The Wall at Aida Camp, a video

The Apartheid Wall by Aida Refugee camp on the Northern edge of Bethlehem. On one side the crowded camp. In the other the Olive Groves stolen from Bethlehemites

Book Reviews - The Wall

I am going to attempt to list recommended books on issues relevant to this project by categories. Because I am not blog savy, I will list books for the categories withing the same posting and add to them as I find books.  Hopefully, you will be able to "search" on book reviews and only need to click on the posting and scroll down to find the book...  This section will be on the Israeli Security Wall.

The Other Walls: The Arab-Israeli Peace Process in a Global Perspective. By Harold H. Saunders

Drawing on intensive firsthand experience gained during the most successful years of Arab-Israeli peace negotiations, Harold Saunders explains the complexities of the peace process: it was not just a series of negotiated agreements but negotiation embedded in a larger political process. In the first edition of The Other Walls, Saunders argued persuasively that until leaders change the political environment by lowering the human and political barriers to peace, negotiators stand little chance. 

$20.95 new from $2.69 used 

The West Bank Wall: Unmaking Palestine
By Ray Dolphin

What is the purpose of the West Bank Wall? Since Israel began its construction in 2002, it has sparked intense debate, being condemned as illegal by the International Court of Justice. Israel claims it is a security measure to protect Israeli citizens from terrorist attacks. Opponents point to the serious impact on the rights of Palestinians, depriving them of their land, mobility and access to health and educational services. In The West Bank Wall, Dolphin explores the Palestinian experience of the Wall and places the debate in its international context. Dolphin's writing is informed by his work for the UN, where for three years he monitored and compiled reports on the Wall's impact on the humanitarian conditions in refugee camps, towns and villages. With an introduction by Graham Usher, who has worked as Palestine correspondent for major international publications including the Economist, Middle East International, al Ahram English Weekly, the Guardian and Le Monde Diplomatique, this book puts the purpose of the Wall to the test. What are the real intentions behind the Israeli security argument? Is it a means of securing territory permanently through an illegal annexation of East Jerusalem? Ray Dolphin provides some answers, offering a unique critical account of the impact of the wall and how it affects plans for a Palestinian state and for future peace in the Middle East.

$23.95 new from $16.60 used 

The Iron Wall: Israel and the Arab World
By Avi Shlaim

As it celebrated its fiftieth anniversary, the State of Israel could count many important successes, but its conflict with the Palestinians and the Arab world at large casts a long shadow over its history. What was promulgated as an "iron-wall" strategy--dealing with the Arabs from a position of unassailable strength--was meant to yield to a further stage where Israel would be strong enough to negotiate a satisfactory peace with its neighbors. The goal remains elusive. In this penetrating study, Avi Shlaim examines how variations of the iron-wall philosophy have guided Israel's leaders; he finds that, while the strategy has been successful, opportunities have been lost to progress from military security to broader peace. The Iron Wall brilliantly illuminates past progress and future prospects for peace in the Middle East.Maps, 18 pages of photographs.

$14,93 new 9,92 used 

Windows in the Wall
By Rebecca Heyl

The 100 photographs of this photo diary document Rebecca Heyl’s frequent travels between the West Bank and Israel. Her images are acutely human and perceptive, providing a sense of the texture of daily life in these two territories. They also show her respect for her subjects’ dignity in the face of often unbearable circumstances. Heyl’s thought-provoking introduction and running commentary also help illuminate each image. Windows: Channels for Communications is a joint organization established in 1991. Its members—Jews and Palestinians from both sides of the Green Line—work together to promote acquaintance, understanding, and reconciliation between both peoples, through educational and cultural programs, media, and art. They work toward reaching a just and lasting peace, as well as means by which Palestinians and Jews can learn to cope together with the history and present reality they share. It is a non-profit organization not affiliated with any political body and is based on volunteer work and funded by donations.

$19,00 new from $5,00 used 

Against the Wall: Israel's Barrier to Peace
From New Press, The

Voices from Israel and the Occupied Territories, as well as around the world, 3xplore the intersection of architecture and politics
Called a "security fence" by the Israeli government and the "apartheid wall" by Palestinians, the barrier currently under construction in the West Bank has been the subject of intense controversy since the first olive tree was uprooted in its path. In violation of a ruling by the International Court of Justice and a resolution by the United Nations General Assembly, the structure juts deep inside Palestinian territory, altering not only the geographical landscape, but the political one as well.
This groundbreaking book includes a collection of outstanding original pieces, along with photographs and maps, that offer a frank critique of the wall from a range of perspectives—legal, historical, architectural, and philosophical. Renowned writer and architect Michael Sorkin has assembled commentary from various international experts, including both Israeli and Palestinian voices. Together they reinforce a view widely held around the world (though not by the government of the United States): Israel's wall can act only as a barrier to future peace.
Contributors include: Suad Amiry, Ariella Azoulay, Terry Boullata, Mike Davis, Sari Hanafi, Stephanie Koury, Dean MacCannell, Ruchama Marton, Adi Ophir, Rebecca Solnit, Anita Vitullo, and Eyal Weizmann.
$19.95 new 0.99 Used

Three Cities Against the Wall
By Seth Tobocman, Terry Berkowitz

An historic collaboration among 40 artists of Palestine, America and Israel who all call attention to the human rights implications of Israel's Separation Barrier in the Gaza Strip. The artists make a powerful statement that this barrier is a barrier to peace and separates us all from justice and equality. Artists include Art Spiegelman, Tayseer Barakat, Leon Golub, Nancy Spero, Joe Sacco, Sulaiman Mansour, Seth Tobocman, Eric Drooker, Terry Berkowitz and many others.

$8.70 new or used 

The Crossing Borders Project

by, Susan Brannon 

Through documentary photography and the participation in photography workshops, The Crossing Borders Project encourages citizens to generate their own voice rather than others doing it for them. Disposable cameras were distributed to three different groups in the West Bank of Israel who are closed within a wall and who cannot cross the borders to share their story with the rest of the world. The three representative groups are: The Tamer Institute for Community Education in Ramallah, Aida Refugee Camp in Bethlehem, and the Palestinian Working Women Society for Development in Ramallah. This book is the voice of the people, from the people and by the people. A collaborative effort to tell the story. The Crossing Borders Book is a collection of stories and images that were chosen by the participants to be shared with others. Part of the collection of images in the book, reflect behind the scene realities of the conflict through the lens. The book is dedicated to all those who hope and work for peace.

Amazon: 55.00 new Website: 20.00 plus shipping

 

 

Press Release Italian and English

“Crossing Borders” è una mostra fotografica itinerante che cerca di mettere in evidenza l'esistenza quotidiana del Popolo Palestinese costretto a convivere all'interno del' ”Israeli Separation Barrier”, il “Muro” che divide i Territori Palestinesi della West Bank da Israele dal resto del mondo.
Susan Brannon fotogiornalista americana, ha organizzato e condotto un workshop fotografico con tre gruppi di palestinesi della West Bank: con un gruppo di donne del “Aida Refugee Camp”,del Campo Profughi di Aida, vicino a Bethlehem, con delle donne del” The Turner Institute for Education Youth Group “ di Ramallah ed con altro gruppo di donne del “ Society for Women “ sempre a Ramallah.
Il progetto si proponeva di offrire ai palestinesi una via diretta per esprimere con voce propria ciò che riguarda la loro vita quotidiana, piuttosto che altri lo facciano a posto loro.
“Gli ho messo a disposizione delle macchine fotografiche affinché riprendessero la loro esistenza per conto proprio e gli ho chiesto di registrare e raccontare la loro vita quotidiana attraverso l'obbiettivo fotografico e con annotazioni scritte.”
Susan Brannon si è occupata per sette anni. come fotogiornalista di conflitti del Medio Oriente
Il suo lavoro è stato pubblicato su giornali e riviste e attraverso le agenzie di aiuto umanitario in tutto il mondo. Essa mostra la vita reale, gli effetti e i retroscena dei teatri di guerra dai punti di vista di coloro che sono stati marginalizzati dai conflitti.E' membro del National Press Photography Association, e di Reporters Without Borders.

Crossing Borders is a traveling photography exhibit that gives light into the lives of the Palestinian People who live inside of the Israeli security barrier that divides the West Bank from Israel and the rest of the world.
Photojournalist Susan Brannon conducted a photography workshop with three groups in the West Bank, “The Crossing Borders project was to create an avenue for the Palestinians to create their own voice concerning their lives, rather than other people doing it for them. I gave them disposable cameras to photograph their own existence and asked them to record their lives through the lens and through text.”
Susan Brannon has been a photojournalist in the Middle East covering the conflicts for over 7 years. Her work has been published in newspapers, magazines and humanitarian aid agencies throughout the world. She exposes the real life effects and behind the scenes of war through the lens on those who have been marginalized from the conflicts. She is a member of the National Press Photography Association, Reporters Without Borders, and American Photojournalists.

The Israeli Security Wall - Photo Story

Photograph taken by Jumna from Ramallah, she lives across from the wall. Here this road used to go straight but it was cut off by the wall. Her mother lives on the other side. Now it can take her hours to go and visit her, when she used to cross the street.

The next photograph is of the wall taken by Sa'ana in Aida Refugee Camp located in Bethlehem. This tower is built across from the homes and a childrens community center.
Book Links: Ramallah:  "When the Birds Stopped Singing", by Raja Shehadeh
The Wall:  "The West Bank Wall: Unmaking Palestine", by Ray Dolphin
Bethlehem: "A Crisis in Bethlehem", by John Strohmeyr

Crossing Borders Exhibit in Florence!

Crossing Borders Exhibit

Madonna della Neve square
Florence, Italy

February 1 - 7th open from 15:00 -20:00
Opening night starts at 7pm on January 31, 19:00

Generating a voice for the people.

The Tamer Institute Youth Group, Women from Idyah Refugee Camp and the Society for Women will share a few of their chosen images and stories.

Jumna-Palestinian Working Women Society for Development

Jumna wants to show us life for her in Ramallah and outside. This is the wall, that blocked a main road. You used to be able to go straight on this road. Her family now lives on the other side of the wall, and she has a difficult time getting there. The house that you see on the other side of the wall is her families home. This is where her parents live. She used to visit them at least once a week now if she is lucky, she can see them once a month.
This is a view of Jerusalem. She loves Jerusalem and it is one of her favorite cities.
Jumna also took a photograph of the traffic back up at the checkpoint in Ramallah from her car.

This is a view from her office where she works in Ramallah.

Bethlehem Checkpoint My Pics

The service taxi on the way to Bethlehem from Jerusalem, it is separate and smaller than the Israeli buses that take you around the cities. There are Arab drivers with ID's, many times the Israeli soldiers stop the service taxis to check the occupants ID's. Sometimes, they take those off of the service if they do not have the proper ID and arrest them taking them to a jail in an army jeep. Most of the time, the person who was picked up by the soldiers, cannot have legal representation, make phone calls and sometimes is not told why they are taken. The families search for the person, but unless they have connections, they cannot find out where he/she is. Even if they do find out where they are, they are not allowed to visit or talk to the prisoner.
This is a settlement located just outside of the Bethlehem checkpoint called "Gilo" most of the homes are empty. It is located on a hill. I saw an advertisement to buy/rent an apartment from the "luxury tower" it is the tall building located on the left of the settlement. Most settlements are built in circles, on top of hills. It reminds me of the Italian walled in old villages that are speckled throughout Tuscany.
This is the first entry into the checkpoint, and the last photograph that I could take until outside of the checkpoint area. This door is where each person must enter and sometimes, the door on the right is closed, creating smaller space to enter and exit. Both people exit and enter through this door, and there is not any real order as far as lines, and who goes next, when someone gets permission to approach the Israeli soldiers "stall" or to wait. You may hear a slight grunt, from the soldier, when it is your turn. Sometimes, when inside you can hear the soldiers yelling in Hebrew over the loudspeaker. The first time I went through, I heard a Palestinian woman, screaming and crying, inside the building, most likely inside one o the lines of "closets" that are inside of the building. They are small rooms with doors and no windows. I think that they are "holding" rooms for transportation of the person. The person is in there alone.
Here is the waiting line during rush hour to get back into Bethlehem after a day's of work. The people never know when they attempt to exit to go to work in the morning, if they will be denied. I did not take photographs inside of the checkpoint building, because I did not want my camera to be taken away. Once inside, there are bullet proof windowed stalls lined in a row, and not all are in use. For rush hour they may open two. When inside, there is not really a line and people are pushing through to get near the front. Only one person at a time can enter, they must first show their permit pressing it against the window, and then hand through a slot (like at a gas station stall) the ID, the soldier, puts the ID number into a computer and tells the person if they can continue or not. Then, the person must go through a turn style, and place the right palm of his/her hand on a machine that has rubber nails in a row, where you place your fingers in between while pressing the palm of the hand down for hand printing. (This procedure occurs when leaving or coming back) once they take their palm print, they are given permission to continue.
Once you enter into Bethlehem, you walk along the wall (on the right) and a fence on the left.
Once you enter into Bethlehem, you walk along a fence that leads you to another turn style, into a parking lot (where cars do not park, but tourist buses drop the tourist off, and pick them up) and then through another gate past a guard, and then down along the wall and a fence into Bethlehem.
There is a dividing fence once you cross the all to enter into Bethlehem, this man is coming into Bethlehem. It is hard to transport goods inside because you are on foot. To your right is where you need to exit.
Graffiti on the wall near the checkpoint and the taxi area, the square in between the two chairs was a scene of nature and blue sky.
Taxis waiting for customers just inside the checkpoint. Bethlehem's economy is falling into poverty levels. Many people lost their jobs in the surrounding area in Jerusalem (15 minutes away). Many people cannot get their work permits renewed and are denied exiting Bethlehem. The taxi drivers wait outside for an average of 15-20 tourists who walk in each day. They will offer 30 nis (10 dollars) to drive the tourists around to the sites and for them it is a good job to find.
Fenced in Church just inside the checkpoint, next to the wall, (on the right) the church is now closed and a driver is explaining to me what happened when they first built the wall at the Bethlehem checkpoint.


When leaving Bethlehem, you take the same route, however once inside the building, you walk through a series of dividing metal bars to direct your path. There are camera's everywhere. You walk until you see a "green light" over one of the turn stalls (not the half turn stalls, but the tall ones, with roatating bars). When the light is green, you can push on the bar, to turn and enter, when it is red, you must wait. There is only a camera, you cannot see a person. Sometimes they tell you what to do in Hebrew, but because it is over the loudspeaker, the voices become all muffled and you cannot understand what it is that they are saying. So you just wait. I saw a group of tourists wait two hours. You cannot find a person to find out why, or what is going on, you just stand there and wait. When this happened, I went backwards, to ask the soldier, on the other side of the parking lot, who sits inside of a windowed box, why he is letting people in the first gate, if they are closing the second? He told me that it should be open and he would call them. A Palestinian near me said, you can go ask those things, but we cannot. If we do, they will take us to jail, or beat us up because we are not being respectful.

Once through the first turn stall, there is a baggage x-ray machine, the Palestinians (not tourists) must take off their shoes, belts, hats, watches, money, cell phones, and put them in the box, and walk through. There is a soldier, that sits inside of a larger stall, bullet proof, without any way to talk to them, and waves you through or not.

Once finished, you go through another turn stall, when the light is green, and continue to the stalls to show your ID and take your palm prints before leaving.

Zenub 2nd roll-Aida (Aydah)Refugee Camp, Bethlehem

One photograph was once a beautiful castle! It is now a hotel near the street where you enter into Adyah Camp.

The tower is Rachaels Tomb, it is walled in Bethlehem, it is not the same wall as the "security wall" but it has the the same structure inside of Bethlehem.There was a family who had a nice home in there, the Israelis told them to leave and they did not pay them anything. Then they built the wall around the home, so the Jews can visit Rachaels Tomb in safety. The cars have to drive by it daily coming into Bethlehem or leaving towards the checkpoint.

The photograph of the wall, is the view that Adyah Camp gets to see daily. They do not have view of a horizon anymore. The color is drab and ugly. They miss the olive trees on the other side, which used to belong to a local family. The took the olive trees when they built the wall. Families used to go and help with the harvest and eat and walk through the olive trees because there is not any open space in the camp. The children used to play there, because there is not any open space in the camp, nor any green.

Now the children do not have a place to play and the people cannot harvest their olives, so they do not have a way of making any money. The children play in the narrow streets on concrete.

Sana's 2nd roll-Aida (Adyah) Refugee Camp, Bethlehem

I have not been able to translate the photographs. This will happen tomorrow!

The one with the watch tower, is one of many located in Adyah camp, this tower is across from the UN building and the school. It is also down the street from the community center where we hold our meetings. When the wall was first built, the Israeli soldiers would sit inside and watch, there are also camera's everywhere overlooking the camp. The soldiers used to shoot at the children and anyone else who walked down that street from the tower.

Once the wall was finished, the soldier's left that tower, and then they built another one around the corner...they soldiers remain in the towers.

The scary looking photograph is a painting on the wall inside of the camp. It reflects the fear in the hearts of the Palestinians.