Saturday, March 26, 2005
please see this!
If you are in any of the places this show is touring, please consider checking out "An Olive on the Seder Plate": a multimedia performance exploring how progressive Jews wrestle with the Israeli military occupation of the West Bank and Gaza Strip. It's funny and incredible and I highly recommend it: http://www.libertycabbage.org/
Friday, March 25, 2005
soldiers
Kids in army uniforms are everywhere. When you turn 18 years old as an Israeli citizen, you begin your 3 year mandatory military service. It has become part of the normal every day life in Israel to sit on a bus next to green-clad soldiers with backpacks heading home for the weekend or to see teenaged girls shopping with rifles slung across their backs. Initially it is shocking to see someone who looks like they are in middle school holding a gun, but you sort of get over it and just begin to accept it as normal.
Do they want to be there? There seem to be a lot of answers. Some Israelis I've met say: No way, this is slavery, completely forced on me, I would rather be studying/ working/ traveling/ doing anything else but giving away 3 years of my youth. Others say: I don’t like it but it is necessary for my country, or the famous “I’m just doing my job” line. Still others probably love the power it gives them.
What is it like here in Palestine when high-schoolers have guns, camo, and a walkie-talkie? I still think that lots of 18 year olds in any society are trying to get out of being treated like a kid... finally here they are able to call the shots. They can control other people’s lives now! And too often, you see it at checkpoints or demonstrations where these young people act in an unnecessarily violent or condescending manner towards Palestinians.
Why don’t the ones who hate it find some way out of it? There are some ways to do so – psychological or physical exemption, claiming you are a pacifist (but this only works if you are female!?!), etc. I asked a couple of people why more don’t find a way out if they would rather not be there, and the answer was basically that it is really looked down upon to do that... of course most people this age just want to fit in and be accepted.
What about refusing? Well, not only are you probably outcast from the mainstream youth culture, but you also might face jail time. However, the movement of “refuseniks” is growing; and it is a really exciting thing to hear. Last week at a demonstration, I met an 18 year old anarchist who told me about an action at her high school involving chaining herself to fence in protest of a visit from a military lecturer. So there is hope for changing this increasingly militarized, violence-is-normal society. Click here to read an inspiring and awesome letter written by high school students refusing to join the military: http://www.shministim.org/letterenglish.html
Do they want to be there? There seem to be a lot of answers. Some Israelis I've met say: No way, this is slavery, completely forced on me, I would rather be studying/ working/ traveling/ doing anything else but giving away 3 years of my youth. Others say: I don’t like it but it is necessary for my country, or the famous “I’m just doing my job” line. Still others probably love the power it gives them.
What is it like here in Palestine when high-schoolers have guns, camo, and a walkie-talkie? I still think that lots of 18 year olds in any society are trying to get out of being treated like a kid... finally here they are able to call the shots. They can control other people’s lives now! And too often, you see it at checkpoints or demonstrations where these young people act in an unnecessarily violent or condescending manner towards Palestinians.
Why don’t the ones who hate it find some way out of it? There are some ways to do so – psychological or physical exemption, claiming you are a pacifist (but this only works if you are female!?!), etc. I asked a couple of people why more don’t find a way out if they would rather not be there, and the answer was basically that it is really looked down upon to do that... of course most people this age just want to fit in and be accepted.
What about refusing? Well, not only are you probably outcast from the mainstream youth culture, but you also might face jail time. However, the movement of “refuseniks” is growing; and it is a really exciting thing to hear. Last week at a demonstration, I met an 18 year old anarchist who told me about an action at her high school involving chaining herself to fence in protest of a visit from a military lecturer. So there is hope for changing this increasingly militarized, violence-is-normal society. Click here to read an inspiring and awesome letter written by high school students refusing to join the military: http://www.shministim.org/letterenglish.html
Thursday, March 17, 2005
enclosed
Today we visited the home of Muneera, a woman living with her husband and 6 children in the village of Mas’ha. But instead of just walking into her home like any normal place, we are again reminded that this is Palestine, and people are not free to do whatever they wish.
Muneera’s home is completely, on all sides, surrounded by the Israeli “security fence.” When you look from the house, you see a giant cement wall out the door. The rest of the enclosure is made up of a tall metal fence with barbed wire curling around the top. There is one door-sized gate in the fence next to the cement wall. This is how Muneera lets us in with the key the army gave her. Her family must unlock and lock the gate each time they enter or leave.
About 50 yards behind the house is Elkana settlement, built 15 years ago. Just like having a new housing development built behind your home, right? Except this week she told us that the residents (settlers) were throwing stones at their house, making loud noises in the middle of the night and reminding the Palestinian family of their sad situation.
Muneera’s home was built 33 years ago and she has lived there for 23. So when Israel notified her that there was to be a settlement built on her land, and that she would have to relocate, she refused. Even with some compensation, it is not very acceptable in Palestinian society to sell their land to Israelis and to increase excuses for military occupation. Muneera chose to stay because it is her home and show it to the world with the hope that publicizing this ridiculous situation could bring about change.
The family lives an uncomfortable life. Her husband’s greenhouses and chicken farm were destroyed during the beginning of the second intifada, leaving little income for the family. Muneera tells us that the children are not healthy emotionally, growing up in a cage atmosphere where friends’ parents refuse to allow visits. And she leaves very infrequently, fearing that if no one is in the house, something will happen to it.
There is one beautiful thing here. With the assistance of some local organizations and a mural artist, children from the village gathered here last year and painted bright scenery of birds flying and other images of peaceful lives onto the gray cement wall. (see photos!)
Muneera’s home is completely, on all sides, surrounded by the Israeli “security fence.” When you look from the house, you see a giant cement wall out the door. The rest of the enclosure is made up of a tall metal fence with barbed wire curling around the top. There is one door-sized gate in the fence next to the cement wall. This is how Muneera lets us in with the key the army gave her. Her family must unlock and lock the gate each time they enter or leave.
About 50 yards behind the house is Elkana settlement, built 15 years ago. Just like having a new housing development built behind your home, right? Except this week she told us that the residents (settlers) were throwing stones at their house, making loud noises in the middle of the night and reminding the Palestinian family of their sad situation.
Muneera’s home was built 33 years ago and she has lived there for 23. So when Israel notified her that there was to be a settlement built on her land, and that she would have to relocate, she refused. Even with some compensation, it is not very acceptable in Palestinian society to sell their land to Israelis and to increase excuses for military occupation. Muneera chose to stay because it is her home and show it to the world with the hope that publicizing this ridiculous situation could bring about change.
The family lives an uncomfortable life. Her husband’s greenhouses and chicken farm were destroyed during the beginning of the second intifada, leaving little income for the family. Muneera tells us that the children are not healthy emotionally, growing up in a cage atmosphere where friends’ parents refuse to allow visits. And she leaves very infrequently, fearing that if no one is in the house, something will happen to it.
There is one beautiful thing here. With the assistance of some local organizations and a mural artist, children from the village gathered here last year and painted bright scenery of birds flying and other images of peaceful lives onto the gray cement wall. (see photos!)
Tuesday, March 08, 2005
stones and bullets
For the past couple of days, Ana and I have been sitting at a bus station in Qawara Bani Zeit. Well, really a covered blue cement bench next to a road. We were sitting there as it is right next to the boys’ school. In the past, there have been some pretty serious interactions with the army in the schoolyard.
Often, military jeeps will pass through the town. You know it because the whole community starts this whistling to alert everyone else at the other end. The armored trucks seem to slow down at the boys’ school, (some will say) provoking youth to respond by throwing stones. The soldiers can retaliate as they see fit... tossing loud sound bombs or tear gas into the schoolyard, shooting rubber bullets, or perhaps live ammunition as they did in 2003, killing 2 kids. Another time, some students were chased out to a nearby hillside where 16-year-old Rafat was seriously injured from gunshots. Kids are harassed on their way to school, sometimes prevented from arriving, and in general, seem to be targeted for little games by soldiers.
You will often see photos of Palestinian shebab (young boys and men) hurling stones at protests towards soldiers. I’ve seen it at demonstrations, too. Stone throwing is a complicated issue. People debate whether or not it is a nonviolent act. Tossing stones at bulletproof tanks will not likely cause harm, but I think it can be argued that it intends to... rendering it, in my opinion, as NOT a nonviolent act of resistance. What it definitely DOES do is encourage soldiers to respond with crowd-dispersing or deathly weapons, that is for sure. Why do they do it in the first place? At the most recent protest, I asked an 18-year-old what he thought about it... he replied that the soldiers have guns, Israel has bulldozers, what else do these kids have... nothing but the ground they are standing on.
Often, military jeeps will pass through the town. You know it because the whole community starts this whistling to alert everyone else at the other end. The armored trucks seem to slow down at the boys’ school, (some will say) provoking youth to respond by throwing stones. The soldiers can retaliate as they see fit... tossing loud sound bombs or tear gas into the schoolyard, shooting rubber bullets, or perhaps live ammunition as they did in 2003, killing 2 kids. Another time, some students were chased out to a nearby hillside where 16-year-old Rafat was seriously injured from gunshots. Kids are harassed on their way to school, sometimes prevented from arriving, and in general, seem to be targeted for little games by soldiers.
You will often see photos of Palestinian shebab (young boys and men) hurling stones at protests towards soldiers. I’ve seen it at demonstrations, too. Stone throwing is a complicated issue. People debate whether or not it is a nonviolent act. Tossing stones at bulletproof tanks will not likely cause harm, but I think it can be argued that it intends to... rendering it, in my opinion, as NOT a nonviolent act of resistance. What it definitely DOES do is encourage soldiers to respond with crowd-dispersing or deathly weapons, that is for sure. Why do they do it in the first place? At the most recent protest, I asked an 18-year-old what he thought about it... he replied that the soldiers have guns, Israel has bulldozers, what else do these kids have... nothing but the ground they are standing on.
Saturday, March 05, 2005
the other palestine
The other day, a friend of one of the organization’s members invited us all to his home for a meal in the village of Yassouf. After stuffing us full of amazing Palestinian food, he brought us to a nearby garden. In fact, it was a community garden! And it was really, really old and so green. Lots of lemon and orange trees with tons growing, budding pomegranate and fig trees, a natural spring running through it... really awesome. He brought us to his spot, gave us lemons and told us to come back when the vegetables are growing and the occupation is over so we can see what a lovely country this really is.
Friday, March 04, 2005
roadblocks and flying checkpoints
As I said before, things are just so ridiculous. Maybe an example to describe what I mean:
Yesterday in the late afternoon, the house received a phone call from a Palestinian friend, a woman who was on her way to our home for a women’s group workshop on using the internet. Apparently she had been waiting over an hour at a checkpoint not too far away in Azzawiye. Could we help move it along at all?
Renee and I left for the ride over. It took two taxis to get there because you have to change at Qawara as there are 5 giant cement blocks in the middle of the road. This is called a “roadblock.” It prevents people from moving their vehicles (and whatever they may be carrying in them: furniture, oranges, old people...) on their own roads.
We arrived at the checkpoint and found about 30 cars lined up and about 60 people waiting in line on each side. A “checkpoint” is usually a permanent spot with a few Israeli soldiers checking everyone’s ID card and inspecting cars. This one was a “flying checkpoint,” or a temporary one set up for the afternoon, day, week, year, who knows.
The checkpoint was guarded by 4 bored teenagers dressed in army fatigues. I have to say, these were the most obnoxious soldiers I had come across yet. One stood off to the side on a grassy hill smoking, presumably on some sort of break, a sunglassed commander strolled around doing nothing, while the other two slowly SLOWLY checked people and cars through one or two at a time, mostly in an impatient and rude manner. For some reason it seemed like our presence of somebody watching from the sidelines (taking photos and writing pretend notes) encouraged the soldiers to move a little quicker.
At one point, people were not lined up appropriately, and the soldier sent the ones he called forward back into the line and made everyone stand behind an imaginary line in the road and start over. After he called the next young man forward, the soldier had him empty his bags and pockets and lift his shirt and pant legs to check for whoknowswhat. It made me so angry... the Palestinian people have immense patience to deal with this on a daily basis.
A waiting Palestinian man called us over and pointed behind him, “These older women have been here for 2 hours. One is diabetic and shaking and needs to get through.” It is a human rights violation to not allow sick people to pass. After forcefully letting the soldiers know this info, the very ill woman walked across with the assistance of two people. The soldier almost didn’t let the people accompanying her cross over as well...
Someone told me that if you want to get someplace on time in Palestine, you need to leave a day early. It is so true! You never know when you will be waiting in line for two hours at a checkpoint, whether one day a new roadblock will appear on your way to work, or if you will simply be refused entry through a passage for some reason. It is obvious that it is not a very strategic way to ensure “security” as Israel would have us believe... it seems a lot more like it is a way to keep Palestinians from moving freely, reminding them who is “in charge” of this land, and basically wearing down spirit and energy to struggle against this occupation.
What would you do if you were forced to be completely submissive to some kid with a gun to somehow protect his people from yours, practically every single day?
Yesterday in the late afternoon, the house received a phone call from a Palestinian friend, a woman who was on her way to our home for a women’s group workshop on using the internet. Apparently she had been waiting over an hour at a checkpoint not too far away in Azzawiye. Could we help move it along at all?
Renee and I left for the ride over. It took two taxis to get there because you have to change at Qawara as there are 5 giant cement blocks in the middle of the road. This is called a “roadblock.” It prevents people from moving their vehicles (and whatever they may be carrying in them: furniture, oranges, old people...) on their own roads.
We arrived at the checkpoint and found about 30 cars lined up and about 60 people waiting in line on each side. A “checkpoint” is usually a permanent spot with a few Israeli soldiers checking everyone’s ID card and inspecting cars. This one was a “flying checkpoint,” or a temporary one set up for the afternoon, day, week, year, who knows.
The checkpoint was guarded by 4 bored teenagers dressed in army fatigues. I have to say, these were the most obnoxious soldiers I had come across yet. One stood off to the side on a grassy hill smoking, presumably on some sort of break, a sunglassed commander strolled around doing nothing, while the other two slowly SLOWLY checked people and cars through one or two at a time, mostly in an impatient and rude manner. For some reason it seemed like our presence of somebody watching from the sidelines (taking photos and writing pretend notes) encouraged the soldiers to move a little quicker.
At one point, people were not lined up appropriately, and the soldier sent the ones he called forward back into the line and made everyone stand behind an imaginary line in the road and start over. After he called the next young man forward, the soldier had him empty his bags and pockets and lift his shirt and pant legs to check for whoknowswhat. It made me so angry... the Palestinian people have immense patience to deal with this on a daily basis.
A waiting Palestinian man called us over and pointed behind him, “These older women have been here for 2 hours. One is diabetic and shaking and needs to get through.” It is a human rights violation to not allow sick people to pass. After forcefully letting the soldiers know this info, the very ill woman walked across with the assistance of two people. The soldier almost didn’t let the people accompanying her cross over as well...
Someone told me that if you want to get someplace on time in Palestine, you need to leave a day early. It is so true! You never know when you will be waiting in line for two hours at a checkpoint, whether one day a new roadblock will appear on your way to work, or if you will simply be refused entry through a passage for some reason. It is obvious that it is not a very strategic way to ensure “security” as Israel would have us believe... it seems a lot more like it is a way to keep Palestinians from moving freely, reminding them who is “in charge” of this land, and basically wearing down spirit and energy to struggle against this occupation.
What would you do if you were forced to be completely submissive to some kid with a gun to somehow protect his people from yours, practically every single day?
settlers, outposts, plowing, and pruning
I was surprised when i first saw Magid pruning his olive trees. He was sawing off huge branches instead of the small pieces one usually prunes off of trees to keep them growing in a suitable shape. Turns out it was the first time Muhammad and Magid (brothers) had been out to maintain their fields in four years (since the the second intifada).
Today I went with an Israeli activist group called rabbis for human rights on a seasonal outing: accompanying Palestinian farmers in plowing their fields and pruning in their olive groves. I went along with a few other international observers, Magid, Muhammad, his little son Jamal, and their mother to their land near the small village of Awarta near the Palestinian city of Nablus. The brothers spent all morning plowing with the help of their mule and pruning back the surrounding trees. It was tough work as it had not been tended to in four years...
It sounds like a nice afternoon and it was... until the 8 young Israeli settlers came by with guns strapped across their backs. You see, the brothers’ agricultural land is located in a fertile valley surrounded by low hills. Up on these hills, you can see a number of trailer house type things, with some electric lines protruding from the rocky landscape. If you squint your eyes, you can make out a tall wire fence with barbed wire encasing these trailers. These spots are called “outposts.” They are Israeli “pioneers” (at least that is what they usually see themselves as) who often believe they are claiming their biblical right to the land of the West Bank. Many are sure that once they create temporary housing (trailers), and start to create an infrastructure around it (electricity, water lines, roads, etc.) then the next logical step is permanent buildings and the development of an “Israeli” town. Which is what tends to happen. The only problem is that it is really in Palestinian land! And they have settled there illegally! The settlers really are the scariest people here, to me. They answer to no one (as opposed to the Israeli military) and are often violent and destructive in their efforts at keeping the Palestinians away from their land near the outposts. There are accounts of them cutting down ancient olive trees, dumping sewage into water sources, and just generally walking around with weapons and terrorizing Palestinians who are just trying to live in Palestine.
As for today, the settlers just came and went without any problems. Well no problems besides a continuous threatening presence for Palestinians. And a frightening reminder of the deep mistrust and hatred that needs to be changed to get anywhere...
*****
Just an example of the extreme kindness of the Palestinian people:
My friend left her camera in a taxi... I am pretty sure that in most places, you would have lost it for good. But she tracked it down, through a complicated network of friends, uncles, taxi drivers, etc. and found it! The three of us went to a nearby village to pick it up from the original taxi driver. But we couldn’t leave that easily. First we were invited to tea at his home, then to have coffee and meet the family of another friend, and we had to plea to get back as it was getting late.
A friend of mine describes it as “hos(tage)pitality.” And there are people who are convinced that Palestinians want nothing more than to kill others... if only they would sit down to tea and talk.
Today I went with an Israeli activist group called rabbis for human rights on a seasonal outing: accompanying Palestinian farmers in plowing their fields and pruning in their olive groves. I went along with a few other international observers, Magid, Muhammad, his little son Jamal, and their mother to their land near the small village of Awarta near the Palestinian city of Nablus. The brothers spent all morning plowing with the help of their mule and pruning back the surrounding trees. It was tough work as it had not been tended to in four years...
It sounds like a nice afternoon and it was... until the 8 young Israeli settlers came by with guns strapped across their backs. You see, the brothers’ agricultural land is located in a fertile valley surrounded by low hills. Up on these hills, you can see a number of trailer house type things, with some electric lines protruding from the rocky landscape. If you squint your eyes, you can make out a tall wire fence with barbed wire encasing these trailers. These spots are called “outposts.” They are Israeli “pioneers” (at least that is what they usually see themselves as) who often believe they are claiming their biblical right to the land of the West Bank. Many are sure that once they create temporary housing (trailers), and start to create an infrastructure around it (electricity, water lines, roads, etc.) then the next logical step is permanent buildings and the development of an “Israeli” town. Which is what tends to happen. The only problem is that it is really in Palestinian land! And they have settled there illegally! The settlers really are the scariest people here, to me. They answer to no one (as opposed to the Israeli military) and are often violent and destructive in their efforts at keeping the Palestinians away from their land near the outposts. There are accounts of them cutting down ancient olive trees, dumping sewage into water sources, and just generally walking around with weapons and terrorizing Palestinians who are just trying to live in Palestine.
As for today, the settlers just came and went without any problems. Well no problems besides a continuous threatening presence for Palestinians. And a frightening reminder of the deep mistrust and hatred that needs to be changed to get anywhere...
*****
Just an example of the extreme kindness of the Palestinian people:
My friend left her camera in a taxi... I am pretty sure that in most places, you would have lost it for good. But she tracked it down, through a complicated network of friends, uncles, taxi drivers, etc. and found it! The three of us went to a nearby village to pick it up from the original taxi driver. But we couldn’t leave that easily. First we were invited to tea at his home, then to have coffee and meet the family of another friend, and we had to plea to get back as it was getting late.
A friend of mine describes it as “hos(tage)pitality.” And there are people who are convinced that Palestinians want nothing more than to kill others... if only they would sit down to tea and talk.
Thursday, March 03, 2005
hitchhiking and racism
The other day, a friend and I were forced to catch a ride on a settler highway. Palestinians are forbidden to travel on these roads (belonging to Israel but in the West Bank??) without special permits. (Also, don’t worry, hitching rides is way normal here). The driver pulled over, let my friend in, and then stopped to ask me where I was from... I replied and he answered, “Well I’m sorry but you looked Arab and you just can’t be too sure these days...”
The word “Arab” is used at all times by many people referring to the situation here... not only is it a word to generalize huge numbers of people in the world, but it is also in place of “Palestinians,” robbing them of their own nationality, even in speech. Ah, the racism is so obvious and permitted! Feeling anger about it doesn’t seem to get you anywhere here.
The word “Arab” is used at all times by many people referring to the situation here... not only is it a word to generalize huge numbers of people in the world, but it is also in place of “Palestinians,” robbing them of their own nationality, even in speech. Ah, the racism is so obvious and permitted! Feeling anger about it doesn’t seem to get you anywhere here.
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