I read about Arna Mer Khamis appeal for assistance in the Revue des Etudes Palestinian, and was interested in learning more about the nature of her work with Palestinian children. The opportunity to meet her came when she was passing through Paris on a fund-raising campaign. This article is a compilation of information that she gave me during our meeting. Her efforts attracted the attention of UNESCO, especially the division dealing with peace education.
Arna Mer Khamis is an Israeli women who was born in Galilee in Palestine to a Lithuanian father. A strong, blue-eyed women, who speaks directly to her interlocutors, and respect for her courage in working in an adverse and hostile environment.
In her opinion, the words fear, racism, intolerance, contempt, hatred, oppression, ignorance, illiteracy, and humiliation sum up the pints that obstruct peace. It is thus not surprising to read her statement that since 1949, I have struggled for peace, not as an illusion, but a peace that builds up comprehension between human beings. Before 1948, Arabs and Jews were living together in harmony and fraternity. However, in a span of a few months the creation of the state of Israel caused racism and contempt towards the Arab, an attitude that did not exist before. Arabs and Jews should live together. This is possible, as not only is there no other alternative, but it occurred in the past.
Arna does not theorize about peace education. She practices it in her daily life. One of her concrete activities started two and a half years ago, during the Intifada (the uprising of children in the occupied territories). At the time Israeli authorities closed all school and university establishments.
While they are open today officially, nevertheless, they are closed under curfew laws, which amounts to the same policy according to Arna.
She established a Haifa-based association called Care And Learning. In Defense of Children Under Occupation. Arna is assisted in her work by voluntary Israeli and Palestinian women. The objectives of this association are multifold: first, to fill the void of the huge educational vacuum that resulted from the Israeli closure of educational establishments in the occupied territories; second, to teach the children to read and write; third, to provide creative neighborhood activities; fourth, mobilization of Israeli peace forces for active involvement in the defense of victims of the Israeli occupation, e.g. children robbed of their childhood, prisoners, and children made homeless. This support is expressed in the defense of political prisoners, the education of children and the defense of Palestinians against Israeli administrative violence.
Arna’s work is concerned with both refugee camps and urban Palestinian children. Arna arranges meetings for these children in private homes, as it is forbidden to open schools for them. Children meet on a regular basis, and she stresses that their number is growing. In doing so, Arna involves the family in contributing to the child’s education. They also learn how to lead a group of children with a minimum of simple training.
Care and Learning succeeded in establishing a Child Center in the Jabal Abu Jihad Quarter in Jenin. This center includes a library, educational games, individual therapy for children with learning disabilities, and various cultural activities. The center is run by six women from the block.
It is open seven days a week. Hundreds of children find it a warm home and refuge. The center was inaugurated on May 4, 1991. Another Child Center in the Refugee Camp of Janin will be inaugurated at the end of August. A variety of creative activities are provided for the children. Arna herself composes workbooks and mending games, negotiates with printers and sends letters abroad in a desperate effort to enlist contributions. She has also published a pamphlet called Soldiers Beat Children.
Arna stresses that the policies of occupation create a hostile, angry, and bitter population. A child who is beaten, who does not know how to read, is humiliated. Humiliation is a terrible thing, and children react with fantasies of revenge. Although there is no blood, enforced ignorance, like beating, is a wound. If Israel wants to pursue peace, this whole policy is counterproductive.
Her efforts stress two crucial points:
1. As long as Arna and members of her organization visit the occupied territories in a spirit of camaraderie, and not as conquerors, all the doors and hearts are open to them. She and members of her organization are received with enthusiasm and warmth by the children in the camp. Often, she is defended by them against the wrath of Israeli soldiers.
2. Hatred and contempt are the instruments of colonial domination and propaganda tools. They are certainly not natural phenomena. According to Arna, the ultimate goal should be for Jews and Arabs to share this land, and to learn how to live together in a state of equality, liberty and democracy. This is a possible road, a desired and productive strategy.
When Arna was questioned by a French monthly journal as to the reason for the low number of Jewish militants in her organization, she replied: To give a child the elementary means of education to express himself through writing, games. Or, most Israelis hope for the submission of Palestinians, even the Israeli left. The majority of those who qualify as members of the peace camp avid direct physical contact with the Palestinian populations. Everybody wants to organize manifestations, write petitions. But there are few who want to visit a refugee camp, and get their feet dirty. In the eyes of the Israeli left, an Arab is dirty, violent and suspect. The Israeli left are afraid. Their idea of peace is to separate themselves from the Arabs, and not to live with them.
Arna’s work has been supported by a wonderful, humanistic personality; she is proud to be a Jew and strong enough to support her efforts in peace building through education. Yehudi Menuhin, the famous violinist, wrote to her after his visit to her center on May 6, 1991: I fully support your wonderful work with Palestinian children. It is a necessity and an inspiration to all Jews. This is why I am here. Those who live by the sword shall die by the sword. Terror and fear will lead to terror and fear. Hate and spite are catching. If you want to be loved, you have first to love. He added: One fact should be clear, the ruler that corrupts by means of fear, tramples down human dignity, life and perpetually stifles people who are under his mercy. It should be the very last means to be adopted by those who themselves understand the grave consequences and unforgotten suffering of such an existence.
Arna and her friends are in desperate need of financial assistance to pursue their work in peace building, in paving the way for coexistence between two peoples, two nations through an education that commences with the child in order to equip the new generation with positive images of the other. Her voice is that of the unheard voices, that of the children of Palestine, and the future of two peoples. It is our duty as peace researchers to assist Arna Mer Khamis in her battle for peace. IPRA protested officially in 1989 to the Israeli government against the closure of Palestinian schools and educational establishments, stressing the relationship between education and peace. However, this measure is insufficient. The support for Arna’s initiatives may encourage both Israelis and Palestinians to find similar creative initiatives to promote peace.
Information about Arna’s work has been taken from the following journals and reviews provided by herself to me during our encounter:
1. L’Autre Journal, March 1991
2. New Outlook, 41
3. One Land, Two People Journal, January 1991
4. Palestine, No. 102, March 1990
by: San’a Osseiran
This article appeared originally at http://www.arna.info