Tony Richardson of the Oxford-Ramallah Friendship Association went back to Palestine in April to see the effects of the EU-US squeeze on the Hamas government. Here is his report.

11-4-06

Arrived Ramallah 10.15 am. Via Amman, Allenby/King Hussein Bridge, Jerusalem. From the shared taxi, to Jerusalem, I didn’t see the wall.

In this stretch of the West Bank, from the Jordan to Jerusalem, the Israelis have annexed all the land. The next difference, from last year, was that the taxi from Jerusalem goes all the way to Ramallah.

This is because of the development of the wall. Almost completed, at Qualandia, is what can only be described as a border crossing. They are creating a Palestine defined by Israel and annexing all of East Jerusalem.

The roads, in “Israel” are still good, and then on the way to Ramallah, potholes. All the taxes collected by the Israelis from the Palestinians, are being kept by them. So the Palestinians are paying for the Apartheid wall.

The obvious political change is that the stopping of aid by the EU, and the US, means that they are joining with the Israelis, in applying illegal “collective punishment”

The Palestinian economy has been systematically destroyed by the Israelis, using the control of all borders given to them by the Oslo accords. The EU acknowledge this and yet immediately fall in behind the US and apply sanctions, because of the election of Hamas.

1.30 pm Al Manara Square

Demonstrators, from the mosque, carrying Hamas flags, arrive in the square. The music played included praise of martyrs, and calls for a violent response to the situation. This music has not been heard for some time, but the mood amongst Palestinians is changing.

The decision by the European Union to cut off aid is making people angry. This aid only existed because the EU did nothing to stop the Israeli destruction of the Palestinian economy.

People told me about the effects of sanctions: medicine – most of which came via EU funds – is now running out, the situation is getting to crisis point.

The Israelis are refusing to take some serious cases into their hospitals. Sanctions mean death. They fear that fuel and wheat all of which come from Israel could be next. The sanctions could create another Iraq, who knows what people will do when their families go hungry.

When all the demonstrators were together, with the women mainly at the back, they held a short march around the centre of town, and returned to the square for speeches.

A Hamas member of the legislature chaired the rally. Leaders of all the main political parties were on the platform, except Mustafa Barghouti. The main speaker said they were launching a campaign to show that all the political parties were united against the sanctions.

The Bishop of Jerusalem he made a speech over the phone, because the Israelis would not let him come.

A representative of the prisoners mothers, (her daughter is in an Israeli prison) held a small girl, eating sweet corn, in her arms, who was handed to the chair, who said that the Israelis were taking the food out of her mouth.

The slogan on the banner said: “Starve yes, surrender no.”

This must be the first time that an occupied country has had sanctions applied against it. Meanwhile the occupiers reign thousands of shells on to Gaza, killing Palestinians almost daily. The Israelis continue to steal Palestinian land, in defiance of UN resolutions, and yet they receive special trade terms from the EU.

Wednesday 12-04

Set off for Bethlehem. Bus stops at Gilo, so called checkpoint, which looks like another border. First sign says you are entering a military zone, then there is a huge painted sign, that says peace, and “Welcome to Bethlehem”, signed “The Israeli Tourist Board”.

The wall is now complete here, and is monstrous.

Discussions reveal that the prisoners aid organisation is out of money. The British tried to go around the PA who distribute the funds, but no organisation wants to undermine their elected government. So now there is no money for the families of the prisoners or for the lawyers and the workers have had their pay stopped. This is the same for all such organisations, making the situation desperate.

Thursday 13-04

Twinning Conference starts at 10am. About 120 present, maybe 25 from UK.

The mayor of Bethlehem welcomes us and like the other main speakers concentrates on the EU sanctions.

The conference is much bigger than expected. More groups are being set up all the time and the demand from Palestine is also growing. The point is repeatedly made that the issue is solidarity not finance.

One idea was to make hospital workers in Britain aware of which drugs were running out because of Britain’s involvement in sanctions.

This conference was a step forward, but in a desperate situation. Our government is carrying out sanctions against an occupied country, and killing Palestinian children.

14-04

Went back out through Gilo checkpoint. Baggage goes through machine, just like a border. The wall is completed here, but there is a special entrance for Jews to visit Rachel’s Tomb, inside Bethlehem.

In the Old City in Jerusalem there are thousands of Christians, in a huge religious demonstration, along the Via Dolorosa. Lining the demonstration are heavily armed Israelis, displaying the power of the Israeli state and saying you are only allowed to worship because we let you.

The Israelis are demanding that the new Palestinian government follow the same path as their defeated predecessors. But everyone knows that Fateh got nothing from the Israelis.

And how can you say you will only deal with governments that you agree with?

Ramallah 15-04

This afternoon discussed with Birmingham group, who are also linking with Ramallah. Agreed to work together, they would work with a different refugee camp than us, and we would both look to get others to link with surrounding villages.

Went together to Democracy and Workers rights centre (DWRC). Sat in on workshop of about thirty unionised bank workers. Discussed everyday union problems like getting annual contract negotiations.

Learnt from the paper that the Israeli government has instructed banks to stop dealing with Palestinian businesses. Considering that most goods, food and other essentials come from Israel this is a disaster. Even Israeli businesses are complaining.

It is clear that there is a world decision to starve Palestine.

Went to see El Funoun Dance group rehearse – a top class renowned group. They are looking to get tour of Britain.

Then met the recently elected Mayor of Ramallah, Janet Michael. She was fully behind the linking idea, and said that it was a particularly good time, because of the sanctions. She hoped to be able to help us about finding premises in Ramallah. Then returned to Jerusalem

It is particularly worrying that any condemnation of Israeli shelling of Gaza is not just blocked by US, but by the majority of Security Council. The huge condemnation of Prodi in Italy for just saying they should consider talking to Hamas shows the problem. Of course Israel is now crowing about this support, at a time when they are firing 150 shells a day into Gaza. Fourteen people were killed in a week including 3 children and the borders are closed. Where are those who thought that the new government’s policy would be more progressive in terms of disengagement?

17-04 Ramallah

Went for meal last night, with friends, whose flat overlooks Surda, on the way to Bir Zeit University. At about 7pm we are told the Israelis have started a checkpoint in Ramallah, up the road. Then we look out the window and see that there is an armoured car on the road below. As vehicles come down the road, it blocks them and then goes nose-to-nose forcing them back up the road.

Another vehicle is doing the same to traffic coming the other way, into Ramallah. Between the two vehicles is a road between two settlements. They have done this so that settlers can cross. Earlier these same settlers had stoned Palestinian houses.

We don’t even see any settlers, but the traffic is held up for about half an hour. There is a huge jam of shared taxis, taking people back to villages. This is supposed to be Palestinian territory, as I walked to the flats I had passed an armed Palestinian checkpoint, but they had to clear off when the Israelis came.

And it is the Palestinians who have the sanctions against them!

Do tourist bit, first time have seen Palestinians on bikes, all over the place. Although surrounded by mountains, it is almost flat, and famously below sea level, my ears popped as we came down to it.

Headed back to Ramallah, this time I noticed how complete the wall between Ramallah, and Jerusalem, is becoming. It is all over the horizon.

On returning to Ramallah people are telling me that the Israelis have brought in extra checkpoints, in response to the bombing in Tel Aviv.

Was this bombing unexpected, when you see what is going on in Gaza, and when the West works to the further collective punishment of the Palestinians?

These are dangerous days.

Ramallah 19-04

Yesterday to DWRC for interview with activist. I asked how is situation? Outside politics is dominating, unemployment, bombing, delay of salaries. People are trying to live. There is closure between the cities. People don’t blame Hamas, because Israel treated Arafat in the same way.

For 3 months there were no suicide bombs, yet the killing of Palestinians continued. “This does not mean we want suicide bombs. They want a new land here – not in paradise.”

“But people don’t have hope in the near future. More and more people are becoming extreme. Even if Hamas hadn’t won the killing would have continued. The question is not who governs, but the occupation.”

“We can’t ask for a raise while employer can’t sell anything. Even so we are trying to rebuild the unions.

“And we are preparing for the first of May to express the workers voice, to bring labour laws on to the agenda. We haven’t yet negotiated with the new regime”. I am told 150,000 Palestinians used to work in Israel and 150,000 for the Palestinian Authority. None of them are being paid. Add to these the Taxi drivers etc. who service them, and you will see the effect.

The problem is not Hamas, but the governments who want to put on pressure. There is not a military solution, but the policy of Israel makes it impossible to have two states. All NGOs affected, they don’t want to accept the conditions of the Americans and the European Union.

They won’t succeed in getting rid of the Hamas government. They didn’t talk to the PLO either. “They insist we recognise somebody who has just arrived from Russia, but we have lived here thousands of years, and they won’t recognise us”.

Then I go off to Al Amari Camp to see adults and kids who came to Oxford last summer. The Israeli army had been through the camp last night. Watched TV, the brigades were demanding Abu Mazen apologise for his statement about suicide bomb in Tel Aviv, in which he didn’t even mention the people killed in Gaza, in the last weeks, by the Israelis, which was double the number. There have been clashes in the camp between Hamas and Fateh Brigades, and they have had to bring outsiders to resolve.

Meanwhile the kids have just had mid term tests. They tell me that Hamas are doing extracurricular maths and English in the mosque – although they themselves aren’t doing the classes.

19-04 Ramallah 2

After camp, went to see new Palestinian film called “Rachel An American Conscience”. It is good.

Next morning off to DWRC to interview members of the health union committee. First interview I have ever conducted in Arabic, so luckily I filmed it because I didn’t understand a word.

Learnt from that the Israeli tanks had come in last night, and there had been stone throwing, and live fire, and the Israelis say they arrested four.

Went then to see Mohammad Aruri deputy Scretary of Palestine General Federation of Trade Unions (PGFTU) in Ramallah, and one of only 8 people on National Executive. His name had headed a petition calling for democracy in the union. Now the leader of the union, Shaheer Saaed, has stopped him being paid.

He is also responsible for the union’s legal dept. and got the TGWU to give a large sum of money for this work, but one of Saaed’s croneys set up a new office, and used that money.

He has only just learnt about the London TU support conference, and he has never heard of the woman who spoke in the PGFTUs name, neither had the woman secretary of the women’s dept.

The lack of democracy in the PGFTU has led some sections to want to link up with the new democratic unions, and to start a federation of democratic unions. He is also worried about the danger of the Islamic unions

He gave me an example of how difficult it is for Palestine. I asked about the water in Ramallah, because workers from all over the West Bank are moving there instead of going through checkpoints, so there are new buildings everywhere.

He said the Israelis sell the water to the city, but it is water that they have taken from Palestine, in to Israel, and then sell it back, how can such a country survive.

Ramallah 20-04

Israeli shooting out by Bir Zeit last night, felt strange as I sat in a cinema watching Pride and Prejudice. Jericho is sealed off, as is Nablus, which also has a curfew. The situation here is tense, with the nightly incursions by Israeli troops

I went out to Bir Zeit University this morning. I couldn’t go on Tuesday or Wednesday, as they don’t allow outsiders during student elections.

Hamas won. Hamas 23, Fateh 18, Left coalition 5, Jihad 2, Independents 2, DFLP 1, Mustafa Barghouti’s organisation didn’t get any. There are people wearing the green of Hamas all over, particularly women students.

And this is the liberal end of society. Israel, and the West are strengthening Hamas.

I met Nassif, from the Palestinian Medical Relief Society. This is the largest of the NGOs, and does Health, Youth, and Social Work. They help youth clubs, social clubs and women’s societies. They run mobile clinics, one day a week in each village, with a doctor.

The British government recently stopped a £500,000 project because the NGOs won’t sign an anti terrorism statement. ‘We are under occupation, it is not for us to sign,’ they say

They are looking for help for small projects, plus volunteers could go with medical teams.

Nassif is strongly in favour of twinning, and would help facilitate it.

I then met Mohammed Abu Zaid, from the union representing University Teachers, and workers. They have had a strong campaign, including strikes, for increased pay. He has met the new Minister For Education, who although Hamas, is sympathetic, as he used to be a union member in Al Najaf University in Nablus (as did several of the other Hamas Ministers).

But there is no money.

While the staff at Bir Zeit are strongly secular, Hamas is getting more and more support amongst staff in other universities. They are acting smartly, their students didn’t celebrate inside Bir Zeit, but in Ramallah, thus avoiding clashes.

Jerusalem 21-04

Met Italian freelance reporter, who went to the mourning, near Jenin, of the latest suicide bomber. He talked to his mother, who said that he had been working illegally in Israel for the previous fortnight. He came home, told his mother he had to get up early, and within three hours was in Tel Aviv detonating his bomb. It is possible that the Israeli mafia helped him, as they often do for illegal workers. The funeral was really low key, it is a tiny village, and the Hamas speaker only talked of conciliation.

Went to Women in Black demo in West Jerusalem (Every Friday 1pm-2pm) A bit bigger than when I was last here, photos available. The women tell me that the hostility is getting less, and more support.

I still have great difficulty weighing up the politics of many of the people in the peace movement. I spoke to one woman extensively, she has been demonstrating here for 18 years. She considered, about the Gaza shelling, that every country has a right to defend its borders, and she was talking about Israel. She also considered Hamas was a terrorist organisation. She hasn’t been in the West Bank for 24 years, and considers that Hamas had threatened everybody in to voting for it.

Still she said if she could get out of Israel she would consider it, she also considered that two of the coalition parties were ‘nazis’. So I end on a note of confusion in West Jerusalem.