[2008] Figs

[2008] Figs

[2008] Map of the West Bank

[2008] Map of the West Bank

6/28/2007

My Perception of the Perceptions of Israelis by Palestinians in the West Bank

Something I've perceived about many many Palestinians here:
they all seem to get the difference between the settlers and other israelis
at the checkpoint today my host dad was telling me that they seem to put the super poor people who've recently emigrated to israel from eastern europe or places like ethiopia (and therefore are likely still working to fit in with israeli culture) at the checkpoints and that they're very disrespectful and mean, but that any time he encounters an israeli soldier who grew up in israel, they're very apologetic for having to stop him and are respectful, i've heard that before from others.
it's kinda the same (in my mind) when you see the customs border agents who are extremely rude in the U.S. especially to foreignors...
and usually i can tell they're someone who grew up really poor in detroit (thanks to institutionalized racism in the U.S.) with very little prospects of a future there and a chance as a guard to weild some power... and or you can compare it to the prison guards i encountered in michigan when working with PCAP (Prison Creative Arts Project) where they took this opportunity to once again hold power over someone else...

1 comment:

Aliza said...

hi heidi, i stumbled across your blog and realize i think u work at family center, a friend volunteers there and u almost brought a camera to palestine for me! anyway-- i just wanted to say i really am enjoying your musings and reading about your experience. im glad u make the connections btwn these tied together injustices.. it is so true, how the most disempowered in a society sometimes try to gain some power with respect to even more disempowered. there's a great article by eyal sivan, he discusses somewhere the false dichotomy of security for beit hanun or sderot, when really they are both being stepped on by ramat gan. anyway. glad to read your thoughts, and hope u make it back there.