Spending My Shekels on Palestine

Before setting off to Jerusalem, I sat down and thought very carefully about how I wanted to spend my money in the city.

A lot of people who support the Palestinian cause are careful to boycott Israeli products but a lot fewer have the chance to actively support the Palestinian economy. Visiting Jerusalem would be my chance to throw in my shekels for the Palestinian economy so I want to make sure I get it right. Basically I need to avoid propping up Israeli businesses while I am there and although I am not spending thousands, if you put together all the money tourist spend it really does start to add up.

According to the Word Travel Market Global Trends forecast, by 2011 the number of tourist visiting the Middle East will have increased to 55 million people a year. These visitors are estimated to bring in revenue worth $51 billion to the region. Now, that is a lot of money. Spent in the right way a tourist's money could really help Palestinians, especially in Jerusalem where the economy is built on local businesses related to tourism. Hotels, restaurants, souvenir shops and stalls are where Palestinian Jerusalemites make their living and so when a Muslim like me visits, I have a real opportunity to positively contribute to its economy.

How do I support the Palestinian economy?

“It's really quite simple,” answers Mrs. Salhab from the Hashimi Hotel in Jerusalem. “Don't buy from the Jewish Quarter or stay in Israeli hotels and look for Palestinians wherever you are staying or eating. The Arab Hotel Association is really useful as it has a list of Palestinian hotels to stay in across the whole of Palestine.”

The Arab Hotel Association was established in Jerusalem in 1962, to represent Palestinian hotels and currently has 56 members with over 3,700 guest rooms. It also runs a center to train Palestinian tourism professionals to help them compete in an increasingly competitive industry. The Alternative Tourism Group of Bethlehem has also joined forces with other Palestinian organizations to come up with 'A Code of Conduct' which gives advice on how to support “a just and responsible tourism in Palestine.” It has some great suggestions such as using local guides, transportation and spending more time getting to know Palestinians and their way of life.

Another place to support the economy is the particularly vibrant Muslim Quarter in Jerusalem's Old City. You can buy almost anything from here, safe in the knowledge that you are supporting the Palestinian community.

Jerusalem's Economy after the Intifada

The tourism industry is now buoyed by streams of pilgrims and optimism about its future. As recently as 2000, the industry suffered a severe downfall as political turmoil erupted in the country and visitors kept away due to fears for their safety. In the wake of the Al Aqsa Intifada in 2000, the tourism industry fell by the unprecedented amount of 50% and four years later reports were stating that the volume of tourism was still some 45% lower than pre-intifada levels.

“After 2000 things were very bad, and not for a few months but for a very long time,” reaffirms Sarah who runs a Muslim-friendly hotel in the Muslim Quarter. “It took a long time for things to get better and in consideration of the economic situation worldwide and Gaza, things are remarkably strong.”

Even so, reports by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) noted that the Israeli security measures such as checkpoints, curfews and roadblocks fragmented the Palestinian economy and pushed it further into decline. A report by the World Bank this June 2009 also found that recent post-conflict economic recovery has been hampered by Israeli restrictions on Palestinian trade and movement. As a result, Palestinians are becoming more rather than less dependent on foreign aid.

In these circumstances, it is more important than ever that Muslims are supporting the Palestinian economy sustainable by visiting the holy city and investing in its economy. As Sarah add, “Jerusalem sees so much of everyone but it would be great to see more Muslim visitor, especially from the UK and Europe, supporting the Palestinian economy.”

Link to the Article online

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Muslim Fashion: A Leap of Faith?

Integrating faith and fashion is no easy task.

Just ask the millions of Muslims across the Western world, who endure endlessly frustrating trips to the mall, trying to find something- anything- to wear which is remotely suitable. Many complain that when it comes to fashion, the Western world just does not accommodate Muslims. In the last couple of years, however, things have begun to change in the West. Blogs, website and festivals on 'Muslim Fashion' are growing all the time and new Muslim designers are emerging, bringing with them new perspectives on fashion. But is 'wearing' your faith really a positive development?

Whilst many are happy to have more suitable clothing available, others fear that 'Muslim Fashion' is leading young Muslims down a path of senseless consumption and is actually distracting from real Islam. I spoke with two Muslim designers, Melih Kesmen and Sarah Elenany, to tackle this dilemma.

Tackling stereotypes with T-shirts

Melih Kesmen is probably not what you have in mind when you think of a fashion designer. A devout German Muslim of Turkish descent, he is a qualified graphic designer with a wife and young son named Isaak. Yet following 9/11 and the incident involving the offensive caricatures of the Prophet Mohammed printed in Denmark, Kesmen decided to launch StyleIslam. “After September 11th we as Muslims are always on the defensive,” he explains. “Bad articles in the media, propaganda all around the world- my idea was to find a positive way to tackle these media problems.”

StyleIslam is modern and stylish brand of men and women's clothing proudly declaring Muslim values such as the virtues of sunnah and du'a. In fact, it was the caricature incident which motivated Kesmen to design his first T-shirt emblazoned with the words 'I love my Prophet'. These proved to be extremely popular and encouraged Kesmen to launch his brand. “It would have been nice to have launched for a nicer reason but it was a start and as a Muslim you have to say allhamdulillah,” he admits.

Talking to Kesmen, it seems clear that StyleIslam is deeply rooted in Islamic values and was launched by a need to protect Islam rather than commercialize it. The brand, which is available to Muslims across the world, remains outspoken on issues concerning Muslims in the West. Amongst its women's range are items stating 'Hijab, My Right, My Choice, My Life'. Yet what sparked controversy was StyleIslam's now discontinued 'Jesus was a Muslim' t-shirt. “We didn't expect this to be such an issue because for us as Muslims it's nothing new; of course Jesus was a Muslim.”

Kesmen explains that the negative reaction is rooted in a lack of understanding of Islam and Muslims in the West. “There are many that have prejudices and bad views about Muslims and so they think we are being aggressive and say 'These Muslims want to provoke us'.” Kesmen was even contacted by people from Bavaria, in Germany where he lives, and threatened with the police and more. “We want to build bridges, that is our real motivation and so we changed it to 'Jesus and Mohammed, brothers in faith' and since then we haven't had any complaints or radical reactions allhamdulillah!”


Modesty in the mainstream

Luckily for Sarah Elenany, the 24-year old behind the label 'Elenany', the response to her modest clothing range has been less controversial. “From the target Muslim market the expression 'Finally!' keeps popping up. There’s also been good response from non-Muslims and I've had quite a few customers who aren't Muslim!” she says.

Elenany's new range was launched in May 2009 and includes modest clothing with bold graphic designs of two hands held up in prayer. Her background in engineering product design has also been useful as she explains that her collection “is born out a 'design for need' philosophy”. This means that it has been designed with the user, or young Muslim women and their needs, in mind.

The London-based fashion designer explained that the lack of suitable, modest clothing motivated her to launch the clothing range. “Being a young Muslim woman I always found it difficult to find clothing that I felt covered me up properly, which wasn’t the traditional abayas and jilbabs...There was a gap in the market for modest clothing for young people.” Despite, a clear understanding of the business side of the industry, Elenany insists that Muslim fashion is not about commercializing Islam. “I don’t think anything anyone ever does will water down Islam. And if Muslim fashion means bringing Islam into the mainstream- so people have the opportunity to better understand it- then I think that’s a good thing.”


Islamic Values in Fashion


Whilst many warn that Muslim fashion can be an unwelcome distraction from important Islamic values, both Elenany and StyleIslam have stuck to their beliefs. Sarah Elenany explained that while launching her collection was difficult, she was keen that her Islamic values were reflected in the manufacturing process: “I think getting the clothing manufactured will always be a major issue with any clothing label. For me, the process took a bit longer as I had to find a place to get them manufactured where, in line with Islamic ethics, I was confident the workers were getting a fair wage as well as working in good environmental conditions.”


StyleIslam was also adamant that those in need benefited from the commercial success of the label. 'Style and Sadaqa' is major feature of the website which states that 'StyleIslam is not only top street and casual wear for young people with an attitude, it also stands for helpfulness and brotherliness.' Kesmen added: “For me personally, I thought what is my responsibility? Well of course to communicate and convey the messages of Islam and the other thing is to earn your rizk [provision] to feed your family. After that we must help those who need our support and so every time you buy a t-shirt money goes to the orphan kids in Africa.”

Elenany and Kesmen were also keen to dispel any notions that they had fully resigned themselves to a Western way of life obsessed with image and fashion. Elenany insisted that Muslim fashion was not about beautifying yourself to attract other men but was a means of self-expression- something which is a legitimate part of Islam.

Kesmen also hoped that StyleIslam was building a bridge between the two worlds and inspiring young Muslims to embrace their Muslim roots. “Within the Western world, of course there are things that are not compatible with Islam such as drinking and naked women” remarked Kesmen. “But as intelligent people we should be able differentiate and so work with what we can do. As Islam says Allah is beautiful and loves beauty- what more inspiration do you need than that!”


Link to IslamOnline for the article

Islamic Architecture in Jerusalem

Haram al-Sharif: first qibla, second mosque and third holiest site in Islam

Nestled in the old city walls of Jerusalem, the Haram al-Sharif, or al-Aqsa Sanctuary, is the single most sacred site in the Holy Land. As the first qibla in Islam and third holiest site after Mecca and Medinah, this vast promenade also marks the blessed site of Prophet Muhammad's [pbuh] ascension to heaven. Indeed, Allah has blessed and honored this site for mankind to reap spiritual and material benefits even before the Prophet's [pbuh] ascension.

As Surah al-Isra reveals:
(Holy is He Who carried His servant by night from the Holy Mosque (in Makkah) to the Farther Mosque (in Jerusalem) whose surroundings We have blessed that We might show him some of Our Signs. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing. ) [Al-Isra 17:1]

The Surah here refers to the al-Aqsa Sanctuary as the farthest mosque (or Masjid al-Aqsa in Arabic) and indeed the entire sanctuary is considered to be the second mosque built on earth- forty years after the Ka'bah was built. To commemorate the sacredness of this sanctuary as well as the historical events which had occurred within, Muslims across time have built numerous mosques and monuments within its boundaries. The most famous of these include the glimmering gold Dome of the Rock and the black-domed Masjid al-Aqsa.

Dome of the Rock- Icon of Islam

The Dome of the Rock or 'Qubbet as-Sakhra' is often held up as the first work of Islamic architecture and also the finest and most iconic symbol of Islam. As the name suggests, this mosque enclaves a sacred rock which many believe the Prophet Muhammad [pbuh] used to ascend to heaven during al-Isra and al-Miraj. Under the first ruling Muslim dynasty the Ummayads, 'Abd al-Malik made a concerted effort to beautify Jerusalem and endow it with the gleaming Dome of the Rock as well as the Masjid al-Aqsa.

The eight-sided building has undergone very little alteration since it was completed in the late sixth century. Some scholars have even stated that judging from the design of the building, a dome over the rock and double octagonal walls, it was not meant to serve as a mosque at all but solely meant to commemorate the sacred rock. Centrally focused on the rock, the building appears to have been built as a place of pilgrimage which could be circumambulated like the Ka'bah.

Architectural Masterpiece

Built in typical Byzantine style, the mosque seamlessly combines marble columns, striking blue mosaics, stained glass windows with a glittering golden dome. Qubbet as-Sakhra is accessible through flights of stairs each crowned by an arcade which leads to the raised platform on which the mosque sits. The large central dome (around 25 meters high and 20 meters in diameter) is placed on a cylindrical wall or 'drum' which is decorated with sixteen windows and is supported by twelve stone columns arranged in a circle within the mosque. The wooden dome which is covered with gold-plated lead is located directly above the sacred rock.

Each of the eight exterior walls of the octagon is divided into seven panels. The lower section is gray veined marble and the upper is decorated with magnificent porcelain tiles from Turkey. Intricately designed windows adorning the top of every panel let in light which softly illuminates the inside of the mosque. Mosaics of deep blue and green glass which once enveloped the upper panel walls were almost completely replaced in the Ottoman period by Turkish tiles, however some originals remain inside.

At the very top of these exterior walls, a narrow band of Arabic inscription written in white letters against a blue background weaves 250m of Qu'ran around the building. These inscriptions which highlight the tenants of Islam and the prophet Muhammad as the final messenger, reflect the important role of the Dome of the Rock in a Jerusalem filled with monuments to Judaism and Christianity.

The mosque has four entrance from the north, south, east and west which take you through to the most lavish and spectacular interior designs of the monument. The mosaics inside the Qubbet as-Sakhra apply elaborate geometric patterns against a gold foil and in mother-of-pearl background intertwined with vegetal (stylized fruits, flowers and trees). The supporting bars above the central columns have even retained their bronze facing from the Mamluk and Ottoman period and are classically decorated with palmettes, acanthus leaves and vine tendrils.

Internally, the dome of Qubbet as-Sakhra is also magnificently decorated with concentric circles of painted and gilded arabesques which date back to the restoration of Ottoman Sultan Mehmed II in 1818.

Masjid Al-Aqsa: Spiritual Centre of Jerusalem

The second building constructed on the Haram al-Sharif is the black-domed Masjid al-Aqsa. Built 709 – 715 AD by Caliph Abd' al-Malik, this large mosque accommodates around 5,000 people and is dedicated to Bilal the first muezzin of Islam.

Masjid al-Aqsa has also been significantly re-built and modified several times due to major earthquakes and religious conflicts in the region. For example, under the Crusaders the mosque was converted into a church known as 'Solomon's Temple' up until 1187 AD when Saladin reclaimed Jerusalem and the Haram as a Muslim sanctuary. It also believed that the mosque was preceded by an earlier construction associated with Caliph Umar Ibn al-Khattab who cleared the Haram al-Sharif of debris and erected a simple mosque named Masjid al-'Umari.

In the light of this history, the present mosque is an elegant building- spacious, calm and perfectly suited to prayers and quiet contemplation. It has nine entrances; seven through the northern wall, one on the east and another on the west sides.

Topped with graceful arches, the northern entrances lead into the seven aisles of the mosque which are separated by massive columns. Of the 45 columns, 12 are made of stone and 33 are made from white marble- some of these marble columns were even donated by Benito Mussolini! The main arched doorway leads into the central aisle which has a beautifully painted and carved elevated roof and an elegant mihrab. The masjid's walls are also decorated with 121 stained-glass windows styled in geometric patterns and Qu'ranic inscriptions which illuminate the interior. .

The graceful silver-black dome which we see today is the outcome of a series of reconstructions, some of which occurred as recently as 1969. The dome, which had been previously reinforced using concrete and anodized aluminum, was reconstructed using lead enamelwork to match the original design of the architects.

Internally, the dome is decorated with intricate mosaics and marble designs from the fourteenth century. Mosaics above the central aisle arch and around the drum of the dome are even older and date back to 1035 AD. Saladin also gave the mosque a magnificent carved wooden minbar to commemorate the freedom of Jerusalem from the Crusaders, which was sadly burnt in an arson attack in 1969. It's important to note that when the Qu'ran refers to Masjid al-Aqsa, it is not the black-domed mosque later named in its honor which is implied but the entire al-Aqsa sanctuary.

Blessed Land and Not Blessed Buildings

Finally, while we must celebrate the magnificent mosques and monuments built by Muslims to commemorate this holy sanctuary, we must remember that it is the land of the al-Aqsa Sanctuary that is blessed and not its buildings. Indeed at the time of the Prophet Muhammad mosques were built only with functionality in mind. Designs were simple and mosques constructed using sun-dried mud bricks. Despite their humble simplicity, these mosques wholeheartedly fulfilled their essential purpose as a communal space for the faithful to gather and to pray.

What's behind the Israeli Separation Wall? Implications for Jerusalem

Click here to enlarge © Arwa Aburawa

Walking around the ancient streets and spice markets of Jerusalem, it is easy to forget that this city is under Israeli occupation. Daily life flows smoothly between shopping mothers, kids at schools and old men sitting outside shops drinking coffee. Nothing really seems out of place, until you look a little closer. Firstly, there are Israeli soldiers walking through the market and streets, on buses, queuing at the post office and eating falafel- they are everywhere. Another thing that makes you realize that something is very wrong is the Wall.

Building a 'Greater Jewish Jerusalem'

Known as the Separation or Apartheid Wall, it is a menacing symbol of hatred and fear. How could anyone think it is okay to build an 8-meter high concrete Wall running over 723kms long around an entire community? A Wall that is trapping them into what is effectively an open-air prison? According to the International Court of Justice the Wall is illegal and in violation of the Right to self-determination, the Fourth Geneva Convention, the International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights as well as various human rights and humanitarian laws.

Defenders of the Wall reply that Israeli is simply exercising its right to protect itself from Palestinian suicide bombers. Maybe. But why is Israel building the Wall deep within the West Bank annexing nearly 50% of Palestinian land in the region, pushing Palestinians out of Jerusalem as well as incorporating illegal Israeli settlements into a 'Greater Jewish Jerusalem'?

Daoud Hamoudi of Stop the Wall, the anti-apartheid organization based in the West Bank, explains that as Jerusalem is the political, economic and spiritual center of the country, Israel realized that it would need to have control over it. “Because Jerusalem is such an important center, Israel began to isolate it from the beginning and annex it.”

“More recently in 2002,” he adds, “scientists reported to the Zionist movement that by 2025 the Palestinian population will become 60% in historical Palestine and the Jews will become a minority at 40%. So they took a decision that they needed to reduce the Palestinian population to 30%.”

Pushing Palestinians Out

Within Jerusalem specifically, the Palestinian population currently stands at around 33% and the Zionist movement decided that this would need to be reduced to 8% in the coming 25 years. The plan for a 'Greater Jewish Jerusalem' details the methods and policies that would bring such a reduction in the Palestinian population.

“The first policy they implemented is the Wall which annexes the settlement blocs into Jerusalem and isolates the Palestinian neighborhoods and you are taking about almost half of the population of Jerusalem, around 120,000” says Hamoudi. “They also manipulated natural growth of the cities so that Arab cities grow outside the center whilst Jewish neighborhoods grow towards Jerusalem.”

This means that Palestinian neighborhoods surrounding Jerusalem now have to cross the Wall to enter Jerusalem and so they begin to rely on major cities further out in the West Bank, totally severing their connection with Jerusalem. “The farmers would normally depend on Jerusalem to sell their produce but they now have to depend on places like Ramallah in the West Bank. They are isolating them into ghettos.”

Bringing Israeli Settlements In

The second implication of the Wall and securing a 'Greater Jewish Jerusalem' is that it is absorbs major illegal settlement blocs which sit around Jerusalem. This includes the largest Jewish Settlement, Ma'ale Adumim which has a population of around 35,000 and plans to grow to 50,000. In fact Hamoudi reported that the Zionist movement wants to bring another 1 million Jewish immigrants to live in these blocs, in an attempt to resolve the 'demographic issue' and secure Jewish dominance across Jerusalem.

Settler roads have also played a part in this demographic 're-balance.' “Maybe in the States or Europe roads and highway networks are something normal but here it is not,” states Hamdoudi. “These roads are not only confiscating lands they are also isolating people from their lands. For example in Silwan [a Palestinian neighborhood in Jerusalem] they will destroy around 92 homes under the name of 'development' to build a park for settlers and a highway to make it easier for settlers from Bethlehem to reach the Wailing Wall.”

This re-drawing of Jerusalem is a political effort to dominate the Holy City with a Jewish majority at the expense of the Christian and Muslim Palestinians. “What was East Jerusalem will become 31% of the Greater Jewish Jerusalem” Hamoudi elaborates. “Also within this area, they have confiscated around 45-65% as Green land which cannot be built on and State lands for settlements. So that leaves them with only 10% of the Greater Jewish Jerusalem.” At only 10%, the Palestinians would become a very small minority at the mercy of the Israeli state which threatens the very future existence of this historic community in Jerusalem.

Formation of Palestinian Identity

Palestinians have been divided and systematically fragmented since the Nakba (disaster) of 1948 which tore them from their homes and dispersed them across the world. There are those living within Israel who are separated from those living in the West Bank, and both are cut off from those in Gaza; Palestinians living in refugee camps throughout the Arab world and those in the global Diaspora.

Currently, there is an estimated 9.3-10 million Palestinians worldwide and despite the geographical boundaries, Palestinian identity remains strong for the very same reason it was formed; to resist and unite against occupation.

The dynamics of Palestinian Identity

Palestinian identity has always been at the heart of the Israel-Palestine conflict not only because it inextricably links Palestinians with their homeland but because it is also a means of resistance. It is a constant reminder of what was taken away from the Palestinians and a symbol of the ongoing battle with Israel for their right of existence. While many people relate the Palestinian struggle to those living in the West Bank and Gaza, those living within Israel face an equally difficult battle for their Palestinian identity.

As Nadim Nashif, the director of Baladna (Our Homeland in Arabic) an organization which works to foster Palestinian identity in youth living in Israel, remarks: "Particularly for those living in Israel, expressing Palestinian identity is a form of resistance to the Israeli occupation. It is a way to say 'No' to the injustice and the discrimination that they face. When you feel threatened and are not treated as an equal but a second-class citizen, identity becomes something that you carry with you and try to protect."

Around the 19th century, Palestinian identity was being carefully articulated under the Ottoman Empire around religion, notions of Arabism and Palestine as a homeland. These loyalties were carefully balanced with a sense of allegiance to family as society was organized around small agricultural units as well as around a regional commitment to wider Arab nationalism. This unity was subsequently strengthened by the colonial occupation of the British Mandate from 1920-1948 as well as the powerful Zionist movement which began to displace the Palestinians through Jewish mass migration.

The formative stages of the Palestinian identity occurred under colonial rule and threat of occupation and were reflected in the need to unite the entire Palestinian nation against a common threat. As Nashif explains; "When you have a big conflict, the small issues suddenly don't seem important. I mean there are obviously natural tensions between Muslim and Christian Palestinians but as there is a national conflict, religious divisions are less significant."

'Arab Israeli' identity was to disconnect Palestinians from their Palestinian identity. © Arwa Aburawa

A Motivated Palestinian-Free Identity

This unity and strength of the Palestinian identity, however, seems to pose a risk to the Israeli state. You only have to look at the way with which the Israeli government suppressed the celebrations of Jerusalem as Capital of Arab Culture 2009. They see that the expression of Palestinian identity and pride as a direct threat.

Furthermore, Nashif points to the attempts by the Israeli government to weaken the Palestinian identity by issuing an alternative 'Arab Israeli' IDs. “Since the 1950's, Israel has tried to create the terminology of Arab Israelis which we think is incorrect mainly because we are Palestinians. The main idea behind forcing the 'Arab Israeli' identity was to disconnect Palestinians from their Palestinian identity and to say that these are just Arabs who are also Israelis.”

It was very clear from the beginning that the Israeli state wanted to proliferate this notion of Arab Israeli's, especially among the Palestinian youths living in Israel. Through the Israeli Ministry of Education they created a curriculum which did not mention Palestine or even the word Palestinians.

As Nashif states, “In the 1948 war there were at least two stories; there is the Zionist discourse and also the Palestinian discourse- basically we (Palestinians living in Israel) learnt the Zionist discourse. Anything related to Palestinian literature or poets such as Mahmoud Darwish is not allowed in the curriculum and any Arab history is from the Middle Ages.”

“On the other hand,” Nashif adds, “everything related to the Jewish people is obligatory in our schools, ranging from literature, religion, the Zionist movement. I think it’s good to learn about Jewish people, the problem starts when you only learn about the majority and you hardly learn anything about yourself.” Baladna, the youth organization, works to combat this bias by providing informal education about Palestinian history and providing an open environment to discuss issues of identity that these young Palestinians face in their daily lives.

Barriers of Occupation

Acknowledging Palestine or Palestinians is clearly problematic for the Israeli State. How could Israel refer to Palestine and claim to have formed the Israeli State in a 'land with no people for a people with no land?' at the same time. Nashif explains that the Israeli government simply reacted by suppressing the Palestinian identity of those who remained in the '48 territories: "The pressure is not to say that you are an Arab but to say that you are an Israeli Arab in way which is new and is disconnected from the Palestinian identity. All of us still define ourselves as Arabs, this is nothing controversial but the point of the Arab Israeli identity is to impose a newly created identity which is more politically convenient for the government."

Although the Israeli occupation has placed numerous barriers (sometimes in the shape of very solid walls) in the path of Palestinian unity, Rashid Khalidi the Palestinian historian states that "a strong sense of (Palestinian) identity developed in spite of, and in some cases because of, the obstacles it faced."

Everyday at a checkpoint, land border or airport a Palestinians are irrevocably reminded of their identity; not as Arabs, a Muslims or a Christians but as a Palestinian under Israeli occupation. "The occupation makes you stick with your identity" reiterates Nashif. "Even if you are a person who doesn't want to mess with politics or doesn't identify themselves as Palestinian and you want to feel Israeli; when you go to the airport you face the same discrimination and profiling, undressing and other humiliating scenes and then of course you think again."

It seems that the quintessential Palestinian experience of anxiety at modern barriers, where identities are checked and verified, consolidates that the Palestinians are in fact a united people. As Khalidi writes, "What happens to Palestinians at these crossing points brings home to them how much they share in common as people."

Sources:

Rashid Khalidi. Palestinian Identity; The construction of modern national consciousness. (New York, Columbia University Press, 1997).

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Islamic Art for a New World

"Geometry is a spiritual and timeless art" Zarah Hussain

For many people in the international art community, Islamic art is an anomaly, an ancient relic of a crumbled civilization, the art form that should be relegated to the museums, ancient archaeological sites and mosques. Many specialists argue that it simply can not relate to the modern artist or even attempt to represent the citizens of an increasingly globalized world.

Yet, there is an increasing number of modern artists who are finding inspiration in the age-old artistic expressions of the Islamic era and are utilizing sacred geometric patterns and calligraphy to express a unity of faith and depict the twentieth- century living. One such artists is Zarah Hussain, a UK-based painter who argues that Islamic art's “strong aesthetic appeal transcends time and space, as well as differences in language and culture."

Hussain's first exhibition, 'Handasah', which means geometry in Arabic, explored the sacred tradition of geometric patterns through elaborate paintings on hand-made paper. For Hussain, the search for unity in Islamic geometric art reflects a search for unity between the Islamic faith and a twenty-first century lifestyle. "Geometry is a spiritual and timeless art and when we contemplate this art we are being drawn inwards to a deeper self-reflection and centeredness."

Hussain's latest exhibition 'Beauty of Abstraction' went even further towards harmonizing the modern world with Islamic art through animated light-installations. These installations of changing kaleidoscopic geometric art are projected onto a dark gallery walls alongside more traditional paintings to represent a harmony of faith and technology.

Click here to see a short clip of Zarah Hussain's geometric art installation animation.

Metaphors for Creation

The geometric patterns which Hussain embraces have always been popular motifs of Islamic art decorating walls, floors, lamps, book covers and textiles across the centuries. Some of the greatest examples of Islamic architecture such as the Dome of the Rock, the walled city Alhambra and the Taj Mahal also display some of the most exquisite examples of geometric designs combined with mosaics, glass window panels and carpets.

Geometric art flourished across the Islamic civilization due to the passion for abstraction as the use of images, such as those which proliferate in the Christian tradition, are discouraged on the basis that they could lead to idolatry. Islamic scholars were also fascinated with Greek philosophy, mathematics and astronomy which are based on abstraction as a means to reaching greater truths.

Zarah Hussain states that her geometric artwork stems from an interest in symmetry, balance and order present in the universe we live, "A universe that has an incredibly reliable set of rhythms of day and night, and of the years together with the circumambulations of the sun moon and planets. I believe that geometric patterns reflect a natural order and are metaphors for creation." Thus, the artist, the mathematician and astronomer integrate into one to explore the subtle symmetries of the very world we inhabit and the inherent harmony of the material and spiritual world.

Hussain has not always worked with her Islamic heritage; in fact her earlier artwork was inspired by the Optical Art movement and Bridget Riley who was popular in the 1960's. "I soon found this work to be clinical and cold," explains Hussain, "searching for a mode of expression that I could understand more fully, I started to rediscover my artistic cultural heritage and this led me to taking a path toward traditional Islamic geometry."

Zarah at work.

Symbolism

Islamic art serves a very different function in comparison to the arts in the Western World. Western artists tend to focus on the direct reflection or personal interpretation of the physical forms which surround us. In contrast, the Muslim artist realizes that to be dazzled by god’s creations misses something vital: the uniting aspect beneath the artificial surface. As Hussain elaborates, this is why Islamic artists do not replicate nature, as they could never do justice to Allah's creations. Instead they attempt to convey what they represent as their divine essence. This is essentially done by attaching meaning to the shapes and patterns through symbolism.

Individual geometric shapes are not simply used for their aesthetic beauty. They are rather symbols which represent certain aspects of the Islamic faith. For example, circles which usually form the centre of a design or contain a wider geometric pattern represent eternity and the infinite bounty of Allah. Triangles are applied as symbols of human consciousness, the square as the physical existence and form of beings and hexagons are representative of heaven.

In Islamic iconography, the star in its various forms also represents unity and the spread of Islam with the points emulating a growth from a central point. Ultimately, the seamless combination of these individual shapes and patterns within large geometric patterns reaffirms the perfect harmonization of all of god's divine creations.

Whilst some specialists have criticized Islamic art as artistically restrictive, Islamic artists who embrace abstraction and geometry actually free their imagination from the constraints of material representation towards the diverse world of symbolic representation.

In recognition of the diverse interaction between Islamic art traditions and the modern artists, the Jameel Prize has been this year launched by the Victoria and Albert Museum. It is a £25,000 international award that intends to raise awareness of the often ignored interaction between rich Islamic traditions and the modern artist.

Aimed at contemporary artists from all over the world, the Jameel Prize will hopefully contribute to a broader debate about Islamic culture. Although some artists are happy to dismiss the contribution that Islamic art has made, it cannot be a coincidence that artists from early Islamic civilization to the twentieth century have recognized Islamic art as a lucid form of expression and exploration.

Check out Zarah Hussain's work on:www.zarahhussain.co.uk
For more information on the Jameel Prize Click Here

Lemon Trees and Security Walls: Life Under Conflict in Palestine

Lemon Tree movie poster.

Title: Lemon Tree
Year: 2008
Director: Eran Riklis
Leads: Hiam Abbass, Ali Suliman, Doran Tovery and Rona Lipaz-Michael
Language: Arabic and Hebrew
Length: 106 minutes

"Trees are like people, they have souls, they have feelings. They need to be talked to, need tender loving care." (Abu Hussam in Lemon Tree)

Set on the West Bank's Green line, Lemon Tree, is a poignant film of one Palestinian woman's fight to save her lemon grove from Israeli destruction. "It's based on a few true stories that I encountered," explains the film director Eran Riklis, "plus hundreds of thousands of stories that are similar, in sense of the Palestinian person trying to protect his house, his land, his trees."

While the story of Palestinian struggle is not new, what is unique here is the film's ability to portray tragedy without being melodramatic and to humanize the Palestinians without demonizing the Israelis. Rather, Lemon Tree highlights the ultimate brutalization of both the Palestinians and Israelis due to the tension and constant fear in which the two societies live.

The film follows the story of Salma Zidane (Hiam Abbass), a Palestinian widow who makes a meager living from a lemon grove inherited from her father. Salma's quiet and isolated existence is turned on its head when the Israeli Defense Minister and his wife move into the neighborhood.

The Minister's officious security team quickly set up a watch-tower over the area but their fears over “Arab terrorists” is lurking in Salma's lemon grove entailing its destruction which is soon ordered.

Salma avows to protect every remaining tree and with the help of local lawyer Ziad Daud (Ali Suliman), she takes her protest all the way to the Israeli High Court. Although Salma is determined to save her trees, which she continues to tend to even when forced out of the grove at gunpoint, her case looks hopeless, as one lawyer states, "Lemon trees and the Defense Minister, a lethal combination."

Hiam Abbas as Salma

Communities in isolation; Communities in conflict

A turning point comes when Miri, the Defense Minister's wife, publicly expresses sympathy for Salma's plight. The case subsequently becomes headline news, even reaching Europe, where campaigners decide to take up Salma's cause.

Despite the mounting tensions on either side, a mutual bond of respect and understanding develops between Miri and Salma. Their shared experience of isolation and growing detachment from friends and family, means that they are able to recognize each other's loneliness, and understand the pain of separation.

In fact, this sense of isolation and division which exists not only between people, but also across entire communities, is Lemon Tree’s central theme.

The most obvious example of this division is between the two neighbors, who seem to live in entirely separate worlds, though they live on the same street. Despite the huge impact they have on each other's life, the Defense Minister has threatened Salma's livelihood, and she has taken him to court. They never actually sit down and talk to each other.

Even Salma and Miri, who clearly have sympathy for each other, barely exchange a word. This is a clear metaphor for the growing segregation between the Israelis and Palestinians and the increasingly isolated communities in which they live.

The "Apartheid Wall" which now separates Israel from the West Bank, as well as the existence of over 500 checkpoints and roadblocks which indiscriminately affect the Palestinians, make a positive interaction between Palestinians and Israelis absolutely difficult.

There is also a simmering conflict between the Defense Minister and his wife, who complains that they barely spend time together, and voices her suspicion that he is being unfaithful. Miri's obvious sympathy for Salma, and the build-up of the media storm, places further strain on their relationship.

While Miri challenges the logic behind the destruction of Salma's lemon grove, the Minister states that he is unwilling to challenge the Secret Services' decision, which, he reminds her, has been made for their very safety.

This disagreement between the Israeli couple is a microcosm of the deep divisions within the Israeli society with regards to resolving the “Palestinian issue” and the future of the Israeli state.

It reflects the common dispute between certain Israelis who feel that everything must be done to keep Israel safe (even if that means that the Palestinians should suffer), and those who feel that the very notion that safety can be bought at the expense of others' freedom are suspects.

Surprisingly, the film does manage to throw in some humor; be it dry and gut-wrenchingly ironic. In one scene, the Defense Minister decides to host a house-warming party for his Israeli guests, with Arabic music and traditionally Arabic food- all Kosher, naturally.

The irony is not lost to the viewer, especially when the chef also realizes that he has forgotten to bring lemons, and all the eyes turn to Salma's orchard with bright fruit.

Palestinian Suffering and Hollywood Endings?

My only critique of Lemon Tree is that it fails to explore the systematic discrimination, and sometimes outright brutality, that Palestinians face on a daily basis. The recent war on Gaza, and the blockade which continues, illustrate the brutal force that Israel can launch against the Palestinian people.

The World Bank's overview of the Palestinian economy also asserts that nearly half of all Palestinian families now live below the poverty line. The reason for this dramatic deterioration, is the "multi-faceted system of restrictions on the movement of Palestinian people and goods, which the Government of Israel argues essential to protect Israelis." (World Bank, November 2004).

Palestinians also face an array of crippling bureaucratic regulations on everything, including planning applications for housing permits, citizenship, identity cards, and visas. These restrictions, whether subtle or spectacular, are simply not acknowledged in the film.

The recognition and media attention that Salma’s case receives also seems to be a little contrived and unrealistic in a country where house demolitions are widespread and serious human rights abuses occur without reprisal.

However, I still understand why Riklis - director of the critically acclaimed film, Syrian Bride, decided to use a story which was subtle and unspectacular. This means that there are no clear "good" and "bad" guys to simplify the story and we can not dismiss one person's concern at the expense of another’s.

To put it quite plainly, it is more representative of the real conflict and the more commonplace struggles that we just do not hear of in the news. Even the final decision by the Israeli High court seems ambiguous, it is not going to save all Salma's trees, but it is no happy ending. As we are reminded by Salma’s lawyer, happy endings are possible only in Hollywood.

Prison Walls and Finding Freedom

Although it might have been easier to portray this story as a battle of David and Goliath, the reality is that in the end they both sacrifice something dear to themselves. Salma loses some of her trees although she seems to gain more determination, confidence and even strength through her struggle. However, what the Defense Minister loses is much more significant; not only his wife who leaves him in the end, but also his freedom.

Israel may be building walls to keep the "Palestinian threat"out, but it has also built its very own prison, and thereby is holding its citizens captive. The ending illustrates this without any ambiguity.

In the closing sequence, the Defense Minister sits silently smoking; watching as the curtains are drawn away from his window, instead of Salma's lemon grove, all he sees is cold solid wall.

Lemon Tree, which won the Audience Award at the Berlin Film Festival, is a beautifully made film, perfected by a formidable cast. Hiam Abbass, who plays Salma, brings an elegant dignity to her role, and helps this drama seamlessly combine the political with the personal.

Ali Suliman, who some may recognize from the Oscar-nominated Paradise Now, as well as Doran Tovery (Defense Minister) and Rona Lipaz-Michael (Miri), also gives strong performances which keep the story engaging.

That Riklis managed to create such a balanced and honest exploration of the conflict in Palestine/Israel, is a magnificent achievement, and on that note alone, Lemon Tree is a must see.

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Arwa Aburawa is a freelance journalist based in the UK, who specialises in local politics, Palestine, climate change, women's rights, and arts & culture. She can be contacted via her blog: http://voiceagainstempire.blogspot.com/ or website: http://arwafreelance.wordpress.com/