Earlier this week I attended a talk given by Erella Dunayevsky from Kibbutz Shoval, dialogue facilitator and activist in the Villages Project in the South Hebron hills.
Erella was supposed to be accompanied by Hamed Qawasmeh, a Palestinian humanitarian worker in Hebron, but due to problems with his visa, could not be present for the leg of the talks. Hopefully he will make it to the UK next week and continue with the tour, inshallah.
On hearing that Hamed's visa had first been refused Erella contemplated whether she should take this trip to the uk at all. After all, it was meant as a show of solidarity- A Palestinian and an Israeli working together. But after spending some time thinking about the issue, Erella realised that her relationship with Hamed transcended nationality, it was on a personal level; a friendship. And so she came to the UK alone.
The stories she told rang of hard work, detailed organisation and a high level of dedication and time by those on the ground spearheading the projects. But as she stated- the difference with this group is that the relationship with people comes first and the solutions to defined problems follow later. Many grassroots projects function in the opposite way with bonds with individuals growing from work implemented.
Erella spoke with passion, conviction and on in intimate level through stories and examples which had us laughing along with her smiles and pause in shock at some of the situation described.
As she spoke one story really struck me regarding a walk to school for some young children which was disrupted by settler attacks.
It seemed to be either the short road or the long road.
to fight or to fly...
the villages projects can be found here
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