Intifada is an Arabic word which means "to shake off." Palestinians use this phrase to express their strong resistance to the 41 year old Israeli occupation of the Palestine Territories. Unfortunately, our political leaders and our media have used Intifada in association with only violent resistance. In reality, there have been two times in the long Israeli occupation during which Palestinians used violence in response to the occupation. Unfortunately, some Palestinians do resort to violence. And, there are times when Palestinian youth threw stones at Israeli soldiers who fire back with their high powered automatic weapons or fire the huge guns atop heavily armored tanks or fire rockets from Hawk attack helicopters. We all agree violence must stop, no matter which side uses it.
It is apparent that Palestinians' efforts to shake off the Israeli occupation using violence have been ineffective and even counter productive. Israel has responded by imposing harsher restrictions throughout the Occupied Territories. These restrictions include such things as prolonged curfews, arbitrary arrests, pre-emptive strikes and checkpoint closings. Even though the Israeli Occupation is illegal, as repeatedly stated by the UN and the World Court, the actions of the occupying forces have gotten even more severe and blatant. The twenty-five foot high, concrete separation barrier that snakes within the Palestine Territories; the countless military checkpoints; the more than 220 illegal Israeli settlements on Palestine Territories; and the modern Israeli-only highways that connect the colonies, are all most blatant examples of the Israeli occupation. All these actions are making the Occupied Palestine Territories look like a piece of Swiss cheese.
The Israeli government justifies these actions with the argument that they are only protecting itself and its citizens. Security at all costs is a national theme in Israel. For the past sixty years the Israeli government has been saying that they live in the midst of countries who are working to "drive them into the sea." They have repeatedly argued that the "Arabs" (The Israeli government and the average Israeli citizen call Palestinians "Arabs." The Israeli government never uses the words Palestinian or Palestine), are not serious "partners for peace" and must be treated as Islamic fundamentalists and terrorists who want to destroy the Israeli way of life. Therefore, Israel must be super-vigilant and respond aggressively to protect their security. In addition, they firmly believe the Jews are "re-claiming" the land that was given to them by their God. We, in the United States, consistently hear the Israeli position in our media. We sympathize and empathize with Israel's struggles against terrorism. The media has depicted Palestinians as terrorists and Israelis as the victims of terrorism. Therefore, our support of Israel is unconditional, total, costly, and explicit.
What is the truth about the situation in Israel and the Occupied Palestine Territories? Are we, in the United States, being told the entire story? What is the Palestinian story? Is there another side to this on-going conflict that we haven't heard? In an effort to answer these questions, ten members of Ravensworth Baptist Church (Annandale, Virginia) traveled to the area and met with Israeli Jews, Israeli Christians, Israeli Muslims, Palestinian Christians, Palestinian Muslims, and internationals. On this trip (taken in November, 2007), we also visited the traditional holy sites and walked where Jesus walked in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, and the Galilee.
We learned from the people with whom we talked that more effective efforts to shake off the Israeli occupation are performed daily throughout the Occupied Palestine Territories. These efforts are persistent, non-violent and individual acts of courage performed daily by Palestinians. When our group met with students at Bethlehem University, we asked them "What is your hope for the future?" Bill (not his real name), a second year student majoring in Information Technology, said, "I can't think about the future. I don't have any control over what happens. But, I know I have to be at school everyday - no matter what I have to do to get here. Me being here, everyday, is my silent intifada." He expressed his resistance to the Israeli occupation with a personal dignity uncommon to someone of his age and living under these challenging conditions.
We learned that Bill lives just outside of Bethlehem. In order for him to get to school he has to go through a checkpoint. There are two checkpoints through the concrete separation barrier now completely encircling Bethlehem, making it a virtual open-air prison and very reminiscent of the ghettos of Eastern Europe. The checkpoints are guarded by Israeli soldiers, who are young men and women with automatic machine guns strapped to their shoulders. There are days when the soldiers close the checkpoints for prolonged periods of time - without explanation. There are other times when it may take hours for Palestinians to get through the checkpoint. In addition, Bill has to carry Israeli-issued identification papers and travel permits. These travel permits are expensive and take months to receive. In Bill's judgment, the humiliation he has to go through every day to get to school is worth the price for shaking off the Israeli Occupation.
Mary (not her real name), a fourth year student majoring in English Literature, arrived to our meeting about two hours late. She, nonetheless, mingled and got involved in our discussions. As we were leaving, we asked her if everything was alright. She told us, with tears welling up in her eyes, that Israeli soldiers had closed down the refugee camp where she lives. That morning they arrested her brother. We asked her what her brother had done to be arrested. She said, "Nothing. They don't need a reason to arrest people. They'll keep him in jail, without charges and they'll never take him to court. Then, after a few weeks or a few months in jail - where they'll beat him - then they'll release him. This happens all the time." Mary was almost resigned to this kind of mistreatment. She described this harassment with a dignity that is hard to describe. And, if this was the reality of what she has to live with, then she will do whatever it takes to rise above the violence imposed on her family. She told us, "I have to do this for my country." In Mary's judgment, all the harassment she has to go through in order for her to be in school is worth the price she has to pay to shake off the Israeli Occupation.
We met with Gilbert (not his real name), an Israeli Jew who is attending graduate school in Jerusalem. He is actively involved with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). He took us on a tour of West Jerusalem and East Jerusalem. He told us that East Jerusalem, even though it is totally occupied by Palestinians, has been annexed by Israel and its residents have to pay taxes to the Israeli government, just like the residents of West Jerusalem. Gilbert asked us to take note of the municipal services the taxes should provide - such as street pavement, storm drains, street lights, sidewalks, garbage collection, etc. We quietly observed those services as we drove through both areas.
West Jerusalem had nicely paved, tree-lined streets, with sidewalks and street lamps. The streets were clean. East Jerusalem, on the other hand, was strewn with uncollected garbage; the pavement was pot-filled and the streets were without sidewalks, and there was not one street lamp to be seen anywhere. The differences were striking.
Ahmad, our bus driver, lives in East Jerusalem. He has had his house demolished twice. The first time was a total surprise. All of his pleading and arguing with the soldiers did not stop the demolition. The soldiers told him they were just "obeying the law." He later discovered that he needed an Israeli permit to have a house there, even though he had a British issued deed from the time of the British Mandate. Ahmad did not know he also needed an Israeli permit. He subsequently applied for the expensive Israeli permit and after months of waiting, he rebuilt his house. His house was demolished again, for reasons that remain unclear. In addition, to add insult to injury, the Israeli government sent a bill to Ahmad for the cost of each demolition. We learned that every house in East Jerusalem is subject to demolition. There are about ten houses demolished every month. The selection of houses to be demolished appears to be capricious. The Palestinians living in East Jerusalem wake up every morning not knowing if it's their turn to lose their house. Ahmad responded to this intimidation with an uncommon dignity. He wants to obey the laws of Israel, if only he was made aware of them.
It is easy to understand when people are humiliated, harassed, and intimidated daily, as so many Palestinians are under the Israeli Occupation, that they can easily respond using violence. However, the Palestinians with whom we spoke, regardless of whether they were Christians or Muslims or whether they lived in Israel or the Occupied Palestinian Territories, all displayed a dignity that transcended the brutal occupation. They make difficult choices every day. They choose to shake off the Israeli occupation using persistent, non-violent and individual acts of courage. Their silent intifadas are like candles in a dark room. Darkness cannot defeat the light.
Ghassan J. Tarazi
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