FİLİSTİN FİLİSTİN

Originally published on Todays Zaman, 25 February, 2007

An ordinary day for West Bank, four locals and three foreigners are trying to go to Jenin from Nablus. Three guys in the minibus get off right before the check point and get back on 10 minutes later from the opposite direction. I have no idea what’s going on! Are they terrorists? Are they fugitives? The driver does not speak any English; he just signs us to be quiet while crossing the check point. There is no time to question and analyze the situation, so I follow the orders.

On a land where the borders change so frequently, where roads are blocked almost every day, where it is almost impossible to travel among the cities, Palestinians come up with new tactics every day to deal with the Israeli strategy. The conflict does not only take place in Gaza through guns, but also in daily routine all over the country. The strategy is deterrence; and the tactic is resistance through patience.

Many students I’ve talked to say that they have to walk to university as the tanks block the roads. They remember times when they walked 8 kilometers long in freezing cold weather for weeks, sometimes months. Or if it is a longer distance, they drive through the bush; 30 kilometers road takes 2 hours. The day I rode the minibus, it was forbidden to travel among cities for those whose ages are between 16-45. Palestinians are accepted as potential terrorists regardless of their education, profession, or any other qualification except the age. We are used to the prohibition of 16-45 year old Palestinians in Al-Aqsa mosque. But when they are not even allowed in the old city of Jerusalem, or intercity travels in West Bank, that brings questions in mind. While Israel says that they are simply doing some archeological research or excavation work, they do not exactly announce the details. By doing so, they raise the tension as Al-Aqsa is the third holiest religious site for Muslims. Not only Muslims but also Christian Palestinians get frustrated and and angry about the situation. Sleiman, an Orthodox Palestinian resident of Jerusalem, says that Al-Aqsa is the most significant symbol of Palestine. Christians care about the mosque as much as Muslims.

Israel follows a strategy that gets people confused and frustrated, and creates reasons to tight the security. While they ban 16-45 year old men from the mosque on Fridays before, they can do it every day now and not limited to Al-Aqsa only. For more than 15 days by now, many shop owners in the old city, could not get to work. There are security forces all over the old city checking ID’s constantly. At Qalandia gate, security check continues. Many people are refused to go from West Bank to Jerusalem, even if they have permission. Finally in the West Bank, there are more and more check points every day to keep Palestinians away from Al-Aqsa, from Jerusalem, from each other, simply from everything. If Mr. Olmert gave a better explanation to Muslims rather than showing a few pictures to PM Erdogan privately, they would not need to humiliate and frustrate all Palestinians every day and deal with protests if not explosions soon.

Israel continues to complicate and make Palestinians’ lives difficult every day and Palestinians keep being silent and patient. Most of them continue their education and trying to make a living in very difficult conditions which the world is missing out. Only a few cannot put up with occupation, imprisonment, lack of resources, and death of loved ones, and choose the easy way; killing. Instead of focusing on the majority who honorably continue living despite everything, the media talks about suicide bombers only. And most of us think that Palestinians are bunch of suicide bombers or miserable people who beg for bread.

Most of the Palestinians I met have been to prison during intifada. Spending years in prison taught them that they are not going to win by guns but education and protecting their culture. My opinion after seeing 8 cities in West Bank, they are quite successful about it. The hospitality they have, the mature comments they do about the conflict, their understanding of nationalism, explain their strong bonds to the hold land.

One thing they know quite well is the difference between Judaism and Zionism. While Israel recognizes all Palestinians as potential threat with prejudice, there are many Jews volunteering in West Bank without any ‘security’ problems. Palestinians are mature enough to give a chance to anybody from different religions and ethnic backgrounds as long as they feel the sincerity.

It would be unrealistic to expect peace anytime soon. To make realistic predictions though, we should try to pay a little more attention to everyday life in Palestine. Instead of asking “Why cannot get independent?” we should ask “How did they resist for so long in such hard conditions?” Then we can realize what hold them together, and maybe think about sending books instead of guns and bread.

selmasevkli@gmail.com

Originally published on Turkish Daily News, 23 February, 2007

A rose garden surrounded by barbed wire… A nation stuck in the middle of anger and patience…A country has been under occupation just for so long…

I was in the West Bank for the last ten days to see what is actually going on there. I am not a journalist, I am not a diplomat, not a businessman either. I am just a simple human being who naturally cares about what is happening in the world and believes that anybody can make a difference.

Although Palestine consists of two parts, West Bank and Gaza, there are actually more than that. Every city has its own rules, regulations, ideologies and culture. As the cities are isolated from one another by check points, many people are not allowed to travel among the cities. If you are from Ramallah, you cannot go to Nablus, if you are from anywhere in West Bank, you cannot go to Jerusalem or Gaza Strip. If you are from Gaza Strip, this is the worst; you just cannot go anywhere.

When you are a foreigner, things are a little bit easier. As long as you are patient enough to wait at check points and be subjected to questioning by Israeli soldiers, it is quite safe to travel in the West Bank. Gaza Strip is strictly prohibited for everybody.

All cities have an old city that has a souq and historical buildings, mainly from Ottoman period. All cities also have refugee camps from current Israel period. Most of the cities have universities that offer short term programs for internationals, particularly in Arabic and Palestine- Israel conflict. All cities have NGO’s working in various fields from education to health, conflict resolution to home demolishment.

It is so usual to see volunteers from Europe and U.S.A. whereas there is nobody from Middle Eastern countries or Turkey. It was such a shame to be the first Turk in the cities and refugee camps I have been to. Turkish youth seem to be adopting Western lifestyles, traveling is on the rise but mostly to the west. There has already been enough written and commented on the region, but nobody actually does anything. It is not easy to turn the situation overnight, but politics is not the only way. By teaching children English or handcraft, or just singing with them, volunteering as editors, organizers, and many other different positions in various fields, we can show them that we care about them and we can give the children hope.

Martyr or Murderer?

In Jenin Refugee camp, streets were full of posters of ‘al-Aksa Martyrs’ who kill themselves and many others in Israel as suicide bombers. An 18-year-old boy who killed 41 Israeli soldiers in Tel Aviv 3 years ago, is also considered as a martyr by his family and community. His mom, who does not want to reveal his name, never knew he would do such a thing. He never gave a sign about it, except looking mom in the eyes for a long time before he left home to commit the action. I ask the mother, what would she say if he told her, would she try to stop him? She gets confused, she has been asking the same question to herself, what would she do? As he did not kill any civilians but the soldiers of the ‘enemy’, she does not think it is wrong, therefore she is proud of her son. But when it comes to her feelings she feels very sad losing her 18 year old child and says “I would stop him.”

Walking in the city with guns, having pictures with guns, even suicide bombing are considered normal if not honorable in Jenin. As they don’t have an army or any official force to resist the occupation, as they all have been to prison for involving in politics, as they don’t get paid for 11 months, as they are not allowed to leave their city, and as they are labeled as terrorists, they don’t seem to have many options. The youth either involve in politics and other organizations, or they go for the education and express resistance in more humanistic way, even though they are not treated humanistic most of the time.

Choosing the Hard Way

Another example is a 35 year old education professor from Nablus. Ashraf Sayegh went to prison for throwing stones to the soldiers during first intifada at the age of thirteen. His father died while he was ‘inside’ and he couldn’t complete his primary education. While in prison, he had a long time to think about what to do in life and he decided to continue study by the courage of his older fellows. After release, people of Asqar refugee camp supported him and he completed primary and high school. After that he went to university in Amman, and now he became a professor in education. He says that he saw it wouldn’t go anywhere only by politics so he chose the more difficult way, education. Instead of going to a dead end for himself and his country by guns, he studied and now letting others to do the same.

Later on, other residents of Nablus Asqar Refugee Camp were also released and they founded Asqar Social Development Center. The center offer many classes and activities for children, a public library, computer training center and rehabilitation for the disabled people. Amjad Rfaie, director of the Social Development Centre says, “the occupation and the hardship it brings to our lives, should not take our culture and hope away from us. We had to make a choice between being ignorant, potential prisoners or martyrs, or keep up hard work and fix our problems by solidarity to give our children hope. We chose the third way, and we are happy about it.”

In order to keep the new generation away from guns, there needs to be more social/ educational activities for children. Current organizations welcome anybody from all nations to make a difference. Most of the case they provide food and accommodation, if not it is easy to find places in refugee camps and they welcome foreigners who share the hard times with them. The hospitality is indescribably sincere and welcoming. We may not change the ideologies or regimes, we may not remove the guns from the world, but we can easily ease people’s lives who don’t have the privileges we do. It seems more realistic to offer alternatives rather than becoming violent or waiting for peace.

Selma Sevkli