Ramallah, Anata, Jericho

It's been so long since my last post I don't know where to begin. I think this is the time for a list:

Lost in Ramallah (July 24 was my first time in Ramallah and we were greeted by the Qalandia Checkpoint on the way in and re-greeted on the way out).

I used my D-plus level Arabic to ask a woman on out bus whether there was a bigger road to Ramallah from Jerusalem than the one we were on (one that wound around parking lots and private homes and not paved in many areas). A logical question in most places, after all, Ramallah and Al Quds are only about 1/2 hour away from each other and they are two major cities. But no way, not here. Anyhow, you know the answer but my question opened a door and soon enough quite a few people on the bus were educating us about the Occupation (al Ikhtilal) and the Wall.

Then we arrived, and since we were 7 people we divided up, my buddies were Karin (my Italian roommate) and Salim (my Spanish historical opposite.. if you want to look at it that way). We got lost but we found Arafat's Tomb.

Earlier in the week, I follwed another Italian to observe a meeting between Israelis and Palestinians in Anata. We got lost and came home.

Yesterday, our teachers planned a trip to the Dead Sea and Jericho. But after Jericho, they tried to convince us to go swimming in a chlorinated swimming pool instead. A mini-uprising broke out and in the end, we lost and the teachers won. I guess the Palestinians are allowed to win a few battles. At least we didn't get lost.

I think I'm in love (kinda)

I know all of you were expecting this, I go to Palestine, find myself a cute middle class Palestinian intellectual, abandon all I know in the U.S., settle down, bear a coupla a kids and give them mixed Palestinian Israel names. Well I'm not quite there yet since I haven't yet met him, and I have no idea what he looks like, but he's staying right around the corner from the convent I'm in. He's the muezzin of the mosque on Nablus Road and I hear his voice every time I go home for an afternoon siesta. At first, he sounded like a recording, but now I realize that he blows into the microphone before he begins and he has varying long pauses between certain verses. He's kinda like the artist that I hope to be: he can conjure up passion on schedule, and despite the honking traffic, he keeps going, his voice still clear and I can tell that he really digs his job. I bet he has a good outlook on life too. Anyhow, he has a young sounding voice and if I meet him on the street I'm sure I'll recognize it, so I guess I have to just keep wandering the streets saying Sabah Al-Kheir to every pious looking guy, hoping that the Sabah An-nour comes from him.

Also, more soldiers today. I gotta picture but I got so nervous that I didn't get a good one. How do you say, I'm chicken" in Arabic?

A short sum up

I realized that maybe at this point, being the halfway point in my trip and in the midst of a real war I should insert a brief synopsis. I really can't report much on the war since the only news I'm getting is from the same source you're probably getting it from. In keeping the the usual themes, these are only updates on my own experiences. I'm afraid I won't be able to add photos until I can figure out an easy way to do it.

Re: The war in the north, I've already met a few Haifa evacuees who are staying around the corner from me, one of them is the son of Kamal Sliman. I think they're enjoying their vacation in Jerusalem unlike anyone in Beirut, I've heard of a few friends-of-friends who just got out, it's much worse there and that's puting it sweetly. In Jerusalem (East) it seems to be Occupation as usual, no change since the war started, except for a one day strike in protest of the Israeli bombings. The city is a wonderful and terrifying place. I've had a tiny taste of the occupation when I got mildly lost in Abu Dis and wound up at a massive checkpoint in the wall. I see ID checks at Bab Al Amoud all the time, every day (a few of my classmates have been checked themselves), and soldiers in the hundreds surrounded and barracaded the old city yesterday. One of the students in my class is the son of someone expelled from Safad in 48 (now with Spanish citizenship) and he was detaied at Ben Gurion Airport for 10 hours on his way in. He's asked me to accompany him to West Jerusalem while I'm asking him to accompany me to Ramallah. So everyone wins I guess.

Aside from the terror, I've been eating a lot of sweets and practicing my Arabic with 5 and 85 year olds, and getting ripped off on felafel. I've also been talking to a lot of total strangers from all over and learning a lot. So that's the good news.

Incidentally, this report is coming from the 8th station of the cross on the Via Dolorosa, so it's possible that Jesus would have checked his e-mail here if he were alive today. The place seems to be doing well so it may very well still be in business when he returns.

Please relax! I actually like it here!

After reading my last few posts, I realize that my tidbits combined with CNN or BBC or NPR might be a little too scary. So you all should know that the war zone is a few hours north of me. I, on the other hand, am super safe and surprisingly, very happy. I've been eating ma'amul and figs, smoking nargiles, using my lousy Arabic to chit chat with cute kiddies, and getting ripped off from your average old city market vendor. I took a tour with some of my classmates of the old city of Jerusalem yesterday, the first time I got to see some history. I realize that the Israelis are the current conquerers, and it's only a matter of time before this mess cleans itself up and another one takes its place. I also saw a film, attended an artist's lecture, and hung out again for the guy from Haifa (Riyadh). Riyadh is your poster child for co-existence, totally open minded, full of hope for the future and loving life. It's been so refreshing to meet him and to get in between so many layers of this place. He's only one example too. More later.

A 14 year old boy tried to hit on me yesterday, it was very cute. If you guys are still truly worried and want to give me a call. Skype can call real phones, real cheap. You'd have to read up on all the details on your own, but once you do, I have a cell here 972-50-7832471. Ok? ok.

Al Quds can be your home away from home (or Haifa)

Yes, it's not the best time of year (historically speaking) to be here. It's looking like a real war up North and then, there's Gaza too. Yesterday, after class, I walked down Salah a-Din craving e-mail and news but something was off, everything was closed or in the process of closing. I'm racking my brain... Are there 'normally' curfews in E. Jerusalem? Could this be the first? Is there going to be a raid? Is it a holiday? Should I be scared? I ask a pre-teenager (usually a good source of information) but God Bless America... he doesn't understand English and my lousy Fusha is of no help. Hebrew would have worked but after weighing the options between ignorance and 'out-ing' myself, I chose ignorance. I eventually found out through a Palestinian waiter and a few Italians that there was a general strike in E. Jerusalem in protest of the recent deaths in Lebanon and Gaza. For the first time, I really felt it, or at least, I began to, in the upper part of my throat, back of my mouth. I picked up some bread with zaatar and grapes for lunch and booked back to the hostel, cancelled my plans for the afternoon, and headed to the bubble known as the Jerusalem Hotel . There we (Karin, my roommate from Italy, and I) sat and worked on our homework while others (foreigners and high society locals) ate, drank and smoked (nargiles).

The whole day was spent in there. We met a family of 3 (one woman and her two sons) who hired a taxi to get them out of Haifa. They almost stayed with us in the convent but the 9:30 curfew (of the chaste type, not the political) was too much to bear for them. One of our teachers (Sausa) came to meet us too and she made chit chat with the woman (who was incidentally, an actress in Circus Palestina) while giving us a private lesson. We also learned from the post-higherschooler Haifan that his father was the singer Kamal Sleiman. I watched the younger of the two kids play football (soccer) on his gameboy as he sat in front of a giant piece of chocolate cake. We learned some colloquial Arabic (shu, adesh, meen...). We talked politics. And all the while, I knew that there were bombs falling on all sides of the border(s). But don't worry about me, if the cultured evacuees are coming my way, that means I'm in the good spot.

And now... a quick report from Arabic class:
Back when I was learning Hebrew, I remember from week one, khefetz khashud (suspicious object). As we wrap up week one of Arabic I've learned the words ikhtihaf (kidnapped), infijar (explosion) and kanun (violin). See... and people wonder why we can't all get along.

A little more catch up

This post is coming to you all from Salah a-Din Road in Jerusalem so since I'm on the clock now I'm going to have to make it quick. Past few days.. here goes.

Friday

Territory Tears Twice

Another demo in Bil'in for me. This time, the demo coincided with a wedding, though I believe it was staged. Lots of yousyous and a beatiful bride (aris). Unfortunately, the Israeli soldiers weren't invited and so I guess they felt sad about that, but like your average machismo, they didn't want to sit and talk about it so instead they just threw a bunch of sound grenades and tear gas canisters. This time I got a whiff a bit to close and bolted, I left the demonstration along with about 20 others before it was called off. And rubber bullets too, a guy near me was shot and for your info, he said it felt like a really hard punch that turned into a sting. Afterwards, headed to Al Quds, checked into the St. Thomas Home (aka the Melkite Convent) and fell asleep.

Saturday

First day of class. Went to Abu Dis to pay the fees. Saw the WALL, big and scary like you'd expect. Didn't take my camera so maybe you get look a bit later. Lots and lots of bureaucratic waiting. Left the group and tried to get back on my own. A servees/sherut, bus, checkpoint (my first ever crossing of this sort) and taxi later (total one and 1/2 hours, for approx 5 kilomoters) I'm back on Nablus Road, not quite in time for the Jerusalem film festival (which is the reason why I left "early"). I missed 3 out of the 4 short films. So it goes.

P.S. The guy at the internet place said it should be a 5 minute drive from here to Abu Dis. So it goes again.

It's not that funny really.

As I re-read my last post, I re-realized that I'm losing my sense of humor over this whole "Israel-Palestine Thing", so I apologize if my postings are losing their luster. Still, the "situation" goes on and so I'm not going to resign myself to the polluted beaches of Tel Aviv just yet. And so, howabout some more tidbits from the "situation" with Jerusalem as its capital.

Last night I attended a screening of "Bil'in Habibti" by an activist named Shai Pollack at the Jerusalem Film Festival. Yes, it's about the same Bil'in that you've been reading about all along. But this guy (Shai) has been there more than once, in fact, by the looks of his film, he's probably been there just as many times as, if not more than, the army commander in charge of putting down the local resistance. He also seems a lot more welcome there. Without going into detail, I'll just say that I thought the film was amazing. And of course, probelmatic, as all films in this region tend to me. But I should admit that I cried a few times during the 80-something minutes. At the end, the film got a standing ovation, a bunch of applause and a whole lotta good vibe. (I feel like I should mention that the majority of the crowd was on 'our side' though I did spot a few kippot in the audience.) Ok, nothing new here I suppose. But then comes the hobnobbing with fellow leftists and the few Bil'in residents who were able to obtain the permit to attend the screening (about 20 or 30).

As Tal and I gathered round the hors d'oeuvres, I recognized one of the bus drivers from the other day's field trip to the courthouse. So what did he think of the film? There's no point.. it's not going to make any difference, people already know this situation and nothing's going to change. Incidentally, those guys who squeezed under the fence on Sunday had a permit to cross. The driver said he's always the one to take the Bil'iners here and there and he refuses to drive anyone without a permit to be in Israel. He's already served time in jail for doing so. The other driver (the brother of Sunday's driver #2) shared the same sentiment. Moving on... I asked one of the Bil'in guys (Imad), the one who always has a camera going, what he thought of the film. Turns out I asked a professional, Imad works for Reuters and he's making a film of his own. One that's "yoter khazak" (stronger). Seems like the 3 out of 3 Arabs think that Shai's optimism was a bit misleading and/or a bit too easy-on-the-eyes. Once again, the applause of the leftists drowns out Palestinian skepticism. Maybe that's too harsh, and I should mention that this is my own observation and I take full reponsibilty for my uninformed rants. (For the record, Imad thought the film was good).

So, I think I'll return to Bil'in tomorrow, make some more chit chat, and perhaps, see a bit of Imad's footage. I hear it's hard to watch.

Bil'in goes to High Court in Jerusalem

Yesterday I went to the High Court in Jerusalem (West). There were about 50 or so people from Bil'in and about 6 from Tel Aviv. Maybe another 10 Israelis met up with us in Jeruslaem. I'm afraid I couldn't understand the details (Yes.. what kind of activist and I going to be if I can't understand what's going on) but the general idea is that the village of Bil'in and the settlement of Modi'in Illit are claiming the same parcel of land to be their own. Keeping in the style of settlement practice, Modi'in Illit built some structures on the land before the issue was resolved. On top of that, some residents moved into that structure (in violation of a court order) but eventually, they left (I think). Anyhow, it's a big mess (as usual) involving land and buildings and the fact that the wall is dividing this village of Bil'in, enabling the Modi'in Illit to do whatever... while the Bil'iners get to watch from afar (though a few Bil'in families did occupy the building-in-dispute as a form of protest, that is, before being kicked out by the Israeli army. So on Sunday, and for not the first time, Bil'in and Upper Modi'in battled it out (in court).



Since I couldn't understand the procedings, I'll add a link as soon as it makes the newspapers. Till then, I'll added an article at the very bottom of this post from Ha'aretz from July 6th.

Here's what I could understand...

I met my internet-contact person (Adar) at the Tel Aviv Central Bus Station. There were 6 of us in total, and as I got on the private bus for 60 I was confused. But halfway there, we pulled into a gas station and about 40 or 50 of the Bil'in contingent got on. This included about 10 or 15 kids, 5 or 6 women, a bunch of men, and an Israeli girl (late teens). Incidentally, the separation wall (in the form of a fence) ran alongside the road and when we pulled over, about 10 of our contigent were stuck on the other side, there was a gate that opened up into the gas station but it was locked. Eventually, the stuck ones crawled underneath to the slight concern of the (Arab-Israeli) bus drivers but all went well and we headed out.

No checkpoints to cross but a few "Barriers Ahead: Slow for Inspection" which we rolled right through. I guess the fancy tour bus has its benefits. One of the know-it-all leftists (who I recognized from the Sufa excursion) took a front seat during those roll-throughs.

As we disembarked in Jerusalem, about 200 meters from the Courthouse, a kid unrolls his regulation size Palestinian flag and leads the group. Oh yeah, I could tell this wasn't going to fly. Sure enough at security Station 1 (out of about 4) the guard tells him to roll up the flag. At Station 2, the kid is told to get rid of it and the goup asked whether there are any more. The kid throws the flag behind a bush and the waiting begins. After about 20 minutes, we are allowed past Station 2 but only five at time. Meanwhile small smatterings of others pass on through, many of whom didn't even need to interrupt their cellphone call to go on by.



Some of the leftists (also waiting).


I am one of the last to pass, and as we make our way to the courtroom, everyone else is already settled in. The procedings begin and one of the Israelis offers to translate the highlights for me. One lawyer (Michael Sfarad) represents Bil'in - 5 or 6 lawyers represent various groups within Modi'in Illit.

During the procedings, tour groups came in and sat down, the Bil'in kids got up and left, many of the women also left. I joined them outside and realized that I wasn't the only one who didn't understand what was going on. Most of the Bil'iners also didn't speak Hebrew. So we sat and stared at each other until I decided to make better use of the time and pace back and forth. There were also a few teenage leftists outside the courtroom playing cards while the group of Bil'in kids looked on (and one 5-year-old threw rubber balls at passer bys, he had a good arm).

After the procedings, the group gathered outside the courtroom and discussed. The lawyer was politely accosted.

Once we boarded the bus, a heated discussion broke out. All I could make out was that the Bil'in guys wanted to stop at Al Aqsa, which they did. All but 3. A few Israelis had already left the group at the courthouse. Then the long ride back. Two of the Bil'in guys got off in the middle of the highway, about 50m from one of those "Barrier Ahead" signs, the last one (one of the main organizers), got off near Jaffa with one of the Israelis to go to the beach, I got off at the Central Bus Station, ahead of the remaining four, and headed home.






Ha'aretz article from July 6, 2006 By Akiva Eldar
Circular transactions

During recent High Court of Justice discussion on the petition of Peace Now and the residents of Bili'in regarding a new illegal neighborhood of Modi'in Illit, the construction companies claimed that the entrepreneurs purchased the land years ago from the residents of the village of Bili'in, and that the State Prosecutor's Office had acceded to their request to turn the private lands into "government property," and eventually returned the deposit to them.

Supreme Court President Aharon Barak and Justice Dorit Beinisch were skeptical. The entrepeneurs have recently placed on their desks an expert opinion that confirms and explains the method of circular transactions. A copy was submitted to the proxy of the petitioners, attorney Michael Sfard.

The opinion is signed by attorney Daniel Kramer, who says that he served for 25 years as an adviser and proxy for the person responsible for government property, and is very familiar with the law that applies to the region and with the policy of the Justice Ministry. Kramer agrees that the proper way to prove that A has purchased B's land is to publicize the transaction in order to invite possible opposition, "as is done in Israel." However, when it comes to the territories, publicizing the sale of land to Jews means, he says, "an immediate death sentence for the sellers."

He claims that no fewer that 30 sellers and mukhtars, most of them from the Modi'in area, have paid for it with their lives. For that reason, Himnuta, a subsidiary of the Jewish National Fund, waited until the seller died or left the country before opening the first registration file. Is it self-evident that nobody voiced opposition. The attorney emphasizes that the Justice Ministry was involved in determining this policy.

Later in the opinion Kramer writes that after examining the purchase documents, Plia Albeck, who for years headed the Civil Department in the Justice Ministry, declared these lands "government property." He sees fit to say that Albeck, who has since passed away, "was the one exclusively empowered by the attorney general and on his behalf to express her opinion regarding the legal status of state lands and government property, and to instruct the Civil Administration." Among her superiors was former attorney general Aharon Barak. Among her neighbors in the ministry was state prosecutor Dorit Beinisch.

It is possible that already in the proceedings that will take place this coming Sunday they will have to decide whether to approve the dubious circular transactions carried out under their noses, or to order the demolition of 40 buildings constructed without a permit.

Mondial (World Cup)

Italy vs. Germany


US



THEM

Al Quds (Jerusalem)

(OLD)


Near The New Gate (Bab-Al Jadid) is Al-Ma'mal Foundation for Contemporary Art. This place hosts an artist in residence program, public films & lectures, and a gallery. I saw a show by Alan Gignoux, titled "Homeland Lost", a series of photographs that pair portraits of Palestinian refugees with present day images of the homes they left in 1948.


(EAST)


Typography on Nablus Road...

Al-Hoash (Palestinian Art Court)
A UNRWA photography exhibition titled "All I Have: The Lives of Palestine Refugee Children." The photograhers are Laura Junka, Mia Grondahl, Shabtai Gold, and John Torday.


The hallway that will soon be mine... my Arabic class starts in a week and a half at Al Quds University.

a little bit of catch up

There's more to do around here than scuffle with the Israeli army, or rather, I guess it depends where you go...

For example, if you want to wear the latest fashion AND show your solidarity with the Palestinian resistance movement, there's a cute little boutique in Tel Aviv where you can throw your shekels at this.


Also, at the Tel Aviv Museum of Art there's a super show of Michal Rovner's right now. Totally worth the 40 NIS admission, and if you're in your IDF uniform, you get in FREE. Unfortunately, I think these two ladies had to pay full price, or maybe they got the senior discount. In any case, in protest of their admission policy I'm posting this photograph since the guards yelled at me immediately after I took it, turns out no photographing in the museum allowed. Probably something to do with the Defense Ministry across the street but I can't be sure.


Usually, I'm not a fan of photographs of signs, but I couldn't pass this one up.


Saw a show at the Petach Tikva Museum of Art Artists included Dror Daum, Yael Feldman, Anan Tzuckerman, Aya Ben Ron, Eli Gur Arie, Zoya Cherkassy, Gaia Tchetchik and Danny Levine. Without going into detail, I'll say that I wasn't impressed. Lots of old ideas in the form of shiny new lamda prints, LCD screens, and generally artsy techy. But afterwards, we stopped at a cafe for a snack and this painting really got me. I'm a terrible person and artist for not taking note of the name of this artist, but it wasn't posted. Next time I'm there I'll get the name and add an ammendum. If this is yours, let me know. I love it!




And if you've finished reading this post and are thinking, "Those Tel Avivis really have it easy over there, with their art galleries and fancy keffiyehs and their cautionary signs," you should know that it's not all roses in Israel proper, take a drive up north to Ramat Hanadiv (near Zichron Yacov). There are a couplea rules there too.

It's not just war over here

So I can't speak for the territories since I've only been in the West Bank once, but in Israel proper and in the Palestinian sections of Israel (for lack of a better description) there's some good stuff too. Like tea with mint leaves (or shai nana) in Nazareth, or the best olive oil I've ever had from Daliat al-Carmel (I think that's where it was from, I bought it from a nice lady and a younger guy selling olives and oil on the side of the road). And then there's the technology... like air conditioning and cell phones. I have or have had all these things. So don't worry about me, be envious ok?

absurdity in Sufa

As you may know, there's a war going on between Israel and Palestine, complete with kidnappings, aerial bombings, murders, mass arrests, and the requisite small band of peaceniks. What you may not know, is that even the peaceniks scuffle with each other every now and then (granted, a nonviolent scuffle, but it still aint pretty). At the Tel Aviv train station, as 60 or so people boarded the private airconditioned bus heading to Sufa, the southernmost quasi-entry/exit point into/outof Gaza (quasi because Gaza is sealed off in both directions), something just didn't feel right. For example, I sat diagonally across from someone who smelled of Zionism while a seat in front of him, sat two stinky radicals. The division became clear at the bathroom-break. Turns out, there were probably about 5 anti-Occupation groups on board that bus, and while everyone opposed the recent Israeli invasion into Gaza, there were disputes about the specifics and the logistics. Lots and lots of arguing between sips of coffee. Whatever... the action must go on. Or so we thought... After the bus made a few wrong turns, we ended up at a military installation where everyone unloaded their signs and crafted some impromtu chants, but momentum was at an all-time low as soldiers, licking their ice cream, looked at us like we were a friendly swarm of mosquitoes. So a piece of the group breaks off in order to march closer to the Sufa border point. Well well well, the Zionists paid for the bus right? So no way were those crusty radicals going to ruin the plan. Confusion set in and the group was divided. Lies were told and anger was unevenly directed. A little bit at the soldiers, some at the police, but the large chunk was mostly aimed at sub-factions within the group itself. After a few sound bombs, sirens, and alleged arrests, the groups, divided they stood, got on the bus and headed back to Tel Aviv. On a scale of one to ten: one - a single protestor waving a wet noodle at an unmanned Israeli flag, and ten - an angry mob that convinces the army to cease its fire at millions of innocent Gazans, I'd rate this protest at a two, maybe a two and a quarter. Bad planning, no leadership, minimal risk taking, and confusion all around, not to mention the environmental damage caused by the tour bus. At least everyone present got some photo ops and the soldiers and police officers got some popsicles courtesy of the IDF.





This photo was taken by my comrade Tal








And this is Tal and I. I was cranky after the pathetic protest, but Tal was a persistent picture-taker.