Like several villages in the West Bank, the inhabitants of Al Walajah hold weekly demonstrations in defiance against the Wall and the larger colonialist framework that generates such atrocities. On April 13th however, the village gathered for something different. The Freedom Theatre and its Freedom Bus crew had been invited to listen to and enact the autobiographical accounts of villagers who told stories of army violence, home demolitions, land confiscation and perhaps most importantly – about their determination to stand firm and continue in their struggle for justice. A crowd of over 200 Palestinians and Internationals gathered to stand in solidarity with the people of Al Walajah and to hear their stories.
Al Walajah is a village facing imminent imprisonment and possible extinction. Every day, Volvo and Caterpillar trucks dig up a mountainside, preparing the way for the Israeli separation wall. When complete, this wall will encircle Al Walajah, trapping her inhabitants behind a constant line of high concrete slabs.
But the price of this so called “security barrier” is not something to be anticipated. Already, in complete and flagrant disregard of international law, the people of Al Walajah have had their land taken and their homes demolished – mere fodder for this immoral construction – an apartheid partition whose real purpose is evident in its route – a track that snakes deep into Palestinian territory – annexing land and water resources far beyond the Green Line.
Like several villages in the West Bank, Al Walajah holds weekly demonstrations in defiance against the Wall and the larger colonialist framework that generates such atrocities. On April 13th however, the village gathered for something different – a protest on a mountaintop that has been unilaterally declared as an Israeli National Park. This piece of land contains olive trees that have been harvested for generations by the people of Al Walajah. The land is also connected to the home of Omar Hajajlah and his family. Their house, situated along the planned course of the Wall, was scheduled for demolition. However, sustained pressure managed to avert this fate. The Wall engineers responded by designing a new plan: An electrified, 4-meter high barrier will now encircle the house, effectively imprisoning the Hajajlah family. Their only access to the world will be via a 5,000,000 NIS tunnel that connects their home to the larger prison-to-be of Al Walajah.
The protest on April 13th was unique. The Freedom Theatre and its Freedom Bus crew had been invited to use Playback Theatre, an interactive theatre approach where audience members share autobiographical accounts and watch as a team of actors instantly transforms these stories into improvised theatre pieces. Accompanying the Freedom Bus crew was Dar Qandeel (a group of musicians from Tulkarem) and the rapper Talha Alali Wise Wolf.
A crowd of over 200 Palestinians and Internationals gathered on this mountain to stand in solidarity with the people of Al Walajah and to hear their stories. Luisa Morgantini, former Vice President of the European Union, was present along with a delegation of Italians. Local community members, artists, scholars, teachers, activists, journalists, travelers, children, youth and families also attended. The mood was one of joy and celebration.
The 10-year old son of Omar was the first to speak to the crowd. As he looked out over the sea of faces, he stated that he felt a sense of “belonging”. Later, Omar himself spoke: “At this moment I feel free from the occupation!” he said. “Today I have found, through art and culture, another way to resist.”
Potent words indeed, considering that a squadron of Israeli soldiers and police had been deployed to monitor the event and were watching from close by – heavily armed with their usual array of crowd control instruments: M16’s, rubber bullets, live ammunition, sound bombs, gas canisters, batons and more … A vivid illustration of a monolithic body intent upon the destruction not only of homes, but also of unarmed popular struggle and civil resistance.
Half an hour into the event, apparently threatened by the musicians, actors and their audience, the army closed off the entrance to the village, prohibiting further guests from arriving.
The event continued. The people of Al Walajah raised their voices and told their stories. Stories about army violence, home demolitions, land confiscation, and perhaps most importantly – about their determination to stand firm and continue in their struggle for justice. Each account was heard, mirrored and transformed into theatre on the outdoor “stage” – a patch of ground between olive trees. Dar Qandeel played and sang. The crowd joined and danced.
As the late Juliano Mer Khamis said: “We believe that the Third Intifada, the coming Intifada, should be cultural…” To be sure, in this meeting we remembered the power of music, theatre, dance and poetry to lift and strengthen the human spirit in the struggle against oppression and injustice.
Ben Rivers, Applied Theatre Practitioner at The Freedom Theatre and Communications Director of the Freedom Bus
Website: www.freedombus.ps
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E-mail: freedombus@thefreedomtheatre.org