In an interview with the Independent, the Israeli journalist Gideon Levy said of his work in the occupied Palestinian territories “a whistle in the dark is still a whistle.” Having seen firsthand the effects of the occupation on the Palestinian people – the fighting; the displacement; the disenfranchisement; the loss of rights, hopes and dignity – he felt duty bound to report to the world the suffering he saw in the hope that, little by little, the world may sit up and take notice of what is by any measure an apartheid. By reporting honestly on the facts, he states that he hopes only to avoid a situation where people allow human rights abuses to continue and defend themselves by saying “We didn’t know.” This, I believe, is the office of the journalist.
In this blog I shall record my own travels into the occupied territories. In a few days time I begin my journey to the city of Nablus in the north of the West Bank, where I will be working until the middle of April. I’ll be spending the winter in Palestine, working with the non-governmental organization Project HOPE – Humanitarian Opportunities for Peace and Education – either teaching, organizing humanitarian aid projects, or leading workshops on human rights with the refugees and young people of Nablus.
As yet, I have little idea what the next six months have in store. Frankly, I don’t think anyone could predict how the coming months will pan out in the region: with continued fighting in Gaza, settlement expansion being approved in East Jerusalem amidst international condemnation, and US lead peace talks crumbling under the demands of the Israeli right, few are optimistic that the troubles will be resolved soon. However, at the same time, increasing calls from within Israel to cease the construction of illegal settlements, increasing pressure from the international community to halt the blockade of Gaza – Spain, Britain and Turkey all announced official boycotts of Israel’s first meeting of the OECD – and an ever more fragmented coalition government offer hope that the will to change may finally outweigh the will to continue on this weary and tattered path. If this were to happen, then the pessimism which seems to envelope this corner of the Middle East may finally begin to fade away.
By Friday I should be in Nablus, and from there I shall keep everyone updated on the progress of the journey, one step at a time. I hope you all choose to follow my progress, and I welcome any questions, comments and correspondence you may want to send. I will post pictures and places, and do what I can to report the truth of the situation, of life in the occupied Palestinian territories. A whistle in the dark is still a whistle, and all you can do is tell the truth as you see it.
Wish me luck.
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