First
Impressions
We
have now been in Ramallah, the de facto capital of Palestine, for two
weeks and have begun to settle into our daily routines. Ramallah was
described to us as a bubble, because of the wealth that is in the
city and after spending just a week here that is definitely evident.
Land cruisers and BMW’s are everywhere, and people are often seen
lounging around drinking iced coffee while working on their MacBooks.
However,
once out of Ramallah, it is evident that not everyone is living
comfortably and poverty is widespread. Visit our website (www.votypalestine.com)
to read a report on agriculture in the West Bank and the problems the
separation barrier has caused for farmers and agricultural workers!
We also went to Bil’in last week for the 8th annual conference on Peaceful
and Non-Violent Resistance. Bil’in is the town that features in the
Oscar-nominated film Five Broken Cameras, a film that highlights the
struggles of living next to the separation barrier. Residents from
Bil’in as well as international activists protest every Friday
against the wall that envelopes their village. In 2005, Bil’in
hired an Israeli human rights lawyer to represent the town in the
High Court of Justice, with the aim of getting the wall moved away
from Bil’in. Israel claimed 60% of Bil’in’s land as their own,
however the ruling by the High Court of Israel gave Bil’in 30% of
their land back and in 2011 dismantling of the wall began in order to
re-route the wall.
A memorial in Bil'in has a creative use for all the tear gas canisters on the floor |
The
people of Bil’in have to spend everyday living in view of the wall,
being constantly watched by IDF soldiers and settlers. The boys play
with empty gas canisters and ride their bikes up and down the wall whilst the IDF look on. At a memorial to a member of the community who died they have found an inventive use for all the tear gas canisters that litter the floor near the wall.
Despite
the conflict and the resulting poverty that exists throughout the West Bank, the
hospitality has been positively overwhelming. One of the first nights
we were here we heard music coming from down the hill, so a few of us
went to go check it out and found a wedding street party with booming
music, lasers and a live band. The boys were dragged into the middle
of the dance floor, while we were invited to sit down by the sister
of the bride and then loaded with cups of tea, cans of coke and bags
of sweets. It was overwhelming how welcoming and inviting they were,
especially considering we crashed their party on the night before the
wedding!
First
days at Sharek Youth Forum
I
have only been working at Sharek Youth Forum for a few days, but
already feel confident that the work they do really contributes to
youth empowerment. We’ve split our team of ICS volunteers into
those teaching English and those recording Podcasts. I’m working
with another volunteer to produce up to three podcasts throughout our
three months working at Sharek, and currently we are researching for
our next podcast on ‘Life next to the wall’ – you can check it
out on iTunes or our website!
The outside of our offices at Sharek, Ramallah. |
We are also working to improve our
outreach in an attempt to inform as many people as possible about the
Palestinian cause. I have had the chance to speak to a number of
people working at Sharek, some of who are focusing on advocacy
projects and others who are working with youth empowerment. One of
the big projects is ‘Step forward together’, which enables youth
between the ages of 18 and 24 who have a creative idea to put it into
practice. Past projects have included helping the elderly or planting
a garden – almost anything is possible, as long as it is creative
in some way and contributing to the community. This project operates
all over the West Bank and each year more than 700 projects are
granted funds.
First
Reflections
Being
in Palestine has already changed the way I look at things and it’s
hard not to get angry or feel frustrated by the situation. The west
portrays the conflict as a two-sided, complicated conflict, but
coming here it is harder to remain impartial. I hope that I continue
to learn about the conflict, and being in Palestine has already
inspired me to continue contributing to the plight of the Palestinian
people in some way once I leave.
Its great to see the blog now in use. The first 2 posts are giving a real insight into life in Ramallah, the West Bank and the work at Sharek. I am looking forward to reading more...
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