A Family in Occupied Palestine

In support of the principles of this blog, today we learn about Mumria’s family and home in Occupied Palestine.

First picture shows their home today. This is what remains of a thriving family business whose income derived from fecund greenhouses and coops for about 40,000 chickens. The tarred road in the foreground replaced the greenhouses and is used several times daily by the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) patrolling the West Bank.

Without a 360-degree view of this dwelling you cannot see that the house is entirely enclosed in fencing. The picture is taken next to the concrete barrier described below. To the right of the picture is the padlocked gate whose key is carried by the IDF patrol vehicles that open and close the gate several times a day. Another such gate is located to the left of the picture. In other words, this section of tarred road in the picture’s foreground has a gate at either end.
The child sitting on the railing at the front door is looking toward the concrete wall in the second picture.

Here is a view of The Wall, The Security Barrier, The Fence – your definition depends upon what you may have seen or heard about this construction to date.
In this case, a team of artists painted this mural on the wall so that Mumria’s family can see something hopeful even if their lives have been shattered by occupation.
Note that this concrete structure is about 30 feet high. It is the most stringent way of sealing Palestinian villages from normal life, including travel, social networks, livelihoods, education, and access to health care. Other materials used in the construction of The Wall include wire fencing of different heights and weights. By a cruel twist of irony and cynicism, Palestinians are hired by the Israeli government to construct their own prisons: with high unemployment, meager resources, and few options to generate legal incomes, Palestinians are co-opted into building these barriers and sealing in themselves and their homes.

Third picture shows Mumria demonstrating the padlock system that locks her family into the enclosure each day.
Besides the vehicle gates at either end of the tarred road – use of which is absolutely denied to Mumria’s family – this small gate is the only entrance and exit for the family of two parents and six children. Mumria explained that two padlocks control the gate. At one point, IDF held keys to both. If IDF forgot to unlock the gate, the family was locked in the entire day. Since most of the children are school-aged they would squeeze under the gate to attend school. When IDF learned of this they barricaded under the gate to prevent it. They agreed that Mumria could hold the key to one of the padlocks. Essentially, if IDF forgets to open the second lock, the family, again, is locked inside – or outside!

Mumria’s husband now sells water from a beaten up truck. His income is a fraction of what is was when he was a small holding farmer. He parks his truck on this side of the padlocked gate – the side from which the picture is taken. This means that he has to drive about 15 miles around his village to the edge of the next village to park his vehicle.

The IDF worked hard to convince Mumria’s family to move away from their family dwelling as the IDF wants to use it for military purposes. The family has consistently refused to move. Since the construction of this enclosure that cages her family, Mumria has seldom left the house. She says she is afraid to do so as the IDF might enter the place and declare it part f their military installation. She is also afraid to leave the small children in the house alone unless IDF enters and intimidates them, or worse.

This last picture says it all.
Mothers everywhere -- in this case, particularly Israeli mothers who benefit from this oppressoin of Palestinian families and American mothers whose taxes support it -- put yourself into Mumria’s position.

How long could you survive this torment?

Mothers should challenge the system whose thinking imposes such conditions of human beings.

The first thing we need to do is tear down the veils of denial that prevent us from facing what is going on here.
Let us look directly at this situation. For now, if thinking about doing something about this is too scary to you, just let it sit in your consciousness. You will, sooner or later, form a response to it that is uniquely your own as well as universally generous.

If you feel you have the strength already to respond, find ways to share your strength.
And share you ideas. This blog is happy to hear from you.