The West Bank Diaries

Scholarship Fund to Benefit University Students in Hebron, Palestine

2010-01-12T18:26:00.002-05:00

The Barbara J. Raskin Scholarship was recently created to provide full
funding of university tuition for students from Hebron, Palestine. The
scholarship will be awarded for the first time this January, on a
semester basis with the opportunity to be renewed each semester
provided the students maintain at least a "B" average. Scholarships
are initially awarded based upon grades, economic need, and an essay
contest.

Most of the students will attend Hebron University. The average
tuition rate is $741 USD per semester. Three students were chosen for
this Spring semester.

The Scholarship fund is currently awaiting 501(c)(3) status.
Donations, in the mean time, are being accepted by norcal ISM
and are tax deductible.

You can also purchase jewelry to benefit the Scholarship fund here.
.

For more information, please check out our website.

*Barbara J. Raskin was the mother of San Francisco based artist and
human rights activist, Katie Miranda. Ms. Raskin passed away on July
9, 2009. Ms. Miranda started the Scholarship fund in her mother’s
honor after spending a year teaching art to children in Tel Rumeida,
Palestine in 2006-2007.

EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATION

2009-06-30T22:32:00.001-04:00

EMERGENCY DEMONSTRATION
Against Israeli Piracy & Kidnapping
Free Cynthia McKinney and all kidnapped human rights workers!

WEDNESDAY 4:30-6 PM

at the

ISRAELI CONSULATE
19th & JFK BLVD.

Last night, Israeli Occupation Forces attacked and boarded the Free Gaza Movement boat, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, including Noble laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney. The passengers and crew are being forcibly dragged toward Israel.

The seizure of humanitarian supplies and abduction of human rights workers is an act of piracy, a crime under international law. When the boat was attacked, it was not in Israeli waters and was on a human rights mission to Gaza. Israel's deliberate and premeditated attack on an unarmed boat in international waters is a clear violation of international law. Join us tomorrow from 4:30 to 6 pm at the Israeli Consulate to demand an immediate and unconditional release of the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, all 21 human rights workers, and the humanitarian supplies.

According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report released yesterday, the Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair." Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel's December/January massacre are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel's disruption of medical supplies.

For information contact Philadelphia Int. Action Center, phillyiac@peoplesmail.net; 215-724-1618 or 610-352-3053

ISRAEL ATTACKS JUSTICE BOAT; KIDNAPS HUMAN RIGHTS WORKERS; CONFISCATES MEDICINE, TOYS AND OLIVE TREES

2009-06-30T16:26:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
30 June 2009

For more information contact:
Greta Berlin (English)
tel: +357 99 081 767 / friends@freegaza.org
Caoimhe Butterly (Arabic/English/Spanish):
tel: +357 99 077 820 / sahara78@hotmail.co.uk
www.FreeGaza.org

[23 miles off the coast of Gaza, 15:30pm] - Today Israeli Occupation Forces attacked and boarded the Free Gaza Movement boat, the SPIRIT OF HUMANITY, abducting 21 human rights workers from 11 countries, including Noble laureate Mairead Maguire and former U.S. Congresswoman Cynthia McKinney (see below for a complete list of passengers). The passengers and crew are being forcibly dragged toward Israel.

"This is an outrageous violation of international law against us. Our boat was not in Israeli waters, and we were on a human rights mission to the Gaza Strip," said Cynthia McKinney, a former U.S. Congresswoman and presidential candidate. "President Obama just told Israel to let in humanitarian and reconstruction supplies, and that's exactly what we tried to do. We're asking the international community to demand our release so we can resume our journey."

According to an International Committee of the Red Cross report released yesterday, the Palestinians living in Gaza are "trapped in despair." Thousands of Gazans whose homes were destroyed earlier during Israel's December/January massacre are still without shelter despite pledges of almost $4.5 billion in aid, because Israel refuses to allow cement and other building material into the Gaza Strip. The report also notes that hospitals are struggling to meet the needs of their patients due to Israel's disruption of medical supplies.

"The aid we were carrying is a symbol of hope for the people of Gaza, hope that the sea route would open for them, and they would be able to transport their own materials to begin to reconstruct the schools, hospitals and thousands of homes destroyed during the onslaught of "Cast Lead". Our mission is a gesture to the people of Gaza that we stand by them and that they are not alone" said fellow passenger Mairead Maguire, winner of a Noble Peace Prize for her work in Northern Ireland.

Just before being kidnapped by Israel, Huwaida Arraf, Free Gaza Movement chairperson and delegation co-coordinator on this voyage, stated that: "No one could possibly believe that our small boat constitutes any sort of threat to Israel. We carry medical and reconstruction supplies, and children's toys. Our passengers include a Nobel peace prize laureate and a former U.S. congressperson. Our boat was searched and received a security clearance by Cypriot Port Authorities before we departed, and at no time did we ever approach Israeli waters."

Arraf continued, "Israel's deliberate and premeditated attack on our unarmed boat is a clear violation of international law and we demand our immediate and unconditional release."
###

WHAT YOU CAN DO!
CONTACT the Israeli Ministry of Justice
tel: +972 2646 6666 or +972 2646 6340
fax: +972 2646 6357

CONTACT the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs
tel: +972 2530 3111
fax: +972 2530 3367

CONTACT Mark Regev in the Prime Minister's office at:
tel: +972 5 0620 3264 or +972 2670 5354
mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il
CONTACT the International Committee of the Red Cross to ask for their assistance in establishing the wellbeing of the kidnapped human rights workers and help in securing their immediate release!

Red Cross Israel
tel: +972 3524 5286
fax: +972 3527 0370
tel_aviv.tel@icrc.org
Red Cross Switzerland:
tel: +41 22 730 3443
fax: +41 22 734 8280

Red Cross USA:
tel: +1 212 599 6021
fax: +1 212 599 6009
###

Kidnapped Passengers from the Spirit of Humanity include:

Khalad Abdelkader, Bahrain
Khalad is an engineer representing the Islamic Charitable Association of Bahrain.

Othman Abufalah, Jordan
Othman is a world-renowned journalist with al-Jazeera TV.

Khaled Al-Shenoo, Bahrain
Khaled is a lecturer with the University of Bahrain.

Mansour Al-Abi, Yemen
Mansour is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera TV.

Fatima Al-Attawi, Bahrain
Fatima is a relief worker and community activist from Bahrain.

Juhaina Alqaed, Bahrain
Juhaina is a journalist & human rights activist.

Huwaida Arraf, US
Huwaida is the Chair of the Free Gaza Movement and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage.

Ishmahil Blagrove, UK
Ishmahil is a Jamaican-born journalist, documentary film maker and founder of the Rice & Peas film production company. His documentaries focus on international struggles for social justice.

Kaltham Ghloom, Bahrain
Kaltham is a community activist.

Derek Graham, Ireland
Derek Graham is an electrician, Free Gaza organizer, and first mate aboard the Spirit of Humanity.

Alex Harrison, UK
Alex is a solidarity worker from Britain. She is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Denis Healey, UK
Denis is Captain of the Spirit of Humanity. This will be his fifth voyage to Gaza.

Fathi Jaouadi, UK
Fathi is a British journalist, Free Gaza organizer, and delegation co-coordinator for this voyage.

Mairead Maguire, Ireland
Mairead is a Nobel laureate and renowned peace activist.

Lubna Masarwa, Palestine/Israel
Lubna is a Palestinian human rights activist and Free Gaza organizer.

Theresa McDermott, Scotland
Theresa is a solidarity worker from Scotland. She is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Cynthia McKinney, US
Cynthia McKinney is an outspoken advocate for human rights and social justice issues, as well as a former U.S. congressperson and presidential candidate.

Adnan Mormesh, UK
Adnan is a solidarity worker from Britain. He is traveling to Gaza to do long-term human rights monitoring.

Adam Qvist, Denmark
Adam is a solidarity worker from Denmark. He is traveling to Gaza to do human rights monitoring.

Adam Shapiro, US
Adam is an American documentary film maker and human rights activist.

Kathy Sheetz, US
Kathy is a nurse and film maker, traveling to Gaza to do human rights monitoring.
###

Playgrounds for Palestine

2009-06-13T10:54:00.002-04:00

I've mentioned in the past that I've been looking for a way to do more work with children in Palestine despite not being able to be there as often as I would like. After almost two years of searching I found this is a wonderful organization which helps builds playgrounds for children throughout Palestine in the West Bank and Gaza. It was started by a wonderful woman, Susan Abulhawa, who is the author of the must-read novel, The Scar of David. Just my luck, PfP happens to be run from a town in my area! I was fortunate to meet meet some of the board members recently at a local fundraiser for Gaza.

I anticipate doing some great work with PfP in the near future. I will post more updates as things progress but in the meantime, please visit their website and make a donation if you can. The kids in Palestine need something positive in their lives and a place to play.

Peace
Shalom
Salaam

Shuhada Street

2009-04-24T23:04:00.002-04:00

This is a great site for information about Shuhada Street in the Tel Rumeida section of Hebron.

Just briefly, Shuhada Street was the main street for business and activities in Hebron. After the massacre in 1994 by Goldstein, all shops on Shuhada were ordered closed and vehicular traffic prohibited by Israel. This left many people unable to work. Those who live along Shuhada Street are no longer allowed to exit and enter their home via this way. They are forced to walk as far as a mile or more around the city to pass through checkpoints to get to their back doors. I once escorted a very kind woman who had an Israeli government pass to walk along Shuhada Street to enter her home. We were held up at a checkpoint. The soldiers eventually allowed us to pass and enter. However, they told us to not exit the same way. It was a very tense and stressful situation.

Where has time gone?

2009-04-24T17:58:00.002-04:00

I haven't updated in so long.

All the time passed with the massacre in Gaza. I watched it unfold in the news and through former colleagues websites. But, I somehow could not bring myself to write about it.

Now, I reflect back to 2007. In June it will be two-years since I last touched Palestinian soil. I fondly recall the sounds, the sites and most of all the kids and Palestinian people. I miss the Call to Prayer at 4am followed by the hee-hawing of the donkey, the barking of the dog, and the cockle-doodle-doo of the rooster. I miss the handshakes and words of thanks from parents and vendors for simply being present to witness, document and teach their kids. I miss the service driver's call of Rammmmalllah, Rammmallah, and driving on the treacherous, beaten down, hillside roads. I miss the hours spent listening to their stories under the 2,000 year old olive tree. I miss the strong presence of God felt everywhere. The heaviness of it all. And I miss being able to live in the moment, not thinking of the future nor the past, just how to manage and survive in that moment and enjoying and savoring every minute because you never knew what horror would happen next.

As I reflect upon all of this, I still read about the injustices that continue and which have seemingly gotten worse in Tel Rumeida. I think about going back but life has taken me over here. Insh'allah one day I will return. Insh'allah.

I also reflect on the loss of some friendships due to my time spent there. Once you go and see the reality there is really no way to continue life as before. There is no way to support the occupation and act as though it does not exist. This was difficult for many who knew me and thus the separation. I understood and was actually prepare. But, just recently one former acquaintance who lived in Israel for a number of years and who served in the IDF sent me an email bashing Palestinians and requesting that all Jews stand up for Israel and save her. When I responded back with a simple, "Hello, how are you?" refusing to comment or engage in such a discussion but merely to extend the olive branch, I received nothing back. This led me to wonder... was that email sent to me by mistake? Was it there to let me know that there are zionists out there lurking and trying to continue to not only eliminate the Palestinian people but to also eliminate supporters of ending the occupation of Palestine? I wonder.

But, I do not stop speaking out for justice.

Insh'allah.
Insh'allah.

Jewish Women Occupy Toronto Israeli Embassy to Let Gaza Live!

2009-01-11T14:20:00.000-05:00

From Electronic Intifada

2009-01-06T18:48:00.001-05:00

Two schools housing refugees shelled in bloodied Gaza
Press release, Al Mezan, 6 January 2009

Smoke rises from Rafah, southern Gaza Strip, after an Israeli air strike, 5 January 2009. (Hatem Omar/MaanImages)

1pm Gaza Time (+2hrs GMT)

The Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) has further escalated its attacks against the Gaza Strip, massacring civilians. Air raids continued to target dozens of houses and border areas. Last night air raids targeted repeatedly targeted security installations that had been targeted during the past days. At the same time, artillery shells and missiles destroyed dozens of homes, wiping out entire families and seriously raising civilian casualties. Today, the IOF shelled an UNRWA [the United Nations agency for Palestine refugees] school that was inhabited by 600 civilians who had to evacuate their homes in northern Gaza, killing six people. IOF attacks caused damage to two hospitals and destroyed the Civil Defence station in Rafah. Between 2:30pm yesterday and 1pm today, IOF attacks killed 96 people. At least 22 were children and seven were women.

Attacks have particularly targeted Gaza City and the areas close to the border between the Gaza Strip and Israel in the northern suburbs of Beit Lahia and the eastern areas of Beit Hanoun, Jabaliya, Gaza City and al-Bureij refugee camp.
In North Gaza District, IOF fired artillery towards a police car that was parked near the al-Awda Hospital in Jabaliya. This attack, which occurred at approximately 1:40pm yesterday, 5 January 2009, destroyed the car and caused damage to the hospital's building. A resident of the area, Ali Salman, was also injured.

At approximately 3:15pm Monday, IOF artillery hit the house of the al-Jatali family, which is located near Erez Crossing. The father, 35-year-old Mousa Mohammed al-Jatali, was killed immediately in the house. His three sons, Islam (nine); Hamza (four); and Abdul-Rahma (two), were injured.

At approximately 5:10pm Monday, IOF artillery hit houses in Jabalia's neighborhood of Tel al-Zatar, injuring three children and starting a fire in a house. Another artillery attack destroyed and burnt 10 houses in the al-Ajarma Street in Jabaliya refugee camp's Block Six. Five civilians were injured.
In the northern Gaza town of Beit Lahia, Israeli tanks opened fire at two Palestine Red Crescent Society ambulances at approximately 5:30pm, also on Monday. The two ambulances, which were on their way to collect injured and killed people in the al-Atatra area, were damaged by the shelling, despite their coordination with the IOF through the International Committee of the Red Cross.

At approximately 8pm on Monday, Israeli aircrafts raided the house of Mahmoud Yousef Lubad in Block 12 in Jabaliya refugee camp, destroying it completely and causing damage to six houses. Forty-year-old Basil Abu Ghaben was killed. His body was found under the rubble in the morning.

At approximately 11:30pm on Monday, Israeli aircrafts raided the house of Fuad Mansour in Block 12 in Jabaliya refugee camp, destroying it completely and killing an old women, Khadija Zomlut, 70. Two children and one woman were also injured: Hilmi Zomlut, one years old, his brother Mohammed (15) and Nisreen Zomlut (30).

Ten minutes later, the IOF fired about 30 artillery shells towards the al-Jama neighborhood in the east of Jabaliya, destroying ten homes, injuring one person and forcing about 100 of the residents to evacuate their homes.

At approximately 12:30am Tuesday, 6 January 2009, Israeli aircraft raided the house of Abdullah Kadoura Salih in Block Six in Jabaliya refugee camp, destroying it completely and killing four of its residents. They were identified as:
12-year-old girl Raneen Kadoura Salih;
55-year-old Abdullah Salih;
45-year-old Mahzyia Salih; and
21-year-old Samia Salih.
Ten of the house's residents were also injured in the attack, including three children.

At approximately 12:40am on Tuesday, Israeli aircrafts raided the house of Hatim Wadi in Jabaliya camp, destroying it and damaging four houses around it. Two people were killed in this raid:
33-year-old Hamdi Hammad; and
50-year-old Ismail Abu Nasser.
Twenty others were also injured in the attack.

At approximately 4:37am Tuesday, Israeli aircrafts raided the house of Manar al-Kurdi in Block Two of Jabaliya camp, destroying it and killing two of its residents; a child and an old woman:
Three-year-old Adam Mamoun al-Kurdi; and
60-year-old Hajar Ismail Insiwi.
Four others were injured, including a child. The same house was raided again, just as ambulance crews arrived at the scene, injuring 10 rescue workers.

Also on Tuesday, Israeli aircrafts raided the house of Kamal al-Kahlout in Jabaliya camp, destroying it and killing a child: 17-year-old Huzayfa al-Kahlout.

At approximately 8am, an IOF drone bombarded a car, injuring 24-year-old Emad Mohammed Shalak and 21-year-old Tariq Farajallah, and the driver 24-year-old Jalal Afana, whose leg was later amputated.

In Gaza City, IOF has launched numerous attacks on houses, destroying many of their residents. Al Mezan has not been able to verify the consequences of each attack in these areas; however, killed and injured people continue to arrive at al-Shifa Hospital. Al Mezan has received many reports about civilians who were killed under the rubble of their homes. Al Mezan has verified the following attacks and casualties in Gaza City:

At approximately 12:50pm yesterday, Monday 5 January 2009, IOF artillery targeted the house of al-Milh in the east of al-Zeitoun neighborhood, killing two women and causing several casualties. The two women were identified as:
80-year-old Khadra al-Milh; and
25-year-old Lobna al-Milh.
About two hours later, IOF artillery hit the house of Nafez Eliwa in al-Shejaiyeh neighborhood, killing a mother and four of her children. The victims were identified as:
The mother, 37-year-old Amal Zaki Eliwa;
Muntaser Eliwa;
Hazem Eliwa;
Mumen Eliwa;
The fourth child, a girl, has not yet been identified; however, Al Mezan knew that the children were under the age of 15.
At approximately 2:20pm, on 5 January 2009, the IOF fired artillery shells at the house of the al-Sirsawi family in eastern al-Zeitoun neighborhood, destroying it completely while its inhabitants were inside it. Five-year-old Ayia al-Sirsawi was killed in the attack. According to eyewitnesses, more family members are still under the rubble of their house.
At approximately 2:15pm, on the same day, the IOF fired artillery at the house of the Allaw family, which is located in al-Tuffah neighborhood of eastern Gaza City, killing 12-year-old Mohammed Talal Allaw, and his 11-year-old brother Momen while they were playing on the roof of their house.

At approximately 1:30pm, on the same day, the IOF shelled also the house of the al-Harazeen family in az-Zeitoun neighborhood, eastern Gaza City, with artillery, killing 20-year-old Alaa Ibrahim al-Harazeen, and 21-year-old Ahmed Fathi al-Harazeen. Eye witnesses reported to Al Mezan that there were still victims under the rubble of the house.

At approximately 5:30pm that same day, the IOF opened fire randomly at houses in al-Zeitoun neighborhood during an incursion of a special force into the neighborhood. The shooting killed 15-year-old Hanadi Basem Khalifa with a live bullet to her head.

At approximately 6:10pm, IOF aircrafts hit one of al-Saada towers (apartment-building compound) in Tel al-Hawa neighborhood, south of Gaza City, killing 50-year-old Fayiz Yousif Hasan, while he was in his house close to the tower, and injuring two others.

Further, at approximately 11pm, the IOF launched eight air raids at the al-Saraya security compound in central Gaza City. The compound includes Gaza Central Prison and security apparatuses. The attacks destroyed the compound completely and caused severe damages to neighboring houses. Several residents of the areas were injured.

At approximately 12am, on 6 January 2009, the IOF tanks shelled the house of 50-year-old Awni Abdul-Fattah Jaddou, which is located in al-Zeitoun neighborhood. The shelling killed three of Jadou's sons, and injured four others from the same family. Those killed were:
18-year-old Lotfi Abdul-Fattah Jadou;
24-year-old Ghazi Abdul-Fattah Jadou; and
20-year-old Hashem Abdul-Fattah Jadou.
Furthermore, IOF aircrafts raided UNRWA's Asma School the Beach refugee camp. This school was used by UNRWA to shelter civilians who were displaced from the areas where they live in the eastern areas of Gaza City as well as the al-Atatra and al-Salatin areas in Beit Lahia town. The attack killed three youths who were identified as: 27-year-old Rawhi Jamal al-Sultan, 23-year-old Hussein Mamoud al-Sultan, and 19-year-old Abed Samir al-Sultan.

At approximately 6am on the same day, Israeli aircrafts bombarded the four-story house of 60-year-old Fayiz al-Daya, in al-Zeitoun neighborhood in Gaza City. The attack destroyed the house completely while its residents were in inside it. Eyewitnesses and survivors reported that 30 members of the al-Daya family were killed. Four bodies had been taken out from under the rubble and sent to al-Shifa Hospital at the time this release was issued. Al Mezan has also received the names of 26 other members of this family, who are believed to be under the rubble. Those who were identified are:
60-year-old Fayiz Mosbah al-Daya,
25-year-old Sabreen al-Daya;
34-year-old Iyad Fayiz al-Daya;
Five-year-old Falastin Fayiz al-Daya; and
55-year-old Khitam al-Daya, who is the wife of the house's owner.
In another attack, at the same time, the IOF fired artillery shells towards houses near the Abu Jebba gas station in al-Zeitoun neighborhood. The shelling killed 52-year-old Abdul-Wahab Ahmed Hasanein, while he was in his house. Twelve others were injured.

Between 1pm on 5 January 2009 and 12pm on 6 January 2009, 40 bodies were admitted to al-Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. Al Mezan was able to identify some of them as:
Five-year-old Aya al-Sirsawi, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
19-year-old Mohammed Mustafa Kmeel, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
22-year-old Mohammed Al-Ghazali,
20-year-old Ahmed Fathi al-Nazli,
Three-year-old Wiam Jamal al-Kafarneh, from Beit Hanoun town;
Montasir Eleiwa, a child from al-Shejaiyia neighborhood;
Hazem Elawa, a child from al-Shejaiyia neighborhood;
Momen Eleiwa, a child from al-Shejaiyia neighborhood;
Mohammed al-Khouli, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
37-year-old Amal Eleiwa; from al-Shejaiyia neighborhood;
36-year-old Mahrous Shuheibar, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
Basem Morjan, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
20-year-old Ala Ibrahim al-Harazeen, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
21-year-old Ahmed Fathi al-Harazeen, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
15-year-old Nada Mosbah Sad, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
Adham Moteir, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
Five-year-old Nada Mardi, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
Ramadan Fefel, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
58-year-old Laila Ismail Sulaiman, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
Mohammed Samir Salem, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
74-year-old Hassan Khalil Arafat, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
80-year-old Khadra Abdul-Malek, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
15-year-old Ahmed Shaher Khteir, from Beit Lahia town;
Nine-year-old Jihad Samir Rheim, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
12-year-old Mohammed Mahmoud Allaw, from al-Tuffah neighborhood
11-year-old Momen Mahoud Allaw, from al-Tuffah neighborhood;
80-year-old Khadra al-Milh, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
25-year-old Lubna al-Milh, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
52-year-old Abdul-Wahhab Ahmed Hasanein, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
50-year-old Fayiz Yousif Hassan, Tel al-Hawa;
60-year-old Fayiz Musbah al-Daya, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
55-year-old Khitam al-Daya, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
34-year-old Iyad al-Daya, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood;
Five-year-old Filastin al-Daya, from al-Zeitoun neighborhood.
Medical sources announced the death of 47-year-old Asad Hamouda, who was injured on 4 January 2009. In addition, were a child from the Eliaw family, and another from the Sheheibar family whose names remain unknown.

In the Central Gaza district, the IOF opened artillery fire at Block Four in the al-Bureij refugee camp. At approximately 9:40pm Monday 5 January 2009, artillery shells hit the house of Jihad Ali Abu Jbara, 53, killing him, his two sons Basil (29), and Usama (21); and two children in the neighboring houses: Naji al-Hamalawi (16), and Ibrahim Akel (17). Ten other people including four children were also injured in this attack.

At approximately 10pm on the same day, Israeli aircrafts raided the police station in the town of Deir al-Balah. Israeli navy vessels shelled a crowd and houses in the town's refugee camp at 2:30am Tuesday, killing 10 people. They were identified as:
21-year-old Hashim Afana;
27-year-old Khalil al-Hasanat;
20-year-old Husam Abu al-Sibah;
25-year-old Zyad Nassar;
35-year-old Ahmad al-Hasanat;
33-year-old Mohammed Abu Shira;
22-year-old Hasan Mismeh;
18-year-old Ala Ismail;
18-year-old Mohammed Eid and
23-year-old Mohammed al-Banna.
Al Mezan's field worker in the Central Gaza district reported that a 22-year-old woman, Ayyat Farajallah, was injured in her chest from Israeli fire when she was at her house's door in the Wadi Gaza village. IOF troops, who are stationed north to the nearby al-Zahraa, opened fire at the woman. Continuous shooting from these troops has forced the residents of the village to evacuate and seek safe shelters elsewhere. This woman was about to leave the village with her family when she was shot.

At approximately 12:10am Tuesday, Israeli aircraft raided the house of Salah al-Aydi in the al-Maghazi refugee camp, destroying it and injuring three civilians in the area. A 26-year-old woman, Islam Abdul-Jawwad was critically injured in this attack.

At approximately 10:30am also today, IOF fired artillery that exploded near the house of Mahmoud Abu Shaar, 27, in the Wadi al-Salqa village in central Gaza. The man was killed with his 24-year-old wife Fidaa Abu Shaar. Their infant, Tamer, who is six months old, was injured.

At approximately 1:15am today, Israeli aircraft fired two missiles that struck a garden and an open field in the al-Nuseirat refugee camp in the Central Gaza district. Several houses in the area were damaged.

At approximately 8pm yesterday, Monday 5 January 2009, Israeli aircrafts also fired a missile that landed near al-Nour Mosque in Abassan town, east of Khan Younis City in South Gaza district. It caused severe damage to the mosque and several other houses in its vicinity. Israeli aircrafts also bombarded numerous open fields close to neighborhoods in Khan Younis, causing damages to houses in the al-Amal neighborhood and the towns of Abassan and Khuzaa. Three women were injured in these raids. Moreover, Israeli naval vessels opened fire towards the al-Mawasi area in the west of Khan Younis, injuring three civilians, including two children.

At approximately 9:10am today, Israeli aircrafts raided the house of Khaled Abu Odeh in the al-Amal neighborhood, destroying it and a neighboring house completely, and causing damage to several houses in its vicinity. Five people were injured in this raid; including a cameraman of the al-Aqsa satellite channel, two children and one woman.

IOF's artillery shells landed in eastern Abassan town at approximately 11:20am today. One shell landed near the house of Hasan Ikdeeh, killing a five-year-old child, Marwan Hasan Ikdeeh, and injuring his 13-year-old sister, Lama.

An IOF special force infiltrated into the al-Zana area in the east of Bani Suhaila town, where it exchanged fire with militants. Al Mezan's field worker reported that this area was targeted with artillery between 5am and noon today. An Israeli aircrafts fired a missile at a protestor who was trying to set fire to a tire in this same area. It was also reported that the bodies of two unidentified men lie in the north of the area.

In Rafah, south Gaza, Israeli planes, naval vessels and artillery bombarded various parts of the town and its refugee camp. In al-Shoka village, east of Rafah, a four-month-old girl was killed when pieces of furniture fell on her as a result of IOF artillery shelling near her house. Israeli aircrafts also fired nine missiles at a road in the al-Nasser village between Rafah and Khan Younis. They also raided a field and a car maintenance workshop in Rafah refugee camp, destroying the workshop and two cars.

At approximately 6am on Tuesday, Israeli aircrafts raided the house of Ismail Abu Haddaf in Block O refugee camp in Rafah, destroying it completely and causing damage to several houses in its vicinity. Two hours later, aircraft raided the Civil Defense office in Rafah camp, destroying it and causing damage to five houses.

During the drafting of this release, an Israeli raid targeted another UNRWA school in Faluja neighborhood in Jabaliya refugee camp. Initial news indicate that between 15 and 45 civilians who have were taking shelter the school were killed.

As the Israeli aggression continues, the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip have grown worse and are in a state of severe disaster. Without electricity supply for several days, water, sanitation and health services have been affected badly. The number of displaced people have grown to over 50,000, while UNRWA and other humanitarian organizations face difficulty in providing shelter and food for them.

Al Mezan Center for Human Rights renews its condemnation of the Israeli war crimes in the Gaza Strip, which have continued to cause unprecedented losses in civilian life and property. Attacks on civilian targets are not unavoidable collateral damage, but deliberate attacks in which IOF uses guided missiles and shells. Al Mezan remains alarmed by the international community's failure to address the grave situation in Gaza, by bringing the Israeli military actions to an end and aiding civilians. Therefore, Al Mezan Center reiterates its calls upon the international community to take effective action to bring to an end these operations without delay. Al Mezan calls upon:

The United Nations Secretary-General to condemn the Israeli disproportionate use of force and the targeting of civilians and civilian objects in defiance of peremptory rules of international law, and to ensure that the UN Security Council and General Assembly take appropriate steps to address the situation in the Gaza Strip;
The United Nations agencies to provide urgent humanitarian aid and safe shelters for Gazans who have been displaced and those living in threatened areas;
The International Committee of the Red Cross to double its efforts to ensure humanitarian access for civilians and ensure tending to the urgent needs for medicines and water, and to investigate the likelihood of the use of cluster bombs in north Gaza;
The Human Rights Council to request the UN General Assembly to request the convening in Switzerland of a conference of the High Contracting Parties to the Fourth Geneva Convention Relative to the Protection of Civilians in Times of war, of 1949, to consider the breaches by Israel of its nonderogable obligations under the Convention in the course of its ongoing military actions in Gaza, and to consider the necessary measures to ensure respect of the rules set out in the Convention and its relevant protocols.
Civil societies around the world to exert pressure on their governments so that they act in conformity with the relevant human rights and humanitarian obligations as prescribed in relevant international law.
Failure to take effective action to halt the continuous Israeli violations has only allowed for a grave situation to grow worse. Action must be taken immediately to ensure the protection of the civilian population in the occupied Gaza Strip.

Good Reporting live from Gaza

2009-01-04T18:48:00.003-05:00

Here are some blogs that are reporting directly from inside Gaza:

In Gaza
Tales to Tell
Reports from Israel Human Rights Groups

RALLY FOR GAZA TODAY & SATURDAY 1/3

2009-01-02T10:36:00.001-05:00

A rally and march in Philly to support peace in Gaza and end the senseless killings of all human beings.

A rally starting at City Hall at 15th & Market at 11am. It would be followed by a march starting at noon to go to the Federal Building at 6th & Market; to WHYY on 6th near Arch and ending at FOX News on Market just east of 4th.

The event in Philadelphia would also coincide with a major demonstration taking place in NY on Saturday and others ongoing around the country - and around the world. Please share this message with everyone on your list. It is critical that we build broader opposition to stop the loss of life in Gaza and demand an immediate stop to Israel's war on the people of Palestine! It has been tremendously encouraging to see so many people coming out to stand in solidarity with the people of Gaza, here in Philly and around the world! Please contact phillyiac at action-mail.org or call 215-724-1618 if you can help.

REMINDER:

Peace Vigil today at noon at S. 15th Street between Walnut and Locust Streets
Contact: Bubbes and Zaydes for Peace in the Middle East, phillyjewishpeace.org

Raising Yousuf and Noor: diary of a Palestinian mother: Gaza City under heavy bombardment

2008-12-31T22:11:00.000-05:00

Raising Yousuf and Noor: diary of a Palestinian mother: Gaza City under heavy bombardment

CNN Report on Israel's attack of the Free Gaza Vessel Dignity

2008-12-30T22:18:00.001-05:00

PROTEST in PHILADELPHIA TODAY

2008-12-30T12:37:00.003-05:00

Tuesday, December 30, 4:30PM
Demonstration at Israeli Consulate, 1880 JFK Blvd
Contact: Sue Rouda, 215-724-1618, sue.rouda at gmail.com

Tell your friends! Show your support for Palestinians!!!!

URGENT!!!! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship!

2008-12-30T11:49:00.000-05:00

From the Free Gaza website:

URGENT! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship! TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!

Date : 12-30-2008

The Dignity, a Free Gaza boat on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, is being attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Dignity has been surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli warships. They are firing live ammunition around the Dignity, and one of the warships has rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus - despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured.

There are 15 civilian passengers representing 11 different countries (see below for a complete list). At approximately 5am (UST), well out in international waters, Israeli warships began surrounding the Dignity, threatening the ship. At 6:45am (UST) we were able to establish brief contact with the crew and were told that the ship had been rammed by the Israeli Navy in international waters, and that the Israelis were preventing the ship from finding safe harbor. We heard heavy gunfire in the background before all contact was lost with the Dignity.

It is urgent that you TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION!

URGENT! Israeli Navy Attacking Civilian Mercy Ship! TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY!

The Dignity, a Free Gaza boat on a mission of mercy to besieged Gaza, is being attacked by the Israeli Navy in international waters. The Dignity has been surrounded by at least half-a-dozen Israeli warships. They are firing live ammunition around the Dignity, and one of the warships has rammed the civilian craft causing an unknown amount of damage. Contrary to international maritime law, the Israelis are actively preventing the Dignity from approaching Gaza or finding safe haven in either Egypt or Lebanon. Instead, the Israeli navy is demanding that the Dignity return to Cyprus - despite the fact that the ship does not carry enough fuel to do so. Fortunately, no one aboard the ship has yet been seriously injured.

There are 15 civilian passengers representing 11 different countries (see below for a complete list). At approximately 5am (UST), well out in international waters, Israeli warships began surrounding the Dignity, threatening the ship. At 6:45am (UST) we were able to establish brief contact with the crew and were told that the ship had been rammed by the Israeli Navy in international waters, and that the Israelis were preventing the ship from finding safe harbor. We heard heavy gunfire in the background before all contact was lost with the Dignity.

It is urgent that you TAKE IMMEDIATE ACTION!

CALL the Israeli Government and demand that it immediately STOP attacking the Dignity and endangering the lives of its passengers!

CALL Mark Regev in the Prime Minister's office at:
+972 2670 5354 or +972 5062 3264
mark.regev@it.pmo.gov.il

CALL Shlomo Dror in the Ministry of Defence at:
+972 33697 5339 or +972 50629 8148
mediasar@mod.gov.il

BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Dignity departed from Larnaca Port in Cyprus at 7pm (UST) on Monday 29 December, bound for war-devastated Gaza with a cargo of over 3 tons of desperately needed medical supplies donated by the people of Cyprus. At our request, the ship was searched by Cypriot Port authorities prior to departure, to certify that there was nothing "threatening" aboard - only emergency medical supplies.

TAKE ACTION IMMEDIATELY TO STOP THE ISRAELI NAVY FROM ENDANGERING THE DIGNITY AND ITS PASSENGERS!

Civilians aboard the Dignity being threatened by the Israeli military:

(UK) Denis Healey, Captain
Captain of the Dignity, Denis has been involved with boats for 45 years, beginning with small fishing boats in Portsmouth. He learned to sail while atschool and has been part of the sea ever since. He's a certified yachtmaster and has also worked on heavy marine equipment from yachts to large dredgers. This is his fourth trip to Gaza.

(Greece) Nikolas Bolos, First Mate
Nikolas is a chemical engineer and human rights activist. He has served as a crewmember on several Free Gaza voyages, including the first one in August.

(Jordan) Othman Abu Falah
Othman is a senior producer with Al-Jazeera Television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(Australia) Renee Bowyer
Renee is a schoolteacher and human rights activist. She will remain in Gaza to do human rights monitoring and reporting.

(Ireland) Caoimhe Butterly
Caoimhe is a reknowned human rights activist and Gaza Coordinator for the Free Gaza Movement. She will be remaining in Gaza to do human rights monitoring, assist with relief efforts, and work on project development with Free Gaza.

(Cyprus) Ekaterini Christodulou
Ekaterini is a well-known and respected freelance journalist in Cyprus. She is traveling to Gaza to report on the conflict.

(Sudan) Sami El-Haj
Sami is a former detainee at Guantanamo Bay, and head of the human rights section at Al-Jazeera Television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(UK) Dr. David Halpin
Dr. Halpin is an experienced orthopaedic surgeon, medical professor, and ship's captain. He has organized humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza on several occasions with the Dove and Dolphin. He is traveling to Gaza to volunteer in hospitals and clinics.

(Germany) Dr. Mohamed Issa
Dr. Issa is a pediatric surgeon from Germany. He is traveling to Gaza to volunteer in hospitals and clinics.

(UK/Tunisia) Fathi Jaouadi
Fathi is a television producer and human rights activist. He will remain in Gaza to do human rights monitoring and reporting.

(USA) Cynthia McKinney
Cynthia is a former U.S. Congresswoman from Georgia, and the 2008 Green Party presidential candidate. She is traveling to Gaza to assess the ongoing conflict.

(Cyprus) Martha Paisi
Martha is a senior research fellow and experienced human rights activist. She is traveling to Gaza to do human rights work and to assist with humanitarian relief efforts.

(UK) Karl Penhaul
Karl Penhaul is a video correspondent for CNN, based out of Bogotá, Colombia. Appointed to this position in February 2004, he covers breaking news around the world utilizing CNN's new laptop-based 'Digital Newsgathering' system. He is traveling to Gaza to report on the ongoing conflict.

(Iraq) Thaer Shaker
Thaer is a cameraman with Al-Jazeera television. He will remain in Gaza to report on the ongoing military onslaught.

(Cyprus) Dr. Elena Theoharous, MP
Dr. Theoharous is a surgeon and a Member of the Cypriot Parliament. She is traveling to Gaza to assess the ongoing conflict, assist with humanitarian relief efforts, and volunteer in hospitals.

Gaza Tragedy

2008-12-28T17:43:00.003-05:00

As you are aware, Israel has begun an assault on Palestinians in Gaza. More than 200 Palestinians have been killed and hundreds more seriously injured. Gaza was already in the midst of a humanitarian catastrophe through Israel's restriction of the provision of food, fuel, medicine, electricity, and other necessities of life. For the sake of human rights and lives I urge you to take action and speak out against this assault.

Here are some things you can do NOW to take action:

TAKE ACTION
1. Contact the White House to protest the attack and demand an immediate cease-fire. Call 202-456-1111 or send an email to comments@whitehouse.gov.

2. Contact the State Department at 202-647-6575 or send an email by clicking here.

3. Contact your Representative and Senators in Congress at 202-224-3121 or find contact info for your Members of Congress by clicking here.

4. Contact your local media by phoning into a talk show or writing a letter to the editor. To find contact info for your local media, click here.

5. Organize a local protest or vigil.

6. Sign an open letter, via US Campaign to End Israeli Occupation, to President-Elect Obama calling for a new U.S. policy toward Israel/Palestine and find out other steps you can take to influence the incoming Administration by clicking here.

New Projects on the Horizon

2008-10-17T18:36:00.003-04:00

I haven't forgotten the people of Palestine. I have just been busy with the kids in my city since school started back in September. Although I've been somewhat dormant visually with this blog and with the whole Palestinian cause I have been working in the background.

I won't go into much detail at the moment as I still lack specific details but... I have made contact with some people who are interested in creating a comic book, made by Palestinian kids, telling their stories in this format. I think its a rockin' idea! I'm very excited to get involved.

More to come...

Free Gaza - Disturbing footage of Israeli soldiers

2008-09-05T20:42:00.001-04:00

International activists are helping Palestinian fishermen from Gaza fish in the sea where they are allowed to fish. Israel soldiers appear to be using intense and extreme scare tactics by shooting at the boats.

Read more about this at the ISM's website.

Update on Free Gaza Movement

2008-08-25T23:41:00.000-04:00

From the ISM website:

Free Gaza Movement is at sea again on the 8 mile limit off Gaza Harbour
August 25th, 2008 | Posted in Press Releases, International Actions, Gaza Region

For Immediate Release

SS Free Gaza, with six Palestinian fishermen’s boats, is 8-miles off the coast of Gaza, being circled by three Israeli Dabur naval vessels. No shots have been fired. The fishing boats are continuing to exercise their right to fish and have not turned round, but the Free Gaza has just now turned round (10.15 a.m.). The Oslo Accords allow Palestinian Gazans a 20-mile limit off the coast of the Gaza Strip. Currently the Navy is enforcing a 6 mile limit, so the Free Gaza Movement has broken that naval blockade, too.

Updates from Prof. Jeff Halper on a fishing boat (not on the Free Gaza): 0542 002 642 or Huwaida Arraf also on a fishing boat: 0599 130 426

Angela Godfrey-Goldstein - Media Team Free Gaza Movement - 0547-366 393 (www.freegaza.org)

Free Gaza Boat Has Arrived

2008-08-23T20:41:00.002-04:00

A group of 46 activists have arrived in Gaza! Amazing!!! They are delivering medical supplies. This is a triumph for the cause!

More Attacks in Hebron

2008-07-21T17:54:00.002-04:00

This article is from the ISM website, the group I stayed with while teaching in Tel Rumeida last year. Reading this makes me feel so horrible for not going this summer. I know others are there, but I still feel very sad.

I have a feeling that it is the Al Jabari family that is having difficulties. I know from personal experience that this group of settlers at Kiryat Arba are radical and very violent. If you are in Palestine, please be sure to go to Hebron and observe and help. If you ever consider going, please do so!

Escalating settler violence in Hebron: Settlers attack internationals with pepper spray
July 20th, 2008 | Posted in Reports, Hebron Region

On Saturday settlers on two occasions attacked internationals with stones and pepper spray outside the Kiryat Arba in Hebron. The last days, following the arrival of a new Israeli troops with a decidedly more brutal and oppressive attitude, several incidents of harassment against Palestinians has taken place in Tel Rumedia and through out the city

After the arrival on Thursday of a new unit of the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) the overall situation in Hebron has worsened considerably, according to both international activists and observers. Inside Tel Rumeida, the number of detentions of Palestinians have increased dramatically and seemingly random harassment and restrictions are abundant, making every day life for Palestinians even more difficult than usual. On Sunday the military arrested several persons from a Palestinian family for working their lands, and soldiers repeatedly occupied houses, apparently to be used as sniper and look out posts.

As two internationals on Saturday tried to perform a solidarity visit to a Palestinian family (lately the target of several attacks from settlers) living close to the Kiriyat Arba settlement they were attacked by a group of 5-10 young settlers and forced to leave the area. Israeli military, arriving at the scene made little to stop the harassment, despite that stones were thrown at the internationals, resulting in one slight injury.

In the afternoon settlers attacked a small group of Palestinians walking from their homes in the vicinity of the settlement. As internationals attempted to intervene they were once more attacked by settlers, this time also using pepper spray and destroying camera equipment. Like before, Israeli soldiers witnessing the events made little to stop the harassment. Abuse from settlers have escalated lately, in connection to the establishment of a small encampment in Palestinian lands outside the Kiriyat Arba, from where attacks on by-passers have been carried out. Despite numerous request from the TIPH and others to remove the settlers, the military has been reluctant to take action against the settlers.

One year ago

2008-06-30T22:09:00.002-04:00

I was in Palestine sitting under this tree

keeping the settlers away from Issa's house while sipping mint tea with my new house mates from all over the world and my new found lifetime Palestinian friends. Many hours were spent guarding the house while listening to the horrible stories of detainments, arrests and occupation that the Palestinians endured.

Now that an entire year has passed and the fog has cleared from my head and the summer is here and I don't have to work... I will finally write some more stories.

A Story from a Detained American in Israel

2008-06-23T10:07:00.002-04:00

Please check out this link to an American woman's blog that details her 3 days in detainment by the Israeli government at the airport. This is what happens to anyone trying to enter Palestine. She was held in deplorable conditions then deported, never being allowed to enter the country. This could happen to anyone flying into Tel Aviv regardless of your religious affiliations, ethnicity or even country of citizenship.

Hebron, Palestine- An Video

2008-05-17T09:45:00.000-04:00

I have written much about Palestine for quite a while, but that doesn't mean that it and the people are not in my thoughts every single day. I swear that there is not one single day that passes without a thought or two stopping me in my tracks to reflect if only for a moment. In my city here there was an entire Al Nakba committee. I unfortunately did nothing with them due to being completely wrapped up in my mess of a career as a teacher with some additional personal things going on. I did get to go see one documentary filmed in Palestine during last summer. I was able to see a few of the international folks (in the film) I volunteered with and whom I miss greatly! Tomorrow they will be releasing black balloons during the Israeli Independence Day parade here. I may join in although I don't think its necessarily a good thing for the environment to release balloons.

I found this video on YouTube that shows my friend Issa talking about Tel Rumeida. It also provides a little history of Hebron and Issa's house where I spent many long days and nights keeping away the settlers, engaging in meaningless and harassing conversations with young IDF soldiers yet meaningful conversations with the Palestinians.

I miss that place!

Hebron Orphanage

2008-04-30T22:02:00.003-04:00

Here is a link to a blog that has all the information about the orphanage in Hebron that the Israeli government is trying to shutdown. It also lists phone numbers of people you can contact to express your opposition to this.

2008-04-02T18:03:00.001-04:00

From the ISM website...

CPT: Hebron orphanages and schools for 7,000 children ordered closed
April 2nd, 2008 | Posted in Press Releases, Reports, Hebron Region

For more information about CPT’s work in Palestine click here

Last night (April 1st 2008) approximately 300 women, including teachers, mothers and students, protested the shut down of their school and orphanages by the Israeli government. This is one of several schools and orphanages serving 7,000 orphans and students in the Hebron area. Internationals, including Christian Peacemaker Teams (CPT), members of the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and others committed to non-violence, slept in the school expecting armed Israeli soldiers to come and seal up the doors.

The Israeli High Court have just extended the order by one week. This evening internationals have arrived to stay in the school for the night because no one has seen a copy of the written order. There’s also a presence at one of the boys schools by the men and boys of the community. Sixteen year-old American-born Rabiha Abu Sneineh, an articulate defender of her school and friends who will become
homeless, joined her classmates in last night’s protest. Her descriptive letter to Oprah is below.

Dianne Roe, who works with the Christian Peacemaker Team (CPT) in Hebron, cried when she was interviewing sixteen-year-old Rabina. Below is a news release distributed by CPT and a letter that Rabina,
who was raised in Houston, Texas, who wrote to Oprah last week.

Sixteen year-old American-born Rabiha Abu Sneineh will join her classmates tonight in facing armed Israeli soldiers if the Israeli army carries out the order effective 1 April closing orphanages and schools funded by Islamic Charities that serves 7,000 children.

Two years ago Rabiha was a teenager in Houston, Texas where she was treasurer of the student council and loved going to the mall with her friends. Her new friends are her classmates at the Girls’ orphanage
school in Hebron. Last year they helped her learn Arabic and integrate into her new surroundings. Now she wants to help them.

Dear Oprah,

My name is Rabiha Abusnineh and I am 16 and a half years old. For the first fifteen years of my life, I have lived in Houston, Texas in the United States of America. I was really happy there because I had everything I wanted. For instance, I had a 3.9 GPA and I had awesome friends and went to a really good school (North Shore High School). But all that changed when I moved to Hebron, Palestine in August of 2006. I didn’t know the Arabic language at all but over time and practice and a lot of repetition I have learned it and become the highest ranking in my class due to endless cooperation from my school.

I go to Al-Shar’iya Secondary School for Girls but it is not just any normal school. It is a school of 650 girls, 500 of them being orphans that depend on the school for a place to study, to eat, to sleep, to
get treated if they’re sick, to get school supplies, and probably every other necessity they need to live. And now for some reason the Israeli Occupation wants to close it down along with its other branches that include a school for orphaned boys and an elementary school for orphaned children. What they do not realize is that if they were to close the Islamic Charitable Society which funds these orphanage schools, they would be kicking some of these orphans into the street with no one to care or to spend on them.

They say that these orphans practice terrorism and due to their false accusations they have confiscated all of the properties and the income that are required to care for the orphans and the buses that transport them from their homes to the school and they’ve closed down the bakery that extends bread to the orphans to sustain their hunger and they’ve stolen all the food in the food pantry that contains canned goods and meats for the orphans and they’ve confiscated the warehouse that contains school supplies and clothes for the orphans. I declare that these are not things used for terrorism so why have they taken them? And now they have given the different orphan schools warning to be closed by April the first.

My school and the Palestinian people have done plenty of things to stop this decision that came out about a month ago. We have marched and protested all with out any result. I ask you Oprah as a last resort to please please please help! I am asking you not for money but to help spread awareness on this situation and to help people see that the students of this school are orphans that have lost their fathers or mothers or both and in that lost their main source of income and their main source of love and care. This is not a political situation but rather it is a humanitarian one. Ever since I was a kindergarten in America I have learned that “All men were created equally” and that the American people have “the right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness”. If we were all created equally then us striving for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness shouldn’t differ between Americans, Palestinians, Africans or any one else.

I have been taught to stand up for what I believe in and what I believe has nothing to do with politics because I’ve always been neutral but Oprah by studying at this school and seeing everything that is provided I can not imagine what life is going to be like if it closes down so I will stand by them to the very end until they get back their rights. I ask you Oprah to please respond to this message as soon as possible because there is roughly a week left until the Israeli Occupation decide to carry out their inhumane and heartless plan. I watch your show about every week day here from Saturday-Wednesday and so does practically every other girl in my school. They see you as a source of kindness and compassion due to your help with building the African Schools and your help with a lot of different things. Please help them see that personally by helping them. Again all I ask for is coverage and awareness and hopefully a visit from you. Your reward will be in heaven. God Bless You for you are surely one of my role models and what I strive to be like when I’m older.

Thank you again for being my role model and for any help that you can offer.

Sincerely,
Rabiha Abusnineh

P.S. Please hurry!! God Bless You and all of your staff and crew!

Al-Nakba

2008-03-28T22:43:00.004-04:00

The Catastrophe.

Philadelphia is bringing about an awareness about the events of Al-Nakba from March 17 - May 18. A group of local activists formed the Al-Nakba Committee and are putting together many events including a Palestinian Film Festival. If you have time please check it out. I'm sure it will be an enlightening experience for many people.

Salam.

Hopeless Prayer for Peace

2008-03-06T19:32:00.004-05:00

I'm sad and disappointed to hear about the attack at an Al Q'uds (Jerusalem) seminary today and that people died because of it. I'm sad that someone felt so oppressed and hopeless that they had to kill others to be heard, to be noticed, to wake up the world! I'm sad that people had to die because the world does not listen. I'm sad that hundreds of people in Gaza are starving to death and living in horrible conditions in which no person should ever have to endure under no circumstance regardless of their race, religion, politics, socioeconomic status, past history and so on.

I'm scared that my friends in Al Khalil (Hebron) will suffer more than they are right now due to this horrible event even though they had nothing to do with it. I'm scared that all Palestinians will suffer because of it; suffer more than they ever have in the past and present.

I'm worried about more attacks on Israelis and that the Israelis who care about Palestinians and peace will suffer. I'm worried that the zionists will use this as an excuse to steal more Palestinian homes and land away from them with the official/unofficial backing of the Israeli government.

I'm feeling a bit hopeless today.
So, I pray for peace.
Insha'allah

peace
salam
om shanti

Supporting Palestine....

2008-02-10T11:20:00.000-05:00

It's been 6 months since I last walked on Palestinian soil. Life here has taken over and prevented me from doing a lot of the work I had hoped or envisioned myself doing for the Palestinians. However, it has not made me forget. I miss that place. I especially miss the people there. I've spent this time processing what I learned about the history of Palestine, what I saw, what I experienced and how I want to continue my work there.

It seems that when most people return they speak primarily at local anarchist events, synagogues, churches, perhaps a Friends meeting center, and at local universities. They typically speak about the protests they attended, about being tear gassed, about the horrible violent conditions Palestinians and the human rights workers live in on a day-to-day basis, and about the effects of Israeli occupation. Most get the message out quite well.

This has led me to think about what message I most want to convey when I speak to people. While I don't think the plight of the Palestinians can ever be communicated too much, and although I experienced and witnessed these same types of events, I also experienced another side of daily Palestinian life through the eyes of children that doesn't get told too often. The children made me very proud to be a part of their lives if only for a short six weeks and in turn I want to continue to do more to help them.

Since I volunteered through Art Under Apartheid and formed a friendship with its' founder, Katie Miranda, I decided that this would be the best route for me to pursue. But how exactly will I do this? This is the next step. Katie needs art materials, so I'll be purchasing art materials and sending care packages to her. How often care packages are sent will depend on her needs, the kids' needs, and of course available funds.

We also discussed getting more volunteers to come and run classes or tutoring sessions during the "off" seasons of fall, winter and spring. Those are the times when volunteer availability is at its lowest. One volunteer has stepped up already to provide a couple of hours of English tutoring homework services for the kids.

If you have some free time, preferably 2 weeks or more, contact Katie through the AUA website and get going! If you'd like to make a financial contribution to help send supplies contact me at yogalina5@yahoo.com.

Peace & Solidarity!

Experimental Broadcasting from Hebron

2007-12-16T14:33:00.000-05:00

This is an experiment in broadcasting from Hebron via Issa's house in Tel Rumeida. Add it to your bookmarks and be sure to check it on a regular basis to find out the lastest news in my favorite city in Palestine.

Occupation 101

2007-11-19T19:06:00.000-05:00

Here is a website where you can watch Occupation 101 in its entirety for free! Yes, really, it is free! Just let it run through once in the background, until it finishes buffering then you can watch uninterrupted. It took roughly 30 minutes to completely buffer over a DSL line. Here is a brief synopsis from this website:

A thought-provoking and powerful documentary film on the current and historical root causes of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Unlike any other film ever produced on the conflict -- 'Occupation 101' presents a comprehensive analysis of the facts and hidden truths surrounding the never ending controversy and dispels many of its long-perceived myths and misconceptions.

The film also details life under Israeli military rule, the role of the United States in the conflict, and the major obstacles that stand in the way of a lasting and viable peace. The roots of the conflict are explained through first-hand on-the-ground experiences from leading Middle East scholars, peace activists, journalists, religious leaders and humanitarian workers whose voices have too often been suppressed in American media outlets.

The film covers a wide range of topics -- which include -- the first wave of Jewish immigration from Europe in the 1880's, the 1920 tensions, the 1948 war, the 1967 war, the first Intifada of 1987, the Oslo Peace Process, Settlement expansion, the role of the United States Government, the second Intifada of 2000, the separation barrier and the Israeli withdrawal from Gaza, as well as many heart wrenching testimonials from victims of this tragedy.

Visual Effects

2007-11-04T21:05:00.000-05:00

Time for Palestine - a very sad visual

Palestinian Children Detained

2007-10-27T12:22:00.000-04:00

I volunteered my time helping out with the Friendship and Solidarity Summer Camp in Tel Rumeida for two-weeks in July while also teaching my ESL and yoga classes with Art Under Apartheid. The summer camp was a great program for the kids of Tel Rumeida to escape the everyday stresses of life under Israeli occupation. The best thing about the summer camp was the field trips. This particular field trip that I'm reporting on though was full of irony. Read more to find out why.

On Saturday, July 21, 2007 the Tel Rumeida Friendship and Solidarity Summer Camp, which included 100 children and 7 adult International and Palestinian volunteers, went on a solidarity field trip to the tiny village of At-Tuwani, located in the South Hebron Hills region just south of the city of Hebron. The people of Tuwani live very simple lives with very little electricity and running water and without modern conveniences. Since the early 1980s, when Israeli settlers began establishing outposts on the lands surrounding the village, the Palestinians in this area have struggled to maintain their community. Soon after the settlers arrived they began attacking Palestinian shepherds and farmers, uprooting Tuwani’s olive trees and stealing their sheep. Tuwani falls within the section of the occupied West Bank most dominated by the Israeli government’s authority. The Israeli army also therefore began destroying the Palestinians homes and mosques, arguing that villagers had not obtained official permits to build on the land. Attacks from both settlers and soldiers continue today.

Before 1980 there were approximately 750 villagers, today there are less than 200 left due to the attacks and violence that make life unbearable. The Christian Peacemakers Team have a daily presence in the area which includes escorting the Palestinian children to school to help them avoid being stoned to death by settler children.

The purpose of this field trip was to give the children of Tel Rumeida and Tuwani contact with each other in order to create a union of solidarity with one another despite the distance between their homes as well as the differences in their lifestyles. The children of Tel Rumeida were able to experience life in a different way and gain more knowledge on the extent of the occupation in Palestine.

Issa Amro, a Palestinian anti-violent activist, led discussions with the children citing that there are both good and bad Palestinians and Israelis. His goal was not only to develop solidarity amongst the Palestinian children but to open their minds to forming friendships with Israelis and to learn to recognize the good in everyone.

After touring the tiny village we walked back to the bus to find that we were being detained by the Israeli Occupation Force (IOF) soldiers.

This was due to some questions the soldiers had about the Palestinian bus driver's paperwork. The bus driver was in the process of changing his paperwork from Israel to Palestine, but everything was in order and legal as we found out in the end. However, this did not stop the soldiers from detaining us for over 2 hours in the 85F/32C + weather, with no shade or cover and without water as our water supplies quickly ran out.

I made phone calls to the Red Crescent Society only to find out that they were closed on the weekend. What? That's crazy! Other volunteers made phone calls as well, including the US Embassy. No one came to rescue us except the police who continued to detain us. Imagine being detained for 2 hours in the heat with 100 little kids! Well, let me say that I applaud these children. Children in the US would have never been able to hold up under this kind of intense pressure. These Palestinian kids are unfortunately used to being treated this way. Occupation and detainment are part of everyday life for them.

Instead of whining and crying about why this was happening to them they decided to be proactive and form their own little demonstration! I felt so proud of them and still do! I remember my eyes filling up with tears while filming this protest. They are shouting "Bidna rouweh, bidna rouweh !” which means “we want to go, we want to go !” Here are video clips:

Eventually we were released. We were scheduled to move on down the road about 5km to the town of Sousiya. However, due to the length of time we were detained we could not visit this town. The children were deeply disappointed but never once complained. I think the international volunteers complained more than anyone. It is very difficult to experience this type of treatment. We did continue on to Quawis, another little village. Here we were able to refill our water bottles with fresh spring water and explore the caves that these people live in. Yes, these villagers live in caves.

The settlers in the surrounding always end up destroying any homes that they build. Even ICAHD comes out and helps them rebuild the homes only to find that it is destroyed within months. However, ICAHD and the Palestinians do not give up! I will write more about this town in another post.

Israeli Soldiers shoot at Palestinian Protesters

2007-10-27T12:11:00.000-04:00

This occurred in the neighborhood where I stayed for 6-weeks this past summer. To understand the Palestinian point of view you need to read this article recently posted on the ISM website.

This just makes me feel so bad and angry. Watch the soldiers in this video. Their behavior is so immature and unjust. It's a ridiculous waste of US tax dollars. Also, listen to what the soldiers say in response to being filmed. They never want anyone to document their unethical actions.

Settler children attacking Palestinian kids coming home from school

2007-09-30T00:09:00.000-04:00

This video is from June 2006. The girls are coming back from the Quturba School. This is the school that was set on fire recently and where I taught at the Friendship and Solidarity camp. You can see the settlement across from the school as well as the dirt trail the girls have to walk on everyday and the steep stairs they must climb. The police and soldiers didn't work too hard in the video to stop the settler girls, this is typical in Tel Rumeida.

Key Terms in the Palestinian/Israeli Conflict

2007-09-21T19:20:00.000-04:00

Many of you have mentioned to me that some of terms I use, such as settlers and settlements, are not fully understood. So, I am copying from the BBC website a list of important terms that are often used when discussing issues relating to Palestine and Israel.

BBC publishes list of "key terms" used in Israel-Palestinian conflict
News, BBC News Online, Oct 19, 2006

The BBC Governors' independent panel report on the impartiality of BBC coverage of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict recommended that the BBC should make public an abbreviated version of its journalists' guide to facts and terminology. The following list of terms used in the conflict, their definitions, and notes for their correct usage, reveals a news organization trying to find a balance between accurate reporting and leaning towards the semantics of the Israeli side in the conflict.

ISRAEL AND THE PALESTINIANS: KEY TERMS

ASSASSINATIONS
The BBC's responsibility is to remain impartial and report in ways that enable our audiences to make their own assessments.

Our credibility is undermined by the careless use of words which carry emotional or value judgements.

If an event falls within the dictionary definition of assassination, then we can use the term but the word "killed" or "killing" may be perfectly adequate.

Plain simple language is preferable to more complex or emotive language. If we have more precise details of exactly why or how the killing took place, we should communicate that in an equally straightforward way. The phrase "targeted killing" is sometimes used by Israel and should be attributed.

BARRIER
BBC journalists should try to avoid using terminology favoured by one side or another in any dispute.

The BBC uses the terms "barrier", "separation barrier" or "West Bank barrier" as acceptable generic descriptions to avoid the political connotations of "security fence" (preferred by the Israeli government) or "apartheid wall" (preferred by the Palestinians).

The United Nations also uses the term "barrier".

Of course, a reporter standing in front of a concrete section of the barrier might choose to say "this wall" or use a more exact description in the light of what he or she is looking at.

BORDER
Be careful with this word. Do you mean boundary? See Green Line.

"CYCLE OF VIOLENCE"
It is better to avoid clich�s wherever possible. This one does nothing to explain any of the underlying causes of the conflict and may indeed obscure them.

EAST JERUSALEM
Israel occupied East Jerusalem in 1967 and annexed it in 1981 but its claim to the area is not recognised internationally. Instead, under international law, East Jerusalem is considered to be occupied territory.

For example, the Foreign Office says it "regards the status of Jerusalem as still to be determined in permanent status negotiations between the parties. Pending agreement, we recognise de facto Israeli control of West Jerusalem but consider East Jerusalem to be occupied territory. We recognise no sovereignty over the city".

We should seek out words that factually describe the reality on the ground and which are not politically loaded.

Avoid saying East Jerusalem "is part" of Israel or suggesting anything like it. Avoid the phrase "Arab East Jerusalem", too, unless you also have space to explain that Israel has annexed the area and claims it as part of its capital. East Jerusalem is sometimes referred as Arab East Jerusalem, partly because it was under Jordanian control between 1949 and 1967.

Palestinians want East Jerusalem as the capital of a future state of Palestine.

The BBC should say East Jerusalem is "occupied" if it is relevant to the context of the story.

For example: "Israel has occupied East Jerusalem since 1967. It annexed the area in 1981 and sees it as its exclusive domain. Under international law the area is considered to be occupied territory."

FENCE
See Barrier.

GAZA STRIP
In 2005, Israel completed the withdrawal of all its troops and settlers from the Gaza Strip. It retains control of the airspace, seafront and all vehicle access - including deliveries of food and other goods.

All movement in and out of the Gaza Strip is controlled by Israeli authorities, except, officially, the pedestrian-only crossing between Gaza and Egypt which is meant to be controlled by Palestinians and Egyptians with the presence of EU monitors.

The situation is, however, fluid - Israel has been able to force its closure since the capture of Corporal Shalit in 2006.

Under international law, Israel is still the occupying power in Gaza, although it no longer has a permanent military presence there.

We need to be careful with our language so as not to give the impression that the BBC is favouring one side's position. In BBC programmes it is more accurate to talk about an "end to Israel's permanent military presence" rather than the end of occupation.

GREEN LINE
The Green Line marks the boundary between Israel and the West Bank. It is properly referred to as the 1949 Armistice Line - the ceasefire line of 1949.

The exact borders of Israel and a future Palestinian state are subject to negotiation between the two parties. The Palestinians want a complete end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem, and use the phrase to mean a return to the pre-4th June 1967 borders.

In describing the situation on the ground take care to use the most precise and accurate terminology.

The Green Line is a dividing line or a boundary. If you call it a border you may inadvertently imply that it has internationally recognised status, which it does not currently have.

To that end, we can call the Green Line "the generally recognised boundary between Israel and the West Bank."

INTIFADA
The usual guidelines about paying due regard to the context in which words are used should be carefully considered if we are referring to the causes of the uprising.

Our credibility is undermined by the careless use of words which carry emotional or value judgements. So, for example, it is preferable to say that "Sharon's visit and Palestinian frustration at the failure of the peace process sparked the (second) intifada or uprising" rather than it "led" to it or "started" it.

JERUSALEM
The status of Jerusalem is one of the most sensitive and complex issues of the entire Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Its status is dependent on a final agreement between the Israelis and Palestinians.

Between 1949 and 1967, the city was divided into Israeli controlled West Jerusalem, and Jordanian controlled East Jerusalem. Israel currently claims sovereignty over the entire city, and claims it as its capital, after capturing East Jerusalem from Jordan in the 1967 war.

That claim is not recognised internationally and East Jerusalem is considered to be occupied territory.

See East Jerusalem.

JEWISH
Be careful over whether you mean "Israeli" or "Jewish": the latter might imply that the story is about race or religion, rather than the actions of the state or its citizens.

"MIDDLE EAST EXPERT"
Some "experts" may have a history of sympathising with one cause or another even if they have no overt affiliation.

It is preferable, where time and space allow, to provide a lengthier indication of the contributor's views on past issues so that the audience might calibrate his or her statements for themselves.

In all reporting we should avoid generalisations, bland descriptions and loose phrases which in fact tell us little about a contributor or event. The phrase "Middle East expert" implies the BBC thinks this person's views have weight and independence. If we can defend that judgement - that's fine. If not it may be better to avoid the phrase.

Overall, we should seek a precise description - for example, what job does this person hold? Who employs them? Where do they stand in the debate?

OCCUPIED TERRITORIES/OCCUPATION
The general phrase "occupied territories" refers to East Jerusalem, the West Bank and strictly speaking the Golan Heights. However, it is not usually understood to refer to the Golan Heights (unless it is in a story specifically on the 1967 war or Syrian-Israeli relations).

It is advisable to avoid trying to find another formula, although the phrase "occupied West Bank" can also be used.

Under international law, Israel is still the occupying power in Gaza, although it no longer has a permanent military presence there. See that section for our use of language.

Try not to confuse the phrase "occupied territories" with Palestinian Land or Palestinian Territories. (See those sections for the reasons why.)

The Israeli government's preferred phrase to describe the West Bank and Gaza Strip is "disputed territories" and it is reasonable to use this when it is clear that we are referring to or explaining its position.

OUTPOSTS
Be careful that you don't mean settlements. They are very different. Outposts are usually little more than a few caravans occupying a hilltop.

They serve a dual purpose - firstly to create new facts on the ground and expand the land included in the adjoining settlement; secondly, to defy the Israeli government and show the strength of the settler movement.

Some of these outposts are called "unauthorised outposts" by the Israeli government - generally meaning no permission was granted for them. You can describe an outpost as unauthorised by the Israeli government if that is accurate and relevant to the specific case you are considering.

It is generally advisable not to refer to "illegal" outposts (they are all illegal and if you call one illegal some may assume that others are not).

Generally it's a good rule to question the use of any adjective. Use it only if it is vital to the understanding of the story and you are confident that it precisely applies in this context.

PALESTINE
There is no independent state of Palestine today, although the stated goal of the peace process is to establish a state of Palestine alongside a state of Israel.

So be careful with the use of the word "Palestine" as its meaning can depend on the context.

For example, it can refer to historical Palestine or it can refer to a future state of Palestine living side by side with Israel as envisaged in the Roadmap.

PALESTINIAN LAND
This phrase has become more widely used by politicians and broadcasters to refer to the Occupied Territories, for example to explain why the construction of settlements is considered illegal by the UN.

Critics of the phrase say it is not strictly accurate because, for example, the West Bank was captured from Jordan in 1967.

The BBC Governors considered this issue in a complaint which was referred to in the programme complaints bulletin of July 2004. Their decision was that, although the complainant objected to references to "Palestinian land" and "Arab land", these terms "appropriately reflected the language of UN resolutions."

PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Strictly speaking, the phrase Palestinian Territories refers to the areas that fall under the administration of the Palestinian Authority.

They are difficult to work out, because of the way the West Bank was divided into complex security zones under the Oslo Accords and because of changes on the ground since the outbreak of violence in September 2000.

The phrase is not the most accurate shorthand for the Occupied Territories although President Bush referred to "Palestinian territories" in his 2005 State of the Union address.

"PEACE PROCESS"
This phrase, in the wrong context, can suggest the two sides are returning to the negotiation process of the 1990s, when they would sit down and try to hammer out an agreement.

An attempt to rebuild trust and relations is not quite the same as proper negotiations.

So it is better to avoid the term entirely unless it is in an historical sense - referring to the discussions of the 1990s, or to a revival of talks at that level.

"RELATIVE CALM"
It is better to avoid cliches wherever possible. People may die each day, in small numbers, in "periods of relative calm" so that the cumulative death toll is actually larger than the casualties involved in a single high profile news event such as a bomb attack.
There may be times when the phrase is accurate. So use it carefully when the facts tell us that there really is such a period of quiet.

RIGHT OF RETURN
We should try to specify who would like to return and to where.

There is a Palestinian demand that Palestinians "who fled or were forced out of their homes" during the 1948 and 1967 Arab-Israeli wars have the right to return to their homes.

There is a dispute between the two sides over why they are refugees, so the previous phrase is a useful one that reflects the two different views.

Israel has Right of Return legislation, which allows Jews to settle in Israel and receive Israeli citizenship.

SETTLEMENTS
Settlements are residential areas built by Israelis in the occupied territories. They are illegal under international law: this is the position of the UN Security Council and the UK government among others - although Israel rejects this.

When writing a story about settlements we can aim, where relevant, to include context to the effect that "all settlements in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, are considered illegal under international law, though Israel disputes this".

SETTLER NUMBERS
It is best, wherever possible, to be precise about geography when putting a figure to the number of Israeli settlers.

Because of disputes and sensitivities about the status of East Jerusalem, the following construction is useful: "There are thought to be around 430,000 Israeli settlers living in the West Bank, including East Jerusalem, and another 20,000 in the Golan Heights."

TERRORISTS
Note the BBC producer guidelines which state: "We must report acts of terror quickly, accurately, fully and responsibly. We should not adopt other people's language as our own. Our credibility is undermined by the careless use of words which carry emotional or value judgements. The word "terrorist" itself can be a barrier rather than an aid to understanding. We should try to avoid the term, without attribution. It is also usually inappropriate to use words like "liberate", "court martial" or "execute" in the absence of a clear judicial process. We should let other people characterise while we report the facts as we know them. We should convey to our audience the full consequences of the act by describing what happened. We should use words which specifically describe the perpetrator such as "bomber", "attacker", "gunmen", "kidnapper", "insurgent" or "militant."

Our responsibility is to remain impartial and report in ways that enable our audiences to make their own assessments about who is doing what to whom.

WALL
See Barrier.

Teaching Under Apartheid in Palestine

2007-08-20T19:15:00.000-04:00

When I first decided to go to Palestine to teach kids English and yoga my main concerns were managing the kids’ behavior, assessing their needs and maintaining their interest. After all, those are the most challenging issues I face everyday in my classroom in Philadelphia. In the US I rarely get through an entire unit and to actually teach without a behavior related incident interrupting class is a very rare event. I quickly found it to be quite the opposite in Tel Rumeida which left me feeling like a fish out of water in the beginning.

I arrived in Palestine on a Tuesday, attended nonviolent resistance training about Tel Rumeida on Wednesday which was extremely intimidating yet necessary and helpful. I hung out in Jerusalem on Thursday and headed to Tel Rumeida on Friday to observe Katie’s art class and to meet some of the kids I would be teaching as well as the person who would help me translate in the classroom. The kids were very well behaved for Katie. They seemed to be very motivated and enjoyed her lesson. This was a good sign. The translator, a local university student named Ibrahim, helped more than I expected. I began to worry that language was going to be a larger barrier than I was used to at home since my Arabic was limited at the time to only basic greetings. At home I can speak my students’ language enough to translate on my own.

Ibrahim helped organize the classes of which each consisted of 10-15 kids. One class for girls under the age of 12, one for girls over 12 years and one for boy up to 12 years. Their levels varied in reading and writing but they were all around the emergent or beginner level in listening and speaking, therefore this is where I decided to focus my lessons. As any experienced teacher knows it can take several weeks sometimes months to get into a groove, so I didn’t want to waste anytime as I was only going to be teaching English 3 days a week, an hour each session, for a total of 4-weeks. As for the yoga, this would be 1 day a week for an hour. I knew that would be a brand new experience for the kids so I was also a little worried about how they would perceive me and the concept of yoga overall. Sometimes in very religious communities, such as Tel Rumeida, people view yoga as taboo or voodoo. I knew that I would need to be sensitive to their cultural and religious beliefs.

English Lessons

We started classes immediately the following day. I was a bit nervous because not only did I want them to like me and enjoy the classes but I also wanted them to learn to speak English. We started out with simple questions and responses such as “What is your name?” “My name is Roba.” And “How old are you?” “I am 8 years old.” I need to mention that they all came to class fully prepared to learn with pencils and notebooks and of course enthusiasm and an intense interest in learning English. A stark contrast to the kids I teach in the US who rarely come to class prepared. I was kind of shocked when one student forgot her notebook and Ibrahim told her to go home and get it and not to forget next time or she will not be allowed to come to class. He mentioned that it is unacceptable to come to school unprepared in Palestine. Unfortunately being unprepared is more of the norm where I teach.

After assessing their levels I needed to create an entire unit as this was my own project and a curriculum was not being provided. I was a bit worried because I had never really taught without the aid of a curriculum but welcomed the freedom to be as creative as I wanted. I had brought along a few of my own materials which included workbooks for photocopying, phonics readers, music language CDs, and a book for lesson planning ideas. I then relied on the Internet and fellow teaching friends at home for other creative ideas. I was also able to pick up other materials in Hebron and Ramallah, for less than half the price it would have cost in the US. Sometimes it was difficult because I could not find enough manipulatives relative to the lessons so I needed to improvise more often than not. Also, I typically teach up to the 4th grade at home, or up to 11 years old, and in Tel Rumeida I had high school students mixed into the classes. I took advantage of the situation by having the older students assist the younger ones.

Once I got a better feel for how comfortable they were speaking, and everyone seemed to enjoy the opportunity to speak as most children do, I decided to create a base goal for the lessons. The goal was to be able to communicate with internationals basically in case of an emergency. The majority of the lessons consisted of building vocabulary such as settlers, settlement, throw and rocks as well as directional prepositions, how to give directions and follow commands, how to describe things and people and how to read a map of their own community. I was told that this was the first time they ever saw a map of Tel Rumeida. Amazing! I felt a little sad and uneasy teaching for this purpose in the beginning but the lessons needed to reflect upon their personal experiences, and unfortunately this was their reality. Of course, we did find time to escape and talk about other things such as their homes and families.

I ended up not being so concerned about their level of interest in learning because they were always so eager and enthusiastic and participated even when I thought the lesson was not going as well as I as wanted or if the content was a bit difficult. I even gave them homework assignments which most of them did with such enthusiasm and pride that I brought most of their work back with me to show my students here at home. Perhaps I’ll be able to set a spark in students’ motivation here. I really think that my students here can learn something from the kids in Tel Rumeida.

Even some of the international volunteers would report back to me that the kids would approach them and ask them the questions I was asking during our lessons such as “Where are you from?” and then explain the proper way to respond. The most amusing incident I recall hearing about followed a lesson on commands. I taught the kids things like stand up, sit down, touch your toes for use in our yoga lessons. After the lesson they approached the internationals sitting at their posts and yelled to them to stand up and sit down. The internationals were amused and played along. I would also fill in the internationals on what I was teaching and how they could help. Everyone did their best to reinforce the lessons. It was really a community effort.

Yoga classes

Yoga classes were held for one hour, one day a week. I have to admit that the yoga classes were the most enjoyable for both me and the kids. My worries about their perceptions of yoga were quickly diminished after the first class. Not only was it a great way for them to learn English and exercise but it was a great way for all of us to bond. Even the boys enjoyed it! The older girls focused more on holding positions and proper positioning while the younger ones allowed themselves to be silly and fall where their bodies took them. I taught them how to relieve stress through breathing exercises which I hope they practice in the future. We sang songs to help them remember series of positions like sun salutations which the little ones thoroughly enjoyed belting out at the top of their lungs! They were so flexible and willing to try any position. It was nice to see them smiling and full of energy!

It was also especially nice to see the older girls exercising and having fun. In Tel Rumeida you do not see girls outside. They spend most of their time inside their own homes, visiting friends in their homes or within the confines of the grounds of their family’s home. They rarely get to run around and exercise. Some of the girls were aware of stretching exercises that they said they learned from television and gym class at school. Yoga though was new to them and they initially associated it with meditation. They seemed really eager to learn more once they experienced it. I always felt on top of the world after a yoga session with them.

Reflection

The most impressive thing besides being able to actually teach and not have to constantly be interrupted for discipline problems was that the younger girls would line up outside the community center where classes were held at least 30 minutes early! When I asked why they did this they said it was because they wanted to be first in line! I was astonished! I wanted to cry, of course tears of joy! At home I have to drag the kids from the hallway into my classroom. In Palestine, kids live under occupation in extreme poverty and yet they are so motivated to learn. They came to class prepared with pencils and notebooks unlike kids in my school in the US. Their parents and the community in general stress the importance of education and show much respect towards teachers. I would occasionally be approached on the street by mothers welcoming and thanking me for teaching their children. I rarely receive expressions of thanks in the US. I rarely receive respect from parents and students. I didn’t want to leave Tel Rumeida. I fell in love with the kids and with being treated with respect.

Most of the kids were just beginning to understand me on their own without Abraham’s help at the end. I hope that they keep practicing. They begin learning English now in the first grade but they do not typically have a native English speaking teacher to teach them, so most considered this a great opportunity to take advantage of. If anyone reading this is considering teaching kids in Palestine, especially in Tel Rumeida, I must say please do it! You won’t regret it. The experience, the place, the people and most importantly the kids will capture your heart and change your life forever, in the most positive way. I say this because this is exactly what happened to me and I wouldn’t have had it any other way.

I will return one day, insh’allah!

Hebron: Israeli Military Shuts Down Palestinian Business in Old City Market

2007-08-16T15:48:00.000-04:00

The article that follows my write up was taken from the ISM website. I picked this because I know the shop owner, Abu Hatim.

One day in mid-July I decided to shadow some of the people working with the Christian Peacemakers Team(CPT). I wanted to see how they handle situations, deal with problems, and to get their perspective on the situation as most of them have spent more than just a few months in Hebron and most were over the age of 50. Indeed I found them all to be quite inspiring. Some were former school teachers and nurses, most were parents whose children are grown now, and some were married to wonderful spouses that encouraged them to continue helping Palestinians. (If you would like more information on CPT and what they do please check out link on this page in the right-hand column.)

On this particular day of shadowing CPT we sat watch outside of Abu Hatim's shop because at that time he had just re-opened it and was being threatened by the soldiers that they were going to shut him down. The shops along this particular area of the old city were shut down for quite some time due to the location being directly behind the settlement, even though Palestinians had their businesses there for many, many years before the settlement existed. Abu Hatim invited us in for tea, something that is very common in Palestine and something that I miss greatly. Such hospitality is lacking here in the U.S.

There was not much for sale in his store. Some items consisted of plastic kitchen ware, candy, and garbage bags. Tall kitchen garbage bags to be exact. I mention this because these types of bags were very difficult to find in Hebron. I wanted to buy the entire roll and was willing to pay whatever he wanted. He gave them to me. He did not charge me. I didn't know how to accept but he would not let me refuse so I purchased some other items that I didn't need which came to maybe 10 shekels or $2.50 USD. Imagine that kind of generosity in times of extreme poverty and occupation. It's really unimaginable to me even though it did happened. He was just very appreciative that we were looking after him, but really he did much more for me.

I had a feeling that something like this in the article below would eventually happen to him. It really makes me sad and it really depicts the injustices that happen on a daily basis every day in Hebron as well as throughout all of Palestine.

Hebron: Israeli Military Shuts Down Palestinian Business in Old City Market
August 12th, 2007 | Posted in Reports, Hebron Region, Photos

Hebron – 10/8/2007

Early on the morning of the 9th of August inside Hebron’s old ministry square, Abu Hatim Jaudat Hasula’s hardware store was locked up and welded shut by the Israeli occupation forces. The 64-year-old shopkeeper had dared to defy both the Israeli occupation forces’ illegitimate threats and the appeasing surrender of other local shop-owners that had many other Palestinians shut down business and leave the area.

The occupation forces turned up with the proper papers but without any warning. Within 30 minutes, they closed up the shop, still filled with Abu Hatim’s belongings and goods, and then welded the hinges, thus leaving the large metal gates bolted up. Until further orders are produced, the army has declared that the shop will be locked down for two months.

The Israeli occupation forces justified their decision to close down these shops by claiming that they were trying to prevent Palestinians from blowing holes in the backs of their shops and entering a nearby rabbinical school. Neither 64 year old Abu Hatim nor his fellow shopkeepers have ever attempted to do anything even remotely related to this mentioned security threat.

In the past few weeks, many Human Rights Workers (HRWs) have spent the mornings in the old city market to support the local shop-owners in opening for business.

Every single day the occupation forces try to make Abu Hatim close his shop by phoning him and then by showing up at the shop. Yet until this morning the soldiers’ legal papers had been missing. Several shops have already closed including the 4 neighboring shops on Abu Hatim’s side of the market.

HRWs and the Christian Peacemaker Teams had been cooperating in order to support Abu Hatim’s shop and thus a large group of internationals were present soon after the rumors of the military action spread through Hebron.

Around 9:30 am, the soldiers began to leave the area, having successfully welded shut all 5 of the old shops on one side of the market, including Abu Hatim’s hardware store.

With the soldiers pulling out one Swedish HRW commented on the morning’s military action: “It’s typical to see the few real attempts to fight the occupation end in paper work and threats. The army knows how this will kill the little business that still is left in the old city and pacify the Palestinians.”

Leaving the market one of the military APCs turned around revealing a newly sprayed political statement on the side of the jeep to the entire market. Rumors have suggested that either HRWs or TIPH are responsible for the ‘Free Palestine’ graffiti on the army vehicle.

Abu Hatim has lost his only source of income, first and foremost directly by having his shop welded shut, but also because he will lose the subsidy the PA gives to business owners in economically unstable areas.

Day by day, business diminishes in the old city, among other places in the old market opposite Shuhada Street. Watching the progress of the Israeli occupation forces, one easily sees a similar future to the old city market as the one Shuhada Street is facing now, completely deserted and almost exclusively open to Israeli settlers.

Just let the fire burn

2007-08-09T10:55:00.000-04:00

*I'm still waiting for my journal to arrive via the postal service. For now I've decided to blog about stories that happened as I remember them. I may edit later when I recieve my journal.

One evening around 9:30pm in mid-July we received a phone call from a Palestinian coordinator that an occupied (by soldiers) home in the old city of Hebron was on fire. I think there were at least 12-15 of us staying in the apartment at the time and all of us decided to go check it out. For some reason we were split up. Some of the people arrived at the fire first to find black smoke billowing out of the building. Eventually we all met up and some people decided to return to the apartment while 5 of us decided to stay and wait for the fire brigade, I was one of the 5 who decided to wait.

We arrived at the building via a street coming down to Shuhada St behind the Quortoba School (the one that was recently set on fire, hmmmm a pattern?). We then walked down Shuhada Street a short way and waited in front of the building. Between this building which the soldiers use as a military post and the building across the street in which a Palestinian family lives as well as the Christian Peacemakers Team (CPT) is a barrier set up by the military in order to stop the flow of traffic from Shuhada Street to the old city. The barrier consists of a metal fence approximately 12 feet high, razor wire and a concrete barrier.

Eventually the soldiers approached us to see what we were doing and to try to tell us that we are not allowed to stand there. We were allowed to be there however. We told them we were waiting for the fire brigade to come and put out the fire. The police arrived next and all claimed not to speak English, except for one who sounded like he had a Russian accent and his English was very poor. He requested that we designate one person as a spokesperson, so we appointed a Swedish man who happens to be a firefighter. The conversation basically consisted of the police officer telling us to leave, that it was suspected that a Palestinian started the fire, then that there really wasn't a fire! Yes, nothing ever makes sense in Palestine.

Next a few settlers decided to join in. They insisted that they saw the 5 of us internationals come from the old city, break through the barrier and throw something in the building to set it on fire. It was then I became aware of my super hero capabilities to jump 12 ft fences and razor wire in a single bound! Oh yes, and to set a fire that didn't exist. Amazing! Theatre of the absurd!
(This is a view from inside the old city; the building that was burning is the one on the right.)

Eventually an American police officer arrived. Nice! An American, typical attitude of the police here. Actually he was a bit more diplomatic. He said that he had to file a report for arson based on what the settlers said but that he is aware of the absurdity, well, he didn't use that word but that is the gist of it. So, he took our passports and another officer took them over to the police vehicle to copy down the numbers. It must have been around 10:30pm by this time. Smoke was still pouring out of the building, that was not on fire, that we started:-)

A young settler boy approached the police vehicle and leaned on it to get a glimpse of our passports. I intervened and requested that he be removed. The police officers told him to go away. Thank you very much! After about 20 minutes we had our passports in hand and were told to leave the nonexistant burning fire. We left.

The owner of the building had to take matters in his own hands unfortunately. The fire brigade never showed up. The building is still occupied by the soldiers who eventually secured the building by permanently sealing the side door shut.

Just another day in Palestine.

Hebron Settlers Removed

2007-08-07T21:23:00.001-04:00

From the NY Times this evening.

Settler violence was increasing while I was there so I am not surprised by all the violence in removing them. I'm still at a loss for words when it comes to settlers illegally occupying Palestinian homes. All I can do is pray for peace.
Here is also a video of live footage from Al Jazeera of the action today.">
I wish I was still there.

Arriving In Hebron

2007-08-07T08:56:00.000-04:00

I spent a couple of days in Ramallah to attend the nonviolent resistence ISM training which more than prepared me for life in the Tel Rumeida (TR) section of Hebron. Actually, the training scared the heck out of me. Worst case scenarios were given and they certainly appeared to be the worse. I had roughly one day after training to make my way down to Jerusalem where I took in some of the sites in the old city before I headed to TR the following day. I didn't intend to do ISM work while there, only teaching the kids, but later would find that it was impossible not to help out in other ways due to my conscience.

From Jerusalem I took a service taxi with Katie and Mary. The ride takes just about an hour. We had to switch services in the middle of a highways just outside of Jerusalem because it could not pass through the checkpoint. The road system is quite strange due to divisions between Israel and Palestine. I never did quite figure it out in regards to this point. Once we switched we headed directly for Hebron. The terrain is quite beautiful.

Rolling hills covered with rock gardens and catus. It reminded me of the high desert in eastern Oregon and Washington states. Every so often you can see a small village with just a few houses that look as though they will fall over at any minute. The closer we got to Hebron the more trash we saw, evidence of extreme poverty.

Once we arrived in Hebron I had a nervous feeling. This was it! I'm here to stay. We passed through the checkpoint dividing H1 from H2. H1 is a Palestinian only section of Hebron. H2 is where the Tel Rumeida settlement is. I can't even remember at this point if they asked for ID but regardless if they did this time, there would be many, many more times in which they would. We exited through the metal detectors and looked out onto Shuhada Street (street of martyrs).

It was like a ghost town. All of the oxidized bluish-green doors closed up. Once the heart and soul of Hebron but now a heavily armed guarded area completely shutdown. It was hard to imagine at that moment how things once appeared. Immediately we turned right to begin our walk up the very steep hill on Tel Rumeida Street.

The Palestinians are forced to walk up and down these extremely steep hills on a daily basis. Palestinians in TR are not allowed to drive cars. However, the settlers can. If someone was handicapped and could not walk I am not sure what they would do. Most likely they would be confined to a life at home. Even I had trouble walking down the hills. I was always in fear that I would slip and fall. Most likely a psychological block because others, especially Palestinian women, could walk down in high heels! But, they have had years of practice. One positive thing I can say about the hills is that they helped maintain my leg strength for running (which I couldn't do at all in TR).

At the top of the hill we passed another checkpoint with armed soldiers stationed at both sides of the street. Directly across from us where the road dead ends sat two ISMers keeping watch over the soldiers. Up the hill to the left sat the TR settlement. The soldiers here are basically useless and their job seemed to be to harrass Palestinians instead of providing protection to anyone. Eventually I would see them day after day playing around with each other, pointing guns as a game at women and children who walked by, stopping young Palestinian men to ask them to lift their shirts and trouser cuffs as though they were equipped with bombs.

Across from the settlement is a Palestinian home. We were told that we are not allowed to walk up that direction passed a certain point. Even the Palestinian's family members are not allowed to enter the family's home that way. Instead they must walk all the way around the back. About a 15 minute extra walk. Just the beginning of the absurd things I would hear about and witness with my own eyes.

Off in other direction was the international apartment. Atop the apartment was a roof with the most incredible view of Hebron as well as the areas we would patrol.

Across the street was the community center where I would begin teaching my classes.

Injustices in Hebron

2007-08-06T16:32:00.000-04:00

This is a copy of a report from ISM in Hebron. I cried when I read it. I cried not only because of the disturbing nature of the report but because it occurred at the school where a lot of my students attend during the normal school year as well as the place where the summer camp I worked for took place. (I have yet to write about the summer camp, but trust me, it is coming soon!) Regardless, it appears that Hebron is getting worse. I knew things were getting progressively more violent when I left last Thursday. I am not surprised as there is never a good explanation or reason for anything that occurs there. This report is life as normal for the Palestinians. This report is depressing and is why I went to Palestine in the first place and it is why I now sit here and cry and feel horrible about leaving so soon. I just hope that others who read this will try to help as much as possible, if only just by spreading the word around that would be enough.

August 6, 2007 12:20pm

At 12:20pm international human right workers received a call from a local Palestinian coordinator that a section of Quartaba Girls School had been set on fire by Israeli settlers.Quartaba girls school is located directly across from Beit Hadassah settlement.

When internationals arrived Palestinian residents were present as well as an Israeli policeman.They found that the back screen door, which is a metal frame, had been peeled up. This was how the Israeli settlers managed to enter the school without being seen.

The settlers had placed the metal frame of a bed on top of a table and set fire to it, along with pictures of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem. The burning effigy was placed directly in front of a metal door that the children and teachers use to enter the school.

The fire had been burning for about 10 minutes before nearby Palestinian residents came with buckets of water and managed to put the fire out and keep it from spreading.

The internationals documented the scene and were told by the Palestinians that an electricity wire had been cut above the fire. It was apparent that this fire was started by adult settlers as the act was quite methodical and symbolic in the way it was laid out, with the pictures (of the Dome of the Rock), and the way they broke into the school. They also managed to commit the act undetected by Palestinians which no settler child could accomplish, and leads one to suspect that the act must have been planned and coordinated.

Israeli soldiers also later came to survey the scene, and at one point actually said that, for all they knew, it could have been Palestinians who had started the fire. They said that their was no solid evidence that it was Israeli settlers who had started the fire. This was obviously completely wrong, and offensive, since no Muslim would burn pictures of the Dome of the Rock or set fire to a Palestinian girls school. The only people who had motive to start the fire are Israeli settlers, who have in the past frequently attacked the schoolgirls and the school itself.

After ten more minutes the door to the school was opened and the windows inside were opened in order to release the smoke trapped inside the school.

Except for smoke damage, which was quiet extensive, there appeared to be no more damage to the school except for the cut electricity cable which will have to be repaired.

First Arrival

2007-08-05T10:49:00.000-04:00

When I first arrived in Palestine I headed directly from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem to my final resting destination in Ramallah. The scenery from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem is very similar to that of driving in southern California around the LA area or even in Las Vegas. The houses are stucco with red terra cotta roofs. The highways are wide and smoothly paved. I thought for a moment that I was in America not Israel. When I requested to be dropped off at the Damascus Gate the driver stopped short on the highway, pointed over to the right and said to me to hurry and leave. He just took my money, threw my backpack on the ground and took off. You see, not many jewish drivers will venture near the Damascus Gate. It is part of the muslim quarter. It is not as nice and new of an area as most of Israel. Still it was where I needed and wanted to be.

From there the scenery to Ramallah was quite different. Once you pass through the Qalandia checkpoint things get a bit rough.

The roads are bumpy and sometimes not paved. The service was crowded with 7 passengers, all Palestinian except myself. It was obvious that I was an outsider however I was treated with much respect. We had to wind through smaller streets that pass through neighborhoods with Palestinian children playing in the streets as well as donkeys towing carts with many supplies for their owners. It was obvious that the people were living in poverty. Buildings had missing windows with graffitti on the walls and trash all over the streets. This did not remind me of America, well not as a whole anyway. This was the beginning of a true Palestinian experience.

Finally I arrived in Ramallah which is considered to be one of the more modern cities in Palestine. It is the acting capital and a lot of money is being pumped into new construction all throughout the area. Christians and muslim palestinians inhabit this city along with many internationals. It is quite a contrast from the ultra-conservative muslim city of Hebron where I was living during most my stay in Palestine. In Ramallah it is common to see women sans hijab as well as wearing short sleeved tops. This is not so in Hebron, of which I will write much more later.

The money being given to Ramallah for development is rumored to be invested there in order to create more of a divison amongst Palestinians. Those living in the north in cities like Jenin and Nablus as well as those in the south such as Hebron do not necessarily receive as much funding. Therefore, many Palestinians living near Ramallah tend to be content, as content as one can be under occupation because the entire country is still occupied despite new construction and development. However, those in the north and south still face more economical hardships as well as internal and external problems. Those same problems just seem to be masked in Ramallah for the moment. At least that is the feeling I had while there.

I really didn't spend a lot of time there, but I did get to check out the wadi and have some coffee at the Americanized Starbucks offshoot, Stars & Bucks.

Here you can sit and watch the people walk around shopping and the cars fight traffic around the circle in the menara. The hustle and bustle of Ramallah from the cafe for just a moment made me feel like I was at home, but just for a brief moment. Here it was difficult to really understand what life under occupation was going to be like. For that brief moment, it seemed as though there really weren't any of problems that I had read about in the news. At least they were not apparent on the suface. Everyone was smiling, shopping and enjoying their nargila as well as their cappucinos. Life was moving on. That is one thing I've noticed in Palestine. The people are strong and adapt to situations of hardship better than most Americans I know, including myself.

It was only a very short time later that I was exposed to the true hardships and realities of life under occupation.

Returned

2007-08-04T07:04:00.000-04:00

I am safe in the U.S. now so I will be able to update this blog very soon. My return was uneventful. The Israeli security people only seemed interested in my trip to Egypt in 2003. For some reason they questioned me for about 5 minutes about why I went there, who I visited including questions about visiting families who live there. The security girl, who was maybe 20 years old, also asked about a stamp from Morocco and again the same line of questioning. After I went on to have my luggage searched but they really only removed 3/4 of the items. They didn't look at my photos or videos or even question why I was in Israel. I am thankful for that because I really, really, really want to return much sooner than later, insh'allah.

Summer Camp

2007-07-15T06:00:00.000-04:00

Yesterday was the first day of summer camp for over 100 Palestinian kids, agess 7 - 14 years, at the Qurtuba school in Tel Rumeida, Hebron. We organized the kids into 5 groups of approximately 20 kids each. It's great to see so many kids coming out. The camp takes place outside on the school's campus. Tarps were used as tents and makeshift classroom and sprawled across the street tied to Palestinian homes. My yoga/ESL classes take place up the hill near the school's basketball court. I'll post pictures later.

The settlement is right across the street from the school. Although an Islamic cemetery and a high wall keep the view of the settlers limited, the settlers do pass by and stop and stare. Well, last night some of them decided to try to tear down the tents that are on Palestinian land. Fortunately no major damage was done and camp was held today with only one minor gliche in the morning.

In order to enter the camp/school Palestinians must either walk down the hill through the olive groves or down Shuhada Street and pass a checkpoint manned by armed IDF soldiers and sometimes armed settlers. Yes, that is right. Settlers, who are civilians, are allowed to carry weapons freely and walk the streets. However, Palestinians are not allowed any weapons at all. I'll blog on that later. Back to this morning. Children have to walk up a steep flight of stone steps from Shuhada Street to get to the school. Settlers were sitting on the steps trying to prevent the kids from going to camp. EAPPI support teams and ISM intervened. The principal even had a brief conversation with the settlers which consisted of establishing that arabs hate settlers and settlers hate arabs so they are equal. And that the school has done nothing to the settlers so they should leave everyone and everything alone. Camp continued for the day without a problem. Eventually the settlers got tired and left. You see it is our job to wear them out. Internationals are only here to help the palestinians so we have all day to sit and stare and wait. And fortunately this time the internationals were able to outwait them.

I taught one yoga class to girls and boys around the ages of 7-9 years. Then one class of basketball to all (wild) boys ages 7-14. They don't know the rules but seemed to have a really good time. And in the end, that is all that matters.

2007-07-08T06:36:00.000-04:00

By the ISM Media Team

June 29th, 2007. On Friday evening about 20 human rights workers including members of ISM, EAPPI and CPT went to the Jabari family home which is situated on land between the Kiryat Arba and Givat Havot settlements. Settlers have constructed a footpath crossing the Jabari’s land in order to connect Kiryat Arba to Givat Havot. In 2002, settlers erected a tent on the Jabari’s land which they call a synagogue. The tent was dismantled twice by the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) but the settlers rebuilt it. Currently there are no plans to dismantle the tent, instead the settlers are not supposed to enter it. If this is not making any sense to you, then you are not the only one. I can’t make any sense of it either.

The Jabari family asked members of the human rights groups to accompany them to their land so they could clear the dried grass and prepare the land to be used agriculturally again. The family has not used the land in the last six years, because of settler harassment, especially from settlement guards who are stationed across the street. This is despite a court order allowing them to do so. In the past, the family grazed their sheep and goats and cultivated fig trees and grapes on the land.

We arrived on the land and began pulling up the grass and packing it into bags for the animals to eat. The family eventually plans to plant olive trees on the land. We called the Israeli police before we got there to alert them to what we would be doing so they would be present to prevent any mischief and interference from settlers. Last time the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) came here, settlers prepared breakfast in the form of eggs and tomatoes to the head. The army and police eventually showed up and stood around but did not try to interfere. Settlers came and went; one placed a chair on the footpath, produced a Torah, and began praying.

Working The Land Part 1.

The greatest thing about the action was that the family was able to bring their goats onto the land to help finish the work. Fear of settlers harassing the family and hurting the goats had prevented them from doing this for a long time.

Working The Land Part 2.

We left as it began to grow dark, but not before we had tea and snacks and some of use got to ride the Jabari’s Arabian horse!

The walk back to Tel Rumeida was chock-full of the usual settler and soldier shenanigans which Hebron is known for. Palestinians are prevented from driving cars on the road that splits Kiryat Arba and Givat Havot. So they walk, or ride bikes, or ride horses. Oops, wait, I take that back, they can walk their horses, but they can’t ride them. A couple of Palestinians on horseback rode down the street and were ordered off the horses by soldiers. It was like they were in the 6th grade and the hall monitor was telling them not to ride their bike in the hall. Except it was some teenaged soldiers telling 30 year old men they had to walk their horses.

Walking down worshipper’s way we were greeted by settler saliva and rocks as they passed us on the way back from the Ibrahimi mosque/synagogue back to Kiryat Arba. We informed the army of this and as usual they did nothing.

At the mosque, Issa, our fearless Palestinian ISM coordinator was detained by soldiers who asked for his ID and searched his bag. In the meantime, another soldier had spirited away a teenaged member of the Jabari family who had been accompanying us.

The soldier took him over to a dark corner and it was a minute or so before we realized that the soldier was violently searching the boy and punching him in the stomach. As soon as we noticed and started screaming at the soldier, he stopped and released the boy.

The is something I have seen quite frequently, soldiers in Hebron will not beat a Palestinian if they know human rights workers are watching, so they try to sneak them away to someplace where we can’t see and as soon as they are discovered, they stop because they know what they are doing is wrong.

In the future, the local human rights groups plan to continue to accompany the Jabari’s to their land so they can begin cultivating it once more.

Safe in Palestine

2007-07-05T05:58:00.000-04:00

I arrived safely in Palestine over a week ago. The experience so far has been wonderful, sad, depressing, and yet one that I will never forget. This post is going to be short because I have to prepare my English lesson plan for the three classes I'll be teaching later this afternoon.

I am teaching 3 hours a day with lots of other hours filled with preparation and planning time as well as helping out with direct action work such as helping farmers clear their fields for use for the first time in many, many years and witnessing the harsh realities of daily Palestinian life. I can honestly say though that I feel safe but I am vigilent. The IDF scares me more than the Palestinians and I will explain more about all of that later. However, I have not encountered many problems yet though I know many who have. It depends on the time of day and location when the problems occur.

Palestine is a beautiful country and its' people are equally beautiful, especially the children.

I have posted some pictures here: http://www.flickr.com/people/38523564@N00/ Please feel free to view often as I hope to update this blog weekly or as time allows.

'ssalama

Palestinians and Israeli Women Meditate Together

2007-06-03T11:13:00.001-04:00

This is an interesting (and short) article about a yoga meditation retreat for Israeli and Palestinian women in Israel led by David Sye of Yogabeats™. I've been searching for programs that bring the two together and am happy to find that there are quite a few organizations that do so in many ways, such as through the peacefulness and mindfulness of meditation. I believe that through methods such as this and open communication between both parties that there truly could be peace amidst all of the violence.

Facts you should know about the situation in Palestine

2007-06-01T18:40:00.000-04:00

Taken from The Iron Wall website

Did you know…

* 78% of the settlement population comes from Europe and North America.

* Jewish settlers in the West Bank consume 5 times more water than Palestinians - water that is illegally taken from Palestinian water sources.

* 80% of the settlers consider themselves to be economic settlers who live in the settlements to benefit from government incentives.

* Palestinian travel is restricted or entirely prohibited on 41 roads and sections of roads throughout the West Bank, covering a total of over 700 kilometers of roadway. Settlers can travel freely on these roads.

* There are two different laws in the Occupied Palestinian Territories; one for the settlers - civil law - and one for the Palestinians - military law.

* There are now more Jewish settlers in Palestinian East Jerusalem than Palestinians.

* Israeli Jews living, working or investing in the settlements are entitled to significant financial benefits from the Government of Israel. These include generous loans for the purchase of apartments, exemption from tuition fees in schools and reductions in income taxes.

* Settlements with their bypass roads and security zones occupy 42% of the West Bank.

* Before Israel evacuated its 8,000 settlers from Gaza Strip, they were occupying 32% of the area, with the remainder inhabited by 1.4 million Palestinians. The population density was 600 per square kilometer in the settlements to 55,000 per square kilometer in the refugee camps, making Gaza the most densely populated place on earth.

* There are now more than 200 Jewish-only settlements in the West Bank.

* During the Oslo era, from its inauguration on the White House lawn in September 1993 until June 2001, Israel completed construction on 20,371 settlement units; a number equal to 62% of all settlement housing built from 1967 to 1993.

* The wall Israel is constructing in the West Bank is four times the length of the Berlin Wall and three times as high.

* The length of the 'Green Line' - the border between Israel and the West Bank - is 315 kilometers. The path of the Wall is 670 kilometers long.

* Israel receives approximately US $10 million every day from the United States.

All of these facts bother me but it is the last one that affects me the most. $10 million every day given to Israel or any country for that matter rather than the educational system here in the U.S. is absurd! My school could use a mere $1 million or even $500,000 of that money to completely change it's appearance and supply the kids with all the notebooks and pencils they could ever hope to own and use! Where are our priorities?

I'm not a political person but slowly, as I read more about this situation, I find myself becoming more and more interested in U.S. politics. Perhaps ignorance is not always bliss...

Living Conditions in Gaza

2007-05-18T18:13:00.000-04:00

This is a short video that briefly shows the trauma that Palestinians undergo every day in Gaza. It focuses more on the children who are psychologically deeply affected.

American Friends Service Committee Meeting on Palestine

2007-05-14T17:03:00.000-04:00

I have had a hard time finding events that speak to the Palestine issue. Friends Service has sponsored one or two in the past that I was aware of and now they are having one tomorrow evening to discuss the possibility of a two-state solution. If you are in the area try to check it out if you can.

Palestinian History- A Timeline

2007-05-07T17:21:00.000-04:00

This is a link to the website Palestine Remembered. It is a good accounting of the history of Palestine beginning in BC through 1949.

Quote

2007-05-05T10:05:00.000-04:00

"You must be the change you want to see in the world."
by Mahatma Gandhi, Indian political and spiritual leader (1869 - 1948)

Art Under Apartheid

2007-05-03T16:48:00.000-04:00

This looks like another great organization that helps kids find outlets to deal with their everyday situation. The focus is on art but they run many other projects such as English classes, dance, theater and sports. I'm looking into possibly helping out with them as well as Project Hope isn't too sure that I can teach the yoga and I feel that is an important component in what I would like to accomplish. The structure with Art Under Apartheid seems a bit less rigid as well.

Palestinians in Iraq- Where will they go?

2007-04-28T21:19:00.000-04:00

This is an interesting and sad article about the plight of Palestinians in Iraq. Imagine being a people who no one wants. They have no where to run home to and no one to let them in during times of war. These Palestinians apparently went to Iraq in 1948 but have never been granted citizenship and are still considered refugees generations later. The article also briefly touches upon how the surrounding countries around Iraq have been affected due to taking in refugess. What a mess!

U.S. State Dept Pushes for Palestinian Resettlement in Iraq

Accused

2007-04-27T18:50:00.000-04:00

I stand accused of being anti-jewish and anti-Israel. I refute this fact and am deeply saddened by this accusation. For anyone reading this blog I formally state that I am not anti-jewish nor anti-Israel. I am however for the humane treatment of Palestinians and all people on earth. There are many jewish people who also support this cause, so I am confused as to why I would stand accused. I suppose this is just another reason that I feel so strongly about getting involved first-hand. I would like to help show the truths about the situation, gain support for those who are actually suffering and bring about an awareness that it is okay to route for the Palestinians and not be anti-jewish/israel at the same time.

2007-04-27T17:32:00.001-04:00

Here are some interesting facts about the meaning of the Palestinian flag.

Hani's House

2007-04-26T17:31:00.000-04:00

This is a video by Corine Dhondee about a Palestinian man named Hani and how his home was demolished illegally by the Israeli government in Jerusalem. It depicts the truth that we do not often hear about in mainstream media.

Hani's House

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Introduction

2007-04-24T11:27:00.000-04:00

I created this blog to document my trip to Nablus, Palestine in July 2007. You will be able to read and share in my journey including the events and thoughts during the preparation stages through the trip itself and upon my return to the U.S. I expect this to be an extremely interesting, informative and life altering journey. I hope to do some good for the people of Palestine by providing educational services and by being a voice for them. I also hope to be able to communicate with the people on the other side of this situation, the Israelis, in order to develop a well-informed perspective on the situation. My main goal though is to help assist the Palestinians in any way possible so that they can be treated humanely. I am not a political person nor do I get involved in direct action. My only action will be to educate their children in English as well as yoga.

I hope you enjoy this journey as much as I expect to.

'ssalama
in peace