'Jerusalem - the city of protest tents
A couple of days ago I went with a group of people to take a look at some protest tents in Jerusalem. We went to three of them:
1. Bustan neighborhood (say el bustan) in Selwan. A big neighborhood near the old city. We were about 25 people, we got coffee and juice, and then the story:
In 3000 BC Kind David was walking around Jerusalem. He was walking through the Bustan area, and looked around, and he liked the view of nature there.
2009 AC Israel and the municipality of Jerusalem want to destroy 1500 houses in order to make a "National" Park and call it the City of David.
Now the man telling us this story said that if the version of this story is correct, of course it is an honor to have had King David walking around here. But kicking families out of there houses in order to make a park?! Does King David really want that to happen?
Another argument the municipality and the "democratic" state is using, is that the houses are built without permits.
We all know, it is a fact, that Israel was established in 1948. It occupied most of Palestine. East Jerusalem was not occupied yet. It was in 1967. So if a house is built WITHOUT a permit, it should have been built after 1967. because only then, they had to ask for a permit to build a house.
Most houses are built before 1967, some before 1948, and there are even houses built before 1860. At that time there was not even a real Zionist movement. False argument!!
And let's say that today comes a family asking for a permit to build. In 76% of that area it is prohibited to build. They create a 1000 excuse to prevent you from building a house. Too bad we are still not able to build houses on the moon. Maybe there will be some place?!?!
So Palestinians can not build. But you know what is possible?? For Settlers to "occupy" a house in that neighborhood. There are 36 occupied houses now. So you go to the Bustan neighborhood, and there you see a house with a HUGE Israeli flag on it. With the real owners unable to do anything.
Another thing worth noting, according to the man explaining the situation to us, is that the park will be a national park. There are two kinds of parks in this state, a national, and a public. A public park is meant for everyone. A national park is meant for a "nation". What nation is meant in a national park in a Jewish state? Sure not the Palestinian. Having to note that there are many discussions if Judaism is a nation indeed, or only a religion. But that is a different topic.
Other things mentioned are that the old city is being surrounded by settlements from all sides. Israel is applying the TRANSFER of the Palestinians but in a very clever way. In a way in which it can ensure that no one will stop her in the world.
In the area of the old city nowadays there are 275.000 Palestinians. In a study they found that in 2020 this number will have increased to 35.000. Which is way to much to have in the "capital" of a Jewish state. So now they have to TRANSFER as many Palestinians as possible. If not by force (which would be obvious) then by creating legal, social and political problems which will kick us all out eventually.
2. Second tent, also in Selwan. Two big buildings, with 240 people living in them, have a demolition order. This is also a "holy" place, part of the City of David, and the buildings are OF COURSE built without permits. Here again, the man who welcomed us, told us how impossible it is to get a building permit even if they wanted to.
He also told us a new thing, which I didn't know, and will have to check it just to be sure. According to international law it is prohibited to destroy ANY HOUSE on occupied land. Now East Jerusalem is considered occupied (I consider ALL of Jerusalem occupied, but we are with the Int'l law now), and these two buildings are on occupied land. But in order not to do anything against the law, because Israel respects the int'l law very very much, it gives these demolition orders through military courts, and this changes things, apparently…
And more than that, according to the Israeli law, if a house is built without a permit, but already exists for 13 years, it can not be demolished.
The state also had a lot of diggings there, trying to look for holy stuff, to prove that "The chosen people were here once" ignoring the people WHO ARE THERE!!!
My father, who was with us too, stood up and said that "the nature of this state is colonial. It existed on colonialism and is still expanding this way. It is its nature, and will never change". I wonder why others can not see that, and are instead still trying to "negotiate" and hold "peace talks", whatever that may mean.
3. The tent of Im Kamel el Kord in Sheikh Jarah. Im Kamel is one of the strongest smartest women I have ever met. In November she was thrown out of her house along with her handicapped husband. 3 o'clock in the morning 50 soldiers entered her house and took her by her arms, and there she was, on the street. Her husband suffered several strokes and died a week later. The day he was thrown out, he also had a stroke, but the soldiers prevented ambulances from getting to him. Probably "for security reasons".
It was claimed that this house belonged to Jews, and that they were illegally living there for tens of years. The Kord family was also prevented from taking anything from their house, no furniture no nothing.
Im Kamel put up a tent. It was destroyed 6 times. Still, she is not giving up. She wants the world to hear her story. Lately the Turkish government released papers it had from the Ottoman era, stating that the land and house has been of that family for at least the last 300 years.
According to Im Kamel "The Israeli government is the killing virus of this world" and that the "Nakba of 1948 is repeating itself, it only looks differently, but it isn't". What is happening here is the same as what is happening in Gaza (it is still happening, because if you think that the war is over.. it ISN'T.. bombs are still thrown, and people still killed on a daily basis). The difference is that the war on Gaza is with bombs, the war in Jerusalem is a psychological war, making the people slowly slowly getting more desperate.
Im Jehad came to visit the tent while we were there too. She is the wife of the late Abo Jehad, one of the biggest Palestinian leaders. She came with her camera man and body guard, and ensured Im Kamel that Abu Mazen, our dear president, is working on her case and did not forget her. This is even a bigger lie than saying that Israel is democratic, or that donkeys have wings.
A big discussion started, and Im Jehad ensured that negotiations on Jerusalem is the key to gain our rights. Then my smart father told her that in a couple of years there will be nothing to negotiate over anymore!!
At the end, Im Kamel said a sentence every Palestinian here says: "I would rather die on my own land, than leaving it"…
In Selwan, someone from our group asked the neighborhood residents what we can do to help. He said that the least we can do is spread their story and raise awareness. So this is my attempt.
I am doing this, not out of solidarity, but because I am part of the issue, and so is everyone, because anyone hearing or seeing or dealing with the Palestinian issue, becomes part of it, especially Palestinians themselves! like it or not.
Dina Zbidat'
A couple of days ago I went with a group of people to take a look at some protest tents in Jerusalem. We went to three of them:
1. Bustan neighborhood (say el bustan) in Selwan. A big neighborhood near the old city. We were about 25 people, we got coffee and juice, and then the story:
In 3000 BC Kind David was walking around Jerusalem. He was walking through the Bustan area, and looked around, and he liked the view of nature there.
2009 AC Israel and the municipality of Jerusalem want to destroy 1500 houses in order to make a "National" Park and call it the City of David.
Now the man telling us this story said that if the version of this story is correct, of course it is an honor to have had King David walking around here. But kicking families out of there houses in order to make a park?! Does King David really want that to happen?
Another argument the municipality and the "democratic" state is using, is that the houses are built without permits.
We all know, it is a fact, that Israel was established in 1948. It occupied most of Palestine. East Jerusalem was not occupied yet. It was in 1967. So if a house is built WITHOUT a permit, it should have been built after 1967. because only then, they had to ask for a permit to build a house.
Most houses are built before 1967, some before 1948, and there are even houses built before 1860. At that time there was not even a real Zionist movement. False argument!!
And let's say that today comes a family asking for a permit to build. In 76% of that area it is prohibited to build. They create a 1000 excuse to prevent you from building a house. Too bad we are still not able to build houses on the moon. Maybe there will be some place?!?!
So Palestinians can not build. But you know what is possible?? For Settlers to "occupy" a house in that neighborhood. There are 36 occupied houses now. So you go to the Bustan neighborhood, and there you see a house with a HUGE Israeli flag on it. With the real owners unable to do anything.
Another thing worth noting, according to the man explaining the situation to us, is that the park will be a national park. There are two kinds of parks in this state, a national, and a public. A public park is meant for everyone. A national park is meant for a "nation". What nation is meant in a national park in a Jewish state? Sure not the Palestinian. Having to note that there are many discussions if Judaism is a nation indeed, or only a religion. But that is a different topic.
Other things mentioned are that the old city is being surrounded by settlements from all sides. Israel is applying the TRANSFER of the Palestinians but in a very clever way. In a way in which it can ensure that no one will stop her in the world.
In the area of the old city nowadays there are 275.000 Palestinians. In a study they found that in 2020 this number will have increased to 35.000. Which is way to much to have in the "capital" of a Jewish state. So now they have to TRANSFER as many Palestinians as possible. If not by force (which would be obvious) then by creating legal, social and political problems which will kick us all out eventually.
2. Second tent, also in Selwan. Two big buildings, with 240 people living in them, have a demolition order. This is also a "holy" place, part of the City of David, and the buildings are OF COURSE built without permits. Here again, the man who welcomed us, told us how impossible it is to get a building permit even if they wanted to.
He also told us a new thing, which I didn't know, and will have to check it just to be sure. According to international law it is prohibited to destroy ANY HOUSE on occupied land. Now East Jerusalem is considered occupied (I consider ALL of Jerusalem occupied, but we are with the Int'l law now), and these two buildings are on occupied land. But in order not to do anything against the law, because Israel respects the int'l law very very much, it gives these demolition orders through military courts, and this changes things, apparently…
And more than that, according to the Israeli law, if a house is built without a permit, but already exists for 13 years, it can not be demolished.
The state also had a lot of diggings there, trying to look for holy stuff, to prove that "The chosen people were here once" ignoring the people WHO ARE THERE!!!
My father, who was with us too, stood up and said that "the nature of this state is colonial. It existed on colonialism and is still expanding this way. It is its nature, and will never change". I wonder why others can not see that, and are instead still trying to "negotiate" and hold "peace talks", whatever that may mean.
3. The tent of Im Kamel el Kord in Sheikh Jarah. Im Kamel is one of the strongest smartest women I have ever met. In November she was thrown out of her house along with her handicapped husband. 3 o'clock in the morning 50 soldiers entered her house and took her by her arms, and there she was, on the street. Her husband suffered several strokes and died a week later. The day he was thrown out, he also had a stroke, but the soldiers prevented ambulances from getting to him. Probably "for security reasons".
It was claimed that this house belonged to Jews, and that they were illegally living there for tens of years. The Kord family was also prevented from taking anything from their house, no furniture no nothing.
Im Kamel put up a tent. It was destroyed 6 times. Still, she is not giving up. She wants the world to hear her story. Lately the Turkish government released papers it had from the Ottoman era, stating that the land and house has been of that family for at least the last 300 years.
According to Im Kamel "The Israeli government is the killing virus of this world" and that the "Nakba of 1948 is repeating itself, it only looks differently, but it isn't". What is happening here is the same as what is happening in Gaza (it is still happening, because if you think that the war is over.. it ISN'T.. bombs are still thrown, and people still killed on a daily basis). The difference is that the war on Gaza is with bombs, the war in Jerusalem is a psychological war, making the people slowly slowly getting more desperate.
Im Jehad came to visit the tent while we were there too. She is the wife of the late Abo Jehad, one of the biggest Palestinian leaders. She came with her camera man and body guard, and ensured Im Kamel that Abu Mazen, our dear president, is working on her case and did not forget her. This is even a bigger lie than saying that Israel is democratic, or that donkeys have wings.
A big discussion started, and Im Jehad ensured that negotiations on Jerusalem is the key to gain our rights. Then my smart father told her that in a couple of years there will be nothing to negotiate over anymore!!
At the end, Im Kamel said a sentence every Palestinian here says: "I would rather die on my own land, than leaving it"…
In Selwan, someone from our group asked the neighborhood residents what we can do to help. He said that the least we can do is spread their story and raise awareness. So this is my attempt.
I am doing this, not out of solidarity, but because I am part of the issue, and so is everyone, because anyone hearing or seeing or dealing with the Palestinian issue, becomes part of it, especially Palestinians themselves! like it or not.
Dina Zbidat'
Dina Zbidat is university student political science and sociology at the Hebrew University (Mount Scopus) and gives classes in a school in At-Tor/Jerusalem
Geen opmerkingen:
Een reactie posten