"With the Annapolis Conference just around the corner, and the 60th anniversary of the Arab-Israeli War only months away, is the climax of this intractable conflict coming near? We are here to ask what Palestinian refugees have to say about this, the most recent in a string of 'peace processes' that have over time done little to stem the violence on both sides of this struggle for land, for security, for recognition, and for peace. We are coming to you live from the Dheisheh refugee camp in the West Bank, Palestine. " Although not verbatim, this was the essential message conveyed by Katya Adler, the BBC World reporter who was beamed live from Dheisheh last Saturday.
The BBC team came to Dheisheh to get a sense for the mood in the street on the coming peace conference, the content of which seems to have been dampened so thoroughly that Israel and American officials are merely calling it a "meeting". Whether male or female, young or old, teacher or student, the responses were essentially the same. The people here, all refugees (as are most of the Palestinian population), have little faith in this contemporary effort at resolution and are exceedingly skeptical about it producing any tangibe results, most sparing no energy at all in thinking about it. Although the refugees were quite optimistic initially, after the abject failure of the Oslo peace process in the 90's, during which the confiscation of land increased dramatically and the number of Jewish settlers doubled in the West Bank while suicide bombers penetrated the 'heart' of Israeli society, it is not hard to see why. As for the role of my country in this proces, the present lack of trust in the US as an "honest broker" seems acute.
I did have a desire to spend my time here in Palestine deep in political analysis and examining the high-level processes at work, but my involvement has been on a much more micro scale. I have spent the last 3 months immersed in the Dheisheh community, hardly an extended period of time, but nonetheless enriching and deeply affecting. One can hardly describe what it is to live with a refugee community in Palestine (though I hope that my entries here have given you a small taste of it), and it is probably far different from what you might expect it to be, it sure has been for me. When I first arrived here I was hesitant to poke my head around, for fear of stepping on someones toes, but the community has helped me feel so at home that I walk freely down the cement alleyways and up the narrow roads, shaking hands and exchanging smiles.
Though not everyone feels content with my presence it would seem. I do not view life here through rose colored glasses, and it isn't all hunky-dory when it comes down to it. I do have my own critiques of course, but I won't venture there with you yet. So many foreigners have visited Dheisheh over the years, and once eager to ensure that the world would not forget them, not much has changed on the ground for the veterans of this community. Yet they are always cordial, humble, and outwardly accepting, and the children are always playful.
Interestingly, while writing the previous paragraph the Israeli Army entered the camp and stayed for awhile, just below the Center. Two armored personnel carriers and one jeep stopped at a house at the foot of the building, and out of the clunky metal doors jumped at least 8 soldiers, most equipped with night vision goggles. Minutes later several emerged with a man, a government ministry employee and supposed Hamas leader, and swept him away in a small jeep. Most of the soldiers remained while some searched the house, others tasked with making sure the space was secure. In and out, not much to see, though the feeling certainly lingers.
Yesterday afternoon I traveled to Hebron with two friends. The destination was a glassblowing and ceramics factory, so I tagged along thinking it might be of interest. A third generation family business, the factory was situated adjacent to the main street leading into Hebron and was more of a large modified garage with a brick, oil-fired glass oven in the center, several rooms in the rear for ceramics painting and baking, and a large shop with the finished products. The artisans focused intently on their handiwork as I wandered around and took photographs, all of them seeming to enjoy the spotlight.
The trip to Hebron is always an interesting one. Some of the most contentious issues in this conflict are reflected in the Old City there, where mostly American-born Jewish settlers of usually extreme persuasions have established fortifications in the middle of the city and in the surrounding areas. Just yesterday an Israeli television channel broadcast scenes of settlers abusing Palestinian residents, "kicking Palestinian children," and spewing profanities at them. Although not always the nuetral peacekeepers, the "Israeli police officers and soldiers expressed their exasperation at the settlers' continuing behaviour".
The settler issue in the West Bank is an extremely sensitive one and is a critically important part of the coming peace process. The first step of the "Road Map" for peace is that Israel dismantle the illegal settlements built after 2001. There are 106 illegal outposts in the West Bank, illegal under international and Israeli law, in addition to other "neighbourhoods" encroaching deep into the Palestinian territory. The growth of the population in the settlements is three times that of Israel, according to Israeli government statistics, and has reached nearly 270,000. Such settlers, usually driven by a fierce ideology that considers all of original Palestine as intrinsically Jewish, will not abandon their "caravans" so easily, posing a major problem for Ehum Olmert and the current Israeli government, and also making it impossible to establish an independent and viable Palestinian state. The road ahead is a rocky one. To get a visual understanding of the inherent challenges, here is a link to a map developed by the Israeli human rights organization, B'tselem, with the settlements in blue:
http://www.btselem.org/Download/Settlements_Map_Eng.pdf
In the past two weeks I have been engaged in an email 'dialogue' with a Jewish woman living in California. By chance, or perhaps by a twist of fate, I became embroiled in an internet conversation with this woman and up to now we have exchanged at least 6 lengthy pieces covering a number of issues, from the settlements to misconceptions we both believe each other to have. It has been a pleasure for me, for this has been the first instance in which I have exchanged sentiments with an American, after being here for some time, about the Palestine question, and to make more it thoroughly captivating, she is a die hard supporter of Israel. It has been a clash of narratives to a great degree, but there are no easy answers, and I believe it important for me, as a student, to critically examine every perspective I come across, especially my own. Having spent some time here, experientially coming to understand how the facts on the ground play out, I have developed a different perspective from those who have not. This is not to say that my perspective is any more infallible than this Jewish American woman I have come to know recently, though it is easy to see how conventional arguments, which tend to be easy answers to difficult questions, are quickly refuted when you see things with your own eyes.
I'll give you an example. A very conventional argument made is the "security" one - that the illegal Wall and the settlements and outposts are to ensure Israeli security from Palestinian terrorism. It sounds good, logical, appeals to our human sensibilities, but in reality is far more subtle and nuanced. The American woman, who has never been to Israel or Palestine, believed that most settlements are near the Green Line (the de facto border of Israel and Palestine) and serve as a buffer zone. For one thing, placing kindergartens and shopping malls, and thousands of affordable housing units between you and the 'terrorists' doesn't seem to me a brilliant strategic option. For another, the actual placement of several of the settlements around Bethlehem, exclusively Jewish hilltop sanctuaries directly adjacent to Palestinian hillsides, are easy targets. It would certainly be hard to argue against the separation Wall if it was constructed on internationally recognized lines of demarcation, but it encroaches so deeply into Palestinian territory that it is more than double the length that it should be if it were. Some see a security 'fence', some see land annexation.
So the settlement issue and the Wall are some of the most controversial and emotional of the conflicting undercurrents here. Insofar as these issues are not dealt with in a just manner, not to mention the issues which are really the heart of the matter - the refugee situation and the status of Jerusalem - little progress will be made, 60 years and counting.
The BBC team came to Dheisheh to get a sense for the mood in the street on the coming peace conference, the content of which seems to have been dampened so thoroughly that Israel and American officials are merely calling it a "meeting". Whether male or female, young or old, teacher or student, the responses were essentially the same. The people here, all refugees (as are most of the Palestinian population), have little faith in this contemporary effort at resolution and are exceedingly skeptical about it producing any tangibe results, most sparing no energy at all in thinking about it. Although the refugees were quite optimistic initially, after the abject failure of the Oslo peace process in the 90's, during which the confiscation of land increased dramatically and the number of Jewish settlers doubled in the West Bank while suicide bombers penetrated the 'heart' of Israeli society, it is not hard to see why. As for the role of my country in this proces, the present lack of trust in the US as an "honest broker" seems acute.
I did have a desire to spend my time here in Palestine deep in political analysis and examining the high-level processes at work, but my involvement has been on a much more micro scale. I have spent the last 3 months immersed in the Dheisheh community, hardly an extended period of time, but nonetheless enriching and deeply affecting. One can hardly describe what it is to live with a refugee community in Palestine (though I hope that my entries here have given you a small taste of it), and it is probably far different from what you might expect it to be, it sure has been for me. When I first arrived here I was hesitant to poke my head around, for fear of stepping on someones toes, but the community has helped me feel so at home that I walk freely down the cement alleyways and up the narrow roads, shaking hands and exchanging smiles.
Though not everyone feels content with my presence it would seem. I do not view life here through rose colored glasses, and it isn't all hunky-dory when it comes down to it. I do have my own critiques of course, but I won't venture there with you yet. So many foreigners have visited Dheisheh over the years, and once eager to ensure that the world would not forget them, not much has changed on the ground for the veterans of this community. Yet they are always cordial, humble, and outwardly accepting, and the children are always playful.
Interestingly, while writing the previous paragraph the Israeli Army entered the camp and stayed for awhile, just below the Center. Two armored personnel carriers and one jeep stopped at a house at the foot of the building, and out of the clunky metal doors jumped at least 8 soldiers, most equipped with night vision goggles. Minutes later several emerged with a man, a government ministry employee and supposed Hamas leader, and swept him away in a small jeep. Most of the soldiers remained while some searched the house, others tasked with making sure the space was secure. In and out, not much to see, though the feeling certainly lingers.
Yesterday afternoon I traveled to Hebron with two friends. The destination was a glassblowing and ceramics factory, so I tagged along thinking it might be of interest. A third generation family business, the factory was situated adjacent to the main street leading into Hebron and was more of a large modified garage with a brick, oil-fired glass oven in the center, several rooms in the rear for ceramics painting and baking, and a large shop with the finished products. The artisans focused intently on their handiwork as I wandered around and took photographs, all of them seeming to enjoy the spotlight.
The trip to Hebron is always an interesting one. Some of the most contentious issues in this conflict are reflected in the Old City there, where mostly American-born Jewish settlers of usually extreme persuasions have established fortifications in the middle of the city and in the surrounding areas. Just yesterday an Israeli television channel broadcast scenes of settlers abusing Palestinian residents, "kicking Palestinian children," and spewing profanities at them. Although not always the nuetral peacekeepers, the "Israeli police officers and soldiers expressed their exasperation at the settlers' continuing behaviour".
The settler issue in the West Bank is an extremely sensitive one and is a critically important part of the coming peace process. The first step of the "Road Map" for peace is that Israel dismantle the illegal settlements built after 2001. There are 106 illegal outposts in the West Bank, illegal under international and Israeli law, in addition to other "neighbourhoods" encroaching deep into the Palestinian territory. The growth of the population in the settlements is three times that of Israel, according to Israeli government statistics, and has reached nearly 270,000. Such settlers, usually driven by a fierce ideology that considers all of original Palestine as intrinsically Jewish, will not abandon their "caravans" so easily, posing a major problem for Ehum Olmert and the current Israeli government, and also making it impossible to establish an independent and viable Palestinian state. The road ahead is a rocky one. To get a visual understanding of the inherent challenges, here is a link to a map developed by the Israeli human rights organization, B'tselem, with the settlements in blue:
http://www.btselem.org/Download/Settlements_Map_Eng.pdf
In the past two weeks I have been engaged in an email 'dialogue' with a Jewish woman living in California. By chance, or perhaps by a twist of fate, I became embroiled in an internet conversation with this woman and up to now we have exchanged at least 6 lengthy pieces covering a number of issues, from the settlements to misconceptions we both believe each other to have. It has been a pleasure for me, for this has been the first instance in which I have exchanged sentiments with an American, after being here for some time, about the Palestine question, and to make more it thoroughly captivating, she is a die hard supporter of Israel. It has been a clash of narratives to a great degree, but there are no easy answers, and I believe it important for me, as a student, to critically examine every perspective I come across, especially my own. Having spent some time here, experientially coming to understand how the facts on the ground play out, I have developed a different perspective from those who have not. This is not to say that my perspective is any more infallible than this Jewish American woman I have come to know recently, though it is easy to see how conventional arguments, which tend to be easy answers to difficult questions, are quickly refuted when you see things with your own eyes.
I'll give you an example. A very conventional argument made is the "security" one - that the illegal Wall and the settlements and outposts are to ensure Israeli security from Palestinian terrorism. It sounds good, logical, appeals to our human sensibilities, but in reality is far more subtle and nuanced. The American woman, who has never been to Israel or Palestine, believed that most settlements are near the Green Line (the de facto border of Israel and Palestine) and serve as a buffer zone. For one thing, placing kindergartens and shopping malls, and thousands of affordable housing units between you and the 'terrorists' doesn't seem to me a brilliant strategic option. For another, the actual placement of several of the settlements around Bethlehem, exclusively Jewish hilltop sanctuaries directly adjacent to Palestinian hillsides, are easy targets. It would certainly be hard to argue against the separation Wall if it was constructed on internationally recognized lines of demarcation, but it encroaches so deeply into Palestinian territory that it is more than double the length that it should be if it were. Some see a security 'fence', some see land annexation.
So the settlement issue and the Wall are some of the most controversial and emotional of the conflicting undercurrents here. Insofar as these issues are not dealt with in a just manner, not to mention the issues which are really the heart of the matter - the refugee situation and the status of Jerusalem - little progress will be made, 60 years and counting.
1 comment:
the power of information no doubt has a heavy hand in dictating how we view reality, thus affecting what we believe and how we act. i would guess the next question then becomes: who distributes information and what are their interests?
a question that many americans need to ask on a daily basis. without questioning - despite good intent - many may fall victim to perpetuating lies and myths thereby prolonging the emergence of practical and tangible solutions.
glad to read about your happenings buddy, your perspective on the ground provides a personal and human vantage that is often left in the shadows.
keep it flowing and be well.
- farhad
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