Ellis Brooks and Jema Davis at the Peace Pole in Givat Haviva

 

Ellis Brooks and Jema Davis are from Birmingham in England and this year founded a dialogue group known as Peace 60.

They have organized a number of successful gatherings in Birmingham and more planned for the near future. In August Ellis and Jema spent time in Israel – including a visit to Givat Haviva and other Israeli educational institutions – as well as with Palestinian NGOs in Tulkarem and other Palestinian areas under the Palestinian Authority.

Active members of Amnesty International both have spent periods of time in the West Bank Palestinian areas but had not met with Israelis – this they decided to do during the summer visit and among others contacted Givat Haviva in order to be able to meet with folks involved in peace education projects.

The knowledgeable, intelligent, earnest and seriously committed to making a difference Ellis and Jema were invited to Kibbutz Mishmar HaEmek by International Department’s Lydia Aisenberg and the following day accompanied her to the Givat Haviva campus.  Guided by Lydia and with secretary Ronit Ben-Tal roped in as their driver, Ellis and Jema were introduced not only to the different departments, museums and archives of Givat Haviva but also finished the day after a few hours of out and about with a deep impression of the Wadi Ara region, and of Barta’a village in particular.

 

Visiting the Jewish Arab Center for Peace and chatting with Galit Kellner the director of Arabic language studies at the center

 

Ellis and Jema are serious bloggers recording their daily movements, experiences and impressions and are widely read on the Amnesty International and their own PEACE 60 websites.

The following article - Peace 60 at Givat Haviva - was sent to Givat Haviva by Ellis and a blog by Jema entitled The bereaved, kibbutzim and Arab-Israelis appeared on 15 August 2008 on the Amnesty Blog under the subtitle of ‘Two Amnesters do Israel and the West Bank in 3 weeks.’  The blog can be found at http://blogs.amnesty.org.uk/blogs_entry.asp?eid=1782

 

PEACE 60 AT GIVAT HAVIVA by Ellis Brooks

I have just returned from a revelatory trip to Givat Haviva, where my partner Jema and I were shown around by Lydia Aisenberg, and when I say shown around, she gave us the works.  I was already an advocate for dialogue, but having witnessed how it is being pursued on the ground, I have been inspired to further my efforts in Britain.

Before I elaborate on what I took away from this experience, I should explain a little about my own background.  In 2003, 2004 and 2006, I volunteered with the International Solidarity Movement (ISM) in the West Bank.  For those who do not know, this group facilitates non-violent Palestinian activism by providing international accompaniment; it is controversial for its activities, and mistrusted by many.

I worked with ISM because, on a fundamental level, I believe all people should have equal access to human rights, and the Palestinians suffer manifold curtailments of those rights.  I was not indifferent to Israel’s fear of terror, but I was not as engaged with that narrative as I was with the Palestinians.  I do not regret the time I spent campaigning with the ISM, but nor do I wish to be uncritical.  There were times when activities we undertook were exhilaratingly rewarding and empowering; we removed roadblocks that denied Palestinian villagers access to wells; we were present during army incursions into refugee camps, acting as go-betweens between the soldiers and the residents and as simple observers.  That both said they were glad we were there was vindication of our actions.

Some actions felt less empowering: when the scenario became one of direct confrontation – when the interactions were openly hostile – paths to dialogue were severed.  Palestinians and Israelis can easily be left only with the frightening image of the other – of the soldier pointing his rifle or the “shehab” raising his arm behind his head, stone in hand.  Why would either then warm to the idea of meeting the other?

It is too general to say that direct action is always detrimental to peace; sometimes it is the only course available to the voiceless and oppressed, as many Jews and Arabs have had cause to know.  Not to conflate direct action with soldiery, but Haviva Reik, for whom Givat Haviva is named, was Lydia explained, herself parachuted into Nazi occupied Europe to fight injustice.

However, when really seeking a future where rights will be available for all, as envisioned in the Israeli Declaration of Independence, a dialogue for peace is crucial.  All actions should be seeking to open dialogue, not to forestall it.

Indeed, it takes more courage to commit to such a process, because it involves the constant questioning of your own convictions, something I have been compelled to do more when meeting people like Lydia.  This why it was so exciting for us to find out about the endeavors and the successes of groups like Givat Haviva, and the fact that progress can be made with confrontation.  It may be excruciating in its slowness, but those attitudes that are changed may in turn change the course of events for the better.

Without dialogue, the notion of “the other” hardens like clay.  The schisms do not only grow on the ground between Israelis and Palestinians, but expand out around the world.  At a film showing in England recently organized by a group campaigning for Palestinian rights, a speaker was asked about the extent and role of Israeli civil society in the quest for peace.  His response was simply that there was next to no engagement by Israelis.  This general ignorance was specifically infuriating to us as we had participated in a demonstration where an Israeli activist was shot in the head with a rubber bullet and almost killed.

Now we know even of more Israelis campaigning for peace.  We have met with the Israeli director of Parents’ Circle, Nir Owen, where those bereaved by the conflict are brought into dialogue, and then educate members of the public.  We met Givat Haviva the next day, and later we will be attending a “sulha” peace festival by Jerusalem Peacemakers, another bilateral group.

At Givat Haviva the philosophy of sharing narratives is expressed in numerous ways – in art from “both sides”; in the preservation of thousands of newspapers and documents that preserve a measure of the truth of history; in the education of Jews from around the world about the history of Zionism, Palestinians and Israeli Arabs; and in the teaching of Hebrew and Arabic (for language can be both a unifier and divider).  I’m sure I have missed something, so do consult the Givat Haviva website more if you haven’t before!

But as much as the institution itself evidences the existence and necessity of dialogue, it was Lydia herself who was a revelation in living in a spirit of peace.

Lydia has lived on a kibbutz in Israel for decades, and her views remain unhardened.  She both exercises a rigorous intellectual assessment of the truth past and present, and exercises an ability to empathize with those with whom she disagrees (whoever they are), and understand their fear.  She herself has witnessed terrorism, but also continues contact with Palestinians in the territory, not merely professionally, but as genuine friends.

My partner Jema and I run a group called Peace 60 (www.peace60.org) in Birmingham, England.  We seek to facilitate dialogue between any people interested in Israel/Palestine in the city, whatever their sympathy.  We hope to work in partnership with Givat Haviva in the future, because they are as necessary now as in l948.

Ellis Brooks

Co-ordinator, Peace 60

T:   01214496001

M: 07976053707

E:  ellis@peace60.org

W: www.peace60.org

 

Ellis and Jema meeting with Dudu Amitai, spokesperson of Givat Haviva and director of Yad Ya’ari.

 

Ellis Brooks and Lydia Aisenberg