Page 10 - Empowerment and Protection - Palestine

WeST Bank: area C MaP
United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs occupiedPalestinianUnteitreridtoNraytions Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
Area (A), (B)
Area C & Nature Reserves
of Palestinian society is relected in the ubiquitousness of small arms, and the spilling
over of tensions and frustrations into violent ights. This cuts across communities and across community groups as the tribal loyalties still come into play and quickly exacerbate minor quarrels. Internal political division is thus exacerbated
by the physical and psychological effects of the occupation.
“People have just started to surrender.”
Another reason for the lack of social solidarity
– a major issue in both Jerusalem and the West Bank – is the feeling that people can no longer afford to concern themselves with the problems of others, as they have so many themselves. People are living day by day, surviving without being able to think of the future, or how to improve their situation. Because people feel that there is no hope, there is “no motivation other than just living another day." As one participant from the West Bank said – or worse, to quote from Gaza – "they just want to forget and to escape even if it means death." In’am, an NGO employee in Gaza, relects on the psychological effects of the occupation: “There is despair and depression, because people are insecure, their rights have been stolen, and there is no one to turn to. People have just started to surrender.” Dr Ismael Abu Zaid a psychologist originally from Gaza, says, “There are pressures everywhere, all over, and there are only two ways to deal with such poverty; to turn to religion or to turn to drugs. If you go to the mosque and pray you may get extra food.”
This fragmentation is not along religious or gender lines; for instance, the Christian minority has always been integrated, and Palestinians have been one people. Nevertheless, recent emigration of Christians has been high, due to the lack of economic opportunities, and the overall lack of security. These, coupled with strong networks abroad, for instance, in Latin America, and
more recently, fears from the spread of Islamic fundamentalism, have led many Christian Palestinians to leave.
Area (A), (B)
Area C & Nature Reserves
Border
Border
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International Border Green Line
International Border Green Line
Israeli Unilaterally Declared Municipal Area of Jerusalem
Israeli Unilaterally Declared Municipal Area of Jerusalem
Barrier
Planned
Oslo Agreement
Barrier
Constructed / Under Construction Constructed / Under Construction
Oslo Agreement
occupied Palestinian territory
February 2011
February 2011
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Tulkarm
Tulkarm Tubas Qalqiliya
Tubas
Qalqiliya
Hebron
Salfit
Ramallah
Bethlehem
Jenin
Jenin
Nablus
Nablus
East Jerusalem
Hebron
Salfit
Ramallah
Jericho
East Jerusalem
Bethlehem
Tulkarm
Tubas
Tulkarm
Sal
Qalqiliya
Nablus
Qalqiliya
Ram
Hebron
Hebron
Jericho
Salfit
Sal
Ramallah
Ram
Tulkarm Jenin
East Jerusalem
Bethlehem
Qalqiliya
Jericho
Hebron
Planned
1949 Armistice Line (Green Line)
1949 Armistice Line (Green Line)
1949 Armistice Line (Green Line)
1949 Armistice Line (Green Line)
1949 Armistice Line (Green Line)
River Jordan
River Jordan
River Jordan
Dead Sea
Dead Sea
Dead Sea
49
No Man's Land
N a t i o n s
Border
O f f i c e f oInr tetrnUhatenioni Cat leBodordreNdr ai nt iaotni os nOof f i cHeu mf oarn it thaer iCa on oAr df fianiar tsi o
Border
Boarrdreierr Constructed / Under Construction International Border
GPrelaennLeidne
Oslo AgIsrreaemli Uenitlaterally Declared Municipal Area of Jerusalem
Barrier
Constructed / Under Construction Planned
Oslo Agreement
Area (A), (B)
Area C & Nature Reserves
No Man's Land
U n i t e d
United Nations Office for the Coordinatio occupied Palestinian territory
Green Line
occupied Palestinian territoryoccupied Palestinian territory
International Border
Green Line
Israeli Unilaterally Declared Municipal Area of Jerusalem
NoBtaer:rTiehris map does not feature Gaza Constructed / Under Construction
Planned
Oslo Agreement
Area (A), (B)
Area C & Nature Reserves
Area (A), (B)
Area C & Nature Reserves
Community and community identity are under constant threat from the occupation. This was strongly relected by respondents in Jerusalem, where the residence permit system drives people out of the city and basic public services have been absorbed into the Israeli system. In the historic Old City of Jerusalem, whole neighbourhoods have been taken over and the inhabitants moved, as in
No Man's Land
No Man's Land
the Moroccan quarter, which was destroyed in June
1967. Residents are threatened so much that the community and its identity are destroyed.e
The result at the local level is a general sense of disempowerment and frustration, especially among the youth. The realities of the occupation have had a profound impact on people’s sense of dignity.
e In ‘Assessing International Peace Efforts in Palestinian-Israeli Affairs: a Human security perspective’ (2010), Elena Aoun describes the Palestinians’ “world of cumulative exclusions that threaten collective identity and individual lives.”
K i l o m e t I Ie s sr s r r a a e e l l i i U U n n i i l l a a t t e e r r a a l l l l y y D D e e c c l l a a r r e e d d 0 2.5 5 10
February 2011
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No Man's
Land
Kilometers
0 2.5 5 10
Municipal Area of Jerusalem
Kilometers 0 2.5 5
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