THE LONG READ: Tullamore's Mieke gets first hand experience of Palestinian people's plight

A TULLAMORE resident gained first hand experience of the plight of the Palestinian people during an extended stay there with a local Christian farming family late last year.

Mieke Scholte, originally from the Netherlands, has lived in Tullamore and Ballyboy for many years and is well known through her environmental activism and her role in the local Church of Ireland, mostly in Rahan parish.

Mieke stayed with the Nassars, a Palestinian Christian family that runs a farm project called the "Tent of Nations", located south west of Bethlehem.

"Amid harsh realities and the relentless threat of land confiscation, the Nassar family chooses courage over despair, dignity over victimhood, love over hatred and persists in their nonviolent witness for justice according to the transforming conviction "We Refuse to be Enemies", a booklet outlining the project's aims reveals.

Living with the family, Mieke said she saw at first hand their daily struggles with the authorities who are determined to remove them from their farm which they have laboured on for several generations.

READ NEXT: "Day of Action and Solidarity" for Palestine this Saturday in Tullamore

"It's really a form of ethnic cleansing," Mike told the Tribune when we spoke to her in the lead up to the "Day of Action and Solidarity for Palestine" which takes place in Tullamore this Saturday, March 14.

The day is being organised by Tullamore for Gaza, in partnership with the Laois branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

Appalled at the conflict in Gaza and the ongoing situation in Palestine, Mieke became involved in the Tullamore for Gaza group taking part in their silent vigil in O'Connor.

“I was never an activist, it's not in my nature”.

"But I got a bit fed up of waving Palestinian flags and wanted to do something more concrete," she said explained why she travelled to the war stricken land last year for nine weeks.

She added; "That's not to say flag waving isn't important but I wanted to do something more."

Through friends in her native Netherlands, she learned of the "Tent of Nations" farm project and secured a place there last October.

Mieke was in Palestine for Christmas and celebrated the feast in Bethlehem.

During her stay she worked as a volunteer on the frm and in a refugee camp in Bethlehem.

She added: "The farm is surrounded by five Israeli settlements: these are massive cities with 70,000 people."

"The settlers are very aggressive," she outlined referring to almost daily incidents of intimidation and worse.

Everyday life of Palestinians is very difficult and permits are required from the authorities even to travel small distances, she said.

"Palestinians are not permitted drive on Israeli roads and have to take long detours."

There are also no services which we would regard as essential such as electricity and running water.

"My stay there was long enough to get a real feel for the place," stressed Mieke.

"It's like apartheid and colonialism and part of the Israeli strategy is to divide and conquer the Palestinian people, who are both Muslim and Christian."

"Like the Irish, the Palestinian people have a real connection with the land."

As well as taking in adult volunteers, the "Tent of Nations" runs summer camps for children who live in nearby refugee camps. The farm is composed of olive trees and animals.

The farm's registered owners, the Nassar family, endure regular intimidation but are determined to remain on their ancestral lands.

The booklet promoting the "Tent of Nations" outlines one such incident – "Daoud Nassar was once driving the tractor on the farm when his path was suddenly blocked by a young man with an M16 rifle slung over his shoulder. 'What are you doing on our land?' the young man asked. 'It is not your land,' Daoud answered, 'it is our land and we have the papers to prove it.' The young man replied. 'You many have all the papers but God gave us this land. That is whey it is ours and not yours.' The encounter reveals how profoundly the Nassar family's story and struggles are connected with the land."

Mieke said that Irish people are very popular among Palestinian people due to our identification with their plight.

Mieke, whose grandfather was in the Dutch Resistance during World War 2 and died in a concentration camp, speculated that the support of Germany and other countries for Israel can be attributed to collective guilt for past atrocities and genocide of the Jewish people.

More details on the "Ten of Nations" is available at tentofnations.com

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DAY OF ACTION

LOCAL activist group Tullamore for Gaza, in partnership with the Laois branch of the Ireland Palestine Solidarity Campaign, is hosting a "Day of Action and Solidarity" for Palestine this Saturday, March 14.

The first event of the day is the Midlands Regional March and Rally starting at 12:30pm in O'Connor Square, Tullamore.

This will be a peaceful and family-friendly demonstration calling for an immediate and permanent ceasefire and the entry of all medical and food aid into Gaza, the end of US Military use of Shannon Airport, and the protection of Irish neutrality and the Triple Lock.

Speakers will include Senator Patricia Stephenson (Social Democrats), Hazem Sughayar, Zack and Nour Heina, and Dr. Patricia Moran (IPSC Kildare), with music from Ronan and Therese Gibney.

Organisers are calling on individuals, families, community groups, sports clubs and trade unions from around the Midlands to join this event in support of the people of Palestine and to call on the Irish government to take meaningful action.

The second event of the day is "Voices for Palestine", a fundraising gig at 7.30pm at Tom's Artisan Bakery and Cafe on Main Street, Tullamore.

All proceeds will go to the UNRWA Lifeline for Palestine campaign, which provides life-saving food, cash assistance, education and healthcare to Palestinian refugees in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.

The varied line-up for Voices for Palestine includes Mieke Scholte, Emmet Breathnach, CARPARK SCI-FI, Hubert Murray, Fiona Dunkin, Dave Hawkins, Gavin Ghee and Ned Byrne. Tickets are €10 full price and €7 concession, available on Eventbrite, or on the door. Tea, coffee and cakes will be available on the night and attendees are also permitted to BYOB, if they wish.

Organiser with Tullamore for Gaza, Clare McEnroe, said : "We really encourage the people of Offaly to join us in our "Day of Action and Solidarity" for Palestine.

"At a time of immense humanitarian crisis and suffering, we believe communities across the county have an important role to play in standing up for human rights, justice, and dignity for all."