So … the Walk the Green Line part of my story is just about complete.  My future plan is to continue bringing this experience forward by assembling the images and voices of my journey into a PowerPoint presentation (perhaps something I can put on the blog), called Embracing a New Narrative on the Middle East. The program will be a more abbreviated and synthesized version of what you see here.

I hope at least a few of you  tried to make your way through the posts on this Blog.  I wanted these entries to be intentionally dense, filled with as many nuances and details as I could capture.  My rationale?  My hope is for you to find something in all these stories to surprise, inspire, motivate or astonish you, and to find at least one thing that you can support wholeheartedly as a peace activist with special interest in  peaceful coexistence in the Middle East and new possibilities for successful resolution of what continues to be “described” as the intractable conflict in Israel / Palestine.   If you didn’t, then either I did not do my job adequately, OR you’ve already made up your mind where your loyalties lie and I’m sorry to confuse you with details that ask you to “reconsider.”

In either case, there are even more initiatives that I did not have time to explore in detail while I was in that region of the world.  Nevertheless, I’d like to offer a few highlights on several of these in case something I missed  holds more interest for you personally than the programs I tried to describe.

Perhaps, the one fundamental “takeaway” I have to offer is my conviction that anyone can FIND whatever she or he goes looking for….    I went to Israel / Palestine looking for  a few fragile sprouts of promising projects and instead I found dozens of sturdy “new growth” fields, being cultivated by every generation living in the Holy Land today.  It’s all there, waiting for you to nurture the programs and tend to the needs of those who never cease to hope and believe peace is possible.  In fact, it is inevitable!

Pushing to demilitarize the holy land…

Among the “movements” that most pleasantly surprised me were the number and scope of organizations dedicated to the demilitarization of the holy land on both sides of the Green Line.   Earlier, I spoke at length about Combatants for Peace (and in particular  Wael’s  story on the Palestinian side).  So now I’d like to turn to  the Israeli side, and tell about at least three vigorous and growing organizations.  I did get the opportunity to speak briefly with individuals involved in a few of these, but ran out of time for longer visits.  Perhaps when I return there will no longer be a need to visit these folks.  Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she.

New Profile

New Profile is a group I’ve been following with a great deal of interest for some time.  I’m very  drawn to their overall message of demilitarization and their analysis of  how  a constant and heightened state of war readiness is negatively impacting Israeli society.   I had hoped to connect with someone in this group during my stay in Israel, but since the Gaza bombing,  New Profile has had their computers confiscated and several members have been arrested.  According to a June 6, 2009 news report, the group is currently under criminal investigation for “inciting desertion at war…” ostensibly a charge linked to  their support of and aid to young conscientious objectors refusing military service.  Again, I encourage you to  join me in taking a deeper look into this organization, whose charter begins with the following paragraph:

“We, a group of feminist women and men, are convinced that we need not live in a soldiers’ state. Today, Israel is capable of a determined peace politics. It need not be a militarized society. We are convinced that we ourselves, our children, our partners, need not go on being endlessly mobilized, need not go on living as warriors. We understand that the state of war in Israel is maintained by decisions made by our politicians – not by external forces to which we are passively subject. While taught to believe that the country is faced by threats beyond its control, we now realize that the words “national security” have often masked calculated decisions to choose military action for the achievement of political goals.”

Breaking the Silence

A different but related group that captured my attention is a group of veteran Israeli soldiers who have served in the occupied territories since the outbreak of the Second Intifadah.  Their main objective is to collect testimonies from military personnel who participated in or have been witness to military actions  they can no longer tolerate nor justify.  They have committed the resources of their organization to alerting Israeli society to the spread of military corruption carried out in their name.  According to their website, the group claims that “In order to become a civilian again, soldiers are forced to ignore their past experiences. Breaking the Silence voices the experiences of those soldiers, in order to force Israeli society to address the reality which it created.”

Again, I spoke by phone with one of the members of this group, who helps  organize weekly visits to Hebron for civilians, accompanied by members of the organizations.  Esther and I were scheduled to take the trip, but it was canceled by Israeli security forces.    When I asked why, the organizer I was speaking with shrugged and replied, “Who knows,  go ask the IDF.”  When I asked if I might interview him later in the week when I returned from my other travels,  he mentioned he was a religious  Jew and that the Friday and Saturday I had available wouldn’t work for him.  There we are again, another stereotype shattered.

Shministim

Shministim is a growing organization of 18 and 19 year old Israeli conscientious objectors refusing to serve in the Israeli Army based on their opposition to the Occupation.  These young people are facing or currently serving jail sentences for their beliefs.  I think it best for you to hear them speak for themselves rather than attempting to paraphrase their powerful message.  Please visit:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjraWVhXIOc&NR=1 This is their YouTube video called, Israel’s Young Conscientious Objectors, Shministim imprisoned.

Refuseniks:  http://www.seruv.org.il/defaultEng.asp

And lest we forget, here’s a chance to re-read the 2002 letter of the group of Israeli Reservists who went public with their refusal to serve in Gaza and the West Bank.

A Declaration of Israeli Reservists – A Refusal to Serve in the West Bank and Gaza

We, reserve combat officers and soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces, who were raised upon the principles of Zionism, sacrifice and giving to the people of Israel and to the State of Israel, who have always served in the front lines, and who were the first to carry out any mission, light or heavy, in order to protect the State of Israel and strengthen it.  We, combat officers and soldiers who have served the State of Israel for long weeks every year, in spite of the dear cost to our personal lives, have been on reserve duty all over the Occupied Territories, and were issued commands and directives that had nothing to do with the security of our country, and that had the sole purpose of perpetuating our control over the Palestinian people. We, whose eyes have seen the bloody toll this Occupation exacts from both sides.  We, who sensed how the commands issued to us in the Territories, destroy all the values we had absorbed while growing up in this country.  We, who understand now that the price of Occupation is the loss of IDF’s human character and the corruption of the entire Israeli society.  We, who know that the Territories are not Israel, and that all settlements are bound to be evacuated in the end.  We hereby declare that we shall not continue to fight this War of the Settlements. We shall not continue to fight beyond the 1967 borders in order to dominate, expel, starve and humiliate an entire people. We hereby declare that we shall continue serving in the Israel Defense Forces in any mission that serves Israel’s defense. The missions of occupation and oppression do not serve this purpose– and we shall take no part in them.

Safe spaces for Israeli and Palestinian Young People:

In addition to Hand in Hand, the bi-lingual, bi-cultural school I described earlier in this blog, and the community Neve Shalom – Wahat al-Salam – Oasis of Peace – there are  a number of other groups and organizations trying to carry out programs to give the young people being hammered by the messages of war and tales of their enemies, opportunities to have completely different experiences.  Some of these include:

Open House, in Ramle

OPEN HOUSE Center at 1 Klausner Street in Ramle was founded in 1991 to further peace and coexistence among Israeli Arabs and Jews in this mixed city of 65,000 residents. The ratio of 53,000 Jews to 12,000 Arabs parallels the Jewish-Arab ratio in the State of Israel generally, making Ramle a microcosm of the country. The house on Klausner Street is an even smaller microcosm, for the two families who have lived there before and after 1948 represent the two nations laying claim to the land of Israel/Palestine.  OPEN HOUSE has two inter-related goals: to provide educational and social opportunities to Arab children and their families through our Center for the Development of the Arab Child; and to be a place of encounter and cooperation between Jews and Arabs in the Ramle-Lod area through our Center for Jewish-Arab Coexistence.  Programs include our annual Summer Peace Camp, a Jewish-Arab Parents’ Network, Coexistence Training Programs for teachers and other social service professionals, an Environmental Arts Program for Jewish and Arab youth, facilitated encounters between 7th and 8th grade students, sports tournaments, and holiday celebrations for Jewish and Arab families.

PeaceInsight  – Website: http://www.peaceinsight.org/

PeaceInsight is a new, exciting, peace education organisation for teenagers from Palestine and Israel. The young people come to a two-week residential summer camp in Britain and learn how to deal with conflict, fear, prejudice and hatred.

Seeds of Peace – Website:  www.seedsofpeace.org/about

Founded in 1993 by journalist John Wallach, Seeds of Peace is dedicated to empowering young leaders from regions of conflict with the leadership skills required to advance reconciliation and coexistence.  Seeds of Peace’s mission is to help young people from regions of conflict develop the leadership skills necessary to advance reconciliation and coexistence.   There  are now nearly 4,000 young Seeds of Peace leaders making a positive difference in the Middle East, South Asia, and the United States.

Creativity for Peace – Website: www.creativityforpeace.com/

Creativity for Peace is a year-round program that brings adolescent girls from Palestine and Israel out of the violence and conflict of their communities into the safe New Mexico countryside for a three-week summer program that teaches leadership and communication skills and promotes understanding, trust and reconciliation.

Seeking Common Ground and Building Bridges for Peace – Website: www.peaceinsight.org/

Colorado’s “homegrown” program:

Building Bridges for Peace is the flagship program for Seeking Common Ground.  BBFP brings together young women and men (16-19) from Israel, Palestine and the United States to participate in an intensive summer program.  During their time together participants learn new communication techniques, develop leadership skills and engage in activities that promote peace and the status and empowerment of youth.  After the summer program participants return to their respective communities to continue in a year long follow-up program.  Our inaugural program took place during the summer of 1994.  These young women and men are able to meet and learn from participants from diverse ethnic, racial and religious communities.

(FRIENDS – ARE YOU STARTING TO GET THE IDEA HERE??????)

Ongoing Peace Policy Conversations:

IPCRI Israel Palestince Center for Research and Information – Website: www.ipcri.org/

(Currently my personal favorite!) Co-directed by Israeli Gershon Baskin and Palestinian Hanna Siniora, IPCRI is not only the sponsor of this recent Walk the Green Line experience, but they host regular Israeli / Palestinian panel discussions and in-depth conversations at the Ambassador Hotel in Jerusalem, providing in-depth analysis of all aspects of   the most current thinking and proposals for negotiating peace in the Holy Land.   And among many other programs, they regularly host ongoing teacher training workshops on peace education for educators from both sides of the Green Line (see their website for opportunities to sponsor a teacher to attend these workshops).

Peace Research Institute in the Middle East (PRIME) – Website: www.vispo.com/PRIME/

Did you ever feel the need to read the Historical Narrative of both the Palestinian and the Israeli sides of this conflict?  Well, guess what, you CAN.  PRIME has created the Dual-Narrative HIstory project called: “Learning Each Other’s Historical Narrative” in Israeli and Palestinian Schools.”  And the best part, you can down load the First and the Second Test booklets directly from their website.  DO IT.  I am.

Talitha Kumi, P.O.Box 7, Beit Jalah, Palestinian National Authority US Contact: Robert Loeb Tel & Fax: 973-748-6113 Email: RLoeb@AOL.com

MEPeace – Website: www.mepeace.org/

Here’s one of my FAVORITE finds.  Visit this website to seek and FIND a whole range of Peace initiatives and organizations, emerging and thriving in the Holy Land.  Find the old timers, still actively and creatively working, like Gush Shalom and some of the new ones I am reporting here.  Heck, if I can find all these, I’m convinced you will have NO PROBLEM.

JUST VISION -  Website:  www.justvision.org/en/about

And don’t even get me started on the number of films and videos available to document the kinds of programs I’ve been talking about.  But, no need to take my word for this.  There is an entire catalog you can order from if you visit the Just Vision website.  The other thing I love about this organization is that they have a link to what they call  “portraits” which highlight the wonderful work of many of the good people you have just been reading about. “Just Vision is a nonprofit organization that informs local and international audiences about under-documented Palestinian and Israeli joint civilian efforts to resolve the conflict nonviolently. Using media and educational tools, we raise awareness in order to encourage civic participation in grassroots peace building. At Just Vision, we believe in the value of cooperative Palestinian and Israeli efforts to build a sustainable, free and safe future for all, and the importance of media coverage to raise awareness of these courageous endeavors.   We also believe that there is no silver bullet to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict; a lasting solution will require participation from everyone in every sector. Civil society therefore has a significant role to play in catalyzing a diplomatic resolution to the conflict.    Just Vision researches and documents the range of Palestinian-Israeli non-violent initiatives to end the conflict.  We create multimedia – including documentary film and the Online Network for Peace at www.justvision.org – to highlight Palestinians and Israelis who are adopting strategic methods to end the bloodshed and set the stage for a diplomatic resolution.  We seek to empower peace builders to become more visible, valued and effective in their work; to challenge stereotypes; to encourage participation among Arab, American, Palestinian and Israeli audiences in peace building; and to resource community leaders and organizations so that they can amplify the message of non-violence and civic participation in conflict resolution efforts.  Our goal is to expose Israelis, Palestinians, broader Arab and American audiences to non-violent civic peace builders from both sides of the conflict who are working together to foster understanding and trust.  Through education, we seek to inspire those who are not yet involved to explore and take part in the range of sectors in which conflict resolution work is happening.

FINALLY, REALLY, I MEAN IT THIS TIME:

The growing Green Party in Israel / Palestine

Gershon Baskin of IPRCRI has recently become active in the Green Party run for the Knesset and reported that after  a campaign cut short by the Gaza war, they still managed a very respectable showing .  They are quite optimistic about the next election and report that the Green Party holds very promising potential for bringing together peace, justice and environment advocates on both sides of the Green line.  Read more about prospects for this  unity message in Israel Green Party’s Unofficial Blog at:  http://greenerisrael.wordpress.com/

Actually, I could go on…

but realistically I have to  stop sometime.  It has been both a challenge and a privilege for me to post everything I could, and I’m certain I’ve forgotten more than I’ve included.  But thank you all for indulging me; and standby for WTGL, the PowerPoint, coming to a venue near you some time this summer.

in love and peace,

Elissa Tivona

This account would not be complete without sharing one more unexpected surprise,  a conversation that confirmed  how far afield my own inclinations to stereotype can take me.  As some of you know, my return flight was through Frankfurt, Germany where a stopped off for a couple days to spend time with dear friends in Manheim, Germany.  (Some may  have met this lovely lady recently at Shannon’s Bat Mitzvah in November.)   T. and I became good friends (more like “twins” separated at birth) when we first met years ago at the Jewish Renewal Kallah in the Chicago area.  Not only was that her first trip to the US but also her first major experience of Jewish Renewal.  She jokingly referred to herself as a “professional” Jew because she holds a Masters in Jewish Studies from Heidelberg University.  Her Jewish practice is modern Orthodox, consistent with most present-day German Jewish religious communities.  Like so many of us, she comes from a deeply wounded family who narrowly escaped Hitler’s master plan by fleeing to the region then known as Palestine.  This journey was highly traumatizing and her parents eventually returned to Germany, where they lived out lives in frightening and dysfunctional isolation in her father’s original homeland.  Perhaps she and I are an unlikely pair, but this woman is one of the most genuine and delightful educators I have ever had the pleasure to meet; she loves nothing better then to wrestle with religious and spiritual questions at every level and to bring those of us lucky enough to be present along for the ride.

Despite our abiding friendship,  I felt apprehensive about sharing the details of my Walk the Green Line experience with her. I assumed I knew her “position” (without ever really asking), and was nervous that our different perspectives might jeopardize our close friendship.  After chiding myself for  cowardice, I decided I needed to let her speak for herself.  I took out my trusty recorder and asked her to tell me what she thought were the best prospects for peace.  Was I in for a surprise?

Eventually, in my powerpoint, I will have her “speak for herself” by using excerpts of our recorded conversation, but for now I’d like to paraphrase a few of her comments.  First of all she was unequivocal in her belief that there needed to be a firm boundary established between a sovereign and secure state of Israel and a sovereign and secure state of Palestine (sounds a lot like a two state solution to me….).  She felt a complete separation was necessary to give both sides ample time (maybe even as long as a generation???) to heal.

Being somewhat encouraged by hearing this perspective, I gently snuck up on the issue of  settlements, thinking this would be the major point of departure in our viewpoints.  This was even a greater surprise!   She told me in no uncertain terms that if there were people who felt for one reason or another they needed to remain on the “Palestinian” side, say by virtue of the fact that they paid for the land, bought their homes, etc. that they should not be prevented from staying, but that they would have to remain there as citizens of the state of Palestine.  (Wait a minute?  What did she say?)  Yes, they should have Palestinian citizenship just as Arabs on the Israeli side have Israeli citizenship.  Okay, now I’m thinking there is really something wrong with my hearing.   But, my religious, orthodox Jewish friend went even further.  She explained to me that many of the ultra orthodox did not have the best interests of Israel or the Jewish people at heart, that they were serving their own agendas and egos.   I don’t know that I can paraphrase her rationale with the degree of accuracy that she offered, but I’ll try.

Apparently, according to Jewish law (Halachah),  a Jew must not relinquish (give back) land originally ordained by Torah for the Jewish people.  HOWEVER (and this is a biggie!!), she went on to explain that thousands of years ago Jewish sages emphatically established that ANY Jewish law can and MUST be broken in order to observe the highest of all laws, which is to PRESERVE LIFE, any life!  What really riled up my Orthodox Jewish friend was that the fanatical settlers, in preaching their own “entitlement” to land, were oblivious to this critical legal precedent to which religious Jews are obligated.  She thought this indicated a woeful ignorance of the Jewish religion and centuries of tradition.

Finally, completely unsolicited, she noted that as far as she could tell a large majority of the “fanatics” immigrated from the US within the last few decades, and were retaining US citizenship as a “fail safe.”  I think she based this idea on the fact that the vast majority spoke Hebrew with an American accent (…something  I could neither  prove nor deny…)  In a joking fashion, she quipped that if Obama was really serious about stopping development expansion, he could simply threaten to revoke their US passports.  (Hey this was her idea, not mine; but it gave me pause….)

Consider this a “preview of coming attractions”  because for the past two weeks  at every turn in the road I encountered the unexpected.  And my goal is for you to be as surprised and, perhaps, as chastened as I am.

Even on my way out of town in a taxi from Jerusalem to Tel Aviv, I made time to stop off at a place I’ve wanted to visit for a long time.  For years I have heard stories of the Oasis of Peace (or Neve Shalom in Hebrew and Wahat al-Salam in Arabic), but in my mind’s eye I always pictured two separate communities in  close proximity.  The reality was an unexpected surprise, the Oasis of Peace is a single intentional community in which Jewish and Arab Israelis choose to live together.  Wahat al-Salam/Neve Shalom was the brain child of Fr. Bruno Hussar (deceased) who dreamed  of a community where Christians, Jews and Muslims would live in an “oasis of peace,”  as a model for what peaceful coexistence throughout the Middle East might one day look like.    Like many Israeli cooperative communities, settlements and  kibbutzim, people “apply” to live in the Oasis, and if newcomers are compatible with the philosophy of the community they are invited to join as members and build, purchase or rent residences.  Over the years, the community has evolved into  a thriving binational community of Jewish and Arab Israeli citizens, predominantly middle class,  many  working in nearby TelAviv/Jaffa or Jerusalem.  However, in the early years, the community struggled to define and establish itself and to overcome physical and financial hardships.   To this day, members must continue to engage actively to bridge difficult political and philosophical differences, and as our guide told us this can be a “messy business,” rarely easy, but, evidently, the commitment is holding.     Today, an expanding set of programs are based at NSWAS, and I encourage you to read more about all of these on the website (http://nswas.org/rubrique22.html).  They include The School for Peace, The Children’s Educational System (serving both residential children and  children from surrounding communities), the Pluralistic Spiritual Centre,  A Youth Club, and a wide range of  humanitarian aid programs and medical relief mostly to those in greatest need due to the ongoing conflict.   In addition, WAS-NS runs a 39-room hotel, with swimming pool, conference halls and cafe to accommodate visiting peace groups and activists from around the world. Visitors can choose from planned programs or work with WAS-NS staff to create something of special interest.

Our visit concluded much too quickly, but before we left, we spent a short time driving around several side streets, peering into gardens of brilliant flowers or  between the homes out to pastoral vistas of gently rolling farmlands.  As we started back toward the highway,  Esther  explained to our driver that this was a community where Arabs and Jews lived together.   At one point Esther translated  his Hebrew response.  Apparently he said, “No, that’s not possible – Arabs and Jews cannot live together.”   Although I didn’t even try to understand their rapid exchange, I could tell by Esther’s tone she was encouraging him to look around and judge for himself.   The driver was a personable young Syrian man, relaxed and  forthcoming about his personal life .  He mentioned  he was recently divorced, and although he drove taxi to make money, his  passion was drumming for a MiddleEast band.  I asked if he had any CD’s or tapes, but they were back at his apartment in Jerusalem. Instead, he gave us a live demonstration, drumming enthusiastically on the steering column as he drove.  Unable to pass up the opportunity, I dug out  my digital recorder and managed to capture a few minutes of his “performance.”    I’m really glad I did because as he listened to the playback over the headphones, we were rewarded with a glowing smile and he requested that I try again because he was sure he could perform even better the second time.

So, my friends, I’m nearly to the end of this saga … although we traveled back to Tantur, and those of us remaining (who didn’t have cabs or flights to catch) stuck around for debriefing and final goodbyes and promises to contact each other with our own “stories” and reflections on our experiences.
Now that the walk is finished ….   I  hope I’ve been able to crack open a  door, to shed a sliver of light on a different kind of story about the Middle East. I wanted to provide narratives to reflect on and pass along to friends and interest groups that challenge fixed and monolithic stereotypes about people trapped in political struggle.  For me, my “knowing” has changed for good, or perhaps not so much changed as morphed.   I began this journey with the suspicion that the world is mostly populated with people simply trying to get on with their lives, not with people eager to embrace violent deaths.   The encounters I had on this trip have provided a sense of authenticity and transformed my suspicions into unshakeable  convictions.  Today I carry with me the names, photos and addresses of all those who took a bit of  time out of their daily lives to meet and visit and tour with us. Their images remain – stirring my heart and unclouding my vision.    People across every conceivable divide are hungry for voices of hope to supplant voices of hatred; they welcome messages of reconciliation although perhaps remain doubtful on “achievability.”  However, most reasonable human beings realize that if no one tries, then hope is surely unattainable.  I’ve shared stories of people who spend their lives trying!   Still, the most common question asked by people endorsing one narrative or another  is,  “BUT how widespread are ideas and projects like these? Afterall this is just a  small minority, right?”    Today, I’m wondering why people believe this is so…    What makes us so willing to accept that terrorist ideologies and tactics are the norm?   In fact, my experience suggests the exact opposite.  100% of people I encountered were simply going about the business of making a differences.  Extremists who advocate life threatening philosophies are the spoilers, who sadly hijack our attention and distract us from the real work of making the places we live into peaceable and sustainable communities.

Updates on Eliyahu Mclean, Jerusalem Peacemakers, and Bustan, Sustainable Community Action for Land and People

If you would indulge me for a few more posts, I want to share a couple of significant visits that I had after the walk was completed.  When Esther and I got back to her apartment, in the midst of laundry and packing to depart, we arranged for two more visits in the Holy Land.  First,  we set up a meeting with my old friend Eliyahu Mclean, one of the founders and tireless activists involved in Jerusalem Peacemakers.  Turns out his apartment is literally down the street from where Esther was staying.  So on my last evening in Jerusalem we sat in his apartment for an “update.”   Our conversation included another of Eliyahu’s guests, Bette Hoover, who just returned from assisting Bustan, a Bedouin advocacy organization, founded by our old friend and Perspective on Peacemaking Speaker, Devorah Brous.  How’s that for serendipity?   Eliyahu took a break from his computer, where he and an assistant were  quite busy arranging permits for Palestinians to participate the upcoming “Big Hug” in Jerusalem on June 21, 2009.  The Big Hug and the Sulha, two of the “action” centerpieces of Jerusalem peacemakers is actually taking place this coming weekend.  And I for one will be following along on their website.  Take a peek at http://www.loversofjerusalem.org/activities.html.
The goal of the Big Hug and indeed of all Eliyahu’s work is to “Shift Human Consciousness from Separation to Unity.  We can only do it together…”  Although struggling to make ends meet by marketing “green” products, Eliyahu (and friends) continue to build a reputation (sometimes simply by word of mouth) for being at the center of true spiritual enlightenment in Jerusalem, as he welcomes people of EVERY persuasion (from non-believers to ultra orthodox in every faith) into his home for chanting, prayer, dance and conversation.  And it seems to be working because as yet those who refuse to sit together in any other circle make their way to his home and to these events on a regular basis.  One especially delightful development is that he told us about a couple places (one on some privately owned land near the Dead Sea) where walls and barriers are non-existent.  This spot has become a frequent peaceful gathering place for Palestinians and Israelis, often attracting large numbers of young people.  Well would you expect anything else for a young orthodox Jewish man originally raised in the meditation practices of his parents home in Hawaii, and combining these traditions with a fresh embrace of his Jewish roots.   It’s just impossible not to love this guy, but beyond that, I have deep admiration for his hard work which manifests as regular, all-inclusive, carefully planned and beautifully orchestrated celebrations!
Although Eliyahu had to leave for another meeting, Esther, Bette and I continued our conversations over a bottle of wine at a corner bistro.  This gave us a wonderful chance to listen to Bette’s stories of the Bedouin communities where she lived and worked.  Bustan is currently reorganizing under new leadership, as an NGO that continues to work in the Bedouin and Jewish communities of the Negev with the goal of  “Sustainable Community Action for Land and People through analysis, education, and action, we work for fair resource allocation and environmental and social justice for all peoples in the region.”   Devorah has returned to the US (…I’m hoping to find her e-mail…) and will be getting married this summer in California.   Mazel Tov Devorah!    One bit of sad news for those of us who know Devorah, apparently the straw bale clinic she helped to build for Bedouin communities has burned down due to a freak accident.  I was heartsick about this.  But, Bette reassured us that Bustan is re-organizing and charting this new more expansive course (which I certainly hope includes rebuilding the clinic….  I encourage you to learn more on their website www.bustan.org)  In addition to getting caught up on Bustan, another especially lovely of this conversation, was the opportunity to talk about feminist perspectives, which can be precious difficult to come by in the Holy Land.  Although I wouldn’t have traded even one experience that we had during our Walk the Green Line, one bit of feedback I offered Gershon for next year is that I would love to meet and hear more from the women of the regions, on both sides!

A Walk through the Beit Jala Checkpoint with Machsom Watch

Our last stop before heading back to Tantur for  debriefing and last good-byes to  friends and fellow “walkers” was at the Beit Jala Checkpoint. From time to time during our last day, the bus passed back and forth across the Green Line and, frankly, I couldn’t determine a rhyme or reason to when we were required to stop for Israeli guards to check the bus and our passports and when we did not.  It was always a bit stressful for me to have armed guides filing up and back down the bus aisle; and one time I was personally ordered not to take pictures out the window and was closely supervised while I erased one of my photos.  Also, at one point the security guards detained a gentleman from our bus who did not have his passport with him.  This caused quite a stir as the Hebrew speakers from our group began to wrangle with the guards.  Not always the best approach….    One quick thinking young man from our group got on the phone with Gershon who quickly got us sorted out and back underway.

But our current  objective was for the bus to take us to a place to unload where Ronnie Hammerman, a volunteer with the organization Machsom Watch, would meet with us,  answer questions and accompany us through the checkpoint on foot.  Machsom Watch is a long-standing NGO (since 2001) comprised of  Israeli women who volunteer to regularly  monitor individual checkpoints, document and record their observations and intervene when it will serve a constructive purpose.

I thought back to earlier  conversations with our Ein Kerem friend, Salach, who acknowledged that  his experience at the checkpoint definitely improved when Machsom Watch volunteers began attending.  Today, Ronnie is a familiar face to both Israeli security forces and the many thousands of Palestinians attempting to move back and forth through the checkpoint.

Although on a busy street corner and even after we moved under the large warehouse style shelter, it was difficult to hear Ronnie.  But she made an effort to explain the role  Machsom Watch is trying to play, although later, Yael an IPCRI staffer and another long time volunteer with Machsom Watch, confided that there is a long running debate on whether or not Machsom Watch  is aiding the Occupation by making their job easier.   Interesting….

A very long line of cars waited on the street side of the checkpoint, but the wait on the pedestrian side was relatively short at the time  we arrived.   Even so, the approach to the check point, through a narrow caged corridor ending at a turnstile regulated by security forces, had a distinctively prison-like feel.  Each person had to wait for a green light indicating that he or she could pass through the turnstile.  At that point the procedure was  much like most airports where all “carry through” items had to be placed on a conveyor belt and run through an xray machine.  Each individual also walked through an xray and then had to show permits (for internationals that meant passports) to guards seated behind bullet proof glass.   Once again, guards insisted on restricting picture taking, and a young woman in our group was detained while guards came out from behind the glass and supervised as she erased several photos.  I’m not quite sure I understand this precaution because at this point in timem the checkpoint experience has been very well documented, but then the lesson for me was how erratic and arbitrary this process feels at any given time.  Basically security forces can ask anything at any time and there are very few alternatives.  And when the checkpoint is closed, well, that’s it! No one gets through!   Aside from the photo incident most of us got through.  However, one of our ranks, an Egyptian diplomat serving at the Egyptian embassy in Tel Aviv, who passed through the official checkpoint, was accosted by three armed guards as he emerged on the other side.   And again, there was quite a fracas as they insisted on re-examining his papers, questioned him extensively and were considering detaining him.  (A bit of racial profiling, perhaps?) Fortunately,  Ronnie got us straightened out, and from that point on we proceeded without further incident.  But the whole checkpoint experience left two distinct and oddly contrasting impressions. The first was the highly charged atmosphere of fear among the  young Israeli soldiers, although they were all obviously heavily armed and  never engaged any individual in less than groups of two or three.  I can only imagine the weight  responsibility they would feel if even one assailant got through on their watch – a bit much for 18 and 19 year old kids.

The second impression was the mix of resignation and frustration on the other side – folks with very limited  options, who face this tedious and intimidating operation day in and day out, wasting hours and hours going out and then coming back in.  It struck me as extremely unwise to criminalize an entire population in an attempt to weed out  aberrant and twisted individuals.  And in fact, this point has not been lost on the Israeli military, and several alternate procedures are under consideration. But Ronnie expressed some serious reservations.  One option is to “privatize” security operations.  Machsom Watch is strongly opposed  as privatization would mean  much of the “operation” could take place out of public view; consequently, it would become much more difficult to hold the government accountable, which, at least at this point, is still possible.  Another strategy on the surface seemed to be moving in a much better direction, which is to hire Arabic speaking civilians to run the checkpoints and to humanize the process to a much greater degree.   Over course there is also  the whole issue of removing many of the checkpoints altogether and restoring greater freedom of movement within the West Bank, which of course would also imply limiting expansion of the settlements. So on and on we go….
As we rode back to Tantur, the final leg of our three days on the bus, Gershon asked us for our reactions to going through the checkpoint.   Although we were all clearly uncomfortable with the experience, he asked us to consider a government’s obligation to protect its citizens, and, if one agrees with this point-of-view, how might this obligation be achieved in an effective and reasonable manner.   This comment triggered quite a “heated” conversation (… if we were anywhere else other than Israel one might call it an argument …) between Yael  and Gershon.   After 3 days in their company, I have no doubt that both are strongly committed to ending the Occupation and equal advocates of  creating of two sovereign states, the question remains, what do we each do when we get up in the morning to manifest this reality?  This is not always as clearcut as we would like, and the “take away” for me is to get busy engaging the questions, rather than clinging to hard and fast notions of right and wrong.   I simply have to believe that justice, human rights and peace are achievable, and we must be  willing to examine the difficult questions with an eye for the humanity on both sides of a conflict.  Afterall, this was why I decided to make this trip in the first place.

We were nearing the completion of our journey, and unfortunately for our last presenters we were running quite late.   But we pressed on… and arrived in East Jerusalem for our mid-day meal which had been delayed until well into the afternoon.  In the midst of the bustle of taking our orders and delivering plentiful servings of middle east salads, pita and humus which preceded our individual Entres, we were joined in the restaurant by a large group of very excited school teachers, celebrating the successful  completion of another school year!   And true to “liberated” school teachers the world over, these ladies raised quite the ruckus, making it nearly impossible to carry on a conversation.  However, Esther and I were sitting across from our speaker, Wael Salame, who joined us to talk about the  organization Combatants for Peace.  Gershon postponed his formal presentation to the group for our bus ride to Anata (after lunch), but Esther and I strained to hear snippets of his story during our meal.

Wael was  first approached by friend and fellow freedom fighter on the Palestinian side, Basam Aramin.  At that time, having served close to 5 years in an Israeli prison, Wael refused to attend early CfP organizational meetings, expressing disbelief and a profound mistrust for anyone who served in the Israeli military.  He guessed that the whole thing was a ploy to get Palestinians together and ambush them.   Eventually, Wael began thinking back on several surprisingly candid conversations he had in prison with one of his Israeli guards.  AND,  Basam kept asking.    At a certain point, Wael relented,  although he stayed silent  during his entire first meeting, withholding his own stories.  Being fluent in both Arabic and Hebrew, Wael  intentionally eavesdropped on casual Israeli conversations listening intently for signs of “betrayal.”    He sat in genuine disbelief as both comrades and enemies in arms disclosed stories of violence and talked of subsequent transformation.   As members of the organization, Combatants  declare together, “After brandishing weapons for so many years, and having seen one another only through weapon sights, we have decided to put down our guns, and to fight for peace. ”

Clearly, it is a difficult journey for men (and women) on both sides to come to terms with and be accountable for perpetuation of violence.   But Wael was personally drawn to  the  levels of honesty, regret and transformation he experienced at the meeting  and  decided on the spot to  join colleagues on both sides to break the cycle of violence and bloodshed.

Wael related a bit about the growth of Combatants for Peace since it began in 2005.  Originally the criteria to join CfP was  some level of participation in  violent aspects of the conflict; Israelis as soldiers in the Israeli army (IDF) and Palestinians as part of the violent struggle for Palestinian self-determination.  However, the organization has been inundated by citizens on both sides who want to learn about and participate in non-violent action and are in the process of expanding to include and accommodate a wider range of participants, while still holding space for  combatants to let go of their conditioned responses and seek reconciliation.

Abir’s Garden

As I struggled to hear above the noise and confusion of the restaurant, Wael spoke somberly of Basam Aramin’s daughter Abir.  This was to be a story he shared with the whole group on the bus on the way to Anata.   As fate would have it, the Palestinian man responsible for the founding and growth of this most improbable  organization, experienced personal tragedy at the hands of the Israeli military.   Last January, Abir Aramin, Basam’s 10 year old daughter, was hit in the head by a rubber bullet fired by an Israeli soldier as she crossed the street in front of her school; she succumbed three days later in the hospital’s ICU .  Both Palestinians and Israeli Combatants for Peace kept a round the clock vigil in support of Basam’s  family during  Abir’s hospitalization and throughout the  mourning period after her death.   One result of this heartbreaking tragedy is that Combatants launched a proactive campaign to build a memorial to this youngster called “Abir Aramin’s Garden- A safe place to grow” in order to provide the children of Anata with an opportunity to play safely in an organized playground.

We could only  peer out the bus windows as we cruised by the location of Abir’s Garden, glancing briefly at the memorial plaque erected to Abir where the shooting took place.  We had run out of time for even a brief stop.  Just prior to driving by the Garden, Wael walked us through a back alley up to a spot as close as we would come to the Wall, currently under construction all  along the perimeter of Anata.  There was something inexplicably heartbreaking to be present at the sites of two of the most vicious symbols of aggressive mayhem — a looming cement prison enclosure and a memorial to a child –  along side a man who has forsaken a life once consigned to armed struggle.  How many Abir’s on one side and Hadassah’s on the other will be sacrifices to our inability to recognize the futility of warfare, and by virute of its imprecision, war istelf radicalizes the innocents.   How many youngsters will have to look up from both sides into the dark face of cement barriers,  obscuring the faces of one to the other?  We stood  mutely, most of us lost in self-reflection, wondering about the true nature of courage – the courage needed  to look directly in the eyes of our  “enemies” with   honesty  and regret – the way Wael now looked fearlessly out at the world.