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The Only Democracy? » Entries tagged with "Friendship"

Music and Friendship at Salem: Sunita, Yasmin and the Harp

Music and Friendship at Salem: Sunita, Yasmin and the Harp

Dear Friends and supporters, Below is a story told by Sunita Staneslow on the new friendship and the start of musical cooperation between her, an Israeli harpist, and Yasmin (Ikhlas) Jebara, a young Palestinian poet and graduate student living under Occupation in the village of Salem near Nablus. In the shorter run, the connection between Sunita and Yasmin began at the Music Center in Salem, a center we have helped develop ever since the idea hatched … Read entire article »

Filed under: Discrimination, On The Ground Reports

Word and Picture Diary: South Hebron Hills Weekly Visit, April 5 2012

(this diary by Ehud Krinis is crossposted from the Villages Group blog) As we do every week, last Thursday April 5 2012 we went to visit several Palestinian localities in the South Hebron Hills, with whom we have been in contact for some years now. Two members of our little group – Hamed and Erella – just got back that day from a Britain tour as representatives of the Villages Group. So this week’s small visitor team consisted of Ehud and Danny. We began with a short visit to the preschool (nursery school) in the Bedouin village of Umm al-Kheir. This preschool, opened nearly a year ago, is located in an old building with several rooms renovated with the aid of UNRWA, close to the Saraya of Umm al-Kheir (a term … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports

Hebrew Lessons at the Learning and Creativity Center in Susiya

Hebrew Lessons at the Learning and Creativity Center in Susiya

Guest Post – Yael Arbel “You must come to see Susiya.” In all truth, I am fascinated by the stories I hear about Susya. I have not been there since the cold, muddy winter of 2002, when we trekked with Ta’ayush activists to bring blankets for those living there, only to be detained by the army. I don’t think I even got to see them at the end of that march. [editor comment: that particular march did … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports

Songs by Ikhlas-Yasmin Jebara from Salem: Part II

Songs by Ikhlas-Yasmin Jebara from Salem: Part II

This continues the previous post, showing for the first time songs by our friend Ikhlas. The picture above was taken a few weeks ago, when Ikhlas visited the Mediterranean Sea for the second time in her life. The sea is only 47km from her home (measured via Google Maps), but the Occupation regime – especially its prisonlike nature during the past decade – prevents most West Bank Palestinians from visiting it. Both of Ikhlas’ beach visits … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports

Songs by Ikhlas (“Yasmin”) Jebara from Salem – Part I

Villages Group friend Ikhlas Jebara from Salem near Nablus, had been mentioned here before under her nickname “Yasmin”. Her father Sa’el was murdered in 2004 by a settler as he was performing his daily work as a van driver (the settler was convicted but escaped justice). Ever since then, we have been in touch with Muna, the widow, and her children. Ikhlas, the second of six Jebara children, is blind from birth and has last year graduated college with an English literature major. She also writes poetry in English. Following is a first sampling of her poems; a second group will be posted later. Feel free to contact Ikhlas directly at ikhlas_soh@hotmail.com. —————————— To say or not to say I wonder whether to say or not to say To be enthusiastic to revolve or to obey For … Read entire article »

Filed under: On The Ground Reports