In Nabi Saleh, Women Stand Up

Being a woman in Nebi Saleh might be different from being a woman in any other Palestinian village. Creating Budhur can be considered as a civic act: “Because we, women, are a part of the society, we want to play a role in our own community”, told Nareman Tamimi, the president of Budhur. “Through our actions, we are a strength for the community too and we should be considered as such”, she added.

Budhur does not have a regular agenda nor a fixed place to meet. From six core persons, they grew to one hundred, since every woman in the village has attended, now and then, the activities. “We organise workshops – the first one was on how to communicate, we have a greenhouse which we take care of, we also help the widows – two of them being part of the core. Finally, we work with the children and the elderly”, explained Nareman. “This is voluntary work. We don’t make any money out of it”, she added.

Mentioning money, the main problem they face is funding. Up to now, they have been self-sufficient. “We are all relatives and we gather in each other’s house”, hence no need to rent a local. Though, if they want to grow, they would need funding, which they have been trying to raise. “I know many people throughout the West Bank through which we have been trying to get some support”, told Nareman.

Despite their status as housewives, the initiative has been well accepted. “In our society, women don’t usually go out. They stay at home and take care of the children”, said Ibrahim Tamimi. Budhur, though, has received the support of the men of the village. “At first, some of them said ‘What are you doing?’”, Nareman explained, “but then they understood that we play an important role as well”. “We have their full support”, added Manal Tamimi, Nareman’s older cousin, also part of Budhur’s core. “We are human and we have rights. The right don’t discriminate between man and woman”, continued Ibrahim Tamimi.

Since January 5, the villages of Nebi Saleh and Dir-Nizam have been demonstrating together weekly against the extension of the Israeli Halamish settlement that has led, since its construction in 1979, the Palestinians to see parts of their land confiscated and olive trees destroyed. Moreover, they are no longer allowed access to one of their wells.

See the video of the arrests on January 22.

Some women used to take part in those demonstrations “because this is our land too”, said Nareman. But as both Nareman and Manal were arrested and detained, twice, they don’t attend the marches the same way anymore. “They can go, but we have decided they have to stay at the back and don’t get involved from close”, explained Ibrahim. “The front rows are for the men. They have to protect the women”. Two weeks ago, however, both were arrested by the IDF soldiers inside their own house.

Following the arrest, they spent one week in custody, locked in a cell, without being allowed to talk to their families or go outside. Released after having paid 10,000 NIS, they are still waiting for their trial. “If we are found guilty, we might serve seven months in jail”, told Manal. “I am not scared for my own sake but I am scared for my children”, said this mother of four, her youngest son sitting on her lap. “Every time he sees an ambulance, he asks when the teargas and the soldiers will come”, she told.

“Israelis try to shut down and silence any strength inside the Palestinian society”, told Manal. “But I don’t think our involvement in women empowerment and in the community is the reason for us being arrested”, added Nareman.

Since Nareman and Manal’s arrests, women watch the demonstrations from the back.

Photo: Valentine Van Vyve

The two women nourish the hope that Budhur will grow and spread in other villages. “This is my dream”, told Manal, smiling. “We are in contact with women in other villages. Most of them are very interested in what we do”, she added.

If Nareman still attends the Friday’s demonstrations, from the back, Manal has decided to stay at home. “My kids are too scared”, she said.

Photo: Valentine Van Vyve

Despite that dream, Manal said she doesn’t believe in the future. “I live day by day, wondering what will happen next”, she said. “The toughest is for the children. We can’t make any plans for them. I don’t even know what tomorrow will bring…”, she concluded.

ps. The on the homepage was taken by Brady Ng - Women’ s Day Gathering in Al Manara, Ramallah