Peace is desperately needed in the Middle East. The world is watching with bated breath as the long-awaited ceasefire is in effect in Gaza after 15 months of unbearable conflict. We often feel helpless in the face of such complex, longstanding conflict. Act for Peace’s Ecumenical Accompaniment Program in Palestine and Israel (EAPPI) provides volunteer opportunities for passionate peacemakers to make a difference.
Act for Peace Content Lead, Aimée Keay, caught up with a returned Ecumenical Accompanier (EA), Naomi* who shared some insight into her experiences and the value of the EAPPI program.
How did you first get involved with EAPPI?
I had previously been to the occupied West Bank, volunteering with a legal centre in Jerusalem. At this time, I met people participating in the EAPPI program and was exposed to the remarkable work that the program was doing on the ground. I discovered there was an opportunity to participate as an Australian EA, and I jumped straight in. I think I was the third Australian EA to be deployed. This experience still remains one of the most impactful in my life.
Why did you want to be an EA?
Many elements of the program make it unique. What drew me to become an EA is the program is firmly rooted in community, and we journey alongside them. We live, eat, work, accompany, and connect with families, school communities, farming villages, workers and faith communities where we are placed. We are privileged to be invited to share in the lives of so many people, and in fact, it is these stories that we are asked to communicate when we return home.
The program is a direct response to the identified need for protective presence by the Palestinian community, and across three months we bear witness to the day-to-day life and challenges of the people across the Occupied West Bank.
I also appreciated the program brought together international participants, allowing our work to have broad-reaching audiences globally.
Can you share your experience of being an EA?
I was based in Hebron for three months. We had several routine activities that we were rostered on. We accompanied children in the morning and afternoons as they came and left school. There are high tensions in the closed area of Hebron (H2) as the settler communities have been established inside the Palestinian community. This means there are numerous checkpoints the students and teachers have to pass, as well as settlements, to get to their school. One of our main jobs was to monitor the areas around schools in the mornings and afternoons, to provide a protective presence for the children.
We were also rostered on to monitor the checkpoint for workers crossing into Israel. This meant leaving home around 3am to arrive at an already packed shed of workers, waiting for the gates to open at 6am to get through. We had some capacity to call relevant departments if there were issues with people getting through.
Further to the rostered tasks, we often documented house demolitions and collected testimonies after military incursions and attacks.
We also met with representatives from Israeli human rights organisations and the Australian government.
Can you share a few stories of your experience that stood out
The village of Um al Khair is a small, Bedouin community that survives despite the high levels of insecurity it faces due to the occupation and the harassment of the settlers from the Karmel settlement. Some of the Bedouin tents have received demolition orders and the ongoing theft of land, despite evidence of land ownership by the Palestinian community, making this one of the most vulnerable and impoverished villages in the West Bank. One aspect of the village life that is held in high regard is education. The library itself is a testament to the creativity of the village.
“There are only two shelves of books in the van, but the children and teachers with us understand the value of this treasure trove in this inhospitable environment.”
From the outside, one would easily be forgiven for thinking that they are looking at an abandoned, rusty van. But slide back the door and you can hear the children shrieking with delight as they show you the books that are available to read. This rickety van, with its wheels missing and its twisted, rusting sheets of metal, provides an anchor for the community.
With education services becoming more permanent fixtures of this community, the idea of building a school changes to the reality of building a community. There are only two shelves of books in the van, but the children and teachers with us understand the value of this treasure trove in this inhospitable environment. So, while this isn’t quite a mobile library, this van still has the power to transport the children to another world.
“In half a day a lifetime of work crumbled before our eyes. Often demolition orders are posted out of sight of the farmers, or in some cases they say they don’t receive them.”
Attending and documenting demolitions was a key role for our placement. We would get a notice come through and we would head to the incident scene. Our role was to record and hear testimonies and prepare reports to be sent to UN agencies. I remember one day we were called out to a farming community that was close to a settlement. There is always tension in this area as settlement expansion is predicated on Palestinians being forced to leave their land.
I remember feeling the heat in the day and with the entire farm demolished there was nowhere to keep the stock in the shade. They were desperate to get their livestock out of the sun and milked, which necessitated the equipment that had been destroyed. In half a day a lifetime of work crumbled before our eyes. Often demolition orders are posted out of sight of the farmers, or in some cases they say they don’t receive them. There is no time to evacuate and save equipment, or in the case of house demolitions your personal belongings or safe keeps.
What would your message be to anyone considering becoming an EA?
The role of an EA is demanding and rewarding. You live for three months in an environment that will take you out of your comfort zone, that will ask you to bear witness to challenging and confronting incidents; an environment that will shape memories and experiences that will be with you forever.
There is an intensity that is unique to this type of placement, bonds that are forged and deep experiences that will elicit the full spectrum of emotions.
The role has two distinct but interwoven aspects; to spend time learning and hearing stories from the communities, and then to come home and share widely what you have witnessed. Both elements are equally important. We build trust with the communities where we are placed, and we have the responsibility to share the stories that they gift us. It is important that an EA can commit to these two parts of the program.
What can they expect in the training and preparation to become an EA?
There are a number of steps prior to deployment, allowing for a deep understanding of the role, the principles and the parameters of the program. Training and preparation are comprehensive to ensure that participants who choose to deploy can make informed decisions regarding their suitability for the placement. There is comprehensive support along the journey and an experienced team on hand to provide intensive and bespoke guidance.
What makes a great EA?
Being an EA is an experience that will likely never be replicated again for a person. There is an intensity of experience that is particular to a program that provides a protective presence. EAs need to navigate many environments, often unfamiliar and within strict program parameters. A great EA will need to build rapport, safety and trust with their house team. They will need to communicate respectfully with all the actors they come across and de-escalate any tense situations. They will be willing to listen, learn and hold space for people who are experiencing hardship and pain. EAs are required to be flexible and commit to routines that are not your regular nine-to-five.
Why is now a good time to consider this opportunity?
More than ever there is an urgent need for international engagement in this conflict. As an EA you witness life under occupation and engage with local Palestinians and Israelis who are non-violently pursuing a just peace. It is the right time to be part of this monumental change that requires courage and commitment to see a better future for everyone.
Every day, persecution and human rights abuses destroy people’s lives and fuel conflict in the Middle East. But your presence can help prevent these injustices.
EAPPI is currently open to expressions of interest for a three-month deployment for international observers in East Jerusalem or the West Bank, to live alongside both Palestinian families living under military occupation and Israeli human rights defenders.
To find out more about the volunteer opportunities of the EAPPI program and how you can get involved visit the EAPPI webpage.
*name changed for privacy reasons.
