Palestinian Voice

The Palestinian Voice is finally finding its way out of the isolation in the West Bank of Israel! An Exhibit is in its making, to be shown in Florence and then traveling to other cities in Italy. The project is sponsored by....guess who? Me of course. I have found that no-one wants to be affiliated with funding to projects concerning the West Bank, due to the Hamas situation. Even though, there are starving people everywhere in Gaza, that does not seem to matter.
For me and the project participants, this is good news!
Book links:  "funding" Effective Fundraising for Nonprofits:  Real-World Strategies that work, by Ilona Bray J.D., Nolo Legal Editor
"Palestinian"  Palestinian Walks: Forays into a Vanishing Landscape, by Raja Shehadeh
"Gaza" Drinking the Sea at Gaza:  Days and Nights in a Land Under Siege, by Amira Hass

Dalia roll 2 Al Almar Camp

I asked the group to create photo stories, Dalia chose children, she said that they have honest eyes.

Aida (Aydah) Camp- My photos

Environmental issues are evident, as to the sign of dying trees. This is the direct result of the water war that exists between Israel and the West Bank. Water is scarce for the Palestinians due to no access to the local wells. The wells have been included into the Israeli side of the wall for Israeli use, excluding the Palestinians. This land above is in Adyah camp, and has about 20 trees. However they are now dying, because they cannot have access to the water that was/is on their land.
This is a home in Idyah camp, the flag is that of someone who was killed by the Israelis.
An olive tree in the cemetery that is located near the wall. There is not any room for growth.
Boys playing in the camp just outside of the community center. The wall is in the background.
Bara'a and Sanaa with their children. They are holding the bags for the photos that I provided.
Bara'a, her mother and Sanna during the meeting.

Sana'a,Baraa' , Zenub, Ola and Amber are from Al-Malha

Most of the women in the group in Adyah camp are from Al-Malha. Sana'a is Bara'a's aunt in the same family, Zenub is the niece of Bara'a and Ola and Aber are cousins with everyone. The families all were depopulated at the same time to Adyah Camp and have never left since. It has been since 1948 that they have not seen their old homes to which they still hold the keys, from the Ottoman time period.

Below is a history of the village Al-Malha.

Al-Malha (al-Maliha)

Al-Maliha is in the Jerusalem District 5.5 kms Northeast of Jerusalem. In 1931 the population was 1,410 (including Ayn Yahu) and in 1944/45 it was 1,940. Land usage in 1944/45 was 5,798 Arab, 922 Jewish and 108 for the public. In 1931 there was 299 homes.

Road connected to neighboring villages and in 1596 the population was 296 who paid taxes on wheat, barley, olive and fruit trees, goats and beehives. The houses were built of stone.

On 6 March 1948, the village was first attacked from a Jewish unit that infiltrated the outskirts and clased with the village’s defenders. The village was evacuated in two waves, in April as a result of the massacre in nearby Day Yasin on 9 April. The second wave occurred in mid-July, after the first truce of the war. The Haganah approached the village on 1-2 May at night. The village was occupied about 10 weeks later in conjuction with operation Dani (al-Ramla District). A fierce battle lasted for several days and on 13-14 July a company from the Irgun Zvai Leumi (IZL) and two platoons from the Yonathan Company of the Gadna entered the village. The Arabs counter attacked on 15 July that forced the IZL to withdraw. Later the IZL gathered reinforcements and on 16 July, but the Arabs counterattacked which left Irgun men killed and others wounded. The Haganah withdrew from the assault. A few days later on 22 July, David Shaltiel, the Israeli commander told the Times that the village and Ayn Karim has been occupied.

An Israeli settlement Manachat was established in 1949 which later became part of the Israeli West Jerusalem. Many houses are still occupied by Jewish families in 1986, and a few homes from the south of the village has been destroyed. Some of the homes were still standing but abandoned (in 1986).

Ghada is from Dier Aban (Dayr Aban)

If you recall in some of my previous entries, I explained the history of the refugee camps.
I asked the women from Adyah Camp what villages they came from. Ghada, our partner/leader of the women is from Dier Aban, she is 34 with two children, and 3 brothers and 2 other sisters.

Dier Aban (Dayr Aban)

Dier Aban is in the Jerusalem District 21 kms from Jerusalem to the North East. The population in 1931 was 1,534 and in 1944/45 it was 2,100. The land use in dunums in 1944/45 was 21,578 Arab, 376 Jewish and 780 for the Public. There were 321 homes in 1931.

Dayr Aban was located 3km from the highway that linked Bayt Jibrin to the Jerusalem-Jaffa highway. The village is identified with Abenezer in the Roan period and later fell into the jurisdiction of Bayt Jibrin. In 1956 Dayr Aban had a population of 127, and paid taxes on barley, wheat, olive trees, vineyards, fruit trees, goats and beehives.

The village first came under attack on 17 January 1948, surrounded by the Jewish Army. This occurred during the battle of Kfar Etziyon, a settlement near Bethlehem. The attack came against three villages in the area, Dayr Aban, Bayt Nattif and Zakariyya. It was the Haganah force of around 100 men and the battle lasted for over 24 hours. Another fire exchange occurred 2 months later with the settlement of Hartuv. Day Aban was the first village to be occupied during operation ha-Har. On October 19-20 the village was taken over and the population was probably displaced in Bethlehem or to the Hebron Hills.

In 1986 stones of rubble, collapsed roofs, iron rafters and parts of standing walls are visible on the site. A well with a metal stone can be seen next to the lone arch that is still standing.

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