Blog: It's time to speak out
This blog is written by Ecumenical Accompaniers (EA's) in Palestine and Israel to share their experiences and give insights into the realities they have to deal with on a daily basis in communities where they work. These 'It's time to speak out' stories are personal narratives and do not necessarily represent the views or the policies of the World Council of Churches.
On the day we visited Al Walaja on May 27th, US Secretary of State Hilary Clinton made the following statement in light of President Obama's demand of Israel the previous week that "He wants to see a stop to settlements - not some settlements, not outposts, not 'natural growth' exceptions... We think it is in the best interests [of the peace process] that settlement expansion cease. That is our position. That is what we have communicated very clearly. ... And we intend to press that point."*
Al Walaja is beside the illegal settlement of Har Gilo, which is part of the ring of settlements around Jerusalem. It is "southwest of Jerusalem city, was established in 1972 on land that belongs to the Palestinian town of Beit Jala. Har Gilo sets on 414 Dunums of lands and accommodates more than 397 Israeli settlers."**
The photo shows Bassel Araj (25) who lives with his parents and siblings in a house 100 meters from the houses that were actively being built behind him in Har Gilo. What the photo does not show is that directly in front of Bassel is a building site for a Palestinian home on the Al Walaja side of the wall that has received a demolition order from the IDF and behind that house again lies the rubble of a home demolished last year by the IDF.
After the eruption of the second Intifada in the year 2000, the Israeli governorate worked to confiscate more Palestinian lands in an attempt to expand the borders of the settlement. Vast areas of lands were razed and several numbers of new housing units were added to the settlement [of Har Gilo]. The Israeli expansion this time has affected Al Walajeh village as it is taking place on the main entrance to the village."***
* www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1088799.html
** www.poica.org/editor/case_studies/view.php?recordID=917
*** Ibid.
Image caption: Bassel Araj (25) lives with his parents and siblings in a house 100 meters from the houses that are actively being built behind him in Har Gilo settlement. Photo by EA Joe O'Brien.
