a call to protest

In January I went on my first protest in London. It was a protest against the Israeli attacks on Gaza organised by the Stop the War Coalition.

Prior to my trip to Lebanon last summer I had very little opportunity to engage with issues of peace or conflict, as I was brought up in the UK and therefore both seemed like fairly abstract constructs. Living in a place of peace was something I had taken for granted, and I could imagine living in a place of conflict no better than a fish can imagine living in a place without water.

I am therefore very grateful for the seven weeks I spent in Lebanon and know that the lessons I learnt from the people I met there will stay with me forever.

Upon my arrival in Beirut one of the first things that struck me was the war torn buildings juxtaposed with lavish new constructions, desperately trying to turn the image of the city from one of civil war to one of prosperity and wealth. Whilst the new square and expensive restaurants, shops and health clubs may deceive a visitor momentarily, one only has to stop and look around and there are plenty of clues as to Beirut’s conflict-ridden history.

To write a concise history of conflict in Lebanon is nearly impossible, but suffice to say internal divisions and a series of occupations and military campaigns by Israel has left it reeling, all be it disguised by a desperate attempt to mend differences and forge peace. Robert Fisk, perhaps Lebanon’s most famous resident, aptly titled his book on the modern history of Lebanon, ‘Pity the Nation’. Whilst Lebanon probably does not want our pity, I am certain that it needs our attention and support.

I had the privilege of living in Al-Bass Palestinian refugee camp in Sour, Southern Lebanon for six weeks, of living with local families and trying to understand the marginalisation experienced by the communities there. The people I met and lived with and the things I experienced still bring me to tears.

There are 400,000 Palestinians in Lebanon. They are forbidden by law to do anything other than manual labour or menial jobs, and are effectively the underclass of Lebanese society. They can’t own property outside the refugee camps, which are rapidly expanding with a non-corresponding expansion of amenities. Whilst these restrictions make the physical act of living difficult, of far greater impact is the influence these barriers have upon identity. The Palestinians of Lebanon are marginalised, neglected and deprived of any identity other than their Palestinian legacy. As a result militant groups such as Hezbollah find a captive audience amongst the camps, after all, if you have been deprived of all your rights there seems to be little alternative but violence.

Whilst teaching in the schools of two other camps I was struck by the way in which conflict is engrained into every day life. The Palestinian children of Lebanon are surrounded by violence and hatred, so that it becomes a very part of their identity. Instead of posters of pop stars, buildings in the camps have posters of suicide bombers who have killed Israelis. Instead of being excited about attending music concerts, children are excited about dressing up in military clothes and attending the latest Hamas or Fatah rally. This cycle of violence and revenge is stealing peoples childhoods and ultimately taking lives.

I do not believe that the establishment of Israel was God’s will. But this is not why I went on the protest. I went on this protest to demonstrate on behalf of the millions of people living in conflict situations that violence is not the answer. I believe there is another way, and I believe that living alongside those who are marginalised, oppressed and trodden on by society is one of the most important things that we can do.

I may not be able to attend a protest every time a Palestinian is killed by a settler in the West Bank, or an Israeli dies from a rocket attack by a Palestinian in Lebanon. But I hope that by not settling for an easy life of ignoring the conflict situations that permeate the world we live in, I will continue to protest in a different way.