This week in the Gaza Strip two factions, Hamas and Fatah, have been in an armed struggle over control of the Palestinian government. Fatah and Hamas have been engaged in a bitter power struggle ever since Hamas's victory in the parliamentary elections [verified by international observers] of January 25, 2006.  After months of difficulty and conflicts, a Unity Government was finally formed in March 2007.   The Palestinian people were hopeful that it would work, but forces within and without of Palestine would not let that happen. 

Since February 2006, the Occupied Palestinian Territories [OPT] have suffered the effects of the international economic embargo ordered by the United States and the European Union after the Hamas election victory.  The USA and the EU claimed that Hamas is a terrorist organization.  The suspension of aid causes severe hardships for the Palestinian civilian population, particularly those in Gaza.  Furthermore, the OPT is destabilized by the on-going presence and incursions of the occupying Israeli armed forces.  Most internationals, even UN Human Rights observers such as South African Archbishop Tutu, are refused visas by Israel for entrance into the Gaza Strip. [Voice of America, June 13, 2007]

Médecins du Monde-France (MdM), an international solidarity medical organization, completed a survey on the impact of the international embargo and the attacks by the Israeli army on the health status of the population of Gaza in 2006.  Their report stated that 70% of the Palestinian population lives below the poverty line, the unemployment rate in the Gaza Strip stands at 40%, only 30% of the Gaza population has access to running water, and 90% are eating only one full meal a day. 

General health conditions have deteriorated.  In May 2006, 52.6% of patients who were consulted were suffering from chronic illnesses. Psychological illnesses were continually increasing, especially among children. Since June 2006, 84.7% of the interviewees had witnessed a traumatic event in the days preceding the consultation. [Gaza Strip Impact of the international embargo and the attacks by the Israeli army on the population’s health status Médecins du Monde Survey 2006]

EU Parliamentarian Bairbre de Brún MEP [Ireland] is a firm advocate for lifting the embargo on Palestine and working closely with a power-sharing Palestinian government.  Speaking to the EU Parliament on March 7, 2007, Ms de Brún said: “A solution to the conflict in Palestine can only be found through dialogue, and based on the recognition of the rights of the Palestinian people to statehood, on a full and equal basis with all its neighbours including Israel.“

Bairbre de Brún also commented that, “There is an urgent need for the international community to refocus its attention on these rights and work towards a just and lasting resolution to the conflict. To this end the EU should lift its embargo on Palestine and work closely with the new power-sharing government.”

(Details at:  http:/www.sfguengl.com/news/entry/508)

Finally in the past week, the US indicated its potential approval to removing the embargo.  [Reuters News:   June 11 2007]  However, they have just recently decided to possibly lift the embargo on the Fatah controlled West Bank, but to continue to restrict the Gaza Strip.  European leaders have feared that the Palestinian Authority would collapse under the financial pressure of the embargo.  They knew and yet did not act.  Indeed, the US and the EU have responsibility for the chaos and suffering in Gaza. 

Our Reflections on Gaza

Since Sunday, June 10^th, more than 90 fighters and civilians in Gaza have died.  On Friday, June 15^th, Hamas defeated Fatah fighters and took control of the Gaza Strip. The Fatah government stays in control of the West Bank.  The two parts of Palestine are under Israeli military occupation and travel between the two parts has always been limited and only with permission from Israel.   Both parts of Palestine have been under heavy Israeli military control since the 1967 War.  So although the Palestinian government is elected, it is a government under Israeli occupation and control.

The truth is that statistics are merely numbers until you put them into context.  For instance, we know that more than 90 people have died in Gaza.  That is the number.  But each of these people is connected to a family, who is connected to another family, and there are friendship connections as well.  So we must understand the impact on humans, which is deep pain, anguish, suffering, and anger.  That is why we decided to not only give you facts about what is going on here, but to reflect on the Palestinian situation as two people living here in Palestine.   

The recent events which have taken place in Palestine are far more than tragic. For people looking at this conflict from the outside, it seems absolutely absurd that Palestinians are killing other Palestinians. They realize that Palestinians have enough problems with the Israeli occupation, and some have asked us why Palestinians are beginning to fight each other too.  For other people who may support the occupation, this infighting will serve as further justification for Israel’s “security” precautions against the Palestinian people. 

From talking to people here, it seems that Palestinians themselves are just as horrified about the current state-of-affairs. And they are far more troubled by it than internationals. One man commented that “it’s the worst it’s ever been” here in Palestine. He never thought that Palestinians would be killing each other, and believes they have entered a new disastrous phase.

In order to fully understand what is happening in Gaza, we must first challenge the ideas we have of Palestinians. We can not say that the decisions of a few can represent the entire group. This would be as accurate as believing that every United States citizen believes we should occupy Iraq, because the Bush administration decides that. Additionally, our source in the United States of information on who the Palestinian people are is the news media. They mostly portray them as radical terrorists. We must understand that this creates a false impression, just as Hollywood gives Palestinians a false impression of what it means to be a U.S. American. So then, who are the Palestinians and what are the characteristics of their culture? 

First of all, from our experience, as well as other internationals we know, Palestinians are a very warm and welcoming group of people.  They often will invite you in for tea and Arabic coffee. Once you have been to a Palestinian’s home, many let you know that you are always welcome back at anytime. Food is also an important aspect of the Palestinian identity. They love the cuisine and conversation which meal time brings and many are excellent cooks.

Palestinians are extremely family oriented. One day while Beth and Martha were enjoying cups of Arabic coffee at their friend’s house, their host proudly showed them his “family phonebook” (which was rather lengthy) in which all the phone numbers of the extended family were listed so that they could all keep in touch.  Also, they do not have “social security” for senior citizens as we do, instead family members take great care of their elders.  They have a social benefit organization supported by all families to help one another when there is a deficiency or when money might need to be borrowed for a funeral or wedding.

Families meet together on a regular basis. One evening Martha and Beth were able to attend a Palestinian “Bachelorette” party. There were around 60 friends and family members there, some of which were young children.  Many of the women, young and old, were sitting in a circle around the dance floor. What seemed to be the aunts and mother of the bride were serving pop and coffee on trays to guests. In the middle of the room, were the bride and other guests dancing to Arabic music. Everyone was having such a good time. They were gracious enough to offer us pop and coffee, to ask us to join in the dancing, and to give us party favors when we left. This experience demonstrated to us the value of family in Palestinian culture, as well as their congenial hospitality.

That paints such a warm and fuzzy picture doesn’t it, like they are very happy people? While it is true that they are warm, they are not a happy people. Many suffer from anxiety.  The same Palestinian who showed us his family phonebook also told us that “Palestinian’s act happy on the outside but are incredibly sad on the inside”. This is an accurate statement, because according to the International Middle East Media Center (IMEMC) website, 90 percent of Palestinians suffer from depression and/or anxiety disorders.

The reason for this is the conditions under which they live. For instance, we met a very pleasant Palestinian woman at the nonviolence training we attended. She appeared so happy and gentle, with a calming voice and a bright smile.  Following the section of the training on Palestinian culture, Beth tugged at her own sleeves in order to really cover up her wrists and be respectful of their culture. When the woman saw this she laughed warmly, put her arm around Beth, and said “It’s ok, you’re fine”.

Sadly, this woman has a very heartbreaking story. Her son was arrested by the Israeli army, as many innocent young men are on a regular basis. When he went to court he stood up and said first of all, that he was not standing out of honor for the judge, but for his parents who were in the audience. Then he proceeded to tell of the injustices that the occupation has brought about and expressed his absolute opposition to it. For his outspokenness, the court sentenced him to 30 years in prison. The woman told us that her husband was also in jail. When she talked of her family, we could see how exhausted and worn down this woman actually was. 

The various aspects of the occupation have traumatized the Palestinian people. Many young men are detained or arrested for nonviolently expressing opposition to the Israeli occupation or for just looking like a Palestinian. Everyone seems to have either a) at least one family member in jail currently or that has been in jail, b) at least one friend currently in jail or that has been in jail, or c) been in jail themselves or are currently in jail.  The sentencing is excessive also. Some people are given multiple life sentences, and when they die in jail their bodies are not released to the family, but kept in a prison cemetery with a prison number until their sentence has been served. Quite frequently you will hear a Palestinian male say that he was “only” in jail for 5 or 6 years, as if this is a short amount of time. In the words of the woman we met at training, they “have many Mandela’s”.

Other things that restrict their freedom are military checkpoints, the illegal apartheid wall, land seizures, home demolitions, illegal Israeli settlements, harassment from settlers and soldiers, and torture during detention. The occupation has made them to feel “second-class” in every aspect and every activity becomes a hassle. Going anywhere and doing anything takes longer. Waiting in long lines at a checkpoint is an everyday activity for many here.  Those that do not go through checkpoints everyday have structured their life in a way that would allow them to stay within their own village or town. 

Imagine one day in the life of a person living under the occupation.  In order to make it to work 9 miles away you have to leave 3 hours ahead of time. Also, you cannot drive your car, because you cannot take it through certain checkpoints, but when you come to a checkpoint where you have to be in a car, you’ll have to hail a taxi or service to get through. You can never plan ahead of time, because the Israeli soldiers do not always act the same every day. Some days they choose to let you through without a problem and some days they will make you stand and wait in the sun for no reason at all. Also, they often decide to make “flying” or temporary checkpoints. Additionally, certain parts of Israel are restricted to certain Palestinians, and homes can be demolished at any time for building illegal Israeli settlements.

It is an unhealthy environment for children growing up in the occupation.  Checkpoints cause problems for children going to school. In addition to that, sporadic school closures are a common occurrence. However, we feel that the most devastating effect on children is the violent atmosphere they grow up in. They are constantly surrounded by the intimidating presence of soldiers in uniforms with large automatic guns strapped across their bodies, military tanks parked in “closed military zones” and random incursions into their homes at night.  In those situations their parents cannot keep them safe.

In Gaza however, the situation is dramatically worse. They go through all of the aforementioned things, but in addition they are sealed in and experience a shortage of necessary resources. Our good Palestinian friend said that if you put a group of siblings together in a small room and deny them food and water, even though they are relatives, they will end up fighting. He also said that in Gaza guns are easier to get your hands on than food. 

Summer time around the world is a time for weddings, graduation parties, and family gatherings. People wish that everything goes right on the day of a planned event. Many brides are fearful that it might rain on their wedding day. However, the weather is a small fear compared to Palestinians’ worries. Here, there is no good time for happy events. Beth and Martha heard about one wedding party that was all dressed up and on their way to their wedding, but of course they had to go through a checkpoint to get there. Can you imagine a bride in her wedding dress and groom in his tuxedo standing in line at a checkpoint, going through the metal turnstiles, showing their I.D.’s to the soldier behind the glass, putting the bouquet of flowers on a conveyor belt to be checked and walking through the metal detector, then when they finally reach the last soldier he/she tells them they cannot pass.       

This has severe psychological effects on people. They are going through this over and over again, everyday, every week, every month, and every year. They see no bright future for their children. 

So, while the actions taken in Gaza were not ethical or even an effective way of handling things, we do understand why this is happening. The people in Gaza are desperate. They are acting out of anger and total frustration, and anger can truly damage a person.

To Martha and Beth, the infighting which is happening now in Gaza is not what is surprising, the fact that so many other people here in Palestine have chosen to act nonviolently is the truly astonishing part.  We have witnessed the nonviolent protests, attitudes, and beliefs of many Palestinians. The woman we met at training was there as a volunteer for a nonviolent organization, and after she told us her tragic story, she proceeded to say that she would never wish for the death of an Israeli soldier because she would not wish that terrible sadness upon their family. Even in Gaza where things are the worst, thousands of civilians boldly took to the streets to protest the fighting. 

So please pray, hope, meditate, act or do whatever it is you do when you hear of a tragedy, because the people in Palestine need all the support and prayers they can get. Life for them, which has looked very grim for 40 years, has just become a whole lot more devastating.