Mail Newsletter - January 09

January 2009 A look into Israel’s political atmosphere

post-war

In the aftermath of the war on Gaza, mainstream Israeli discourse can unfortunately be characterized by its undemocratic and racist tendencies. Whilst hundreds of Palestinians, citizens of Israel, have been arrested or detained for taking part in legal demonstrations protesting the war, the Knesset committee has tried to ban Arab parties from the forthcoming elections. Though few such incidents, national and local, have found their way into the international media and have been pushed to the periphery in the latest Israeli coverage, they are nonetheless both significant and telling. Here in Jaffa, “Ironi Z” is a Jewish school of which 30% of its demographic is made up of Arab students. During the war, tensions emerged between the Jewish and the Arab students in the school. The Arabs, wearing the kaffiyah, proudly said that they identified with the Palestinians in Gaza while the Jews, adorning the Israeli flag, largely supported the military bombardment meted out.

for them to teach there during the war, and they feared that the mourning event would only make matters worse. On this occasion the municipality stated that "Israel is a democratic state and each has the freedom of expression, but only within the limits of the law. The use of municipal buildings for political purposes is prohibited, and therefore the tent must be taken down." It must be of note that this principle does not negate the school holding army lectures, memorial days for the military and meetings with political candidates during election periods throughout the year. We are deeply concerned by such contradictions in the machinery we are facing. In our opinion, it is imperative that educational bodies have the capability and the tools to deal with these challenges in the spirit of an equal treatment to both sides. The educational system is part of and is influenced by the national conflict, and as such needs to acknowledge it obligation to tackle those harsh and often difficult questions that inevitably arise from it.

Whilst the school was unsure of how to tackle the

For this reason, we at Sadaka Reut have decid-

situation, the municipality’s education department

ed to initiate a convention specifically looking at

categorically denied the problem, stating that this

the role of the educational system in relation to the

was “a false description. [For more than a week

conflict. We want to explore those specific chal-

now] there is no Arab student that has come to

lenges faced by both the formal and informal edu-

school with a kaffyiah”.

cation work frames, and to find solutions to prob-

In another Jaffan school, consisting of only Arab

lems others would rather we left alone.

students, the students decided they wanted to

The Jaffa Convention for Education will

raise a mourning tent in remembrance of Gaza’s

be held during the month of March. We will

victims. The school’s Jewish teachers had stat-

keep you updated with the details of the

ed that it has become more and more difficult

event.

2 A Space for Reassessment

Honesty

and

The Markaz began its activities in November with four Jewish groups and five Palestinian groups each using music, theatre, photography, video or activism as vehicles for empowerment and expression. With a new uni-national approach adopted after the success of the Building a Culture for Peace scheme, we have attracted more participants across all our groups than any other year.

“There are two different processes that Jewish and Palestinian groups go through, with different goals, emphasis and educational purposes necessary for the project to really work.” Although the uni-national approach has made it easier to attract a wider political range of applicants, it was also a logical change for Sadaka. As Adi Maoz, our educational director explains, “There are two different processes that Jewish and Palestinian groups go through, with different goals, emphasis and educational purposes necessary for the project to really work.” The uni-national work, coming prior to the bi-national stages, is there to create a safe, freer ground, where many issues can be raised that would not necessarily come up in a bi-national setting. This gives the group an opportunity to work through its own issues before developing them in conversation alongside their parallel. This point has proved particularly relevant in recent weeks what with the situation in Gaza. Anna Cohen, facilitator of the Jewish photography group, notes that the majority of her participants

are coming from families of the Jewish-Israeli consensus, where the influences are staunchly prowar. As she notes, “what is vital is that we do not outcast participants because they do not fit in with our stance on Gaza, or even my own.” The freedom the Markaz’s uni-national system provides has already proved extremely important in creating a space for honesty and re-assessment among her group. In their last sessions, the youth were able to raise mainstream positions regarding the conflict, and then to analyze them critically together – without the stress of the bi-national clash on the issue of the war. After having deconstructed their positions, the youth already have a better understanding of the political and social reality that surrounds them. This can only lead to the emergence of more democratic attitudes and a more fruitful bi-national process in the future.

“what is vital is that we do not outcast participants because they do not fit in with our stance on Gaza, or even my own.”

3 Oldies but Goldies The bi-national third year group is made up of nineteen long-standing members of Sadaka-Reut, who, a year younger than commune members, have formed a kind of ‘next generation outfit’, as Wasim, facilitator of the group, brands it. With all present having gone through over three years of Sadaka programs, these are mature participants who are aware of themselves and where they fit into the struggle.

Starting from a more constructive and responsible place they are re-assessing their vision: why are we still sitting here together after all these years? What do we actually want?

ing them over again. In doing so, they are hitting much deeper levels. For example, the Jews started saying that maybe they are not as liberal as they have said in the past – they are afraid of having a bi-national state or a Palestinian Prime Minister because they don’t feel they can trust all Palestinians. The Arabs are asking honest questions relating to their national and cultural identity and ways to preserve it within Israeli life, while elaborating about their role in the struggle for the establishment of a Palestinian state. This is a level of honesty you may expect to find in a uni-national group but to see it at a bi-national level takes a long time and an enormous degree of trust. More than anything, this is testament to the participants themselves who, whilst bonds of friendship all around them are being severed, are preparing to meet again, together, next week.

Still, this almost feels like the most difficult Sada-

There is no such thing pre-process and post-

ka group to be a part of. With starting groups, the

process reality within the bi-national partnership.

main objective is empowering them and getting

Essential questions arise at every step of the pro-

them off the ground, looking to approach broader

cess, and they must be given their space in order

issues such as identity, society and citizenship,

to slowly define a shared vision that can be the

and thinking through them. Only then can they

basis for joint life.

really start working on the truly difficult questions which root the conflict, and this is where the third year group is at now. Starting from a more constructive and responsible place they are re-assessing their vision: why are we still sitting here together after all these years? What do we actually want? As Wasim notes, there are important questions that arise in any part of a partnership, and these need to be dealt with. The youth are therefore going back to their basic assumptions, and check-

4

The New, and much welcomed, Next Generation Held this year in Neve Shalom, 81 participants, 6 volunteers and 14 staff, gathered for our largest ever seminar. Separated into first timers, second and third year groups, the weekend was dedicated to exploring issues of belonging, responsibility and social action. For many it was the first time they had met their Palestinian or Jewish parallel. For many others it was the first time they had, in an absolute impassioned and dynamic atmosphere, seen Sadaka-Reut in its fuller form, with all its groups. The seventeen Palestinian participants of the

push through any emotional hurdles in the belief that something positive would emerge at the end. As Mariam Abedeldayem, coordinator of our Building a Culture of Peace project observed, “it takes a certain quality to be a part of Sadaka-Reut. You have to be a very brave person. Especially at the ages our participants are....it is not easy to challenge society around you or analyze your place within it when you are so young.” Indeed, Sadaka’s very aim, to encourage youth to think critically and act responsibly, inherently deals with issues which many adults find impossible to grapple with. They are difficult, often uncomfortable, processes which even the staff at Sadaka themselves continue to go through.

Arara/Tira group were taking part in their first Sadaka-Reut seminar. They were asked to outline the village or country or place they wanted to live and the criteria which would determine their decisions. How many people would there be? What kind of people would there be? Would it be only for Arabs? Would they welcome immigrants? Would they welcome Jews? Would there be a set religion? Would there be a set language? Who would govern? What were to be the role of women? All participants were aged between 14 and 15.

“it takes a certain quality to be a part of Sadaka-Reut. You have to be a very brave person. Especially at the ages our participants are....it is not easy to challenge society around you or analyze your place within it when you are so young.”

Sitting in with the first bi-national Ramat Sharon/ Taybeh group meeting on the seminar, they arrived at the issue of the Nakba by themselves, a topic usually reserved until the group is more settled and aware of each other. Not only are these young people preparing to tackle the extremely difficult issues which surround them, they are actively seeking them out. At a time when polls show that eighty-two percent of the Israeli population believe the military approach in Gaza was not enough and

This last fact is not something to be overlooked.

an even larger percentage see dialogue as weak-

Despite dealing with extraordinarily complicated

ness, they have never been more brave, needed

and potentially unsettling issues, all were willing to

or welcomed.

Active Responsibility

and now Gaza…

5

Still, it appears that the commune members

This year’s commune program started with an

understand the necessity of action on all these

even greater emphasis on the training of its partic-

issues. When Acre erupted in October it was obvi-

ipants as activists. From the offset, this new direc-

ous to them that they should be involved, not just

tion was embraced enthusiastically. Unprompted

as opinionated viewers but as actors on the scene.

and unplanned, the new commune members took

Noa, a commune member, notes that ‘there was

the initiative to lead a campaign calling for the

a feeling that if we lost our voice on these issues,

immediate release of Salwa Salach and Sawrah

there was no point being a part of the commune

Siuori, two Palestinians minors held illegally in

project at all.’ In turn, they have become increasingly involved, both alongside Jaffa’s Popular Committee and independently, on the issue of challenging the ongoing construction of a yeshivat hesder in Jaffa. This is not to say that a unified front is always so easily agreed upon. Indeed, whilst all saw the ‘development in Jaffa’ as code for ‘the danger of expulsion of Arabs off their city’, the individual make-up of the commune meant disagreement abounded over the message Sadaka-Reut should put out. With one member from a religious

administrative detention. For Hana Amoury, the

background, and another born and bred in Jaffa’s

commune’s project coordinator, this proved a vital

Ajami district, decided differences appeared as

development in their evolution as activists: “It gave

to how strong the message should be. As Hana

them an early and important grounding not only in

observes, “these are the difficult but necessary

what they are up against in the form of the Israeli

discussions that course through the commune

system, but also of what it means to be an activ-

on a daily basis. Living with each other, getting to

ist. After obtaining over a thousand signatures and

know where each other are from - they are learn-

contributing to the girls’ release, they began to per-

ing that they are part of the conflict. The next step

ceive themselves as activists and began to believe

is a logical one: being part of the conflict goes

in their power to bring about social change.” With

hand in hand with a responsibility to act against

a more dedicated space for working on political

it.” And, as I write, all commune members can

campaigning, this process has been accelerated,

be seen preparing posters to be plastered on the

albeit regrettably, by the extremely intensive politi-

walls and streets of Tel Aviv and Sderot in protest

cal period over the last six months: firstly the Acre

to the attacks on Gaza…

violent events, then religious settlements in Jaffa,

6

Insight in partnership This October saw the Beit Jalah seminar where,

structured around a series of theoretical and ideological workshops, all of our facilitators met to discuss the organization’s educational goals and

group came to the overall conclusion that whilst it was obviously important that they met once a month to discuss and evaluate their methodologies and practices with the youth, time should also be allocated for their own continued development and internal processing.

methodologies. Participants were divided depen-

Secondly, there was passionate debate over

dent on their levels of experience within Sadaka –

Sadaka-Reut’s political emphasis and actions.

commune members, new facilitators and veteran

Questions abounded over the link between educa-

facilitators. Over the intensive two day period many

tion and activism, dialogue and outreach. How do

issues were raised, and those which emerged

we continue with our long-term educational work

from our most experienced

with youth and, in paral-

pool of leaders proved par-

lel, function as a politi-

ticularly interesting.

cal force which takes

Two main topics dominated their agenda. The first centered on the very dynamics of the veteran facilitators group itself, with both Jewish and Palestinian leaders asking for reassurances from each other. Even after two years working together, there were still some fears, concerns and expectations of each other that needed to be discussed and analyzed. Whilst Palestinian facilitators acknowledged and appreciated their Jewish colleagues, they still wanted them to declare their positions politically, something the Jewish facilitators felt was unnecessary and should have been taken for granted. In turn, the Jewish facilitators felt comfortable in accepting criticism of the state and

actions on the ground? Moreover, what do we mean when we say we are a movement that wants to carry out political actions? What is an effective action? Do we mean organizing demonstrations and distributing petitions or do we also include encouraging bi-national artistic voices and being ourselves as alternatives in the same bracket? Whilst opinions differed over all of these questions, all agreed that there was a need for something defined and written which outlined clearly Sadaka's methodology and vision. These conversations would continue, but we as Sadaka had to know where we wanted to go with them.

damage it has caused to the Palestinian people

All of the seminars debates proved incredibly

but with this awareness, they still wanted to know

useful in gaging how far we have come as an

what the Palestinian facilitators ultimately wanted

organization but also outlined again the important

from Israelis – did they want to work alongside

fact that we are forever evolving as a movement: a

them? Did they want them to ‘go back where they

movement on the move...

came from’? Deconstructing these needs, the