Returning to Palestine

15 August 2005

Going to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories in December 2004 as part of Y Care International’s young people’s delegation was my first time in the region in six years. My last visit had been when I took part in the Palestine and Arabic Studies programme at Birzeit University.

Preconceptions

Then, my overriding impression of the situation was that the Oslo Accords were failing both Israelis and Palestinians. I was shocked by the conditions imposed by the

Israeli occupation – especially the effects on freedom of movement, the expanding settlements and continued control over water. In fact it had such a resounding impact on me that I dropped all my previous career plans and became involved with Friends of Birzeit University and the Council for Arab-British Understanding back in London.

Before my return with the delegation I’d had several basic preconceptions about what I would encounter. I supposed the situation would be a lot worse on every level than in 1998, and expected to find an atmosphere of total despair and disillusionment.

Struggling with everyday encounters

The difference in journey times since my last visit was very stark. The many accounts we heard from Palestinians about their everyday journeys to work highlighted the huge impact the Israeli-imposed travel restrictions have on their lives. The randomness and unpredictability of the checkpoints and closures mean people can’t plan for the next day, let alone future months.

Vulgar and brutal sights

Although I thought I was mentally prepared for seeing the separation barrier (construction of which started four years after my last visit), I was totally shocked by its vulgarity and brutality, slashing its way across the Palestinian land. There were also numerous settlements that I didn’t recognise from before, or that had grown quite extensively. Once you see the wall, it's very difficult to walk away from the issue.

In terms of my second preconception – that I would encounter despair and disillusionment – it was extremely hard to judge.

Mix of moods

Two people we met on our visit said two very different things, which seem to sum up the mix of moods in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. In a meeting with Bishop Abu Riah, Bishop of Jerusalem, he said: “There are signs of change, but not hope.” Sadly, I tend to agree with this prognosis for the time being, but I was moved by the words of one of the East Jerusalem YMCA Board members who said: “Together we’ll make miracles”.

It’s hard to put into words, but I sensed a loss of spirit rather than the open despair I was expecting.

Life goes on

And I was amazed by the resilience and the sense of “life goes on” from those I spoke to. Although the checkpoints and closures caused a lot of frustration, I was surprised by how they had become a normalised part of people’s everyday lives.

People talked about them with a sense of frustration but with the same resignation as we do when complaining about train delays and the congestion charge in London; they accepted that there is little they could do.

Building hope

On the other hand, I was very encouraged and impressed by the YMCA programmes we visited, and the ethos behind them. It was obvious that the rehabilitation and counselling

programmes provide vital coping mechanisms. As well as creating jobs and providing services like the new centre in Ramallah, they were building signs of hope.

By Gillian Watt, Trustee of Friends of Birzeit University

• A full version of this article appeared in the Y Care International publication: ‘Palestine: In Their Own Words. Views from Young People on a Y Care International Delegation’, published in August 2005