Friends International Center in Ramallah
November 2007 Newsletter
(Vol. I No. 9)

From the Program Coordinator:

Annapolis has come and gone.  Around 40 governments and organizations were present at the meeting.  How have things changed as a result of the meeting?  What does the meeting mean for Palestinians?  For Israelis?  For other Arab states who attended?  You may have been following the meeting yourself.  Below are three people's analysis of the meeting.    
 

• When the Road Map is a One Way Street - Jeff Halper
• Olmert to Haaretz Interview - Aluf Benn
• Annapolis Conference - Elias Akleh

From the Friends International Center in Ramallah:

November has been a busy month at the Friends Center.  Many have come to visit, as part of a group or as individuals. 

Jean Zaru and I enjoyed meeting the Interfaith Peacebuilders/American Friends Service Committee delegation and speaking to them about the work of the Friends Center and what life is like under Israeli military occupation.  We knew many of the members of this delegation and had a very interesting discussion with them. 

We also welcomed other delegations from abroad, including a group of Danish theologians and church leaders and a group of biblical and theological scholars from Africa, Europe, and Asia, who are based at the Swedish Theological Institute in Jerusalem that Jean addressed. 

A presentation by Joe DiGarbo and Joe Moore, two Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) trainers from Lancaster Friends Meeting gave the audience a better knowledge of what AVP is and what their work has been in the former Yugoslavia as AVP trainers.  They did some trainings for trainers in the West Bank while they were here. 

Joe DiGarbo and Joe Moore (AVP Trainers from Lancaster) meet with Ann Ward (AVP in Palestine); Adam Horowitz (AFSC Middle East staff in Philadelphia); Jean Zaru (Presiding Clerk of Ramallah Friends Meeting); and Kathy Bergen (Program Coordinator of FICR, not pictured).

On November 21, Kathy and Bill Christeson gave a lecture on “The Disaster of US Policies and Prospects for Peace”.  Kathy and Bill write for CounterPunch and are respected for their analysis of the situation in Israel and Palestine.  Prior to their retirement, both worked for the CIA as Middle East analysts.  Their lecture sparked a lively discussion.  Kathy is the author of Perceptions of Palestine: Their Influence on Middle East Policy and The Wound of Dispossession: Telling the Palestinian Story. 
After the lecture, the Potluck Supper Group invited Kathy and Bill and other friends for an American Thanksgiving dinner in the Annex.  In total 30 people celebrated American Thanksgiving with turkey and all the trimmings. 

Kathy and Bill Christeson

From the Ramallah Friends Meeting:

On Sunday, November 25 we had a farewell for Rosi Greenberg, Margaret Hawthorne, and Shira Teva, three active attenders at the Ramallah Friends Meeting.  They are thoroughly missed already.  As a celebration of their presence with us, we had a time of singing after Meeting for Worship and then a lunch in the Annex.   

Farewell for Rosi, Shira, and Margaret

Rosi Greenberg, besides studying Arabic at Birzeit, was interested in doing some art therapy with children, so I put her in touch with Muna Khalefi, the director of the Amari Play Center.  Rosi spent three Wednesdays at the Play Center painting murals with the children.  They loved her and she loved them and the experience.  Rosi invited everyone from the Potluck group to come and join the mural painting and some did go.  You can see the pictures of the murals at the Play Center on Rosi's blog (link below).  The children and teachers as well as Muna appreciated Rosi's spirit and talents very much.  Rosi wrote: “Thank you so much for the send-off hafla (party) this morning. It was so nice to hear the singing and feel the love. I‘m going to miss Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights so much... but inshallah I‘ll be back to my salad post next summer (Rosi and Shira made some great salads for our potlucks).  Thanks to each and every one of you for helping to make such a wonderful community here in Ramallah. It was a pleasure to sit with you in silence, in song, and in conversations over delicious dinner.  Some people asked about photos of the mural. Photos can be found at http://www.rgreenbe.blogspot.com along with lots of my rambling thoughts about my past 6 months.”

Shira was a vital part of our community during the time she studied Arabic at Birzeit and lived in Ramallah.  She traveled in Turkey before she headed back to Chicago.  A few days ago she wrote:  “Lunch last Sunday was great, as was every other meal and event we had. It's been amazing knowing you all and getting together every week; it has helped me remain sane while going through difficult times!  I love you all. Good luck with all of your pursuits. Keep fighting the fight! I hope to see you in Palestine again.
While on the subject of blogs, I will share mine. It is http://shirajordan.blogspot.com .”

Margaret Hawthorn was also a vital part of the Ramallah Friends Meeting community.  She was and Mona organized the First Day School on a number of occasions.  We also appreciated Margaret's musical talents very much.   
  
We all miss Shira, Rosi, and Margaret in so many ways! 

From the Occupation: Monthly Action Focus:

The focus for the MYRTOE Campaign continues to be the visa and residency rights issues for Palestinians and internationals.  Many who want to come to the West Bank or Gaza have been refused entry at the airport or via one of the bridges.  The refusal is random. 

Two weeks ago Shirabe Yamada, the director of Sunbula, an organization based at St. Andrews Church, selling Palestinian handicrafts, was not allowed to enter from the bridge.  She is waiting in Amman for permission to cross the bridge.  If you would like to know more about Shirabe's situation and what you can do, please e-mail Jennifer at:  redinroses@yahoo.com 

Krista Johnson, a United Church of Christ Mission Intern, who has been at Sabeel for two years, was denied entry at Ben Gurion airport.  After being held at the airport all day, she was sent back to the US.  If you would like to do something, please e-mail Cathy at world@sabeel.org

The MYRTOE Campaign is still collecting the names of persons – Palestinians and others - who have been denied entry at one of the ports Israel controls.  If you are a person or know of someone who has been denied entry, please contact Anita Abdullah at anita_abdullah@hotmail.com

If you are interested in working on this issue and are living outside of Palestine, please contact John Salzberg at john.salzberg@verizon.net.  John is a member of the FICR Steering Committee and is working on this issue in the US.  He is able to put you in touch with others in the US who are also working on this issue from a US policy point of view. 

For more information on “Right to Enter/Re-enter” go to www.righttoenter.ps

Kathy Bergen
Program Coordinator          
www.ramallahquakers.org