Picture Perfect

A Thousand Words

If a picture paints a thousand words then the exhibition at Jaffa Port last week wrote a novel.

Forty-one Palestinian Artists brought more than 150 works of art, paintings, imprints, sculpting and pottery to the Israeli public eye in an exhibition entitled: “Jaffa Salon of Palestinian Art”.
These artists are from Israel, the Palestinian Authority and the Jordanian Kingdom. They represented two generations known and prominent alongside novel aspiring hopefuls.
This exhibition is the first step towards a framework, which will increase exposure to Palestinian art giving the Israeli public and art collectors an opportunity to dialogue with Palestinians on an art and cultural level. The exhibition launched three weeks ago showed the finale on 29 May 2010, last Saturday night.

It was refreshing to see an attempt towards reconciliation and social understanding between the two nations.

Off to school

Summer holidays are soon approaching for the students.

Last week, the town of Tulkarem proudly presented their annual graduation ceremonies at the local “kindergartens”. Preparations at some started as early as three months ago. The young ones will be off to big school in the New Year and looked very smart on the stage; it was evident by the performances that Education and gender equality is strongly encouraged. The children were dynamic, impressive and very confident on the stage.

As usual, the mothers were in full view to cheer their babies. However, I am happy to announce that many fathers arrived to show support as well. Hala Azoonee, the manager for public Education, also attended the ceremony. She thanked the parents and teachers for their hard work and interest during this very important stage in the children’s development.

Separation

Many people develop an opinion by their perceptions and misconstrued notions. These thoughts often influenced by feedings from propaganda and inflammatory reports continue to fester until it gives rise to provocation and eventually the proverbial wall.
However, in the case between the Jews and the Arabs, the separation that exists between them is not only proverbial; it is physical, emotional, and spiritual. A huge 9m high wall built in 2003 that is almost 70% complete separate Israelis from Palestinians. Initially the purpose was to prevent the Palestinians entry into Israel when the two nations were at war with each other during the time of the Intifada. The argument was that Arabs are terrorists and Israel should protect its citizens against terror attacks. Instead of building the wall along the agreed demarcations (known as the Green line), it now stands around 25% further into Palestinian territory. This means that a Palestinian requires a special permit to travel into territory owned by Palestine because it is under Israeli occupation and farmers cannot attend to their farms that Israel confiscated. A further implication is that Palestine is now dislocated from the rest of the world with little opportunity for trade, travel and infrastructural development since they are under Israeli control. Palestinians require permission from Israeli Authority for most transactions and are constantly under scrutiny. Their existence is falling more and more dependant on Israel. This situation is crippling the Palestinians who often state that they live in a prison.

Out on the Town

Be careful when you go out on the town in Jerusalem you might end up riding a camel…

The day before all this excitement , I visited the Garden Tomb where Jesus was buried. The beautiful landscaped Garden Tomb with flowers and areas for reading and prayer adds to its spiritual message. Many people touched by the experience often go into meditation. The next day my tourist experience became more adventurous when I continued on to the Mount of Olives where Jesus prayed and triumphantly entered Jerusalem on the donkey one week before Easter. The scripture according to Matthew 21:1-11 says people praised and worshipped Him and threw olive palms and cloaks at his feet. There is also a memorial of the Lords prayer written in several languages. This is proof that the word of God that unites humankind with one powerful prayer is alive all over the world.

My escapades continued when I had the opportunity to ride a camel and ended with song and dance in west Jerusalem and dinner with my friend Kathy. It was a lovely day.

From A to B

The public transport system operating in Tulkarm is pretty impressive especially since the occupation and the separation wall have made it difficult for most Palestinians to be financially independent. Many people use this method in the West Bank to get around.
They travel mainly by three modes of transport, by bus, serviş or taxi.
As usual, the bus is the most economical but also the slowest. Traveling around the West Bank by bus should cost no more than 13 NIS. Then there is the serviş. It is the most frequently used; it comfortably seats around seven people but we have to wait for it to fill before departure. Thankfully, the driver never overloads and everyone must buckle up before he drives off. It is normally well air-conditioned and very economical. I normally pay from Tulkarm to Nablus (45-minute trip) around 8.50 NIS. Approximately 22 NIS will bring me to Ramallah (1½ hour trip) while traveling to surrounding villages in the Tulkarm municipality can cost between 3 to 5 NIS. A word of caution though, for religious reasons men and women socialize completely separate from each other especially in the West Bank. Therefore, it is not preferred for men to sit next to women in the servis or bus, but sometimes this is unavoidable. The third and most expensive yet convenient option would be for me to travel by taxi. On occasion, I use a taxi depending on the distance; I usually pay anything from 10 to 50 NIS.
I have to admit the driver can sometimes be a risk taker because they often overtake at times that are potentially “life threatening”.
We mostly travel by servis, as this is a way to engage with the Israeli / Palestinian population and to show an international presence in the country. In this way, we often have opportunity to speak and learn from the locals.

Haifa

The EAPPI team visited Israel last week. We went to Haifa a beautiful city on the Mediterranean coastline to understand another perspective to the conflict. We met some interesting Israelis with very different views to what one would expect. The representatives came from organisations such as The Other Voice, New Profile, and Adalah. They are Israeli organisations who are actively involved in finding solutions to the conflict in the West Bank and assisting with the peace process on a grassroots level. Among other issues their focus is mainly on addressing the human rights of the Arab minority in Israel, transforming the militaristic aproach to a civic society in Israel and maintaining relationships with their neighbours in Gaza. It was positive to see that there are some groups in Israel who are working towards peace.

Militarism of Israel

Is Israel a State with a Military or a Military with a State?

This is the question...

The concern for some Israelis are not the messages in itself of pure propoganda in favour of the Israeli Military that is depicted in misleading advertisements but the impact that it has on the image of the Israelis as a nation. The underlying messages seem to express a clear militaristic tone that is taught to the Israeli community from as early as childhood and across all levels within the Israeli communities. On observation these messages seem to encourage unity and support to and for the Military while on the other hand seem to manipulate the Israeli mentality towards an aggression that will perpetuate the conflict. Many young people are noticing this and is opting out of serving in the military. The organisation, New Profile, is against Israeli youths having to report for military service against their will. A young person should report for military service by the age of eighteen and should register by the age of sixteen. Any attempt for exemption from this duty may result in a prison sentence of up to one year. On the contrary, having military service as part of your credentials will almost always gaurentee a status position with many advantages. This means that the option for equal opportunity and benefits within the labour market is not certain.

"The Other Voice" in Sderot

We visited the urban kibbutz, Sderot situated 3-5km away from the Gaza Strip. They promote a different social model of life - keeping their ideology and intimacy of the Jewish community within an urban environment.

Sderot was under constant attack during the Intifada of 2001 and the 2008 war on Gaza with between 10 - 60 rockets fired at the town every day. In the past an alarm would go off warning the residents that a rocket was fired, but this gave them only a 30 second headstart to get out of the line of fire. Off course they had no way of knowing where the town would be hit and stood no chance of hiding. The residents lived in fear day and night and reporting for duty at work and completing menial tasks became impossible because they were constantly worried about the safety of their families. As a result approximtely 20% of the population moved out of this town that was once vibrant and had good relations with the people of Gaza. The evidence of the war in this town is clearly visible. The bus shelters are built with protection and every house has a bomb shelter extended.
Some members of this community became tired of this war and raised "The Other Voice" to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict in the Middle East and it was them that we visited a few days ago. Nomika and Eric, both residents of Sderot and founding members of The Other Voice, explained the traumatizing experiences that they suffered during the wars. She says that the town members underwent group counselling, but the war polluted every heart, soul and mind and definitely left the community emotionally wounded. They decided to reconnect with their neighbours and are trying to make contact in an attempt to show solidarity. However, reaching or entering Gaza at this time is impossible; the Strip is under complete closure and no one is allowed in or out because of the seige and blockade. The only way to talk with Palestinians who live there are by means of anonimous telephone conversations as they fear being labelled as collaborating with the enemy or traitors.

Nomika and Eric are ready to face social isolation for being empathetic to the "enemy" and for their candid opinions. They are willing to contribute their share towards a peaceful coexistance.

A Political Conversation

Team SA (Sonti, Albert and I) met in Ramallah with the Ambassador to South Africa , Dr Pikane in Israel-Palestine. He met us in his office with two of his Directors. This meeting, though thought provoking and informative soon became informal and conversational. We had an in-depth discussion about the occupied territories in the West Bank, The Settler invasion and the Deportation Order 1649 and its social, economic and political impact on the people. We openly shared our opinions and the message from him was clear: “We as South Africans should encourage a position of reconcilliation in Israel-Palestine.”
The discussions changed to the South African holiday, Freedom Day (27th April) and how it was celebrated in Ramallah. They mentioned that a few delegations visited the embassy and they celebrated in true South African style with a dinner party. The embassy is preparing for World Cup 2010 in Ramallah. Plans are underway to set up festivals where Palestinians can watch certain matches on big screens. This means that even though the Palestinian people will not have a team in action South Africa will bring the match to them. I hope that the conflict in the Middle East will settle in such a manner that soon young people will have an opportunity to display their talent to the world instead of them being disadvantaged by political indecision.

Military Order 1649

On 13 April 2010 the Military Order 1649 and Order 1650 were entered into force. These orders were issued by the Israeli Occupation Force's Central Command. (www.alhaq.org ). It states that Israel will deport any and all Palestinians with Gazan residency found without a valid permit in the West Bank. A valid permit can only be issued by Isaeli Authority and a Palestinian Identity Document does not apply. Such persons will be considered as illegal in the West Bank and contravening the law and will be regarded as "infiltrators".

Last week, Ahmad Sabbah (40) fell victim to these Orders. He is a Palestinian born in the West Bank but holds a Gaza address; he lived there for ten months only. In an attempted to change his residency in 2000 the Israeli authority declined the application because they froze the population registry of Gaza at the time.

He was arrested soon thereafter on 1 November 2001 and was released on 21 April 2010 after serving a nine year prison sentence. Instead of being reunited with his wife, Hanan (35) and child, Yazan (10) as expected he was deported to Gaza. Alledgedly on the day of his release he was given an ultimatum; he could be released to Gaza or serve a further six months in jail. He opted for the former. However, he refused to cross the checkpoint close to the Gaza Strip and is now living in a tent a few metres outside the city since last week. Three other detainees who were released is said to have joined him there.

Hanan had to apply for a visitor's permit every six months during his imprisonment that allowed her to see him for one day after every 45 days because he had a security file and was considered a security threat for Israel. This meant that she could visit him for only four days in a period of six months. So, off course she became more and more excited as the end of his prison term approached, but clearly the political agenda of Israel had a different fate in store for the family of three. His deportation was shocking and it came as a total surprise. Her son and brother went to the Ghaliel checkpoint to meet him while she waited at home. There they were informed that he will not be arriving to meet them. When we interviewed her a few days ago we learnt that her main concern now is not only for the safety of her husband but furthermore she fears that her son may also be deported because he too has a Gaza address.

Hanan has a history of detention in her family. Two of her brothers were arrested; one is serving a life sentence and the other was killed during an attempted arrest. The Israeli Army demolished the family house with him inside. He died instantly.

The occupation "kidnapped" her Heart

Palestinians incarcerated in Israeli Military detention facilities alledgedly went on a hunger strike during the month of April 2010.

Their complaints ranged from human rights violations whilst in captivity to the humiliation that families suffer on visitation days. Some family members have reported in the past that they were denied access to the facility just minutes before seeing the prisoner.

Others claimed that they were subjected to strip searches because they were considered a security threat. Only first-degree family members with a valid visitors permit issued by Israeli Authorities are allowed to register for visitation.

This permit is valid for three months to one year. Families are elligable to visit the prisoners once a month for a period of 45 minutes only. Once it expires they have to apply for renewal that can easily be denied. Family members supported the April 2010 strike and would not register for visitation.

I interviewed Em Mohammed, the mother of Masoud (20yrs) who is now serving the last three years of a five year prison sentence. He was arrested in 2008 in an attempt to free Palestine from Israeli occupation in the West Bank. She has eight children, five daughters and three sons. Her eldest son was arrested in 1993 at the tender age of 14 years and also spent one year in jail.She starts at 5h00 in the morning to catch the bus that leaves at 5h30 to take the families to the respective prisons. They travel to Taybe checkpoint where they are allowed to cross between 7h00 and 7h30. Here they go through a stringent security check before they are allowed to pass. Thereafter she waits a further one to two hours at the prison before seeing her son for 45 minutes. To communicate with him she has to speak through a double glass over a telephone system. All conversations are normally recorded and therefore their privacy is enfringed.

He often writes letters to the family that she keeps neatly stowed away in two a heart shaped boxes. He draws beautiful animations and appeals to her in his encouraging letters to take care of herself and not to worry about him. "How can I not worry", she says.

Before his arrest he worked on a farm and sold vegetables at he market. However he always dreamed of attending university. She mentioned that he will have to marry upon his release because the population of Palestine has to increase if they wish to gain their freedom from Israel.

I asked her if she would change his circumstances if she could. She said: "This is his destiny; it is not my choice." It seems as if destiny has other plans for his future.

Arafat's Tomb

I also visited the tomb of Yasser Arafat.
A bus load of teenage boys and two adult men came just as I arrived; probably a school excursion. The room went completely silent as one-by-one they saluted his tomb and said silent prayers before returning to the bus. Palestinians view him as the cornerstone in their struggle for freedom. Today, it was blatantly clear with the respect that was shown around his tomb.

Turkish Bath in Ramallah

They say a change can be as good as being on holiday. I have to agree with this statement.

I had a day off today and decided to spend it in Ramallah at a Turkish Bath. It was a heavenly experience. The best decision since I've arrived in the West Bank. I will recommend this treatment to everybody. Listen to your body. If you need a break from the pressures of work; go and take care of yourself.

Clearly Israel-Palestine is not all doom and gloom. There are some lovely cultural, historical, religious, sites and places for relaxation to visit that are of interest.

Lunch with Sammy&Rula

We went to Nablus this morning to attend the service at The Anglican Church of the Good Shepherd. Thereafter lunch was served at the home of Sammy and Rula, a Christian Palestinian couple from the congregation. It was lovely to be with them. I felt at home and comfortable. They were so hospitable and would not allow us to leave. I definitely made some new friends. Their house is aproximately two hundred years old and has been in the family for generations. Sammy mentioned that the Christian population in Nablus used to be more than eight hundred but this number has reduced drastically over the last few years. We discussed at length the occupation of Palestinian land by Israel and the seperation wall. We talked about the place for Christianity in a predominantly Islamic country and came to the conclusion that peace can only be achieved once you find true peace in your heart. We need to build the country and not the army.

Richard, a photo journalist from the UK is visiting our placement for a few days. He is covering a story on the effects of the seperation wall on the farmers and he is scheduled to exhibit his work in a few months. I saw some of the photographs he took. It is just incredible.

Taybe / Efraim Checkpoint

All Palestinians who live in the West Bank and work in Israel have to pass through a checkpoint at some point. This is true for Tulkarm and surrounding areas. Their checkpoint is called Taybe also known as Efraim. Around four thousand people cross this checkpoint every morning between 4h00 and 7h00. Workers line up at Taybe as early as 02h00 in the morning. Israel claimed that it was neccessary to protect its land and people against Palestinians who are a security threart. We are not allowed to pass through the checkpoint. Apparently before passing through to the other side they should lock their fingerprint, show a valid permit and have their bags scanned. Most times they are subjected to utter humiliation; they are talked down to and insulted to a degrading level. Sometimes people are turned back and if this happens they will lose a days work and will not be paid. "No work - no pay". This is a concern as the per capita income for the Tulkarm population is only around $250 per annum.

Shufa Girls School

Shufa is a village outside Tulkarm. For a while they had no electricity in the village. Apparantly they refused to have electricity installed some time ago because the village would not collaborate with their oppressor, Israel. This will soon change it seems; they will be provided with electricity in a few months. Having such a firm opinion for a cause is both fair and applaudable. There is an Israeli settlement next to Shufa; these two communities never interact with each other. Probably as a result of propoganda, solidarity and a strong sense of patriatism. Until just last year the Shufa Girls School used to be of mixed gender (both boys and girls attended there), but as from the next school year the boys will attend at the new Shufa Boys School. The School celebrated with an open day and awards for academic achievement. It would have been special to have a few sports or cultural awards. They had beautiful items of song, poetry, dance and theatrics. The underlying message was to achieve freedom for Palestinians in the West Bank and Jerusalem.

Prisoners Day

Every Tuesday, at 10h00 family and friends gather in Tulkarem in front of the office of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) to share in a peaceful prisoners sit in. The purpose is to show solidarity for the hundreds of young men and women from Tulkarem who are under security detention in Israeli prisons. The Israeli Military is known to have placed Palestinians (also from Tulkarem) under arrest after a search operation or in cases where they feared a security threat to Israel. Today marked the annual commemoration of such detainees. The EAPPI team was there to show solidarity and a protective presence. The political detainees are currently on strike in Israeli prisons. The form of the strike is at the time of publication of this blog not clear. I have been reliably informed though that the families of prisoners are supporting the strike by not registering for visitation. Alledgedly, one of the detainees are demanding their release. I hope to follow up with an article.

Jericho

Jericho is recorded to be the oldest city in the world. It was truly a memorable experience that taught me so much about the people, the history and the landscape. We saw the Mount of Temptations,visited Hisham's Palace, The Jericho Village Resort and off course the Dead Sea which I enjoyed most of all.

Bethlehem

I am on placement visit in Bethelehem.
We visited the village of Nahhalin and shared some interesting thoughts with the women about the occupation in the Westbank and its effect on society. They were clear that the people of Palestine are in need of assistance and that the truth about the conflict should be shared with the world. They are ready to see some much needed development in their village. Thereafter we attended a meeting with Nidal AbuZuluf. He is the manager of the Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI) of the YMCA in Bethlehem. They are also spearheading the Olive Tree campaign. We discussed the Kairos Document in detail. This document is a call from Palestinian Christians to the world churches for support.
I leave Bethlehem tomorrow for Jericho and the Dead Sea.

"Spring cleaning" Tulkarem Church

We went to the local church in Tulkarem and helped the caretaker, Daoud to clean the garden. This town of approximately 50 000 people has only two christian families. Daoud cannot remember the last time they had a service in the church. Normally he travels to Nablus (one hour away) to attend mass. He has very little support and taking care of the church is clearly an overwhelming responsibility for one person. Palestinian christians are in the minority in the Westbank. According to a report by the Joint Advocacy Initiative (JAI) around 400 000 Palestinian christians were living in Palestine before the 1948 war when the state of Israel was created. Now this statistic has decreased from 10% to only 2%. Many of them were forced from their homes by the Israeli Military and as a result they emigrated to the diaspora. I heard Dauod say to us while cleaning the garden, "I thank God for you."