We walked through the market in the Old City. There are people selling in the market, but it is very quiet and subdued. None of the hustle and bustle I witnessed in the Old City of Jerusalem.
We went to the Ibrahimi mosque/Tomb of the Patriarchs. It is a sacred site for Jews and Muslims alike. Both of them believe that Abraham, Sarah and Isaac are buried there. There is a Muslim and Jewish section, and both sides are kept apart from each other for most of the year. There are a few days during which it is possible for one side to cross over to the other.
Coming into the mosque with Walid, we had to go through 3 different checkpoints. Walid explained that sometimes it can take more than 2 hours to enter to pray and there were times when the place was simply closed off by the army for "security reasons".
We then walked down Shuhada Street. Walid could not accompany us, since the street is closed off to Palestinians. People who need to cross from one side of the Old City to the other can do so near a checkpoint, but must keep to the left and quickly cross to a connecting street. Soldiers will hurry Palestinians along if they feel they are not abiding properly by the 'rules of the road'. We stopped by a group of soldiers and Walid talked to them. They were quite friendly, and they spoke a mixture of Hebrew and Arabic. Not all of the soldiers enjoy protecting the settlers, and some of them are sympathetic to the Palestinians. That is important to remember at all times, the uniform does not say everything about a person.
A block away from Shuhada is a school, Qurtada. It is a public school, for kids in grade 1 to 6. It is also a learning community that is under siege.
We met Reyna Sharif, a smiling, outspoken and loud woman who also happens to be the principal. We came in during recess, so she closed the windows so we could 'hear each other speak'.
Qurtada was formed in 1971, bought from a family that moved out due to settler harrassment. It is only metres away from the Beit Romano, Tel Rumeida and Hadassa settlements. 60% of the schoolchildren live near Shuhada Street. They have to cross it on their way to school.
Settlers have thrown rocks, beaten up and sworn at kids crossing the street. Most of the aggressors are settler children, since they cannot be arrested. Parents approvingly look from a distance, ready to interfere if the Palestinians dare to fight back. Soldiers have sometimes looked at assaults on Palestinians and have done nothing, moving in only when the victims responded with violence.
Since 2006, Reyna began opening the school half an hour earlier, at 7:30 in the morning. This was done to minimize attacks by the settlers, many of whom were not up as early to carry out their routine harrassment. EAPPI and other activists including CPT have walked with kids to school and supervised them crossing the street. The presence of activists has done a bit to decrease the attacks.
Kids walking to school from other areas are stopped by soldiers and searched for weapons. Until recently, the same applied to teachers. Soldiers have not beaten schoolchildren but they do sometimes insult and swear at them. Others though treat them with respect, and have told settlers to leave them alone. Unfortunately, the settlers do not have to listen even to the army that is protecting them.
Attacks on the school have also taken place. In August 2007 it was set on fire and certain areas have had to be rebuilt.
As an educator, I cannot imagine what it would be like to teach under such conditions. The fact that this school still exists is a testimony to the resilience of the teachers and students, who do not allow themselves to be cowed by the repression that is being perpetrated against them on a daily basis.
In some ways, living in Israel and Palestine is like being in a different world. It is hard for me to understand this level of hatred, how people can treat other people in this way. So many of the human rights most Canadians take for granted are disregarded here. It cannot continue in this way forever.
The fenced off street is Shuhada Street. Palestinians not allowed on it. Interestingly some can sell goods by the side of the street, yet Palestinians are not allowed to come by.
Houses and shops to the sides of the street are bolted down by the army. Settlers and some soldiers spraypaint stars of David on the properties, as well as slogans in Hebrew.
Walking down Shuhada Street. Palestinians are denied access, except schoolchildren who have to cross it on the way home. They do it at their own risk.
Principal Reyna Sharif
No comments:
Post a Comment