(Photo Credit: Tzipi Schissel / Jewish Press
/ TPS)
/ TPS)
A group of Jewish Americans came to Hebron to help the Arab community. But
the very community they were trying to help saw them as tresspassing on private
property.
the very community they were trying to help saw them as tresspassing on private
property.
The incident took place on on Friday July 15, 2016 in the Tel Rumeida
neighborhood of H2 Hebron. Groups such as the Center For Jewish
Nonviolence, All That’s Left: Anti-Occupation Collective took part
in the initiative called Cinema Hebron. Their stated goal was “to clear out an old
factory on private Palestinian owned land in order to build a cinema.” However the Abu
Aisha family who have been living there since approximately 1949, saw them as illegal
tresspassers. Mr. Abu Aisha called the police and the Israel Defense Forces arrived to
evict the protesters.
neighborhood of H2 Hebron. Groups such as the Center For Jewish
Nonviolence, All That’s Left: Anti-Occupation Collective took part
in the initiative called Cinema Hebron. Their stated goal was “to clear out an old
factory on private Palestinian owned land in order to build a cinema.” However the Abu
Aisha family who have been living there since approximately 1949, saw them as illegal
tresspassers. Mr. Abu Aisha called the police and the Israel Defense Forces arrived to
evict the protesters.
Tzipi Schissel, a
local Hebron resident and curator of the Hebron History Museum at Beit Hadassah filmed the event.
The shepherd, standing on the left-hand side of the video can be seen gestering and
telling the police “yalla, take them from here… these are my
lands…”
local Hebron resident and curator of the Hebron History Museum at Beit Hadassah filmed the event.
The shepherd, standing on the left-hand side of the video can be seen gestering and
telling the police “yalla, take them from here… these are my
lands…”
A lengthy article in the Jewish
Press quoted Schissel as follows:
Press quoted Schissel as follows:
“Now, when the activists arrived with their tremendous singing, they cleaned
up the area thoroughly, it was truly amazing, but the Abu Aisha family was not
consulted. Later, a police officer told me there was a military order to evacuate
the activists and that the Abu Aisha family had filed a complaint with local police.”
The Jewish Press reported that in the end, a complaint was never actually
filed.
up the area thoroughly, it was truly amazing, but the Abu Aisha family was not
consulted. Later, a police officer told me there was a military order to evacuate
the activists and that the Abu Aisha family had filed a complaint with local police.”
The Jewish Press reported that in the end, a complaint was never actually
filed.
H1 Hebron is a large, economically vibrant city with
many factories, 3 universities, several large hospitals, a shopping center but no
movie theaters. The religiously conservative population hosts many mosques and
virtually no western style night life facilities. H2 Hebron, which comprises the Old
City and the Jewish neighborhoods is where Friday’s incident took
place.
many factories, 3 universities, several large hospitals, a shopping center but no
movie theaters. The religiously conservative population hosts many mosques and
virtually no western style night life facilities. H2 Hebron, which comprises the Old
City and the Jewish neighborhoods is where Friday’s incident took
place.
The Jewish Press quoted Schissel as commenting on the protesters choice
of location: “This is why the only place where they could advocate having a
movie theater in all of Hebron was near the Jewish neighborhoods… these human rights
group who say they want to help the Arab community are actually ignorant of who
they are… they step on their culture, trampling their values… those peace activists
did a cleanup job on his source of livelihood. They raked and tore up the weeds… they
destroyed his grazing field,” Schlissel said.
of location: “This is why the only place where they could advocate having a
movie theater in all of Hebron was near the Jewish neighborhoods… these human rights
group who say they want to help the Arab community are actually ignorant of who
they are… they step on their culture, trampling their values… those peace activists
did a cleanup job on his source of livelihood. They raked and tore up the weeds… they
destroyed his grazing field,” Schlissel said.
For the full article click here:
Meanwhile, the Jewish Community of Hebron hold regular meetings with select
members of Hebron’s Arab community. Specifically there is close contact
with Sheikh Farid Al-Jabari.
members of Hebron’s Arab community. Specifically there is close contact
with Sheikh Farid Al-Jabari.
One meeting dealt with the Arab community’s aversion to foreign
agitators. While they come to Hebron to support the Arab community, Sheikh Jabari
and others have complained they smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and dress immodestly,
setting what they call a bad example for the younger generation of Hebron’s Arab
community. An article from Israel
HaYom from November 4, 2011 interviews Sheikh Jabari
and states:
agitators. While they come to Hebron to support the Arab community, Sheikh Jabari
and others have complained they smoke cigarettes, drink alcohol and dress immodestly,
setting what they call a bad example for the younger generation of Hebron’s Arab
community. An article from Israel
HaYom from November 4, 2011 interviews Sheikh Jabari
and states:
“The anarchists who operated in Hebron almost drove him out of his
mind with anger. He saw them as instigators and troublemakers, and also as a danger to
Islam because of their permissive ways and immodest manner of dress. The Jews of Hebron
did not like the anarchists in Hebron for exactly the same reasons, and so an unusual
cooperation took place that led to the placing of an Arabic-speaking Jewish modesty
observer in the streets of the city.”
mind with anger. He saw them as instigators and troublemakers, and also as a danger to
Islam because of their permissive ways and immodest manner of dress. The Jews of Hebron
did not like the anarchists in Hebron for exactly the same reasons, and so an unusual
cooperation took place that led to the placing of an Arabic-speaking Jewish modesty
observer in the streets of the city.”
The phenomenon of the Arab community rejecting self-described “anarchist”
protesters is not new. An article from Kol Ha’ir from 2005 reported,
protesters is not new. An article from Kol Ha’ir from 2005 reported,
“Several local Arab residents told the Kol Ha’Ir newspaper
that the activists have been exposing the local youths to drug use and sexual
promiscuity. One interviewee told Kol Ha’Ir that the volunteers show a
disregard for the religious norms of the local villages and teach the local youth to
reject and disrespect the traditions of their forefathers. “These anarchists come here
and undermine the education we give our children. At first we took them in with
hospitality – after all, they claimed they wanted to help us, so why kick them out? But
very quickly they infuriated me with their lewd behavior.”
that the activists have been exposing the local youths to drug use and sexual
promiscuity. One interviewee told Kol Ha’Ir that the volunteers show a
disregard for the religious norms of the local villages and teach the local youth to
reject and disrespect the traditions of their forefathers. “These anarchists come here
and undermine the education we give our children. At first we took them in with
hospitality – after all, they claimed they wanted to help us, so why kick them out? But
very quickly they infuriated me with their lewd behavior.”
For more information on Hebron’s Jewish-Arab dialogues visit the
following:
following:
* The most
endangered species by David Brog
endangered species by David Brog
For more on the Arab community’s rejection of foreign agitators visit the
following:
following:
* Out with the
Anarchists – IsraellyCool
Anarchists – IsraellyCool
You may also like:
* Hallel Yaffa Ariel’s
Murder and My Father by Tzipi Schissel
Murder and My Father by Tzipi Schissel
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United States contact info:
http://www.hebronfund.org
1760 Ocean Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-677-6886
info@hebronfund.org
In Israel contact the offices of the Jewish Community of Hebron at:
http://en.hebron.org.il/
02-996-5333
office@hebron.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hebronofficial
United States contact info:
http://www.hebronfund.org
1760 Ocean Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11230
718-677-6886
info@hebronfund.org
In Israel contact the offices of the Jewish Community of Hebron at:
http://en.hebron.org.il/
02-996-5333
office@hebron.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/hebronofficial
