This is for you yasmin
This may shed some light on why they hold you,for example, for hours on checkpoints:
"One revelation, to me at least, was that the purpose of the hundreds of checkpoints throughout the West Bank was not merely to cause general misery and inconvenience to Palestinians, but to effectuate control in a very specific way. The checkpoints operate to severely restrict those who publicly express a desire for liberation, or join a disfavored group, as well as their families. Those considered troublemakers can be delayed for hours or even denied freedom of movement altogether. Activism invites a world of hurt, and can make the necessities of daily living impossible. (Of course, the women remarked on the bankruptcy of the security pretext as well.)
Saturday, October 3, 2009
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great article, thanks, tgia. it's extremely hard to follow ur conscience. on so many levels.
ReplyDeletespeaking of which, on a personal note, i've been disappointed by my office environment. the work is perfect for me and the organization does great work but many of my "peers" (i guess you would call them although they're much more experienced in this work than i am), are hostile for no apparent reason, and in general people are stressed out; not knowing arabic is a handicap socially in that they speak arabic almost all the time so i don't get any of the conversations and jokes. i never get asked to lunch - basically it's uncomfortable.
not all ngo's are like this, though. there's another one that would be a dream for me to work for - all lawyers, and they sue US companies that profit from the occupation (among other things) and i give them advice on occasion on us corp law when they ask for it. i go on "field trips" with them on the weekends and it's a relief to be around genuinely nice and mature people. plus they have a nonsmoking office and im surrounded by chain smokers here. but i committed to this place and i'm only here temporarily til i return to cairo.
Glad for you Yasmin. Palestine needs as many lawyers as it can get.
ReplyDeleteI do wonder how many of the checkpoints are also done at the behest of the Palestinian Authority to strenghten their control over Palestinians. Could you describe the Palestinian Authority Natinional Security Force (NSF) checkpoints and how they behave? Men and woman alike? How do they compare to the IDF. Are they smarter, more sophisticated, more cultured, better dressed, and better looking than the IDF?
Anan, I've said before when you asked this that PAlestinian forces do not run checkpoints. what they is make sure ur wearing ur seat belt, that sort of thing. there are no PAl. run checkpoints.
ReplyDeleteI didn't know. The PA doesn't ever search Palestinians, or restrict access to parts of the West Bank? Interesting.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the info. What else do the PA NSF do? If someone has a break in, or a fight breaks out, do they rush forces to the area? Are they visible in many parts of the city to provide security? Do locals feel more comfortable seeing them (because there will be less mugging, theft and rape due to their presence)?
the police handle those things, and they're not people to be scared of.
ReplyDeletethe only time i saw the ones ur referring to is during the fatah convention here whre they did their little military exercise every morning in the manger square in front of the building where they were meeting. other than that, the local police are harmless.
Thanks again for the info. Are there different types of IDF? Are some more polite and cultured than others? Do Palestinian Israeli citizen IDF behave differently from other IDF?
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that many IDF are arrogant and irritating. Do Palestinians see IDF as irritating, but aren't afraid of them, seeing them as mostly harmless? Or are Palestinians afraid of the IDF <span style="text-decoration: underline;">and</span> see them as irritating?
The locals seem to like the local PA NSF. Why don't the IDF learn from them and behave similarly with the locals? What is there problem? {I mean on a personal level, not at the policy level.}
<span>Thanks again for the info. Are there different types of IDF? Are some more polite and cultured than others? Do Palestinian Israeli citizen IDF behave differently from other IDF? I gather from your comments that IDF woman are pretty similar to the men, and percieved similarly by Palestinian civilians.
ReplyDeleteYou mentioned that many IDF are arrogant and irritating. Do Palestinians see IDF as irritating, but aren't afraid of them, seeing them as mostly harmless? Or are Palestinians afraid of the IDF <span style="text-decoration: underline;">and</span> see them as irritating?
The locals seem to like the local PA NSF. Why don't the IDF learn from them and behave similarly with the locals? What is their problem? {I mean on a personal level, not at the policy level.}</span>
Yasmin
ReplyDeleteI don't understand their hostility , could't be perhaps your US citizenship ? , and this another NGO " all lawyers " suggest your work environment aren't lawyers or all lawyers , which could be a source of friction .
I somehow feel disappointed too.
Yasmin
ReplyDeleteIn any workplace environment the beginnings can be problematic for whatever reason. It takes time for one and the others to adjust to each other..It's called bonding. It can only be done when together you go through experiences where you get to know each better..Be patient.
I thought that Arab's liked individual Americans? Maybe they are jealous of Yasmin, especially the worman colleagues? This seems to account for a lot of workplace hostility in America. Smart, educated, successful, cultured, sophisticated, beautiful woman are sometimes unfairly attacked by other woman.
ReplyDeleteI really don't either. The first problem is the maturity level. There's a clique. It's like high school.
ReplyDeleteThen the lawyer - a young Palestinian woman - won't give me any work except for stupid grunt work. So I am doing work for the director instead, which is good anyway.
One possibility is there's this guy who has (or had) a thing for me, and he was the person I got to know first. This may sound paranoid, but I think he may have done something. for instance, i know on a couple of occasions people told him to tell me they were going out, and he didn't give me the message. I don't know why he did that. Then one guy who was really nice in the beginning suddenly started to avoid me.
Anyway, I love the work I'm doing. I suppose it's possible if I just keep going and doing my work and not reacting to any of this, it will get better. But I'm depressed whenever I leave there. Whereas when I visit the offices of the other place, I feel great.
I'm just stuck here though for the moment.
That was in reply to both tgia and VAA.
ReplyDeletePerhaps the men are intimidated by you Yasmin. You seem to be smarter, more articulate, more sophisticated, and more attractive than they are use to. I know its unfair, but it is important not to intimidate the men.
ReplyDelete