cornerstone, summer 2015, economy of occupation

8/20/2019 Cornerstone, Summer 2015, Economy of Occupation

1/20

IN THIS ISSUE Good & Faithful ServantSabeel Bible Study Reflection

“Well done good and faithful servant…come share in your master’shappiness” (Matthew 25:21).

Te Parable of the Bags of Gold (Matthew 25: 14-25), or “talents”as it is sometimes called, is a well-known story for those who arefamiliar with the bible. Te parable has been used to promotegood stewardship and to encourage us to use our gifts from Godrather than hide them. Don’t be like the servant who buried hissingle bag of gold, and was chastised for not investing it wisely , we’vebeen told. Rather, be like the two servants who doubled their goldbags and were given more in return. In this popular interpretation,the parable becomes a tale of productivity.

A PUBLICATION BY SABEEL ECUMENICAL LIBERATION THEOLOGY CENTER

© E A P P I / M . J u i l l a r d

Economy ofOccupation

Beit Iba checkpoint

Good & Faithful ServantSabeel Bible Study Reflection

Israel’s Addiction to Palestine’s Economy

by Sam Bahour Te Cost of 48 Years of Occupationby Shir Hever

Glimpses of Our Activities

A New Aid for Palestiniansby Nora Lester Murad

Gaza: Economy of Disasterby Sami El-Yousef

Keeping Palestine Coolby Khaled Al Sabawi

1

5

8

10

12

16

18

ISSUE 72, SUMMER 2015


2/20

2 ISSUE 72, SUMMER 2015

A contextual reading of the passageoffers an alternative understanding

of the text. Instead of a parable ofproductivity, it is read as a parable ofethics. Zilphozihle Siwa, the presidingBishop of the Methodist Church ofSouthern Africa, gave such a reading ofthis text at Nelson Mandela’s funeral.1 Siwa tells us that the third servant’schoice to bury his one gold talent isnot, as we so often assume, an act of

wastefulness or laziness. Rather, it is astatement of powerful civil disobedienceagainst an unjust system. His action is

akin to Mandela refusing to carry hispass, an identity document that limitedthe movements of black migrant labour,in protest against South Africa’s unjusteconomic and political policies.

Te third servant does not stop atburying his gold. He speaks the truthand reveals the character of his master:“I knew that you are a hard man,

harvesting where you have not sownand gathering where you have not

scattered seed” (Matthew 25:24). Temaster takes what does not belong tohim; he is not ethical with his resources.Te servant highlights these injusticesand refuses to participate in this corruptsystem.

If we use this interpretation of the text,how can we understand it in our owncontext?

Who is the master? We see the masterin unjust systems around the world that

perpetuate poverty, strip individualsand communities of their rights,and profit by “harvesting where theyhave not sown” (Matthew 25:24). InPalestine and Israel, the unjust masteris Israel’s ongoing illegal occupation ofPalestinian land. Tis “master” controlsand exploits the Palestinian people,steals land and resources from them for

the economic benefit of illegal Jewishsettlements and the Israeli economy,

and compromises democracy in theregion.

Who is the third servant? Te thirdservant is in those who choose not toparticipate in an unjust system: theyoung Israeli who refuses to serve in thearmy, the worker who refuses to add tothe construction of the apartheid wall,and the consumer who chooses not tobuy from companies that exploit themarginalized. Te third servant is also

in the Mandelas, the Ghandis and theMalala Yousafzais of this world who, usetheir position of disadvantage to exposethe abuses of unjust systems.

Who are the first two servants, whom theunjust master calls faithful? Bishop Siwapoints out that rather than standingfor what is right, the first two servantschose to remain silent and cooperate

Palestinian workers holding permits may enter Israel through any of eleven checkpoints, including arqumia Checkpoint.


3/20

3ISSUE 72, SUMMER 2015

with the system. In doing so they strengthen it, turning fivebags of gold into ten. In the Palestine Israel conflict, thesecond servant can be found in the actions that perpetuatethe occupation. Tis includes businesses that directly benefitfrom the occupation through selling military technology and

security systems. At times, the second servant is even foundin humanitarian aid organizations, like those that providecharitable assistance but remain silent about the chronicoccupation that keeps Palestinians living in poverty withouttheir rights, and Israel’s settlement building that is contraryto international law.

Te second servant is also found in individuals when they buysettlement products, thereby strengthening an economy thatoppresses and exploits another people. Whether in Palestineand Israel, or around the world, some go along with thestatus quo for their own personal economic benefit, othersout of lack of knowledge about the situation, and many more

out of fear and hopelessness.

Christ, the Servant-King, is the antithesis to the unjust mas-ter. At the end of the Matthew parable, the unjust masterstrips the third servant of the little he has and throws him outinto the darkness (Matthew 25:30). Jesus does the inverse.He doesn’t just opt out of the unjust system—he turns thisoppressive system on its head.

Tis is poignantly revealed in Mark 11: 12-26, when Jesusoverturns the merchants’ tables in the temple. At that time it

was a common practice for commercial activities, primarilycontrolled by the interests of the ruling class, to occur in

the temple. Notably, Mark highlights that some of thetables Jesus overturned belonged to merchants selling doves,a commodity bought by the poor, specifically women andlepers, for ritual temple sacrifices. In this detail, Mark showsus that Jesus’ actions go much deeper than simply protestingeconomic activity inside a holy space; he is overturning asystem that discriminated against the poorest and weakest insociety.2

Mark reinforces that Jesus is overturning the unjust temple-economy, when he writes that Jesus proclaims that his houseis for all nations (Mark 11:17). Te temple elite at that time

would have recognized this as a reference to Isaiah 56: 1-8,

when the psalmist declares that the temple is meant to bean inclusive community, accessible even to outsiders. Jesus,in both his words and actions, challenges a temple systemthat economically discriminated against the poor andmarginalized. Jesus’ actions at the temple challenge us not

just to resist unjust systems, but to overturn them. What doesthis mean?

It means that instead of remaining silent, we boldly expose

the injustices we see with both our words and actions.

It means that instead of supporting companies that maintainan unjust system, we divest.

It means making economic decisions that are not based sole-

ly on productivity and profit maximization, but consider thedignity of human life.

It means that instead of ignoring international law, we abideby it.

It means rejecting oppressive economic, social, and politicalinstitutions in favour of more equitable ones.

It means actively investing in organizations committed to justice and peace.

When we speak truth to power the powerful will try to silenceus. When the third servant accuses his master of being a hard

man, the master does not reject his accusation but becomesvery angry. He takes what little the third servant has, andredistributes it to the first two servants saying, “Whoever has

will be given more…whoever does not have, even what theyhave will be taken from them” (Matthew 25:29). For those

who cooperate with the system, more is given. For those who opt-out of the system, everything is taken away. Temaster then calls the third servant terrible names and throwshim into the darkness. oday those who stand with truthcontinue to suffer. Mandela was sentenced to 27 years inprison. Many Palestinian voices are systematically silenced

when they engage in non-violent resistance, yet are labeled

terrorists.

Te way of Jesus is never easy, for it is also the way of thecross. Te paradox of the crucifixion is that through sufferingand death, we find life. Yet, this is not the same life we hadbefore death. Te resurrected life is new, full, and abundant.It is not the life of the old temple merchants, ignoring thepoor and serving the rich. It is the resurrected temple, opento all nations and embracing all people.

Sabeel staff and volunteers contributed to this Bible studyreflection.

_____________

1 Bishop Siwa, Ziphozilhe, “Te Funeral of the late former President: ataNelson Rohillahala Mandela,” Qunu, South Africa, December 15th, 2003:

http://www.methodist.org.za/news/12152013-11292 Myers, Ched. “Chapter 10: Te Second Direct Action Campaign: Jesus’Showdown with the Powers in Jerusalem.” Binding the Strong Man: A

Political Reading of Mark’s Story of Jesus . Maryknoll, NY: Orbis, 1988.

297-304. Print.


4/20


A poor Bedouin village in the Negev stands in contrast to nearby modernity.

A foreword by Rev. William RobertsSabeel Interim Executive Director

For this edition of Cornerstone we have invited several ex-perts on the economy of Palestine Israel to offer their insights

into what Liberation Teologians call the praxis, the context,the facts on the ground, and especially addressing the prob-lematic of the ‘wealthy and the poor’ in the household, theoikos, of the just kingdom of God.

From a macro-economic analysis, Shir Hever argues that forthe State of Israel the economic costs of ongoing militaryoccupation of Palestine outweigh the financial benefits. Hisprovocative article on this issue, and his book “Te PoliticalEconomy of Israel’s Occupation: Exploitation Beyond Re-pression” is essential reading. He also reminds us that 2015is the one year that is 67 years after 1948 and 48 years after1967.

Sam Bahour outlines the perverse incentives and impactsof western, neo-liberal economic policies on Palestine.Instead, he argues for sustainable, domestic economicdevelopment given all the resources a Free Palestine canmarshall and mobilize. And Khaled Al Sabawi provides aperfect example of this sustainable domestic approach withhis ‘Keeping Palestine Cool’ and MENA Geothermal’s

work toward an Independent Geothermal Palestine.

Nora Lester Murad’s piece also lays bare the perverseresults of well-intentioned charitable donor aid. She asksthe penetrating question: If Israel is responsible underinternational humanitarian law for rebuilding Gaza, why arethe international donors paying, thus letting Israel off the hookcompletely for the costs of their damages? Read her article andsee her website to find out more, and what you can bring to

a church near you.

And a year now after the 2014 onslaught on Gaza, Sami El- Yousef details the economic collapse for 1.3 million Pales-tinians forced by political repression, aggression and isolation.

Again the Sabeel Jerusalem staff offer their insights from abible study - this time with a new twist on an old parable.

Just why do you think the servant buried his talents? We alsorecently looked at Jesus in all four Gospels who turns overthe tables of the money-changers in the temple. Just howradical economically is our Liberator Christ?

From all of these provocative articles I hear the rising upof voices demanding economic de-colonisation. From thehousehold of God in this troubled holy land, and in solidarity

with the prophets of economic justice working around theglobal household today, I see the rising up of young activistsnetworking for more equitable sharing and stewardship ofthe Earth. Read on… and let us know what you think.


5/20


Israel’s

Addiction to

Palestine’s

Economyby Sam Bahour

Israel’s planned and systematic actions to maintain fullcontrol of the Palestinian economy for over five decadeshas become a major hurdle in getting Israel to realize thatits military occupation of Palestinians must come to anend. Like recovery from other addictions, this one willrequire external support. Tat support needs to be thirdstates holding Israel accountable to save Israel from itself.Dumping more humanitarian and developmental funds intoPalestinian coffers will not solve the conflict.

Te Palestinian private sector knows only too well, today,that for Palestinian economic development to gain tractionit does not require billions, or even millions. For Palestine’seconomy to stand on its own two feet and serve the emergingPalestinian state, what is required is that third states, theU.S. at the forefront, have the political will to act in holdingIsrael accountable for its daily violations of international law.Here, in addition to human rights, we speak of economic

Palestinians wait at the agricultural gate in the village of Zeita in the West Bank in order to access their land and livelihoods. ©

E A P P I / G o d f r e y - D a v i e s


6/20


rights too: our rights to our economic assets and the abilityto employ them within a Palestinian-defined economicdevelopment plan, free from Israeli or donor agendas.

Structural dependency

From the start of the Israeli military occupation of the WestBank and Gaza Strip 48 years ago, Israel systematically linkedthe occupied territory’s economy to its own. Before the OsloPeace Accords, this forced linkage was most apparent inIsrael’s restriction of Palestinian business and its control ofthe freedom of movement of Palestinian labor. For nearlya decade prior to Oslo, Israel issued work permits to tensof thousands of Palestinian workers to allow them to enterIsrael to find work. Palestinian labor was found in Israeliconstruction, agriculture, hotels and the like.

Dealt with as a second class labor force, Palestinian laborers

were exposed to working conditions that allowed Israelibusinesses to benefit from offering lower wages withouthaving to stringently apply Israeli Labor Law. ManyPalestinian workers even found themselves building theillegal Israeli settlements that were threatening the sheerexistence of Palestinian communities. For Palestinians, beingable to work, anywhere, while under Israeli occupation, wasa matter of survival. For many, it still is.

Te Israeli occupation authorities also levied taxes on theoccupied people and used a portion of these taxes to floodthe Palestinian areas with Israeli made infrastructure andgoods. Tis created further Palestinian dependence on theoccupier’s economy.

Contrary to the obligations embedded in the Fourth GenevaConvention of 1949, the signatories of this key Convention -the U.S., U.K. and Russia (previously the U.S.S.R.) included- allowed Israel, the occupying force, to create a structuraleconomic Palestinian dependency, while at the same timeapplying a maze of restrictions on the Palestinian abilityto become economically viable. Instead of demanding thatIsrael apply international law, these countries and otherscontinued only reporting, year after year, these Israeliviolations of international law, while simultaneously footing

most of the costs of occupation.

Underwriting occupation

When the Oslo Peace Accords were signed in 1993, aneconomic arrangement followed called the Paris EconomicProtocol (signed in Paris on 4th May 1994 and laterincorporated into the Oslo II Accords, formally known asthe Interim Agreement on the West Bank and the Gaza Stripof 28th September 1995). Just as the Oslo agreement itself

kept intact the ultimate Israeli control over all key aspects ofPalestinian life, the Paris Economic Protocol institutionalizedthe occupier’s economic interest in this bilateral agreement

with the Palestinians.

After the Oslo agreements, state donors’ role in fundingPalestinians’ “development” turned into an internationalunderwriting of the Israeli occupation, reducing, and manytimes removing, the financial costs of military occupationfrom Israel. In short, knowingly or not, donor funding hadan accomplice-type role in allowing the situation to reach theplace it is in today.

Separation

Although donor money fuelled the Palestinian economy,at no time did donors view the development of the privatesector as the highest priority in building a viable Palestinian

society. Donors assisted in the creation of sector associationsand provided a certain level of assistance, but a strategicapproach to the private sector never materialized.

Many in the international community were quick to criticizethe growing number of Palestinian public sector workers, butfew, if any, had the foresight to see that a strong Palestinianprivate sector was the only way to provide an alternative topublic employment. Tose who did realize this ignored it forthe most part, since it would mean challenging the Israelioccupation and the restrictions placed on the Palestinianeconomy that come with it.

All the while Israel was going forward with its unilateralseparation plans and illegal settlement enterprise, whichdamaged the Palestinian private sector severely. Being, forthe most part, dealt out of the developmental paradigm, thePalestinian private sector was left on its own to deal with theIsraeli restrictions on Palestinian society.

After being structurally linked to the Israeli market fordecades, Israel’s decision to unilaterally separate, or‘disengage’ as it was called, from the Palestinians came at atime of instability. Te elimination of Palestinian labor that

was employed in Israel increased the unemployment rate in

the West Bank and Gaza overnight. Te Separation Wall’sland grab separated farmers from their lands, causing greatstrain on Palestinian agriculture. Te Israeli military andpolitical actions to weaken the nascent Palestinian central‘government’ left the economy in freefall.

Viability

Te viability of any future Palestinian economy must come within the context of a sustainable private sector, one that can


7/20


create sustainable job opportunities and develop competitive

products and services for the local market first, and then forthe export market. Te Palestinian private sector must be ableto absorb Palestinian university graduates in a knowledge-based thrust in our economy, while also absorbing the tensof thousands of construction workers that Israel dumpedinto unemployment after forcing them to be linked to theIsraeli economy for decades. Similarly, a viable Palestinianeconomy must be able to feed itself, which requires land and

water resources to be free from Israel’s control.

Gaza is a horrific story of its own. In a report by the UnitedNations Country eam in the occupied Palestinian territory

in August 2012 entitled, “Gaza in 2020: A Liveable Place?”the UN describes the horrible situation of Gaza’s economyand environment under the siege and questions if Gaza willeven be livable by 2020! In other words, deep structuraldamage is being wrought on the Palestinian economy bymaintaining the status quo.

Unfortunately however, internal Palestinian politics areoften being put in the limelight as if the continued Israeli

military occupation is an innocent bystander in creating the

conditions for Palestinian social collapse.

Te international community has a historic responsibility toPalestinians, especially after so many years of observing theIsraeli occupation from afar and a decade of footing the billas Israeli violations continue unabated. Te challenge todayis to remove Israeli military occupation and allow the Pales-tinian private sector to assume its natural role of becomingthe foundation of a future state.

Sam Bahour is a Palestinian-American business consultant

from Ramallah/Al-Bireh in the West Bank. He is Chairman of Americans for a Viable Palestinian Economy (AVPE) and servesas a policy adviser to Al-Shabaka, the Palestinian Policy Net-work and is co-editor of “Homeland: Oral Histories of Palestineand Palestinians” (1994). He blogs at www.ePalestine.com.

Shehada Street in Hebron’s Old City was previously a busy center for Palestinian trade. Now, it stands quiet, closed to Palestinian pedestrians. © E A P P I / T . F i e l d m a n n


8/20


The Cost of 48

Years of Occupationby Shir Hever Te year 2015 is the year in which the state of Israel turns 67years old. Sixty-seven years since the state was established inthe midst of the massive ethnic cleansing of 1948, and also 48years since the military occupation of 1967. Tis symmetry

will only occur once, and it is a worthy time to reflectupon the significance of the occupation of the Palestinianterritory to the very essence of the State of Israel. Tis essay

will attempt to do just that, but that is not to say that theoccupation is mainly an Israeli question, for its effects on the

lives of Palestinians are much more invasive than they are onthe lives of everyday Israelis.

For 72% of its history, the State of Israel ruled over theoccupied Palestinian territory (OP). Tis occupation hasshaped the Israeli culture, politics, and military. But I wish to

write about how it shaped the Israeli economy. Tough veryfew Israeli economists admit this fact, the occupation of theOP has been the largest economic project in Israeli history.

State subsidies financed the settling of the OP with about10% of Israel’s Jewish population, covered the OP withmilitary bases, walls, fences and surveillance cameras, andcontinuously keep thousands of political prisoners in Israeli

jails. What Israeli economists (most of them, at least) doagree upon, is that the occupation has not been profitable tothe Israeli economy. If, as the economists say, the occupationhas been a growing burden on the Israeli economy, why hasit been forcefully continued, and why have all Israeli govern-ments since 1967 dedicated their efforts to fortifying it anddeepening it?

Te colonial nature of the Israeli economy, both inside itsinternational borders and especially in the OP, alludes to acolonial exploitation model. Indeed, Israeli companies haveused the occupation to gain access to an easily-exploitablePalestinian workforce, unprotected by Israel’s labor laws.

Tey used the occupation to turn the Palestinians into acaptive market for Israeli products, which reach every nookand cranny of the Palestinian market. Meanwhile, Israelicompanies pump water from under the Palestinian land,strip the West Bank of its stone for construction, and illegalcolonies strategically poised on the hilltops use the stolen

water to irrigate their agricultural fields on stolen land.

Is that not exploitation? And yet, the economic value of this

School children pass a flying checkpoint set up by the Israeli military on their way to As Sawiya School.


9/20


exploitation to the Israeli economy remains a mystery, andonly a handful of studies shed light on several aspects of thatexploitation.

When attempting to measure the extent of the exploitation,Israeli economists have shown that the Palestinian wealthhas not been a low-hanging fruit for the Israeli economy topick up, but has required a massive investment of effort inorder to open up the possibility of exploiting the Palestinianeconomy. Te effort has not been to develop the Palestinianeconomic potential, but rather to crush the resistance ofPalestinians to this exploitation.1 Especially after the firstIntifada, which broke out in 1987, the occupation becamethe most demanding task of the Israeli military and its securityforces. Te economic damage inflicted upon the Palestinianeconomy is almost unfathomable, but the economic burdenon the Israeli economy cannot be ignored either.

Te effects of this burden include turning Israel into oneof the most unequal economies in the world,2 and theunparalleled expenditure on security has left public servicesin a state of under-funding crisis.3 Israel has one of the highestpoverty rates in the OECD (Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development),4 and many young Israelis leavethe country, or become frustrated and disillusioned if theycannot.

Israel’s paralyzed political system partially explains whythe occupation was not ended by the Israeli government.Te occupation became a symbol for the Israeli military

and political strength, and giving it up would be a terribleblow to national pride. Te international community playsa significant role here as well. It has turned a blind eye toIsrael’s violations of international law, and continued toimprove its trade relations with Israel. Te economic reasons

which explain this will also shed light on what role theoccupation plays for the Israeli economy.

Trough the occupation, the Israeli government soughtto integrate itself in the global economy. Right-winggovernments in democratic countries and militarydictatorships have come to see Israel as a model for effectiverepression, and became political supports of Israel as wellas willing customers of Israeli weapons and of repressiontechnology. Trough those connections, Israel reached thetop 10 arms exporters in the world in 2000, and climbed tothe sixth place by 2012.5

Te other side of this has been that people fighting forfreedom around the world developed solidarity with thePalestinian struggle. Palestine became a symbol for freedommovements from all over the world. Te main economic

result of this solidarity movement is the BDS movement(Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions) which emerged in2005 and whose impact on the Israeli economy has notyet been fully studied, because Israeli companies refuse toadvertise the extent of how the BDS movement affects them.

In 2010, my book on the political economy of Israel’s occu-pation was published, and there I have tried to measure thecosts and the income from the occupation. I came up withan estimate that the net cost of the occupation to the Israelisociety is 3 billion US$ annually for the civilian costs, and 6billion US$ for the security costs (after the profits from theoccupation have been accounted for).

Tese numbers look terribly outdated today. Since 2010,the siege on Gaza has intensified and Israel has perpetratedtwo brutal attacks against it. Te destruction of Palestinianlife and property is unprecedented, but at the same time the

price paid by the Israeli society has also increased, with thetourism industry paralyzed in the summer of 2014.6

Many Israelis now realize that the occupation has becomeunsustainable, and yet they are incapable of transforming thisunderstanding into political action. Tey are trapped in a co-lonial paradigm, like so many colonial populations have beenin the past. Te economic crisis in Israel also brings hope,however, because it is a non-lethal weapon in the hands ofPalestinian activists to create their own political movementin the vacuum created. When the Israeli government willno longer have the resources to oppress the Palestinian resis-

tance, Palestinians will have their turn to create a democraticand egalitarian reality in Palestine.

Shir Hever is an Israeli economist and an economic researcherat the Alternative Information Center, a Palestinian-Israeliorganization in Jerusalem and Beit Sahour. His book is“Political Economy of Israel’s Occupation: Repression BeyondExploitation.”

___________1 http://www.adva.org/uploaded/aa-full%20report%20-%20latest%20

november%202008(1).pdf.

2 http://money.cnn.com/2015/05/21/news/economy/worst-inequality-

countries-oecd/.3 http://972mag.com/fighting-the-collapse-of-social-services-in-

israel/5853/.4 http://www.jpost.com/National-News/Report-Israel-has-highest-

poverty-rate-among-OECD-countries-345785.5 h t t p : / / w w w . h a a r e t z . c o m / n e w s / d i p l o m a c y - d e f e n s e / .

premium-1.531956.6 http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4637746,00.html.


10/20


Glimpses

of OurActivities

Sabeel launches its book “Te Bible and the PalestineIsrael Conflict” at the Dominican Church in Jerusalem.

Women gather at St. Andrews Church in Jerusalem fora talk by Gloria Nassar about how to live the joy of theresurrection.

Children from the Jerusalem and Bethlehem areas enjoyan event, including an egg hunt, for low income andhigh risk children during Lent.

Women meet in Nazareth to discuss the Nakba and the Armenian genocide.

Women discuss in small groups at a spiritual retreat inEin Karem reflecting on Mary’s Magnificat and the recentcanonization of two 19th-century Palestinian nuns.


11/20


Te Sabeel community stops to pray along the Old City’sVia Dolorosa for Sabeel’s Contemporary Way of theCross during Lent.

Sabeel Jerusalem and Nazareth youth take an educationaltour of the Old City in Jerusalem.

Nearly 200 people gather in Nazareth to hear Sabeel co-founders Rev. Naim Ateek and Cedar Duaybis talk about

the ministry of Sabeel and liberation theology.

Children’s program in Nazareth, “Who am I in my soci-ety?”

Sabeel Nazareth trip to visit and pray in the Carmelitemonastery in Bethlehem

Glimpses

of OurActivities


12/20


A NewAid forPalestiniansby Nora Lester Murad

Global citizens who care about justice

often complement their social activism with financial gifts to organizationsthey believe in; and they often supporttheir government’s use of tax fundsto provide bilateral aid to developingcountries. “Aid” means “help” and goodpeople want to be helpful. Tey givefrom a sense of obligation, which isoften grounded in faith, and in response

to the opportunity to make a positivedifference in the world.

Palestinians are among the highestrecipients of international aid fromgovernments and have been for decades,making them among the most aid-dependent peoples in the world. Whilemost of us would consider aid a goodthing, it is obvious that being dependent on aid is a bad thing. But the majorityof concerned global citizens don’trealize just HOW bad it is. If they did,

they would make aid accountabilitya priority among their Palestiniansolidarity activities.

On one level, the problems withinternational aid in Palestine are justlike the problems with aid that arereported in many parts of Africa, Latin

America and Asia – aid is unpredictableand uncoordinated; it reflects priorities

of donor countries not necessarily therecipients; it distorts the agenda oflocal governmental and civil societygroups; it undermines accountability tocommunities in favor of bureaucraticaccountability to donor institutions;much aid is repatriated back to donorcountry economies; and aid is often

wasted on consumption and activitiesthat don’t lead to real, long-termdevelopment.

Because of these problems, and because

of the dialogue around the expiration ofthe Millennium Development Goals,activists in aid-recipient countries are

working together to protest both themethods and the politics of internationalaid. Tey are moving beyond a technicalcritique that implies that we just needmore aid, more transparent reporting,more harmonized procedures, and

Gazan children in the neighborhood of Shojae’a


13/20


Palestinians in Gaza build makeshift homes while the shortage of building materials such as cement continues due to Israel’s blockade. © I M E U / J e h a d S a f t a w i

better use of data about what kind ofdevelopment works. Instead, they aretalking about “development justice” andintegrating aid issues with other aspectsof global inequality such as third world

debt. Some are even talking about aidas a form of neo-colonial interventiondesigned to maintain inequality ratherthan challenge it and suggesting thatpoor people reject aid.

In Palestine, aid is such a prominentand visible part of life that even non-experts tend to be quite sophisticatedabout how it works. Perhaps this isbecause nearly everyone is directlyor indirectly supported by aid. Telargest employer, the Palestinian

Authority, can’t pay salaries withoutinternational aid, and the Palestinianelite and middle class (upon whomthe consumer and service industriesdepend) are nearly all employed byUnited Nations agencies, international

non-governmental organizations orlocal non-governmental organizationsthat depend on grants from theinternationals. Tere is really no part ofthe economy or aspect of life that isn’t

affected by international aid.For this reason, it doesn’t take longfor a conversation about aid amongPalestinians to turn to a gripe session.Unfortunately, complaining isn’t veryeffective in making change. Somepeople feel they should be grateful fordonors’ generosity, so although theyaren’t happy with aid, they silencethemselves. Some people are fearfulthat if they complain, donors willstop giving, so they only make vague

suggestions that can’t be implemented.Others talk about the problems withaid, but don't address their complaintsto the right parties, or don’t understandhow to frame their complaints in termsof rights, so they aren’t taken seriously.

o help Palestinians understand the aidsystem and their rights in it, a group ofPalestinian and international activistsare launching Aid Watch Palestine,an initiative to start a conversation

about aid that is honest, critical andconstructive. We want to connect theissue of aid with the struggle for nationalliberation and with human rights.

For example:

• If Israel is responsible underinternational humanitarian lawfor rebuilding Gaza, why are theinternational donors paying, thusletting Israel off the hook completelyfor the costs of their damages?

• If international actors are interveningbecause of a humanitarian imperative,how can they justify the shamefullyslow pace of rebuilding in Gaza?

• If international actors truly wish to


14/20


prevent further violence, why do theyallow Israel to profit so much fromoccupation and war?

• How can international actors credi-bly claim to be helping while they are

simultaneously supporting the Israeli war machine?

By posing questions like these toPalestinians, aid actors and globalcitizens, Aid Watch Palestine hopesto challenge people who say, “We aredoing the best we can under difficultcircumstances.” We want to challengeourselves to think more creatively abouthow international intervention canactually help – not by throwing moneyat the problem, but by addressing rootcauses of the conflict and further long-term solutions that respect humanrights and international law.

Wanting to help isn’t good enough. After 67 years of “aid,” Palestiniansare still occupied, dispossessed andcolonized and vulnerable to violence,poverty and hopelessness. Where isthe accountability? Concerned globalcitizens should still give, but we thinkthey should ask harder questions abouttheir government’s aid programs:

• Is aid intended to further the donorgovernment’s foreign policy objec-

tives? Or is it intended to respectthe priorities, rights and agendas ofrecipient communities?

• How are decisions about aid alloca -tions made? Who makes them? Who

chooses the decision-makers?

• Does aid only address the symptomsof suffering or does it address theroot causes, fundamentally changingpower relations?

• What kind of global economic andpolitical system is advanced by inter-national aid and is it contributing tothe kind of world we want to live in?

We also need a critical approach to our

own charitable contributions:• Are we giving to international

organizations when there are localorganizations doing the same work?If so, why are we doing that, and

what impact does it have on thecapacity for local self-reliance?

• Are we giving to “emergency” needs(like food aid) instead of to longer-term (and harder) efforts to preventfood insecurity in the first place?

If so, are we being fooled intosupporting simplistic and ineffectiveapproaches?

• Are we making charitable contribu-tions when what is really needed is ourpolitical intervention so that we canfind just solutions? If so, how can wecombine every act of financial giving

with a call to a representative, letterto the media, or public statement ofsupport for a government policy that

will lead to self-determination andpeace with justice?

Nora Lester Murad, PhD, is an Americanwriter of fiction and social commentaryliving in Palestine. Her blog, "Te ViewFrom My Window in Palestine" (www.

noralestermurad.com) addresses issues ofdevelopment, international aid, and dailylife under military occupation. She wasalso a co-founder and executive direc-tor of Dalia Association (www.Dalia ps), Palestine's first community founda-tion, which helps Palestinians claim theirright to self-determination in developmentby promoting philanthropy and reducingdependence on international aid. Nora isalso a founder of and volunteer with AidWatch Palestine, a new initiative to re-envision aid and make it accountable toPalestinians ([email protected]).

“We want to challenge ourselves to think more creatively about howinternational intervention can actually help – not by throwing

money at the problem, but by addressing root causes of the conflictand further long-term solutions that respect human rights andinternational law.”


15/20


2015 SABEEL WITNESS VISITNovember 3rd - November 11th 2015

• Worship with Palestinian Christians

• Meet and reflect with Palestinian Christians and Muslims as well

as with Jewish Israelis and internationals who partner with Sabeel

in non-violent resistance against violations of international and

humanitarian law

• Experience the realities of the Palestinian community living under

Israeli Occupation: the Wall, settlements, checkpoints, confis-

cated and demolished homes, refugee camps, and environmental

degradation

• Learn about the loss of civil and property rights of Arab Israeli

citizens

WHEN: November 3rd - November 11th 2015 inclusive (9 nights) WHERE: Nights in Bethlehem, Jerusalem and Nazareth with side visits to other sites within the West Bank and to the Sea of Galilee holy sites

COST: 1600USD per person in a double room 1900USD per person in a single room

Tis cost includes a non-refundable registration fee of 300USD, all accommoda-tions and meals for 9 nights,

all transportation and honoraria during the visit. It does NO include airfare,transportation to and from the airport,personal expenses and souvenirs, or travel insurance.

For more information please email [email protected] : +972 2 5327136

An additional 100USD for registration after the 20th of September 2015Te registration form is available on the Sabeel website (www.sabeel.org)

PLEASE NOE HA HIS IS A RIGOROUS RIP HA INCLUDES CLIMBING OF

SAIRS AND MUCH WALKING, SOMEIME OVER ROUGH ERRAIN.

Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Teology Center invites you to join us for

9 nights to experience the realityof life in the land of the Holy One

led by the Rev. Naim Ateek, founder of Sabeel Special Note of Thanks:

It is with many mixed feelings that wesay farewell to Ann Saba who has helpedlead in the production of Cornerstonefor the past three years. Her steadypresence at the Cornerstone and Waveof Prayer communications desk has wonher the admiration of us all and we willmiss her.

She brought to the tasks her internationalexperience in the Peace Corps, hertraining in journalism, her research inpublic and social health issues, and hermany Palestinian family and friends

here and in the US.

As she returns to the US midwest withher family, Ann will take-up new dutiesand responsibilities.

We know she will excel in all she doesas she serves others in her commitmentsto justice with peace. And how goodfor Friends of Sabeel North America(FOSNA) to have her in their ongoingsupport for Palestinian liberation.

At Sabeel Jerusalem, we also say farewell

to Nanor Arakelian who has workedtirelessly on local programs with aspecial focus on engaging youth. Asa passionate Palestinian advocate we

wish Nanor well as she, with so manyother young people on campuses and incareer development, pursues a future ofsustainable peace and prosperity for all.


16/20


11,231 injured– but also the widespreaddestruction to every aspect of life inGaza. As many as 18,000 homes were

destroyed and an additional 37,650 were severely damaged. Te damage tothe water infrastructure left 450,000people unable to access municipal water.Ten there was the destruction of thesole power plant and the damage to thehealth sector that left 62 hospitals andprimary health centers damaged, withtwo hospitals completely destroyed.Te damage to the education sector

Gaza:Economyof Disasterby Sami El-Yousef

Te last war on Gaza ended on 26 August 2014, and within days I wasagain in Gaza most importantly to be in

solidarity with our people there, but toalso survey the damages and map out anemergency intervention. Tough I have

witnessed firsthand the damages of theearlier two wars, what I saw this timearound was truly shocking.

No sector was spared during the war.It was not only the numbers that wereshocking – 2,131 people killed and

A boy carries water in the Shajaia neighborhood in Gaza.


17/20


included 220 schools damaged, with22 completely destroyed.

Economic activities were greatlyaffected with 419 businesses and work-shops damaged and 128 completely

destroyed. Hostilities forced farmersand herders to abandon 17,000hectares of cropland and agriculturalinfrastructure including greenhouses,irrigation systems, animal farms andfodder stocks. Fishing boats werecompletely prohibited from accessingthe sea for 51 days. Consequently,by the end of the war unemploymentin Gaza reached 70% for youth ages20-24. Tis was a truly bleak pictureimmediately after the war!

Nearly a year after the ceasefire wasdeclared, the situation in Gaza hasnot seen any improvement and thedesperation level is at an all-timehigh. None of the demands of Hamas,including lifting the blockade thatstarted in 2007 and opening an airportand seaport, have been met. On topof this, the borders linking Gaza withEgypt have been completely sealed sinceOctober 2014, which has made a verydifficult situation even worse. Tis has

resulted in major price increases giventhat the only goods going into Gazaare those supplied from Israel at doubleand triple the going rates. Adding tothe difficulty is the inability of Hamasto pay salaries for months at a time.

A recent World Bank report1 states thatGaza’s exports virtually disappeared andthe manufacturing sector has shrunk byas much as 60%. Also, the real GDPper person has dropped by a third inthe last 20 years and the closure of

tunnels with Egypt shaved some $460million off of Gaza’s economy, leadingto a 15% contraction of its GDP.Unemployment increased by 11%as a result of the latest war, reachingits current 43% unemployment –probably the highest in the world.

Te report concludes by saying that“Poverty in Gaza is also very high. Tis

is despite the fact that nearly 80% ofGaza’s residents receive some aid. Tesenumbers, however, fail to portray thedegree of suffering of Gaza’s citizensdue to poor electricity and water/sewage

availability, war related psychologicaltrauma, limited movement, and otheradverse effects of wars and blockade.”

o date and despite the fact that theinternational community committedover 4 billion dollars to reconstructGaza, not a single home has beenreconstructed! Building materialscontinue to be prohibited, includinghigh-grade cement, metal bars and

welding rods. More recently, wood was added to the list as Israel is

concerned that wood may be used inthe construction of tunnels! Tis hasnegatively affected some projects toconstruct temporary shelters madeof wood as a temporary alternativeat a time when reconstruction is notpossible.

Various aid agencies have come tothe rescue during and after the war inorder to relieve the suffering and thegrave injustice. However, soon afterthe war ended, many other parts of

the greater Middle East started boiling, which naturally shifted the attentionelsewhere. Tis unfortunately put Gazaon the back burner and now there isno sustainable political or economicsolution on the horizon. Tis has furtherbeen exacerbated as reconciliationbetween the various Palestinian factionscontinues to be far off, and the new farright-wing government in Israel wasformed.

Despite the harsh conditions our people

in Gaza have to deal with from everyconceivable angle, there is a certaindetermination to carry on with lifedespite the difficulty. Jobs are in shortsupply and the most urgent need now isto kick start the reconstruction, provide

jobs, and allow people a dignifiedincome to sustain their families. Gazansare hardworking, creative, patient,

“o date and despite the fact thatthe international communitycommitted over 4 billion dollarsto reconstruct Gaza, not a singlehome has been reconstructed!Building materials continue to be prohibited, including high-gradecement, metal bars and weldingrods. More recently, wood wasadded to the list as Israel is

concerned that wood may be usedin the construction of tunnels!”

resilient and resourceful people andgiven the right opportunity, they canbring Gaza back to its old glory in notime. Keep Gaza and its people in yourprayers.

Sami El-Yousef is Regional Director for the Pontifical Mission for Palestine(PMP), Jerusalem Field Office. PMP provides support to the clinics of the NearEast Council of Churches (NECC) inGaza.

_________1 World Bank. 2015. Economic monitoring

report to the ad hoc liaison committee .

Washington, D.C. : World Bank Group.

http://documents.worldbank.org/curated/

e n / 2 0 1 5 / 0 5 / 2 4 5 2 5 1 1 6 / e c o n o m i c -

monitoring-report-ad-hoc-liaison-committee


18/20


KeepingPalestineCoolby Khaled Al Sabawi

In 2007, I first arrived on my simplequest to bring green energy to Palestine.I am the son of Palestinian refugees who

were fortunate enough to immigrate toCanada. I was raised on the imperative

that if we Palestinians, who werelucky to grow up in one of the mostprogressive societies in the world andreceive education in the best institutionsin the world, if we don’t come back toPalestine to help out, who will?

Tus upon graduating from universityin Canada, I traveled to Palestineand immediately recognized a realitythat was very concerning. Currently,Palestine has one of the world’s highestpopulation densities – higher than

any country of similar geographic sizeand significantly higher than mostcountries around the world. In 2020,Palestine’s population density willincrease dramatically, due to Palestine’sextremely high population growthrate. In 2050 it is expected to surpassBangladesh. o make matters worse,the Palestinian people pay amongstthe highest energy prices in the entireMiddle East and North Africa region.Energy in Palestine has becomeunaffordable for Palestinians. Tis is asituation that is unsustainable.

Te high population growth rate inPalestine will require hundreds ofthousands of new homes to be built.More building means more energy willbe demanded, as buildings account forthe majority of the energy consumedin Palestine. Buildings consume lots

of energy for lighting, appliances,and mainly, for heating and cooling.Considering that Palestine imports 93%of its energy and is highly dependentupon Israel for supply, we have no

choice but to think outside the box andlook to alternative forms of energy tomeet the demands of Palestinians. Atthe same time we must build moreefficiently and sustainably. Where shall

we look? How about down?

For who would have thought, thatsimply two meters below our very feet,there lies a clean renewable energy,known as geothermal energy, which canprovide a source of heating and coolingfor any type of building? Well, this is

because the earth naturally absorbs50% of the sun’s energy and stores itas clean renewable energy, and becausethe temperature in the earth, simplytwo meters below, remains constantthroughout the entire year.

At MENA Geothermal, we haveinstalled 3 geothermal systems inRamallah, in a house, an apartmentand an office building. Tey’ve beenoperating successfully for over 2 years.Each geothermal system is saving

70% on energy consumption and haseliminated the carbon dioxide emissionsthat would have been produced by thestandard fuel burning heating systemsused widely in Palestine.

We were driven by our belief thatdeveloping countries are in fact ina unique position to incorporaterenewable energy in their newconstructions and actually build right .Our vision of building right was finallyrealized on a massive scale when we

were awarded the contract to installa 1.6 MW geothermal system at the

American University of Madaba in Jordan, the largest geothermal systemin the region.

Te American University project is sav-ing a combined 300,000 kWh of elec-tricity, 140,000 liters of diesel fuel, and310,000 kg of CO2 emissions every

single year. Tis is the impact of a smallgreen energy company in the Palestin-ian territories.

Tough we as Palestinians face manyobstacles living under occupation,

building our community sustainability isnot one of them. In spite of the obstaclesthat we have faced, we continue toinstall geothermal systems and worktowards creating a more sustainableeconomy in Palestine. We are workingtowards our own solution for Palestine– not the two-state solution, nor theone-state solution – but the Green StateSolution.

While we may have known that the wilto build our communities right is inour own hands, I hope we now knowthat the energy to do so has alwaysbeen under our feet. Welcome to theunderground movement to create anIndependent Geothermal Palestine.

Khaled Al Sabawi is the first certified geothermal engineer in the Middle East.He is founder and president of MENAGeothermal, a Palestinian companyspecializing in geothermal heating and

cooling systems.

“Considering that Palestineimports 93% of its energy andis highly dependent upon Israel for supply, we have no choicebut to think outside the boxand look to alternative forms ofenergy to meet the demands of

Palestinians.”


19/20

Sabeel-NazarethPO Box 50278 Nazareth 16120 Israelel: 972(4)6020790Email: [email protected]

Friends of Sabeel Scandinavia and FOS SwedenMarianne Kronberg Hjortnäsvägen 27S-79331 Leksand - Swedenel: (+46) 706 095010Email: [email protected]

www.sabeelskandinavien.org

Friends of Sabeel Scandinavia in Norway Hans Morten HaugenHaräsveien 2e0283 Oslo / Norway el: (+47) 47340649Email: [email protected]

www.sabeelnorge.org

Friends of Sabeel Oceana Inc. (FOS-AU)Gregory C. JenksSt Francis Teological CollegePO Box 1261Milton, QLD 4064

Australia www.sabeel.org.au

Friends of Sabeel FrancePasteur Ernest Reichert12, rue du Kirchberg F- 67290 WINGEN S/ MODER- FRANCEel: +33 (0)3 88 89 43 05Email: [email protected]

Friends of Sabeel Germany Canon i.r. Ernst-Ludwig VatterHagdornweg 170597 Stuttgart / Germany Email: [email protected]

Visit our newly revised website at: www.sabeel.org

Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Teology CenterP.O.B. 49084 Jerusalem 91491

el: 972.2.532.7136 Fax: 972.2.532.7137

General Email: [email protected] Clergy Program: [email protected] Programs: [email protected]

Youth Program: [email protected] Media: [email protected] Visiting: [email protected] Cornerstone: [email protected]

INTERNATIONAL FRIENDS OF SABEEL

Friends of Sabeel North America (FOSNA)Rev. Dr. Don Wagner, Program DirectorPO Box 9186,Portland, OR 97207 / USA el: (1)- 503-653-6625Email: [email protected]

www.fosna.org

Canadian Friends of Sabeel 3 Sandstone CourtNepean, Ontario/ Canada, K2G 6N5Email: [email protected]

www.sabeel.ca

Friends of Sabeel United Kingdom (FOS-UK) Anne Clayton, Coordinator

Watlington Rd.Oxford OX4 6BZ / UK el: (+44) 1865 787419 or 787420Email: [email protected]

www.friendsofsabeel.org.uk

Friends of Sabeel Ireland (FOS- IR)Rev. Alan Martin9 Sycamore RoadDublin 16 / Irelandel: 00-353-1-295-2643Email: [email protected]

Friends of Sabeel Netherlands (FOSNL)

Vrienden van Sabeel NederlandHettie Oudelaar

Jan ooroplaan 34-26717 KJ Ede Te Netherlandsel: (+31) 6 488 09 550Email: [email protected]

www.vriendenvansabeelnederland.nl


20/20

PURPOSE STATEMENT SABEELof Sabeel is an ecumenical grassroots liberation theologymovement among Palestinian Christians. Inspired by thelife and teaching of Jesus Christ, this liberation theologyseeks to deepen the faith of Palestinian Christians, promote

unity among them, and lead them to act for justice and love.Sabeel strives to develop a spirituality based on justice, peace,nonviolence, liberation and reconciliation for the differentnational and faith communities. Te word “Sabeel” is Arabicfor ‘the way’ and also a ‘channel’ or ‘spring’ of life-giving

water.

Sabeel also works to promote a more accurate internationalawareness regarding the identity, presence and witness ofPalestinian Christians as well as their contemporary concernsIt encourages individuals and groups from around the world

to work for a just, comprehensive, and enduring peaceinformed by truth and empowered by prayer and action.

For more information on Friends of Sabeel groups in yourarea, please contact our international representatives or theSabeel Center in Jerusalem.

cornerstone, summer 2015, economy of occupation

Documents