Some more Ramallah and work in the Jordan Valley with PMRS
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| Traditional Palestinian dinner with Faten and her family: Mussachen, Mutabbal, Fattoush, Oozie - zzzeki!! |
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| Oasis in the desert...? Or more likely illegal Israeli settlement next to a destroyed Palestinian Bedouin village in Jordan Valley |
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| Remnants of Khirbit Makhou. The village has been destroyed for the third time by the Israeli Army on September 20t. Most of the structures were tents installed by the Red Cross after the families lost their homes during the last attack. The Israeli government doesn't recognise this village and stated the area as a closed military zone. The same is happening right now with 40'000 Bedouins in the Negev under the so-called "Prawer Plan" http://972mag.com/report-40000-bedouin-will-be-evicted-from-homes-under-prawer-plan/83238/ |
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Taybeh Oktoberfest in the Mövenpick Hotel in Ramallah. Quote of the host: "The Palestinians suffer from so many problems and there is people dying every week. Can you imagine there is a country without any problems and still people decide to suicide? - Switzerland"
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Resistance against discrimination exists in every way in Ramallah
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Hiking through Palestine
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Beautiful hike with Taka from Beit Jala to Battir
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Resistance shrine in Sebastiya
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Olive Harvest at Dr. Faten's place in Beit Rema
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| Olive Harvest in Beit Rema, with some help from Faten's family... |
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| ...I managed to ride the donkey! |
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At work with family Faten (they have been working since 5 am when we arrived and helped them for about 1 hour ;) )
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Fresh olives
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After the Olive harvest we enjoyed a nice barbecue under the trees and then were invited to Faten's home
Tour with Breaking the Silence (Israeli organisation of soldiers that tell about their experience) to the South Hebron Hills
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| Breaking the Silence-Tour in Susya. "Not for Demolition" it says on the tent. The Palestinian population of Susya used to be cave-dwellers but after all their structures have been destroyed five times by the IDF (Israeli Defense Force) and settlers, most of the population was violently forced to move to the nearby city. Due to the destruction of their cisterns and basic infrastructure, the Palestinians suffer under deficiency of water and power. Medico runs a project with Comet me to build solar panels and wind turbines. |
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| This is the main actor of the movie "Susya" - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4pha0K9QmJg |
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| Remnants from the caves. The Susyans use them now as food storage. Other structures such as cisterns for collecting rain water have been destroyed and poisoned by settlers and the IDF to force the Palestinians to move away and make it possible for settlers to build their houses here. |
Trip to Akka and Haifa
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| Akka |
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This is the old part of Haifa, where new fancy building try to overtop the remnants of the former arabic inhabitants.
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Our travel - group: Palestinians, Americans, Swedish, Scottish, Swiss
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Maybe some ancestors of mine? Found on a fleemarket in Haifa
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Jenin
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| They LOVE Yasser Arafat and Saddam Hussein. Saddam Hussein always supported the Palestinians for example through big financial support. His last words before he got hanged: "Palestine is Arab" |
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| Usual picture: Tons of trash next to beautiful buildings |
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Where Ismail Khatib's son got shot, shown in the movie "The heart of Jenin"
Palestinian cities
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Tipical Palestinian city around Ramallah
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| An Israeli settlement? No, this is Rawabi - the first Palestinian planned city. Although it's built in Area A (controlled by the Palestinian Authority), the access road leads through Area C (under Israeli control). Until Ban Ki-moon and Obama were begging the Israeli government for permission it wasn't sure if the Palestinian inhabitants are even able to reach Rawabi and it still isn't cause the permission is limited. |
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| Nablus is full of beautiful old alleys and pictures of martyrs |
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| Interesting war pictures in a cafe in Tel Aviv |
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| Jews practicing their religion in Tel Aviv |
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| The Last Supper with Marx in Tel Aviv |
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| Boerni and me are having a nice swim in Tel Aviv - Mediterrean Sea |
Oh Jerusalem
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| Jews praying at the Wailing Wall in Jerusalem on the other side there is the... |
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| ... Temple Mount (Al Haram Ash-Sharif), holy place to all three world religions with the shiny Dome of Rock... |
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| ... where Mohammed is said to ascent into heaven and Abraham was about to sacrifice his son Isaak |
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... Al-Aqsa-Mosque - the 3rd most holy place for the Muslims. Most of my friends from Palestine aren't able to go there though
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| Church of the Holy Sepulchure (Grabeskirche) - Where Jesus got crucified |
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| Mom and me in front of the Dome of Rock (Felsendom) |
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| Pilgrims at the Church of the Holy Sepulchure |
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Jerusalem - the old town as a hot spot between Jewish settlers and the Arab population is being watched by Israeli soldiers
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The Old City of Jerusalem - View from the Mount of Olives
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Church of Mary Magdalene
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Church of the Mary Magdalene - one of my favourites in Jerusalem
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Old City of Jerusalem
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Jewish settlers are having a tour in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Old City belongs originally to the Palestinians but nowadays is occupied by Israel. Five minutes later the Muezzin started the prayer and the settlers got down of their platform as fast as possible
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Trip to Hebron with Mom
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| Hebron - Traditional glassblowing |
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| Left: Mosque, Right: House of the Imam - the Israelis built a wall so it's not possible anymore for the Muezzin to enter the Mosque that is some footsteps away from his home. He has to walk around the city and go through the checkpoint. |
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| Preparation in the mosque in Hebron: Some Israeli soldiers are entering the mosque and refuse to take their shoes off (which is compulsive for everyone). So the Palestinians have to put some extra carpets |
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| As the Israelis enter the mosque the situation seems to escalate: An old woman tells them to take their shoes off and show respect for their holy place. The soldiers push her away and step on the normal carpets, but everyone in the mosque is scared to raise against the soldiers. The woman shouts: " Today you have the power but another day you will pay for it." |
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| The Palestinians had to built fences above the city of Hebron cause the settlers who are living above throw bottles and trash on them. |
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| Yes, they eat camels in Hebron -gross |
Demonstration in Bil'in
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| An other way to use the tear gras grenades of the Israeli army |
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| Protests in Bil'in (in the background you can see the settlements) |
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| Israeli army is showing up and throwing tear gas and rubber bullets |
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| Usually there is a lot of press, and they are prepared |
My work with PMRS in Nabi Samwil
This is a city around 15 minutes away by car from Jerusalem. To get access you have to take the street through the settlement cause Nabi Samwil is basically a small remaining Palestinian village within a settlement. The Palestinians are not aloud to use this street they have to take the other street and go through the Checkpoints to Ramallah for doing their shopping for example. Although they're on the other side of the wall ("Israel's side") they are not aloud to enter Jerusalem or Israel. Right now Israel wants to erase the village and build a parc instead at this place. It was a very sad visit for me and when I came back to Jerusalem in the afternoon I couldn't believe that people are living under such conditions only 15 minutes away, where at the same time people are drinking coffees in the nice restaurants and enjoying their freedom.
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| From every corner of Nabi Samwil you can "enjoy" the view to the sorrounding settlements |
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| Our clinic in Nabi Samwil |
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| Power line on the ground of Nabi Samwil - but only to use for the settlement next door |
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Staff and citizens of Nabi Samwil
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