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Palestinians Show Courage and Resilience in their Darkest Hour, Report Peace Fellows, June 20, 2007

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AdvocacyNet
News Bulletin 103, June 20, 2007
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Ramallah and Washington, DC: Palestinian civil society has shown resilience, bravery and a deep commitment to human rights throughout the current turmoil and violence in the West Bank and Gaza.

This has emerged clearly and often dramatically in the blogs of four Advocacy Project Peace Fellows, who are volunteering with civil society organizations and with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation, in the West Bank.

All four fellows witnessed the crisis at close quarters. Eliza Bates (Columbia University), who is volunteering with the Democracy and Workers Rights Center, was in downtown Ramallah on June 15 when Fatah gunmen began reacting to news of the Hamas takeover in Gaza:

"I stayed home all Friday in a state of confusion. We heard intermittent shooting but were unsure whether civil war had broken out or [whether] Palestinian kids were just setting off fireworks. (I'll never understand how people in a conflict zone could be so fond of fireworks, but Palestinians love them).

"Other frazzled internationals filled our apartment and we sat together waiting for news. We watched the great American movie 'Zoolander'...added each other to Facebook and Google Chat [and] we answered each other's cell phones to comfort worried parents."

Many Palestinian nongovernmental organizations have offices in Gaza and the West Bank, and were deeply traumatized by the violence leading up to the Hamas takeover.

Tatsiana Hulko (Georgetown University) described the mood at her host organization, the Women's Affairs Technical Committees (WATC), when the news came through from Gaza:

"I walked in the office in the middle of a story about one of the [WATC] employee's family, who was evicted...last night. The mother with her teenage son were the only ones in the apartment on the 14th floor when Hamas men broke in by exploding both doors. The boy later told [his] sister on the phone that at least when Israelis break into Palestinian houses they give a 10-minute warning."

But the fellows also noted that their hosts remained true to their mission, even in the midst of the chaos. WATC was training women legislators when news came through that two women ministers had been appointed to the new Fatah cabinet.

"The conference room immediately filled with joyful singing, dancing and applauding," reports Ms Hulko.

As the crisis began to build, Ms Bates also attended an "uplifting" meeting in Hebron with the Unemployed Workers Federation, which represents 25,000 unemployed Palestinian workers:

"They are funded completely by member contributions and work together to find temporary employment and to help members in need of assistance."

Amali Tower (Columbia University), who is volunteering with the Alternative Information Center in Beit Sahour, was also impressed by the strength of Palestinian civilians under pressure. The Palestinian Center for Human Rights reported that in Gaza 67,000 Palestinian students attended their General Certificate of Education exam in the middle of the fighting, showing their deep commitment to education.

Ms Tower commented:"...what many in America don't know is that not every Palestinian stands with Hamas...I have traveled to many far-flung places, and met many wonderful people. But, I have never met a more resilient and friendly people than the Palestinians."

Erin Wroblewski (Georgetown University), who is volunteering with the Friedrich Ebert Foundation in East Jerusalem, agreed:

"The pictures in international media of masked and heavily armed men roaming the streets, coupled with reports that donors are withdrawing aid, give the impression that life has stopped.

"It has not. With conflict comes resourcefulness..."

• Read Tatsiana's blog
• Read Amali's blog
• Read the Alternative Information Center’s coverage of the crisis
• Read Erin's blog
• Read Eliza's blog
• Read an AP report on human rights in the OPT (February 2007)

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