Palestine
Blogging from Palestine
War on Want Senior Campaigner Ruth Tanner is travelling in Palestine with Clare Short MP, War on Want President Rodney Bickerstaffe and photojournalist Jo Metson-Scott. She'll be updating this blog throughout the weeklong trip.
Tuesday 8 May 2007
Arafat Musa's home in the West Bank, where he lives with his wife and six children, was destroyed by Israeli authorities. The land has been in Mr Musa's family since his great grandfather first held the deed, but nevertheless he had been refused a building permit.
After it was demolished, the house was built again thanks in part to funding from Clare Short.
Now the family's home faces demolition again amid fears the Israeli authorities want the land for Jewish settlers.
Monday 7 May 2007
This picture really stuck with me today, Its a simple picture that needs little explanation. The road on the right is for Israelis, the road on the left is for Palestinians.
-posting from Jo
Caterpillar building a tunnel to link Bethlehem and Jerusalem. We all knew about the Wall, but the extent of the planning which has gone into the system of occupation really hit home today. We knew that Caterpillar bulldozers are used in house demolitions and constructing the Wall but today we saw Caterpillar building a tunnel. This tunnel is just one part of a system of tunnels, separation roads, check points and the Wall that the Israelis are building and which are fragmenting the West Bank and turning it in effect into a series of ghettos. Everyone on this delegation has been left in no doubt that this is an apartheid system. Saturday 5 May 2007
Hanni Ammar's house We went to see Hanni Ammear and his family today. They live in an unbelievable situation. They are trapped between the wall and a settlement. His family have the wall, gates and fences surrounding their home. The Wall separates then from their neighbours and they are regularly threat ed by security forces and settles. You can't believe how impossibly brave this family must be to stand up to the pressure and although their case is poignant because its so extreme we've heard similar stories from so many people all day. When they came and told him they wanted to build the wall they said he had two alternatives - either in front of his house or through his house.
"I said to them two choices are bad. I'm not going to accept it. I have a third choice which is better than the two choices you have given me. There is still space between my house and the settlement. You can put the wall between me and the settlement."
Hanni Ammear has lived in his house for 35 years. They've destroyed his chicken farm and his flower farm and his family live in fear.
"I was in the best money situation in all the villages around. Today I don't have one shekel to give to my daughter or son."
Last night the army came again. At 2.30 10 armed army vehicles surrounded his home.
"They asked me are you still here. I said I am, they said do you want to keep living to 120 or is 50 enough for you?"
Friday 4 May 2007
Seeing how peaceful and harmonious east Jerusalem and the old city seem it is really hard to believe the aggression and inhumanity of the situation. Seeing Israeli soldiers mixing with people just going about their daily lives (particularly on a Friday as they go to their different places of worship) is really strange and heartbreaking.
Thursday 3 May 2007
I am taking passionate and outspoken ex Cabinet Minister Clare Short and War on Want President and union supremo Rodney Bickerstaffe to Palestine this week to see first hand the true cost of Israel’s occupation.
Join us each day as we visit the apartheid wall, meet families whose homes and villages are slated for imminent demolition and expose the role of companies who are profiting from the injustices committed daily against the Palestinian people.
After it was demolished, the house was built again thanks in part to funding from Clare Short.
Now the family's home faces demolition again amid fears the Israeli authorities want the land for Jewish settlers.
Monday 7 May 2007
This picture really stuck with me today, Its a simple picture that needs little explanation. The road on the right is for Israelis, the road on the left is for Palestinians.
-posting from Jo
Caterpillar building a tunnel to link Bethlehem and Jerusalem. We all knew about the Wall, but the extent of the planning which has gone into the system of occupation really hit home today. We knew that Caterpillar bulldozers are used in house demolitions and constructing the Wall but today we saw Caterpillar building a tunnel. This tunnel is just one part of a system of tunnels, separation roads, check points and the Wall that the Israelis are building and which are fragmenting the West Bank and turning it in effect into a series of ghettos. Everyone on this delegation has been left in no doubt that this is an apartheid system. Saturday 5 May 2007
Hanni Ammar's house We went to see Hanni Ammear and his family today. They live in an unbelievable situation. They are trapped between the wall and a settlement. His family have the wall, gates and fences surrounding their home. The Wall separates then from their neighbours and they are regularly threat ed by security forces and settles. You can't believe how impossibly brave this family must be to stand up to the pressure and although their case is poignant because its so extreme we've heard similar stories from so many people all day. When they came and told him they wanted to build the wall they said he had two alternatives - either in front of his house or through his house.
"I said to them two choices are bad. I'm not going to accept it. I have a third choice which is better than the two choices you have given me. There is still space between my house and the settlement. You can put the wall between me and the settlement."
Hanni Ammear has lived in his house for 35 years. They've destroyed his chicken farm and his flower farm and his family live in fear.
"I was in the best money situation in all the villages around. Today I don't have one shekel to give to my daughter or son."
Last night the army came again. At 2.30 10 armed army vehicles surrounded his home.
"They asked me are you still here. I said I am, they said do you want to keep living to 120 or is 50 enough for you?"
Friday 4 May 2007
Seeing how peaceful and harmonious east Jerusalem and the old city seem it is really hard to believe the aggression and inhumanity of the situation. Seeing Israeli soldiers mixing with people just going about their daily lives (particularly on a Friday as they go to their different places of worship) is really strange and heartbreaking.
 |  |
Thursday 3 May 2007
I am taking passionate and outspoken ex Cabinet Minister Clare Short and War on Want President and union supremo Rodney Bickerstaffe to Palestine this week to see first hand the true cost of Israel’s occupation.
Join us each day as we visit the apartheid wall, meet families whose homes and villages are slated for imminent demolition and expose the role of companies who are profiting from the injustices committed daily against the Palestinian people.
