Sunbula: Positive achievements despite economic hardships and barriers

I'm working on incorporating some new things in my blog, in order to keep it interesting and to give everybody something that they will enjoy reading. With a lot of negative news that comes out of this place, it is important for me to also emphasize positive. This year, I've become more and more interested in issues of fair trade and local sustainable agriculture. I've learned a little bit about a few organizations, but I would like to learn more. In order to do that, every once in a while on the blog, I'd like to highlight organizations of these types working in Palestine.

Why focus on Palestinian fair trade and sustainable organizations? The economic situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories (oPt) is bleak. A recent report by the UN Conference of Trade and Development (UNCTAD) stated that the unemployment rate in the oPt is 30% and 26% of the population live in poverty. Despite the fact that the oPt experienced a 9.3% economic growth rate last year,

Private-sector revival is still constrained by the construction of the separation barrier, movement and access restrictions, limited access to external markets for the export of goods or the import of production inputs, and a much reduced productive and natural resource base. The movement of Palestinian people and goods in the West Bank last year was obstructed by more than 500 obstacles and checkpoints...Restrictions on the movement of people and goods to, from or within the West Bank and Gaza have fostered small-scale cost inefficiencies and technological decline and have blocked the emergence of an export sector capable of substantial contributions to economic development.

Due to the obvious obstacles to economic growth, positive contributions by local businesses and farmers in Palestine should be celebrated even more.

Today I would like to highlight the work of Sunbula. Sunbula is a fair trade organization that is "committed to promoting social justice and economic empowerment of the marginalized." Established in 1996, Sunbula is celebrating their 15th anniversary this year. Sunbula works with 18 craft-producing organizations throughout the West Bank, Gaza Strip, East Jerusalem and other 1948 areas. Hundreds of women, refugees, people with disabilities, and farmers work to create marketable, modern products that incorporate traditional Palestinian designs and techniques. Products include: embroidery, Bedouin rugs, handmade olive oil soap, ceramics, olivewood carvings, paper and felt crafts, and jewellry. Sunbula strives to make these products available across barriers and checkpoints through their two fair trade stores in Jerusalem as well as their online shop.

So for all of you who don't live in Jerusalem, you can also benefit from the products of Sunbula. Go online and check out their website as well as their Online Craft Market. I have the flower purse pictured above and I love it!

As their website says: "Sunbula - Arabic for spike of wheat - is the flower that makes bread. As its name symbolises, Sunbula helps people provide themselves with a gift of a more dignified life."

Information sources:
UN warns of economic crisis in Palestine
Sunbula's website
This Week in Palestine - January 2011 Issue

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Things do not bode well

Most of this post I wrote on Friday, but I failed to post it because it needed editing and I put that off. I will post it now with only a few minor changes.

Yesterday, a series of attacks occurred in Southern Israel, near the Red Sea resort town of Eilat.
Eight Israelis were killed from the attacks, which involved shootings and detonation of explosives. The attacks were allegedly carried out by Palestinian militants who crossed from Gaza into the Sinai in Egypt, and then from the Sinai to Israel. Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak blamed the attacks on the Palestinian Resistance Committee and proceeded to call for air strikes on the Gaza Strip, despite the fact that the PRC is denying involvement in the attacks. The ensuing airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force over the night on the Gaza strip, killed several members of the Palestinian Resistance Committee held responsible for, yet not proven to be involved in, the attacks, as well as a 13-year old boy and a 2-year old boy. Militants from Gaza responded by shooting rockets from the Gaza strip into Southern Israel. The rockets have continued throughout the past couple days, with Hamas now claiming responsibility for some.

For more detailed information about the attacks yesterday, and the escalating violence from today, please read these articles:
10 Rockets Strike Israel Day After Coordinated Attacks Kill 8 - Haaretz
Attacks Near Israeli Resort Heighten Tensions with Egypt and Gaza - New York Times

It's hard to know what to say as violence continues to escalate. At a time when negotiations have completely stopped and Palestinians are getting closer to their request for statehood at the United Nations in September, an escalation in violence will only harm these processes. Random violence by militants and then immediate calls for air strikes based on little evidence of these militant's identity have resulted in a deeper escalation in violence.

Furthermore, Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu's statement yesterday: "I have decided on a principle – when you hurt Israeli citizens we respond immediately and with force," exacerbates the situation further. There is no excuse to collectively punish all of the Gaza strip for the actions of a group of militants that also live there. Responding to violence with violence, will only push Israel and Palestine further into a never-ending cycle of violence. As a writer for 972 Magazine stated: "We are all familiar with this circle: Attack, terrorist attack, attack, terrorist attack, attack, major terrorist attack, major operation, terrorist attack, attack and so on and so forth." (Source: Why Israel Should Not Attack Gaza).

I know that my ideas of non-violence in which those oppressed resist non-violently, instead of using terror attacks, and force is not the response to resistance seem idealistic in situations such as these. But I can't help but hope for and dream of the day when this nonsensical violence ends and a true, lasting, and just peace

Photos: Israeli bus hit by gunmen c/o Haaretz.com. Damage after airstrikes in Gaza c/o nytimes.com.

Hypocrisy amidst financial crisis - Get Involved!

The past two weeks have made it clear to everyone that the US is in financial crisis. Finding itself over $14 Trillion in debt, congress failed to agree on ways to significantly improve the situation. While congress members fail to come to agreements, the people are suffering. Unemployment continues, the housing crisis continues, student government loans will now receive less benefits, and social security and medicare will suffer. While the rich benefit from continued tax cuts.


With all of the talk of financial crisis, I am surprised by the lack of discussion about how much war and its costs have affected the US and contributed to our national debt, which is taking its toll on the everyday citizen. A recent New York Times article summed up the reasons the US deficit became so big: "The answer is largely the Bush-era tax cuts, war spending in Iraq and Afghanistan, and recessions."

One of the questions I am continually asked is: "Why should I care about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict? It's so far away and it doesn't affect me." The financial crisis is exactly one of the reasons we should care about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict as United States citizens.

In addition to the cost of wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, the US government promised $30 billion dollars in military aid to Israel from the years 2009-2018. That is $3 billion per year. This money comes directly from our tax dollars.

In Minnesota, the total we will pay is $886,428,240.21 throughout those 10 years. In other words, money that could have been spent to:

Provide 10,763 households per year w/affordable housing grants OR
Provide 14,715 job seekers per year w/green jobs training OR
Provide 26,210 children per year w/early reading education OR
Provide 717,872 people per year w/primary health care.
(Figures c/o U.S. Campaign to End the Occupation. To see figures from your own state or county, click HERE.)

This month, as the US congress is in recess, many congress members will be traveling to Israel, all funds coming from the AIPAC affiliated American Israel Educational Foundation. While many of their constituents are suffering, it is simply not right that our congress members are receiving an all-inclusive trip to Israel, and concerning themselves more with the state of Israel than the concerns of their own constituents.

I encourage you to Call or Send a Letter to Your Representative or Send a Letter to the Editor of your local newspaper, using these easy to use links.

To find our more information please visit MoveOverAipac.org.
Photo c/o The Washington Post.

"The Catastrophe of One People is of the Benefit for Another People"

There is a proverb in Arabic that says,

The catastrophe of one group of people is of the benefit for another people.

It is a sad, yet true story about human nature. My idealistic heart, hopes and dreams that all people would want to do what is best and easiest for other people, but sadly, this often does not happen. I saw this statement demonstrated as I traveled back from the US, this time not through Tel Aviv, but through Jordan.

Why did I travel through Jordan? I traveled to the United States with my boyfriend Antwan. Since Antwan lives in the West Bank, he holds a Palestinian passport and must get permits to travel to Jerusalem or anywhere else in Israel proper. Even with a permit, he is not allowed to fly out of Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. Like all other Palestinians who live in the West Bank, he must travel to Jordan and fly out of Amman. This process adds an extra day to both ends of the trip and hundreds of dollars more in transportation and border fees.


There are three border crossings into Israel from Jordan: Beit Shean in the North, Allenby in the Middle, and Eilat in the South. Palestinians with West Bank ID's may only travel through the Allenby bridge. I have now traveled from Jordan into Israel through all of these crossings and was shocked by the "business" that the Allenby bridge has become.

Traveling through from Jordan to Israel in the South is extremely simple. You simply go to Jordanian customs, pay 5 Jordanian Dinar (JD) in exit tax, walk to the Israeli side, walk through security, go through immigration and have you passport stamp, and Voilá! You're done!

Traveling through the Allenby Bridge is much more complicated. You must stand in line at the Jordanian terminal. Depending on the day, there could be thousands of people waiting. Here you must pay an exit tax of 8 JD, have your ID checked, and receive an exit stamp. Then you must wait in order to take a shuttle bus across to the Israeli terminal. This shuttle leaves every 1 to 2 hours, so you could wait a while before even leaving the Jordanian terminal. It costs 3 JD per person, plus 1.25 JD per piece of luggage.

Once on the bus, you begin to move to the Israeli terminal. You do not do this trip in one fell swoop. The shuttle will stop again in the middle of the bridge, and all passengers' ID's will be checked once again. If there are several buses in line, you could wait here for several hours.

Once you get to the Israeli terminal, a very confusing process begins. You must gather your luggage, hand over your luggage and ID to have them checked, you will stand in several lines in the process, then go through immigration where your passport is stamped and then you've arrived on the Israeli side.

For an international the process ends here. You can either take a taxi (very expensive) or pay around 10 JD to take the bus to Jerusalem. If you are Palestinian, however, you must take a bus from the Israeli terminal to the Palestinian Authority terminal in Jericho. This bus again charges per person and per piece of luggage. Finally after having all of your ID's checked again and going through information, you can take transportation from here to your home city.

There is one way to avoid all of this hassle. At the Jordanian terminal, you can decide to use VIP service. With this service, you will bypass all lines, take small cars across the bridge between the Jordanian and Israeli terminals. The price, however, is $94 per person if you are an international or 50 JD if you are a Palestinian.

Imagine if you are a family of 5 traveling and paying all of these prices per person!!

The Allenby bridge is an inefficient and/or expensive way to travel across the border, compared to the simplicity of the border in Eilat. It is a "business" of governmental customs services, bus companies, and VIP services. Everybody working here is trying to make some cash. What surprised me most of all, was the fact that it was not just Israelis benefitting from the Allenby bridge as the only border crossing for Palestinians, but also Jordanians were contributing to the confusion and price in order to benefit from the catastrophe of another group of people; a people with whom their government claims to be in solidarity.

At the Allenby bridge, this old Arabic proverb is sad, but true:

The catastrophe of one group of people is of the benefit for another people.

Photo c/o www.sixdaywar.org.