Across Enforced Border Project, resumed. PCR hosts a group of fellow Palestinians in Israel (March 9 & 10, 2007)

In an attempt to restart the stalling rapprochement project, “Across the Enforced Borders” PCR in a coordinated effort with the Arab Youth Society (Baladna), hosted a group of students from different universities in Jerusalem, Haifa and Bir Sheva, on Friday and Saturday (9 & 10 March 2007).

Around 66 Palestinian students arrived into Bethlehem Friday around noon time through what is known as the (DCO) checkpoint District Coordination Office, from Beit Jala’s side.

Those Palestinian students are citizens of the State of Israel and carry Israeli passports because Israel could not force them to leave as they forced the other 700,000 Palestinians in 1948.

The tour started in Bethlehem University after the bus driver finally managed to get there through the old narrow roads of Bethlehem downtown.

The group was welcomed by a group of PCR activists and students from the university.

The Public Relation office took the group in a tour around the campus and gave them information about the history of the university and its main faculties and programs.

Following the tour, the group had lunch at the main campus cafeteria then watched a short film about the university.

The group then, walked though the downtown Bethlehem and the old market to arrive at the Church of the Nativity where they had a guided visit after which they headed to their hostels.

After dinner, the group with their West Bank Palestinian hosts, gathered at PCR’s premises where they listened to short presentations about Baladna by its director Nadim Nashef and about PCR by its director George Rishmawi.

The presentations were followed by discussion regarding the work of each of the two organizations.

Then Mohammad Suleiman, President of the Student Senate at Bethlehem University also spoke to the group and stressed that such visits should be repeated more frequently.

The evening was reserved for fun, as the next day was planned for more serious issues.

The group went to a nearby restaurant where they had some drinks and smoked water pipe (Nargieleh).  Some of them later were encouraged by the folklore music played at the restaurant and started a folklore dance known as Dabkah.

Saturday was really tense, as the group headed after breakfast to the Deheisheh Refugees Camp in Bethlehem where they were hosted by Ibdaa Cultural Center whose activists gave the group a presentation about the history of the camp and the daily life there in addition to the troubles Palestinian refugees face in their lives.

The activists also presented the work of the organization and its different projects, before taking the group around the camp.

After having lunch at the camp, the group took the bus to a visit at the Applied Research Institute Jerusalem (ARIJ).

Dr. Jad Isaac director of ARIJ gave the group a presentation about the geo-political situation in Palestine in relation to the wall and settlements Israel is building on Palestinian Lands.

Following the one and half hour presentation and Q & A, the busses arrived to take them again to the DCO checkpoint to catch their bus back home.

This visit is part of a program PCR started in 1999 known as “Across the Enforced Borders” through which PCR hopes to bring Palestinians together starting with those who live apart on the same land, separated by the enforced Israeli borders and checkpoints and wall.

Photos by Ghassan Bannoura-PCR