Fiona and Hannah joined stay with Palestinian host family program
You might hear that Palestine is a radical Muslim place and dangerous for normal people to go to. It’s such a wrong perception. We had the most amazing time. Shireen and her family were so lovely. Everyone at the Palestinian center were friendly and prepared to spend time talking with us and answering our questions.
Because we were only there a few days we felt the best thing for us to do was to listen and learn and hear the stories of the people we met. We talked of course with people at the center, to our host family, to people we met on the street. Our understanding was so shallow prior to going. The news we get here is completely biased towards the Zionist/American position.
We were both shattered at the situation for the Palestinian people. The people were the friendliest, most open we met in the Middle East. As two white females we’d had quite some experiences, especially with men over the past month travelling on our own through Turkey, Lebanon and Egypt.
We experienced none of that in Palestine. There were women on the streets, and yes, they wore head scarves, but they were open and friendly and free to talk and interact in a way we hadn’t seen except in the countryside in Lebanon. We felt as women safe and respected by the men. We were never hassled but welcomed with open friendliness and a genuine desire and happiness that we were there in their country.
However, we walked through the streets and were stopped by Israeli kids with guns acting as soldiers. We were asked if we were Jewish, we said no, Muslim, no, Christian, no and they looked at us blankly and didn’t know what to do. I said we’re Australian. When on our own they let us pass. When with a Palestinian sometimes they did and sometimes they didn’t. We saw the random intimidation for no reason the people suffer. We heard the most horrible stories of random violence and use of power to create fear and disruption.
The fences and barriers and open discrimination. It’s genocide and apartheid on a scale never seen before in this world. What can we do here, in Australia to support you and the Palestinians? How do we share these stories and messages?
When we try to talk about it sounds like we are anti-Semitic, conspiracy theorists, people here don’t know about Zionism and its control over America and the money in the world. They don’t know about the history and strategic place that this land is in an economic sense. Here it’s just about religion and if you try to discuss it you’re just anti-Semitic. We’re not, but definitely anti-Zionist and anti-state of Israel.
Thank you for this opportunity, I recommend Palestine to everyone I meet and talk about our trip. It’s opened our eyes!