Messages From Noura

Nora graduated from San Francisco State with a degree in International Relations, with focus on Middle Eastern studies. She went on to become active with local groups and individuals within the Bay Area community. She has participated in various Palestinian/Jewish dialogue groups and started one of her own with an Israeli American partner. As a Palestinian American, she felt that simply talking was not enough; she felt an innate responsibility to take action. It was this reason which prompted her to join the International Solidarity Movement (ISM). ISM is a group of international volunteers of all ages that go to Palestine to be in solidarity with the Palestinians and to confront the illegal and immoral Israeli occupation and its system of apartheid.

This Web page will follow Noura's activities in Palestine through her messages from various areas of the West Bank and Gaza.

After being interrogated 3X before even getting my luggage, I was then instructed to return to the head interrogator in order to get my passport back. After over another half hour waiting for my luggage to be x-rayed for the 3rd time I was then asked to step into some strange room and go through a metal detector and only then....was I set free!!! One perhaps not so surprising fact is that each and every one who had to endure these treacherous lines was only of Arab decent (I thought they would throw in a token tourist or two just to make it look a little less obvious!!!).

After being set free I was then greeted by a very friendly and enthusiastic shuttle driver who invited me to sit up front with him. In my shuttle I asked a lady from Finland if she was interrogated and she said yes I asked her how many times and she said only once. When I told her about my eventful experience she said "well it is good, it is for our security". I'm sure she could not have possibly known how awful that sounded, plus being so relieved to be set free, I let it go!!!

However, it is GREAT to be here, amidst all the ruins and destruction, the land is more beautiful than I could have imagined and it is great to be amongst my peeps!!! I feel so at home, so far all the locals love to snicker quietly at my Arabic while assuring me kindly that I am doing just fine and will improve greatly very soon. So, I made it to Ramallah where I am right now. The streets are hopping and we ISM'ers are taking them over and having a blast. I haven't slept in over 2 days so forgive my broken English and grammatical errors!!!Anyways, gotta run! More later, much love... Noura

After 3 days of intensive training in Ramallah, we finally made our way to Tulkarem where we participated in a local demonstration to protest the aparthaid wall that is nearly completed. It went well, with about 200 people marching together, there was talk amongst the local community to take part in removing the gate that they are about to complete in order to close the city off from the rest of the world. The military police and bulldozer then confronted us and we were made to end the demonstration before this actually took place; the local organizer said `shuey shuey' we will do it another time inshallah. The same is true of the wall in Qalqilia which is where we then went and have been for the past 3 nights.

Today we participated in our first "check point watch". When Mahmood (our group's local coordinator) and I walked up the soldier was aggressively pushing back about 50 women, men and children lined up all eagerly trying to get through to work and wherever else they needed to go (one man had been standing there for over 2 hours). After about 15 minutes of us standing there he came up to us and asked us to move because we were "bothering him", which I figured was a good thing! After inquiring as to why he was holding back all these people from getting in, soon after he then let them all through. The same was true of about 3 various groups of shabab (young men) who had been asked to wait to the side of the line, many for over 2 hours as well. While bringing them water and asking them if they would like us to ask the soldiers when they would release them, which of course they said yes, one member of our group was clearly documenting each situation. The soldiers eventually released all of the young men after a short time also. The troubling thing for me is that we could have stayed out there all day and the same thing would have been true. All day EVERY day each and everyone who is allowed to leave Qalqilia must endure this torture. Personally, I almost fainted of sunstroke the first day we arrived with all of our belongings and were made to stand in the scorching sun for over 4 hours. I literally had over 5 nose bleeds. We finally had to go around the way, where we hiked with all of our luggage through trenches, rubble and even around a dead horse..I never knew anything could smell so bad. What strikes me the most when in Palestine is the idea of de-progress. The apparency of a society evolving one step forward and thirty steps back. All around you there is infrastructure of shops, storefronts and schools which are all surrounded by rubble, dirt and the purposeful destruction of society. For example, in Qalqilya there is a beautiful girls school which looks like an oasis about 200 yards from the wall. We learned that the girls were often tear gassed to ensure that they would stay away from the construction of this wall.

When asking people what life is like for them here they look at you dead in the eyes regularly to respond "habis, habis" (the word for jail) this is not life, this is jail. The family that we are staying with is very kind and is very facsinated by us and America, as are all the people we see and meet in the streets. I am learning to adjust being covered up from head to toe.

Tomorrow, 40 French mayors are coming to Qalqilya to see what life is like here; we have been invited by the mayor to accompany them around. More later, thank you to all who have responded and are sending me your love, feedback and blessings, they are greatly appreciated!! I am traveling with an amazing group of internationals! Anyway, gotta run, we are going to a pool party where the boys are allowed to swim but the girls are NOT, I am adjusting to life in Palestine slowly but ever so surely and loving every minute of it..more soon!! Peace, love and solidarity, Noura

Today we were invited to tour with a delegation of French ministers who came here to be in solidarity with the Palestinians, if only our "leaders" could ever be so bold. The mayors were late as a result of being held up at the local check point. Once this bloody wall is completed, there will only be one entrance and one exit to the town of 40,000 residents, whose fate depends on the mood of the soldier at the gate. This wall is a crime against humanity and is being paid for by your tax dollars and mine. It really makes me wonder what we as a society and as humanity are capable of that this is tolerated in this day and age. For more information on this strangling of humanity and maps detailing the reality see: http://www.nad-plo.org/maps/Qalqilya_land_grab.htm

God bless the Palestinians who try to make the best of it, last night at the hafla (party), my friend Mohammad who lives here said "well, it is good because it keeps us secure, at least there is only one way in and out for the tanks who normally just roll in from any direction and do their special operations'". The day we arrived there was another assassination of a local resident, so much for the "Road Map", where is this road leading us?? I am not sure I want to know, something needs to change. This is a call to all you peace loving and good people to get yourselves out here and stand in solidarity with Palestine and resist the tragedy that has befallen it. Good news is today another 5 people joined our group, 2 French, 2 English and 1 American. For more information on the actions of others now working with ISM in other areas of Palestine see: http://www.palsolidarity.org/

Let me know if you have any questions, I've got to get up early tomorrow; we have a full day planned of check point watch, meeting with the mayor of Qalquilya and will go to visit the family of a martyr.

Yesterday, we arrived at the check point at 9am; there was an apprehended taxi cab and driver held. We asked a local resident what the situation was and he informed us that he had been detained for a half hour or so and agreed that we should go investigate the situation. We approached him with success, he was told that he would be released shortly, and was. Later, a delegation of 6 internationals came from Jayous (a town nearby) where they were held at the entrance for over an hour, "for their safety". They then attempted successfully to enter by just walking in. Shortly after a commander repeatedly asked the group to leave the area, because the group hesitated so many times, he took my passport as well as another's in our group. After about 30-45 minutes of negotiations the passports were returned and we were all on our way. I had an alright time negotiating with the soldiers; there is one that is really nice to me. I'm not sure it is a good thing though. They asked me if I was married, I ignored the questions but asked one of the soldiers who was Palestinian WHY he would do such a thing as be involved with the military and he said, it was because they pay him a LOT of money and pay for his school to do so. That was really sad to me. I had to of course get in my final comment to "remember the struggle of his people" as I walked away relieved enough with my passport. Overall it seems to be a relatively calm time in the area which just makes it that much more difficult for me to understand the sickening wall and need for all the damn check points. Later that night we went to the first soccer game in 3 years, a truly historic event. Everyone was so happy. I was surprised to see the skill and talent amongst the players. The team came in from Tulkarem which is a town nearby but they had to leave the night before to make sure they would have enough time to get there in time and nushkur ullah they made it, no problem (with little problems- they only had to wait at the check point for 2 hours!). Then later that night we met with the fathers of 8 martyrs in Qalquilya; we went to the house of the family of the most recent young man who was assassinated the day we arrived, (the one's who are assassinated are still considered martyrs but their family house is not demolished because they didn't hurt anyone). This weekend we will meet with each of the families individually to speak with them and hear their stories; it is a huge honor to be invited to their homes.

Today, we went on a "demonstration" with a boy’s school through the town; it was short and really sweet but not very much action. I think they were happy though because afterwards we went to a nearby park where they played the tubla and were singing and dancing. Tonight a few of us will go to Nablus to dismantle a road block early in the morning with the group there so, gotta run...more later

Noura
p.s. I'm able to write online so often b/c we have an internet cafe on the floor beneath our new apartment. Remember, for more info see
www.palsolidarity.org

I had an intense time in Nablus, there, the ISM presence is much more established and the actions are regular. Nablus, the largest city in the West Bank has undergone one (of many) of the more brutal devastations of the illegal and immoral Israeli occupation. On Wednesday a group of 6 internationals were arrested (3 of whom were in my affinity group) in Nablus.

Our goal was to dismantle 3 roadblocks that prevent the local villagers from driving and moving freely to the city of Nablus. We were able to arrange for a bulldozer to remove the huge boulders, dirt and rubble in the road. The first 2 were not a problem because the army couldn't see us from their base, the third one prompted the attention of soldiers who approached us rapidly by foot and soon thereafter were accompanied by military jeeps.

We were quick to use our bodies to block the jeeps that came searching for the bulldozer to prevent them from arresting the driver. The IOF (Israeli Occupation Forces) didn't waste any time tear gassing us 3 times to make us move. When they reached the driver to arrest him the internationals were able to surround him so they could not arrest him. We were finally able to negotiate with the soldiers to let the driver go if he put back up 2 of the 3 that we opened up. What they did not know is that he also undid about 8 others that were preventing a lower valley from Nablus too so it wasn't completely just a symbolic act! The problem with this road block (as with many others) is that men, women and children are made to walk about a mile when they could otherwise easily drive to work, school, the doctor or just move freely as any human beings should be allowed to do.

After about a 2 hour period, things started to escalate because the soldiers then changed their minds and decided they wanted to take the driver anyway and not allow us to go back to Nablus. That is when 6 internationals became upset and ended up getting arrested. For a detailed description of the action, including a picture of me being ruffed up by a soldier see:
http://www.palsolidarity.org/index.php

We did get a lot of media attention, and I even got interviewed by an AP film camera. I'm not sure that it made it on any news besides Arab but it did get quite a bit of attention locally. Then, yesterday we demonstrated with over 100 school children. They wrote and presented a demand to the local Israeli commander to dismantle the check point that prevents people from moving freely and kids from going to school in Azmut (please let me know if you'd like me to email you the exact text). Azmut and 3 other villages are surrounded by a mote of sewage water that is re-routed from the local SETTLER population and this lovely village is engulfed by a smell more rancid than you or I would tolerate in the worst of conditions.

The soldiers blocked about 25 of the peace activists that were supposed to meet up with us at the demonstration. At least 20 of them were Israeli citizens fed up with the atrocities that are committed in their name. The peaceful bunch were tear gassed and beat up by the soldiers. We ended up walking for 4 hours in the hot sun trying every route to get to Nablus, risking arrest on several occasions. After these 3 very intense days, I am glad to be back in Qalquilya where things are a lot more quiet. We are the first group to be here in a long time so we are working more on building community relations and establishing our presence here again…however, I have a feeling I will be ready to go back to Nablus very soon. For an update of all my messages an old friend of my fathers was nice enough to post my messages on his website, you can see them at: http://www.ladah.org/othervoices.htm

p.s. I am trying to keep this short so if you have made it this far, I just have to tell you about a father, son and their donkey (abu Farid) who we walked with up this huge and beautifully amazing hill into Iraq Burin. One of our guys (that later was arrested) was hanging out and goofing around with the kid, neither one could understand a word that the other was saying but it did not matter a bit. I happened to overhear Saul asking the kid about the bracelet he had on; the kid said that he took it off his best friend's body when he was shot and killed for throwing rocks. I instantly broke out into tears and the kid asked me what was wrong. The donkey had scratches all over his body and a missing ear. When I inquired as to the reason for this, the farmer told me the IOF let loose wild dogs on him when he tried to go to his land..they said go to your land and die. I heard the same from many in this lovely village, the mayor's house where we stayed at was all shot up with bullet holes on his front door. They blew up his farm land along with all his animals in a blatent and single goal of terrorizing him into going away. The stories from ALL the people I have spoken with are endless and all are consistantly horrific.

OK, I am going on a 24 hour hunger strike with a few others in my group to demand the release of the innocent (many held without trial for a year and more!) and all political prisoners. Every male I meet here has either been in prison or knows someone that has, and for MANY the response is for nothing more than being Palestinian. I know this is hard to believe but it is TRUE. So, if you truly believe in justice and democracy write your congress person about this atrocity of justice and end the lip service Sharon is giving to the Israeli and American public.

Bail Still Denied The hearing for the ISM 8, 4 of which have been held since Wednesday July 9, and 4 since Thursday July 10, has again been postponed, with no actual court date yet made known. The Ministry of the Interior has cancelled the visas of the eight activists and the State continues to deny them bail. Below is the position of the State of Israel based on paperwork they submitted to the court (thank you to Gila Svirsky for the translation):

The Israeli government is engaged in efforts to try to deligitimize the ISM and label the upholding of international law a crime. Seeking to deport the ISM activists is a tactic used to try to break the phenomena of international solidarity with the Palestinian freedom struggle and an attack on the nonviolent resistance to the Israeli occupation.

The four arrested in the Jenin area at the peace camp in Arrabony Tobias Karlsson (SWEDEN), Tarek Loubani (CANADA), Fredrick Lind (DENMARK) and Bill Capowski (USA) were engaged in peaceful protest with Palestinian villagers against the illegal confiscation of Palestinian land and the erection of a despicable Apartheid Wall. The four arrested in Nablus, Daniel Knutsson (SWEDEN), Alex Perry (UK), Saul Reid (UK) and Thomas Pellas (FRANCE) were nonviolently removing roadblocks that prevent Palestinians from traveling freely in and out of their own villages.

The eight ISMers on trial and slated for deportation have broken no laws other than the laws of an occupation force that does not respect the human rights of the occupied Palestinians.

Furthermore, the 8 ISMers are seeking to continue to be and work with Palestinians in Palestinian cities, towns and villages and were snatched from Palestinian areas by Israeli soldiers.

Please help us protest their arrest, continued detention and planned deportation by contacting the Israeli Ministry of Interior and the Consulates / Embassies of the peace activists to inquire what they are doing to protest this kind of treatment of their foreign nationals. Write to your elected officials. Protest in front of Israeli Embassies in your home countries! The Israeli government is engaged in abusing the human rights and denying freedom to the Palestinian people and wants to make sure the world doesn't see by silencing protest and nonviolent resistance to their occupation policies.

Mr. Abraham Poraz
Minister of Interior
Tel: 972-2-6701402
Facsimile: 972-2-5666376

CANADA: Consulate - +972-2-295-8604; Fax - +972-2-295-8606; email: rmlah@fait-maeci.gc.ca Embassy - +972-3-636-3300; Fax - +972-3-636-3381

DENMARK Consulate - +972-2- 240-2330; Fax - +972-2-240-0331; email: repkon@ramdk.org Embassy - +972-3-544-2144; Fax - +972-3-546-5502; email: tlvamb@um.dk

FRANCE Consulate - +972-2-625-9481; Fax - +972-2-625-9178; email: diplomat@p-ol.com Embassy – +972-3-520-8300; Fax - +972-3-520-8340

SWEDEN Consulate - +972-2- 582-8212/3; Fax - +972-2-582-8801 Embassy - +972-3-695-8111; Fax - +972-3-695-8116; email: swembtlv@trendline.co.il

UNITED KINGDOM British Consulate - +972-2- 541-4100/112; Fax - +972-2-532-2368 / 5629; email: britain@palnet.com Embassy – +972-3-725-1222; Fax - +972-3-527-8574; email: webmaster.telaviv@fco.gov.uk

UNITED STATES Consulate - +972-2- 627-7230 / 625-3288; Fax - +972-2-624-9462; Embassy - +972-3-519-7575; Fax - +972-3-510-8093

PLEASE DON'T FORGET TO WRITE TO YOUR OWN ELECTED OFFICIALS!! ISM uses nonviolence to confront violence and is aware that this endangers perpetrators of violence, human rights abuses and colonization. We don't expect justice from a government that sanctions the above, but do call on the international community to join our efforts and not remain silent.

In solidarity & struggle, INTERNATIONAL SOLIDARITY MOVEMENT www.palsolidarity.org ===== For info on the ISM or Middle East Children's Alliance: http://www.palsolidarity.org or http://www.mecaforpeace.org You can check out my art at http://photos.yahoo.com/terrykekaha

Tuesday, July 22, 2003 - Israel Says ACCESS DENIED - Roadblocks in Jenin/Farmers in Qalquilya

I recently returned from Tel Aviv where we witnessed the deportation of our 8 friends who were arrested for participating in non-violent actions which "interfered with military operations". Interfering in the daily and normalized human rights violations and control of movement on an entire civilization is of course the point of ISM. I'm sure you can imagine the anger felt by the int'ls with no real reason given for this decision. In fact, 2 of 10 were Israeli's who were arrested and of course were set free with nothing more than a slap on the wrist. On the upside it makes me feel good to know that we are a threat to the 4th largest military on the planet.

After the trial, I went to Jenin where 2 others from Qalquilya and I went to assist the local community and ISM'ers in opening of a roadblock. The action was a great success, we were able to remove the roadblock which prevents cars from passing from the local village, Birkim, to the city of Jenin. The soldiers did not show up and the road will stay open for about a week or so until the military figures it out. By then a few hundred cars of families, workers, farmers and other's lives will have been just a little bit easier. What now takes less than 5 minutes to get through before took nearly an hour. Imagine having to drive from SF to Daly City and being forced to go over the Bay Bridge to the San Mateo bridge then back, same idea. It is possible yet incredibly, painstakingly difficult for individuals to complete daily basic tasks that are needed to survive. As a result, the import and export of goods and food is nearly non- existent therefore resulting in total dependence on Israeli products and/or family farmland.

Yesterday in Qalquilya, we woke up at 6am and attempted to accompany the local farmers while working on their land. They are sometimes permitted to work and other times not, but never are they allowed to bring anything resmebling a tractor or any of the other tools it takes to be effective on a large scale. We were denied access in a brutal and aggressive show of force. The hummer rolled up and out came the little boys with the big guns to let us know that we were not welcome on the land of the farmers. Why is it their decision to make?? It is not their property, not in Israeli territories!!? We decided to leave and avoid any more confrontations and try again the next day.

So when we returned the following morning at 5:30am there was a tank at the opening to the farmers gate and the passage to the roadblock was made even tighter. Are you beginning to see a pattern here?? The hope is that roadblocks, checkpoints and the denial of movement are all things that would enrage and frustrate people from living in this community and ideally (according to the IOF) make them leave. But as many Palestinians say, we will never leave our land, we would rather die here.

It is hard to know what to say sometimes because words can't really capture it all. I liked what the Israeli comrad had to say after his arrest in Nablus:

Hi guys, I just wanted to give you a heads up that one of our local coordinators is being interviewed (it should be tonight) on KPFA (for streaming you can go to http://www.kpfa.org/1pg_grid.htm) on "Flashpoints" the show at 5pm. His name is Mohammed Qubaa and he lives here in Qalquilya, he is really great. I hope you get a chance to hear it! For some photos by one of our other buddies who photographs with AP, you can see the demonstration we were at today along with some additional photos: http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?ei=UTF- http://search.news.yahoo.com/search/news/?

This is an exceptional report written by some comrads in Jayoos which is a village about a mile from Qalquilya. It details the reality of the everyday families affected by the inhumanity of the Israeli occupation and aparthaid wall. Please have a look at it when you have a chance: http://www.bcpr.org/b2p/Ben6.html in solidarity, we shall overcome. Noura

A poem by the Jewish singer/songwriter David Rovics ________________________________

A poem by the Jewish singer/songwriter David Rovics
________________________________

i can't help it.
i don't care how far you think the analogy extends itself.
when i see you making that bus driver climb up and down
on and off the roof of his bus
for your amusement
for hours in the hot sun
i think of how we once had to dance and sing for them
while they shot our parents.
when i see you keep that woman
and her husband
at the checkpoint
while she's in labor
and you stand there
listening to her scream
watching as she gives birth
on the back seat of a taxi
i think of the walls around our own ghetto
and how we had to crawl through the sewers
looking for rats to eat
while we could hear their children playing
on the other side.
when i see you crush that house
and kill that woman
and her baby
with your armored bulldozer
because they didn't have a permit
i think of the way we were once forced to leave our homes
at the point of a gun.
and when i hear your general say
that in order to deal with the intifada
you must learn from the tactics of another general
one mr. stroop
in warsaw
i think of how they bombed our buildings
shot us as we fell from the roofs.
and i remember
how we wished we could kill their babies, too.
and i feel sick.
sick of your displaced anger
sick of your self-deception
sick of your attempts to deceive the rest of the world
sick of your accusations of anti-semitism
sick of your occupation
sick of your apartheid state
sick of zionism.
because standing here
in auschwitz, birkenau and warsaw
i see jenin, jaffa and rafah.
and i think of our ancestors
the jewish palestinians
who spoke so eloquently
in their arabic language.
but the dead cannot speak.
and now i find myself
again behind the wall of a ghetto
standing with millions of other palestinians.
and i find myself shouting
thawra! thawra! hatta al-naser!
tomorrow in jerusalem!
al-awda
return.

More at www.davidrovics.com

Hello, it's me again, So last night the tanks rolled into town. Since we've been here military jeeps come into Qalquilya at night regularly, that is when they do their dirty little operations. To find someone who is so called "wanted" the military takes it upon themselves to terrorize the families of these men and if that's not enough, to reek havok on the entire town. Following one of these raids two nights ago a few people from our group went to the house of a family of a "wanted man". After barraging the family for his whereabouts and shooting up the ENTIRE house, they decided to stomp on the stomach of 13 year old younger brother for the information. He was still in a ball, suffering from internal injuries when our compadres arrived. Of course the location of his brother was never disclosed.

Last night we witnessed tanks rolling through town. This was the first night that we've been here (to our knowledge) that they have actually used tanks for their normal rounds of night time terror. This morning we awoke to bullet holes, too many to count, every where we looked and the imprints of the big tractor rivets in the streets. Shop merchants spent the day sweeping up the broken glass from their storefronts that were shot up, while water squirted up and down the streets as a result of the pipes broken while occupation forces did their target practice.

Today feeling exceptionally pissed off from the events of the night and sad because my buddies Terry and Andrea from the Bay Area were leaving to go back home, I decided it was a PERFECT day to offer a little slice of resistance and carry out 'operation spray paint'. This basically involved spray painting over the 3 Star of David flags which are (were) the first thing you see when you drive into the only entrance into Qalquilya, the lovely little city completely encircled by the largest and ugliest cement wall a civilazation has ever seen. This is something I've been dreaming of doing since the first day we drove into town 3 weeks ago.

I want to share an important report written by a collegue here in Qaquliya. She is one of 8 from New York City who came here with "Jews Against the Occupation".

Thursday is our big action against the so-called Aparthaid wall and my last day here, it will also be one month exactly from when I arrived. I will be sad to leave Qalquliya but very excited to see for the first time the home of my mother in Jerusalem and my families old homeland BerZeit. For the past two weeks we have have been very busy organizing, preparing logistics, security and planning with various community groups to gather support for ISM and the big event. Following is a report on Qalqiliya as well as a press advisory we sent out about Thursday's action.

Occupied Palestine Apartheid is a euphemism. Let's be real. This wall means ethnic cleansing. I recently saw a sign in Hebrew which read, "Transfer Equals Peace and Security," but there is more than just rhetoric going on here. The facts on the ground point to no other alternative. This wall is seizing vital Palestinian water resources and agricultural land inside the Green Line; in fact 10% of the West Bank will be annexed into Israel as a result of the first phase of the wall. (Phases II and III will seize more if completed.) Israeli settlements continue to expand and surround Palestinian villages and cities in the Occupied Territories. Palestinian villages are finding themselves in complete isolation, trapped in between the wall and Israeli settlements. Farmers are not allowed to access the little farmland they have left. Small Palestinian villages have already been wiped out of Israeli databases, and residents in parts of the Occupied Territories have been explicitly told that by 2005 they must leave Palestine or accept Israeli identification cards, which is timely considering that the "Road Map" projects that by 2005 there could be the establishment of a Palestinian state. But how can you establish a Palestinian state when you have no water, no food, and find yourself completely trapped inside bantustans? Welcome to the second half of '48, not that the first half ever really stopped.

Case Study
The other day I was talking with a resident of Qalqiliya, a city that has been hermetically sealed by the wall. This man called Qalqiliya the "empty abdomen." Qalqiliya, once known as the "bread basket" of the West Bank, has now lost most of its arable land to the wall. Currently 65% of its residents rely on food parcels. In addition, Qalqiliya sits upon one of the major three aquifer basins in the West Bank. Before the wall it provided half the occupied West Bank's water resources, but the wall has effectively seized the richest zones of this aquifer thus transferring these water resources to Israeli control. Qalqiliya, which now sits inside a giant prison with only one door into and out of the city under Israeli control, wonders how it is going to feed and supply water to its population of 45,000 while the Israeli settlements that surround it maintain freedom of movement, an endless supply of fresh food, and flow water through aesthetically pleasing outdoor fountains.

The story is the same everywhere. I spent some time in Mas'ha camp, a peace camp established by Palestinians and Israelis situated at the site of wall construction around Mas'ha village. It was interesting to see that embedded inside the foundation of this "security wall" were water pipes leading toward Israeli settlements. The camp, located far inside the Green Line has Israeli settlements surrounding it on all sides. The man who ran the camp had 120,000 dunams of farmland handed down to him from his family. After the wall's completion he will be left with only 5 dunams of land.(1 dunam equals 1/4 of an acre.) This man had given up a job opportunity offered to him because he wanted to keep the camp up until the wall shut it down. Just to give some context, jobs are so impossible to come by for Palestinians that most of the workers building the wall are in fact Palestinian. Jobs are so scarce that they will build their own prison. I sat on a rock and watched workers gut the earth. I thought that in a few weeks the Palestinians that sat behind me in the camp would not be able to sit on this rock. They wouldn't be able to come here to their farmland. They would be stuck looking at all this beauty from behind concrete and an electrified fence.

The other day four of us traveled through villages south of Qaliqiliya. These villages are being completely isolated as the wall and Israeli settlements surround them. In Habla we walked through fields that farmers were working in for the last few days. The wall is going to cut directly through their land and isolate it on the Israeli side. I took photos of Caterpillar machines closing in around them. In the village of RasAt-Tira the mayor told us how all residents of this village must leave Palestine by 2005 or they will be forced to accept Israeli identification cards. This village has already been wiped out of the Israeli database. Traveling on a road through Azzun Atma we encountered a horrible odor. We pulled over and saw sewage gushing from a pipe leading from Sha'are Tiqva, an Israeli settlement positioned on a hill. This sewage was flowing right onto Palestinian land. The West Bank is a settler's toilet. Sewage from Israeli settlements is commonly dumped onto Palestinian land where it then leaks into the ground and contaminates the water supply leading to Palestinian villages. In many Palestinian villages the water has been so contaminated by the waste from Israeli settlements that both meat and milk are now impossible to consume.

In '48 we saw direct transfer. They called it a voluntary exodus. Today we see imprisonment and the confiscation of vital living resources. They call it security.

We don't have much time. This is more than apartheid. Lisa (I just got word that Mas'ha peace camp is to be demolished by the Israeli army in the next few hours.)

(I just got word that Mas'ha peace camp is to be demolished by the Israeli army in the next few hours.)

"Boys in America go swimming in pools, boys in Israel go swimming in pools, here in Palestine boys wait at check points. Welcome to Palestine." -Palestinian boy at the Beit Furik check point, Palestine

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Press Advisory for July 31, 2003

BREAKING THROUGH THE WALL

Palestinian, Israeli, International Groups to Rally in Qalqiliya, Demand End to Separation Wall,

Expose Realities of Israeli Government Policy in West Bank City

English Press Contact: Noura Khouri: 067 835 318 (international: 972-67-835-318)

Arabic Press Contact: Mohamed Qubaa: 054 379 876 (international: 972-54-379-876)

Hebrew Press Contact: Ady Ben-Israel 058 459 780 (international: 972-58-459-780)

When: 10:00 AM, Thursday July 31, 2003

Where: Qalqiliya, West Bank

What: Giant Balloon Banner Launch, March, Rally, Paint on Wall, Performances

Who: Palestinians, Israelis, International Activists

Participating Organizations from Qalqiliya:
Palestine Red Crescent Society, Al-Amal Deaf Association, Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions, Palestinian Prisoners' Club, Farmer's Union, State Information Services, Al-Quds Open University, National Institutions Office

Participating Organizations from Israel:
Gush Shalom, Kvisa Shchora (Black Laundry)

International Solidarity Movement
Palestinian residents and community organizations from Qalqiliya, Israeli Peace groups, and Human Rights activists with the International Solidarity Movement will come together to demonstrate against the Racial Separation Wall, which is now surrounding Qalqiliya and which Israel is using to annex an additional 10% of the Occupied West Bank, attack the Palestinian economy and civil life, and force Palestinians to abandon their land.

Demonstrators will gather in Qalqiliya at 10:00 AM on Thursday and march with balloons, banners, and kites to the Racial Separation Wall, where art performances, a balloon launch, speeches, and a dramatic painting of the wall will take place. Israeli groups will convene at the same point along the wall, on the opposite side. Palestinian and Israeli groups will attempt to reach a point where they can see each other.

A 6x4 meter banner reading “No Apartheid Wall“ in Arabic, Hebrew, and English will rise over the wall, lifted by giant helium balloons, in addition to smaller balloons carrying the names of Palestinian prisoners from Qalqiliya. The floating banner, escaping Qalqiliya, will send an urgent plea to the world on behalf of Palestinians throughout the West Bank imprisoned behind the Wall.

The racial separation wall has laid siege to Qalqiliya's population of 45,000, now isolated within concrete and barbed wire, severely limiting or preventing movement between Palestinian cities and villages. The wall, which lies far inside the Green Line, has confiscated 35% the city's arable land and 33% of the city's water resources. Qalqiliya, once known as the “bread basket” of the West Bank now faces dire food and water shortages while the settlements that surround it enjoy a rich supply of these resources. The wall has torn apart the local economy, causing a sharp rise in unemployment and stifling business.

Subject: Home of Disabled Man Demolished by Government

Just when I think the Isreali gov't couldn't possibly be more cruel or inhumane, they never cease to amaze.
May Hany's light inspire, and shine on us all.
peace?

[This piece describes how a poor Palestinian family (citizens of Israel) saved money for years to renovate a shed where their adult son, Hany Zbedah, a wheelchair user, could live in independence and dignity. As soon as the renovation was complete, 200 Israeli police and soldiers came with a helicopter and 2 bulldozers and destroyed Hany's home with all its contents inside. They also beat and imprisoned his father.

Fred Schlomka from the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions sat with Hany during the demolition. Israel has destroyed over 12,000 homes in the occupied territories since 1967, and Schlomka invites us to imagine Hany's experience repeated 12,000 times, along with the collective anger and despair of all the families whose lives, hopes, and resources have been destroyed along with their homes.

Many thanks to a reader for sending me this piece. JN]

Home of Disabled Man Demolished by Government
pictures at http://www.icahd.org
(Fred Schlomka, Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions)

In my years of involvement with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions I have never seen such a heartless and senseless act of cruelty such as was committed by the municipal government of Lod, a town in central Israel. A 23 year old Palestinian citizen of Israel who is confined to a wheelchair, Hany Zbedah, was removed from his house which was demolished with all contents inside.

It took over 200 police and paramilitary police, a helicopter and two bulldozers to destroy the 40 square meter (360 square feet) shed addition to his family home. The house itself has two rooms providing living and sleeping space for six people. After years of saving, Hany's Father had renovated the small shed adjacent to their home in order to provide him with a better quality of life. The doors were extra wide to accommodate the wheelchair, a special bath had been installed so he could bathe in privacy, and a ramp built to the door providing access and a modicum of independence.

The house is owned by Amidar, the Israeli Government's housing company. The shed addition had been existing since 1971. No permits were available for renovations to the building since the site has been slated for redevelopment at some future date. After being refused a permit for the renovation the family quietly went ahead and improved the property without altering the exterior except to paint it. Was the municipality happy that a poor family would try and improve their lot, and that of their most needy member? No, quite the contrary, they sent two companies of police and soldiers to flush out this menace to society, and left him sitting on the sidewalk while his newly renovated home was demolished with the contents inside.

Hanys father sits languishing in jail, beaten and taken by Government stormtroopers when he non-violently protested their vile act. Two others suffered the same fate.

I sat with Hany for some time, as the bulldozers mopped up the rubble. His handicap is only physical, and has been with him from birth, restricting the movements of arms and legs, distorting his fingers, twisting his face so his words are slurred and head movements jerky. But when Hany smiles he lights up the space around him with a light that comes from a pure soul. Five minutes in his company are enough to convince you that there might even be hope for his Israeli Municipal tormentors who have done their worst with him but evoke no rancor or hate, only puzzlement and sadness. Hany's eyes light up when he talks of his work repairing computers, and the Internet that has become his window to the world. One quickly realizes that here is a man with a quick mind and a ready answer to my probing questions. There is a quiet wisdom is his eyes, and a keen intelligence hampered but a little by his physical infirmity.

One wonders where the humanity has gone in a society that allows these atrocities to occur on a daily basis to minority citizens. And one has to ask the Jewish people in Israel where their outrage is, where their sense of common decency has gone, to allow any among us to be treated like dogs and garbage. Has the legacy of the Holocaust done this to us? Are we so traumatized as a people that we truly cannot see others as deserving a life? Are we so devoid of feeling that we cannot even consider a non-Jew to be worthy . . . of existence in this land?

The bombing today in Jerusalem was also a terrible thing. Fifteen people killed, many more injured. Lives destroyed, families shattered. Where do they come from these terrorists, and why? Over twelve thousand homes destroyed in the Occupied Territories since 1967. Where do they come from? Several hundred thousand people with shattered lives. Where do they come from? Children watching, their fathers beaten. Where do they come from? Women screaming. Where do they come from?

And yet I can only see Hany's eyes, shining as he talked of his computers, as the bulldozed scraped the last of his house he was still smiling, at me, a Jew.

Hany's email address is hanyz2@hotmail.com I am sure that he would appreciate any words of kindness for today's loss. Thank you.

pictures at http://www.icahd.org

____________________________________________________________________

Jewish Peace News (JPN) is an edited news-clipping and commentary service provided by A Jewish Voice for Peace. JPN's editors are Adam Gutride, Amichai Kronfeld, Rela Mazali, Sarah Anne Minkin, Judith Norman, Mitchell Plitnick, Lincoln Shlensky, and Alistair Welchman. The opinions expressed by the editors and presented in the articles sent to this list are solely those of their authors, and do not necessarily reflect the viewpoints of A Jewish Voice for Peace.

A Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) is a San Francisco Bay Area grassroots organization dedicated to the human, civil and economic rights of Jews, Palestinians, and all peoples in the Middle East.

Donating to A Jewish Voice for Peace is easy. Just go to our website at www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org. There, you can either donate online using your credit card or you can find our mailing address to send us a check. All contributions are tax-deductible. Your support is greatly appreciated.

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Nora Khouri
www.eGeneration.info

Saturday, August 2, 2003 - The World Is Watching

I am so happy to say that the ation that we spent the past 3 weeks tirelessly planning was on Wednesday and it could not have been better! The idea was to gather in the middle of town at the mayor's office and march down to the wall where we would take part in the demonstration.

The day before we welcomed 45 ISM volunteers from all over the world to take part in this historic event. We were up until 2:30 am planning the logistics with our action group. At 6:30AM a few of us awoke to scout the route that we were going to be marching on to make sure everything was in place.

It seemed security was especially beefed up, on this day their were apache helicopters circling over head all morning. So before the large group marched over, myself and two others went over again to make sure the security was not going to be a problem. Everything looked alright so we went to meet the others on the march. It was Beautiful, all the groups that we met with the previous weeks were there. Men, women and children of ALL ages were walking down the steet holding balloons with the names of their brothers, uncles and fathers imprisoned in Israeli jails. Later they set them free, over the wall with the goal to reach Israel.

As soon as we arrived a group of about 20 people ran over to the wall with spray paint and color balloons which they threw at the concrete racial barrier. The soldier from the watch tower was repeatedly barking orders at us to "move away from the wall" because "it is illegal to paint on the wall!!", I found that rather amusing. It was at this time we raised the beautiful 20 x 15 foot banner giant weather balloons reading with a beautiful dove & olive branch reading "No Aparthaid Wall" in English, Arabic and Hebrew. After about 20-30 minutes of lively wall decorating, the painters finally returned back to the large group to listen to speeches from the mayor, a few other community members and myself (I have included the text to my speech below).

Our gathering point was where the wall ends and the fence begins. We arranged for Israeli peace groups to join us here so we could see each other. On the opposite side were over 50 Israeli's from Gush Shalom, Black Laundry and other peace groups in Israel. After the speeches 3 of us decided with the group that we wanted to deliver a message to the groups from us. The only obstacle besides the fence and gate, were the 5 military jeeps and many soldiers positioned in between us and them. We attempted to negotiate with the soldiers to let us pass. They were unbending in our appeals, however, they were being friendly enough so I decided to engage them in some friendly conversation that went something like this:

nk-please let us pass, we would like to send a message to our friends on the othre side of this gate.

IOF soldier- No

nk-why not??

IOF - these are my orders

nk - pleeease??!

IOF - No, if you want I can pass it to them for you.

nk - but it is a message of peace IOF - so, just give it to me and I will give it to them.

nk - but a soldier can not deliver a message of peace, take off your guns and I will allow you to pass it.

IOF - no, I can not do that.

nk - well, this is Palestinian land, what are you doing here anyway???

IOF & cronies [looking stunned, taken off gaurd and quite confused] - ...uh, I don't really know... other soldiers cautioned him from speaking to me any more and we just kind of stood there looking at each other for a few seconds. (I must say that this was by far, the best part of the demonstration for me!)!

....enter Border Police to the scene....after some conversation, they pointed to me and said that I could go but the two others must stay behind.

Happily, I trotted over with 3 big burly soldiers accompanying me and opened the gate to the other side. I was warmly greeted with cheers, hand shakes and chants saying "free free Palestine". I thanked them all for being there..and handed them the note that asked them to not turn a blind eye to what is happening to the people of Palestine. I am happy to report that the media was there from all over the world, I was interviewed by French Press & Indie Media Philly; NYT, BBC, Al Jazeera etc were just a few of the others to mention. All and all it was truly an unforgettable day. It was amazing how tame the soldiers were during our escapade.

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On another note, yesterday we spent the day in Tulkarem where 8 international's were wounded by rubber bullets they were shooting out into the crowd. I was a "medium risk" person and therefore not on the front lines--one row behind, (I promised my mom!), but there were people next to me dropping all over the place, and we were then tear gassed. The local Palestinians were a little too proactive in this demonstration, hurling an endless number of rocks at the many jeeps that were positioned facing us. The worst part of it all is that we were made to leave before accomplishing our mission of opening the gate that restricts the farmers from traveling to their land.

-----------------------------------------

Because I am leaving my daily work with ISM today to go travel to see family and visit friends, I am feeling rather reflective of my work here. What I keep thinking about the point of all of this work is something that Azmi Bashara mentioned in his address to us when he was in the states. He said that we must support "the [Palestinian] cause" not because the people of a Palestine are good, but because their cause is good. I agree with this compeletely and it is what makes me very strong and fearless in my work. I hope you all find your cause too.

So on that note, over and out...for now...but stay tuned, I have a feeling I might be back around to do a few more actions before I leave here! peace, someday, and much love in the meantime.

Noura

some websites w/photos of the past two days:

http://www.baubaunet.com/Grid.fwx

www.jewsagainsttheoccupation.org

http://www.jordantimes.com/mon/opinion/opinion3.htm

ISM ADDRESS TO THE COMMUNITY

On behalf of ISM, I would like to thank the people of Qalquliya for welcoming us, as well as the graciousness and hospitality that everyone has shown us.

Over the past month many of us have been here to witness the daily lives of the people of Q. During this time we have come to see what life is like for an entire population forced to live under brutal Israeli military occupation, imprisoned behind the walls of the jail of a seperation wall.

During this time we have seen the difficulties faced by the community in order to accomplish what should be the simple task of people living freely: students to school, families to work, farmers to their land, sick and injured to the hospital; and I know many of you have families you haven't seen in many years.

It makes me very sad to know that the friends, (who are more like family now to me) that I have made are being blocked from seeing the outside world, from seeing the ocean that they used to travel to so often to before.

Why? Under what conditions does the world tolerate this imprisonment of an entire population? We want Qalqilya and the people of the world to know that this wall is not uncceptable, it is a disaster to the people of Qalquilya & Palestine, it is a disaster for the people of Israel, and most of all it is a disaster for people all over the world who care about moving forward with freedom and peace.

We are here to stand with the people of Qalqilya and the people of Palestine to say that Palestine must and will be free.

How long will it take to for the rest of the world to wake up to the historic injustice that is before our eyes? We are here to stand in solidarity to say no aparthaid wall, not in our name and not with our tax dollars.

Saturday, 23 August, 2003 - REFLECTIONS

Hi all, I am sad to say that it is my last night here in Palestine and Jerusalem, where I have spent the past 2 months. The time I have spent here has been fulfulling in every way I could have hoped for, and so much more. I have had the opportunity to get to meet and work with kids and the local community in Qalquilya, Jenin, Nablus and Tulkarem. I was also able to get to know my roots and my wonderful family in Jerusalem and BerZeit in a deeper and more profound way. They have been so generous and kind, I hardly knew it was possible for people to give so much of themselves and their time.

I have also had a BLAST tromping through the streets of the Old City, Ramallah, BerZeit, Bethleham and Jerhicho (the oldest city in the world!), and just floating around the Dead Sea was unbelievable. I've been asked by many to share my thoughts about my experiences while here, so I decided to put it out there (once!) for all to see.

I will ellaborate my observations about:

-Palestinian Society
-Resistance
-Women in Society
-Religion
-the Holy Land
-Christian Zionism
-In a Nutshell

Palestinian Society
Amidst the ruins and rubble found in every Palestinian city and village I visited, I found their still breaths a heart of warmth, kindness and unending hospitality. True, the years have taken a toll on the people and the society as to be expected and of course, there is much to be desired in terms of progress. Like I told a Palestinian friend who was explaining some gender hypocritical position that I - let's just say - strongly disagreed with, you can only blame so many things the occupation, it breeds nothing less than the slow and systematic deterioration of all things functional and necessary for a thriving community, economy, education and culture. However, my point was that you can not blame the male dominated, hypocritical, suppression of the people and shaming of all things natural. For a long time thereafter, it seemed to me that some parts of Palestine had stayed stuck in the days of Salem witch burnings.

Women in Society
Then I began to think about it and remembered a few things. One that from what I understand is that the majority of Muslim women only began wearing the burqua after the 1st Intifada, after the repeated loss of hope and faith that any government or person was going to help their situation. It marked the fundamental shift from things material to things spiritual and religious and seemed to me a natural human reaction to dealing with historic injustice. And two, the most important thing that I learned about women's rights, and what I keep in mind when thinking about equality is that unlike in the U.S. the women have not had the privilege to fight for their rights, they have been too busy fighting for the survival as a race.

On Suicide Bombers / Martyrs
From here on out, please do not anyone ask me about what I think about suicide bombers. I think they are a deplorable and desperate act. However, I find it no more deplorable than the fact that every single Israeli citizen is required to join the military to fight and suppress and entire civilian population. They are forced to unconditionally submit their free will and thinking mind to the sick and twisted men in charge of them that have dreams of unending war in the region and speak of peace [in public] much like a raging alcoholic speaks of quitting drinking to his family all the while keeping his stashed bottle in every corner of the house. Without a serious intervention by another party, [the U.S.] it will never happen.

I also find it no more unforgivable that Palestinian families are systematically forced out of their homes to make room for Jewish immigrant families from all over the world to come live in. I am amazed and sickened to this day to know that the totalitarian state of Israel uses the guise of security to justify building a prison around an entire population and steal what little arable land and precious resources that are left in the West Bank like thieves in the broad day light. I am thourougly disgusted every time I see another settlement in the far distance, and know that they are continuously being built.

Weird…literally as I am writing this, I just heard a loud explosion…a suicide bomb just went off in Jerusalem, not far from where I am writing this. I don't know what to say, it is surreal and disturbing, but the fact of the matter is what can we expect? None of us will be free until we quit opressing others and treat all with basic human respect and equality.

Resistance
Whenever I asked people about their thoughts or interest in a resitance movement or Intifada, they would often look at me with their big round eyes, look down and laugh. They would proceed to show me their bullet wounds and/or scars at least the physical ones. I began to see that the Israels crushing of the resistance has done a very good job. After 55 years of an entire civilian population resisting the 4th largest military on the planet it is true that the Palestinians are tired. They are tired of fighting back, tired of being awaken in the middle of the night by the sounds of gunshots, tanks and soldiers at their door coming to round up the boys of the house and take them away for another cruel round of torture. As I predicted with the Israeli Occupation Forces incursion of Nablus, the so called "hudna" (cease-fire) is over. The David and Golliath, tit for tat has again resurfaced it's ugly face again, let the games begin. The bus bomb that killed 20 was a reaction to the village in Nablus that was destroyed. As the powers that be that run the IOF well know, the ongoing incursions in Ramallah, Nablus, Tulkarem etc plus the murder of the Hamas leader in Gaza will be sure to incite another wave of resistance. The Israeli's living in their bubbles will wonder why 'they' hate us so much and where it came from. They will respond by electing and keeping in power the war criminal that is sure to never bring about anything resembling peace; and so the lies and ruins continue.

There is a need for a different type of resistance. A resistance that says no to all forms of oppression; no to military and cultural control and no to those who comfortabley sit back and watch as injustice takes place. We ALL need to work togehter with the Palestinian resistance to make sure it happens everyday and everyway. Why?? Because as history shows, as soon as even the beginning of a non-violent resistance begins to become effective it will be crushed; and the leaders of the movement will inevitably become deported or murdered. And as we have all witnessed by now the only alternative the majority are forced to support is the armed resistance fighting for their rights because...like I said...(until we all truly understand I will say it again and again), if we are not all free, none of us will be truly free.

On the Holy Land
As I listen daily to Islam's calls to prayer, the church bells ring and watch the Hisidic Jews walking with their peculiar dress and hairstyle I am consistently reminded and can't help but dream of a day when the people of this holiest of lands will take it upon themselves to get rid of their so called leaders. Is there any leader we can think of that has the interest of their people in mind?? If so, I don't know of them. Why do we allow ourselves this dependence?? We know that the only so-called democracy in the Middle East is one that racially and preforentially allows the Jewish population with unending social benefits. Some of these include: financial aid, better schools, streets, and one of the most desperately needed social benefits, PLAYGROUNDS FOR THE CHILDREN (you should be infuriated to know, of which there are none!). I am sure that I am leaving out a lot, but these are the only that I was able to observe in my short time here.*

Christian Zionism
I recently visited the Zionist Christian headquarters in West Jerusalem and practiced some very difficult dialouge skills! Zionist Christians are 70 million strong in the US and of equal proportion to the Zionist lobby there. I thought it was important to hear what they had to say.

So I listened as every part of me wanted to scream you are so full of shit and make no sense. How can you call yourself Christians while unequivocally supporting a totalitarian military state who is occupying and murdering civilians on a daily basis?? But, I'm glad I didn't. At the end we were able to ask questions of the politician that was evangilizing to us why he is "for all people equally" and that they were doing the right thing. He didn't have much time so I chose my question carefully and asked him why in his speech and literature they chose to call us "Arabs" instead of Palestinians that we are. He did not have a decent answer for me and the nice man that just started a few months ago was quick to respond that he had never met a Palestinian and was not aware that this was an issue. He was also the one in charge of media for the place. Who knows...maybe he will start changing the literature ;) and at least for now, he had changed his dialogue.

In A Nutshell
What I was able to gather of the injustices and perceived inhumanity is that a lot of the people that carry out these acts are just trying to get by the best they know how. They are at best confused, or more likely brainwashed by someone they trust and think that they are doing the right thing.

The only thing we can do is educate ourselves and each other, it takes a little time and a whole lot of patience.

peace, inshallah, blessings and much love, Noura

*I am referring to Palestinians with Israeli citizenship, I dare not speak about the state of desperation the West Bank is in at this present time..but as Geneva or other Human Rights declarations state, an occupation force is supposed to be responsible for the welfare of those it occupies. My cousin also works for UNWRA told me that the schools at the refugee camps are better than the ones in Jerusalem because the int'l community helps to pay for them!