Please remember when you read one of these stories about Israel, that if it
were not for US military aid, more than 3 billion dollars annually, and
support at the UN, Israel would be less able to function as it does. Also,
much of its support in the US, comes from Christian Zionists.
Miriam
CRAZY COUNTRY
SATURDAY, JULY 25, 2015
A traffic jam in the middle of the desert
The rendezvous was scheduled for 11:30 am, outside the Arlozorov Street
Railway Station in Tel Aviv. I arrived at 11:35. "Three buses have already
been filled, but don’t worry - the fourth bus will soon arrive" said the
organizers’ representative. "There will be a place for anyone who wants to
go to the protest in Susiya."
It is long since there was such a wide response to a call for a
demonstration in the wild West Bank. Among the passengers could be seen
quite a few long-time activists who had however not been seen in recent
years. Why did the case of Susiya evoke so much attention, in Israel and
throughout the world? (Circulating on the bus was the current New York Times
op-ed page, featuring a moving personal story of a Susiya resident). This
tiny threatened village is in every way worthy of support and solidarity -
but in the past, quite a few instances of no less outrageous injustice have
been perpetrated and met a virtually complete indifference and silence. One
can never know in advance which particular case will become the focus and
symbol of a struggle.
Little more than an hour's drive separates the vast metropolitan Tel Aviv
from the godforsaken hamlet of Susiya in the middle of the desert. First the
travel is along congested intercity highways - then, through back roads
which become ever more narrow and in bad repair, the further one continues
to the east and south. Somewhere, without noticing, the Green Line is
crossed into the territory where there is not even a semblance of democracy,
where the landscape is predominantly brown rather than green - apart from
the occasional green patch of a settlement, which had the privilege of being
connected to the Israeli water system.
At the end of the trip, the narrow road forks, and the sign to the right
side says "Susiya" - but nevertheless, we turned to the left. The sign
erected by the military authorities refers to the other Susiya - the Israeli
settlement Susiya, which claims to be the continuation of a Jewish village
of the same name which existed on this location during the Roman and
Byzantine period. "Come and see Susiya - an ancient Jewish town" says the
sign on the road we had not taken.
The Jews who lived here 1,500 years ago had lived in caves. In the Twentieth
Century, Palestinians had been living in these same caves, until in 1986 the
army came to expel them and turn the caves into an archeological site
managed by the settlers. The Palestinians had to move to miserable shacks
erected on what was left of their land. Is it possible that they actually
were the descendants of those who resided in those caves in the Fifth
Century? At the beginning of the Zionist Movement David Ben Gurion brought
up that at least some of the Arabs in this country are descendants of Jews
who lived here in the past, and who at some time were converted to Islam and
started speaking Arabic. In 1918 Ben Gurion even published an entire book on
this subject, in cooperation with the future President of Israel Yitzhak
Ben-Zvi, including detailed historical documentation to support this theory.
But before long it became clear that, even if some of the Palestinians’
ancestors had been Jewish, at present they have no interest whatsoever in
being Jewish or promoting the Zionist Project. So, Ben-Gurion and his
colleagues lost interest in further promoting this issue.
In the direction of Palestinian Susiya there was no road sign. For the
Israeli authorities, it simply does not exist. "The competent military
authorities take the position that there had never existed an Arab village
named Susiya" stated on the Knesset floor Deputy Defense Minister Eli
Ben-Dahan, of the Jewish Home Party. "Palestinian structures were built
without permits on that location, and were demolished during the 1995-2001
period. Illegal construction continued, against which demolition orders were
issued. In May 2015 the Supreme Court rejected a petition by the
Palestinians for an interim injunction against the demolition of these
structures."
There are no road signs, but it is not difficult to find Palestinian Susiya,
with the Palestinian flag painted on rocks along the road. Four buses
arrived from Tel Aviv and three from Jerusalem, plus quite a few private
cars, and a minor traffic jam was created in the middle of the desert. "Pay
attention, it is now the hottest hour of the day, it's one of the hottest
places in the country, and there is almost no shade" warns the young woman
in charge of my bus. "Please be sure, all of you, to cover your heads and
take water with you. For those who have not brought it with them, we provide
bottled water". On a low ridge above the bus could already be seen a human
stream winding its way towards the rally.
The concrete cover of a rainwater collection cistern has become a makeshift
podium, with several loudspeakers and a Palestinian flag flying. When the
group from our bus arrived, the speeches were already under way, in a
mixture of Arabic, English and Hebrew. "67 years after the Palestinian
Nakba, it is still going on! They want to expel the residents of Susiya from
their land! Are we going to let them do it?" cried former Palestinian
Minister Mustafa Barghouti, eliciting a loud chorus of "No! No!". "After the
Apartheid regime in South Africa fell, Nelson Mandela said that the fight is
not over, the next part is the Palestinian struggle. We are here, we are
struggling. We will go on struggling until Palestine is free!" (Chanting in
Arabic and English "Free Palestine! Free Palestine! Free, free Palestine! "
Susiya resident Nasser Nawaj'ah, a leader activist of the struggle, spoke in
Hebrew to those who came from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem: "Welcome to Susiya,
all of you, welcome to Susiya, the fighting Susiya which will not give in!
Our struggle is already going on for decades. In 1982, they erected the
settlement of Susiya on our land. In 1986, they expelled us from the caves
and turned them into an archaeological site of the settlers, then we moved
to the farmland, all what was left to us. In 2001, they destroyed everything
and drove us away, but we came back and set up our village again. You are
most welcome here, we are grateful for the solidarity and support of all
those who have come here. You are the other face of Israel, the face which
is different from what we see of the soldiers and settlers who come to us
every day. You give us hope, the hope that we can still live together,
Palestinians as Israel's neighbors in peace."
He was followed by Professor Yigal Bronner, who teaches history of India at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is a prominent activist of the
Ta'ayush Movement, which is active already for many years in support of the
residents of the South Hebron Hills. "We are here in Susiya. What is Susiya?
Not much. Some cisterns which the army had not filled with dirt, a few sheep
which the settlers have not yet stolen, some olive trees that have not yet
been cut down. What is Susiya? Susiya is 350 people who hold on to the land,
clinging and clinging and holding on and not giving up, because it's their
home. Quite simply, this is their home. Opposite us is the other Susiya. The
Susiya which is armed and surrounded by a fence, which is connected to to
water and electricity and sewage and has representatives in all the
corridors of power, and it wants to grab what little is left of this Susiya
where we stand. Susiya against Susiya, this is the whole story. The
Palestinian Susiya has no soldiers and no police and no representatives in
the Knesset and in fact it does not have the vote. But it has us. We are
here to stand with Susiya and we will not leave. We will do everything we
can to be here and prevent the destruction. And if does take place, we will
be here the next morning to rebuild, together with the residents. Susiya is
not alone! "(Chanting of "Susiya, Sussiya do not despair, we will end the
occupation yet!" in Hebrew and "Yaskut al Ikhitlal", "Down with the
Occupation" in Arabic.
"It is very important that you all came here, it is important to continue
the struggle. There will be here another demonstration next Saturday, and on
August 3 at 9:00 am there will be the hearing on the appeal of Susiya at the
Supreme Court. It is very important to be there! Susiya is not alone! Susiya
is not alone!"
After the speeches - the march to the edge of the ridge. "For anyone who
feels badly affected by the heat and sun, there is a tent with shade and
plenty of water. Don’t get hurt unnecessarily. And now - forward!"
Together with the Palestinians, locals and those who especially came, we all
moved ahead to the rhythmic beating of the "Drummers Against the
Occupation", and the heat did not seem to reduce their energy and
enthusiasm. Above the crowd were waving the placards of "Combatants for
Peace", one of the demonstration's organizers, with the caption "There
is Another Way" in Hebrew, Arabic and English. "Though shalt not rob thy
fellow" read the big sign carried by Rabbi Arik Asherman, who already for
many years did not miss any demonstration, "Rabbis for Human Rights" being
another of the protest initiators. Other Biblical slogans: "Have we become
the like of Sodom, did we assume the face of Gomorrah?", "Save the poor his
robber, protect the miserable from the heartless despoiler" "Zion shall be
built on Justice", "Each shall sit in content under his vine and his fig
tree."
A five years old Palestinian girl held upside down a large sign in Hebrew
reading "No more land grab!". One of the Israelis drew the attention of a
woman in traditional Palestinian dress, apparently the grandmother. The
granddaughter, laughing, turned the sign in correct direction before the
press photographers arrived at this part of the march parade. Near was
walking a strapping young man wearing a T-shirt of the FC St. Pauli soccer
club of Hamburg, Germany, whose fans are known for their fight against
racism, and next was a woman whose shirt proclaimed "Stop the Pinkwashing!",
protesting the cynical use made of LGBT people by the government
international PR apparatus ("Hasbara"). The text on the bag of a veteran
Jerusalem activist referred to the elctions earlier this year: "We did not
succeed in throwing Netanyahu out, which is very harsh and painful, but at
least let him keep his paws off Susiya!"
At the end of the march, dozens lifted with great effort a 30-metre long
sign reading: "Susiya is Palestinian, and Palestinian it will remain!". When
the buses on the way back passed the official sign about "The ancient Jewish
town" we could see it at the top of the ridge above the road.
Crazy Country
Saturday, July 25, 2015
A traffic jam in the middle of the desert
The rendezvous was scheduled for 11:30 am, outside the Arlozorov Street
Railway Station in Tel Aviv. I arrived at 11:35. "Three buses have already
been filled, but don’t worry - the fourth bus will soon arrive" said the
organizers’ representative. "There will be a place for anyone who wants to
go to the protest in Susiya."
It is long since there was such a wide response to a call for a
demonstration in the wild West Bank. Among the passengers could be seen
quite a few long-time activists who had however not been seen in recent
years. Why did the case of Susiya evoke so much attention, in Israel and
throughout the world? (Circulating on the bus was the current New York Times
op-ed page, featuring a moving personal story of a Susiya resident). This
tiny threatened village is in every way worthy of support and solidarity -
but in the past, quite a few instances of no less outrageous injustice have
been perpetrated and met a virtually complete indifference and silence. One
can never know in advance which particular case will become the focus and
symbol of a struggle.
Little more than an hour's drive separates the vast metropolitan Tel Aviv
from the godforsaken hamlet of Susiya in the middle of the desert. First the
travel is along congested intercity highways - then, through back roads
which become ever more narrow and in bad repair, the further one continues
to the east and south. Somewhere, without noticing, the Green Line is
crossed into the territory where there is not even a semblance of democracy,
where the landscape is predominantly brown rather than green - apart from
the occasional green patch of a settlement, which had the privilege of being
connected to the Israeli water system.
At the end of the trip, the narrow road forks, and the sign to the right
side says "Susiya" - but nevertheless, we turned to the left. The sign
erected by the military authorities refers to the other Susiya - the Israeli
settlement Susiya, which claims to be the continuation of a Jewish village
of the same name which existed on this location during the Roman and
Byzantine period. "Come and see Susiya - an ancient Jewish town" says the
sign on the road we had not taken.
The Jews who lived here 1,500 years ago had lived in caves. In the Twentieth
Century, Palestinians had been living in these same caves, until in 1986 the
army came to expel them and turn the caves into an archeological site
managed by the settlers. The Palestinians had to move to miserable shacks
erected on what was left of their land. Is it possible that they actually
were the descendants of those who resided in those caves in the Fifth
Century? At the beginning of the Zionist Movement David Ben Gurion brought
up that at least some of the Arabs in this country are descendants of Jews
who lived here in the past, and who at some time were converted to Islam and
started speaking Arabic. In 1918 Ben Gurion even published an entire book on
this subject, in cooperation with the future President of Israel Yitzhak
Ben-Zvi, including detailed historical documentation to support this theory.
But before long it became clear that, even if some of the Palestinians’
ancestors had been Jewish, at present they have no interest whatsoever in
being Jewish or promoting the Zionist Project. So, Ben-Gurion and his
colleagues lost interest in further promoting this issue.
In the direction of Palestinian Susiya there was no road sign. For the
Israeli authorities, it simply does not exist. "The competent military
authorities take the position that there had never existed an Arab village
named Susiya" stated on the Knesset floor Deputy Defense Minister Eli
Ben-Dahan, of the Jewish Home Party. "Palestinian structures were built
without permits on that location, and were demolished during the 1995-2001
period. Illegal construction continued, against which demolition orders were
issued. In May 2015 the Supreme Court rejected a petition by the
Palestinians for an interim injunction against the demolition of these
structures."
There are no road signs, but it is not difficult to find Palestinian Susiya,
with the Palestinian flag painted on rocks along the road. Four buses
arrived from Tel Aviv and three from Jerusalem, plus quite a few private
cars, and a minor traffic jam was created in the middle of the desert. "Pay
attention, it is now the hottest hour of the day, it's one of the hottest
places in the country, and there is almost no shade" warns the young woman
in charge of my bus. "Please be sure, all of you, to cover your heads and
take water with you. For those who have not brought it with them, we provide
bottled water". On a low ridge above the bus could already be seen a human
stream winding its way towards the rally.
The concrete cover of a rainwater collection cistern has become a makeshift
podium, with several loudspeakers and a Palestinian flag flying. When the
group from our bus arrived, the speeches were already under way, in a
mixture of Arabic, English and Hebrew. "67 years after the Palestinian
Nakba, it is still going on! They want to expel the residents of Susiya from
their land! Are we going to let them do it?" cried former Palestinian
Minister Mustafa Barghouti, eliciting a loud chorus of "No! No!". "After the
Apartheid regime in South Africa fell, Nelson Mandela said that the fight is
not over, the next part is the Palestinian struggle. We are here, we are
struggling. We will go on struggling until Palestine is free!" (Chanting in
Arabic and English "Free Palestine! Free Palestine! Free, free Palestine! "
Susiya resident Nasser Nawaj'ah, a leader activist of the struggle, spoke in
Hebrew to those who came from Tel Aviv and Jerusalem: "Welcome to Susiya,
all of you, welcome to Susiya, the fighting Susiya which will not give in!
Our struggle is already going on for decades. In 1982, they erected the
settlement of Susiya on our land. In 1986, they expelled us from the caves
and turned them into an archaeological site of the settlers, then we moved
to the farmland, all what was left to us. In 2001, they destroyed everything
and drove us away, but we came back and set up our village again. You are
most welcome here, we are grateful for the solidarity and support of all
those who have come here. You are the other face of Israel, the face which
is different from what we see of the soldiers and settlers who come to us
every day. You give us hope, the hope that we can still live together,
Palestinians as Israel's neighbors in peace."
He was followed by Professor Yigal Bronner, who teaches history of India at
the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and is a prominent activist of the
Ta'ayush Movement, which is active already for many years in support of the
residents of the South Hebron Hills. "We are here in Susiya. What is Susiya?
Not much. Some cisterns which the army had not filled with dirt, a few sheep
which the settlers have not yet stolen, some olive trees that have not yet
been cut down. What is Susiya? Susiya is 350 people who hold on to the land,
clinging and clinging and holding on and not giving up, because it's their
home. Quite simply, this is their home. Opposite us is the other Susiya. The
Susiya which is armed and surrounded by a fence, which is connected to to
water and electricity and sewage and has representatives in all the
corridors of power, and it wants to grab what little is left of this Susiya
where we stand. Susiya against Susiya, this is the whole story. The
Palestinian Susiya has no soldiers and no police and no representatives in
the Knesset and in fact it does not have the vote. But it has us. We are
here to stand with Susiya and we will not leave. We will do everything we
can to be here and prevent the destruction. And if does take place, we will
be here the next morning to rebuild, together with the residents. Susiya is
not alone! "(Chanting of "Susiya, Sussiya do not despair, we will end the
occupation yet!" in Hebrew and "Yaskut al Ikhitlal", "Down with the
Occupation" in Arabic.
"It is very important that you all came here, it is important to continue
the struggle. There will be here another demonstration next Saturday, and on
August 3 at 9:00 am there will be the hearing on the appeal of Susiya at the
Supreme Court. It is very important to be there! Susiya is not alone! Susiya
is not alone!"
After the speeches - the march to the edge of the ridge. "For anyone who
feels badly affected by the heat and sun, there is a tent with shade and
plenty of water. Don’t get hurt unnecessarily. And now - forward!"
Together with the Palestinians, locals and those who especially came, we all
moved ahead to the rhythmic beating of the "Drummers Against the
Occupation", and the heat did not seem to reduce their energy and
enthusiasm. Above the crowd were waving the placards of "Combatants for
Peace", one of the demonstration's organizers, with the caption "There
is Another Way" in Hebrew, Arabic and English. "Though shalt not rob thy
fellow" read the big sign carried by Rabbi Arik Asherman, who already for
many years did not miss any demonstration, "Rabbis for Human Rights" being
another of the protest initiators. Other Biblical slogans: "Have we become
the like of Sodom, did we assume the face of Gomorrah?", "Save the poor his
robber, protect the miserable from the heartless despoiler" "Zion shall be
built on Justice", "Each shall sit in content under his vine and his fig
tree."
A five years old Palestinian girl held upside down a large sign in Hebrew
reading "No more land grab!". One of the Israelis drew the attention of a
woman in traditional Palestinian dress, apparently the grandmother. The
granddaughter, laughing, turned the sign in correct direction before the
press photographers arrived at this part of the march parade. Near was
walking a strapping young man wearing a T-shirt of the FC St. Pauli soccer
club of Hamburg, Germany, whose fans are known for their fight against
racism, and next was a woman whose shirt proclaimed "Stop the Pinkwashing!",
protesting the cynical use made of LGBT people by the government
international PR apparatus ("Hasbara"). The text on the bag of a veteran
Jerusalem activist referred to the elctions earlier this year: "We did not
succeed in throwing Netanyahu out, which is very harsh and painful, but at
least let him keep his paws off Susiya!"
At the end of the march, dozens lifted with great effort a 30-metre long
sign reading: "Susiya is Palestinian, and Palestinian it will remain!". When
the buses on the way back passed the official sign about "The ancient Jewish
town" we could see it at the top of the ridge above the road.
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