Jerusalem –Jerusalemite activists and their families are facing another threat on the back of their alleged participation in the latest uprising, this time the possible forced displacement and expulsion of dozens of families. Israeli authorities have informed these activists and administrative detainees of their decision to rescind theirs and their families’ health, social and economic rights, which will ultimately result in the loss of their permanent residency rights in Jerusalem.

Ziad Hammouri, Director of the Jerusalem Center for Social and Economic Rights, says this is an extremely dangerous, albeit expected, development. He explains that such measures began 15 years ago against Jerusalemite prisoners and detainees, the first such case being that of Shadi Shurafa from Wadi Joz. Fortunately, the center was able to raise the case in court and succeeded in suspending the order.

Hammouri maintains the allegations in these new orders are deceptive in nature. For example, former prisoner, Nasser Abu Khdeir, a resident of Shufat, has never lived in the West Bank. He was arrested more than once and always returned home after each release, even being put under town arrest. However, when he recently sought treatment at his health clinic and was informed that his and his family’s medical insurance had been revoked, on claims he was no longer a resident. When he went to the Israeli National Insurance to inquire about his status, he was told they had sent him a notification on May 1, which was put into effect two days later, without further warning.

Hammouri concluded: “In the case of Abu Khdeir, we could refute all of the claims they made, most importantly that he is residing in the West Bank. We expect, however, that this claim will be replaced by another, namely lack of allegiance to the state of Israel, which was the charge made against Hamas PLC members from Jerusalem who were deported to the West Bank and lost their residency rights.”

Attorney Midhat Deeba, one of a team of attorneys working with detainees from the recent uprising, says the revocation of health insurance and residency rights is an old/new tactic the Israeli interior ministry has resorted to whenever it deems the case as a “security issue.” He notes that recently, there have been at least 15 administrative detention orders against Jerusalemite activists, a considerable increase in a short period of time.

Deeba pointed out the illegality of the recent revocations given that the recipients did not receive any formal notification in this regard, especially since it denies them their right to appeal the decision within the legal period of 30 to 45 days.

Furthermore, Deeba says the National Insurance records claim the Israeli interior ministry had sent the orders regarding cancelled health insurance “by mail”. The problem is that the PO boxes were either incorrect or fake numbers. Deeba confirmed this, saying his team had cross-checked these numbers on the post office website, which revealed that they were fake and were used as a means of circumventing the law so the recipients would not be able to appeal within the allotted time permissible by law.

Deeba stressed how these orders are in contravention of international humanitarian law, which bars the occupying authority from altering the status of occupied residents. He continued that action could be taken with human rights organizations against these unjust measures and also complaints could be filed with the International Criminal Court.

Nasser Abu Khdeir – a case study

Prisoner Nasser Abu Khdeir from the town of Shufat, north of Jerusalem, is a perfect example of this Israeli measure, which also affected his wife, former prisoner Abeer Abu Khdeir, their daughter and son Anan, who was arrested by Israeli forces a week ago.

Abu Khdeir, 60, has spent many years in Israeli prisons. In the years that followed, and even when he decided to run in the now-postponed Palestinian general elections, Abu Khdeir has remained a target of Israeli authorities. He has been under town arrest, been banned from entering the West Bank and most recently, has been warned by Israeli intelligence services not to run in Palestinian elections on the PFLP or Hamas ticket.

Abu Khdeir tells his story: “About two weeks ago, I went to the clinic but was informed that my health insurance had been cancelled along with that of my wife’s, on claims that I live in the West Bank. This means I will lose my residency rights in Jerusalem and eventually my Jerusalemite ID card. Ironically, I recently received an order barring me from entering the West Bank for six months. Before that, I was under an order barring me entry from all Jerusalem neighborhoods except my place of residence. Since I was born 60 years ago, I have never resided outside of Jerusalem, except when I was a ‘visitor’ in their prisons. I was born in Jerusalem and made a promise to myself that I would only die here”

Still, Abu Khdeir warns that these unjust measures should not be lightly, having affected over 20 former prisoners, activists and their families so far. “Who knows, this number could go up to 50 in no time,” he says. “If this turns into a daily measure, we will see hundreds if not thousands being stripped of their residency rights and forcefully displaced from the city where they were born.”

Revocation of residency rights

Hammouri estimates the number of Jerusalemites who lost their residency rights and had their full health, social and economic rights revoked since Israeli occupation forces began implementing this policy at the beginning of the 90s, is somewhere near 20,000 people at a rate of 800 to 1,000 residents a year. The peak of this policy, he notes, was following the brutal killing of Mohammed Abu Khdeir in 2014.

Several years ago, the Israeli High Court rejected an appeal submitted by the Citizens’ Rights Association and the Center for the Defense of the Individual, Hamoked in which they demanded a “halt to the policy of residency [ID] revocation from Palestinian residents of East Jerusalem.” The appellants also demanded Jerusalemites are granted “protected resident status” from the standpoint of making a distinction between their status as the indigenous residents of the city and that of foreigners who immigrated to the country and gained permanent residency.

The Israeli interior ministry considers anyone who moves outside of Jerusalem, including to the rest of the West Bank or the Gaza Strip as the same as moving “outside of the country” even though Israel recognizes the Oslo Accords, which stipulate that Jerusalemites are an integral part of the Palestinian people in these areas. In this manner, many Palestinians have lost their legal status even though they live only several meters from their own homes.

There has been a considerable increase in the policy of residency revocation for Jerusalemites since 2006, as part of Israel’s policy to lower the Palestinian population in occupied Jerusalem, revoking approximately 15,000 ID cards.

The tangled Palestinian-Israeli situation is largely due to political agendas meshed with religious overtones. However the Palestinians’ humanitarian crisis is the most misconstrued and underreported issue. Two major components that will be discussed here are: Palestinian farmers and prisoners.

Israeli forces razed 1,300 olive trees this past week in Hebron alone, aside from additional villages. Palestinian farmland is an intentional target because of its tremendous economic value and its significance to Israel’s expansionist goals. Its destruction intends to force Palestinians to relocate in order to expand Jewish-only colonies. According to Joint Advocacy Initiative, JAI, agriculture experts have recorded an estimated 548,000 olive trees have been uprooted since September 2000. In response to Israel’s systematic annihilation, JAI has launched an Olive Tree Campaign, replanting the exact fields that Israel destroys, simultaneously using the olive tree as a defense mechanism for the Palestinian cause.

Israel’s other primary target is the people, with prisoners being the most direct and accessible objects. Fundamental rights are denied to Palestinian detainees in Israeli prisons. Procedures such as administrative detention and forcible transfers are imposed amongst Palestinian civilians, although prohibited under international law. Israeli forces raid Palestinian villages, arresting youth and adults, without any formal charges or trial for extended periods of time. Lawyers are denied access to clients being held under administrative detention, forbidden under Article 72 of the Convention Against Torture. Additionally, the orders for administrative detention are given by Israeli military commanders (rather than a judge) and can be renewed an indefinite amount of times, ultimately solidifying an arbitrary routine and leaving Palestinians without the opportunity for legal recourse or justice. Subsequently, an incessant cycle of detaining Palestinians civilians without committing crimes becomes a norm. The Israeli army’s unethical means of arrest and the injustice of Israel’s judicial system when it comes to Palestinians, highlights the severity of Israel’s occupation, which in is dire need of international intervention.

Consequently, Palestinian prisoners have often waged hunger strikes in the hopes of attracting international attention to Israeli human right abuses. For example, prisoner Samer Issawi is now known as the person who waged the longest hunger strike in history in protest of his illegal administrative detention. Israeli officials first attempted to end his hunger strike with an agreement contingent upon exile from his native town in Jerusalem, breaching the Fourth Geneva Convention. Accordingly, Samer refused to accept Israel’s conditional release, legitimizing their illegal practices. A spokesperson for the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) stated that “choosing between staying in detention or being released to a place other than the detainee's habitual place of residence cannot be considered as a genuine expression of free will".

Finally, this week, after concluding 266 days without food, Samer signed an agreement with Israel, guaranteeing his release without expulsion. An honorable triumph, Samer’s resilience and courage in defying Israel’s oppressive measures is symbolic for all Palestinian prisoners. Despite being forced to sacrifice his physical health in order to achieve the most basic human rights, he has spoken to the world that Palestinians are determined to resist Israel’s occupation and live a life of freedom and dignity.

Nejwa Ali is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

Besan is 23-years old and lives in Beir Nabala, a small village northwest of Jerusalem. A first impression reflects her commitment to Islam, dressed in the traditional hijab (head scarf) and jilbab. Staying true to her faith, every morning she performs ablutions prior to completing the first of her five daily prayers. Afterwards, she insists on drinking a much- needed cup of Nescafe (Palestinian alternative to American coffee) in order to continue with her day, confirming that coffee addictions are universal. Only then, Besan heads to a nearby village where she works full time as a secretary at a local school. In order to maintain good health and physique, she also complements her routine work schedule with trips to the gym. Concurrently, a combination of errands may follow, ultimately with her returning home to eat dinner, complete chores and spend the remaining of the evening with family.

According to traditional Palestinian customs, females are typically expected to be engaged or married when they reach the 18-24 age group (especially, if they have completed their higher education which Besan has) Correspondingly, her eldest sister married at the age of 20 and sequentially her younger sister followed at 18, triggering communal pressure from her parents and village to get married. However, Besan’s dreams and aspirations for the future challenge these expectations in Palestinian society and American misconceptions of Palestinian women. Before “tying the knot”, she’s determined to relocate to the United Arab Emirates and establish herself financially, contesting the Palestinian tradition of the husband’s family role as the primary breadwinner. Besan dreams of independence, financial and social, something which she is determined to achieve. Additionally, she hopes to travel the world with Turkey, Canada and Brazil on her itinerary.

In reality, Besan is practically a mirror image of young people everywhere, including Americans and even Palestinians themselves. They enjoy the company of friends and family; they go to restaurants and coffee shops and in Besan’s case, love to head to the major shopping district near her village, Ramallah’s booming city center.

Nejwa Ali is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

This past Monday, a siren went off, reminding Israelis to observe their traditional moment of silence, honoring victims of the Holocaust. Traffic came to a halt; drivers stepped out of their car and respectfully bowed their heads. Incidentally, Holocaust Remembrance day is internationally recognized on January 27th however, Israelis commemorate the tragedy on April 9, marking the significant Warsaw ghetto uprising, against European Nazis.

The systematic genocide of the Jewish race (among other minorities) within a four and half year period is appalling to say the least. Millions of Jews were relocated to ghettos and then concentration camps, subsequently murdered. Although the Holocaust is an immeasurable tragedy, certain similarities align with Palestinian victims of Israeli occupation. Considering that the majority of Israeli Jews do not travel to the Palestinian territories, they are oblivious to the convoluted Palestinian lifestyle as a direct result of their government. Meanwhile, the rationale behind writing with such a compelling contrast will hit home for Israelis. Most importantly however, it will shed light on the Palestinian cause, absent from Israeli media, forcing responsibility on Israelis to look inward. For this to happen, a mutual understanding is required in order to prevent human right abuses from continuing. Hedy Epstein, a holocaust survivor, turned advocate for Palestine, has coined the phrase, “Never Again (for Jews), Again by Jews.”

Ironically, the following day Palestinian supporters commemorated the massacre of Deir Yassin. Zochrot, an Israeli non-governmental organization aimed at introducing the Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) to the Israeli-Jewish public, organized a tour of the former village, which has since been renamed Kanfei Nesharim.

Originally, a Palestinian village of an estimated 600 inhabitants, Deir Yassin suffered a violent ambush from Zionist militias on April 9, 1948. Upon their invasion, a warning came over a loud speaker to evacuate immediately. The majority of its residents fled to neighboring villages, fearing for their safety. The families who remained faced brutal attacks, some execution-style murders.

Coincidentally, the Zionist perspective challenges the very existence of Deir Yassin, particularly the massacre. Nevertheless, an official report from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) refutes any debate. The majority of the dead were Palestinian civilians, (not armed opposition as Zionists claim) and shot at close range; 93 defenseless villagers to be exact. Responsible for accounting the casualties and physical destruction, a member of the ICRC distinctly reported an encounter with a Zionist soldier who bragged about his knife, 60 centimeters long, 10 centimeters wide, double edged, covered in blood. Conversely, Zionist forces carried out massacres and wiped out numerous Palestinian villages over the course of the next decade (Kufr Qassem 1956, Qibya 1953, etc) in order to establish a Jewish state, eerily similar to the Nazi razing of Jewish communities, the majority of whom were transferred to ghettos.

Moreover, the tour comprised of a Deir Yassin native, showing us the house he grew up in, neighboring the primary school he attended. His vivid recollection of Deir Yassin complicates Zionist attempts to erase its historical remains.

Despite varying complexities between the Holocaust and Israel’s occupation of Palestinian territory, several parallels can be drawn from one another, emphasizing a pattern of human rights abuses. For instance, the horrifying conditions of the Jewish ghettos and Palestinian refugee camps or the distinctive identification for Jewish citizens (armbands) contrasting the Palestinian identification cards, (varying colors) both reflect inferiority and limited freedoms.

These historical references highlight the employment of violence and displacement against minorities vulnerable to superpowers. This article aims to commemorate the Jewish and Palestinian suffering. It is not to highlight further divisions but rather so that human rights can one day prevail.

Nejwa Ali is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

Suddenly, a band of Israeli soldiers marched passed me. A dozen soldiers lined up against the separation wall while another group formed a barrier, blocking the entrance to the checkpoint. Hoping to discourage the presence of worldwide news coverage, soldiers shot several stun grenades directly at reporters. In close proximity, the powerful aftershock completely took over my body. Remaining calm, I asked a soldier whether or not he was aware that they were shooting at journalists. He responded “Don’t worry, those grenades are harmless.” Humanizing being shot at with stun grenades as a normalcy is outrageous; I became fearful that the life threatening weapons were reserved for the Palestinians.

Israel’s heavily armed military presence during a non- violent protest is also an intimidation tactic. Approaching the checkpoint (and soldiers), were dedicated peace protestors armed with banners and Palestinian flags, chanting anti-apartheid slogans. Soldiers immediately shot warning bullets followed with tear gas, eventually dispersing protestors. Subsequently, preventing peaceful demonstrations contradicts Israel’s self described egalitarian status.

Meanwhile, I continued to wait for my ride, only to find out she had to reschedule. Absolutely taken back at the chaotic turn of events, I was ready to call it a day. A journalist warned me to take a seat and let things cool off. Twenty minutes passed, and soldiers were still firmly aiming at the protestors. Accordingly, I asked a soldier if they were done shooting so I could head back to Ramallah, and his response was, “You’re free to leave but I can’t promise that I won’t shoot.”

Israel’s complete disregard for life, affirms their oppressive regime against the Palestinian people. Their excessive use of force against a nonviolent population draws parallel to behaviors of previous oppressive regimes such as apartheid South Africa. Moreover, their attempt to influence Palestinians to succumb to Israel’s tyrannical rule needs immediate intervention by the international community.

The aforementioned Israeli practices in the occupied Palestinian territories exemplify the definition of apartheid. In exchange for sympathy, I challenge my audience to vocalize support for the Palestinian right to exist. Frankly, Palestinians were nonviolently protesting on Palestinian territory. Israeli soldiers invade Palestinian territory and utilize force to crush an otherwise innocuous protest, sometimes resulting in deadly outcomes. No surprise since Israel is one of the most technologically advanced militaries in the world. Still, Palestinian continue to protest courageously, despite facing imminent threat, refusing to give up their fight for freedom and peace.

Nejwa Ali is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

Last week, US President Barack Obama paid tribute to lifelong ally Israel, his first visit to the region as President, symbolizing his unwavering stance on the Palestinian-Israeli impasse.

In front of American media, Obama has been consistent, viewing Israeli settlement expansion as detrimental to any legitimate peace process, straining relations with Israel’s Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. However, Mr. Obama admitted that he had no plan to for push peace talks, stating that Israel was not interested, dismissing any effort to do so as a waste of time.

However, a completely different tone was taken on this past week. Obama pledged his allegiance to Israel, solidifying his unconditional support and Israel’s right to defend against any threat to their nation’s security, completely ignoring the continuous situation of Israeli colonization of Palestinian territory. Accordingly, his criticism falls short of any concrete progression towards peace. Instead of bolstering this kind of behavior without consequence, Obama needs to take an aggressive approach forcing Israel towards a peace deal. Perhaps slashing U.S. financial support, conversely what they did to the Palestinian Authority when they submitted their application to the United Nations for statehood (completely undermining the U.S. position of supposedly supporting an independent Palestine state), would prove effective?

Sidelining the Palestinian cause, Obama invested his time and energy into securing an Israeli apology to Turkey and restoring diplomatic ties between nations. Adding insult to injury for the Palestinians, it turns out Obama scored an accomplishment after all. Unfortunately, Obama’s near silence regarding the Palestinian people’s national rights reflected his poor leadership in this regard and lack of commitment towards resolving this conflict. Hence, he negated himself as an influential peace leader in the eyes of the Palestinians, who saw him more of the stereotypical political pawn.

Coincidentally, during the same week of Obama’s trip to Israel, I visited east Jerusalem. As an American citizen, I am privileged with complete access to Jerusalem, even though some of my family, born and raised in Palestine, are excluded from visiting the city. According to Israeli law, any person with Palestinian identification, residing within the West Bank and Gaza Strip are prohibited from entering Jerusalem. Ultimately, depriving Palestinians (Muslims and Christians) the freedom to worship and restrict their ability to travel freely, defines a situation tantamount to apartheid.

On my trip to Jerusalem I admired religious sites and walked around neighborhoods, marveling at the breathtaking views. Still, an eerie calm lingered. A paradox began to unravel. Israelis go about their day nonchalantly, with the daily Palestinian theme of “the occupation” taboo from their discussions. A snapshot of the New York City lifestyle, Israelis live comfortably with plentiful resources at their disposable. In comparison, Palestinians are forced to do with the insufficient resources at their disposal. If I were a typical tourist, for the first time in the region, I would be oblivious to the humanitarian crisis Israel imposes on the Palestinians. However, Obama is not a tourist. He is fully aware of the humanitarian abuses and Israel’s oppressive occupation and continues to fund it with American tax dollars. This kind of support needs to come to a halt.

As Israel’s occupation of Palestine approaches its seventh decade, I would like to remind President Barak Obama to be a man of his word and follow his own campaign slogan of moving forward towards change. Stand firmly against Israel’s occupation and prevent another generation of Palestinian youth from being born and raised under it.

Nejwa Ali is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

Unfortunately, this past week marks the 10-year anniversary of Rachel Corrie’s tragic murder by Israeli soldiers. As a fellow American peace activist, I’m compelled to write in her memory, asserting that her death was not in vain, significantly bolstering Palestinian peace and justice.

Rachel Corrie was a young American, full of compassion and love for life. Zealous about global human rights, she heard about the Palestinian suffering in the Gaza Strip, although absent from any media coverage. Confused by the inconsistency, she decided to volunteer with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in Palestine, recognized for its nonviolent approach to resisting occupying forces such as Israel. At the time of Rachel’s work with the ISM, the group had been based in Rafah, monitoring the living conditions that were quickly deteriorating. Israelis had been demolishing Palestinian homes in order to create an Israeli buffer zone.

Early morning March 16, 2003, word spread that the Israeli military had given a Palestinian doctor and his family 15 minutes to evacuate their home and witness its destruction. This was a family that housed several international volunteers, therefore the connection was personal. Immediately, ISM activists arrived to nonviolently protest the human rights violation, per the Fourth Geneva Convention law. Dressed in a fluorescent vest Rachel shouted, attempting to persuade the Israelis to abandon their bulldozer. Instead, the bulldozer gradually approached Rachel, ignoring the sideline hysteria from her family of friends warning of her presence, thus marking her intentional murder.

Despite eyewitness accounts of her death and an official investigation by the United Nations Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, accountability for Rachel’s death has been challenged by fallacies and unparallel variables. An Israeli court impugned Rachel for her own death, stating that “any thinking person” would have stayed away. To the contrary, Rachel was working in a residential Palestinian neighborhood, not a war zone. The Israeli military has no justification for occupying Palestinian territory (nor demolishing homes or killing civilians) except to illegally sequester land; systematically ethnically cleansing Palestinians. Factually speaking, there was no battle, no initial attack or counterattack. Rachel was not armed with weapons; she was a peace activist and didn’t pose a threat to anyone. Consequently, the Israeli military illustrates absolute responsibility for Rachel Corrie’s murder and charges of crimes against humanity should be pursued by the International Criminal Court.

Americans, and all people throughout the world need to realize that this kind of treatment towards humanity is unacceptable. Israeli forces should not be able to literally, run a woman over with a bulldozer and be acquitted of any wrongdoing (according to an Israeli judge) ….this is preposterous. Additionally, this article is not intended to sensationalize an American death, rather humanize the Palestinian people and Rachel’s efforts to sustain the Palestinian right to exist. Furthermore, she should be remembered as a heroic woman who sacrificed her life in dedication to humanity and creating a free and peaceful Palestine.

Nejwa Ali is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

Concluding my first week in Palestine after a seven year absence has been emotionally and mentally challenging. In addition to spending time with family, I was full of optimism, hoping to notice a progression in Palestinian-Israeli relations. Unfortunately, some things haven’t changed.

Traveling to Palestine is convoluted in itself. Due to Israel’s continuous military occupation, Palestine has not been able to govern itself independently, let alone establish its own airport. Therefore, the two major points of entry are through Amman, Jordan and Tel Aviv, Israel, neither of which are ideal. The Jordanian route is usually a last resort, infamous for its exhausting delays at the Allenby Bridge, in comparison to equally unattractive prolonged delays via Israel. Still, any person with Palestinian identification is prohibited from traveling through the Ben Gurion Airport (Israel). As a Palestinian-American citizen, I’m fortunate to be able to avoid Jordan yet face plenty of harassment in Israel.

Notorious for treating passengers of Arab descent with excessive questioning, searches and delays, I remained patient as I anxiously awaited my turn to pass Israeli security. Finally, the security official glanced at my passport, read my name aloud and then started to question me about my grandfather’s first name, last name and place of birth. Once I mentioned Palestine, she immediately directed me to go to the waiting area for additional questioning.

Waiting times vary for each individual, however the room consisted of a majority of people with Arab descent; i.e. speaking Arabic, women wearing hijab, etc. This poses several ethical questions. If concerned with security, why do Israeli officials intentionally target passengers of Arab origin? Instead, they should be conducting random searches among all passengers who want to enter their country. Or, is it that their tacit policy which imposes a ban on an entire group of people from traveling through their airport merely an implicit form of apartheid?

An hour later, my name is called. Security officials wanted to know the address and names of the people who I would be staying with. I gave them my families contact information but they failed to find matching records in their database. All of a sudden, the questioning became an interrogation. They wanted to see a copy of my travel itinerary, questioned the length and purpose of my trip, (they couldn’t comprehend why I wanted to visit family for six months.) When asked where my parents and grandparents were born, I responded, “Jerusalem, Pales…” but before, I could even enunciate Palestine fully, he stopped me and threatened, “That kind of language will get you expelled from here.”

Israel’s court system and Israeli lawmakers pride themselves on freedom of speech as a guiding principle; apparently this is only applicable to their Jewish population. A total of two hours later, they informed me that they had found my grandfather’s record, determined that I was not a security risk and said I was free to enter Israel.

Such discriminatory practices negate Israel’s verbal commitment to peace with the Palestinians and rather reflect their commitment to encourage the Palestinian struggle, proving true the adage, “actions speak louder than words.” Moreover, my experience in the Ben Gurion Airport repudiates a western belief that Israel is the only consistent democracy throughout the Middle East. Certainly, this is not true for Palestinian travelers such as myself.

Nejwa Ali is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

The other day, my two children – ages 13 and 10 – got caught at the Qalandiya checkpoint in a billowing cloud of teargas. I was not with them and my sister was to meet them on the other side [I will not go into the myriad of reasons why I cannot pick up my children from Jerusalem and drive them to Ramallah. That would take a whole other article]. Anyway, by the time I saw them, their eyes were puffy and red and my daughter was still visibly distressed. According to my son, she cried and screamed the whole time while he gave her clear instructions: close your eyes as much as possible and put your mouth and nose in your shirt collar. Wise directives, I might add. Once they were with their auntie, she provided them with water to cool their burning eyes and faces and to calm my hysterical daughter.

Two days later, we were back at Qalandiya, driving through this time with my husband behind the wheel. There were a few stone-throwing boys and an army of Israeli soldiers, fully armed and ready for combat. As we approached the checkpoint, teargas and what I assume were rubber-coated bullets began flying through the air. We could not go back at this point and our only option was to hope that no stray bullet, teargas canister or stone would come crashing through our closed windows. [We wanted to keep the teargas out this time]. My instinct was to tell the kids the only possible survival tactic I could think of: “Keep you heads down.”

Thankfully, we got passed unscathed. But I could not help thinking that this ’minor’ incident was an everyday occurrence for our children. In comparison to what other Palestinian children go through, it was really nothing.

Palestinian children watch as their homes are demolished and their parents made to stand by, helpless. They see their rooms, their belongings and their entire life go up in a plume of dust and debris, their sense of stability and safety shattered. They watch as their fathers and brothers are taken in the middle of the night by belligerent Israeli soldiers, beaten, handcuffed and blindfolded. They are injured and killed, arrested and harassed at checkpoints, expelled from their homes and denied education. Children as young as six have been handcuffed and arrested by Israeli forces, traumatized and terrified, perhaps for years to come.

I have always tried not to allow my children to grow up in an atmosphere of hate. This did not come from a place of ‘love they enemy” but rather because I wanted them to build healthy, positive characters. That is a difficult task in a place like this. My children have been lucky in terms of getting caught up in the violence of the Israeli occupation. Yes, their father and uncles have been arrested, they have inhaled teargas and heard the pop of live ammunition. They experience the harassment of checkpoints all the time and have seen the ugly cement wall that cuts through their country.

But so far, they have a family and a safe place they call home. What about so many Palestinian children who have lived under Israeli shelling or have had their homes razed to the ground? How is anyone going to tell them that hatred is not a healthy emotion? Can anyone blame them for hating?

I wonder if Israel realizes what kind of generation of young Palestinians they are helping to mold. What do they expect from a child whose father was killed in an Israeli prison under interrogation? During Arafat Jaradat’s funeral, four-year old Yara kept looking in the crowds, searching for her father’s face. Who knows what kind of emotional scars this child will have in her adulthood and what rage she may harbor.

My heart bleeds for Palestine’s children because they are the most innocent victims and they will pay the highest cost of Israel’s occupation. Israel should think twice next time it arrests a child or throws teargas in their path. Every action has a reaction and the Palestinians have never been ones to sit back in a corner in submission.

Joharah Baker is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.

A few nights ago Ramallah again witnessed a clash of civilizations. I was dropping off keys to one of my friends who was sitting with a group of people at the Sangaria restaurant, when all of a sudden the place was hit with chaos. Protestors on the street outside were slamming on the glass windows and yelling, “Close down!” The people at Sangaria’s were startled and afraid and began running around in the restaurant as if Israeli forces were the ones outside. The different attitudes between the people sitting in the cafe and the people screaming outside was indescribable. It was as though we were not from the same place or shared the same aspirations. The people inside were relaxing and chatting; seemingly without a care in the world. The people outside were agitated and furious; surely riled up by some powerful event.

On my way back out I overheard a couple bickering, “How does the death of a prisoner justify attacking a restaurant? They can’t just do this!” the husband said.

“Shame on us! When we were young we were the ones closing such places down. We should be with these people freeing Palestine and not dining on nachos and cheese sticks!” his wife growled back.

These protesters were closing down one place after the other that night and demanding people take to the streets and carry out a national three-day strike for the sake of the prisoners in Israeli jails. The protesters were angry and baffled by the nonchalance of Ramallah residents.

The strike barely lasted for a few hours in Ramallah. It was actually over before it started – and the idea of it stretching over three days never caught on or was even mentioned for that matter. To Israel, Arafat Jaradat was a pilot study with the question being: What would happen to the political situation if Israel let the prisoners on hunger strike literally die from starvation? The results were clear and without reserve. Absolutely nothing. The fact that a 30-year-old Palestinian was brutally beaten to death wasn’t even worth a couple of hours of protest, let alone a full-day of economic strike.

I turned on the news to hear the head of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club and former PA minister, Qaddura Fares describing the prisoner death as a catalyst for a third Palestinian Intifada. I thought, ‘Finally, enough is enough.’ In my opinion, a third Intifada is extremely necessary, however it can only occur if it is sincere. Officials, whether Palestinian or Israeli, should not be announcing an Intifada in the media and provoking the people with propaganda. Once an Intifada erupts, only because the people want it to, then leaders can discuss how it should be handled.

If the Palestinian people want an Intifada, then it’s going to be inevitable, and only to their benefit. Both the PA and Israel want to maintain a certain level of stability in the West Bank, even if for different reasons. An uprising may bring about the collapse of the PA which is presently faced with three different options. The first is to try and stop the masses from revolting. If the Palestinians unite and revolt and the PA is forced to intervene, it will become a government against its own people and a body against its own agenda as a liberation organization. The second option is to do nothing, which again may lead to their downfall because they will simply be taken out of the equation. The third option is to revolt with the people, again putting its existence in jeopardy as it will completely lose international recognition and its standing with Israel, the EU and the USA. Nevertheless, government officials are discussing it in order to maintain a nationalistic face in front of their own people.

Enough is enough. I don’t understand who else has to be brutally beaten to death, what lands still have to be raped and robbed, how many trees have to be set ablaze and burned, how many more settlements must expand, or how many more false promises and lies we will have to swallow – for there to be a change. It is time for all Palestinians to unite, leadership and the people together. Whether it is through an Intifada or other means, the ultimate goal has to be to end the occupation and free Palestine.

Mayse Jarbawi is a Writer for the Media and Information Department at the Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue and Democracy (MIFTAH). She can be contacted at mid@miftah.org.