Example Reading Response Post
Response #1
Summary:
The Khairi family has been evacuated from their home in Al-Ramla and has taken refuge in Ramallah, along with thousands of other refugees. The conditions in the camps are crude: minimum food allowances, hardly no work, crime, water shortages, etc. Meanwhile, the Eschkenazis have selected Al-Ramla as their future residence and have selected the abandon house of the Khairis to take as their own. Moshe becomes finds work in managing the selling and distribution of the “absentees'” possessions and property.
The following are a couple of passages that stood out for me.
“Entire families camped on the ground, huddling around large metal dinner plans to spoon a few fava beans and lentils into their mouths…” (86) and “Zakia was selling her gold, but Bashir began to understand the humiliation of the refugee” (89). While I was aware that refugee camps are, by definition, crude places to be, I realized the emotional and psychological suffering that happens in addition to the physical hardship. Many of these people are not used to be poor, not used to going without. The Khairis are a middle-class family. I imagine that the impact of the humiliation lasts longer than the physical hardship. This section also made me think of how hatred and resentment must also fester in camps like these. In the minds of these refugees, there is a group responsible for the condition: Israel. Peace requires addressing these hatreds in addition to finding a home for the displaced. I was struck by the accuracy of the warning the Israeli minister of agriculture issued: the Palestinian refugees “will be moved by hatred and hopelessness and infinite hostility to wage war on us, regardless of any agreement that might be reached” (94) This is precisely what has happened over the last 60 years. Even when Palestinians and surrounding Arab states have reached agreement with Israel, the resentment and hatred of some have sabotaged the entire process.
Another Example:
I was struck by a couple of passages on how the refugee camps affected the children. One states that Bashir, then still a child, “breathed in humiliation and defeat” and that” avenging the loss of Palestine became a singular goal, even in play” (98). The children played “Arabs and Jews” and there was no question for the children who the good guys were. Childhood experiences impact us tremendously. Some psychologists work with childhood exclusively, assuming that all adult imbalance comes from problems in childhood and early relationships. It is hard to undo what is firmly planted in the young minds of children. I was disturbed too by the hateful song the children chanted at school: “Our aim is to return, death does not frighten us…we promise to shed our blood for you” (100). The song alone spells out a reason why the conflict is so hard to resolve. As children, they are taught that patriotism equals continuing the violent fight against the enemy. The same kind of distortions occured within Israel, where textbooks describe the Palestinians leaving there homes and fleeing like cowards. There is a hope in all of this, though. If schools can train hatred, then they can also break it down. I imagine any lasting solution to this problem will involve educating both Israeli and Palestinian populations in a new, more peaceful tradition.
Past Imperfect 