The Other Sides of the Story:
An Education for Action Curriculum for a
Just Peace in Israel/Palestine
Appendixes
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APPENDIX A
Maps for Introductory exercises (Looking at Maps exercise):
Map 1: Palestinian Bureau of Statistics available at:
www.palestinefacts.org/ pf_1991to_now_incitement.php
Map 2: UN Department of Public Information Cartographic Section available at:
http://domino.un.org/maps/m3243r4.gif
Map 3: Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs available at:
http://www.mfa.gov.il/mfa/go.asp?MFAH0hbb0 or http://www.carta.co.il/index5.html
American Friends Services Committee compiled a very useful and concise fact sheet
that can be downloaded at: http://www.afsc.org/middleeast/peace/factsheet.pdf and
handed out during introductory exercises.
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APPENDIX B
The PBS timeline for the building a timeline exercise is available at:
http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/promises/promises-timeline.pdf
Other timeline resources to include as part of handout packet:
Download AFSC’s timeline and factsheet as a PDF file at:
http://www.afsc.org/middleeast/peace/factsheet.pdf If you don’t have PDF you can print
the timeline at: http://www.afsc.org/middleeast/peace/timeline.htm
The Guardian Middle East Timeline is available at:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/comment/0,10551,626719,00.html
Maps:
BCPR maps: http://www.bcpr.org/exhibit/mapshtml.html
Maps: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/promises/harpersmap.pdf (4 maps of area from
1946-2000 from a 2001 Harpers Magazine article by Seth Ackerman)
Maps: http://ccmep.org/delegations/maps/palestine.html#2 (4 maps of area from 19461999)
Maps for the building a timeline exercise:
1.The First Jewish Colony in Palestine 1878.
Source: http://www.passia.org/palestine_facts/MAPS/first_zionist_colony.htm
2. Major Arab Towns and Jewish Settlements in Palestine 1881-1914.
Source: http://www.passia.org/palestine_facts/MAPS/Jewishsettlement-1914.htm
3. Turkish Territorial Divisions 1914.
Source: http://www.mideastweb.org/turkpal.htm
4. Areas of Palestine under the Sykes-Picot Agreement 1916.
Source: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~gov46/pal-sykes-picot.gif
5. Palestine under the British Mandate 1923-1948
Source: http://www.passia.org/palestine_facts/MAPS/1923-1948-british-mandate.html
6. Palestine 1946: Distribution of population by district showing percentages of Jews and
Palestinians
http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Maps/Story574.html
7. Jewish owned land in Palestine 1947
Source: http://www.palestineremembered.com/Acre/Maps/Story571.html
8. United Nation Partition Plan 1947
Source: http://www.palestinemonitor.org/maps/United_Nations_Partition_Plan_1947.htm
9. Land Ownership in Palestine and the UN Partition Plan 1947, Palestinian Villages
Depopulated in 1948 and 1967, and Razed by Israel.
6
Source: http://www.passia.org/palestine_facts/MAPS/Landownership.html
10. Greater Israel after 1967.
Source: http://www.pmwatch.org/pmw/maps/19481967/1967greater_israel_after_june.gif
11. Oslo II 1995.
Source: http://www.passia.org/palestine_facts/MAPS/Oslo-2.html
12. Final Status Palestine 2000 (Barak Proposal)
Source: http://www.bcpr.org/break.html
13. The West Bank after Oslo: Control and Separation ( June 2002) Jan de Jong
Source: http://www.robertappleby.com/hebron/control.pdf
14. The Separation Wall 2003
Source: http://www.gush-shalom.org/thewall/images/map_big_eng.gif
Thirteen dates for building a timeline exercise to be written on butcher paper:
1878, 1881, 1914, 1916, 1923, 1946, 1947, 1948, 1967, 1995, 2000, 2002, 2003.
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APPENDIX C
Maps for Occupation brainstorm and history exercises:
BCPR maps: http://www.bcpr.org/exhibit/mapshtml.html
Maps: http://www.pbs.org/pov/pov2001/promises/harpersmap.pdf (4 maps of area from
1946-2000 from a 2001 Harpers Magazine article by Seth Ackerman)
Maps: http://ccmep.org/delegations/maps/palestine.html#2
(4 maps of area from 1946-1999) Note that the title of this map poster is less neutral than
the one above.
Key UN Resolutions on Palestine - Israel is in defiance of 69 UN Security Council
resolutions. A brief explanation of some important resolutions.
http://www.endtheoccupation.org/downloads/fact_sheet_2.pdf
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APPENDIX D
Occupation Lexicon for Human Impact of Occupation exercises:
THE OCCUPATION LEXICON
Oc·cu·pa·tion (ä-ky&-’pA-sh&n) a. Invasion, conquest, and control of a nation or territory
by foreign armed forces b. the military force occupying a country or the policies carried
out by it
Absentee Property and Land Acquisition Law
This Israeli law, adopted in March 1950, classifies people who were either a) residents of a
neighboring Arab state or b) Palestinian citizens on 29 Nov. 1947 who left their home (even to
take refuge within Palestine) as ‘absentees.’ This law allowed Israel to acquire the land and
property of thousands of supposedly ‘absentee’ Palestinians. Similarly, the Land Acquisition Law
of 1953 allowed the Israeli government to confiscate Palestinian land for military purposes or for
Israeli settlements. Today the law states that land not in use for three continuous years is subject
to Israeli confiscation.
(Source: Shaml and Passia)
•
•
•
The amount of land expropriated through this law is estimated at 1,255,174 dunums (1
dunum = ¼ acre).
Since June 1967 the Israeli government has expropriated at least 5,839,000 dunums (73%
of the West Bank & Gaza territory): 5,473,000 in the West Bank (incl. East Jerusalem)
and 366,000 dunums in the Gaza Strip.
Today, on average 8,630 dunums of land are confiscated every month for the purpose of
building settlements.
Administrative Detention
Imprisonment by Israel of Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza without charge or trial for a
period of up to six months, renewable; based on the ‘Law on Emergency Powers (Detention)’
adopted by the Israeli parliament in 1979. From September 2000 to February 2002, 1,000
Palestinians from inside the Green Line have been detained, and 1,850 (including more than 600
children) from Jerusalem, the West Bank, and Gaza Strip. (Source: Passia)
Areas A, B, and C
The 1995 Oslo II peace agreement divided the Palestinian territories, excluding East Jerusalem,
into three zones. Area A, comprising disconnected districts, includes about 17 percent of the West
Bank and the Gaza Strip and is under the full security and civil control of the Palestinian
Authority. Area B, 23 percent, is under Israeli security control, while the Palestinian Authority is
responsible for some social and civil services. Area C, approximately 59 percent, is under full
Israeli occupation. The division of these three areas was theoretically a first step in Israel’s full
withdrawal from the West Bank (as required under UN Resolutions 242 and 338), but this
withdrawal never took place. (Source: Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine)
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Building Permits
Palestinians must acquire these permits to obtain the right to build a home on Palestinian land.
The cost of a building permit in East Jerusalem can amount to $20,000 and take up to five years
to be approved. Permits in the West Bank are currently being issued at one-tenth the rate of
population growth. Without a building permit a Palestinian can have their home demolished.
Homes of Palestinians with permits have also been demolished to make way for the construction
of new Israeli structures.
(Source: Palestine Monitor)
Bypass road between Gilo settlement and Bethlehem. Photo courtesy of Beverly Anderson.
Bypass Roads
Paved highways and roads built by Israel on confiscated Palestinian lands within the West Bank
and Gaza to link Israeli settlements to Israel and other settlements. Israel controls these roads,
which are buffered on each side by a 150-225 foot buffer zone in which no construction is
allowed. Bypass roads also extend Israel’s de facto borders beyond the 1949 Green Line and
around the entire Jerusalem area. Since 1967, Israel has built over 220 miles of highways and bypass roads in the West Bank. Because Palestinians may not travel on these roads, they create
barriers to Palestinian mobility, dividing communities and making it impossible for some farmers
to reach their fields. (Source: Miftah and B’Tselem)
Checkpoint
A barrier or a small military station built by the Israeli Defense Forces or Border Police to limit the
movement of Palestinians who lack necessary permits. Checkpoints are generally manned by a dozen
Israeli soldiers, who search people’s belongings and check the license plates and IDs of pedestrians and
drivers. Normally, Israeli citizens and foreigners can move through checkpoints without being stopped.
Palestinians, including those with permits, experience extreme delays and are frequently humiliated at these
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barriers. Palestinian farm produce, especially from Gaza, has spoiled at checkpoints due to delays of up to
several days. (Source: Miftah and Palestine Monitor)
Checkpoint Facts:
•
•
•
There are currently 120 Israeli checkpoints scattered throughout the Occupied Territories. These,
along with Israeli roadblocks, have divided the West Bank into 300 separate clusters and the Gaza
Strip into 3 separate clusters.
The health impact: Between 28 September 2000 and 21 November 2002, 73 deaths have been
reported at checkpoints, mostly patients and pregnant women in labor who were denied passage
and therefore unable to reach hospitals. During this time, 557 ambulances were also denied access
to roads leading to hospitals.
The economic impact: Over 150,000 Palestinian workers have been unable to reach their jobs in the
Occupied Territories due to Israeli closures since September 2000. A further 125,000 Palestinians are now
unemployed because Israeli closures have blocked them from their jobs in Israel proper. Palestinian
produce, especially from Gaza, often spoils at checkpoints due to delays of several days. (Source:
International Checkpoint Watch)
Gaza workers lined up at Erez Checkpoint between Gaza and Israel. Photo courtesy of David Guttenfelder/AP 2001.
Closure, Siege, Blockade
Terms used to describe official Israeli efforts to control the movement of Palestinians. Closure was instituted in
March 1993 to deny Palestinians without permits from Gaza and the West Bank, entry into Israel and Greater
Jerusalem. More recently, roadblocks have restricted movement between cities and towns within the Occupied
Territories. Some Students, medical doctors, and patients often find it impossible to reach colleges, universities, and
hospitals. Palestinian farmers are also unable to reach their fields because of these “internal checkpoints.” In
August 2001, the New York Times reported that Israel had established 97 “armed blockades” in the West Bank and
32 in the Gaza Strip. (Source: Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine)
Closed Military Zones
Areas in the West Bank and Gaza arbitrarily declared by the Israeli military to be off-limits to unauthorized
persons. These closed areas account for 1250 km of West Bank land, which is 22% of the West Bank. (Source:
Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine)
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Collective Punishment
A term used to describe the practice of punishing entire families, communities or groups for the act of an
individual. Collective punishment is practiced by the Israeli state in the name of security or in retaliation for suicide
bombing attacks against Israelis. It takes the form of sealing or demolishing Palestinian homes, imposing curfews,
erecting roadblocks and checkpoints, confiscating personal property, uprooting olive and other fruit trees (over
34,600 between Sept. 2000 and Feb. 2002), destroying water systems, and closing schools, colleges, markets, roads,
and other gathering places. Collective punishment is prohibited by Article 33 of the Fourth Geneva Convention.
(Source: Americans for Middle East Understanding)
Curfew
A decree confining people to house arrest. Curfews, which are a form of collective punishment, violate the Geneva
Conventions. When curfew is announced in a Palestinian village, businesses, schools, government offices, and
pharmacies are shut down. Medical services are inaccessible. The Israel Defense Forces have kept some Palestinian
cities and towns under curfews for weeks at a time, which has led to serious food and water shortages and the
denial of urgent medical services.
In June 2002, Nablus and the neighboring refugee camp of Balata, home to about 200,000 people, were put under
24-hour curfew in retaliation for a spate of suicide bombings in Israel. The confinement lasted for 110 days and was
lifted only for four hours every 10 days to allow people to buy food and visit wells for fresh water. (Source:
Palestine Monitor and Chris McGreal, “City under curfew reaches boiling point” The Guardian 5 October 2002)
Geneva Conventions, Fourth Geneva Convention
Four internationally accepted conventions were approved in Geneva following World War II. The Fourth Geneva
Convention was adopted on 12 August 1949. It protects individuals who live in a territory occupied by another
nation and makes the occupying power responsible for the welfare of the population of any territory it occupies.
Despite the fact that Israel has signed the Convention, the Israeli government claims that the Fourth Geneva
Convention does not apply to its role as an occupying power in Palestine. (Source: Center for Policy Analysis on
Palestine)
•
•
The Conventions protect the population of an occupied territory from denial of food and medical supplies
(Article 55), destruction and confiscation of property (Article 53), torture (Article 32) and collective
punishment (Article 33).
The Conventions also prohibit the occupying power from transferring any part of its own population into
the occupied territory [settlers and settlements] (Article 49). This provision has been cited by U.N.
resolutions objecting to the creation of settlements in the West Bank and Gaza.
Green Line
Line drawn up by an armistice agreement in 1949 (the year Israel was established) separating Israel from the West
Bank. Since 1967, the Green Line has been the boundary between Israel and the occupied West Bank, which
together with the occupied Gaza Strip, comprises 22 percent of pre-1948 Palestine. When Palestinians signed the
Oslo Peace Accords and modified their charter in 1996, they agreed to recognize Israel within the Green Line,
thereby granting 78 percent of pre-1948 Palestine to Israel. In some areas, such as north of Bethlehem, Israel has
further extended its control, leading to the use of the phrase “creeping green line.” (Source: Center for Policy
Analysis on Palestine)
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Partially demolished home in Al-Aroub. Photo courtesy of Al Jazeera news network 4/16/03
Home Demolitions
Practice of forcibly removing families from their homes and destroying their homes. Demolitions are carried out
with the help or supervision of the Israeli army or police as collective punishment for an alleged criminal act by a
member of an extended family, or because the house was constructed or enlarged without a building permit. Home
demolitions are a breach of the Fourth Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of
War. Since 1967, Israel has demolished almost 9,000 Palestinian homes, leaving some 50,000 Palestinians
traumatized and without shelter. (Source: Israeli Coalition Against Home Demolitions)
ID Cards
Identification cards issued by the Israeli government to designate individuals as Palestinians. Without an ID card,
Palestinians are not permitted to pass through checkpoints. Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza carry Orange
or Green ID cards. Those who live in East Jerusalem carry Blue cards. These cards are also used for Palestinians
(with Israeli citizenship) living in Israel. These cardholders are ineligible for service in the armed forces, land
acquisition, and a number of other rights and liberties enjoyed by Jewish Israeli citizens. License plates are also
color-coded. Cars with green and blue license plates belong to the Palestinians without permits, and they cannot
travel beyond checkpoints. Yellow license plate cars belong to all Israelis, and Palestinians with a permit.
Intifada
Literally, intifada means ‘shaking off’; in the context of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the Intifada is a civil
uprising in response to repression and occupation. The “First Intifada” erupted in Gaza on 9 December 1987 after
four Palestinians were killed by an Israeli Army truck at a crowded checkpoint. The Intifada was a youth-led
movement directed by a coalition of groups with the aim of ending the Israeli occupation and establishing Palestinian independence. The means were primarily non-violent: growing food in home and community gardens to
replace boycotted Israeli goods; guarding villages at night with whistles to warn of soldiers; establishing mobile
clinics to provide emergency medical help to villages and towns under curfew; boycotting taxes, etc. Israel’s
response included closing universities, deporting activists and destroying homes. With the signing of the Oslo
accords, the Intifada came to an end; casualties were high with over 1,500 Palestinians dead, and tens of thousands
injured.
The Second or Al-Aqsa Intifada began on 28 September 2000 when Likud party opposition leader Ariel Sharon
made a provocative visit to Al-Aqsa Mosque, with thousands of security forces deployed in and around the Old
City of Jerusalem. Ensuing clashes with Palestinian protestors left five Palestinians dead and over 200 injured in the
first two days alone. The incident soon sparked a widespread uprising in Occupied Palestine, inside Israel and the
Arab World, and brought the peace process to a halt. Although the majority of groups working to end the
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occupation remain dedicated to nonviolence, extremist groups such as Hamas and Islamic Jihad have trained their
members to become suicide bombers and target Israeli civilians. Between Sept 30, 2003 and June 2003 some 700
Israelis and over 2000 Palestinians have been killed. (Source: B’Tselem and Center for Policy Analysis on
Palestine)
Islamic Jihad and Hamas
According to BBC News Online, “Hamas is the largest Palestinian Islamist militant group formed 15 years ago at
the beginning of the first intifada with the short-term aim of driving Israeli forces from the Occupied Palestinian
Territories and the long-term aim of establishing an Islamic State on all of Historic Palestine-most of which has
been contained within Israel’s borders since it’s creation in 1948. Hamas is divided into two spheres of operation:
social programmes like building schools and hospitals and religious institutions and military actions and terror
attacks carried out by its underground wing Izzedine al-Qassam Brigades. Hamas came to prominence during the
Oslo peace process seeking to undermine it by launching the first suicide attacks against Israeli civilians in the
region in February and March of 1996 killing nearly 60 Israelis in retaliation for the assassination of Hamas
bombmaker Yahya Ayyash in December of 1995. Since 2000 Hamas has been gaining power and influence as it’s
social programmes have allowed the organization to gain grassroots support by people living in refugee camps and
towns besieged by the Israeli Army who feel let down by the inefficiency and corruption of the Palestinian National
Authority.”
In comparison to Hamas, “Islamic Jihad is a relatively small group made of a handful of loosely affiliated factions
who believe that the Arab-Israeli Conflict will only be resolved through armed confrontation, and concentrate their
activities on attacking Israel. The origins of the group date back to the 1970’s and 80’s and their first strike is
thought to have been the killing of an Israeli military police captain in August 1987. The group fulfilled a similar
role (to Hamas) during the Oslo peace process by conducting attacks against Israeli military and civilian targets in
January of 1995 and in March of 1996. Since the outbreak of the second intifada Islamic Jihad has claimed
responsibility for dozens of terror attacks ranging from armed infiltrations of Jewish settlements, and ambushes, to
car bombs and suicide bombings on Israeli buses. Post-Oslo, Israel has steadily destroyed the power structure of the
Palestinian Authority” ( Source: BBC News Online). It has also destroyed much of the infrastructure of a vibrant
Palestinian civil society in essence providing fertile ground for these two extremist groups and other similar groups
to gain support and prominence. As the Palestinian Authority fails to clamp down on both groups ordinary
Palestinians continue to suffer from the consequences of intensified Israeli military attacks, curfew and siege
policies justified as self-defense and security measures vis-à-vis extremist groups. In this political climate, a vibrant
Palestinian civil society striving to build peace and democracy and a just resolution to this conflict based on
International law continue to be the only viable options for a sustainable peace.
Roadblocks
Physical barriers in the middle of roads, typically consisting of large mounds of rocks and dirt. The Israeli army has
placed hundreds of roadblocks around villages throughout the West Bank and Gaza. Roadblocks are about 7 feet
tall and span the width of the roads they obstruct. Roadblocks, like checkpoints, restrict the movement of vehicles
going into and out of villages and are often combined with large ditches that are up to 7 feet deep. The excavations
associated with roadblocks damage buried utility cables, water pipes, and sewage pipes, causing health related
problems in surrounding Palestinian communities.
(Source: International Solidarity Movement)
Refugees
Individuals who flee from or are driven from their homes, especially in times of war, and are unable to return. The
UN defines a Palestinian refugee as a person “whose normal residence was Palestine for a minimum of two years
preceding the conflict in 1948, and who, as a result of this conflict, lost both their home and means of livelihood
and took refuge in one of the countries where the UN Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near
East (UNRWA) provides relief.” In 1948, the UN recognized the right of all Palestinian refugees to return to their
homes (UN resolution 194). An estimated 757,000 Palestinian refugees were displaced in 1948. Several hundred
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thousand additional persons became refugees in 1967. By 1999, the UN had registered 3.5 million Palestinian
refugees, who were living in camps or assimilated into the populations in Jordan, Lebanon, Syria, the West Bank,
and Gaza.
Refugee Camps
Camps maintained by the UN Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) that are home to over 3 million Palestinian
refugees. Today the majority of Palestinian refugees reside within 100 miles of their places of origin in 59 camps.
Population density and unemployment rates within these camps are among the highest in the world, resulting in
chronic poverty, overcrowding and a low standard of living. A recent BBC report describes current conditions in
Palestinian refugee camps; “Most of the people are unemployed and their housing conditions are desperate. There is
a lack of basic facilities and open sewers, and in some cases, up to 15 people are forced to share two rooms in a
house.” (Source: Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine, BBC)
A concrete portion of the ‘Security’ Wall currently being built in the West Bank.
Photo courtesy of Pengon.
‘Security’ Fence/ The Apartheid Wall
A Wall Israel is building that cuts deep into Palestinian territory in the West Bank, incorporating large portions of
fertile land, fruit and olive tree groves, water resources and vegetable fields and cutting off Palestinian villages and
towns from their farmland and centers of trade and education. This “Security” wall is comprised of a series of
walls- in some areas measuring 25 feet high- electronic fences and barbed wire barriers that are accompanied by
concrete watchtowers and a 90 to 300 foot buffer zone to make way for sensors, cameras, trenches and security
patrols. The Wall is currently being built in Qalqiya, Tulkarem, Jenin, Jerusalem and Bethlehem. In this first phase
of the wall, construction will confiscate 30 groundwater wells in the West Bank, displace 10,000 grazing animals
from access to land and water, and halt olive, fruit and vegetable production. An estimated 13,140 individuals will
be trapped between the Wall and the Green Line and another 20,000 will no longer have access to their agricultural
lands. Construction of this Wall has also led to the destruction of Palestinian property and homes. In the town of
Nazlat ‘Isa for instance over 100 Palestinian shops and 5 homes were destroyed to build a portion of the wall on
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August 21, 2003. If the Wall is completed, 60% of Palestinian land in the West Bank will be confiscated. (Source:
Pengon and Gush Shalom)
Settlements
Term used to describe Jewish developments built in Occupied Palestine. Most settlements have been built on
confiscated Palestinian land and are strategically scattered throughout the West Bank, Gaza, the Golan Heights and
East Jerusalem. Settlements, which are sometimes called ‘colonies,’ are subsidized by the Israeli government and
built for Jews only. Settlements are usually massive apartment blocks or suburban homes that are surrounded and
connected by bypass roads and checkpoints.
(Source: Palestine Chronicle and Miftah)
•
•
Since September 1993, 19,000 new housing units have been built, including 3,000 under Labor Party Prime
Minister Ehud Barak. Satellite images show that there are 282 Jewish settlement areas in the West Bank
(including East Jerusalem) and 26 in the Gaza Strip.
The Fourth Geneva Convention states “The occupying power shall not deport or transfer parts of its own
civilian population into territories it occupies.” (Article 49, Paragraph 6). Settlements are therefore, illegal
under international law.
Israeli Settlement built on Anu Ghneim Mountain in the West Bank.
Photo courtesy of Applied Research Institute-Jerusalem.
Settlers
Israeli Jews who have chosen to live in subsidized homes and communities known as settlements, many within
commuting distance from Jerusalem or Tel Aviv. An Israeli Peace Now survey conducted in July of 2002 showed
that 77% of settlers chose to live in a settlement for reasons of "quality of life" (i.e. motivated by housing,
education subsidies and tax breaks). A minority or 20% of settlers are motivated by the belief that God gave them
right to all the land in ‘Greater Israel’ including the West Bank and Gaza and 3% by the belief that settlements
provide national security. By August 2002, there were 400,000 settlers living in the West Bank, including East
Jerusalem, and 6,000 in Gaza. The estimated annual increase of settlers (natural growth and new additions) is 8.5
percent. In comparison, the average growth rate for Jews in Israel is 2 percent. Settlers have access to relatively
large portions of water and land in the West Bank and Gaza in comparison to Palestinians. In Gaza for instance,
settlers constitute 0.6 percent of the population but have control over 30 percent of the land. Since the second
intifada, settler violence has been on the rise, as has Palestinian violence against settlers. Attacks on Palestinian
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property and acts of vandalism, such as the burning of Palestinian fields and the destruction of agricultural lands,
are among settler violations. Despite this, Israeli soldiers often protect settlers and legal proceedings are rarely
brought against them. (Source: Palestine Monitor, Peace Now and Miftah)
Transfer
Term used by Israel to describe the forced expulsion of Palestinians out of the West Bank and Gaza into Arab
countries. Reference is often made to the Plan Dalet (Plan D), the name given by Israel to military operations in
April-May 1948 that resulted in the expulsion of over 700,000 Palestinians. Current Prime Minister Ariel Sharon
supports the transfer of Palestinians and has stated that “The Palestinians already have a state—it’s called Jordan.”
(Source: Passia)
Unrecognized Villages
This term refers to 176 Palestinian villages inside Israel–in the Galilee or the Negev desert—that do not officially
exist. The 90,000+ Arab inhabitants of these villages are internal refugees (i.e., they had left their homes in 1948
but remained within the borders of the new Israeli state, and then were unable to return to their villages). They do
not receive municipal services or health care, nor are they connected to postal and phone systems. Any land not
under cultivation in these villages may be arbitrarily confiscated by Israel at any time. (Source: Passia)
Sources and Further Reading
BT’selem: The Israeli Information Center for Human Rights in the Occupied Territories. www.btselem.org
Center for Policy Analysis on Palestine based in Washington D.C.
http://www.palestinecenter.org/framepalestine.html
Gush Shalom-Israeli Peace Bloc
http://www.gush-shalom.org/english/
ICAHD: Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions. www.icahd.org
International Solidarity Movement: www.palsolidarity.org
Miftah: The Palestinian Initiative for the Promotion of Global Dialogue & Democracy
http://www.miftah.org.
Passia: Palestinian Academic Society for the Study of International Affairs Jerusalem
www.passia.org
Palestine Chronicle: News and Commentary from Palestine, the Middle East and Beyond.
www.palestinechronicle.com
The Palestine Monitor: The Voice of Civil Society. www.palestinemonitor.org
Pengon: The Palestinian Environmental NGOs network www.pengon.org
Shaml: Palestinian Diaspora and Refugee Center www.shaml.org
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INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO MAKE AN
OCCUPIED MAP OF YOUR STATE
Materials needed
Color-coding labels or Stickers (You can purchase them from Staples, or Wal mart).
A Wall sized map of your state or part of your state. Make sure you know the land area and
population size that the map represents. The cheapest maps we have found are available at CVS or
Walmart stores. These maps usually do not provide you with area and population figures.
Sometimes you can call manufacturers (usually a toll free number or website on the back or corner
of your map to figure out this information). You can purchase other maps through the internet or
in the travel sections of most bookstores.
Procedure
1. Construct a map of Occupied Eastern Massachusetts, New Hampshire, or New Jersey, etc…, using the
following statistics:
West Bank: 2300 square miles and 2.2 million people (area-wise slightly smaller than Delaware)
Gaza: about 140 square miles and 1.2 million people (area-wise slightly more than twice the size of
Washington, DC)
West Bank and Gaza: 2440 square miles and 3.4 million people.
There are about 230 settlements, 120 checkpoints and some hundred roadblocks in the Occupied
Territories. Israel has built over 220 miles of highways and by-pass roads in the Occupied Territories.
2. Purchase a wall map of part or all of your state. Make sure you know what land area and population
size your map represents. Compare it to the population and land area size of the West Bank and Gaza and
figure out the number of settlements, checkpoints etc… accordingly.
3. Checkpoints are generally located between city boundaries and Bypass roads are essentially many of
the major highways running through your particular state. Check the following map for general
distribution http://www.canadazone.com/icw/map_westbank.html. Roadblocks are fairly arbitrary but
generally block entrance into certain sections of towns or entrances to towns and villages.
4. Half the settler population is located in East Jerusalem (which can be interpreted as suburban areas of a
major city of your state). Settlements are generally distributed throughout the West Bank between
Palestinian towns with some concentration along the Eastern and Western borders of the West Bank and
between the Northern and Southern part of the West Bank See http://www.firstpr.com.au/nations/ for
distribution.
5. Using simple color coding labels and stickers construct an Occupied map of your state using a key with
color-coded definitions of checkpoints, settlements, bypass roads, etc.
Option: For people with access to and knowledge of Photoshop you can also make a map using the
computer as handouts for participants. After you are done with this map you can laminate it for durability
and easy transport. (See map picture in the curriculum).
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SCENARIOS FOR OCCUPIED MAP
EXERCISES
(These scenarios are for people from other U.S. States to use. Simply print them out and fill in appropriate
towns and locations near you)
Scenario 1) Orange ID cards. You are a woman (Person 1) from
traveling to a nearby
hospital in
. You are six-month pregnant and have a serious heart condition, which
requires regular monitoring by a heart specialist. You woke up this morning with tightness in your chest
and by midday noticed that you had run out of your medication. In a panic you asked your neighbor
(Person 2) to drive you to the hospital. (It would take your husband, who works in a restaurant in
too long to go through 2 major checkpoints and take you himself). You and your neighbor are on your
way to the hospital, when you are unexpectedly forced to stop in front of a 7 foot high mound of dirt,
rocks and concrete blocks blocking the main entrance into
. You watch people help each
other climb over the roadblock to catch taxicabs on the other side but are aware that you could risk your
life doing the same. You are about ½ mile away from the hospital and feel your chest tightening up. Out
of the corner of your eye you spot an empty ambulance and two ambulance volunteers waiting by the
roadblock.
?
What do you do? (Be creative and think about other people in this scenario).
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scenario 2) Orange ID cards. You are a high school student (Person 1) living in
who goes to school at
. You usually get up at about 5 am to get to school by
7:30 am. This journey, which used to take you 20 minutes, now takes you about one hour and a half due
to delays at a checkpoint leading into
. This monday morning you catch the mini bus
around 5:45 am and are on your way to school. You are busy studying for a math exam in the back seat,
with a fellow classmate (Person 2) to avoid being seen by your Geography teacher, who is sitting towards
the front. You pass the checkpoint in 40 mins. and it looks like you might get to school just in time for
your exam. 10 mins. later, your bus suddenly stops at a checkpoint leading into
Street, which
was unexpectedly erected over the weekend. You get out of the bus and learn that most people are being
turned back at this checkpoint. You see people pleading with soldiers to pass through on one lane, while
you watch settlers whiz through on another lane with their yellow license plates. You and your classmate
begin to brainstorm about what to do: You are two miles away from your school and fear walking on the
dirt path that leads to your school because you risk being detained or shot at by soldiers if you are caught
for evading the checkpoint.
?
What do you do? (Be creative and think about other people in this scenario).
Scenario 3) Orange ID cards. You are a young man from
, who lives with his eight
siblings, and parents on a family-owned farm. You and your 6 brothers used to work in
but
recently returned to
to help your parents make a living by selling produce in local markets.
Last year you and your brothers along with 150,000 workers from
lost their jobs
working in
due to closure policies. Since then you haven’t been able to find work in
Eastern Mass. (the unemployment rate in
has risen to 65%) and are now trying your luck
33
by revitalizing the farm. The harvest this year was excellent but checkpoints and curfews have prevented
you from selling your produce and making ends meet. Meanwhile buses are charging more to transport
your produce due to delays at checkpoints and food prices are plunging in the areas that are accessible to
farmers. This morning you (Person 1) and your older brother (Person 2) get up early to deliver boxes of
fruits and vegetables to neighborhood stores in the
refugee camp. You leave the house at
5:30 am and cart your produce to a nearby mini-bus stop. The bus takes you through one checkpoint but
gets delayed at a second one. After a two-hour wait in the scorching sun you begin to worry because your
produce is beginning to brown and the store owners in
expected you to deliver
before 10 am (it is already 10:30 am). A donkey-shuttle service driver offers to take you on a dirt road
through the hills up to
for $70 (the same price you paid the mini-bus driver). People have been
detained and shot at on those roads by
soldiers. You and your brother debate about what
to do. If you arrive safely in
without being detained or turned back by soldiers and are
able to deliver all of your produce in good condition you will make a $350 profit today. If you don’t, you
risk loosing $140 and hundreds of dollars worth of produce.
?
What do you do? (Be creative and think about other people in this scenario).
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scenario 4) Orange Identity Card. You are a 20 year old man from
whose family owns a
small convenience store. You live with your 3 siblings, parents, grandparents and uncle right above the
store and a few blocks away from a checkpoint leading into
. Your family are refugees
from
who fled to
many decades ago and have managed to establish a decent
living situation for themselves with their store, in comparison to many other refugee families. A few
months ago a Separation Wall, that is more accurately an Apartheid Wall began to be built right by the
checkpoint and you and your family watched it with much anxiety. Then about two weeks later while you
were sleeping soldiers
from
lit your store on fire. You thank
god that you and your family were able to escape safely but the store was completely destroyed. For
weeks after, everyone in the family, especially your uncle (Person 2) and father worked day and night to
rebuild the store only to have it be destroyed again by soldiers two weeks later. The second incident left
everyone very anxious and fearful. Your young brother keeps wetting his bed and waking up with
nightmares and your mother can no longer sleep. For the past two weeks you and your uncle have been
keeping night watch. Each time you hear of another similar incident you get angry and think about what
options you have to stop it from happening. One of your close friends who lost most of his family
members in a recent bomb attack by
soldiers has been going to Islamic Jihad meetings and
has been asking you to come. You decide to discuss this with your uncle during night watch.
? How does the conversation go? What other options and alternatives do you think of and discuss?
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scenario 5) Dark Blue ID Cards. You are a 35 year old man who lives in
with your
wife and 6 year old child. Your 8 year old daughter was killed four months ago in a suicide attack in a
café downtown. She was waiting for you after dance class, with her friend and her friend’s mother. You
were on your way to pick her up but got delayed in traffic when it happened. You (Person 1) and your
wife (Person 2) have been in shock and denial ever since. You have also felt paralyzed and unable to go
back to your job at a non-profit that provides legal services to residents of
living in the
metropolitan area, whose homes have been demolished (home demolitions) by
authorities.
34
You and your wife have been active in the peace movement for over 10 years now and your commitment
to the movement has grown since you began this job 3 years ago. Since your daughter was killed you
have been struggling with feelings of anger, frustration and resentment that have kept you from
interacting with many of your friends who are active in the peace movement. This morning you received a
call from a close friend of yours who has asked you to come to a meeting next week organized by a
Bereaved Family Circle of
and
families who have lost loved ones in this
conflict. You decide to discuss this with your wife this evening.
? How does the conversation go? What options do you discuss? What do you decide to do?
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scenario 6) Dark Blue ID Cards
You are a young woman (Person 1) from West Boston who lives in
in Occupied
with your husband and your 4 year-old daughter (Person 2). Your father is on his death bed
and you are on your way to visit him in
. You hope that your father will be able to
see his grandchild, who has started to learn her grandfather’s
dialect, one last time
before he passes away. Although your husband would like to join you, you can only take your daughter
because his
ID card does not allow him to enter
. This morning you get up
early to catch a ride in an ambulance with other people from
, and a letter in hand from
a hospital regarding a check-up that your daughter needs to do in a nearby town. As you had feared you
are stopped at a checkpoint and you and your daughter hear the soldiers speaking in a
dialect about turning the ambulance back. You know you could use your
ID to pass through,
but that that would mean leaving the people you are traveling with-- who are in need of urgent medical
attention--behind. It would also mean that you would have to find your own transportation on the other
side of the checkpoint.
?
What do you do? (Be creative).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scenario 7) Light Blue ID Cards
You are a businessman (Person 1) who lives in a settlement in
.
You commute to work in
every weekday and sometimes give a ride to your neighbor
(Person 2), who works at a bank in West Boston that is also located downtown. This morning you are
running late for a meeting at which you are expected to give a presentation to one of your company’s
most important clients. You pick up your neighbor and are on your way. You decide to take the fastest
route downtown, which takes you off a bypass road onto a regular road in
for 1015 minutes. You are a little nervous about making this decision because your friend’s car was shot at on
this road just two weeks ago. As you drive through the first checkpoint and watch lines of cars waiting in
the lane designated for residents of
, you think to yourselves that this system of security is
necessary to protect your community against attacks and has for the most part worked well. As you drive
passed the second checkpoint and onto the regular road you see a car that has broken down on the side of
the road with yellow license plates. This could mean 1) that the owner is from
or a
neighboring settlement or 2) that the owner is from
but lives in the
metropolitan area. You see a man waving for you to stop. You debate about whether or not to stop with
your neighbor.
35
?
What do you do? (Be creative).
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Scenario 8) Dark Blue ID Cards. You are a single mother of two children (9 and 14) and live in
. You have been working at a non-unionized factory job for three years and make just enough money to
make ends meet. You recently decided to purchase a used car to allow you to drop your children off at
their school every morning before going to work. A neighbor picks them up in the afternoon. You made
this decision after a school bus was blown up in your neighborhood last year by residents of
. Although having the car has given you peace of mind, dropping your children off at school often gets
you stuck in morning traffic and late for work. Two days ago your boss threatened to fire you for being
late for work. This morning your children are running late and you are particularly worried about putting
them on the bus after hearing about an attempted
attack on a mall on the morning news.
As you (Person 1) and your 14 year old son (Person 2) watch the alleged attacker from the militant group
Hamas being detained on your TV screen, you are torn between needing the peace of mind that your
children make it to school safely and needing to get to work on time. You talk about what to do with your
son.
? What is your decision and how do you decide?
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
36
APPENDIX E
Signs for Defining sources of U.S. aid exercise:
37
# 1 Foreign Aid is also referred to as Foreign Operations Appropriations. Every year the
House Committee on Appropriations issues a bill outlining foreign aid expenditures for the
fiscal year that is reviewed and approved by Congress. The U.S. Government spends
approximately 1% of its total budget on Foreign Operations and Aid. This aid can be
further broken down into economic and military aid appropriations and funds among other
things international disaster and famine relief, global health, international narcotics
control, contributions for the World Bank, peacekeeping operations, international military
training and foreign military assistance. The Foreign Operations Appropriations Budget is
not the only pot of money from which the U.S. government provides foreign assistance to
other countries.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------# 2 Allies cooperate with the U.S. on strategic defense projects or through defense
contracts, allowing the U.S. to transfer funds from domestic military budgets to foreign
countries that are actively “protecting and advancing U.S. national and security interests.”
These funds generally come from the Department of Defense, Department of State, the
Department of Homeland Security. This year’s $74.7 billion Consolidated War against
Iraq Budget (officially referred to as Iraq Supplemental Appropriations) for example, was
approved to “support Department of Defense operations in Iraq and to strengthen
capabilities of our friends and allies who will share the burden of military and stabilization
activities.” The budget was broken down in the following way: $62.6 billion for the
Department of Defense; $ 4.2 billion for Homeland security/domestic aid $ 7.8 billion for
Embassy Security/Foreign aid; $ 0.1 billion for Legislative Branch. Of the 7.8 billion
allocated for Embassy Security/Foreign aid about $5 billion was allocated to support key
coalition partners in the war against Iraq including Egypt, Israel, Turkey and Afghanistan.
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------# 3 U.S. Loan Guarantees: A financial entity in this case the U.S. government promises to
pay off the balance of a loan if the borrower cannot. So when Congress promises Y
country X billion in loan guarantees this means that the U.S. government accepts
responsibility for up to X billion that Y country can then borrow from international
creditors. These loan guarantees are offered at an interest rate that is much lower than if Y
country had sought the loan without backers. In addition, the loans can and have been
waived by the backer. (Source: Slate editor Ed Finn What are Israel's Loan Guarantees?
August 6, 2003).
Props for U.S. Aid to Israel exercise:
38
39
40
41
Supplementary fact sheets and handouts for U.S. Aid to Israel exercises:
Jewish Voices for Peace fact sheet about U.S. Aid to Israel
http://www.jewishvoiceforpeace.org/involved/petitions.htm#Fact
SUSTAIN U.S. Aid to Israel fact sheet http://www.sustaincampaign.org/present_index.html
Palestine Monitor fact sheet on U.S. aid to Israel
http://www.palestinemonitor.org/factsheet/US_Aid_to_Israel.htm
Washington Report on Middle East Affairs, http://www.wrmea.com/html/us_aid_to_israel.htm (for statistics and
articles)
How were some of the numbers for the aid exercise calculated? :
$12.6 billion is the amount of money Israel received this year in loan guarantees and military assistance
from sources other than the U.S. foreign aid budget. [About 600 million dollars in U.S. support comes
from sources like the Department of State, the Department of Defense, The U.S. Agency for Information
and the Pentagon. We have included loan guarantees in our estimate based on the fact that Israel has
received $40 billion in waived loans from the U.S. between 1974 and 2001. In addition, Israel received $1
billion in military assistance and $9 billion in loan guarantees through 2005 from the U.S. War against
Iraq consolidated War Budget [Source: Washington Report on Middle East Affairs]
The Massachusetts Budget figures are cited by United for a Fair Economy and the Massachusetts Budget
and Policy Center. (www.massbudget.org and www.ufenet.org)
The domestic social spending figures are cited by costofwar.com who calculated their numbers based on
data from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the National Priorities Project, and the
College Board Report.
42
APPENDIX F
Grassroots International recommended reading/film list on Israel/Palestine
BOOKS:
Drinking the Sea at Gaza: Days and Nights in a Land Under Siege by Amira Hass. This book, written by Israeli
journalist and Gaza resident Amira Hass, offers a rare portrait of Palestinian life in Gaza through anecdotes and
personal reflection.
Palestine by Joe Sacco and Edward Said (introduction). Political cartoonist Joe Sacco takes readers on a journey
through the West Bank, Gaza and parts of Israel and tells the stories of the people he meets through the medium of
a graphic novel/comic book. This is a quick and compelling must-read for anyone interested in learning about
Palestine from the perspective of Israeli and Palestinian residents.
The Other Israel: Voices of Refusal and Dissent by Roane Carey, Jonathan Shainin, Tom Segev, David
Grossman, & Anthony Lewis. This collection of essays offers a broad range of Israeli perspectives and voices that
articulate practical, legal, and moral objections to the occupation of Palestine.
How Long O Lord?: Voices from the Ground and Visions for the Future in Israel/Palestine Edited by Robert
and Maurine Tobin. This excellent anthology of writings by Jews, Christians and Muslims examines different sides
of the same issue: the quest for a just peace in the Holy Land. Contributors include Desmond Tutu and Edward
Said. Available on amazon.com.
Arabs and Israel for Beginners by Ron David. Part of the documentary ‘For Beginners’ comic book series, Arabs
and Israel offers a concise revisionist history of the region from ancient times to the present. This well-illustrated,
provocative history is an excellent alternative read for people interested in learning more about the roots of the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
I Saw Ramallah by Mourid Barghouti. This poignant memoir is a testimony to the power of place and memory and
the personal and emotional trauma displaced Palestinians have endured as a result of the Israeli Occupation.
Barghouti, a famous Palestinian poet-in-exile, contributes a lyrical and touching book documenting his experiences
upon his first return visit to his home after an absence of twenty years.
FILMS:
Palestine is Still the Issue (2002). In 1977, award-winning British journalist and filmmaker John Pilger made a
documentary called “Palestine is Still the Issue,” exploring the roots of conflict and displacement in the region.
After 25 years, Pilger returns to Palestine to once again weave together the central issues in the Palestinian conflict.
The film includes a series of extraordinary interviews with both Israelis and Palestinians, including the families of
suicide bombers and their victims. 53 minutes. Available online at www.bullfrogfilms.com
Promises (2001). This compelling Academy Award-nominated film, made by Israeli-American filmmaker B.Z.
Goldberg, documents the stories and lives of seven Israeli and Palestinian children, aged 9-13, who speak candidly
about their experiences. The film was shot during a period of relative calm between 1995-2000, and offers a rare
glimpse into the lives of young people who are less self-conscious and more open than adults. Arabic, Hebrew, and
English dialogue with English subtitles. 106 minutes. Available online at www.promisesproject.org
Frontiers of Dreams and Fears (2001) by Mai Masri. This documentary traces the friendships between
Palestinian refugee children in Bethlehem’s Dheishe refugee camp and Beirut’s Shatila camp. It reveals their lives,
dreams and evolving friendships and culminates in their moving meeting at the Lebanese/Israeli border. Available
online at www.arabfilm.com.
ONLINE:
“Understanding the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict: A Primer” with Frequently Asked Questions and detailed answers.
By Phyllis Bennis. Available online at www.endtheoccupation.org/article.php?list=typte&type=52
The Guardian Timeline “Israel and the Middle East: Key events” By Derek Brown; January 2, 2002
http://www.guardian.co.uk/israel/comment/0,10551,626719,00.html
43
ALTERNATIVE SOURCES OF CURRENT NEWS AND ANALYSIS:
Electronic Intifada “publishes news, commentary, analysis, and reference materials about the Israeli-Palestinian
Conflict from a Palestinian perspective. EI is the leading Palestinian portal for information about the IsraeliPalestinian conflict and its depiction in the media.”
Between the Lines Magazine is a monthly initiative produced by progressive Israelis and Palestinians and includes
analyses of current political developments and events. www.betweenthelines.org
Bitterlemons.org “is a website that presents Israeli and Palestinian viewpoints on prominent issues of concern. It
focuses on the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and peace process. It is produced, edited and partially written by Ghassan
Khatib, a Palestinian, and Yossi Alpher, an Israeli. Its goal is to contribute to mutual understanding through the
open exchange of ideas.”
Mid-east Realities is an independent news source covering Middle East related issues that are otherwise difficult to
find. Their tag line is “News views and analysis that governments, lobbies, and associated interest groups don’t
want you to know.” http://www.middleeast.org/mernew.htm
44
SELECTED LIST OF
GROUPS AND ORGANIZATIONS DOING
MIDDLE EAST PEACE WORK
Local Boston Groups .
Adapted and reprinted from list created by Jewish educator and activist Martin Federman
American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee (ADC)
www.adc.org
“A Civil Rights Organization committed to defending the rights of people of Arab descent
and promoting their rich cultural heritage.”
American-Friends Service Committee
www.afsc.org (national site) www.afsc.org/afscnehp.htm (New England Regional Office site)
Society of Friends (Quaker) pacifist group working for social change. Works on many humanitarian causes,
including Middle East issues. New England Office publishes Peaceworks.
Boston Committee for Palestinian Rights (BCPR)
www.bcpr.org
We “are united by the belief that peace will only last when there is justice for the Palestinian people. A true peace will begin only when there
is an acknowledgement of the losses suffered by the Palestinian people and a recognition of their individual and collective rights. A just
solution to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict necessitates an end to the Israeli occupation of the West Bank, East Jerusalem, and the Gaza Strip,
including the evacuation of all Israeli settlements; self-determination for the Palestinian people; and the application of international laws
and UN resolutions. We sponsor rallies, teach-ins and media campaigns throughout the Boston area to educate people about the history of
the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the current Intifada.
Boston to Palestine
www.palsolidarity.org
Local support group for the International Solidarity Movement (see below under mixed groups)
Friends of Sabeel New England (Sabeel/FOS-NE)
www.sabeel.org
“An ecumenical center for Palestinian Liberation Theology which seeks to make the Gospel contextually relevant. In Arabic Sabeel means
'The Way' and also a 'Spring of Water'. Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on justice, peace, nonviolence, liberation and
reconciliation for the different national and faith communities. Sabeel also works to promote a more accurate international awareness
regarding the identity, presence, and witness of Palestinian Christians.”
Works with other groups, including the Israeli Committee Against Housing Demolitions and Rabbis for Human Rights.
Grassroots International
www.grassrootsonline.org
“Grassroots International promotes global justice through partnerships with social change organizations in Eritrea, Mexico, Brazil, Haiti
and Palestine. We work to advance political, economic and social rights and support development alternatives through grantmaking,
education and advocacy. GRI has been supporting grassroots community groups in Palestine since 1983, as they work to build peace and
democracy under occupation. We currently offer popular education workshops and other resources on Palestine/Israel.”
Greater Boston Israel/Palestine Peace Network (The Network)
No Web Site – contact: gbIPPN@earthlink.net
An umbrella group coordinating activities between all the groups and organizations in Greater Boston
working on Middle East and Israel/Palestine issues. Currently working to coordinate a lobbying initiative.
Local Boston Jewish Groups .
Jewish Women for Justice in Israel/Palestine
www.Geocities.com/jwjip
“A Boston-based group . . . to clearly state that those national and local Jewish organizations proclaiming unconditional support for Israeli
government actions and vehement condemnation of all forms of Palestinian resistance did not speak for us and to press for a just resolution
of the conflict between the Palestinian Arab and Israeli Jewish peoples. In our work, we are both inspired by and committed to the tradition
of justice that infuses Jewish teachings, Jewish practice and Jewish history.”
Supports events, demonstrations, and statements calling for an end to the occupation and rights for Palestinians.
45
Visions of Peace with Justice in Israel/Palestine (Visions/VOPJ)
www.vopj.org
“An alliance of Jews working to promote a lasting peace between Israelis and Palestinians based on mutual respect, justice, and equality.
Our members, representing a diverse cross-section of the Jewish community, united in our desire to see Israel at peace and growing as a
vibrant, secular democratic society. We share a commitment to the traditional Jewish idea of tzedek (justice), which compels us to speak out
against all unjust behavior. We resolutely maintain that the indiscriminate support of Israeli policy voiced by many institutional Jewish
organizations does not speak for us. Therefore, we offer an alternative voice rooted in traditional Jewish values and committed to a just
resolution in Israel/Palestine. Our goal is to encourage a broad-based discussion about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, with special
emphasis on its root causes and its current impact on daily life in the region.”
Currently working actively against the occupation.
Women in Black
jewishwomenactivists@yahoo.com
Sponsors regular vigils (usually in Coolidge Corner, Brookline) and other events.
Tikkun Community
www.Tikkun.org
Committed to building community around social justice and with a spiritual basis. The local Tikkun community is actively working
(in connection with the national group) towards peace in the Mid-East.
Workmen’s Circle Mid-East Working Group (WCMEWG)
wcircle@gis.net
A committee of WC exploring various aspects of the Mid-East conflict. An organizer of Guy Grossman’s Boston tour.
National peace and justice campaigns.
U.S. Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation – www.endtheoccupation.org - a diverse coalition of over 86 groups across the
United States working for freedom from occupation and equal rights for all by challenging US policy towards the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
The U.S. campaign coordinates advocacy and educational campaigns.
SUSTAIN –http://www.sustaincampaign.org/ - (Stop U.S. Tax-Funded Aid to Israel Now) is a national organizing group that
coordinates a corporate divestment campaign against the Caterpillar company which invests in Israel. Caterpillar provides equipment
(bulldozers etc…) to the Israeli Defense Forces used in the demolition of Palestinian homes and lands.
FAIR – http://www.fair.org/- Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting is a progressive media watch group that “advocates for greater
diversity in the press, by scrutinizing media practices that marginalize public interest, minority and dissenting viewpoints.” A significant
number of their alerts focus on increasing fairness and accuracy in U.S. reporting on Israel/Palestine.
Brit Tzedek v Shalom – http://www.btvshalom.org/- Jewish Alliance for Justice and Peace
“Through education, advocacy, local chapter activities, and work with the media, Brit Tzedek seeks to generate greater dialogue within the
American Jewish community in order to direct U.S. foreign policy toward the realization of a just peace.”
46