Two Crazy Martyrs Needed

Will it really take two crazy people, willing to make the ultimate sacrifice, to make peace in Israel/Palestine? Perhaps. I like this blog article by Bradley Burston.
A Special Place in Hell -- Wanted: Two Mad Martyrs to make a Mideast Peace.

The Waiting Game for Gazans

Most of the world has now heard about the siege on Gaza. A small strip of land with around 1.5 million people, simply cut off from the world. Sometimes it's hard to imagine what this actually means for real people, their real lives interrupted by a ridiculously inhumane policy of isolation. Here, I've met a couple of friends who are from Gaza, and I wanted to share a bit about them.

Nizar

Each evening this week, Nizar has said his goodbyes to friends here in Ramallah. Each morning, he has awoken and kept his mobile phone nearby, waiting until around 12 noon to see whether the Israeli army will call him to come to the office and issue him a permission to travel back to Gaza. When the permission does arrive, he will have a 2-3 hour window in which to get to the office, pick up the permit, and leave the West Bank on a straight taxi route to Gaza. Once he arrives in Gaza, he is not allowed to leave. After spending 2 years in the U.S. getting his Masters, he started working for a USAID contractor. Then he went to Jordan to take care of his mother who was getting medical treatment there, and now he has been in Ramallah for a month, in limbo. Even with his education and good job connections, he cannot avoid the effects of this occupation. He is leaving friends and a successful job in order to go to his family in Gaza and take care of them; each day he is on standby, ready to say his final goodbyes.

Asem

Asem is the goalkeeper for the Palestinian national football (soccer) team. His wife and son are in Gaza, and he has not seen them for over a year and a half. He said that in Gaza, playing for teams there can earn him a maximum of about 1,000 shekels per month. Here in the West Bank, for the national team, he earns about $4,000 USD per month. This is the difference that keeps him here, and he sends money to Gaza for his family. The last time he saw his wife and son, he arranged for them to cross through Rafah into Egypt, and he met them there for a week. Now that Egypt has opened the Rafah crossing again, he will try to arrange a similar meeting. He has also tried for months to get a permit for his wife and son to live with him in the West Bank, or at least visit. These attempts are all denied by Israeli authorities. So, Asem is stuck. Just as many Gazans are, stuck without options, either inside or outside their land.

This conflict, and the siege on Gaza, is both unsustainable and completely inhumane. Israel may be trying to starve Hamas out of power, or protect itself from what it sees as a terrorist threat. But isolating millions of people from one another, both inside and outside Gaza, is not accomplishing any of these aims. In fact, it is increasing the suffering of ordinary people and catalyzing even more frustration and anger.

Forcing people to wait, and wait, and wait for life to improve – for choices to come – for the chance to see their families – this waiting is so painful. So cruel and inhumane.

What's in a name..?

Something that we may not think enough about here in Palestine/Israel is the importance of names. The layers of history in this land have also created layers of names... from ancient languages like Aramaic and Canaanite, to ancient Hebrew and Arabic. Now of course, there are new layers of names in Arabic, Hebrew and English which contest each other for recognition.

For example, here are a list of some of the major cities in Palestine/Israel and their respective names in the three languages (the best transliteration I could manage):

Arabic - Hebrew - English

Al Quds - Yerushaleim - Jerusalem
Nablus - Shechem - Nablus
Al Khalil - Hevron - Hebron
Ariha - Yericho - Jericho
Al Nasra - Natzrat - Nazareth
Tabariyya - Tveriya - Tiberias
Yaffa - Yafo - Jaffa

Maybe the issue of names seems bland, but in fact it is a very sensitive political and cultural issue. Names are a tool of the Occupation. On some road signs, you find the names of the cities written in Hebrew, and again in Arabic letters but the Hebrew name. For example, instead of writing “Al-Quds” in Arabic, the signs read “Yerushaleim” spelled in Arabic letters. Sometimes the signs have both versions written in Arabic, such as the sign below. This erasing of the Arabic names from recognition is a slow attempt by Israel to marginalize Arab culture here and change the way the land is perceived by the outside. As you might notice, already most of the cities here are known in English by a variation on the Hebrew name. Rarely will you find a foreigner outside of Palestine/Israel who knows of Al-Quds or Al-Khalil.


Sign for Jerusalem, with Transliteration "Yerushaleim" in Arabic script along with (Al-Quds)

Beyond the names of these large cities, over 400 Arab villages and towns within the 1967 borders (Green Line) have had their Arabic names erased from legal record, replaced by new Hebrew names. When I lived in Kufr Qarea last year, often my Arab friends would point out road signs of small Jewish towns, and remind me: “this used to be an Arab village called _____.” There are so many Arab cities and villages whose names have been erased - after the Palestinians were forced to leave in 1948 Jewish people sometimes moved into their homes. Some of the places are not small, some I never knew had an Arab name before. For example, Eilat was Um Rashrash, Megiddo was Al Ajone, and Tel Aviv University is built on the remains of a town called Sheikh Moanis. My friends have not forgotten the original Arab villages there, but perhaps the next generation will. When names are erased from the record, eventually they fade from memory.

This is a tool of occupation, of erasing history. The Arab Palestinians who lived in these villages and cities before 1948 were forcefully expelled from their homes. Remembering their heritage and history is the right of Arab people here. And inside the West Bank, the replacing of Arabic names with Hebrew is another tool of colonization; with the Israelis seeking to maintain even more control over the recognition and memory of places.

Names do have meaning. We can respect the Hebrew names here and know their connection to this land in history, but that does not mean we must erase the Arab connection and memory. So try to remember – Al-Quds (The Holy), al-Khalil (The Friend), and Ariha (Fragrant/Sweet Smell) – along with Jerusalem, Hebron and Jericho. These names may mean more than we realize.

Separate and Unequal

This weekend I went to Tel Aviv. With my Israeli visa, I am able to cross the checkpoints back from the West Bank, and make my way by bus to anywhere I want to go in Israel. To West Jerusalem (al-Quds), to the malls, to Yaffa old city or Nazareth. But I do so feeling a bit sad, and guilty. Because friends in the West Bank are unable to go to the sea, though they live less than 100 km from it.

So much of understanding the situation here in Israel-Palestine is knowing the rules that govern people's lives here, and how those rules create a society that is both separate and unequal. For Palestinians inside the West Bank, those who do not have foreign connections or jobs with an international organization, traveling to see the sea is a wistful dream. Only by obtaining difficult day permits are they able to pass through the checkpoints into Israel. Due to these restrictions on travel, many Palestinians have never seen the Mediterranean Sea.

For me, it makes me once again realize how lucky I am to be able to travel. How much a simply piece of documentation like an American passport gets me in this life. How privileged we are. I saw the sea yesterday, and I was thinking of my friends in Ramallah. Wishing they could see it too.

Hebron's very own Robin Hood

There is another place along with medieval England that has a scourge of the rich and a defender of the poor. Stealing from the wealthy and sharing the gold in the streets. Yes, Hebron seems to have its own Robin Hood.

Hebron's Robin Hood is an unlikely character. We stumbled upon him outside the Old City at about 11pm, wearing a black polo shirt, jeans and white tennis shoes while puffing avidly on cigarettes. As he railed against Israel and the Occupation, rich businessman profiting from the political situation and the mukhabarat (security services) interference in daily life, he seemed just another slightly deranged, frustrated man on the street. But I did wonder where he got his new black designer polo shirt....

And then I heard his real story. Raised in an abusive household, he started stealing during his early teenage years. Quickly developing a reputation as a thief among the all-knowing Palestinian community of the Old City, he continued to hone his craft and began more daring feats. Throughout, he had bouts of time in prison and run-ins with the police. But each time, he persevered and returned to steal again.

But Robin Hood steals from the rich. The rich Palestinians of Hebron, those with mansions; the banks and big businesses that are glaring peculiarities in this economically-deprived city. One of his most daring feats was a full-scale bank robbery, which he followed up by distributing gold to his neighbors in the Old City streets. (So I'm told). Always, he shares his loot, giving money to all his large family, neighbors, and friends. He also has a soft spot for certain friends, and has been known to warn some NGOs of upcoming raids planned on their facilities.

As someone told me, “if he kept all he stole, he would be the richest man in Hebron.” But Robin Hood is generous, and subversive. Money is not the reward of theft. Rather, the reward is a life rebelling against all the cruel forces that turn innocent children into thieves and make poor beggars of Palestinians deprived of their dignity and freedom. So Robin Hood lives on, and unlikely hero in Hebron. Even if he does like to buy a black designer shirt now and again. :)

Right to Resist: Boycott of Israeli settlement products

“Palestinian Takes a Road Less Traveled.” Palestinian PM Salam Fayyad promotes boycott of Israeli settlement products. (NY Times article here).

I had a reminder of non-violent resistance in Palestine today. A nationwide boycott of goods produced in Israeli settlements.

Salam Fayyad, the Prime Minister of the PA West Bank government, announced the boycott in late May. Palestinian shops and businesses have been asked to rid themselves of any products made in Israeli settlements. These settlements are Israeli towns and cities that have been built within occupied West Bank territory since 1967. Under international law, building on territory forcefully occupied in wartime is illegal, yet Israeli policy has allowed these settlements to develop into a huge network of over 450,000 people in over 200 towns/cities/outposts that dominate 40% of West Bank territory.

As most people are aware, the settlement issue is perhaps the single most contentious problem between the Obama Administration and the Israeli government. This issue is complicated and deserves far more explanation of Israeli domestic politics than I can do in this post. Suffice it to say, the settlements are the cause of immense suffering for the Palestinian population and are perhaps the number one catalyst for continued conflict.

This is not the first Palestinian boycott. Fayyad can be credited with bringing this settlement boycott to international attention, but not inspiring a new idea. After speaking with friends here, I learned that there have been many boycotts of Israeli products, in varying degrees. I also learned that many people here boycott all Israeli products , not only those produced in the settlements. The other day I went to the supermarket and brought back some snacks for my colleagues in the office. I bought a chocolate bar with a familiar wrapper, not thinking about where it was made. After living inside Israel last year, I am familiar with Israeli products and so thought nothing of it. However, when I offered the chocolate to the office director, she kindly refused, explaining that they are boycotting Israeli goods. Awkward for me, but a great reminder to remember where I am – on the other side of the Green Line.

Demonstration in support of the boycott
My ill-advised purchase :)

Though U.S. policy usually asks Palestinians to cooperate in the peace process, promote economic partnerships, and crack down on militant groups, it forgets that Palestinians also have the right to resist this occupation. Working for peace does not take away the need to resist the humiliations that accompany life here. I would like more Americans to realize all the ways in which Palestinians resist every day through their normal lives, without violence. I hope that this boycott will show the world a larger, more organized and poignant demonstration of this resistance.

Interview about Hebron Old City

Please find below an interview with my friend Zleikha about the situation in Hebron. You can skip the first minute if you wish, to where she begins speaking.

Protesting the Closure of Shehada Street

Yesterday in Hebron I went to a demonstration in Hebron's Old City. The demonstration is held every Saturday in protest of the closures of streets and shops. Certain streets in the Old City, including the main street (called Shehada Street - Street of Martyrs) are closed to Palestinian use. They are only allowed to be used by settlers. These policies have devastated the economy of the whole center of Hebron.
Below are pictures of the protest.
Settlers watching the protest.
In front of the gate, speaking with some Israeli soldiers.
Settlers threw water down on the Palestinian market street during the protest.
Protesters.
Graffiti in the Old City.

Hebron visit

I visited my friend Zleikha in al-Khalil (Hebron) for the weekend. For the last couple of days I've been considering how easy it is to pass judgments on people and places, particularly before knowing them well enough. Any society, even any person may be full of contradictions.

Palestine is a complex place. Sometimes I want to place this society into a particular box. The other day, I was talking to a friend about the lack of alone time here. Since moving to Ramallah last week, I think the only time that I've spent alone has been taking a shower. It is the stark opposite of life in NYC, where I spent so much time alone studying, shopping, walking, riding the subway... it is an extreme transition. But after coming to Hebron today and seeing Zleikha, I am reminded that it is not every person here in Palestine who is surrounded by people. Zleikha and her mother have a quiet house, and both spend a lot of time alone. Likewise, there are people in NYC who I'm sure spend all their time with people. One can never assume that contradictions don't exist.

Hebron hasn't changed much from what I see. The Jewish Israeli settlements are still towering above the Old City, and there are some new wire mesh covers over the souq shielding more garbage from above. (See picture below) If this is the first time you're familiar with this - the settlers often throw garbage or stones down at the Palestinians in the market, so the people have rigged these wires up for protection. Zleikha's house is just as beautiful as ever, especially her balcony garden fertilized with her kitchen compost.

Zleikha is still busy with her work, translating, organizing events, and running her kindergarten. Tomorrow I plan to go with her to a protest in the Old City. Palestinians here gather each Saturday to protest the closure of streets in the area, which has shut down much of the economy here. Zleikha and I chatted this afternoon about her recent 3omra to Mecca (a mini-pilgrimage) in Saudi Arabia. She said she came back to Hebron and felt like a stranger, concerned about the lack of true religiosity among people here and particularly the increasing attention-grabbing styles of women's clothing. As always, she and I have differing perspectives on some issues, but we have lively discussions and I always learn so much from talking with her. She also ironically commented that though the street at the front of her house (Shehada St - Street of Martyrs) has been closed to Palestinians for a few years now and it is a major issue of protest for the people, she has to admit that it is much quieter and more peaceful for sleeping at night. :) This comment made me smile. Finding a bit of peace in the midst of Occupation is certainly to be cherished.

When the Abnormal Becomes Normal

Over nargila last night, I sat with some new friends here in Ramallah. We began talking about checkpoints and the Occupation, and some of the ridiculous situations that happen. My friend Darin told the story that happened to us last weekend when we traveled from Ramallah to Hebron to conduct the impact surveys. Darin holds what people here call a “green card,” which is a Palestinian ID card held in a small green folder. The green cards here are West Bank ID, meaning Darin is not allowed to enter Jerusalem (only 6 miles away) without a difficult to obtain permit. Palestinians who still live in Jerusalem hold “blue cards,” which is still a Palestinian ID but specifies that you live in Jerusalem. Blue card holders are allowed to pass between Jerusalem and Ramallah, but sometimes face problems passing through West Bank checkpoints (ex. Between Ramallah and Nablus). Blue card holders are also able to travel inside Israel to Haifa, the sea, and Tel Aviv, but still do not usually hold Israeli passports.

Last weekend, Darin's green card meant that we should not pass through the Jerusalem checkpoints, which are the fastest route between Ramallah and Hebron. However, my American colleague and I are not able to pass through West Bank checkpoints in an Israeli-licensed vehicle. Basically it meant that we would have had to split into 2 vehicles simply to drive the 1 hour between Ramallah and Hebron (2 Palestinian cities.) Are you seeing the ridiculousness and humiliation of this situation? This is what military occupations do, they make normal life into something unrecognizable.

In the end, we decided to try passing the Jerusalem checkpoints together. Darin was interrogated and we were turned back from the checkpoint. She risked being arrested for even attempting to pass without the “special permission,” because she is Palestinian. It is humiliating and wrong, particularly because I, with my American passport, have much more freedom than she does in her own country and home. We ended up sitting at the checkpoint for half an hour, being asked numerous questions by the Israeli soldiers. We then were denied entry to Jerusalem, and drove another hour to a different checkpoint to pass through.

To return to my original point, over nargila we talked about how this situation in Palestine makes things that shouldn't be normal normal. Being interrogated by soldiers, waiting in line just to drive to the next city, allowing people to speak rudely to you and ask personal questions without protest. I notice it in myself. When I am at the checkpoints, I don't speak back to soldiers or question their rudeness to me. In order to let it pass as quickly as possible, I submit to the occupation's reality, just as people do here. As we spoke about though, it is scary sometimes to realize that you are allowing your basic dignity, self-respect, privacy to be breached without protest. Allowing the abnormal to become normal, and the situation to continue. Something to think about.