PunkAssBlog.com

This week marks 40 years of Israel’s occupation of Gaza, the West Bank, and East Jerusalem. It will be marked by worldwide protests. Undoubtedly, only those protests that involve property destruction or violence will make the news. Stories about the violence of the occupation itself, like this news segment from Al Jazeera, are frequently not told at all outside of the Arab press:

Sam PF has an excellent round-up of links, including retrospectives on what these past 40 years have meant for both Palestinians and Israelis, and current stories about daily life under the occupation. It’s well worth a read.

My friend S. is currently in the West Bank. In one of her recent e-mails, she wrote about an IDF invasion of a Palestinian family’s house in a village near Ramallah. She and her contact were able to negotiate with the army and get them to leave. She’s an international observer—an American-born Jew, at that—and her presence counts for something. Still, when the soldiers left, the family discovered that they had stolen $1500 shekels, unplugged the phone, used the computer, moved the furniture, and destroyed part of the fence. They gave no explanation for why this was necessary, explaining only: “We’re on a mission.”

S. fumed:

i have sent so many emails over time about all of this. but like my last brief visit to the unholy land seeing it up close is unspeakable. you cannot believe that this absurd system exists. but it does. and though i am trying to think about how i can help, i’ll be going home to my comfortable but messy apartment with cats better fed than many people here. i have money in the bank and live in a country [that] controls its own water resources.

things are much worse than they were when i was last here. how can this be? why is it that we are not having an effect? being here makes it feel more dire, because it is. when i return home, i’ll no doubt continue with activism as before, still searching for new ways to have an effect. consciously trying to take my cues from palestinians.

conscious but complicit.

I’d like to draw your attention to a few organizations that are working to end a situation that looks to many of us in the West as beyond resolution and beyond hope. If you’re looking for a way to get involved (or donate money to a good cause), have a look:

The International Solidarity Movement engages in non-violent direct action by challenging checkpoints and house demolitions, escorting civilians, documenting human rights abuses, and participating in demonstrations.

The International Women’s Peace Service is an international team of women that observes and intervenes in human rights abuses in the West Bank.

Zochrot is an Israeli group working to raise awareness of the Nakba, the Palestinian catastrophe of 1948.

Project Hope brings educational opportunities to Palestinian children.

Maysoon’s Kids runs an art program for disabled, wounded, and at risk refugee children.

Zeitouna, a group of Arab and Jewish women living in Ann Arbor, Michigan, engage in dialogue sessions, public speaking engagements, peace activism, and solidarity trips. A documentary about their work, Refusing to Be Enemies, recently premiered.

Zatoun brings fair trade Palestinian olive oil to North America.