Palestine

Forget History!



It is hard to decide on which aspect of my journey to Palestine I want to focus on. My original topic was based on the ongoing conflict and the political situation but that was before I experienced this country for myself. Now I simply cannot exclude anymore since everything I got to know is somehow a reaction to what has been happening in Palestine over the last decades.

Once I passed the Israeli checkpoint and entered Ramallah I immediately forgot about wars, political interests, water shortage and even settlements. As I learned later, Palestinians call Rammalah "The Bubble" for the exact same reason.
People are busy living their lives. When you promenade the streets you smell a mixture of freshly cut herbs, fruits, waterpipe smoke and of course Falafel. You can observe shopowners bargaining over prices, kids playing in the streets. Just like in every other larger city in the middle-eastern area. Everything seemed to work somehow and I did not feel any tensions, in fact I was benumbed to a state of total relaxation; sitting on rooftops and watching the sun go down while having a smoke. Life was really good and not just to me; it felt like even the people living there were enjyoing the city as much as I was.

As it turned out this "Bubble" was also a point of retreat where Palestinians could live their lives without being observed by Israeli soldiers or harrazed by settlers. When venturing outside of the city I learned quickly that Ramallah was not representative for the West Bank.
Ugly grey watchtowers with cameras and barb wires were the most common sight, quiet often accompanied by an even uglier grey wall which encloses new apartment buildings in the middle of the desert and made them appear like an oasis. A safe haven for those who are allowed to enter.

As if it was not enough to refuse the Palestinian people their own state, the Israeli government shows them every day what a great life they have on their side of the wall, on land that once belonged to Palestinian families. While the Israeli government keeps on building new settlements, new roads for the settlers, water supply lines and every other commodity you could think of; the Palestinians have to rely on the good mood of Israeli military if they may use the roads as well to get to work, or to visit family.
Every day they are subject to random checks, random road closings and arbitrariness at its finest. Just after a day those circumstances made me so upset; I simply could not understand how this can become daily life for anyone. All of those emotions got even toped when I visited Hebron. In this particular city Israeli settlers and Palestinians live almost door-to-door. They are only seperated by fences and walls. Over the years the Israeli settler policy started to close parts of the old city to the Palestinians and so it happens that one remaining school for Palestinians is located right in the middle of that area and every day the school children have to make their way there; trough angry settlers and military checkpoints. To top that, they sometimes cannot even pass the regular checkpoint because it is closed for whatever reason the soldiers prefere. Then they have to climb over a wall using an old ladder to get into the settlement and to get to school, every day.

Way to School in Hebron

Way to School in Hebron

Way to School in Hebron

If you walk into the old town of Hebron you will see cages over the narrow streets, filled with garbage and all sorts of trash which Israeli settlers throw out their windows on the streets where the remaining Palestinian shops are located.

Old Market Hebron

Cages to protect shops from settlers

Seeing all of this myself I can honestly comprehend how people reach a point of frustration where they start picking up stones to throw them at soldiers or their armored vehicles. Needless to say that the effect is rather minimal, if even existent. Retaliation however is severe. Sound bombs, tear gas and rubber bullets of the Israeli army definitely leave their marks. I experienced a similar situation in Bil'in where maybe 20 people started demonstrating against the continuing extension of the settlements when suddenly dozens of tear gas cartridges where in the air. No one had thrown any rocks, simply chanting for their cause.All of that just seems so unproportional to me and despite the dominance of its military, the Israeli people are as far from peace as Palestinians.

This conflict has seen many victims, and there is wrongdoing on both sides but to always look back in history and to point fingers at the other party will not bring along a solution. Neither will the extinction of one enemy lead to sustainable peace. Forgetting about the history and simply observing the situation as it is right now, every rational person would realize that peace will not find its way back to those countries if Israel does not change its military campaign in the West Bank and Gaza radically. They have taken everything from the Palestinians, their right to self-determination, autonomy and freedom. I cannot believe anyone who proclaims that Israel is interested in peace if I see how they make life as hard as they possibly can for Palestinians. How can you blame children of throwing rocks if they have lived their whole life in refugee camps because both their parents are dead or imprisoned. How can you possibly remain calm when you see settlers applaud from their balconies while the army on the other side of the wall tear gases a handful of protestors who want their land back?

Lone Protestor in front of Settlement

Tear Gas from Israeli Military

Yes, there have been cruel suicide bombings in Israel and innocent people died but what do you expect to happen if you surround a country with walls, close every border and then wait what happens. Israel can go on blaming external radical forces for the never lasting peace or maybe reconsider its own position. I remember how Israelis reacted the last time they felt suppressed by England as an occupation force.

When I saw the celebrations after the ceasfire deal was closed it really made me wonder why the people were celebrating this as a victory. Some minor improvements to their situation but then again it was enough to make Palestinians all over the West Bank so happy that they celebrated long into the night. No one was screaming for revenge at that moment. Israel could give so much to the Palestinians if they wanted and they would immediately reduce the threat for themselves as well. Radicals need military suppression and injustice to fill their ranks.

After my visit I have become a strong supporter of the Palestinian cause and that does not mean I wish to destroy the state of Israel but simply to help the people in Palestine to gain back their freedom and give them the opportunity for a life in peace on their own terms. I hope article and the pictures will help to grow awareness of the situation.

Also I can only recommend everyone to go to the West Bank themselves and meet the people living there. I have travelled quiet a lot recently and I have encountered many different people but the Palestinians outdo them all. Everywhere I went people invited me for tea or coffee, welcomed me in their country or city and even invited me to their familys to have dinner with them.

For all the pictures simply follow the link below:
https://www.facebook.com/fabian.annich/media_set?set=a.10203329396249626.1073741834.1052246192&type=1

As always any feedback/comment/question is welcome.

Kids celebrate ceasefire

Family Gathering

Hebron Checkpoint

Hebron Checkpoint

Hebron Checkpoint