In short, the Palestinians live under an occupation without a clear path toward statehood. Israel’s reluctance to stop building settlements, let alone dismantle those in the West Bank, makes the occupation seem unshakeable. This is especially true when one considers the United States’ reluctance or inability to significantly influence Israeli foreign policy.

So what options do the Palestinians have? Since the delegation I am traveling with (Christian Peacemaker Teams) rejects violent solutions, we spent a lot of time talking to groups seeking nonviolent solutions. I was deeply impressed with what I heard. In earlier posts I mentioned NGOs such as the Israeli Committee Against Home Demolitions which works to document Palestinian home demolitions by Israeli forces, and Breaking the Silence an Israeli group which documents human rights abuses by the military. We also met with and protested with Women in Black, a group that protests, among other things, against the Israeli occupation. We met with the Wi’am Palestinian Conflict Resolution Center which uses mediation techniques to resolve conflict with the Palestinian community. All of these organizations were comprised of committed individuals nonviolently trying, albeit in different ways, to change the political situation.

In addition to these wonderful organizations, two stood out to me in particular. One was Canaan Fair Trade (CFT), located near Jenin, the third largest city in the West Bank. (On a side note, CFT is just a few minutes from the fourth oldest church in Palestine where Jesus was believed to have cured the leper at the well.) In 2004, when farmers were receiving as little as six shekels for a kilo of olive oil, many famers were considering selling their land. As a result, CFT organized the Palestinian Free Trade Association (PFTA), a cooperative, in order to help olive oil producers receive a better wage for their product. In effect, CFT purchases oil from PFTA and connects the producer with the consumer. Thanks to the cooperative, last year farmers received 32 shekels per kilo. The oil is certified organic and fair trade.

Vivian, our very knowledgeable and gracious host at CFT explained how the occupation has limited markets for many Palestinian farmers and led to very low prices for their crops. Unable to make a living off the land and support their family, many relied on some sort of outside help, or to use her term, “handout.” Vivian explained how as a result of this dependency many famers suffer a lack of identity and self-worth. Subsequently, being able to successfully produce and sell their crop has enabled them to reclaim their identity and self-worth. No longer do they depend on handouts, but they have something to produce and sell. She also noted how the cooperative is helping to “re-weave” the community. (You can learn more about CFT and fair trade olive oil, as well as their microloans, tree planting, and other products)

When we think of nonviolent action, thoughts of picking olives are not what usually come to mind. However, growing gardens and farming are a form of resistance. By growing food, one reduces their dependence on the oppressor and enables them to live productive lives despite being oppressed. The Polish people adopted a similar strategy under Soviet influence during the Cold War by seeking to create an alternative society. The first Intifada also attempted a similar strategy. The thought is that oppressed people can nonviolently resist unjust governments by ignoring them and creating their on institutions (e.g., schools, decision-making structures, etc.). This takes away the ability of the unwanted government to control the people. It also gives the people a sense of autonomy and confidence. Consequently, these societies, once they come to power, are better equipped to create a stable democracy, since the people are empowered and civil society is relatively strong.

We learned about a more traditional form of nonviolence in the West Bank from Sami Awad. Nonviolence runs in his family. His Uncle Mubarak Awad was thrown out of Israel in the 1980s for organizing nonviolent activities against the occupation. Awad is the director of the Bethlehem based Holy Land Trust, an organization which “seeks to strengthen and empower the Palestinian community in developing spiritual, pragmatic and strategic approaches that will allow it to resist all forms of oppression and build a future that makes the Holy Land a global model and pillar of understanding, respect, justice, equality and peaceful coexistence.”

Awad was optimistic about the current state of nonviolent action. He believes there is more openness in the Palestinian community to nonviolence and more meetings and organizing about nonviolence than ever. What struck me the most about Awad’s talk to our group was not his emphasis on the need for nonviolence to end the suffering of the Palestinian people; that is a given for proponents of Palestinian nonviolence. Awad expressed concern for the Israeli community as well. He noted, in true MLK, Jr. fashion, his concern that oppressing another person, or people, is destructive not only for the victim, but also for the oppressor. As evidence he cited the current Israeli discussion about how the occupation is destroying the moral fabric of Jewish society.

To me, concern for the oppressed, as well as the oppressor, is a distinguishing feature of Christian nonviolence. To love one’s enemy, including one’s oppressor, is commanded by Christ. It’s a difficult command to follow, but one that demonstrates the wisdom and love of a God who is concerned about humanity as a whole.

One final note needs to be made on nonviolent activity in Palestine. Virtually every person we talked to supported the current global BDS (boycott, divestment, and sanction) movement, which seeks to put economic and political pressure on Israel to comply with international law. There is some evidence that the boycott, fashioned after the one employed against apartheid in South Africa, is beginning to generate concern in Israel.

Boycotts in South Africa as well the American South in the 1960s were important factors leading to the eventual rejection of race-based laws. In South Africa, as well as the American South in the 1960s, when businesses were significantly effected by boycotts, many business leaders pressured their governments to change their race-based policies. It is way too early to determine whether boycotts are the answer for the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but it seems to be a promising start. Learn more about the BDS movement.

In sum, the brave and visionary men and women we met were very impressive. Some were Christians, some were Jews, and some were Muslims. Some sought to document abuses, some actively sought to resolve conflicts. I hope and pray the nonviolent movement will continue to build momentum and lead to a solution that leads to security for both Israel and Palestine.