Hebron Resistance: Living is resisting

This is a reflection written by one of the current Christian Peace Makers Team members stationed in Hebron, Palestine. It talks about one of the most basic forms of nonviolent resistance which is living and flourishing. This connects with the Valentines reflection, in that choosing to love in the face of so much indifference and at times tangible hatred, is a powerful form of nonviolent resistance. This article reflects on the simple act of building and rebuilding as a form of nonviolent resistance in the face of forces which would rather they didn't exist. Also the simple act of celebration, celebration of every new home built after the subsequent homes were demolished for the building of illegal settlements, walls and roads. Celebration for every child born and every marriage begun, for every life ended in old age. You may not agree with all the tactics of some of the Palestinians and you should know I don't agree with everything but I can be empathetic. Anyways enjoy this glimpse.


REFLECTION
Hebron: Living Resistance
By Janet Benvie
20 February 2007
For Palestinians the simple act of every day living often becomes an act of non-violent resistance against the cruel, illegal Israeli occupation and confiscation of their land. These are but a few of the daily acts of resistance I have witnessed. A few weeks ago CPT was invited to the wedding of a young couple from the southern Bethlehem village of Umm Salamuna. The couple chose to hold their wedding on land confiscated by the Israeli authorities. The land has been bulldozed in preparation for building a section of the Israeli separation wall (for further information about the effects of the wall see http://www.btselem.org/english/Separation_Barrier/Statistics.asp ).
As well as the usual wedding guests - family, friends and neighbors - this wedding was attended by Bethlehem District officials and Palestinian, Israeli and international peace activists. Last week I visited a Palestinian family in the Beqa'a valley, a fertile area north east of Hebron, where approximately 60 Palestinians live. Under the Oslo agreements 70% of Israeli occupied Palestinian territories remained under full Israeli control. Beqa'a is part of this 70%. Palestinians must go through an expensive and lengthy process to try to obtain permits from the Israeli Civil Administration. Very rarely are permits given. Much of this family's farmland has been confiscated by the Israeli authorities and used to build the illegal Israeli settlement of Ha Harsina. Further land was taken to build a road that links this settlement and the illegal settlement Kiryat Arba with Jerusalem. The grandparents proudly showed me the new, small extension to their home. It was built, they explained, to allow one of their sons and his family a little privacy in their crowded home. Israeli bulldozers demolished a previous extension. Another son showed me his home, and the ruins of his two previous homes demolished by the Israeli authorities, despite support from Israeli and international peace activists. Here in the Old City of Hebron we have only a few neighbors. Most families have left because of harassment by the Israeli military and settlers. The Israeli military has welded closed the front doors of many houses. A few families can use a back entrance to their home, but one family has to enter through a neighbors back gate, climb up to the roof, then walk down another set of stairs into her house. The Umm Salamuna wedding, people's commitment to remain on their land in Beqa'a and in their homes here the Old City are all acts of non-violent resistance. I see signs of hope in this quiet, dogged resistance and when I see Israeli's join with their Palestinian sisters and brothers in these acts of resistance that hope is increased. Christian Peacemaker Teams is an ecumenical initiative to support violence reduction efforts around the world. To learn more about CPT's peacemaking work, visit our website www.cpt.org Photos of our projects are at www.cpt.org/gallery A map of the center of Hebron is at http://www.reliefweb.int/rw/fullMaps_Sa.nsf/0/5618737E38C0B3DE8525708C004BA584/$File/ocha_OTS_hebron_oPt010805.pdf?OpenElement The same map is the last page of this report on closures in Hebron: www.humanitarianinfo.org/opt/docs/UN/OCHA/ochaHU0705_En.pdf