PSE Update: Session 2 - Week 1

Palestine Summer Encounter Session 2 Off to a Great Start

The second session of the seventh Palestine Summer Encounter program has had an exciting and energetic beginning. This session, 22 new participants have joined the program, and with those remaining from Session 1, the total number of participants has reached a new high: 35. This session brings in new participants from the United States, Canada, England, Ireland, and Australia in addition to the nationalities already represented within the group, adding another dimension to the international experience of the program.

After a short break for the Session 1 participants and orientation for the Session 2 group, the groups united for a joint weekend trip to the Northern West Bank. In one long and informative day, the group visited the Tulkarem District and the city of Jenin.

To begin the tour, the group visited Baq’a village with a local guide who explained the area’s struggle against the Israeli Separation Wall which attempted to confiscate their lands and water resources. The guide exposed the arbitrary nature of international partitions of the land, taking the group to view how the Wall, which was successfully pushed back out of the West Bank to the Green Line (Armistice Line) by protesting and a decision from the Israeli High Court, divides the village of Baq’a, effectively killing the commerce of the once bustling market, dividing family members from each other, and farmers from their agricultural lands.

Also in the Tulkarem District, the group observed the chemical factories deemed too hazardous for Israel that have been dropped down on the Palestinian side of the Apartheid Wall—the cause of the highest rate of cancer in the West Bank there in the surrounding area. It was shocking for participants to hear the inhumanity of the procedure for these factories to operate only the 325 days out of the year during which the winds of the region blow eastward—ordered by Israeli courts to not operate for the 40 days of the year that the winds blow westward, into Israel, potentially spreading their harmful toxins toward the Israeli population instead of the Palestinians.

In Jenin, the group visited Jenin Refugee Camp, site of the controversial “Jenin Massacre” of 2002. Participants met with an NGO which provides counseling services to women and children of the camp who have been traumatized by the Israeli “Defense” Force wanton home demolitions and nightly incursions into the camp. Following that, the group next met with staff of The Freedom Theatre in the Camp. Zakariya Zubeidi, former leader of the Al-Aqsa Brigades, began the Theatre as a transition from violent to nonviolent cultural resistance, giving voice and empowerment to youth in the Camp. Participants had an opportunity to watch a production of a student of the Theatre and ask many questions of Zbaidi about his role and philosophy of resistance work.

The first full week hit a bit of a bump in the road as a meeting scheduled with Hanin Zoabi, Arab-Israeli Knesset member, had to be postponed; the group left Bethlehem only to be held up in the checkpoint, effectively eating up all of the time the group had to meet with Ms. Zoabi who was needed at a Knesset meeting and could not wait for the group after the long ramble through the checkpoint.

The schedule for the week quickly bounced back the next day, however, with a fantastic Debkah (Palestinian traditional folk dance) class, co-taught by Said Zarzar and Hanna Hazboun, members of the Diyar Dance Theatre in Bethlehem. Participants also resumed Arabic classes at the Bethlehem Bible College.

Wednesday, the group travelled the short distance to Dehiesheh Refugee Camp where they met with the Director of UNRWA for the camp but then heard a valuable first-hand perspective on life in the camp from a resident.

Thursday was an exciting event for the PSErs and staff as, in the spirit of the current World Cup, the participants took on members of the Holy Land Trust staff in a game of football at Oush Grab park in Beit Sahour. The participants made a valiant effort but were no match for the Palestinian footballers in the end. Thankfully, there were no hard feelings harbored, and the whole group enjoyed a dinner of traditional Palestinian zarb (roasted chicken) afterward.

Friday brought the first opportunity for participants to venture out and observe or participate in nonviolent demonstrations in the West Bank, but first, they were equipped with a nonviolent action training by veteran American-Israeli activist Bekah Wolf. Afterward, those participants who were interested, attended a nonviolent demonstration against the Wall in Wadi Rahal to see first-hand what one current form of resistance in Occupied Palestine looks like.

Wrapping up their first full week of Session 2, the group travelled to neighboring Jerusalem for a series of meetings with human rights organizations. First the group took an ICAHD (Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions) tour which was incredibly informative as it exposed them to the reality of ethnic cleansing in Occupied East Jerusalem. During the tour, the group also visited Ma’ale Adumim settlement where they witnessed the grossly disproportionate allocation of water to the settlers who enjoy watered lawns, a water supply that is never turned off, swimming pools, and even a giant fountain.

After the ICAHD tour, the group also met with Rabbis for Human Rights, and then with Joseph Dana, a representative of Ta’ayush—an Israeli activist organization that participates in many direct actions in the contentious South Hebron Hills. Along with Joseph, the group was privileged to welcome the well-known Jewish-American journalist Max Blumenthal. The two men were gracious to receive many questions from participants about politics and possibilities for future resolutions for the Conflict.

PSE Update: Session 1 Wrap Up

The first session of Palestine Summer Encounter has wrapped up and the second has taken off at full speed.

The participants of the first session had a full final two weeks as they undertook lectures on Christian Zionism, Judaism, and nonviolent direct action.

Participants learned about the theology of Christian Zionism from Reverend Alex Awad to aid their understanding of why so many Christians around the world are supporting Israel in the current conflict rather than the justice-seeking Palestinians—including their own Christian sisters and brothers from the land that birthed the religion. Reverend Awad shared pieces of his own personal encounters with Christian Zionism and helped the participants learn how to deconstruct the violent, racist theology and reconstruct a better theology in the service of justice and peace.

Marisa James, a rabbinical student and friend of Holy Land Trust through her work with the Encounter program (a program that brings rabbinical students studying in Jerusalem to stay with Palestinian families and see the other side of politics in the land), joined the PSE for a lecture on Jewish traditions and theologies. Participants gained more awareness of Jewish-Israeli culture and the history of Zionism, and were then able to ask many questions about how the theology of Judaism has been manipulated by some to support the ongoing Occupation.

Mazin Qumsiyeh rejoined PSE in the final week for another lecture, this time on the logistics of organizing nonviolent direct actions. Dr. Qumsiyeh spoke about his own numerous experiences in the field and led brainstorming with the participants on coming up with creative ways to nonviolently resist Occupation.

The PSE participants had the chance to meet with two PLO Representatives for negotiations as a guest speaker event. Ashraf Khatib and Javier Abu Eid joined PSE and informed the participants on the official status of negotiations from the Oslo period until today. The negotiators were able to offer insight into the negotiation process, and the participants kept the two speakers very late, asking numerous questions about the possibilities for future negotiations.

For the final cultural evening of the session, participants boarded a bus after Arabic class and rode together to the village of Jifna where they got to experience the village’s apricot festival. The highlight of the evening was watching a performance of Portraits of Fear by the Diyar Dance Theatre group, a modern debkah troupe from Bethlehem, including PSE’s own debkah trainers: Said Zarzar and Hanna Hazboun.

To conclude the session, participants travelled to Hebron as a group for another exposure trip. While in Hebron, the group first took a tour of the Ibrahimi Mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs and walked through the Old City. Then participants met with Christian Peacemaker Teams, which does accompaniment work and reporting of human rights violations in the city. The CPTers gave the PSErs a tour of the city from the rooftop of their apartment building—pointing out the radically ideological Jewish settlements that have been planted right in the middle of the large, conservative Muslim city, as well as al-Shuhada Street—a prime example of Israeli Apartheid practices: the formerly-main thoroughfare in Hebron, now open only to the Israeli settlers. Following these visits, the group made a stop at a glass and ceramics factory to see examples of how these souvenirs, which are sold all over the country, are made. Finally, the group was on its way out of Hebron to visit Operation Dove in the village of at-Tuwani to hear about the work of that accompaniment organization, but at the last minute had to cancel due to radical Israeli settlers attacking the village in the morning and the Israeli military closing the area in response.

It was sad to watch a few participants say goodbye to their new homes, friends, and families in Palestine—at least for now—as their time with the program came to an end, but the group was also enthusiastic about welcoming a large number of new participants with the arrival of the second session. This first session of this seventh Palestine Summer Encounter was very full, so the participants enjoyed a few days of downtime, travelling around the country independently or just soaking up some rest at home in Bethlehem, while the second session participants arrived and started orientation. As exciting and informative as the first session was, we expect even greater things to come as the second session gets underway!

Artwork by participant of Session 1, J.A.

Another week, another protest

I know it's been a bit since I've blogged. I'm working on my next post now, actually, but spending quite some time on it. To bridge the long gap between posts, I have assembled this video from this past Friday's protest.

Be back soon.

PSE Update: Session 1 - Week 2

The second week of this summer’s Palestine Summer Encounter program has wrapped up, and we are on to the third. In the past week, participants have had exciting opportunities to encounter Palestinian nonviolent resistance, follow international headlines from right where they are happening, and continue expanding their understanding of Palestinian culture.

To begin the week, participants learned more about what it means to be flexible here when the attack on the Gaza aid flotilla occurred. As Palestinians organized all over the West Bank and Gaza, along with internationals here and abroad in their own communities, to protest the grievous violations of the Israeli military toward the Flotilla humanitarians, program activities were suspended giving PSErs the chance to observe and participate in these nonviolent protests if they chose. A number of participants took to the streets with Palestinians and other members of the international community to cry out against the attacks and the continuing illegal siege of Gaza.

The rest of the week continued as planned, though participants were keenly aware of the sparked political atmosphere—discussing politics with their coworkers at their volunteer placements, reviewing the recent events with their host families, and holding conversations amongst themselves about the meaning of the Israeli attacks.

Through the week, participants had an opportunity to meet with Nidal Abu Zuluf, one of the authors of the Kairos Palestine document, calling on Christians worldwide to take a stand for justice with the Palestinians against Occupation. For a cultural evening, participants were joined by a few staff of Holy Land Trust and Palestine News Network as they traveled to the Tent of Nations, a farm south of Bethlehem surrounded by illegal Israeli settlements. The Nasser family who owns the farm has been stuck in a legal battle in Israeli courts for decades, trying to hold on to their family lands, yet they continue to resist whole-heartedly and peacefully, through pursuing legal means and by turning their property into a collective space for peacemaking and cultural understanding. The group enjoyed a meal at the Tent around a campfire, accompanied by traditional Palestinian folk music—oud and tableh.

Before kicking off the weekend, participants attended a final lecture, hearing an overview of Islamic faith and holding a hard-hitting conversation with Abdul Rahman Abbad, a notable Islamic scholar of the region, on many of the negative perceptions held by Westerners regarding Islamic faith and practice. After the lecture, many participants headed off to the village of Bil’in to participate in the weekly demonstration there, having learned about the struggle of the people of the village against Israel’s land-grabbing “Separation Barrier” the previous week during a visit with the leader of the Committee of Popular Resistance. These participated to varying degrees in the protest, some standing back and observing, while others went forward and experienced the violent responses of the Israeli “Defense” Force, which included confronting much military-grade tear gas (illegal for use on civilians under international law). Taking a break before going home to Bethlehem, the group went to another Ramallah-District village, Taybeh, and enjoyed a tour of “the only microbrewery in the Middle East,” which of course included some free beer samples.

To wind down the action-packed week, the group took a brief tour of the Wall in Bethlehem, taking note of much of the beautiful and clever artwork, and then headed down to Jericho and the Dead Sea for an afternoon of relaxation, floating, and mud-coating.

This has been a week for participants to learn a lot, not just in the classrooms, but out on the streets and in the fields of Palestine. The budding activists among the group had opportunities to call out with numerous others passionate about justice in Palestine, and everyone had the opportunity to witness firsthand what the Western world never hears about—the continuous Palestinian nonviolent resistance to illegal, inhumane Occupation.

PSE Update: Session 1 - Week 1

Part of my responsibility as Coordinator is to write weekly updates for our website. I'll post them here as well.
-----
It's summertime in Bethlehem, and the Holy Land Trust office is abuzz with activity. A considerable part of that activity is due to the recent arrival of 17 internationals, participants in the 7th Palestine Summer Encounter. This session includes participants from the U.S., Canada, Germany, the U.K., Switzerland, and Australia.

Palestine Summer Encounter (PSE) is a joint project between Middle East Fellowship, a U.S. based 501(c)(3) nonprofit, and Holy Land Trust. The three-month program is divided into three Sessions with participants able to stay for one, two, or all three months, dedicating their entire summer to experiencing life in Palestine. In the course of the program, participants will study Arabic in and outside of a classroom setting as they meet with teachers at Bethlehem Bible College for classes in the day and then return every night to their Palestinian host families, living in Bethlehem, Beit Jala, and Beit Sahour. Additionally, each participant will volunteer with a nonprofit in the Bethlehem area, and the group will meet with a variety of Israeli and Palestinian NGOs and peacemakers, gaining a broad perspective of how Israeli Occupation influences Palestinian life.

Participants gathered one week and a half ago to start their summer journeys. Programming kicked off with orientation at the HLT office followed by a bus tour around Bethlehem to give participants their bearings in their new home for the summer. Over the weekend, between the naps to acclimate to their new time zone, the group took a trip to Jerusalem, visiting the numerous holy sites of the city in the morning and then meeting with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD) for a tour of what Occupation looks like on the ground in Occupied East Jerusalem.

As the week began, participants began their volunteer placements: working on fair trade, translating documents into English, writing news stories, newsletters, and proposals for funding, and caring for children, the elderly, and disabled. The participants received an academic perspective on the situation Occupation has created in the West Bank and heard of the history and present nonviolent movements of resistance in Palestine from professor, activist, and author Mazen Qumsiyeh. On Friday, many of the participants took the initiative to attend a nonviolent demonstration in the South of Bethlehem village of al Mas’ara where they observed and participated in nonviolent resistance firsthand. Programming also included a conversation with HLT Director, Sami Awad, about the history and vision of HLT and the current state of conflict in Palestine, a hike by Solomon’s Pools and through the village of Artas, and the first weekly Debkah (Palestinian traditional folk dance) class.

To finish out their first whirlwind week, participants travelled to the Northern West Bank, visiting Ramallah, Bil’in, and Nablus. In Ramallah, the group took in a very informative presentation by Stop the Wall, visited Yasser Arafat’s tomb, and had a chance to explore the nightlife of the city. In Bil’in, the group met with the leader of the village Committee of Popular Resistance which has been organizing one of the most widely known and attended protests in the West Bank for more than four years. And, in Nablus the group met with a refugee of Balata Refugee Camp, the largest camp in the West Bank, to hear what life is like with 25,000 people living in 1 square kilometer. After the refugee camp, things were a bit lighter with a tour of the Old City, including a stop at an olive oil soap factory, and then a visit with a Samaritan High Priest in the Samaritan village outside the city.

For more information on Palestine Summer Encounter, visit the website to follow participants in their own words as they encounter Palestine: http://www.palestinesummer.org/blog.