post-October 2023. Airbnb has also amplified its colonial profiteering, growing from 13 listings in 2016 to 350 in 2025, collecting up to 23 per cent commission. These listings are linked with restricting Palestinian access to land and endangering nearby villages. In Tekoa, Airbnb enables settler promotion of a ‘warm and loving community’, whitewashing settler violence against the neighbouring Palestinian village of Tuqu’.”


J.T.

palestine flags waving behind tree

KEEPING OUR EYES ON GAZA

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In the midst of everything else going in the world, yes, it takes work to remain engaged.

Yes, it’s not fair to you.

Nonetheless, yes, simply remembering is still one of the most important acts we can take part in as citizens of the world.

Earlier this week I was fortunate enough to be connected to Shmily Shatha, an artist from none other than Gaza whose life has been upended going on nearly two years now, yet who still finds a way to express hope through her artwork. Along with her friends in Los Angeles, Shmily is selling her original illustrations, one sticker and tee shirt at a time. To learn more about her and how you can support, please find her heartfelt message below.

A map of historic Palestine overseen by a white dove. Shmily Shatha, November 2024.
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FROM L.A. TO KHAN YUNIS: ALL EYES ON GAZA

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LET THE CITY KNOW:

You can also watch this episode via YouTube.

In this installment of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast, guest David Cowen and I discuss his being diagnosed with bipolar disorder as early as when he was 21 years old, Kabbalah and Zionism, Israel’s genocide through forced starvation in Gaza, as well as rising homelessness in Los Angeles and California.

We also shout out a special fundraising campaign for Khaled, only five months old as his family flees south from Gaza to the border with Sudan due to Israel’s latest campaign against the Palestinian people, known as “Operation Gideon’s Chariots II.” To learn more about Ibrahim and Nagham’s campaign for Khaled, please do so here.

From David: “Dave Cowen turns the religious into humor, finds the ​s​piritual in the digital, and makes serious comics fun. His popular series of comedy Haggadahs for the Jewish holiday of Passover have been featured in The New York Times and include parodies of Trump, Seinfeld, Curb Your Enthusiasm, Mel Brooks, Kanye West, and The Office. His debut graphic novel, 11 years in the making, AN IMPERFECT UNION, is available on his Substack SerioComics, which also includes Q&As with the best makers of ​g​raphic literature today such as Pulitzer Prize winner Tessa Hulls, Eisner winner Shannon Wheeler, ​Melissa Chan and Badiucao, Sina Grace, Yasmeen Abedifard​, etc.​ Follow his stories and more on Instagram at (@_davecowen_).”

Thank you also to Nicolas Jara (@nicthejara) for video, Jacob on Sound (@fuller.sound), and Esteban (@marsbuiltstudio) for sharing his space for this discussion.

J.T.

CHILDREN’S MARCH FOR PALESTINE IN DOWNTOWN L.A.

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(0:37) We are 5.4 million renters in Los Angeles County, which is the richest county in the nation by a long shot. But about 3 million of us are rent-burdened, or paying more than half our monthly income on rent

(2:16) BTW: Remember to check out the latest from Making a Neighborhood

(2:44) Ron DeSantis and Gavin Newsom debate. Why does it matter?

(3:21) Yes, there were more important things to do besides watching this debate. At the same time…

(3:55) Dianne Feinstein’s sudden death while in office is, or should be, instructional

(4:49) Feinstein’s passing has led to a brand new race for CA-30’s Congressional District, among other things

(5:29) If Feinstein can pass away while still in office like she did, so can Joe Biden; that’s why Newsom is out there

(7:27) For what it’s worth, Newsom definitely left DeSantis in the dust through the debate

(9:09) To most people, politicians are hacks and grifters; while there’s a lot of merit to this, there are also tens of thousands of people who are employed or not depending on which one of them is office. That’s also what we vote on

(10:06) A good example of this is Rick Caruso vs Karen Bass. Bass was the standout choice for too many voters not just for her personality, but for her broader network with and for communities of color

(11:20) Speaking of Los Angeles, INDEPENDENT REDISTRICTING IS COMING TO L.A. IN 2024

(12:28) This is a moment for all the advocates, for all those who’ve called out L.A. City Hall’s back-room deals on city and community mapping over the last few decades

(13:14) Now, as for expanding the number of L.A. City Council seats; that’s still a work in progress…

(14:04) Think about it though: L.A. City Hall already struggles to provide services with 15 Council Members; if 10 more are suddenly added, what’s to guarantee that their offices wouldn’t also be understaffed?

(15:36) For more on this and other ways of remaking L.A. City Hall, check out L.A. Forward

(16:00) BTW: Have you subscribed to Making a Neighborhood yet??

(18:02) The latest from Making a Neighborhood is on JVP’s Ceasefire March and Rally in Hollywood!

(19:20) As for more actions for Palestine this weekend, consider the following…

(20:21) BTW: These marches are against the U.S.’s war on the people of Gaza, not just against Israel; it’s U.S. tax dollars which fund Israel’s military

(21:04) Children’s March for Palestine: Saturday at 12 PM at Grand Park in downtown L.A.; supporters include: Students for Justice in Palestine: IVC, Latino Musulmana de America, Our Califas Brown Berets, and more

(21:49) Writers for Palestine: Saturday at 6:30 PM at Beyond Baroque in Venice. Fundraiser for the Palestine Children’s Relief Fund: Readers include Rhys Langston, who we’ve interviewed on the show, Armine Iknadossian, Paasha Motamedi, and more

(22:56) Gentrification and Genocide: Sunday at 9 AM at the Normandie Recreation Center. Organizers include: The L.A. Tenants Union and Palestinian Youth Movement

(24:25) Oh, and before I forget: We have another critical guest interview coming up soon concerning L.A. City Council and the upcoming ballot. Stay vigilant and stay tuned. And let the city know.

(25:23) Remember to follow/subscribe to J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast! You’re gonna need it, especially through 2024

To make a one-time donation to my fundraiser for the 9th anniversary of JIMBO TIMES, please do so through jmbtms.com. To support the production of J.T. the L.A. Storyteller Podcast, please check out my PATREON.

J.T.