Friends International Center in Ramallah
November 2009 Newsletter
(Vol. III No. 8)

From the Program Coordinator

The month of October has been an incredibly active month, not only at the Friends Center, but in Ramallah and in all of Palestine.    

After many twists and turns, the Goldstone report was discussed in the Human Rights Council and its recommendations were accepted.  

(Click here to read the latest article by Judge Goldstone.)

Many cultural events took place in Ramallah this month.  The Kasabah Theatre and Cinematheque in Ramallah organized an incredible two-week international film festival featuring 64 films from 24 countries, including Palestine, USA, Spain, Japan, France, South Africa, Netherlands, Brazil, Iran, Morocco, China, Tunisia, Germany, Egypt, Turkey, UK, Canada, Italy, Jordan, South Korea, Bangladesh, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Portugal.  Amreeka and Slum Dog Millionaire were two of the featured films.  In addition to the feast of films in Ramallah, Kasabah organized the showing of films in Jerusalem, Nablus, Bethlehem, and the Dhaisheh, Jenin, Balata, and Jalazoun refugee camps.  The Cultural Palace also had numerous cultural events, including the talented Palestinian Fanoun Dance Troupe.  

From the Friends International Center in Ramallah

First of all, I am pleased to introduce Sonia Maayeh.  Sonia works with FICR 12 hours a week – Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday – from 8:00am to 12:00 Noon.  It’s wonderful to have her on board. 

(Click here to read Sonia’s bio.)

Sonia Maayeh, Administrative Assistant at FICR.

Many groups and individuals visited the Friends Center during the month of October.  
On October 7 we held a book launch for the newest book of Bill and Kathy Christison, Palestine in Pieces: Graphic Perspectives on the Israeli Occupation.  The book can be purchased from www.amazon.com.  After Kathy and Bill introduced the book and read some excerpts from it, Dr. Khalil Nakhleh responded to the book.  A discussion followed.  

(Click here to read a review of the book.)

(Click here to read the comments Dr. Nakhleh made.)

(Click here to read an interview with Kathy and Bill about the book.)

Penny Heymans and Kristin Eskeland from Norway Yearly Meeting spent time at the Friends Center and took part in many of the FICR activities while they were here.  They came to visit the 15 Kindergartens that they support in Gaza.  Unfortunately they did not receive permission to go to Gaza.  

Marlies Thuis and Sytse Tjallingii from the Netherlands Yearly Meeting come to the Middle East every year for a co-counseling seminar and always visit FICR.    

From October 23-31 a group of ten Quakers with Quaker Voluntary Action (QVA) from the UK spent time in Palestine.  The group was a QVA working retreat.  Folks come to do service, learn about the situation and the lives of Palestinians and Israeli peace activists, and take time to reflect on their experiences.  The group picked olives in the village of al-Jib (Biblical Gibeon) and cleaned an archeological site, a Byzantine church in El-Bireh, the twin city of Ramallah.  When the group was not olive picking, they stayed with a family in their Bed and Breakfast in the village of Jifna, near Birzeit.

(Click here to read about the B&B)

(Click here to read some of their impressions and comments regarding their experience.)

The QVA Groups hears about Quaker work in Palestine – Thuqan Qishawi talks about the AFSC Palestine Youth program.  Muna Khleifi talks about the Amary Play Center.

The QVA group visits Amary Play Center.

October is olive picking time in Palestine.  Many Palestinians, especially those living near Israeli settlements, are not able to pick their own olives.  Settlers from near-by settlements will often come and stop the families from picking.  Often the settlers beat the families and the people will have to leave.  This gives the settlers the opportunity to pick the olives themselves, leaving none for the family.  The presence of internationals often deters the settlers from harassing and beating the families.  Some Israeli groups also organize olive picking in the West Bank to provide a presence that will deter the violence of the settlers.  

On October 21 and October 28 FICR, together with WASH (Water, Sanitation, Health) Advocacy network organized two evenings on the issue of waster, sanitation and health – one evening on the situation in Gaza and one on the situation in the West Bank.  

Click here to read the Amnesty International report about water that was just released.
http://www.amnesty.org/en/news-and-updates/report/israel-rations-palestinians-trickle-water-20091027


For sometime we wanted to bring together at FICR some of the courageous people – Palestinians and Internationals working on the ground in Palestine.  On October we organized a panel that spoke about their work in the Hebron and in the South Hebron Hills.  Four people representing three organizations were present and talked about their work:  Youth Against Settlements (a new group formed by Palestinian youth in Hebron that is working to end the occupation); EAPPI (Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel), a program of the World Council of Churches (www.wcc.org); and South Hebron Hills (a group in a-Tawani) resisting the occupation in that area.  Unfortunately CPT (Christian Peacemaker Teams) and other groups were not able to be present (www.cpt.org).  

(Click here to read about the work in the South Hebron Hills.)  

The five presenters.

Badia from Youth Against Settlements

Hafiz from South Hebron Hills

From the Ramallah Friends Meeting

Many worshipped with us during the month of October – members and sojouners.  
Next year, during 2010, the Ramallah Friends Meeting will celebrate its 100th of worship in the Ramallah Friends Meetinghouse.  The Meetinghouse was dedicated on March 6, 1910 and rededicated on March 6, 2005, after a renovation of the Meetinghouse and Annex.  It was during March, 2005 that the Friends International Center in Ramallah (FICR) was founded as a ministry of the Ramallah Friends Meeting.  
During the year of 2010, many activities are being planned by the Ramallah Friends Centennial Committee.  Some of the details are being worked out and events and activities are being finalized.  We will keep you informed of developments through the future FICR newsletters.  

Penny Heymans and Kristin Eskeland (Friends from Norway)

Laurens Van Esh (Friend from Netherlands)

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