< Reflection One: Notes of Arrival and Return >
May 2016 DelegationIncarceration, Detention, and Political Prisoners
Co-Sponsored with the American Friends Service Committee
Read reflections from this delegation:
- May 2016 Delegation Home
- Notes of Arrival and Return
- Complexities
- From the Wall to the Wall and Back Again
- Finding Hope, Committing to Action
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Overview: This first collection of reflections from the delegation is highlighted by Cecilie Surasky's infographic exploring privilege by contrasting the very different experiences of three delegates arriving at Ben Gurion Airport. The collection begins with Katie Archibald-Woodward's reflection on her return to Palestine/Israel, and additional submissions by Martin Friedman, Johanna Jozwiak, and Thomas Banyai address the theme of arrival. The situation facing Palestinians in East Jerusalem is the other major topic, addressed by Christy Wise and Jennifer Susskind, among others.
Arrival | Katie Archibald-Woodward - Atlanta, Georgia
My Interfaith Peace-Builders/American Friends Service Committee group and I have arrived! Admittedly, with so many months of preparation to go to Israel and Palestine the reality of in fact going came as a bit of a surprise to me as we wrapped up our orientation in DC and headed out for the airport. Then, two flights, many hours, a decent amount of sleep, and some surprisingly good meals later, I found myself in quite a different place than where I started. Once I emerged from my travel stupor, at some point along the bus ride, I noticed my heart aflutter with exceeding happiness. I have returned.
En route to our hotel in East Jerusalem, where mostly Palestinians live, we passed through many other neighborhoods where quite a mixture of people call home, including this young Jewish boy racing his little sister down the sidewalk, almost losing his kippa to the wind. It was an adorable and humorous scene to witness. Yet, sadly, the sweet sentiments did not last long for me. They were followed by an almost immediate twinge of anguish.
There is a larger scenario at play between the Jewish Israelis and the Palestinians which ever threatens to eclipse such innocent, ideal childhood moments as this. 
Beyond the surface culture of tourism in Jerusalem and the surrounding Holy Land, is the culture of its residents. A culture largely consumed by fear, strife, and constant waves of violence, both acted out and plaguing the mind.
And, that is all I have to say for tonight. I know I am leaving you hanging, and abruptly. I know I am not wrapping this up in a nice, little bow, as I truly wish I could. But, I cannot. I leave you where I find myself, and where I wonder if many of the Palestinians and Israeli Jews also find themselves--uncomfortable, in anticipation, eager for change but not knowing how or from where it will come, yet, somehow, somehow hopeful, as I will ceaselessly endeavor to be and promote.
Reposted from Katie’s blog
What White and Jewish Privilege Looks Like | Cecilie Surasky - Berkeley, California
On Monday, Nawal H Musleh, (on the left in photo) a US citizen of Palestinian descent on the Interfaith Peace-Builders (IFPB) and American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) delegation, was detained at the airport and held for 7 hours.
Her colleague at AFSC, Katie Huerter went through passport control in one minute, but came back for Nawal and was then also detained for 7 hours.
After extensive questioning and a search through Nawal's phone, they were both denied entry. Only after high-level UN involvement, were they allowed in. Nawal has been working for Palestinian children's rights for 2 years.
In marked contrast, although I've been with Jewish Voice for Peace for 14 years - a group that supports BDS and has protested the Israeli Prime Minister - I walked through passport control in under one minute. I should note that unlike Nawal, my parents and grandparents have never lived in Israel/Palestine.
Nawal notes that the detention room was filled mostly with Palestinian American families with children.
Here I am | Martin Friedman - Seattle, Washington
Here I am! Heneni! My first full day in Israel/Palestine. Ever. Our day started with a tour of the old city. Full of meaning and religiosity. I can feel the age and weight of this part of the world. And my first falafel here! All the different rulers and occupiers of the area and what they would do. How they would dominate and exclude and oppress. Even as it may have been done to them.
In the afternoon we met Grassroots Jerusalem. Operating off of what are familiar principals of organizing. Taking leadership from those most oppressed and putting a high value on networking.
We are toured through Jerusalem. The oppression is so visibly overt. From a lookout point we are told to count the cranes in west Jerusalem (10+) and in east Jerusalem (0). We see Jewish settlements protected by armed guards and contrasted by razed empty lots where Palestinian homes recently stood. We heard about the control and disempowerment and we saw the Wall. The Wall that is said to be about security but is really a land grab. Further separating the people from their traditional land.
It was a day that for me was more about emotion than facts. About feeling in that (oh so traditionally) Jewish middle place. It was painful and eye opening and necessary. I never thought this would be an easy trip and it's not. I pray to the creator to allow me to hold the complexity of this journey.
Heneni! Here I am.
Excitement and Tears | Johanna Jozwiak - Midland, Michigan
Today was a day filled with extremes. Excitement and gratitude to be able to visit the sites holy to my Christian faith and deep sadness to have visual confirmation and personal experiential stories of the oppression of the Palestinian people living in this Holy Land.
Our delegation toured Jerusalem today from the Palestinian perspective with the organization Grassroots Jerusalem. Just a few of the "sights" we saw included the disparity in services provided to the settlements versus Palestinian districts, the strategic placement of the Separation Barrier and the expansion of the settlements, sometimes near the rubble of demolished homes.
The statistics we have been studying for months in our adult education class are now emblazoned in my mind with pictures of the "situation on the ground".
There is way too much to tell in one update, but perhaps these words that brought tears to my eyes today may compel you to learn more about the situation. "You may see children walking to school with toys, this is because they fear coming home to a home demolished and do not want to lose their toys to the rubble."
I imagined how I would have been able to send Maeanna off to school every morning with her having to worry about whether she would have a home when she ended the day. And the tears still come.
Israel’s Plan in Jerusalem | Christy Wise - Washington, DC
We had a thorough and eye-opening tour of Jerusalem led by Fayrouz Sharqawi of Grassroots Jerusalem who described numerous and multi-faceted methods that Israel uses to limit and monitor the lives of Palestinians in Jerusalem.
“The Israeli plan is very clear. It is to displace as many Palestinians from the city as possible,” Fayrouz said.
Israel’s control methods include: restricted development, housing and land confiscation, inadequate schooling, housing demolition, midnight checks to enforce residency laws, and checkpoints and the separation wall that prevents Palestinians from easy access to work, school, farms and families.
Many laws and policies violate Israel’s own laws as well as international laws. One example of many limitations on Palestinian lives: after construction of the separation wall, the drive to university for many Palestinian students has grown from ten to fifteen minutes to one-and-a-half to two hours.
First Experiences | Thomas Banyai - Decatur, Georgia
I am very new to the political, religious, and cultural conditions that have and are going on in this region. Also, I am new to writing about my reaction to experiencing those conditions. Therefore, it is taking me a bit longer to process, digest, and write about what I am experiencing. Consequently, these reflections will attempt to cover my experiences of yesterday. Perhaps starting with my tour of the Old City in Jerusalem will be a good place to start.
Our guide Said lead us on a 2-hour long tour of the Old City in Jerusalem. From the time I entered Herod’s Gate to the time I exited at Damascus Gate, I was inundated with awe of the layers religious history of the place but also the secular commerce of all the many street vendors. If Christianity, Islam, and Judaism were similar to the tectonic plates on which the continents rest, then this region is the major place where those religious plates collide, merge, or break. And like the geological plates, if stresses build and quickly release, then earthquakes can happen.
Aside from the Old City in Jerusalem, this was my first experience seeing young men and women dressed in military uniforms, publicly carrying M-16 rifles. I was shocked to see this. I had never seen a military presence in such a way before. What was also surprising to me was how normal this was for the local population. These soldiers stood at the gates of the Old City. What also shocked me was not only seeing the Separation Wall but also touching it.
I have seen many pictures of The Wall from previous delegations. But yesterday, I actually touched it. I also touched spent tear gas and sound grenades that were littering the base of the wall. These things then became real to me. But, what I am struggling to grasp is the reality of the walls that I cannot touch. The walls that I speak of are the Israeli policies that have been imposed on the Palestinians throughout the years. However, Fayrouz Sharqawi from Grassroots Jerusalem made a great start towards helping me see, at least, the ramifications of those intangible walls.
Through Ms. Sharqawi’s talk and subsequent field trip, I learned the true intent and and saw the result of the policies that the Israeli government has enacted and intend to enact. Not only through the construction of The Wall, but also through the well-placed construction of roads and parks, these policies have resulted in dividing, isolating and restricting Palestinian individuals and communities. Laws have been created so Palestinians must prove, through surprise inspections, that they are living where they say they are or they risk losing their homes. An upcoming policy will call for the forced re-settlement of diverse Bedouin communities into a single community. This policy will no doubt result in friction within those communities.
The end result of these policies and similar ones seem clear. It is to remove Palestinians from Jerusalem and complete its plan for an all Jewish state. I seriously wonder how I would feel if these policies were directed at me and my family.
East Jerusalem | Jennifer Susskind - Berkeley, California
Today we toured Jerusalem with Grassroots Al Quds (Jerusalem). The tour bus wound up the narrow streets of East Jerusalem to a vista point where we saw the geographical manifestations of 50 years of Israeli municipal administration.
We look north towards West Jerusalem, and see a dozen construction cranes, open space greenery, and modern high-rises. To the right is East Jerusalem’s vernacular gray architecture. Water tanks on roofs to compensate for frequent shut offs. No infrastructural development; no parks; no open space. Beyond, towards the east, is no-mans-land, and then the “separation” wall (more on the wall later).
Fayrouz, our Palestinian citizen of Israel guide (born within the ’48 Israeli border), described Israeli government laws and actions crafted to maintain “demographic balance", defined as 70% Jewish:
1. Palestinians in Jerusalem are assigned “permanent” resident status. This means, even if they are born in Jerusalem and their parents are born in Jerusalem, they must constantly prove their status by paying taxes, owning a home, etc. Their status can be revoked if they leave the city for extended periods of time. Government officials go to peoples’ homes in the middle of the night to see if they are sleeping there, to see if they have fresh food in the refrigerator and clothes in the closets. Permanent residents cannot participate in Israeli parliamentary elections, and even though they may vote in municipal elections, 98% boycott.
2. Other acts of displacement include economic hardship, 70-80% poverty, underfunded Palestinian schools (for example, there was a shortage of 2000 classrooms last year; 8000 students had no place to study)
3. Over 94% of Palestinian housing permits in Jerusalem are denied. Mostly because the buildings don’t adhere to the “Master Plan”. But Jewish settlers have no problem building sans Master Plan. If Palestinian homes are built in Jerusalem without a permit, residents are threatened with demolition. Owners are issued a notice to demolish their homes themselves or wait, sometimes for years, for the municipal government to come, with its entourage of 30 guards, at 6am in the morning, to bulldoze the homes. Palestinian children go to school with their toys because they fear coming home in the afternoon to find their houses demolished.
4. Palestinians leave because it’s crowded and expensive in East Jerusalem. It’s cheaper, and they are more likely to get permits beyond the separation wall. But unlike gentrification in the US, once they leave they may not come back to their old neighborhoods. Right now, east of the wall is still within the Jerusalem municipality. Palestinians just east of the wall can pass through check points to come into the City, but there is great fear that the government will redraw the boundaries of the city to exclude their Permanent Resident status.
5. Two years ago Palestinian land adjacent to two Palestinian neighborhoods near Hebrew University was confiscated for a development of a “National Park” to supposedly protect endangered species (though the environmental minister does not recognize any endangered species). Land can legally be confiscated for the people’s “wellbeing” or for military use. But really it is confiscated because there is severe overcrowding in the adjacent Palestinian neighborhoods, and the government would prefer them to move east, beyond the wall.
On the “Separation Wall”:
· Often called, by those on the Left, the “Apartheid wall”, but the term is inadequate. “Who is it keeping from whom?”, our guide asked. Palestinians live on both sides. Israelis live on both sides. A better term might be Israeli’s “Annexation and Expansion Wall”, she explained. The wall doesn’t actually prevent people who need/want to cross over for work, for school; 14,000 workers cross illegally every year. As the government says, Palestinians are quite skilled at placing ladders and building tunnels. Clearly, if someone wants to commit acts of terror, they can easily cross over. Also, the wall is not a true border in any legal sense. It lies far to the east of the ’67 border, and keeps villagers from accessing their farmlands, it breaks up urban neighborhoods, and annexes the largest aquifer in Israel/Palestine for exclusive control by the Israeli government. It keeps farmers and traders in Bethlehem and Ramallah from accessing their customers in the city. There were 5000 Palestinian business closures due to the construction of the wall in 2003.
Another example: when the wall was built, it isolated Al Quds University (the Palestinian University) East of the border. What used to take Jerusalem residents 10 minutes to get to class now takes 1.5-2 hours, and requires a circuitous route and checkpoint delays. Besides, Israel doesn’t recognize degrees from Al Quds, so you can spend 7 years studying to be a doctor and not be able to practice in Jerusalem, which means that even the most educated leave Jerusalem.
Other reflections:
· There is no Israeli constitution, perhaps because the government does not want to answer the question of how it can be both a Jewish state and a democratic state. Also, a constitution would demand the establishment of permanent boundaries, which Israel doesn’t want to do because it has not completed the annexation of territories.
· There are Jewish settlements in Palestinian neighborhoods with armed private security, watch towers, barbed wire, and huge Israeli flags. Israeli government pays for the private security of the settlements; the developments themselves are paid for by billionaire American Jews. Yes, the settlements are frequently attacked by rock-throwing youth who deal with the daily humiliations of second class citizenship. Who can blame them?
· While humiliation, disenfranchisement and discrimination are daily experiences among Palestinians living in Jerusalem, for the most part, Jews and Palestinians live in close proximity. Nonetheless, walking through the Muslim Quarter in the Old City, I saw a Palestinian youth hit an Ultra-Orthodox young man in the back of the head as he passed. In isolation, such an angry act is difficult to understand, but, not when you hear about/see the armed processions of Orthodox settlers, marching through the streets, waving their flags on any given Friday evening. I imagine that these and all the other demonstrations of domination are not ignored or forgotten by the Palestinians. I imagine that the Palestinians of Jerusalem are very angry, and that this anger occasionally boils over into violence, but the effects of their anger are overshadowed by the day to day acts of Jewish Israeli aggression.
We invite delegation participants to comment on and react to the experiences they have during our Israel/Palestine delegations in written Trip Reflections.
Individual delegates contribute pieces to these reflections. As such, reflections are not comprehensive accounts of every meeting or experience, but impressions of those things that most impact individuals. Submitted reflections may be edited for clarity or brevity. Trip reports do not necessarily reflect the views of Interfaith Peace-Builders, trip leaders, or delegation partner organizations. We hope you enjoy reading and we encourage you to share these reflections with others.
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