Kathleen (McGrath) Christison (born 1941) is an American political analyst and author whose primary area of focus is the Israeli–Palestinian conflict.
Kathleen Christison
Occupation(s)
Political analyst, author
For sixteen years, Christison worked as a political analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).[1][2] Between 1963 and 1972, her work concentrated on Vietnam. The last seven years before her resignation from the agency in 1979 saw her work there centered on the Middle East; and according to Robert Dreyfuss's 2005 book Devil's Game: How The United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam (p. 160), "Kathy Christison ... headed the CIA's Egypt desk from 1973 to 1977." Since leaving the CIA, Christison has worked as a free-lance author. She and her husband, Bill Christison, have gained recognition as vocal critics of Israel.[3][4][5] Her articles have been published extensively by the Journal of Palestine Studies[citation needed] as well as in the Electronic Intifada[6] and Adbusters.[7] She is also the author of two books: Perceptions of Palestine: Their Influence on U.S. Middle East Policy (1999 & 2001) and The Wound of Dispossession: Telling the Palestinian Story (2002).[8][9][10]
Christison has described the ideological shift she made from "ReaganRepublican" to foreign-policy critic as "a slow evolution" that was facilitated by the move she and her husband made away from Washington, D.C. to New Mexico.[3]
In her book, Perceptions of Palestine, Christison examines how perceptions, attitudes, and policies of the United States government towards the Palestinians and Israel over the last century have contributed to the irresolution of the conflict.[11] The United States' special relationship with Israel is said by Christison to have undermined Palestinian political claims and downplayed the seriousness of their tragedy.[11] According to the Arab Studies Quarterly, the questioning of this lack of moral equality in American responses and treatments of both Arab and Jewish tragedies is a major theme of Christison's book.[11]
Statements on Israel and the "Israel Lobby"edit
At a panel discussion on the Palestine Papers, held in February 2011 at the University of London, Christison stated that: "I have nothing against Jews, but I want the dismantlement of Israel as a Jewish state. The only way to get there is to talk about it. Nobody imagined apartheid would end either. What happened in those instances should be a model for a Jewish exclusivist government."[12]
At a conference entitled "I Am My Brother's Keeper: Confronting Islamophobia" held at St. Mark's Episcopal Cathedral, Seattle on May 6–7, 2011, Christison stated that "The discourse in this country at the moment is very Islamophobic" and that the "anti-Muslim discourse," is driven by "pressure from the pro-Israel lobby and Islamophobia lobby." She further stated that "Politicians are all afraid of opposing Israel publicly for fear of losing campaign funds." She also stated that "All of the major groups who are involved in promoting Islamophobia are interlinked in many cases; they are the same people in one group or another. They are Christian fundamentalists, Christian Zionists, Tea Partiers, Israeli supporters, and a lot of this Islamophobia comes from Israel but it also comes from Israeli supporters."[13]
Regarding the relative calm in Israel during the previous few years, Christison stated that
The problem is that Israel has peace right now – there is very little terrorism and has been very little terrorism for several years ... What we need to fight for is justice, not peace ... Peace is a benefit to the powerful – it allows the powerful to continue to oppress the powerless ... Justice gives the powerless some kind of voice in resisting – hopefully not violently – the oppression under which they are."[13]
^ abEuphemia Mu (17 October 2005). . Daily Princetonian. Archived from the original on 17 August 2007. Retrieved 2007-07-26.
^"The Insane Brutality of the State of Israel". Arab News. July 24, 2006. Kathleen Christison is a former CIA political analyst and has worked on Middle East issues for 30 years
^. Jamaica Gleaner. August 6, 2006. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007.
^Kathleen Christison (19 July 2006). "Atrocities in the Promised Land". Retrieved 2007-08-21.
^Kathleen Christison and Bill Christison (March–April 2007). "Does the Israeli Tail Wag American Dog?". Adbusters. Retrieved 2007-08-21.
^ abcHusam Mohamed (Fall 2000). "Perceptions of Palestine: Their Influence on U.S. Middle East Policy - Book Review". Arab Studies Quarterly. Retrieved 2007-07-27.[permanent dead link]
^"Jews? Many are just prejudiced" by Jessica Elgot, the Jewish Chronicle Online, February 24, 2011.
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Kathleen McGrath Christison born 1941 is an American political analyst and author whose primary area of focus is the Israeli Palestinian conflict Kathleen ChristisonOccupation s Political analyst author For sixteen years Christison worked as a political analyst for the Central Intelligence Agency CIA 1 2 Between 1963 and 1972 her work concentrated on Vietnam The last seven years before her resignation from the agency in 1979 saw her work there centered on the Middle East and according to Robert Dreyfuss s 2005 book Devil s Game How The United States Helped Unleash Fundamentalist Islam p 160 Kathy Christison headed the CIA s Egypt desk from 1973 to 1977 Since leaving the CIA Christison has worked as a free lance author She and her husband Bill Christison have gained recognition as vocal critics of Israel 3 4 5 Her articles have been published extensively by the Journal of Palestine Studies citation needed as well as in the Electronic Intifada 6 and Adbusters 7 She is also the author of two books Perceptions of Palestine Their Influence on U S Middle East Policy 1999 amp 2001 and The Wound of Dispossession Telling the Palestinian Story 2002 8 9 10 Contents 1 Philosophical bases 2 Statements on Israel and the Israel Lobby 3 Works 3 1 Books 3 2 Articles in the Journal of Palestine Studies 4 ReferencesPhilosophical bases editChristison has described the ideological shift she made from Reagan Republican to foreign policy critic as a slow evolution that was facilitated by the move she and her husband made away from Washington D C to New Mexico 3 In her book Perceptions of Palestine Christison examines how perceptions attitudes and policies of the United States government towards the Palestinians and Israel over the last century have contributed to the irresolution of the conflict 11 The United States special relationship with Israel is said by Christison to have undermined Palestinian political claims and downplayed the seriousness of their tragedy 11 According to the Arab Studies Quarterly the questioning of this lack of moral equality in American responses and treatments of both Arab and Jewish tragedies is a major theme of Christison s book 11 Statements on Israel and the Israel Lobby editAt a panel discussion on the Palestine Papers held in February 2011 at the University of London Christison stated that I have nothing against Jews but I want the dismantlement of Israel as a Jewish state The only way to get there is to talk about it Nobody imagined apartheid would end either What happened in those instances should be a model for a Jewish exclusivist government 12 At a conference entitled I Am My Brother s Keeper Confronting Islamophobia held at St Mark s Episcopal Cathedral Seattle on May 6 7 2011 Christison stated that The discourse in this country at the moment is very Islamophobic and that the anti Muslim discourse is driven by pressure from the pro Israel lobby and Islamophobia lobby She further stated that Politicians are all afraid of opposing Israel publicly for fear of losing campaign funds She also stated that All of the major groups who are involved in promoting Islamophobia are interlinked in many cases they are the same people in one group or another They are Christian fundamentalists Christian Zionists Tea Partiers Israeli supporters and a lot of this Islamophobia comes from Israel but it also comes from Israeli supporters 13 Regarding the relative calm in Israel during the previous few years Christison stated that The problem is that Israel has peace right now there is very little terrorism and has been very little terrorism for several years What we need to fight for is justice not peace Peace is a benefit to the powerful it allows the powerful to continue to oppress the powerless Justice gives the powerless some kind of voice in resisting hopefully not violently the oppression under which they are 13 Works editBooks edit Perceptions of Palestine Their Influence on U S Middle East Policy Hardcover 1999 University of California Press ISBN 0 520 21717 9 1 Updated softcover version released in 2001 The Wound of Dispossession Telling the Palestinian Story 2002 Sunlit Hills Press ISBN 0 9712548 0 X Articles in the Journal of Palestine Studies edit The American Experience Palestinians in the US 1989 Dilemmas of Arab Christianity 1992 Macro Microcosm 1992 The City and Its People 1993 Pax Americana 1995 A Frank Examination 1995 Uneven but Invaluable 1996 US Policy and the Palestinians Bound by a Frame of Reference 1997 US Policy Realities 1997 A Morality Tale 1998 Selective Memory 1999 All Those Old Issues George W Bush and the Palestinian Israeli Conflict 2004 References edit Nicholas Laham 2004 Crossing the Rubicon Ronald Reagan and U S Policy in the Middle East Ashgate Publishing p 116 ISBN 0 7546 3961 4 Naseer Hasan 2003 Dishonest Broker The U S Role in Israel and Palestine South End Press ISBN 0 89608 687 9 a b Euphemia Mu 17 October 2005 Ex CIA officials criticize Israel draw student protestors Daily Princetonian Archived from the original on 17 August 2007 Retrieved 2007 07 26 The Insane Brutality of the State of Israel Arab News July 24 2006 Kathleen Christison is a former CIA political analyst and has worked on Middle East issues for 30 years The Arab Israeli crisis Jamaica Gleaner August 6 2006 Archived from the original on September 27 2007 Kathleen Christison 19 July 2006 Atrocities in the Promised Land Retrieved 2007 08 21 Kathleen Christison and Bill Christison March April 2007 Does the Israeli Tail Wag American Dog Adbusters Retrieved 2007 08 21 Davidson Lawrence Roy 2001 America s Palestine Popular and Official Perceptions from Balfour to Israeli Statehood University Press of Florida p 219 ISBN 0 8130 2421 8 L Davidson 2001 Perceptions of Palestine Their Influence on US Middle East Policy review Shofar An Interdisciplinary Journal of Jewish Studies 20 2 140 141 doi 10 1353 sho 2001 0136 S2CID 170366557 D Hirst Spring 2003 The Gun and the Olive Branch Journal of Palestine Studies 32 3 University of California Press 39 doi 10 1525 jps 2003 32 3 39 a b c Husam Mohamed Fall 2000 Perceptions of Palestine Their Influence on U S Middle East Policy Book Review Arab Studies Quarterly Retrieved 2007 07 27 permanent dead link Jews Many are just prejudiced by Jessica Elgot the Jewish Chronicle Online February 24 2011 a b Israel and Jews Blamed for Islamophobia Archived 2011 10 04 at the Wayback Machine by Jeff Walton Institute on Religion and Democracy IRD May 19 2011 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Kathleen Christison amp oldid 1065022967, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
