In this post: Crazy lady leaves (for now); looking for apartments and jobs in the West Bank; news, etc.
Since my last posting, the chaos in the house peaked and then has receded slightly; however, we now have no rules (the ill lady tore down the house welcome sign and rules, and it seems Ibrahim is more comfortable with not replacing them) and the house is much dirtier than it was when I was working here.
For several nights in a row last week, I was awakened at 2 0r 3 a.m. to deal with demands by the ill woman; one night, she fell from the stairs in the house while wandering around, landing on the concrete flour and briefly knocking herself unconscious. She had blood oozing from her skull, but she refused to go to the hospital. When Ibrahim arrived (in the middle of the night) to try to convince her to go to the hospital, she said she wasn't bleeding; Ibrahim touched her head and showed her the blood, and she licked her blood off his fingers. The next day, she apparently checked herself into the hospital because she felt dizzy and sick to her stomach.
However, a few days later, she returned to the house and the same drama. The last night she was here, she asked to take a shower downstairs at 11:30 pm, and I unlocked the door for her to take the shower, hoping she would then relax and go to sleep. I returned to check on her after 30 min's to make sure she hadn't fallen in the shower or something, and she was making herself a cup of coffee. She grew angry with me when she saw me placing some small end tables back inside (end tables she had wanted to take upstairs). She followed me outside, yelling about the tables. As I went through the door, she remained outside, and I asked her if she had left anything in the bathroom; she said "no," but she wanted to finish her coffee inside. I wanted to lock-up downstairs and go to bed, and as I tried to close the door, she attempted to push through me into the house. When I wouldn't let her in, she attempted to bite my arm and hit me in the groin. She then threw a glass cup and class bowl at me, which shattered on the ground inside. After I successfully locked the door with her on the outside, she continued to make a scene outside, waking the neighbors and causing several Pal's to come to the house to find out what was happening. The scene ended when residents inside the main part of Ibrahim's house would not let the woman inside in her current state; she ran down the road in her bathrobe, screaming that we were all here illegally and she would call the police. When she reached a coffee shop at the top of the hill, apparently she had forgotten about what happened at the house and the shop owners called Ibrahim; he was up all night dealing with her, the police, and medics, who were all trying to persuade her to leave certain security areas on the Mount of Olives and go to the hospital. I haven't seen her since that night (maybe a week ago), but I hear she is in a mental hospital now.
I spent several days this last weekend in Bethlehem, looking for an apartment and helping to pick olives with a Pal family. I found several apartments that will work, but now I have to wait for my friend to get a new visa (hopefully 3 months) from Jordan soon before we can actually get the apartment. I also fell fairly sick this weekend, so I'm trying to relax and get my health back.
I'm looking into possibilities of finding a paid job teaching English or something in the West Bank. This will enable me to stay longer-term in the West Bank and work on Arabic. I'm hoping that having my own place--which I haven't had since I've been here (or before coming here, for that matter)--will help me to be able to stay here longer. It's important for people living in situations like this to find ways to cope, I think.
News from this regions you might have missed:
As the US prepares for its elections, Israel readies for its own elections after the leader of the ruling party failed to muster a coalition in the parliament. One of the reasons why the leader couldn't get a coalition is because a key partner, made up of a small, religious group, demanded the gov.'t give them more money for each child they produce (this groups tries to have as many children as possible to compete with Pal's who have a lot of children. They fear that Pal's will one-day outnumber Jewish-Israelis). This religious group, the Shas, are already one of the most favored groups in Israel, and since the ruling party wouldn't give them more money, the refused to join. This highlights the greed, entitlement, and failed political make-up in Israel. The parliamentary system doesn't work here because it enables small groups, who garner very little of the national vote, to wield enormous power by putting demands on the most popular groups (i.e., build this settlement for us, or we'll pull out of your coalition and force snap elections).
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9892.shtml
An analysis on the violence in Akka. It quotes police reports about the Jewish-Israeli part in the violence and connects some of the extremists to settlers from the West Bank.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32584
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32653
Two stories on how Israeli soldiers in Bethlehem (Beit Sahour) violently broke up a peace rally at a spot where Israeli settlers want to take more land. I personally know some of the people who were attacked and arrested, and I've been to this land (Oush Ghrab) many times. These stories also comment on how those detained were beaten by soldiers.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32588
Israeli extremist groups post pics online of breaking into Al-Aqsa Mosque. This is a great way to start more bloodshed.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32635
The family members of captured Israeli solder Shalit organized a rally at a closed Gaza crossing, saying that Gaza should remain sealed until their son is released. This amounts to punishing over a million people who had nothing to do with their sons capture and detention, and this collective punishment is immoral and against international law.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1029959.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1030418.html
There have been many examples, lately, of Jewish-Israeli youth attacking Palestinian Arabs in Jerusalem and other cities.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1029929.html
Saudi Arabia has recently crafted another version of the Arab peace plan for Israel and Pal. Hopefully, Israel will actually respond to one of these proposals and try to come to peace with all its neighbors. Saudi Arabia, along with Israel's other neighbors, have offered complete peace with Israel if Israel will retreat to its pre-1967 borders.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1030423.html
An Al-Qaida linked web-site said it was supporting John McCain for president for various reasons (i.e., his policies would make the US more vulnerable). Imagine how this story would have been used, had the site back Obama from president instead of McCain.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32710
Israel ranked last by Reports Without Borders for how it treats reporters outside its borders.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32746
"Peace" activists in Ni'lin threw molotov cocktails at Israeli soldiers. This is one of the reasons why I do not go to the protests in Ni'lin anymore. I'm not convinced the "peace" activists actually want peace.
http://redressnewsblog.blogspot.com/2008/10/video-day-in-life-of-gazan-fisherman.html
Today another international ship set sail from Cyprus, trying to break the Israeli blockade on Gaza. You can watch the above video on how the Israeli Navy treats Pal's simply trying to fish in their own internationally recognized waters.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Thursday, October 16, 2008
Leaving house (chaos & no rules); camping, etc.
In this post: Chaos in the house and rethinking work here; camping with a farmer; living with no rules; new roundup, etc.
After writing my last blog, I knew that I would probably be awakened in the night from the mentally ill elderly lady I had given a bed to. At 5 am, she was pounding on my door asking for all sorts of favors, which I tried to do as quickly as possibly in order to go back to bed.
The next morning, she was back at my door, but this time, for some unknown reason, she was hysterically angry, and she took a screw driver to my door because I wouldn't open it. My door still has the gashes in it from the damage.
I started to realize that Ibrahim's idea for this house isn't compatible with what he brought me here to do. He asked for me to come manage his peace home because he said he needed to develop an organized program for people to be here, to start asking for donations for people to stay (previously, there were many individuals who slept and ate here and didn't donate anything). However, as I've tried to develop that program: post a welcome sign, request for a minimum donation, and house rules, Ibrahim has seemed quite uncomfortable, and his repeated intervening to not enforce rules in the house (i.e., nonviolence--not taking screw drivers to doors or people) has been fairly frustrating to me.
Being asked to live in an environment without clear rules and consequences for violating the rules (especially in an environment where some people try to press the boundaries as much as possible) is not working for me. Even at the homeless shelters I previously worked at, I wasn't asked to work (much less live) in an environment free of rules. I wasn't asked to live with and allow people to take screw drivers to my door.
I visited the Quaker Meeting in Ramallah on Sun., then went to a Palestinian festival in a village near there. When I returned to Ibrahim's house on Sun. evening, another episode occurred where Ibrahim intervened to appease a guest in the house who wasn't happy with my decision (I had asked her to return her room key to me when she left in the morning so that we could make a copy of it). I had previously had several conversations with Ibrahim about working as a team, not questioning each other's decision and talking to one another if we had concerns. Because of a lack of communication (I didn't know Ibrahim had talked to her), the lady with the key ended up yelling at me about the key, saying, "Ibrahim told me I didn't have to give you the key. This is his house, not yours!!!"
I decided at that point to take a break from the house for a few days because I was so frustrated by the lack of rules and intervening. I spent part of 3 days camping with a farmer on his land (previously mentioned in blogs--his land is surrounded by settlements and he is under pressure to leave his land). It was very refreshing to spend time on the land and speak Arabic constantly (the farmer doesn't speak any English). I helped to water the small olive olive trees and the animals, among other things. I'm hoping to spend 1-2 nights a week on the land with this farmer, to help out where I can and practice Arabic.
Yesterday, as I was leaving the farmers land, he asked me to accompany him to a party commemorating his brother, who has been in an Israeli jail for 25 years. Due to my basic Arabic, I understood his brother was being released (hence, the party), but I realized later that his brother would not be released (maybe never will) because he killed two Jewish settlers as revenge for someone in his family being killed. Anyway, it was quite the experience to attend the commemoration of this farmer's brother. When I asked the farmer if he had ever been in jail, he said, "No, I live my life like a straight line, not deviating from one side or another. I just want to farm my land" (which, according to Israel, is causing trouble).
Now that I am back at Ibrahim's, the house is fairly chaotic again. The mentally ill lady is still here; I can hear her yelling in the next room as I write. I've been locked in my room most of the day because it's easier not to deal with her, and she will open my door without knocking if it's not locked. Everyone seems uncomfortable. The lady now has piles of trash piled around the house, is saving food in some corners, and has an obsession with numbers on the phone, yelling at people (or no one) on the telephone (which is expensive!), and yelling at anyone else she comes across. I mentioned to Ibrahim in the past that allowing her to be here without any rules is not helping her, that we're just allowing her to remain off her meds. She is clearly decompensating (when mentally ill people begin to spiral down from their normal or baseline behavior) and needs professional help. If she continues to decompensate, Ibrahim will have to take her to the hospital again (like he did in the past).
Anyway, I'm waiting to see Ibrahim so that I can talk with him. I'm fairly certain that I will no longer help to manage the place. It seems clear to me that he does not want a manager. He may try to keep me happy (as he tries to keep everyone happy) by apologizing and promising to do better; however, as someone who's known him for decades explained: "It's not a question of whether or not he wants change in the house. He may want change, but I don't think he can do it because he so used to doing things this way for so long." Ibrahim is a beautiful person who truly wants to help people, and I love him. I simply can't work with him anymore.
This has led me to a significant shift in thinking: that perhaps I should focus on working on behalf of Palestinians, but not necessarily with them. I've had a fair amount of frustration working with Palestinian organizations, and I'm starting to wonder if there is too much of a cultural difference, too much Palestinian brokenness from the occupation for me to be able to work well with them. This is a generalization, but it's my experience so far. I'm thinking about sharing an apartment with a friend in Bethlehem and trying to do more work with Israeli peace groups.
News from the region:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027942.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028078.html
A few more articles on the violence in Akka, which seems to have subsided, for the time being. the riots in Akka sparked some of the worst religious and racist acts that Israel has seen for a while. Unfortunately, they're only symptoms of a deeper problem of racism and religious bigotry and intolerance, and until these issues and the inequality are dealt with, more riots will happen in the future.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028375.html
Outgoing PM Olmert actually mentions that Palestinian Israelis have long suffered discrimination.
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article624
Excellent article by Jeff Halper, founder of Israeli Committee Against House demolitions and member of team that broke the siege in Gaza recently.
http://www.imemc.org/article/57296
Israeli settlers continue to try to grab land (Oush Ghrab--what I have reported about before) outside of Bethlehem.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028077.html
With the rest of the Western World's economies declining, Israel also considers a rescue package for its declining economy.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32569
3 young Palestinians have been shot dead in three days by Israeli forces. The kids (17 and under) were allegedly going to throw molotov cocktails at an Israeli settlement. Why did the soldiers need to kill the teenagers--could they not have apprehended them or even wounded them?
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028979.html
Two Palestinian girls (age 16) have been held in Israeli admin detention since July, with no charges brought against them. I mentioned this story before, but now it shows up in Israeli press.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7673926.stm
Desperate Gazans develop tunnel industry to obtain basic necessities, among other things.
After writing my last blog, I knew that I would probably be awakened in the night from the mentally ill elderly lady I had given a bed to. At 5 am, she was pounding on my door asking for all sorts of favors, which I tried to do as quickly as possibly in order to go back to bed.
The next morning, she was back at my door, but this time, for some unknown reason, she was hysterically angry, and she took a screw driver to my door because I wouldn't open it. My door still has the gashes in it from the damage.
I started to realize that Ibrahim's idea for this house isn't compatible with what he brought me here to do. He asked for me to come manage his peace home because he said he needed to develop an organized program for people to be here, to start asking for donations for people to stay (previously, there were many individuals who slept and ate here and didn't donate anything). However, as I've tried to develop that program: post a welcome sign, request for a minimum donation, and house rules, Ibrahim has seemed quite uncomfortable, and his repeated intervening to not enforce rules in the house (i.e., nonviolence--not taking screw drivers to doors or people) has been fairly frustrating to me.
Being asked to live in an environment without clear rules and consequences for violating the rules (especially in an environment where some people try to press the boundaries as much as possible) is not working for me. Even at the homeless shelters I previously worked at, I wasn't asked to work (much less live) in an environment free of rules. I wasn't asked to live with and allow people to take screw drivers to my door.
I visited the Quaker Meeting in Ramallah on Sun., then went to a Palestinian festival in a village near there. When I returned to Ibrahim's house on Sun. evening, another episode occurred where Ibrahim intervened to appease a guest in the house who wasn't happy with my decision (I had asked her to return her room key to me when she left in the morning so that we could make a copy of it). I had previously had several conversations with Ibrahim about working as a team, not questioning each other's decision and talking to one another if we had concerns. Because of a lack of communication (I didn't know Ibrahim had talked to her), the lady with the key ended up yelling at me about the key, saying, "Ibrahim told me I didn't have to give you the key. This is his house, not yours!!!"
I decided at that point to take a break from the house for a few days because I was so frustrated by the lack of rules and intervening. I spent part of 3 days camping with a farmer on his land (previously mentioned in blogs--his land is surrounded by settlements and he is under pressure to leave his land). It was very refreshing to spend time on the land and speak Arabic constantly (the farmer doesn't speak any English). I helped to water the small olive olive trees and the animals, among other things. I'm hoping to spend 1-2 nights a week on the land with this farmer, to help out where I can and practice Arabic.
Yesterday, as I was leaving the farmers land, he asked me to accompany him to a party commemorating his brother, who has been in an Israeli jail for 25 years. Due to my basic Arabic, I understood his brother was being released (hence, the party), but I realized later that his brother would not be released (maybe never will) because he killed two Jewish settlers as revenge for someone in his family being killed. Anyway, it was quite the experience to attend the commemoration of this farmer's brother. When I asked the farmer if he had ever been in jail, he said, "No, I live my life like a straight line, not deviating from one side or another. I just want to farm my land" (which, according to Israel, is causing trouble).
Now that I am back at Ibrahim's, the house is fairly chaotic again. The mentally ill lady is still here; I can hear her yelling in the next room as I write. I've been locked in my room most of the day because it's easier not to deal with her, and she will open my door without knocking if it's not locked. Everyone seems uncomfortable. The lady now has piles of trash piled around the house, is saving food in some corners, and has an obsession with numbers on the phone, yelling at people (or no one) on the telephone (which is expensive!), and yelling at anyone else she comes across. I mentioned to Ibrahim in the past that allowing her to be here without any rules is not helping her, that we're just allowing her to remain off her meds. She is clearly decompensating (when mentally ill people begin to spiral down from their normal or baseline behavior) and needs professional help. If she continues to decompensate, Ibrahim will have to take her to the hospital again (like he did in the past).
Anyway, I'm waiting to see Ibrahim so that I can talk with him. I'm fairly certain that I will no longer help to manage the place. It seems clear to me that he does not want a manager. He may try to keep me happy (as he tries to keep everyone happy) by apologizing and promising to do better; however, as someone who's known him for decades explained: "It's not a question of whether or not he wants change in the house. He may want change, but I don't think he can do it because he so used to doing things this way for so long." Ibrahim is a beautiful person who truly wants to help people, and I love him. I simply can't work with him anymore.
This has led me to a significant shift in thinking: that perhaps I should focus on working on behalf of Palestinians, but not necessarily with them. I've had a fair amount of frustration working with Palestinian organizations, and I'm starting to wonder if there is too much of a cultural difference, too much Palestinian brokenness from the occupation for me to be able to work well with them. This is a generalization, but it's my experience so far. I'm thinking about sharing an apartment with a friend in Bethlehem and trying to do more work with Israeli peace groups.
News from the region:
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027942.html
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028078.html
A few more articles on the violence in Akka, which seems to have subsided, for the time being. the riots in Akka sparked some of the worst religious and racist acts that Israel has seen for a while. Unfortunately, they're only symptoms of a deeper problem of racism and religious bigotry and intolerance, and until these issues and the inequality are dealt with, more riots will happen in the future.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028375.html
Outgoing PM Olmert actually mentions that Palestinian Israelis have long suffered discrimination.
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/spip/spip.php?article624
Excellent article by Jeff Halper, founder of Israeli Committee Against House demolitions and member of team that broke the siege in Gaza recently.
http://www.imemc.org/article/57296
Israeli settlers continue to try to grab land (Oush Ghrab--what I have reported about before) outside of Bethlehem.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028077.html
With the rest of the Western World's economies declining, Israel also considers a rescue package for its declining economy.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32569
3 young Palestinians have been shot dead in three days by Israeli forces. The kids (17 and under) were allegedly going to throw molotov cocktails at an Israeli settlement. Why did the soldiers need to kill the teenagers--could they not have apprehended them or even wounded them?
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028979.html
Two Palestinian girls (age 16) have been held in Israeli admin detention since July, with no charges brought against them. I mentioned this story before, but now it shows up in Israeli press.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7673926.stm
Desperate Gazans develop tunnel industry to obtain basic necessities, among other things.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Riots in Acca; The Crazies; Find Hope, etc.
In this post: Stressful days at the hostel; Religious Riots in Acca; breaking the addiction of technology, etc.
Today was one of the more stressful days for me here. It almost seems as those there is something in the dirt of this place--the "Holy Land," and the Mount of Olives in particular--that attracts crazy people to the region (indeed, locals even refer to a "Jerusalem syndrome" for religious nuts who end up spending years here). Sometimes the craziness expresses itself through religious fanaticism, and other times, it's more of a standard psychological issue. Ibrahim's house has had more than it's fair share of crazies, especially religious fanatics, but over the last several days, one older woman who suffers from psychological issues stemming from, I think, a brain injury, has been frequenting the house. Ibrahim loves to give to everyone, and he finds it absolutely impossible to turn anyone away, even if the crazies make everyone else's lives in the house completely miserable.
But, the more frustrating thing is to watch Ibrahim vacillate back and forth between wanting a person to leave and then not being able to live with the decision to let them go. Today, I was directly dealing with the drama of taking the person out of the house (at Ibrahim's request), when Ibrahim intervened to bring her back inside, which created more turmoil, shouting, screaming, cursing, etc., etc. The more I work here, the more grateful I am for my experiences working with the homeless in the US. But, I've been frustrated by the inability of Ibrahim and I to work as a team, trust each other, and do consensus; when he really wants something, he just does it, or orders me to do it. Part of this style, which is prevalent, it seems, in much of Palestinian society, goes back to a hierarchical/monarchical structure that places a very high value on authority and orders. I don't like it. And, I think in business practices, it lends to corruption and laziness on the part of leaders (see previous comments I made in blogs about leaders sitting back and ordering the underlings around).
At the same time, there are beautiful things that happen here. As much frustration as I feel with Ibrahim at times, he also does amazing acts of service for people. Tonight, when the crazy lady returned, she said to me, "I'm cold. I need a blanket." Despite all the trouble she's given us over the last several days, I could not turn her away. So, or course, I put her in a room and bedded her down, knowing that she could very well keep me up all night with her meaningless mumblings and pranks. There's something about caring for people's basic needs. We have to do it. It doesn't matter how ornery they are: if they're cold, hungry, hurting, we have an obligation to help them. I only pray that I can find a way for it to be a spiritual exercise and not just an obligation. But, regardless of my motivations, I'm still going to do it.
This week has been a stressful week here too. The holiest day on the Jewish calendar started Wed. night--Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Basically, Jewish tradition teaches that this is the one time all year to make amends and ask forgiveness for one's sins, both from God and other people. I attended a Jewish service with a friend, but I didn't get much out of it. The service was in a more liberal Jewish style, but most of it was in Hebrew, the traditions were foreign to me, and the standing and sitting actions went on for four hours. I'm sure that the tradition is very meaningful to some people, but it wasn't to me. At a philosophical level, though, I also feel a little tension with the idea of asking forgiveness only once a year. I have to do that daily, or I forget about what I've done.
Also on Wed. evening, at the start of Yom Kippur, clashes erupted in Acca (also spelled Acre) between Israeli Arabs (Palestinians with Israeli citizenship) and Israeli Jews after a group of Jewish teenagers hurled stones at an Arab man driving his car. It is extremely taboo to drive your car on this holy day (even more taboo than driving on the Sabbath). As Yom Kippur was starting, I witnessed police barricading the entire city of Jerusalem (excluding the Arab quarters) so that people wouldn't drive. It's not just an issue of "don't drive on the Sabbath" though; rather, conservative Jews will gather at the edges of these barricades to throw rocks at any cars that drive, whether the driver is a liberal, nonbelieving Jew (and there are many in Israel), a tourist, or an Arab.
The clashes in Acca were particularly personal to me because I just finished visiting that lovely town two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the normally quiet city is starkly divided between Jewish and Palestinian quarters, with ALL of the Palestinians residing in the old part of the city, after they were forced to take refugee in the walled area during the 1948 war against them, which snatched all of their land and farmland in the areas around the old city.
Now, we are in the third day of fairly intense clashes between Jews and Arabs in Acca. You can read the news stories about his incident below, but one story I would highlight is how the Israeli ambulances have not even been able to operate normally because of the Jewish people throwing rocks at them (for driving on the holy day) (see: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027741.html). After the Arab man driving his car was attacked by the Jewish youth, it sparked an escalation of riots on both sides, with Arabs and Jews gathering to fight one another. Police have been called in to stop the fighting, but it's really been a sadly exceptional last few days. Unfortunately, all this fighting comes at a time when Jews are supposed to practice forgiveness. However, the Palestinian fighters are almost equally to blame, after they responded in kind. See these news sights for more info: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7660628.stm; http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027633.html; http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027728.html.
One of my Israeli friends pointed out today that people riot when they are disenfranchised, cut out of the political arena, and feel like they cannot change things for the better any other way. I agreed, and I also pointed out that it's difficult to change a habit of rioting, even if people do eventually gain some rights.
Personally, I've had a fairly tiring week, although I don't feel like I've accomplished much. I'm feeling anxious and agitated about learning Arabic, and I feel like I spend too much time on the i-net: reading news, emailing, talking, etc. I feel addicted to the net. I'm really hoping to be able to take several days a week away from the world or technology and English--to go work with my hands in the dust and dirt on an olive orchard, to work with a man who speaks no English. Not only will this improve my Arabic skills, but it can also give him some help and possible protection, as his small piece of land is surrounded by settlements. So, if I don't respond to emails, if I begin to blog or comment on news less, I'm still working here, but perhaps in some different ways.
There are many times when I feel like I'm making no difference here. I look at the peace groups and wonder what they're doing, what we're all doing. I worry about how I might plug into something more sustainable in this area--a group or movement that would help me to feel effective but also enable me to return to work in Palestine or the Middle East after my year expires here. I've also had questions this week about my overall career, what I'm supposed to do exactly. I keep thinking about becoming a reporter, as a career; however, that thought still doesn't help some of the doubts I feel in the present. Two things keep me going right now: my desire to learn Arabic and the relationships I've developed here. I hope this is enough to keep me motivated to continue improving.
News you might have missed from this area:
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9871.shtml
Report highlights the conditions of Palestinian workers (in Israeli settlements).
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32369
Ever wonder how the tunnels under Gaza work? Here you go . . .
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32407
A group of Israeli Dr's were barred by Israel from entering Gaza to help the people there.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32400
Israel has created a humanitarian disaster by not allowing water into Gaza. This story highlights some of the issues.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32412
A 16 y.o. Palestinian girl was siezed by Israel 3 months ago and still have not been charged with a crime. She can remain in jail indefinitely, without any charges being brought against her.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32432
A weird story about Jews trying to break into the Dome of the Rock over Yom Kippur. With all the other violence, maybe this passed by other news agencies--this is the only place I saw this story.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9884.shtml
A fascinating book review about an Israeli asking questions about the history of Israel. This might get you to question some of your most basic beliefs about Jews and Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027975.html
Israel said to not be like the US--"we regulate constantly." No Israeli banks said to go under.
Today was one of the more stressful days for me here. It almost seems as those there is something in the dirt of this place--the "Holy Land," and the Mount of Olives in particular--that attracts crazy people to the region (indeed, locals even refer to a "Jerusalem syndrome" for religious nuts who end up spending years here). Sometimes the craziness expresses itself through religious fanaticism, and other times, it's more of a standard psychological issue. Ibrahim's house has had more than it's fair share of crazies, especially religious fanatics, but over the last several days, one older woman who suffers from psychological issues stemming from, I think, a brain injury, has been frequenting the house. Ibrahim loves to give to everyone, and he finds it absolutely impossible to turn anyone away, even if the crazies make everyone else's lives in the house completely miserable.
But, the more frustrating thing is to watch Ibrahim vacillate back and forth between wanting a person to leave and then not being able to live with the decision to let them go. Today, I was directly dealing with the drama of taking the person out of the house (at Ibrahim's request), when Ibrahim intervened to bring her back inside, which created more turmoil, shouting, screaming, cursing, etc., etc. The more I work here, the more grateful I am for my experiences working with the homeless in the US. But, I've been frustrated by the inability of Ibrahim and I to work as a team, trust each other, and do consensus; when he really wants something, he just does it, or orders me to do it. Part of this style, which is prevalent, it seems, in much of Palestinian society, goes back to a hierarchical/monarchical structure that places a very high value on authority and orders. I don't like it. And, I think in business practices, it lends to corruption and laziness on the part of leaders (see previous comments I made in blogs about leaders sitting back and ordering the underlings around).
At the same time, there are beautiful things that happen here. As much frustration as I feel with Ibrahim at times, he also does amazing acts of service for people. Tonight, when the crazy lady returned, she said to me, "I'm cold. I need a blanket." Despite all the trouble she's given us over the last several days, I could not turn her away. So, or course, I put her in a room and bedded her down, knowing that she could very well keep me up all night with her meaningless mumblings and pranks. There's something about caring for people's basic needs. We have to do it. It doesn't matter how ornery they are: if they're cold, hungry, hurting, we have an obligation to help them. I only pray that I can find a way for it to be a spiritual exercise and not just an obligation. But, regardless of my motivations, I'm still going to do it.
This week has been a stressful week here too. The holiest day on the Jewish calendar started Wed. night--Yom Kippur (Day of Atonement). Basically, Jewish tradition teaches that this is the one time all year to make amends and ask forgiveness for one's sins, both from God and other people. I attended a Jewish service with a friend, but I didn't get much out of it. The service was in a more liberal Jewish style, but most of it was in Hebrew, the traditions were foreign to me, and the standing and sitting actions went on for four hours. I'm sure that the tradition is very meaningful to some people, but it wasn't to me. At a philosophical level, though, I also feel a little tension with the idea of asking forgiveness only once a year. I have to do that daily, or I forget about what I've done.
Also on Wed. evening, at the start of Yom Kippur, clashes erupted in Acca (also spelled Acre) between Israeli Arabs (Palestinians with Israeli citizenship) and Israeli Jews after a group of Jewish teenagers hurled stones at an Arab man driving his car. It is extremely taboo to drive your car on this holy day (even more taboo than driving on the Sabbath). As Yom Kippur was starting, I witnessed police barricading the entire city of Jerusalem (excluding the Arab quarters) so that people wouldn't drive. It's not just an issue of "don't drive on the Sabbath" though; rather, conservative Jews will gather at the edges of these barricades to throw rocks at any cars that drive, whether the driver is a liberal, nonbelieving Jew (and there are many in Israel), a tourist, or an Arab.
The clashes in Acca were particularly personal to me because I just finished visiting that lovely town two weeks ago. Unfortunately, the normally quiet city is starkly divided between Jewish and Palestinian quarters, with ALL of the Palestinians residing in the old part of the city, after they were forced to take refugee in the walled area during the 1948 war against them, which snatched all of their land and farmland in the areas around the old city.
Now, we are in the third day of fairly intense clashes between Jews and Arabs in Acca. You can read the news stories about his incident below, but one story I would highlight is how the Israeli ambulances have not even been able to operate normally because of the Jewish people throwing rocks at them (for driving on the holy day) (see: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027741.html). After the Arab man driving his car was attacked by the Jewish youth, it sparked an escalation of riots on both sides, with Arabs and Jews gathering to fight one another. Police have been called in to stop the fighting, but it's really been a sadly exceptional last few days. Unfortunately, all this fighting comes at a time when Jews are supposed to practice forgiveness. However, the Palestinian fighters are almost equally to blame, after they responded in kind. See these news sights for more info: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/7660628.stm; http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027633.html; http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027728.html.
One of my Israeli friends pointed out today that people riot when they are disenfranchised, cut out of the political arena, and feel like they cannot change things for the better any other way. I agreed, and I also pointed out that it's difficult to change a habit of rioting, even if people do eventually gain some rights.
Personally, I've had a fairly tiring week, although I don't feel like I've accomplished much. I'm feeling anxious and agitated about learning Arabic, and I feel like I spend too much time on the i-net: reading news, emailing, talking, etc. I feel addicted to the net. I'm really hoping to be able to take several days a week away from the world or technology and English--to go work with my hands in the dust and dirt on an olive orchard, to work with a man who speaks no English. Not only will this improve my Arabic skills, but it can also give him some help and possible protection, as his small piece of land is surrounded by settlements. So, if I don't respond to emails, if I begin to blog or comment on news less, I'm still working here, but perhaps in some different ways.
There are many times when I feel like I'm making no difference here. I look at the peace groups and wonder what they're doing, what we're all doing. I worry about how I might plug into something more sustainable in this area--a group or movement that would help me to feel effective but also enable me to return to work in Palestine or the Middle East after my year expires here. I've also had questions this week about my overall career, what I'm supposed to do exactly. I keep thinking about becoming a reporter, as a career; however, that thought still doesn't help some of the doubts I feel in the present. Two things keep me going right now: my desire to learn Arabic and the relationships I've developed here. I hope this is enough to keep me motivated to continue improving.
News you might have missed from this area:
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9871.shtml
Report highlights the conditions of Palestinian workers (in Israeli settlements).
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32369
Ever wonder how the tunnels under Gaza work? Here you go . . .
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32407
A group of Israeli Dr's were barred by Israel from entering Gaza to help the people there.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32400
Israel has created a humanitarian disaster by not allowing water into Gaza. This story highlights some of the issues.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32412
A 16 y.o. Palestinian girl was siezed by Israel 3 months ago and still have not been charged with a crime. She can remain in jail indefinitely, without any charges being brought against her.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32432
A weird story about Jews trying to break into the Dome of the Rock over Yom Kippur. With all the other violence, maybe this passed by other news agencies--this is the only place I saw this story.
http://electronicintifada.net/v2/article9884.shtml
A fascinating book review about an Israeli asking questions about the history of Israel. This might get you to question some of your most basic beliefs about Jews and Israel.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1027975.html
Israel said to not be like the US--"we regulate constantly." No Israeli banks said to go under.
Monday, October 6, 2008
Visa--Abusive Bureaucracy; Havesting Olives, etc.
In this post: Staying Israel & abusive appointment to obtain longer visa; US economy & elections and relation to Middle East; Harvesting Olives; News from the area, etc.
I was due to travel to Jordan today to attempt to renew my 3 month Israel visa, but I was able to obtain an appointment with the proper gov't ministry in the last several days so that I can be considered for a 6 month volunteer visa. There is a Palestinian NGO on the Mount of Olives that I may be able to volunteer with to get the visa. Basically, the gov't ministry appointment gives me another month before my visa runs out; in that time, I have to do the requirements for the volunteer visa, which I won't spell out here.
The process of getting the appointment at the ministry was extremely horrendous, and the worst I've ever been treated by any Israeli! I had been warned about a specific worker at the office and told the process was very demeaning, but I wasn't quite prepared for what happened. I arrived at the office at 9:30 am and attempted to make the appointment (a process that takes all of 2 min's). I was the only one at the small office at first, but when I opened the door, the woman at the desk immediately started yelling at me: "Get out!!! Get out now." "I just want to make an appointment," I said. "You have to do that on the phone. Get out now!" she yelled. Then, she walked over to the door, pushed me back, slammed the door and locked it. Two other people behind me saw what happened and had the same thing happen to them when they tried.
While I waited for the door to open again, I tried calling the number (no one ever picks up the phone). I eventually found another "line" to try to wait in, but people were only pushing and shoving to the front--complete chaos: no paper numbers were given out to guarantee a place in line. After about an 1.5 hours, some people realized I had been there a while and pushed me to the front (luckily), but the lady in that room refused to see me (she was nicer, but said I had to make an appointment with the mean lady, usually over the phone, which is never answered).
Again, I tried to enter the cranky lady's office, but only received screams, and she locked the door again (with no one inside). Even the lady's coworkers were annoyed with being locked out. One coworker told me to go complain to the lady's boss, which I did, but the boss said she couldn't do anything. Then, another coworker told me I really should just push my way into the room (by another worker's office door entrance) and refuse to leave until she give me an appt. I tried this, and received a third or fourth barrage of yells (Get out, now! Leave!). However, this time, the mean lady's coworker (who's door I was standing in) said something in Hebrew to the mean lady. She then got on the phone and scowled at me, but I refused to leave her office. After she finished on the phone, she asked for my passport, barked some questions at me about what I was doing here, and gave me the appt.
I had spent 2.5 hours at the office for a piece of paper that took less than a minute to fill out. The line behind me was not long, but many of the people had been waiting almost as long as me. All of the people in the line, regardless of what they were in Israel to do, were outwardly disgusted by this process. Many of them complained about the mistreatment and disorder (no way to make an appointment or save your place in line). I told someone afterward, "Pick the most idealistic, Israel-lover, put them in that office for a few hours, and I doubt they'll have such a positive view of Israel after that."
The problem is, this is how this office treats intl's; Pal's are treated much, much worse. I have always had a distaste for bureaucracy, but what I saw at this office was a complete abuse of bureaucracy--using it to deprive people of their rights (to apply for extended visas, etc.), dignity, etc. Israel's bureaucracy is much harsher and callous against Palestinians.
However, I am thankful for the chance to try for a longer visa and remain here a little longer.
Most people in the US these days are preoccupied with the economy and election to be concerned about what's going on in Israel and Palestine (to read about how the Israel stock market is doing, see: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1026551.html). Unfortunately, many US citizens fail to recognize how their current economic crisis is linked to failed policies in the Middle East, a blinded, one-sided support for Israel. Of course, the economic crisis goes back to housing problems, big risks taken by buyers and people on Wall St., etc.; however, there is a deeper, underlying problem of selfishness, greed, etc. in the US that applies not just domestically, but also in international relations. And, if the US gov.'t wasn't so bogged down in Iraq, Afghanistan, and giving money to Israel, there might be more money to put into actually helping the American people.
Regarding the elections, I've watched all the debates so far off the internet. One thing that astounded me from the VP debates: Sarah Palin's words that "I'm glad we can agree that we both love Israel." This was one of the few times the VP candidates agreed, and the comments on Israel show how much blind support the US gives Israel. The ironic thing is that, although the Zionist elements in the US are concerned about an Obama administration, US Jews overwhelming will vote democratic in this election. American Zionism doesn't represent the interests of Jews or Israel, but is rather, a political entity that offers only an either-or approach and helps tie America's political and financial hands even more.
Unfortunately, I'm hearing a lot of talk from people in the States about the characters of the candidates, what they look like or sound like, etc. I think it is ridiculous to determine how you'll vote based off a feeling you get from a candidate, whether they have an inspiring story, etc. Really, the thing that matters most, and perhaps the only thing that matters, is their policies. What are they going to do??? Their personality doesn't matter much, unless you're talking about having an abrasive personality, full of egoism and pride like Bush or people he's appointed. But really, I can't think of a candidate with less substance than Sarah Palin (for a long time). In reality, she is worse than Bush on many policy issues. Worse!
Take a look at the policies and decide what you believe in. Turn off the TV and radio and read about what these candidates are actually wanting to do. That is how we can determine who best to support. It's not about a beauty contest, who's the nicest guy, who gives the best speeches, etc.
Last Fri., several friends and I joined a group helping a man harvest his olives. This man's land lies just outside of Bethlehem, but it is surrounded by settlements, and settlers are trying to force him from his land. Unlike some other people, my friend's documents have held up in Israeli court--he owns the land. This infuriated the settlers, and they eventually came up with another scheme to keep him off the land--the land is now said to be in the "district of Jerusalem," and since Palestinians from the West Bank aren't allowed in Jerusalem, the man (according to the settlers) isn't allowed on his own land. Right now, he lives in a cave, and the authorities are threatening to demolish his cave. I enjoyed talking with this man, and he invited me to return and help him do more work. There is a possibility I can go and stay with this man several days a week and work on my Arabic (he speaks no English). I'm thinking about doing this, as it would give me the opportunity to escape from i-net, phones, English, etc., and just concentrate on Arabic. At the same time, I could return to work at the Hostel several days a week.
Anyway, the olive harvest season has now begun, and so have the clashes with the settlers over the olives. Israeli settlers constantly attempt to keep the Palestinians from harvesting (one of Pal farmer's main ways of income). You can read about some of the first clashes here: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1026228.html. One of the interesting things about this story is that it was Jewish Rabbis who were defending the Pal olive harvesters!
Now that Ramadan is over, all the children have receive their gifts, and ALL of them have these plastic BB guns. It's very disturbing. The BB guns aren't fairly harmless, although there are often injuries to the eyes. You can read Hamas's reaction to the guns here: http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32282. It might surprise you.
News you might have missed from this region:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/29/AR2008092902665.html
One of the best articles on settlement expansion I've read in a while.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1025528.html
US selling Israel more fighter jets. Another strike against stability and peace in the Middle East.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32268
Israel Ministry reports that Israeli settlements are contaminating water in the W Bank.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32268
US troops reportedly helping in blockade against Gaza! This is a new twist.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1025931.html
After Israeli troops dismantled a settlement outpost, about 3000 settlers went on a rampage and burned Palestinian olive groves, among other things. The settler situation is escalating again, but sadly, this is just another chapter in this long history of settler violence.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1026874.html
One Israeli analysis of Sarah Palin and her words against Obama lately.
I was due to travel to Jordan today to attempt to renew my 3 month Israel visa, but I was able to obtain an appointment with the proper gov't ministry in the last several days so that I can be considered for a 6 month volunteer visa. There is a Palestinian NGO on the Mount of Olives that I may be able to volunteer with to get the visa. Basically, the gov't ministry appointment gives me another month before my visa runs out; in that time, I have to do the requirements for the volunteer visa, which I won't spell out here.
The process of getting the appointment at the ministry was extremely horrendous, and the worst I've ever been treated by any Israeli! I had been warned about a specific worker at the office and told the process was very demeaning, but I wasn't quite prepared for what happened. I arrived at the office at 9:30 am and attempted to make the appointment (a process that takes all of 2 min's). I was the only one at the small office at first, but when I opened the door, the woman at the desk immediately started yelling at me: "Get out!!! Get out now." "I just want to make an appointment," I said. "You have to do that on the phone. Get out now!" she yelled. Then, she walked over to the door, pushed me back, slammed the door and locked it. Two other people behind me saw what happened and had the same thing happen to them when they tried.
While I waited for the door to open again, I tried calling the number (no one ever picks up the phone). I eventually found another "line" to try to wait in, but people were only pushing and shoving to the front--complete chaos: no paper numbers were given out to guarantee a place in line. After about an 1.5 hours, some people realized I had been there a while and pushed me to the front (luckily), but the lady in that room refused to see me (she was nicer, but said I had to make an appointment with the mean lady, usually over the phone, which is never answered).
Again, I tried to enter the cranky lady's office, but only received screams, and she locked the door again (with no one inside). Even the lady's coworkers were annoyed with being locked out. One coworker told me to go complain to the lady's boss, which I did, but the boss said she couldn't do anything. Then, another coworker told me I really should just push my way into the room (by another worker's office door entrance) and refuse to leave until she give me an appt. I tried this, and received a third or fourth barrage of yells (Get out, now! Leave!). However, this time, the mean lady's coworker (who's door I was standing in) said something in Hebrew to the mean lady. She then got on the phone and scowled at me, but I refused to leave her office. After she finished on the phone, she asked for my passport, barked some questions at me about what I was doing here, and gave me the appt.
I had spent 2.5 hours at the office for a piece of paper that took less than a minute to fill out. The line behind me was not long, but many of the people had been waiting almost as long as me. All of the people in the line, regardless of what they were in Israel to do, were outwardly disgusted by this process. Many of them complained about the mistreatment and disorder (no way to make an appointment or save your place in line). I told someone afterward, "Pick the most idealistic, Israel-lover, put them in that office for a few hours, and I doubt they'll have such a positive view of Israel after that."
The problem is, this is how this office treats intl's; Pal's are treated much, much worse. I have always had a distaste for bureaucracy, but what I saw at this office was a complete abuse of bureaucracy--using it to deprive people of their rights (to apply for extended visas, etc.), dignity, etc. Israel's bureaucracy is much harsher and callous against Palestinians.
However, I am thankful for the chance to try for a longer visa and remain here a little longer.
Most people in the US these days are preoccupied with the economy and election to be concerned about what's going on in Israel and Palestine (to read about how the Israel stock market is doing, see: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1026551.html). Unfortunately, many US citizens fail to recognize how their current economic crisis is linked to failed policies in the Middle East, a blinded, one-sided support for Israel. Of course, the economic crisis goes back to housing problems, big risks taken by buyers and people on Wall St., etc.; however, there is a deeper, underlying problem of selfishness, greed, etc. in the US that applies not just domestically, but also in international relations. And, if the US gov.'t wasn't so bogged down in Iraq, Afghanistan, and giving money to Israel, there might be more money to put into actually helping the American people.
Regarding the elections, I've watched all the debates so far off the internet. One thing that astounded me from the VP debates: Sarah Palin's words that "I'm glad we can agree that we both love Israel." This was one of the few times the VP candidates agreed, and the comments on Israel show how much blind support the US gives Israel. The ironic thing is that, although the Zionist elements in the US are concerned about an Obama administration, US Jews overwhelming will vote democratic in this election. American Zionism doesn't represent the interests of Jews or Israel, but is rather, a political entity that offers only an either-or approach and helps tie America's political and financial hands even more.
Unfortunately, I'm hearing a lot of talk from people in the States about the characters of the candidates, what they look like or sound like, etc. I think it is ridiculous to determine how you'll vote based off a feeling you get from a candidate, whether they have an inspiring story, etc. Really, the thing that matters most, and perhaps the only thing that matters, is their policies. What are they going to do??? Their personality doesn't matter much, unless you're talking about having an abrasive personality, full of egoism and pride like Bush or people he's appointed. But really, I can't think of a candidate with less substance than Sarah Palin (for a long time). In reality, she is worse than Bush on many policy issues. Worse!
Take a look at the policies and decide what you believe in. Turn off the TV and radio and read about what these candidates are actually wanting to do. That is how we can determine who best to support. It's not about a beauty contest, who's the nicest guy, who gives the best speeches, etc.
Last Fri., several friends and I joined a group helping a man harvest his olives. This man's land lies just outside of Bethlehem, but it is surrounded by settlements, and settlers are trying to force him from his land. Unlike some other people, my friend's documents have held up in Israeli court--he owns the land. This infuriated the settlers, and they eventually came up with another scheme to keep him off the land--the land is now said to be in the "district of Jerusalem," and since Palestinians from the West Bank aren't allowed in Jerusalem, the man (according to the settlers) isn't allowed on his own land. Right now, he lives in a cave, and the authorities are threatening to demolish his cave. I enjoyed talking with this man, and he invited me to return and help him do more work. There is a possibility I can go and stay with this man several days a week and work on my Arabic (he speaks no English). I'm thinking about doing this, as it would give me the opportunity to escape from i-net, phones, English, etc., and just concentrate on Arabic. At the same time, I could return to work at the Hostel several days a week.
Anyway, the olive harvest season has now begun, and so have the clashes with the settlers over the olives. Israeli settlers constantly attempt to keep the Palestinians from harvesting (one of Pal farmer's main ways of income). You can read about some of the first clashes here: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1026228.html. One of the interesting things about this story is that it was Jewish Rabbis who were defending the Pal olive harvesters!
Now that Ramadan is over, all the children have receive their gifts, and ALL of them have these plastic BB guns. It's very disturbing. The BB guns aren't fairly harmless, although there are often injuries to the eyes. You can read Hamas's reaction to the guns here: http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32282. It might surprise you.
News you might have missed from this region:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/09/29/AR2008092902665.html
One of the best articles on settlement expansion I've read in a while.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1025528.html
US selling Israel more fighter jets. Another strike against stability and peace in the Middle East.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32268
Israel Ministry reports that Israeli settlements are contaminating water in the W Bank.
http://www.maannews.net/en/index.php?opr=ShowDetails&ID=32268
US troops reportedly helping in blockade against Gaza! This is a new twist.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1025931.html
After Israeli troops dismantled a settlement outpost, about 3000 settlers went on a rampage and burned Palestinian olive groves, among other things. The settler situation is escalating again, but sadly, this is just another chapter in this long history of settler violence.
http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1026874.html
One Israeli analysis of Sarah Palin and her words against Obama lately.