A Palestinian family visit Edinburgh 19th June 2010
Annandale mosque
Courage, humanity and faith in Allah.
Story of a Palestinian family trying to keep a roof over his family
Salim Shawamreh owns land in the small village of Anata, Jerusalem. In the late 1990s he wanted to invest his earnings from working in the Arab Emirates in a home for his family; wife Arabiya and 6 children. Although his land is in Palestinian territory, he is forced by Israeli “invented laws” to apply to Israeli authorities for permission to build a home for his family in an area they should not be legislating over.
His Kafkaesque experience of presenting applications spanned 4 years in which he was told variously that his land was for “farming only”, “could not be built on because it was on a slope” ( all Jerusalem is on hills, the Israelis build on slopes all the time), “Two more signatures are needed on the application” and when Salim presented a petition of a hundred signatures of every official he could get hold of, they replied: “we have lost your file so we don’t know which two signatures you need”.
Obstructed in this way, Salim was forced to build a home for his family without an Israeli permit; which of course shouldn’t be necessary, but by doing so he sealed his fate. Once the house was complete, the family were having lunch one day when they were interrupted by some commotion outside. When he investigated, Salim found around 300 armed guards circling the whole house. They had come to forcibly remove the Shawamreh family from their home so that it could be demolished.
West African workmen were ordered to remove the family belongings which were thrown in to the street. Salim was beaten and handcuffed when he protested. Neighbours arrived to give support but all were powerless as the bulldozers tore down the family home. A neighbour’s son suffered a bullet wound which ended in him losing a kidney. Salim’s children were terrified and Arabiya traumatised so that she couldn’t speak; later Salim had to send her to Jordan for two months for therapy.
When asked about the anger he must have undoubtedly felt, Salim responded that several things went through his mind when he watched his wife and daughter’s possessions being tossed into the street; he could strap a “belt” to himself and end it all at some Israeli bus station. After all, he felt no difference for himself between living and dying. But then he thought of the protection he must provide for his wife and children. That’s when he resolved he must resist. The Israeli plan to dehumanise him and his people under an illegal occupation was designed to drive him out. The best thing he could do for his family and his people was to hang on to his land despite the brutality he may be subjected to.
The Shawamreh’s began to live in a donated tarpaulin tent next to the rubble of their home. This was an offence in itself according to Israeli law since no tents dwellings were allowed on this Palestinian land.
Salim began rebuilding the outer shell of his house and helpers came from the Palestinians, Jews and International visitors. He says the atmosphere was celebratory as voluntary workers united to defy the Israeli oppression. The house was again demolished but the community pulled together and with Jeff Halper bringing in help from ICAHD they rebuilt for a third time. This third construction was attacked not by bulldozers, but jackhammers. The Israelis realised that Salim was managing to rebuild in a few months on the old foundation of his home. So they came to destroy the foundations deep in the soil to make it more difficult to rebuild. With all this activity going on, Salim was also being prosecuted by the courts. After a demolition, the victims have to pay the fee of about $1500 for the demolition and fines for having built without a permit.
After one rebuild Salim narrowly avoided the removal of all his furniture as payment for fines by organising a collection among friends and neighbours. He now feels that while he keeps the authorities busy prosecuting him and tearing down his rebuilds, he is helping to spare some other Palestinian family from a similar fate.
The Shawamreh family’s peaceful resistance has spanned over 12 years. They have seen their children grow up and establish family homes of their own. Salim acknowledges the help and support of ICAHD in his struggle and Arabiya, speaking through an interpreter, emphasizes that the bulldozing of homes destroys not just bricks and mortar but also families and their hopes and dreams.
Legal obstruction, daily humiliation and physical brutality are what the Shawamrehs receive daily from the Israelis. But they show great courage and faith in Allah as they struggle on for justice. In Jerusalem Arabiya now cooks for hundreds of people who are helping to rebuild their home as a Peace Centre: “Beit Arabiya” and Salim takes pride in being “a thorn in the side” of Israeli authorities.
The couple visited Edinburgh on Saturday 19th June on a gruelling tour of the UK to raise awareness of the injustices of the illegal Israeli Occupation of Palestinian land.
Supported by ICAHD UK they presented their story with a display of photo images of their story and a DVD of the destruction of their home when Jeff Halper was helping them resist the authorities.
Despite the trauma and setbacks they have had, the couple are energetic and focused. Salim’s determination is derived from his deep faith that Allah ultimately has control of his life and not the Israelis. He must fight the oppression and educate people of the injustices since he is aware that many will only hear that “a Palestinian has had his home demolished because he built without a permit”. People outside his country will not understand why this is wrong until they know the facts. His analogy:
“Its like when you are really, really hungry and someone comes to you with a huge Big Mac. Gives it to you then says ‘ you musn’t eat it’.” That is what it is like to own your own land in your own country and then be told you cannot provide a home there for your family by someone who shouldn’t have any right to tell you what to do. When you do make a home, the bully then tears it down and destroys with it your life and happiness. “I don’t not want anyone else to ever have to suffer what my family and I have had to suffer. The Israelis are imposing a brutal Apartheid on us and want us Palestinians to sign up to it. Well we wont and we wont be driven out either.”
------------------------------
A Palestinian family visit Edinburgh 19th June 2010
Annandale mosque
Courage, humanity and faith in Allah.
Story of a Palestinian family trying to keep a roof over his family
Salim Shawamreh owns land in the small village of Anata, Jerusalem. In the late 1990s he wanted to invest his earnings from working in the Arab Emirates in a home for his family; wife Arabiya and 6 children. Although his land is in Palestinian territory, he is forced by Israeli “invented laws” to apply to Israeli authorities for permission to build a home for his family in an area they should not be legislating over.
His Kafkaesque experience of presenting applications spanned 4 years in which he was told variously that his land was for “farming only”, “could not be built on because it was on a slope” ( all Jerusalem is on hills, the Israelis build on slopes all the time), “Two more signatures are needed on the application” and when Salim presented a petition of a hundred signatures of every official he could get hold of, they replied: “we have lost your file so we don’t know which two signatures you need”.
Obstructed in this way, Salim was forced to build a home for his family without an Israeli permit; which of course shouldn’t be necessary, but by doing so he sealed his fate. Once the house was complete, the family were having lunch one day when they were interrupted by some commotion outside. When he investigated, Salim found around 300 armed guards circling the whole house. They had come to forcibly remove the Shawamreh family from their home so that it could be demolished.
West African workmen were ordered to remove the family belongings which were thrown in to the street. Salim was beaten and handcuffed when he protested. Neighbours arrived to give support but all were powerless as the bulldozers tore down the family home. A neighbour’s son suffered a bullet wound which ended in him losing a kidney. Salim’s children were terrified and Arabiya traumatised so that she couldn’t speak; later Salim had to send her to Jordan for two months for therapy.
When asked about the anger he must have undoubtedly felt, Salim responded that several things went through his mind when he watched his wife and daughter’s possessions being tossed into the street; he could strap a “belt” to himself and end it all at some Israeli bus station. After all, he felt no difference for himself between living and dying. But then he thought of the protection he must provide for his wife and children. That’s when he resolved he must resist. The Israeli plan to dehumanise him and his people under an illegal occupation was designed to drive him out. The best thing he could do for his family and his people was to hang on to his land despite the brutality he may be subjected to.
The Shawamreh’s began to live in a donated tarpaulin tent next to the rubble of their home. This was an offence in itself according to Israeli law since no tents dwellings were allowed on this Palestinian land.
Salim began rebuilding the outer shell of his house and helpers came from the Palestinians, Jews and International visitors. He says the atmosphere was celebratory as voluntary workers united to defy the Israeli oppression. The house was again demolished but the community pulled together and with Jeff Halper bringing in help from ICAHD they rebuilt for a third time. This third construction was attacked not by bulldozers, but jackhammers. The Israelis realised that Salim was managing to rebuild in a few months on the old foundation of his home. So they came to destroy the foundations deep in the soil to make it more difficult to rebuild. With all this activity going on, Salim was also being prosecuted by the courts. After a demolition, the victims have to pay the fee of about $1500 for the demolition and fines for having built without a permit.
After one rebuild Salim narrowly avoided the removal of all his furniture as payment for fines by organising a collection among friends and neighbours. He now feels that while he keeps the authorities busy prosecuting him and tearing down his rebuilds, he is helping to spare some other Palestinian family from a similar fate.
The Shawamreh family’s peaceful resistance has spanned over 12 years. They have seen their children grow up and establish family homes of their own. Salim acknowledges the help and support of ICAHD in his struggle and Arabiya, speaking through an interpreter, emphasizes that the bulldozing of homes destroys not just bricks and mortar but also families and their hopes and dreams.
Legal obstruction, daily humiliation and physical brutality are what the Shawamrehs receive daily from the Israelis. But they show great courage and faith in Allah as they struggle on for justice. In Jerusalem Arabiya now cooks for hundreds of people who are helping to rebuild their home as a Peace Centre: “Beit Arabiya” and Salim takes pride in being “a thorn in the side” of Israeli authorities.
The couple visited Edinburgh on Saturday 19th June on a gruelling tour of the UK to raise awareness of the injustices of the illegal Israeli Occupation of Palestinian land.
Supported by ICAHD UK they presented their story with a display of photo images of their story and a DVD of the destruction of their home when Jeff Halper was helping them resist the authorities.
Despite the trauma and setbacks they have had, the couple are energetic and focused. Salim’s determination is derived from his deep faith that Allah ultimately has control of his life and not the Israelis. He must fight the oppression and educate people of the injustices since he is aware that many will only hear that “a Palestinian has had his home demolished because he built without a permit”. People outside his country will not understand why this is wrong until they know the facts. His analogy:
“Its like when you are really, really hungry and someone comes to you with a huge Big Mac. Gives it to you then says ‘ you musn’t eat it’.” That is what it is like to own your own land in your own country and then be told you cannot provide a home there for your family by someone who shouldn’t have any right to tell you what to do. When you do make a home, the bully then tears it down and destroys with it your life and happiness. “I don’t not want anyone else to ever have to suffer what my family and I have had to suffer. The Israelis are imposing a brutal Apartheid on us and want us Palestinians to sign up to it. Well we wont and we wont be driven out either.”
------------------------------
For updates on Aafia's case, click here
Taught by the Pen
Muslim Women's Association of Edinburgh
in association with
Radio Ramadan Edinburgh
are proud to present:
We invite you to come and discuss books,
A book festival from 7th Feb-13th Feb in Edinburgh for all ages.
Meet authors:
Robin Yassin Kassab Road to Damacus,
Dr Hasan Beg Babar Founder of Mughal India,
Elizabeth Laird Children's author
Discussions with
Dr George Wilkes
Influence of Islamic teachings on the world
and
Major Gordon Corrigan MBE
British Muslim Soldiers of World War One
Talk : By a member of Kitaba, Islamic Text for the Blind
& Javed Ali author of Blessings of Ramadan
Try calligraphy & celebrate reading in all its forms!
Admission is Free
For more info and programme go to:
http://taughtbythepen.wordpress.com/
Health Talks
HEALTH TALK SWINE FLU IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVES
AT EDINBURGH CENTRAL MOSQUE
ON TUESDAY 12TH JANUARY 2010
MWAE AGM
The Muslim Women's Association of Edinburgh is seeking to recruit enthusiastic members to join our committee board.
The group meets six times a year and members will serve a two year term.
Main duties and responsibilities include
Commitment to the work of MWAE
Attendance and participation of MWAE or affiliated organisation meetings
Help to plan, support, organise and particpate in MWAE events and future projects
If you are interested in joining our team please complete the attached form and send to info@mwae.org. uk or bring it along to our AGM meeting.
The AGM will be held on Saturday 27th February 2010 at Annandale Mosque at 5pm and all applications should be submitted by this time.
If you are interested in taking up a post, please send in your application and come along to the meeting; in the event of multiple volunteer for a role, a vote will be taken.
The MWAE is an important part of our Scottish community and your participation in it will make our community a better place insh’Allah.
Click here to download Application Form
Taught by the Pen
Muslim Women's Association of Edinburgh
in association with
Radio Ramadan Edinburgh
are proud to present:
We invite you to come and discuss books,
A book festival from 7th Feb-13th Feb in Edinburgh for all ages.
Meet authors:
Robin Yassin Kassab Road to Damacus,
Dr Hasan Beg Babar Founder of Mughal India,
Elizabeth Laird Children's author
Discussions with
Dr George Wilkes
Influence of Islamic teachings on the world
and
Major Gordon Corrigan MBE
British Muslim Soldiers of World War One
Talk : By a member of Kitaba, Islamic Text for the Blind
& Javed Ali author of Blessings of Ramadan
Try calligraphy & celebrate reading in all its forms!
Admission is Free
For more info and programme go to:
http://taughtbythepen.wordpress.com/
Health Talks
HEALTH TALK SWINE FLU IN THE PUBLIC HEALTH PERSPECTIVES
AT EDINBURGH CENTRAL MOSQUE
ON TUESDAY 12TH JANUARY 2010
MWAE AGM
The Muslim Women's Association of Edinburgh is seeking to recruit enthusiastic members to join our committee board.
The group meets six times a year and members will serve a two year term.
Main duties and responsibilities include
Commitment to the work of MWAE
Attendance and participation of MWAE or affiliated organisation meetings
Help to plan, support, organise and particpate in MWAE events and future projects
If you are interested in joining our team please complete the attached form and send to info@mwae.org. uk or bring it along to our AGM meeting.
The AGM will be held on Saturday 27th February 2010 at Annandale Mosque at 5pm and all applications should be submitted by this time.
If you are interested in taking up a post, please send in your application and come along to the meeting; in the event of multiple volunteer for a role, a vote will be taken.
The MWAE is an important part of our Scottish community and your participation in it will make our community a better place insh’Allah.
Click here to download Application Form