Friends International Center in Ramallah
August 2010 Newsletter
(Vol. IV No.7)

Building a Nonviolent Resistance Movement may be the only way to end the Israeli Military Occupation of the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem

From the Program Coordinator

Palestinians in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem have lived under Israeli military rule for more than 43 years.  Most of the resistance to the occupation has been nonviolent—at times organized nonviolent resistance on local and community levels and at times nonviolent actions have been carried out by single groups and individuals.  After all these years of resistance to the occupation, many are asking “What next?”  

The past several years have been a time of building a national nonviolent movement.  The first hurdle that had to be overcome was to define “nonviolence”.  For many this word had meant “non-action” or “resignation to the status quo”.  Much education has been done in cities, towns and villages to help people see that using nonviolence is not “resignation” or “accepting the status quo” or “sitting back and doing nothing”, but it means “actively resisting the occupation through nonviolent means”.  Palestinian organizations have been engaged in training groups and individuals in cities, towns, and villages in the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem, in methods of nonviolent resistance. 

There is so much creative and important work being done on this issue, it is impossible to capture all the initiatives.  At the risk of leaving out some, you can read about some of the work being done by Palestinian groups here.  In different ways, the Friends Center has partnered with these groups during the past four years.      

Below are some articles written by Palestinians who have founded organizations dedicated to building a movement for nonviolent resistance of the Israeli military occupation and are committed to building a nonviolent resistance movement to end the occupation.  The views of all articles and websites mentioned are those of the writers and their organizations and do not always reflect those of FICR.  

Read the article by Zoughbi Zoughbi (founder and director of Wi’am) www.alaslah.org 

Read an article by Mazin Qumsiyeh in The Link “Where is the Palestinian Gandhi?” at: http://www.ameu.org/page.asp?iid=291&aid=621&pg=1

Read an interview with Sami Awad (founder and director of Holy Land Trust) by Sojourners at http://blog.sojo.net/2010/05/05/palestines-true-leaders/. See the website of Holy Land Trust at:  www.holylandtrust.org

Article by Iyad Bournat (Popular Committees—Bil’in)     http://www.bilin-ffj.org

Article about the work in at-Tawani

Article “Palestinian Nonviolence Relies on Global Non-Silence”

Read the article by Bradley Burston “Israelis Need a Gandhi of their Own” at:  http://www.haaretz.com/blogs/a-special-place-in-hell/a-special-place-in-hell-israelis-need-a-gandhi-of-their-own-1.301496

Stop the Wall Campaign --The founder and director, Jamal Juma, spent time in prison recently for his involvement in the nonviolence movement.  Mohammad Ethman, who is a staff person with Stop the Wall Campaign has also spent time in prison recently because of his work in the nonviolence movement.  www.stopthewall.org

The Quaker Palestine Youth Program of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) based in Ramallah, is training youth for leadership in Gaza and the West Bank.  The program is committed to creating change in Palestinian society through educating Palestinian young people to take charge of their own lives and to improving their own communities.  Nonviolence is one of the basic principles of the AFSC program.  www.afsc.org

The work of these organizations and others has culminated in demonstrations against occupation policies, marches against the Wall, and non-compliance with the illegal occupation practices.  

The film Budrus made by Just Vision has just been released. There was a premier showing of the film at the Cultural Palace in Ramallah a few weeks ago.  It is the story of the people of Budrus (West Bank) and their supporters engaged in the struggle to save their village from destruction by the building of the Wall.  You can learn more about the film at: http://www.justvision.org/budrus

The BDS (Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) Movement is another practical expression of nonviolent resistance.  In fact, some would say that it is the only means of nonviolent resistance left to work for an end to Israeli military occupation.  

In 2005, over 170 Palestinian civil society organizations united behind a call to the world to impose Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) on Israel until it complies with international law.  The statement calling for BDS can be found on the website www.bdsmovement.net. The BDS Movement is gaining momentum, especially after the 2008/2009 War on Gaza and the events surrounding the Flotilla.  Joining the BDS Movement has been one of the few ways the international community has been able to support and join the Palestinians in ending a 43-year old occupation of Gaza and the West Bank, including East Jerusalem.  

The Palestinian Academic and Cultural Boycott of Israel (PACBI), which is part of the BDS Movement focuses on academic institutions and cultural events.  You can learn more about this movement by going to www.pacbi.org.  

Israelis and Internationals are supporting the Palestinian nonviolence movement, including the BDS movement.  

Here are some Israeli websites you can go to for information on how they support this work in Palestine:
Gush Shalom www.gush-shalom.org

Boycott from Within www.boycottfromwithin.org

Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions www.idahd.org

Alternative Information Center www.aic.org

Who Profits www.whoprofits.org

From the Friends International Center in Ramallah

On July 1, we had the privilege of hosting Dr. Michael Sonnleitner.  He gave a talk on “Understanding Some Misunderstandings of Gandhi”.  

Michael Sonnleitner giving a lecture on: "Understanding Some Misunderstandings of Gandhi".

Dr. Michael Sonnleitner is on his way back to Portland, Oregon after teaching at St. Thomas College, an affiliate of Mahatma Gandhi University in Palai, Kerala, India, as the Fulbright-Nehru Scholar this past academic year.  He received his PhD from the University of Minnesota (Minneapolis).  His dissertation was "The Roles of Law & Coercion (or Soul Force & Social Change) according to Mohandas K Gandhi and Martin Luther King Jr.  Currently he is based at Portland State University where he teaches graduate-level courses in the M.A. Program in Conflict Resolution and in the Political Science Department.  He is also the Chair of the Peace and Conflict Studies Program at the Portland Community College in Portland, Oregon.  He has taught at a variety of academic institutions including the University of Minnesota and University of Chicago.  He is a prolific writer – of books, chapters in books, articles, book reviews, and numerous presentations.  As a community activist, he has been involved in issues such as anti-militarism, anti war, environment through groups such as the Fellowship of Reconciliation, Catholic Workers House, and the US Green Party.  

Read the speech of Michael Sonnleitner here.  

Thuqan Qishawi responds to the lecture of Michael Sonnleitner.

Zoughbi Zoughbi responds to the lecture of Michael Sonnleitner.

We had two very interesting and stimulating responses to this lecture by Thuqan Qishawi  (American Friends Service Committee Coordinator of the Quaker Palestine Youth Program) and Zoughbi Zoughbi (Founder and Director of Wi’am in Bethelehem).  Both responded to the lecture from a Palestinian perspective taking into account the local context.  A lively discussion followed.       

Max and Jane Carter brought a group of 15 Quakers for the annual Guildford College Work/Study program.  We were fortunate to have them visit the Friends Center frequently during their time here.  The spent a whole day cleaning the Meetinghouse, Annex, and the garden.  Max and Jane bring a group to Palestine and Israel every summer.  The group spends mornings doing volunteer work in the Friends Schools, the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse, the Friends Center and other places that need to have some work done.  During the afternoons they hear Palestinians and Israelis talk about the situation and prospects for a just peace.  The groups they bring are always committed, very hard working, and interested in hearing different perspectives and analysis of the situation.  

From the Ramallah Friends Meeting

We enjoyed having the Guilford group worship with us.  
A group of members of the Bruderhof Community also joined us at Meeting for Worship as part of their tour in Palestine and Israel.  They spent the day with us in Ramallah.  Later in the afternoon we were joined by Bishop Allen Bartlett from Philadelphia.  

Max and Jane Carter (left) and the group they brought on the Guilford Work/Study Program

Martin and Burgel Johnson from the Bruderhof Community (Jake, Debbie, and Ryan not pictured)

From the Occupation: Monthly Action Focus:

The Right to Enter (RTE) Campaign continues its focus on the responsibility of third states concerning the matter of Right to Enter/Re-Enter the oPt (occupied Palestinian territory) via one of the entry ports Israel controls.  The Campaign continues to call on third states to assume their responsibility in enforcing human rights and international law in a situation of military occupation.  

The Campaign continues to collect the names of persons - Palestinians and Internationals who have been denied entry at one of the ports Israel controls (Ben Gurion airport or one of the bridges across the Jordan River from Amman).  If you are a person who has been denied entry or know of someone who has been denied entry, please contact Anita Abdullah at anita_abdullah@hotmail.com

Due to the fact that there is no clear policy for denial of entry, a person is allowed to enter via one of the ports controlled by Israel at the discretion of the Israeli immigration official.  The denial of entry is random.  People continue to be given a one-week visa, a new trend and alternative to being denied entry completely.  

The RTE Campaign is working on movement and access issues.  One ways this issue is being concretized is the issue of access for tour guides.  A certain number of Israeli tour guides are being given access to the oPt.  The question is: Will this be reciprocated and the Palestinian tour guides given access to Israel?  

Read more about recent developments in the latest “Situation Update”.
For more information go to the new "Right to Enter/Re-enter" website at:  www.righttoenter.ps

NOTE:  Please click on the FICR Newsletter Archive below to read previous newsletters that you may not have received and would like to read.  


Kathy Bergen
Program Coordinator
www.ramallahquakers.org