Realities for Palestinians

Through meeting Palestinian families and farmers, we have seen many realities of being a Palestinian here. Very often laws of legitimacy change at the drop of a hat. The early days of the delegation included meeting with the Nassar family at the Tent of Nations near Bethlehem. Their beautiful farm holds olive and almond trees, herbs, a children’s camp that educates, supports creativity and environmental consciousness and finds numerous ways to sustain their land despite demolition orders from the Israeli state. With numerous legal matters continuously in order to prove their ownership and lack of permits to have buildings, they have developed ways to conserve water, use their caves to meet inside and house volunteers. It’s located in a beautiful plot on the hill, showing that those from all nations are made in the image of God. Through all this, the legal battle the Nassars move through has challenged Israel’s own game - through 28 years and 42 demolition orders. They have thus needed to be creative if they are to live the basic identity of a human being.

In my experience of working with social service nonprofits at home, many laws of citizenship have changed daily. I recall in my Minneapolis community that the lack of knowledge many immigrants have if their own rights has instigated fear of access to resources. Though the process of becoming a citizen can take years in the US, in Palestine it is a continuous reality to live without the rights as citizens. I’m reminded that through the development of the public charge in the U.S., many people fear that in pursuit of access to food and living resources, the status of being a functional citizen is jeopardized. This same realization can present itself in Palestine with the lack of guarantee in daily living and possible seizure without reason.

During our first homestay and joyful experience in Canaan with host families of the Palestinian Fair Trade olive farms, a host sister described the return of her brother after one year of university in Jordan. While studying marketing, he returned home to greet his children and wife. Then, the state found him and placed him in military prison for two years without reason. I see here another case where those seeking resources for better education and living circumstances find escalated problems associated with the status of one’s lack of citizenship. I see too the olive trees, care taken to maintain such very old, silver-shining resilient trees and know they can be uprooted at the discretion of the state.

Still, there are many layers to the beauty that Palestinians, and we, hold near and dear to our hearts.