a visit to forgotten villages

We joined a Zochrot trip to the center of Israel, to land that currently is managed by a local kibbutz. Zochrot, an Israeli organization, coordinates older folks and their families who used to live in the area and commemorates the Nakba and the memory of the village through a ceremony and dialogue. Here, Palestinians who once lived in the destroyed village of Al-Kufrayn post a sign and discuss what the place used to look like with a crowd of Palestinians, Israelis and internationals in attendance. Tension emerged at the end of the program, when an Israeli suggested that all this currently unsettled space could be given to refugees. The kibbutznik who responded said, "This isn't a political discussion. We are here to commemorate the situation only." Maybe even leftist Israelis are hesistant to discuss the right of return...

birthright?

My friends Hannah and Dunya run an amazing program called Birthright Unplugged and Birthright Replugged. In Unplugged, young Jewish people from the US and Canada take part in the opposite of "Birthright Israel," which is a free 10-day propaganda program to create more immigrants Israel, and instead visit the occupied West Bank of Palestine - talking with Palestinian families, organizations, activists and generally figuring out what they can do as young Jewish folks to end this oppression. Here the group visits Munira's home in Mas'ha which is completely surrounded by the Wall and fence. http://www.birthrightunplugged.org

In Replugged, they bring children (before the age of when they are issued an Israeli identification card) from West Bank refugee camps to visit three places they will never see again once the Wall is completed and/or they turn 16: Jerusalem and its holy sites, the ocean, and (prior site of) the now-Israeli village their parents or grandparents were forced to leave. Here the children are displaying their photographs of the trip at their exhibit in Balata refugee camp in Nablus.

a rotten business

Today I accompanied Abu Saed and two Israeli activists from Rabbis for Human Rights, an organization headed by leftist rabbis who, among other things, organize volunteers to come to the West Bank and plant olive trees on disputed land with Palestinians.

Abu Saed is from Hares and his land borders Revava, a nearby Israeli settlement. Yehiel and Yosua from Rabbis for Human Rights brought 100 donated olive tree saplings and tools and the four of us began to unload the van next to the road, the red roofs of Revava visible past the razor wire criss-crossing the land. In a matter of minutes, the private security guards (armed with rifles) from Revava showed up.

"What are you doing?" they asked.
"Planting trees on my land," Abu Saed replied.
The guards insisted that in fact, it was not his land and that it was bought by Revava. Abu Saed was prepared for this, as he brought along the documents proving his ownership. But that wasn't enough... the guards said they will have to "check" so there will be no planting for a few days. We offered to go ahead and plant anyway, but Abu Saed decided he didn't want to risk the trees being pulled out by vengeful settlers (as would probably happen). So we will wait.

As we were putting the tools back into the van, Yosua, 76-year-old man who arrived in Palestine from Germany in 1937 at the age of 6, looked over towards Revava. With the most amazing similarity to Billy Crystal's speech in the Princess Bride, he spoke out loud to no one in particular, "I wish you luck, but this occupation is a rotten business."

video of nablus invasion

Watch a very short film with footage from day one of the nablus invasion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXxFVlUKsiA

People report that the Israeli army is currently leaving Nablus. There are still some soldiers maintaining outposts in occupied houses and the army has not yet "found the wanted persons," leading most residents and experienced volunteers to assume that they will be back within a day or so.

nablus today

Israeli soldiers stand beside a burned out military jeep during a raid in the West Bank City of Nablus February 26, 2007. Israeli forces continued the operation, which began on Sunday, putting 30,000 Palestinians under curfew as soldiers searched for wanted militants. REUTERS/Eliana Aponte (WEST BANK)

Yesterday before sunrise, over 80 military vehicles entered Nablus, the second-largest city in the West Bank. It is now the second day of the Israeli army invasion and more than 30,000 residents are still under curfew, instructed by the army's announcements yesterday via taken-over transmissions from radio and television stations not to leave their homes nor attempt to hide wanted persons.

The army, in vehicles and stationed in houses taken over with force, continue to search homes and buildings, according to major news sources. Already, there has been one death - a 42-year-old Palestinian father, Anan al-Teibi, was shot in his own home today. He was not a wanted person. His 19-year-old son was wounded and currently in the hospital. Numerous people are injured, detained or arrested.

The invading forces are blocking major roadways and hospitals. Volunteer medical teams, such as the Union of Palestinian Medical Relief Committees (UPMRC) work around the clock to supply emergency medical assistance, ambulances, food, and medicine to entrapped families. International activists from IWPS are currently accompanying them in their work, documenting the situation and acting as human rights monitors. IWPS volunteers report that despite the potential violence, many Palestinians are currently resisting this illegal invasion in a non-violent manner by breaking curfew to walk in their own city streets.

There have been at least three reports so far of the army forcing Palestinians to accompany them while walking through the old city and entering and searching buildings. This is known as using people as "human shields." This is explicity made illegal by international humanitarian law, not to mention outlawed by Israel's own Supreme Court in 2005 (not that this sort of thing usually prevents Israel's military or government from doing illegal things anyway).

According the the official IDF website, "Operation Hot Winter" chose to enter Nablus, part of "Area A," or those areas supposedly off-limits to the Israeli military, as they are on the search for weapon laboratories and to "lower the terrorist threat." However, many Palestinian
officials believe this invasion is coming at a time to make sure peace efforts are more impossible to achieve, including a cease-fire and the building of a unity government.

more on israeli activism

Just the other day, a few members of Anarchists Against the Wall were finally tried in court for an action from 2004. Although their lawyer argued the legitimacy of civil resistance in instances of nations breaking international law, they were found guilty. Those on trial pointed out the hypocrisy of the situation and distraction from actual international crime:

"This trial, had it not taken place in a court of the occupation, in the democracy imposed on 3.5 million Palestinian subjects devoid of basic democratic liberties, would have been the trial of the Wall; that same wall that was defined as illegal by the highest legal authority in the world; that same wall that is used as a political tool in the campaign of ethnic cleansing being undertaken by Israel in the Occupied Territories; that same wall that in its previous route, that route of the relevant days, was thrown out even by Israeli courts! It was not us who should have been standing accused here, but rather the architects and enforcers of Israeli Apartheid."

While some received community service hours, Yonatan P. refused to comply with this nor suspended sentences (a conditional sentence resulting in imprisonment if such activities are repeated) and stated he "will ask not to have a conditional sentence imposed... but an active one, as any demonstration taking place in the Occupied Territories is declared illegal assembly, according to the extensive and anti-democratic system of closed military zone warrants. In this state of affairs, any conditional sentence imposed upon me will quickly become an active one." Read more about it HERE.

Yonatan and many other dedicated Israeli activists will continue to demonstrate against apartheid - today is the second-year anniversary of the famous weekly Bil'in village demonstration against the Wall and illegal Israeli settlement expansion. Even though there (someday) may be considerable international pressure for Israel to respect human rights and comply with international law, there must be also be a shift in public opinion in Israel to oppose apartheid and feel responsible for the actions of its government and military. The growth of these and other activist groups is a source of hope - for instance, more young people seem to be refusing and speaking out against required military service. Visit New Profile, a "movement for the civil-ization of Israeli society," which supports conscientious objection. Read the great letter from Shministim, a group of high school seniors condemning the occupation and refusing military service. Consider writing a quick email of support to Hadas Amit, a conscientious objecter serving her fifth consecutive prison term at amitdrch@gmail.com. Take more action supporting these refuseniks HERE.

village of lifta

Lifta is an Arab village that was depopulated in 1948, when Israel declared a state. Located near Jerusalem inside of Israel, Lifta is one of the few remaining "abandoned" villages inside "1948" that have not been demolished or planted with pine trees to cover up the rubble. The people that used to live there are probably scattered in refugee camps in Jordan or the West Bank. Lots of refugee families talk of their grandparents' keys they still keep to their homes in such villages... however, they can't even cross the border into Israel to visit them.

nakba

In mid-May, two holidays occur. One is Yom Ha'atzmaut, or "Israeli Independence Day" to commemorate May 14, 1948 when the British Mandate ended in Israel. It is also the same time as another holiday which is not recognized inside Israel, Nakba Day. The Nakba, or "catastrophe" in Arabic, refers to the displacement of over 750,000 Palestinian residents who lost their lands and homes, and the destruction of over 500 Palestinian towns when the state of Israel was created in 1948. (Zochrot, 2007)

The following comes from Zochrot, an Israeli organization dedicated to commemorating the Nakba, from www.nakbainhebrew.org:

In the Zionist collective memory, Palestine of 1948 was 'a land without a people, for a people without a land.' Yet, the place where Israel was founded was never empty. This was home to almost one million Palestinians living in over 700 villages and cities, most of which were depopulated and renamed in the period during and immediately following 1948. The Palestinians who were expelled during the Nakba have since grown to become the largest refugee population in the world. In addition, within Israel a quarter of a million Palestinians live as 'internally dispaced' refugees - citizens in their country but defined by law as 'absentees,' denied the right to their land, homes and property.

The Nakba is the central, unspoken trauma at the core of the Israel/Palestine conflict. Bringing the Nakba to light, and undoing its ongoing injustice, is essential to achieving reconciliation between all the peoples of this land.

It is because of this event and the subsequent war of 1967 that there exists an estimated 5.5 million Palestinian refugees or displaced people living in Palestine (including refugee camps), abroad, or inside Israel (Passia.org, 2007). In 2005, the number of displaced people was equal to 74% of the total worldwide Palestinian population. With this situation, it is unrealistic for peace negotiations to not include anything about the "Right of Return," or the right of Palestinians to return to the land from which they were forced to flee in 1948. It is a stated human right in numerous international doctrines and United Nations resolutions.

Palestinian families leaving behind their homes, olive trees and planted fields in Al-Faluja Village, 1948. (Photo: Palestinian Refugees: Photo Album)

anarchists against the wall

Anarchists blockade downtown Tel Aviv for the second time in a month (photo: www.awalls.org)

You know how sometimes activists in the states are viewed as irritating to conservative or just sort of liberal folks? It seems radical activists living in Israel have it way worse - most of these folks are despised by Israelis. Not only did they probably get out of military service via refusal or something else, but they also stand against everything Israel is built upon: namely, Zionism, an ethnic state, borders, walls, and a military culture. Not ALL Israelis support what's going on in Palestine: there are quite a few "Zionist Left" organizations which are opposed to the occupation only, but very few on the radical left really challenging Israeli apartheid. Despite low numbers (Israeli is a tiny place), they create thought-provoking actions often. Click here for a video and more press: http://awalls.org/Rothschild_video