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An Israeli for BDS… and more where he came from
Jun 28, 2009 Trip Leave a comment
We met today with Kobi Snitz, an Israeli academic who is involved in Anarchists Against the Wall and is also (more pertinently to our delegation) involved in BDS work, particularly around the academic boycott. What was maybe the most unique and useful about our meeting with Kobi was to see the humility that he has as an Israeli in the movement. He and his group (soon to launch a website and official campaign!) are very aware of the ways in which Israelis can take over movements that are and should be Palestinian led. For this reason, their principles are basically centered around supporting the Palestinian civil society BDS call in full. They would not, for example, support the demand about an end to occupation without supporting the demand for right of return, or for equality for Palestinian citizens of Israel. Kobi responded to most questions by giving the official BNC line, and when he wasn’t sure about a particular question, he suggested we talk to Omar Barghouti (from the Palestinian Campaign for the Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel) about it. We plan to do so on Thursday.
Kobi’s group mostly wants to be a support for the Palestinian movement and for those in the global BDS movement (like us perhaps) who could use their information and endorsements in our campaigns. They will write letters to artists and academics who plan to visit Israel, asking them not to do so. And they will work with Israelis to figure out what role these people from within can have in the movement. It has been inspiring to see him and several other Israelis we have been speaking to actually reflect upon their role and come to positions that should be expected of progressive Israelis, but that we unfortunately rarely find.
The paradox of liberal Zionism
Jun 27, 2009 Palestine 1 Comment
I was gmail chatting with an old friend today, and took the opportunity to unburden some of the emotional madness of the past few days. Some of my outrage, if you will. My friend, Shana, was raised Jewish, and is a great listener, even about Israeli Apartheid, but she mentioned the huge disparity between what I was telling her and what her parents believed and told her. My parents, too, fervently believe that Israel is a progressive democracy, fighting a war of self-defense against a belligerent and fundamentalist people who are in the business of oppressing gays, women, etc, etc. It is these people I am here because of. The liberals, the lefties, the vegetarians: my people, are still people who believe in this apartheid state of Israel.
But to me, the Palestinian people have seemed quite enlightened enough. Maybe many weren’t well-connected enough to the Western world at the time of the Naqba; the world seems to have been blind to it. But these are not ignorant people. They’re better represented by my friend Sinan, who spends hours each day passing checkpoints to Al Quds University; female and male students alike. People like Lubna, who go to Bethlehem University, subsidized by the Vatican, and live pluralism with their Muslim and Christian peers in the Holy Land, even while the missiles are demolishing their school buildings.
The things I have seen here in the West Bank are hard to reconcile with attempts at even-handedness between Jews and Palestinians. The latter, yes, have used violence, at times. I believe this policy is both immoral and has proven ineffectual. But it is a very different violence, greater both in quality and quantity, that I see in the systemic apartheid and ethnic cleansing which is planned and executed by the state of Israel.
I don’t, in so saying, want to condone or lessen the tragedy of violence from either side. But meeting a woman in Jerusalem, with ownership papers to her house from Israel, Britain, all the way back to the Ottoman Empire, who was forced from her house so that a settler could live there, and then had her tent (on rented Palestinian land) demolished 6 times by the Israeli military, and listening to how she had to answer her grandson’s question about why God, the same God of the Jews, martyred only Gazan Palestinian children, and never Israeli children, makes it easy to see the circumstances which could generate so much hatred. He told her that he wanted to be a martyr, too. She convinced him, instead, that he should be a doctor, and help people. Inshallah.
Hebron: a totally different experience !
Jun 25, 2009 Trip Leave a comment
In Hebron, the experience was completely different than anything I have ever seen before. Despite the fact that I have lived in the West Bank for over a decade and have experienced the Israeli invasion in 2002 and the Israeli occupation policies, Hebron was still a whole different story. Touring the old city, we did not get only to see the effects of the Israeli occupation on locals, we got to experience the results of their policies ourselves. In less than 20 minutes of the tour, we had to pass through three or four checkpoints in order to get from a neighborhood to another. Even though it was annoying to pass through the checkpoints, I had to remind myself every time that people who live here had to go through this every single day, sometimes more than once a day in order to get out or get in to their houses.
We got to speak with many Palestinians who have experienced the aggression of settlers throughout the past nine years. We heard stories and watched videos of the actions the settlers have taken against Palestinians in that area and people who live there assured us that those actions are still taking place till now. Palestinian children were beaten up, shot at, and settlers’ children stood in their way to school trying to block their way by throwing stones at them and confronting them. Not surprisingly, the Israeli army stood there and watched protecting the settlers instead of stopping them from attacking school children.
Today, we took a tour in Dheisheh refugees camp and other parts of Bethlehem, we spoke to refugees in the camp who told us their stories. We are spending overnight in Dheisheh and leaving in the morning to Jerusalem where we are going to see the effect of the occupation on Palestinians who live in the East side of the city.
It hasn’t been a long time since this delegation started, it is our second day, but everyday I feel how important this movement is and I could see how it would affect the daily lives of the Palestinians. Every time we talked to locals here they tell us the same thing, they are people and they have a basic right to be free and live their lives just like anyone else in this world. I believe they are right, and they have the right to be free. However, I don’t think that the Israeli government shares this idea with me.
Meeting with Toufic Haddad
Jun 25, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a comment
Toufic Haddad, Palestinian-American writer and activist, spoke to our group about the long history of Palestinian resistance movements.
Haddad began with protests in 1921, 1929 and 1936-39, which were early iterations of the anti-colonialist struggles that continue today. During and after the powerful 1936 - 39 rebellion, 5000 leaders were killed and their homes destroyed by trained British and Zionist troops, exhausting the nucleus of leadership for Palestinians in the region. By 1948, Palestinian villagers were unable to compete with Jewish troops with more structure and better weapons.
In the refugee diaspora, two streams of political anti-colonialism emerged: the Arab nationalist movement to unite the entire Arab world, including Palestine, and the movement for an independent Palestinian state. By the 1970’s however, neither the PLO nor Fatah was able to maintain enough power and support to achieve its goals. Nationalist rebellion was growing, but most was on a local level without wider leadership. The 1993 Oslo accords perhaps in theory provided a potential base for statehood (liberation in stages, as per Fatah’s 10 point plan) but in practice, Oslo provided a formalization of apartheid. Oslo was a fulfillment of the Israeli occupier’s Allon plan to take land and use local leadership to control people.
Now, any Palestinian political leadership must engage in anti-colonialist, anti-Zionist struggle in a broader context which upsets regional control, fights the core of racism, and includes working-class people who both suffer from and pay for oppression. Engaging in deep analysis of the broader situation (including class dynamics) and re-thinking existing political parties can renew resistance in Palestine and bring more than McDonald’s to Palestine in the future.
Toufic’s magazine, Between the Lines, has been published as a book (with the same title) with his co-editor Tikva Honig-Parnas.
Support Palestinian centers of research
Jun 24, 2009 Uncategorized Leave a comment
In the world of Academia, so much clout is given to sources that are deemed to be credible (or not) enough to be used in an article, presentation or research project of any sort. But these institutions don’t gain legitimacy by divine intervention. Quite the contrary it comes from their ability to be corroborated by those who trust and use there information and if necessary, backup their research when it’s under attack…
Such a place that deserves our tangible support is the Badil Resources Center in Bethlehem, Palestine. Since 1998 they have been collecting information on displaced Palestinian refugees and have been proposing durable solutions for their unalienable right to return. Badil, which translates to “alternative” in Arabic is the only organization that still does the exhaustive research on Palestinian refugees (such as he ones who didn’t end up on a UN registry and where they ended up) and then in turn advocates in their behalf. Mohammad Jaradat, the center’s coordinator, spoke to us at length on the Palestinian refugee issue and how it ties into the comprehensive demands of the 2005 call for BDS. It seemed that out of all that was said, the most surprising aspect was that out of all world refugee crises, Palestinian refugees greatly outnumber all other contemporary cases but a large margin. All that to say, it is impossible to talk about possible solutions for the Palestinian people and restoration of their right without addressing the refugees, which is something that Badil does day in and day out.
Their exhaustive work (not to mention their really nice looking, clever posters and stickers) was really incredible, and so were the staff that welcomed us, spoke to us and took our questions. There’s not much more one can say but that if you’re doing this kind of Palestinian support work abroad, get to know Badil and use the information on their website … they do amazing work that should be supported!
Hashim’s house (homestay)
Jun 24, 2009 Uncategorized 1 Comment
I think I’ve made a mental journey around the world on this trip. Hashim’s house was the Atlantic Ocean. The whole group went to Hashim’s house on our first day of traveling together; he and his family live in Khalil/Hebron. We didn’t have much time there after touring the old city, but we got to hear a few stories, and tell a few videos. Of his children getting stoned by settlers on their way to school, and of settles breaking into a Palestinian home while a soldier looked on. But the group had to leave almost before we’d finished our drinks, although admittedly we were going slow on the syrupy-sweet juice. Luckily, Doug and I got the opportunity to head back that night to stay with the family. Ironically enough, we went because we were the least hungry in the group; we were to be taken to a party before headed back to the house, so we thought dinner might be late. Actually, that just meant that dinner was twice. We ate at the party, with Palestinians and many internationals, who were there to support the local Palestinians; one important thing they did was walk children to school through the settler’s stoning them. Another was camping out on land to try and prevent soldiers from occupying it. This was their goodbye party; a new group of internationals will be coming in August. Then we went to Hashim’s house. He carried a giant Palestinian watermelon through the checkpoint, up the road which only settlers were allowed to drive on, and up the long, rocky path which was the sole way to approach his house after the top access steps were closed by settlers.
Finally, we made it to the house, after seeing a camel on the way (destined, I later learned, to be eaten). We had another feast–my first homemade Palestinian food and very delicious, then we watched more movies of Khalil and the crazy settlers; how Hashim went once to try and harvest his olives, for example, and was harassed by settlers, who couldn’t tolerate his presence in his own olive grove in front of “their” homes. After many such stories, Doug and I pled exhaustion and retired. On my way from brushing my teeth, Hashim stopped me and reassured me not to worry about the gun fire. That we would be safe. I didn’t worry about the gunfire too much, and I hope that neither did he or his children. In the morning, Doug and I walked back through the checkpoint alone, but I know both of us will never leave behind the memory of that family.
Delegation arrives, Apartheid continues
Jun 24, 2009 Trip Leave a comment
Everyone has arrived safely and we began our travel together today.
What has most struck me so far is the degree of apartheid we are experiencing not only in relation to our hosts and what we witness, but also as it affects our group. Even before we met up, the person on our delegation with the darkest skin was stopped for 10 hours at the border, whereas the person with the lightest skin got in with a breeze. Today at the first checkpoint we went through as a group, again the darkest-skinned person was stopped and had his ID checked, in addition to the two women wearing hijab, and almost nobody else.
I never cease to be amazed and disgusted by how blatant the racism is here. Nothing is too far below the surface. And I am sure that by the end of our time together, we will all be even more committed to ending Israeli apartheid.
Students Boycott Apartheid 2009 delegation: Strengthening the movement for justice in Palestine
Jun 18, 2009 Announcements Leave a comment
Beginning June 23rd, eight students from colleges and universities throughout North America will become the first-ever Students Boycott Apartheid delegation, meeting with organizations throughout Palestine and participating in a three-day workshop to strengthen the student Boycott/Divestment/Sanctions (BDS) movement.
The Students Boycott Apartheid 2009 delegation will organize around the 2005 Palestinian civil society’s call on the international community to apply boycott, divestment, and sanctions against Israel until it complies with international law and recognizes the rights of three different (but overlapping) groups of Palestinian people. The demands on Israel are:
“1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall;
2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and
3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194.”
We are starting this Tuesday !
Jun 18, 2009 Announcements Leave a comment
While I am writing this post, eight students from colleges and universities throughout North America are packing and preparing themselves to be in Palestine before Tuesday. Those students will be part of the first-ever Students Boycott Apartheid Delegation starting June 23rd 2009.
Participants will be attending meetings, workshops, and trips throughout Palestine with one goal: strengthen the students Boycott/Divestment/Sanctions (BDS) movement.
Through this blog, participants will try to take you with them in their daily experience. They will be updating this blog (when they get the time, a computer, and an internet connection) with short news stories, articles, photos, and videos.
For more information, media inquires, or if you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at: StudentsBoycottApartheid [at] gmail.com
