Actions speak louder than words. Many of Israel's laws do not reflect in their actions. For example, even though the Palestinians of East Jerusalem are supposed to have the same rights and services as the Israeli population, they still suffer from inequality. According to the Ir Amim website, Palestinians face a great degree of municipal inequality in planning and education. Through various obstacles, the Israeli government hinders Palestinian ability to physically develop neighborhoods. Despite Israel's free compulsory education law, Palestinian children receive inadequate education; "As of 2009 there was a shortage of more than 1000 classrooms; about half of the parents are forced to send their children to private education that costs money and about 5500 children go to no school whatsoever." Other inequalities faced by Palestinians in East Jerusalem include a nonfunctioning postal service, a lack of sanitation services, a poor infrastructure, extreme poverty, and unemployment. Suspicions have been raised that the inequalities faced by Palestinians are purposefully meant to cause the population to move away from East Jerusalem. If Palestinians move away from Jerusalem, the city’s population will have a strengthening Jewish majority. Ir Amim calls for these inequalities to be reconciled and to end the neglect of Palestinian neighborhoods in East Jerusalem.
In order to restrict Palestinians use of public areas, the Israeli authorities have declared certain spaces in Palestinian neighborhoods as Israeli archeological sites and national parks. As we learned in Armstrong's text, archaeological excavations and building construction have been used as a form of control throughout the history of Jerusalem. I was surprised to find out that this practice still continues today. According to the Ir Amim website, excavations currently occur under homes of Palestinians, which causes damage to their property. The government plans to create nine national parks to surround the Old City. Both archeological excavations and national parks are two avenues to secure Israeli control over the land and disenfranchise Palestinians. The Elad settler organization operates both the excavation sites and the Emek Tzurim national park. Settler groups play an increasing role in the development and maintenance of these sites.
Organizations like Ir Amim and B’Tselem are integral groups that help educate the public about the Occupation. The mission of B’Tselem is, “to document and educate the Israeli public and policymakers about human rights violations in the Occupied Territories, combat the phenomenon of denial prevalent among the Israeli public, and help create a human rights culture in Israel.” Through documentation and education, B’Tselem strives to end ignorance and promote justice. In their media updates, I learned about settler assaults on farmers in a village near Ramallah. In these assaults, stones were thrown at farmers and their olive trees were broken and burnt. Not only is their land stolen from, but Palestinians must also face continual abuse and humiliation.
I would like to ask Eitan Grossman about his involvement in both Ir Amim and B’Tselem. Are organizations like these making a difference to end the conflict? What are these organizations doing right/wrong? What sacrifices must he make in his personal life to create social change? Does he have friends who are settlers? In my research, I felt so inspired by the solidarity and hope of the Sheikh Jarrah movement. Are there any negative aspects of this movement towards equality? What could be done to strengthen the movement? I would also like to learn more about the Anatot settlement and the settler violence. Are the protesters nervous that they will face settler violence on Friday? I’m really excited to have the opportunity to talk to Eitan Grossman. Sometimes I forget that I have the potential to be an agent of change. It is inspiring to meet with people who make such a difference in their communities.
I agree that it is easy to forget my own capacity to change, and to make a difference. It's fascinating to look into the lives of others who make that decision to change the world around them and to make the sacrifices for the hope of a better future. Inspiring really is the right word.
ReplyDeleteI honestly think that the inequality in education that is present in Jerusalem is astounding. I personally believe that education is one of the most important rights an individual can have, and by denying it through an intentional lack of funding or lack of classroom availability you are purposefully denying these people a potential future.
ReplyDeleteAs for the archaeological topic, I think it is interesting to compare the Israeli justification of excavating under homes for archaeological purposes to a policy in Italy. In Rome, for instance, it is widely believed that enormous amounts of archaeological wealth lay under buildings and homes alike all across the city. But, for the specific reason of the danger of excavating under homes for the building's integrity and that of the homeowner, these excavations are not undertaken.