Today was the official first day of summer...if you're a kid in Bethlehem...and you've been looking forward to this particular summer camp. The first day was a complete gong show, but it was tons of fun. I thought that I would be taking a support role and focusing on taking pictures, but I found myself in charge of nine kids. The toughest part of the day was the start, when I was trying to help a blind child paint. It helped that he knew a bit of English. I'm not going to put up pictures here because there would be too many. I suggest you check out the album that I've created and will continue to add to as the camp continues.
When we were coming back form Haifa, I met a women from Texas. She had been traveling in Israel for a while. When she asked where we had been traveling, one of the guys from our group - who had been answering most of her questions - hesitated but eventually answered that we had mostly been in the Palestinian territories, even staying in Bethlehem. She seemed to take this answer very well, and I thought that this was a sign that she might be sympathetic to Palestinians. She then told us of her visit to Hebron (generally considered to be one of the most oppressed places in the West Bank). She told us that it was better than she expected and was surprised with how calm it was. It took a bit more conversation and questions until we realized that she was talking about the Palestinian violence against settlers, or that when we said that she felt safe, she meant that she was glad that there were a number of teenagers with assault rifles protecting her from the terrorists. At this point, she started to make some overtly racist and false statements. Each of which I told her I disagreed with and then provided evidence for, example: "I hope the Palestinians will find a way to stop using terror and find a way to start pursuing peace with the Jews," (read this article) which was followed up with "But they are teaching their kids to hate Jewish people." I carried the conversation on for a long time, mostly because I was interested in how far her beliefs went. It was a strange experience, one that seemed like more of a dream because reality had little to do with it. Actually reality had a lot of do with it, but a reality that was based upon assumptions and stories that are not true.
Since I do not have a lot more to talk about, I will leave you with my favourite pictures of the week. I think that it was in Nazareth, in an empty lot near the bus station. Feel free to discuss it's significance.
3 comments:
A question about her comment "But they are teaching their kids to hate Jewish people." In your experience, to what extent is this true? Or perhaps, does Wi'iam address issues of intolerance within the community? Is it a need on both sides of the wall (I assume it is, but I want to know your thoughts).
Thanks!
Yes, there are issues of intolerance, between Palestinians and Jewish as well as Christians and Muslims. But those issues are only issues, not character traits as they are often presented. The myth that Palestinians are teaching their kids to hate Jewish people, is based on the same propaganda that produced the opinion that Arab people are violent, or more prone to terrorist activity.
If we were to dare to look at who is teaching their children what, I have heard (not confirmed) that Jewish schools teach children that Palestine does not exist and never has. These schools are also in a system that has institutionalized the difference between "Jews" and "Non-Jews" (Arabs).
If you want to begin to look at these things seriously, you need to read "Orientalism" by Edward Said. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xwCOSkXR_Cw
Thank you sir, every little bit of insight helps.
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