ramblings

By now you may be aware that I am in Jerusalem with the four other delegates from the Olympia-Rafah Sister City Project, and Cindy and Craig Corrie. We chose to leave Gaza Wednesday morning after two men came to our apartment late Tuesday night asking us to go with them under the false pretense that we would be safer staying in their home. Our host in Rafah recognized this as an attempt to kidnap us and cautiously navigated the situation resulting in the bizarre scenario of the men shaking each of our hands and leaving. Though this experience was nerve-wracking at no point did I feel I was in any physical danger.

Kidnapping of foreigners has become increasingly common throughout the past month as the upcoming legislative elections get closer. The past week and a half in Rafah much of our time was spent discussing our safety. Our Palestinian friends in Rafah were very attentive and aware of the developing situation. Together with their support and guidance we attempted to navigate these unfortunate circumstances. Earlier on the day this incident occurred, our friends in Rafah strongly recommended that we leave for our own safety. Based on their concerns we had agreed to leave earlier than expected, though our rapid good-byes came more quickly than anticipated after our attempted kidnapping.

I meant to send out this report before this incident took place, but as circumstances in Gaza have become increasingly unstable and our situation shifted daily I found myself constantly having to update this report. I have decided to send it now as I think it contextualizes our attempted kidnapping in this pre-election period.

Last week as I sat in the Internet café a block from my apartment in Rafah reading the latest news from throughout Gaza and the West Bank I was left feeling vulnerable and uncertain. I was struck by how chaotic and unruly it all sounded, yet sitting there quietly reading and writing, being served free cups of hot tea by the young men who run the café, the stories on the screen felt distant and unrelated to my reality.

It had been difficult for me to write these past few weeks. I think it had to do with the fact that I felt more settled in, more at home. I had my routine. Each morning I woke up, stretched, made a pot of Turkish coffee on our one electric stove and headed out to a meeting, presentation, or some other sort of social gathering. The ability to create a routine in the midst of an uncertain, potentially dangerous situation grounded me. At the same time I was left feeling disoriented and disconnected from the events surrounding me.

I know the work I am doing, helping establish various cross-cultural projects, for example creating a network to sell women’s fair trade embroidery in Olympia or facilitating the connection between an elementary school class in Rafah and a school in Olympia, is a part of a larger vision. I know that this work is one project of many designed to educate people in the US about Palestine and the role the US government plays in continuing the occupation here. And as my friends in Rafah emphasize, educate people in Palestine about the American people and those of us who oppose the actions of the US government. But it is hard sometimes to feel that all of these things are in any way related to the daily realities of life in Gaza.

Daily I saw or heard second hand about the latest unrest in Gaza. The almost nightly bombings that have taken place over northern Gaza, the targeted assassinations, the implementation and blatant redeployment by the Israeli military of a “no-go zone” stretching 1.5 miles inside of Gaza on the northern and eastern boarders. The daily take-over of Palestinian electoral offices by various Palestinian factions angry over broken promises of jobs and positions of authority with in the PA (Palestinian Authority). Last week’s news of two men killed by the IOF (Israeli Occupation Force) for being within the “no go zone”. News of two Islamic Jihad members killed by an apache helicopter air strike as they were driving in Gaza City one evening. The events taking place in Gaza are endless, one follows the other faster than I can learn about what is taking place.

Two weeks ago, as we drove out of Rafah heading towards Gaza City I looked out the window of the taxi and saw armed Palestinian police in their blue uniforms surrounding a group of masked men leaning against a near-by wall. I later learned that the men were demanding space on the ballot of the upcoming legislative elections scheduled to take place January 25th. With the run up to the elections tension mounts daily as gun fights and election office take-overs are increasingly common.

Even as I see glimpses of the reality, laying in bed reading while listening nightly to the shelling and bombing over Gaza City. Holding in my hand the one notice of warning Israel has given to those living and working inside the area Israel has declared a “no go zone”. It reads: “Residents of Northern Gaza, terrorists are launching missiles from beside your houses. The IDF (Israel Defense Force) is working to defend the security of Israel and they will continue pursuing the terrorists. You must leave this area. Staying will put your lives in danger. IDF Leadership.” Or walking through downtown Rafah as a parade of Palestinian police cars and trucks crammed full of police men with guns occasionally shooting into the air in an attempt to clear the traffic from their path as they mourned the loss of a fellow police officer earlier in the week. I still felt on the periphery of all that was taking place.

But every now and again an experience or story would jolt me back into what it really meant to be living Gaza. I felt this more strongly in the past few days, as the unstable situation in Gaza has resulted more and more frequently in the kidnapping of foreigners.

Last Wednesday three Brits were kidnapped as they entered Gaza from Rafah Crossing. I am relieved to say that on Friday they were released unharmed and the woman who was kidnapped and has been working in Gaza for the past year will continue her work here. I breathed a sign of relief upon hearing this news. But almost a quickly as my concerns were dispelled news of another kidnapping surfaced. The man, Italian, was released unharmed in a matter of hours after the PA took an active role in securing his release. These incidents heightened our awareness of our surroundings and sparked many conversations and concern from Palestinians regarding our safety.

Listening to the concerns and advice from our friends in Rafah, we had made the decision Tuesday afternoon to leave Gaza by the end of the week. Our remaining time in Rafah was shortened even further after the attempted kidnapping we experienced Tuesday night. As we said rapid good-byes to the few friends who were able to see us off I still could not process that we were leaving. Our time in Rafah was cut short and it was painful to leave all the people I have come to know and love, yet the two months we were able to spend there were amazing.

We accomplished many of the goals we began with and laid the foundation for continued cooperation and cross-cultural connection to take place. Continuing this work is extremely important and sends a strong message of our commitment to solidarity with the Palestinian people in spite of the action of a small sector of the population carrying out the kidnappings. The act of kidnapping foreigners will not deter us from our commitment to the Palestine people, and the people of Rafah in particular.

We will continue to work in solidarity with Palestinians as stopping sets a precedent for internationals to discontinue their work in Gaza. Such actions would send the message that the acts of a few have the potential to dismantle years of energy put towards building trust and understanding between Palestinian’s and internationals in Gaza. We will continue to foster the friendships we made during our two months in Rafah and find creative ways to carry out the projects we began despite our rapid departure.

I feel incredibly supported by the friends we have made in Rafah. They gave all their spare time to accompanying us when we traveled and constantly checked in with us wanting to know that we were okay when they were not around. As one friend put it, “We will provide you with security not with weapons, but with our friendship and love”

The kidnappings taking place in Gaza are different and unrelated to the kidnappings taking place in Iraq. They are a part of the internal power struggle in Gaza. The majority of kidnappings have been used to pressure the PA for jobs within the Authority, or to secure the release of friends or family jailed by the PA. In Iraq kidnappings are employed to release prisoners held by the US or to demand an end to the Occupation. In Iraq kidnappings are used as collateral to pressure an external power whose control is not affected by the kidnappings. Yes, it represents the sense of chaos and lack of control the US maintains over Iraq, but the media uses it to justify the continued occupation under the guise of achieving security before leaving. The US will not give in to the demands of the kidnappers as they feel it will display a weakness in US foreign policy.

Kidnappings in Gaza are primarily used to put pressure on the internal power players, namely the Palestinian Authority. In the eyes of the international community these acts do not benefit the PA in any way, but rather undermine their legitimacy. The media is more than willing to uses the kidnappings to discredit the PA. Saying such things as “mayhem in the Gaza Strip….has embarrassed Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas, threatening to undermine his Fatah Party…”

It doesn’t take much thought to determine that the rationale of kidnapping foreigners to be used as bargaining chips in Gaza are borrowed from Iraqi resistance to the US occupation, but the goals and politics behind them differ. The phenomenon of kidnapping in Gaza is new. It had been the topic of conversation everywhere we went in Rafah and without fail the people we met condemn these acts. My analysis about this is in no way comprehensive but having spent countless hours with dozens of Palestinians discussing this I feel I should share some of what I heard.

Many people I have spoken with see the kidnappings as a sign of unrest due to the upcoming elections. It is one aspect of the larger climate that has developed here during the election season. This is a phase, growing pains that Palestine is experiencing as it attempts to hold its first legislative elections since 1996. People have hope that post-election the situation will change, as a governmental structure will take shape challenging the unruly atmosphere that currently exists. There is still talk of the elections being canceled though people remain optimistic that they will take place.

Last summer’s Israeli disengagement, or rather, redeployment left a power vacuum leading various political factions jockeying for control. The PA has been weakened and the Palestinian public views it with skepticism because of internal corruption as well as Israel successfully undermining their credibility through such policies as unilateral decision making. Despite Israel’s redeployment it has continued to exploit the daily lawlessness in Palestine and Gaza in particular. With threats to prohibit Palestinians in East Jerusalem from voting due to Hamas’ participation in the elections, with the creation of a “no go zone”, targeted assassinations as I mentioned earlier, and on and on the occupation of Gaza and the West Bank undoubtedly play a role in the ensuing state of unrest in Gaza.

To expect that Palestine, lacking status as an independent country, can effectively hold elections while under military occupation is unrealistic. I hear criticism of the PA for not controlling the unfolding events taking place in Gaza but the inability of the PA to govern Gaza is not purely a home grow problem. Yes, there is corruption within the PA contributing to its ineffectiveness, but one cannot deny the role Israel has played in undermining its ability to establish any sort of credible and therefore effective government. Due in large part to the continued Israeli occupation the PA is unable to provide basic services and meet the needs of the people. This has ripened the playing field for others to step up to bat. In this pre-election season we see these power struggles playing out in the streets, in electoral offices, and in the use of foreigners to pressure the PA to acknowledge the interests of individuals and groups.

It is an intense but fascinating time to be in Palestine. In spite of the kidnapping attempt I am thankful that I was able to experience some of what it is like to be in a place where people feel passionate about their lives, their hope for freedom and for a better future. I do not agree with many of the tactics employed by various Palestinian factions but I cannot deny that there is much more participation in the political process in Palestine than in the United States.

As the international media continues to portray the instability in Gaza as solely the fault of the PA and armed militant groups we must recognize the role our government and the Israeli government’s policies have played in creating the events now unfolding. In this globalized world we have the ability to witness and support grassroots movement for justice taking place all over the world. Building relationships with those whom our government categorizes as “terrorists” or “communists” breaks down these generalizations and lays the foundation for trust to be fostered. I have experienced the strength and power this work holds and have see the positive impact of even the simplest acts of solidarity.