Friends International Center in Ramallah
July 2008 Newsletter
(Vol. II No. 5)

June marked the 41st year of Israeli military occupation of the Gaza Strip and West Bank, including East Jerusalem.  Many activities protesting the continuing occupation took place here and elsewhere.     

In the meantime, Hamas and the Israelis have come to an understanding of a “ceasefire”. 

(Click here to read about the ceasefire by Uri Avnery, an Israeli peace activist.) 

June 20 was World Refugee Day.  Save the Children Fact Sheet put out a fact sheet about Palestinian refugee children in the West Bank, Gaza, Syria, Jordan, and Lebanon.  Accompanying the fact sheet Save the Children wrote:  “The Palestinian refugee question is now into its 60th year, with registered refugees now numbering over 4.5 million people.
Approximately three-quarters of the Palestinian people are refugees or internally displaced persons, and one in three refugees worldwide is Palestinian.  Services for Palestinian refugee children are insufficient – on average UNRWA doctors see almost 40% more patients per day than international norms recommend, and 83% of UNRWA elementary schools and 62% of UNRWA preparatory schools are operated in double shifts as a result of overcrowding and lack of resources. 
Palestinian refugee children speak poignantly about what it means to be a refugee.  They talk about their frustrations with life in overcrowded camps, and the challenges and discrimination they face on a day to day basis.” 

(Click here to read the fact sheet)
 

From the Friends International Center in Ramallah

During the month of June we had many visitors at the Friends Center.  We are always pleased when F/friends show an interest in the work of the Center and come to visit. 
Some of these visitors included: 

John and Sandra Lapp and their family, past MCC directors of the MCC West Bank program, based in Jerusalem 
Anitra Sorensen from New England Yearly Meeting
Arlene Kelly and Helene Pollack from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting
Nathan Harrington from Baltimore Yearly Meeting
Julie Peteet, an anthropologist and professor at the University of Louisville, who served on the American Friends Service Committee, International Middle Ease Program Committee until recently. 
Anna Aaklund, director of the Swedish Fellowship of Reconciliation (SWEFOR) who is working in Bethlehem for three months as an Ecumenical Accompanier with the Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israeli (EAPPI).
It was also wonderful to visit with Bishop Allen Bartlett from Philadelphia, who was here attending the St. George’s College board meeting in Jerusalem.    

In addition, the AFSC/Peacebuilders delegation and the Friends of Sabeel, Denver delegation visited the Friends Center as well.   

During June, Kamandjati held music workshops for children all over the West Bank.  They asked to have one of their evening concerts during this time at the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse.  To learn more about Kamandjati see their website at  www.alkamdandjati.org
 

From the Ramallah Friends Meeting

We are always encouraged and feel supported when F/friends from abroad join us for Meeting for Worship. 

We were pleased to welcome Michel Bartlett, the Legislative Secretary at Quaker Peace and Social Witness in London, to Meeting for Worship. 

Arlene Kelly and Helene Pollock (Friends from Philadelphia Yearly Meeting) spent two weeks in Ramallah.  It was wonderful to have them here with us – to experience their support in so many ways.  During that time Helene taught a class in meditation.  We were appreciative of her efforts and have continued meeting every other Saturday for meditation.   

Marlies and Sytse Tjallingii (Friends from Netherlands Yearly Meeting) attended the Third International Conference on Non-violent Popular Struggle (June 4-6).  Arlene and Helene also attended this conference.  After the conference ended, we had the privilege of welcoming all of them at the Friends Center to meet with Jean Zaru (Clerk of Ramallah Friends Meeting), Kathy Bergen (FICR Program Coordinator), and Muna Khleifi (Director of the Amary Play Center).    

(Click here to see the program and the final statement of the conference.) 

We are pleased to announce that Jean Zaru’s book is out and available for purchase!!! 
Jean was asked to allow some of the lectures she has given during the past years to be published in a book called:  Occupied with Nonviolence: a Palestinian Woman Speaks.  In addition to the hard work that Jean has put into the writing and delivering of the many lectures, we also acknowledge the work of Diana Eck, Marla Schrader, and Rosemary Radford Ruether in helping this book to become a reality.  If it had not been for the hard work for these women, this book would not have been published at this point. 

(If you would like to know more about this book please click here.)

(If you would like to know more about how to buy the book please click here.)

Please stay tuned for an announcement of the book launch which will take place in the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse in August. 

From the Occupation: Monthly Action Focus:

Israel continues to deny entry to Palestinians with dual citizenship and internationals to the occupied Palestinian territory (oPt).  We encourage you to report your case if you have been denied entry.  Please ask others who have been denied entry to report their case too.  This is the only way we will be able to begin to make a difference. 
Please contact Anita Abdullah at:  anita_abdullah@hotmail.com to report a denied entry case.  

( Click here to read about campain monthly update.)

( Click here to read about another type of denial of entry or silent deportation.)

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

Kathy Bergen
Program Coordinator
www.ramallahquakers.org