Showing posts with label Bethlehem. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bethlehem. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry Christmas from Bethlehem

“It is unconscionable that Bethlehem should be allowed to die slowly from strangulation”
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
- See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/12/merry-christmas-from-the-little-ghetto-of-bethlehem#sthash.LPTIdjdD.dpuf

The little town of Bethlehem now lies behind one of Israel's apartheid walls:




This is one of Israel's many illegal apartheid walls. They are used to control Palestinian movement, separate Palestinian communities from each other and from the farm land that supports the communities, and to separate Palestinian and Israeli people from each other. The walls that have been built within the West Bank, as shown on this map, clearly demonstrate the on-going land grabs that Israel has been involved with in the illegally occupied territory. Through the use of these walls, which funnel the movement of Palestinian people towards Israeli controlled check points, Israel effectively "controls all Palestinian borders, all imports and exports, and all movement between towns and cities." Please see:  http://boycott4peace.blogspot.com/2014/10/it-is-up-to-us-to-be-change.html, for a view of the wall around Gaza, compete with automated guard tower.

Israel makes a point of identifying itself as a Jewish State, and as such, it discriminates equally against Christian and Muslim Palestinian people, as we see in the quote below:

"Residents of Beit Jala (a neighborhood in Bethlehem) held their last weekly mass Friday (1.24.14) in an area threatened by Israel's separation wall as locals awaited a decision from Israel's Supreme Court on an appeal to halt the land seizure.

"Around 60 Palestinians, internationals and representatives of the Catholic, Orthodox and Lutheran churches gathered on an olive tree-covered hilltop in the Cremisan Valley to pray for a halt to Israel's separation wall, which is set to annex the entire lush green area north of Beit Jala."
 From:  http://www.maannews.net/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=667741

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Read about how Bethlehem became a ghetto here:
http://threecupsofnescafe.blogspot.com/2011/12/merry-christmas-world-from-bethlehem.html


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"The Holy Land is Coveted.  It is profoundly walled.  Few outsiders realize to what extent."

Paul Salopek, Blessed. Cursed. Claimed.  On Foot Through the Holy Lands. National Geographic, December 2014.


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In the spirit of the season, please also visit our post, Jesus of Palestine.

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Merry Christmas from the little ghetto of Bethlehem - See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/12/merry-christmas-from-the-little-ghetto-of-bethlehem#sthash.LPTIdjdD.dpuf~~~  

Take Action!

Write the President: Why does the US support and arm ethnic cleansing?

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A special thank you to Sophia Ponders of, The Truth- Muslims, Christians and Jews Together for Palestine, for help with this post.

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Boycott for Peace! 
 
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“It is unconscionable that Bethlehem should be allowed to die slowly from strangulation”
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
- See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/12/merry-christmas-from-the-little-ghetto-of-bethlehem#sthash.LPTIdjdD.dpuf
“It is unconscionable that Bethlehem should be allowed to die slowly from strangulation”
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
- See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/12/merry-christmas-from-the-little-ghetto-of-bethlehem#sthash.LPTIdjdD.dpuf
“It is unconscionable that Bethlehem should be allowed to die slowly from strangulation”
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
- See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/12/merry-christmas-from-the-little-ghetto-of-bethlehem#sthash.LPTIdjdD.dpuf
“It is unconscionable that Bethlehem should be allowed to die slowly from strangulation”
- Archbishop Desmond Tutu
- See more at: http://mondoweiss.net/2011/12/merry-christmas-from-the-little-ghetto-of-bethlehem#sthash.LPTIdjdD.dpuf

Friday, December 5, 2014

Palestinian Embroidery




Palestinian Cultural Heritage

Palestinian Embroidery

Palestinian embroidery is a powerful form of art that captures the rich historical significance of the Middle Eastern culture. Located at the crossroads between Europe and Asia, Palestine costumes have come to embody the sacredness of its role as gatekeepers of all that is prized in each civilization. Today, traditional clothing is primarily worn by the older generation of Palestinian mothers, and by the younger generations during celebrations and festivals. The Palestinian costumes have been widely cherished as a symbol of Palestinian resiliency throughout its history.

The A shape style of the dress can be traced back to 1200 B.C during the days of the Canaanites. The square chest piece and lower back panel are visible symbols adapted from Roman tunics of the seventh century. It does not take a lot to imagine the pride the Palestinian people have for their costumes for them to remain a living part of their heritage from antiquity until today. These cultural characteristics from past predecessors occupy a place in the Palestinian costume as the integration of cultures create the most beautiful masterpieces.

Designs of the Palestinian costumes tell their own narratives of Palestinian identity. The S pattern or the leach pattern indicates the importance of leaches in medicine for treating the ill, historically. The cup shape character on Palestinian costumes is often associated to Jericho, symbolizes the prosperity and wealth in years past. Costumes adorned with the interlacing patterns to represent Jesus and the four evangelists are indicative of the people of Bethlehem. 

In recent years Palestinian women have relied on embroidery as a source of livelihood. Incomes that have drastically decreased to the high unemployment rates of today, high percentage of men imprisoned in Israeli jails and high costs of living have pushed Palestinian women to supplement their incomes by working in embroidery. These women work from their homes for heritage and cultural organizations that then sell the costumes to the public. It is a replica of the British cottage industry of the nineteenth century that allows women to maintain a strong presence in maintaining family values and norms around the home while earning a financial living.

More insight into the cultural importance of  Palestinian costumes influencing medieval dress is found in this lecture given by Hanan K. Munayyer. http://www.loc.gov/today/cyberlc/feature_wdesc.php?rec=5704


Images of Palestinian costumes are located within the website of the Palestine Heritage Foundation. 1. http://palestineheritage.org/gallery.htm
2.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=boEzq37Y64U
3.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YJXC046hzXQ

Visit these stores to empower Palestinian women by buying their handmade products.
1. http://shopinpalestine.com/index.php?cPath=9&osCsid=943372e28b077e54bbaa61de7741cb2c
2. http://www.sunbula.org
3.http://www.sunbula.org/sunbulashop/einside.php?id=95&linkid=95

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Boycott for Peace! 

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