Chiefs of staff, prime ministers, ministers and generals are not the only ones responsible. Anyone who theoretically objects to oppression, discrimination and expulsion, but does not actively take part in the struggle and in creating a constant popular resistance to topple the apartheid regime we have created here, is responsible.
—Amira Hass, Israeli journalist writing for Ha’aretz
Gaza City (click image for enlargement)
As a friend is fond of reminding those of us who travel and witness: falling is the easy part of tumbling out of an airplane; the hard part is when the trip ends. I’ve returned to my home in Cambridge Massachusetts. Nearly trapped in Gaza (like most Gazans) when Israel sealed the borders a little more than one week ago, I wasn’t sure how long I’d remain there. That’s the easy part; now I have to do something with my experiences.
Every experience contains anticipated achievements, surprise achievements, and set backs and disappointments.
Among the anticipated achievements of this 3 month journey to Palestine/Israel: photos and writing showing conditions in Gaza, especially in 3 hospitals; resistance in the West Bank; joint work between Israelis and Palestinians; hydropolitics; and youth. Surprises included good access to the huge settlement of Ma’ale Adumim during the Annapolis talks which seemed to vow that Israel would curtail settlement construction, a tour of West Jerusalem stopping at Arab homes and the central Arab cemetery, photographing a conflict resolution workshop in the Ramallah Friends School, the Erez crossing into Gaza, the new rail line in East Jerusalem built without consultation with Palestinians living there, and several plays and concerts.
Set backs and disappointments: nothing with the American Friends Service Committee in the West Bank; little work with the Friends School; not doing as much as I’d hoped with hydropolitics, especially in Hebron and Ramallah; and a broken camera and lens.
My greatest joy came thru my deepening involvement with Gaza, particularly thru the AFSC youth program there. Staff was hospitable, protective, helpful with photography and most appreciative of my presence. They brought me to the heavily polluted central city beach, and to Rafah and up to the border wall between Egypt and Gaza, the scene of the later Great Break Out. Getting into Gaza was cause for celebration, given the uncertainty of entrance.
My Gaza connection is both bane and blessing: a bane because I’ve committed to anchoring to this theme, returning for another trip within 1 and 1/2 years (making my 4th to Gaza), and I am fearful each time I am there. On this trip Israel attacked repeatedly, using American made Apache helicopters, F-16 fighter jets, and armed drones. I could have joined the growing list of innocents giving up their lives because of Israel errors. A blessing because of the personal connections I’m making, the trust others have in me, eliciting deep parts of their experience for me to show a public.
In my last week there, according to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA),
On Friday 18 January, following a surge in conflict between the Israeli army and Palestinian militants affecting civilians on both sides, Israel closed all crossings from Israel into Gaza, cutting it off from all supplies of food, medicine and fuel including humanitarian aid. Erez crossing remained open for Palestinians needing urgent medical treatment and international humanitarian workers. On 22 January, Israel’s closure was relaxed but only limited goods were allowed in.
From 16-22 January, 23 Palestinians were killed and 70 injured as a result of Israeli aircraft fire and military incursions into the Gaza Strip. During the same period, 147 rockets and 82 mortars were fired from Gaza towards Israel, injuring several Israelis, and a sniper attack killed an Ecuadorian national in a kibbutz in Israel.
Amira Hass estimates 80% of those injured by Israel are civilian, unconnected with any violent act. Whereas the Israeli Air Force estimates only 2-3% are civilian. From the numbers I heard while in Gaza I’d say around 30-50% of the injured were not fighters.
One unique factor in this journey, my 4th to Israel-Palestine in 4 years, is where it began and ended. Amsterdam was the first stop, meeting a friend there I’d first worked with in Palestine the year before when we pursued the hydropolitics theme, dear to both our hearts. Amsterdam was grand: peaceful, secure, relatively just. We bicycled, explored the canals, visited the Ann Frank house and museum, along with the museums devoted to Rembrandt and van Gogh. We shared the loving ambiance of this city in a region of exceptional civility. I expected those 4 idyllic days would contrast sharply with where I’d end this journey of discovery.
Gaza. The worst of the worst in terms of civility, security, environmental protection, governance, peace and justice. Yet there human beings were often at their best: gracious, welcoming, thankful, generous. Often while in Gaza I thought of Amsterdam. Occasionally in Amsterdam I imagined being in Gaza.
Often asked why I pursue this project I answer in various ways: curiosity about the topics and region; evolving personal relationships; intention to do something positive toward fostering justice, peace, truth, and compliance with international law; realization that what I’ve achieved so far is minimal and needs deepening; devotion to Jesus Christ and a wish to learn from his life more directly by living where he ministered; and responding to another mentor, Martin Luther King Jr. He holds my hand as he proclaims, “Look Skip, I’m dead, you’re alive, it’s your turn.”
My next steps are to produce materials—slide shows, print exhibits, website and blog displays, publications—from my tens of thousands of words and photos; then to show to others. My wish is to enhance awareness and inspire action. Open the window a little wider, let the fresh breezes of truth blow thru the stifling atmosphere of denial and self-silencing. I intend to help challenge the Zionist approach, end the occupation, and foster sharing the land of Canaan between its two (or myriad) peoples.
2008 is the 60th anniversary of the nakba, or catastrophe for Palestinians, the hundreds of destroyed villages, millions of refugees—and of the founding of the Israeli state. I plan to address this theme through the year. As always I’m looking for venues for my slide shows and print displays. Please let me know of any contacts you might have.
Tall order? Let us begin where we can, do what our talents allow, follow the direction of our still small voices, despite danger and confusion. Onward, as my dearly beloved mentor Andy Towl is so fond of stating.
“GAZA: LIFT THE BLOCKADE” – The Relief Convoy on its way, Saturday 26/01/08
APPENDIX
Amsterdam, part 1
October 27, 2007
Amsterdam, part 2
October 27, 2007
Ramallah: Another Voice concert & the International Solidarity Movement
November 1, 2007
Jerusalem & Ramallah: Old City, Kalandia, road repairs
November 3, 2007
Friends’ Play Center, Amari refugee camp, Ramallah
November 7, 2007
What to Do About an Illegal Highway Cutting Thru Your Land
November 9, 2007
Jerusalem: a Palestinian Perspective
November 13, 2007
Teaching conflict resolution at the Ramallah Friends School
November 14, 2007
Lorca’s Blood Wedding in Ramallah
November 17, 2007
Bil’in: an appointment with tear gas
November 17, 2007
In the West Bank with Machsom Watch and Esti Tsal
November 29, 2007
Besieged Bethlehem—the Wall (Cambridge – Bethlehem delegation)
December 1, 2007
Good Water Neighbors’ paths
December 3, 2007
Friends of the Earth Middle East—Mayors’ conference
December 5, 2007
Divided Jerusalem (Cambridge-Bethlehem delegation-2)
December 6, 2007
Nablus & Environs, Winter 2007—The City of Fire & Region’s Hydropolitics (part 1)
December 11, 2007
Water in Salfit, sewage from Israeli settlements
December 17, 2007
People to People: Cambridge-Bethlehem-3
December 18, 2007
People to People: Cambridge-Bethlehem-4
December 18, 2007
Walk Jerusalem to Bethlehem
December 24, 2007
Bethlehem—Anticipating Christmas
December 22, 2007
Light rail through East Jerusalem
January 1, 2008
New construction at the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim
January 1, 2008
Entering Gaza
January 5, 2008
Dinner at Ibrahem’s
January 7, 2008
Beach Walk—Gaza
January 8, 2008
The Slaughter of the Innocents
January 12, 2008
Young & Old (in Gaza hospitals)
January 15, 2008
Flood
January 20, 2008
Attack
January 22, 2008
Our Trip to Rafah
January 23, 2008
And more to come
A brief note from Amsterdam – 1
October 27, 2007
A brief note from Amsterdam – 2
October 31, 2007
A brief note from Amsterdam – 3
October 31, 2007
From Ramallah: Getting to Ramallah, International Solidarity Movement, Another Voice concert
November 2, 2007
Dreams & Visions
November 6, 2007
Painting a mural, Amari refugee camp, Ramallah
November 11, 2007
What to Do About an Illegal Highway Cutting Thru Your Land
November 11, 2007
Jerusalem: a Palestinian Perspective
November 13, 2007
Bil’in: an appointment with tear gas
November 17, 2007
Lorca’s play, Blood Wedding, in Ramallah
November 17, 2007
In the West Bank with Machsom Watch and Esti Tsal
November 29, 2007
Besieged Bethlehem—the Wall
November 30, 2007
Divided Jerusalem (Cambridge-Bethlehem delegation, part 2)
December 6, 2007
Building justice with peace, step by step: Good Water Neighbors’ Paths, a project of the Friends of the Earth Middle East
December 9, 2007
Nablus and Environs, Winter 2007: the City of Fire and the Region’s Hydropolitics
December 11, 2007
How the situation looks to me, provisionally, moment by moment, concentrating on the West Bank (recalling Mark Twain’s title of a similar effort written in 1869, Innocents Abroad)
December 13, 2007
Cambridge to Bethlehem people to people delegation
December 19, 2007
Walk Jerusalem to Bethlehem
December 25, 2007
“And there were shepherds living out in the fields nearby”
December 27, 2007
Water in Salfit, sewage from Israeli settlements
December 31, 2007
Creative entrepreneur in the Occupied Palestinian Territories
December 31, 2007
Cambridge delegation returns with stories from Bethlehem
January 1, 2008
Promises vs. reality: new construction in the Israeli settlement of Ma’ale Adumim
January 2, 2008
Entering Gaza
January 6, 2008
Beach walk, Gaza City
January 8, 2008
Naser Pediatric Hospital, Gaza City, besieged
January 13, 2008
A story about my friend Ibrahem in Gaza
January 18, 2008
Gaza Changes—2005 – 2008
January 18, 2008
Attack—Gaza
January 21, 2008
Our trip to Rafah
January 24, 2008
And more to come
i would like to know if there is a chance to send art supplies and drawings from children in NJ to children in the GAza Strip. I have many supplies and drawings ready to be delivered. i started this project 9 years ago. it is called artalk international. it is a very informal group, but we have been able to send hundreds of pounds of art supplies in small parcels to about 20 couintreis where the children are in need. i would like to send you my brochure. if you are interested or think you can advise me…
thank you for your courage
respectfully
janis
fair lawn, NJ
hello janis,
i’ll forward your offer to amal sabawi, the director of the gaza quaker youth program. she might have leads. i don’t.
mail is virtually impossible at this point to gaza. the most reliable transport mechanism is a human being. and how likely is finding such a human being? at the moment, close to zero i’m afraid.
feel free to send me your brochure.
would you consider sending those materials to the west bank? much more possible.
good luck, and thanks for your offer.
–skip