2010-2011

The
Essence
Collège des Frères
Published by: Collège des Frères - Issue No. 5 “Summer 2011”
Editorial
The First Station of Change
ith the advent of the “Arab Spring”
W
of popular uprisings sweeping most
of the Arab countries, there is no way to
Intellectual Journey with Brother
Noel Saker
“Do not allow my generation to colonize
the future of your generation!”
Afif Safieh
by
 Contributions
th
12 GCE Graders

Design and Printing
Latin Patriarchate Printing Press - Beit Jala 2011
1
pp. 6-9
Editor in Chief
Ghadeer Bishara
pp. 4-5
The Essence
Is a Youth Tsunami taking over the
Arab World?
Dr. Suleiman Rabadi
pp. 2-3
lag behind our status quo without moving
ahead to change our miserable reality and
cope with the spirit of the current era in
which we have to be equipped with new
technologies and genuine enlightenment.
The revolution that has swept the Arab
world is not an aim in itself; its outbreak
didn’t require more than a spark, such as the one triggered by
Muhammad Bouazizi in Tunisia, but achieving its goal is what
we need to focus on and think about.
The path of change should always be our choice, but
sometimes we have to destruct to construct and start from zero
to make the pace of change more rapid and more accurate;
we need new “blood” especially by the youth who are able to
adapt easily and move towards the future we all look forward
to if we really intend to shift qualitatively and thoughtfully into
a democratic track compatible with contemporary concepts of
change that should not be centered around the individual, tribe
or political groups.
As comprehensive change is what we aspire to, then it
has to begin with an education free of “rhetoric slogans” and
far from those exercising disinformation and fraud who never
hesitate, with their extreme fanaticism, to cooperate with the
devil for their own interests. It’s not enough to keep saying
“the right person in the right place”; this “boring song” has
been deafening us for decades, but nothing happened. We
briefly need to form a real “choir” with one voice that probably
stands for unity of purpose and path, and perhaps symbolizes
creativity, innovation and orientation towards the future.
We have launched the “train” of revolution, but it may
stop at any station if it doesn’t continue the “race” of change to
achieve freedom and democracy.
The path is complex and intricate and it needs an army
of skilled crews who share the same goals and the common
elements of work under a leadership which gains its legitimacy
by its achievements and not only by its words.
My cry may sound very pessimistic, but the most difficult
stations of change should be passed by such a train which is
directed by a sincere leadership that knows the requirements
of conflict management and understands the aspirations of the
people.
Ghadeer Bishara Editor in chief
In depth
The
Essence
Is a Youth Tsunami Taking over the Arab World?
I
n 1968 a youth-student revolt started
in France and spread all over Europe
and swapped to the Far East and the
Americas but did not knock the door
of the Arab world. The Arab world at
that time was coming out of decades of
colonialism and the rule of monarchies
and absolute rulers to more popular
regimes that were more in tuned with
the needs of the people. Forty three
years later a youth revolt has swapped
the Arab world and knocked down
regimes and created new facts on the
ground that began to force the state,
the politicians, and the army to listen to
their demands. Are there any similarities
between these youth revolts?
When reading the literature about
the 1968 youth revolt and analyzing its
causes one can come to the following
conclusions:
New Outlook
A
ffluence in the post WWII
period caused growth that was
accompanied by a new consumer
oriented approach to life; the educational
system grew and was serving this new
outlook to life and society. The youth
started to question this new life style
and saw its failures and injustices. The
youth revolted against the traditional
values of the older generation of selfdiscipline, respect for authority and
desire for conventional success that was
2
replaced by spontaneity, immediate
gratification, and self-fulfillment as the
ultimate personal values.
They had an identity crisis and
were hungry for someone or something
to fill the vacuum of their own identity.
The youth felt that they inherited
a set of institutions that seemed
almost irrelevant to their experiences
and constricting to their aspirations,
when there is no way to go around or
avoid these institutions, they will seem
oppressive intolerable enemies to be
fought. Institutional obsolescence in
general is one of the most important
motors for historical change.
This led to a crisis of authority which
is by definition a crisis of legitimacy.
Thus the dominant tradition became
one of being against authority. Many
intelligent young people in a state of
anxiety and anger over national issues,
not very respective to traditional forms
of motivation or discipline, suspicious
of all authority and resentful of the
institutional structures, started to revolt
against the existing status quo.
They reacted against the technological revolution that impersonalized
almost everything and alienated them
and reduced them to sheer numbers in
the service of the state, big enterprises
and institutions. Education and the
university became a tool of subjugating
them to Authority and to a system that
was preparing them to be a miniscule
part of a maze that deformed their
identity and forced them to identify with
the system or be considered outcasts.
The students revolted in the late
sixties in order to regain their identity and
life vis-à-vis the overriding power of the
state and its institutions, the economy
and its consumer oriented tendencies,
the university and the schooling system
that were forming them according to
the older generation’s aspirations and
sense of belonging to the prevailing
system. The revolt did spread because
the youth were susceptible to imitating
the others and to the pressures of the
group and tend to get their ideas from
the crowd and empowered by being
part of them. The revolt ended with no
real change and gave an opportunity
to the leadership of these countries
to adjust the system and eventually
produce more conservative tendencies
in the seventies and eventually lead to
Reganism and Thatcherism and the likes
in other parts of the world.
Three Factors at Play
T
he youth in the Arab world revolted
43 years later for the same reasons
but in a different setting and in a different
world. In the sixties the Arab world was
experiencing a decolonizing process
and the advent of new leadership that
was anxious to build new independent
states. The problem was that most of
the changes, although supported by
the youth, took place under the mantle
of the young officers of the newly
established armies in the region. The
army in its nature is an authoritarian
institution. The new young army officers
who came to power adopted nationalist
socialist ideologies that were able to
draw the crowds with their slogans of
empowering the masses, economic
development, making education at the
schooling and university levels available
to the public.
The new regimes played on the
issue of national pride to maintain their
power and legitimize their rule which
in most cases turned into the worst
types of dictatorships. They used the
army, intelligence agencies, the media,
representative institutions and political
parties tailored according to their needs
to attain their hegemony, and got their
legitimacy through elections that were
designed to maintain their continuous
rule.
Forty three years of education,
although deformed and censored,
produced a new generation that was
susceptible to new ideas but afraid and
alienated. The youth felt powerless
against the overriding power of the
state and its institutions, the economic
gurus that depleted the country out
of its resources in a perpetual state of
corruption and clientalism in the worse
sense of the word.
In depth
In the last ten years three
factors have been put into play that
started to gradually turn the tables:
the information and technological
revolution, the communication media
globalization, the economic crisis that
widened the gap between the rich and
poor in society.
The information and technological
revolutions, although were imported
from outside, and were part of a new
level of globalized consumerism,
provided important tools for the young
people to get their information and
ideas from sources that were beyond
the reach of the censorship of state
apparatuses, which liberated the
youth from the traditional system of
indoctrination and empowered them to
start challenging it. The communication
globalization revolution played another
role of bringing the world to our homes
at every imaginable level, which also
undermined the traditional media that
was a tool of accentuating conformity
with the whims and wishes of the ruling
oligarchy. The young were more aware
of their rights and were looking forward
of experiencing a better life that others
enjoyed around the world.
The widening gap between the rich
and the poor in the deformed economies
L
of the Arab world led to higher rates
of unemployment, to forced labor
immigration of millions to countries
that mistreated the youth and exercised
different forms of discrimination, to a
modern slavery that depleted hundreds
of young people of their sense of pride,
dignity and existence.
These factors among others
started a new wave protests that raised
the important slogan “the people
want to overthrow the regime”, which
summarizes the state of affairs.
Two Main Differences
I
n both revolts the Youth took to
the streets and challenged the
prevailing regimes. The Youth felt
marginalized, alienated in a system that
stole their dreams and undermined
their aspirations. There are two main
differences between these revolts. The
first was that the youth movement
of 1968 was not able to rally the rest
of the population behind it and was
not able to develop an alternative to
the political and economic system
prevailing, while the youth revolt in
the Arab world, although is still in the
making, was able to rally the different
strata of the population behind it with
specific demands that advocated a
more democratic system, with real
representation of the people, an end
to corruption and economic depletion
of the national resources, and an end
to the police state that is prevailing
in the Arab world. The second, the
youth movement in the sixties revolted
out of alienation caused by modern
technology, which was a tool of the
state and prevailing institutions. The
Arab revolt used the technological and
information revolutions to rally support,
communicate among themselves and
the world and expose the regimes,
which led to the fall of these regimes.
The sixties revolt ultimately failed,
would the Arab Revolt fail as well? Too
many forces, whose interests have been
undermined, locally and internationally,
would like to see this revolt fail and are
working hard to subdue it, but it seems
that the Youth and the rest of the Arab
population behind them are adamant
at changing the status quo forever, and
they have been rational and systematic
in their revolt, demands and in their
vision of the future.
Dr. Suleiman Rabadi
Director of Collège des Frères
Hope and Life
ast year, I spoke about faith. Rereading this article, an image came back to me. When I was
your age, I read a poem by a French poet called Pégui. The image which was built in my
imagination was the following: three young girls were walking together. The younger one was
in the middle and holding the hands of her elder sisters. The elder ones were called Faith and
Love and the little girl in the middle was named Hope. The little girl was holding the hands of
her sisters and seemed to say: "Come on you are not walking fast enough."
Faith is like a rock, but sometimes the difficulties push Faith to despair. Jesus called Peter the
Rock but still at a moment of fear he denied Him.
Love is so important in life without it so many things go wrong; but love, real love, I mean
the one in which we deny ourselves to help others and defend them.
But hope is this little thing that gives life to the weak, the poor, the discouraged; it kindles
the wavering flame and pushes people to do things even if they fail. Hope is so important in
life; it is the one that brings back Faith and rekindles Love.
This year the annual letter of our Superior General that he writes to give a leading theme for the year was entitled
"Hope". It was a bit of a shock for some Brothers. We were 16000 Brothers in the world and now we are only 5000 and
much older. Yes, he told us, “We have a great family; today, our teachers, our students and alumni are a part of this family,
they are all involved in education. Our schools are run by lay persons who are taking care of the schools and institutions.
We do not close schools any more for lack of Brothers. God will always find ways to protect his children, especially those in
need.”
Dear Graduates, now is your turn to keep this torch burning. Education is the most important weapon to build your
country. Many sacrifices have been endured since 1936 and even before but hope is still alive to rebuild our nation, and to
build it on good foundations. This relies on each one of you.
Br. Albert Alonzo
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The
Profile
Essence
Intellectual Journey with Brother Noel Saker
Great Experience and Ability to Give
At the beginning of the interview Dr. Suleiman Rabadi welcomed Brother Noel in a
meeting that brought a number of Brothers and school directors at De LaSalle College
El Daher in Cairo.
At the onset of the meeting, Brother Noel was asked about his long service at Frere
schools especially in Jerusalem; he was asked to give his advice to the administrators,
students and teachers. He spoke also of his childhood and how he was enrolled in the
Brothers Association.
Spiritual Desire
I come from a village called Ain Ebel, south of Lebanon where I
was born on Christmas day of 1934. In my early childhood, I heard my
father talking about a priest with a sacred character that he admired
expressing his worry by saying: “If this priest dies who would come
to our village to fill in his place?” At that moment I was sitting beside
my father so I told him: “I am ready to become a priest and step into
his shoes.” My father was so happy and started fumbling with my hair
showing his cheerfulness and said: “May God Bless you my son, now
you are a priest in my eyes. So I started to play the
role of the priest at home; I started looking for any
black clothes to wear and, of course, used to strap a
Roman collar around my neck in order to live through
the experience. I was even participating in the prayers
that were held once or twice a week at the Salizian High
School in Haifa, where I used to study, all in the hope of
becoming a priest when I grow up.
In 1948, one of our school priests was killed; the
event caused such a terror that the other priests gathered
their belongings and fled to Bethlehem consequently.
The school had to be closed and we were forced to leave
Haifa back to our village in south Lebanon. My ties with
my school were severed for there was no other Salizian
school in Lebanon, thus I had to pursue my education
in French; the official education language in Lebanon,
but I was lucky and did find a school teaching in English
and enrolled there. At the end of the year, the Brothers
were searching for students to become Brothers but
unfortunately I wasn’t chosen. In that year, Brother François was taken
to France for tuberculosis treatment until he was completely cured. We
warmly welcomed him when he returned in1948. I met him for the first
time that day, by then I was only 13. I quite frankly told him: “I don’t
speak French, but I want to be a Brother.” He said: “No problem, we will
teach you French.”
Following our dialogue he spoke to the Head of seminary, then
I officially began my life as a Brother in1948; since then and up till
now I’ve never regretted my acceptance of the Brothers’ call. The
boys nominated to become Brothers at the clerical school were aged
between 13-18 years old and were supposed to live with Brothers, in
order to become familiar with their life until the decision day comes, at
which they must decide whether to continue in the path of God or go
back to their homes. Everyone left except me, so I began to learn French
in Beit Merry until the age of 18. Then I headed to Bethlehem wearing
the Brothers’ attire after living such a life and becoming completely
familiar with it. Two years later, I made my first and second vows. And
finally, I made my third vow after a clerical retreat that lasted 30 days. I
then completed my studies in Beirut at the Jesuit University.
4
After I have completed my university studies I was assigned as
inspector at Ras Beirut School for one year and then I became a principal
from1965 until 1973.
I then went to study at the University of Sorbonne in France
where I got my BA. Then I stayed for one year in Algeria after being
asked to help in Arabization of the curriculum at Brothers schools and
then I returned to Lebanon; afterwards I was appointed at Collège des
Frères in Jerusalem.
At that time, Lebanon was in a state of turmoil and the Palestinian
role became apparent in Lebanon’s political affairs. However, when I
was appointed I said that I am neither a Lebanese nor a Christian but I
am here to serve the Palestinian students who are in need for education
more than anything else.
I was a Palestinian with the Palestinians and a Jerusalemite
with the Jerusalemites and dedicated for my students. Consequently,
nobody found out whether I was Maronite, or Kataebi or a Lebanese but
a Brother who strived to serve them. I was able to work with students,
teachers and families with simplicity and dedication to highlight the
importance of the school and provide the best services for students.
The Palestinian-Lebanese conflict never influenced the quality
of service which I was appointed to provide and lead. Later, I was
appointed as a Brother coordinator in the Holy Land supervising the
Brothers’ schools in Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth and Jaffa. Thus
everything related to these schools was my first priority. I thank God for
giving me the power so as not to let my personal feelings mingle with
my responsibilities and duties. I hope I was able to provide my students
with the required services in Palestine especially in Jerusalem.
Profile
A Man with so Many Dreams
I always believed that Students should be linked with their
mundane problems and their reality (good or bad). Thus, throughout my
experience, I have always endeavored to deal with students’ problems
and respond to their questions with convincing and reassuring answers.
I have been influenced by something in Baskanta when I was
assigned to serve there, where I discovered the importance of
preparation for the class; the importance of self-learning and the
significance of self-training to apply principles of teaching. I realized
the importance of training in which every teacher gets a chance to be
trained and become qualified because even if one is an expert in his field
he might have no idea how to deliver the information in proper ways.
One of my dreams was to inaugurate a training center in Jerusalem.
Another experience that influenced my methodology was a one
year training course which we called “The Pedagogic Month” which
was organized in cooperation with Bethlehem University and the
UNRWA. At the end of this course I noticed that teachers are in need of
fundamental issues: the basics of training before they can be enrolled
in any supplementary courses, otherwise such courses will be useless.
I reached an agreement with the UNRWA, specifically with MS. Leila
Tarazi, to organize a training course in which teachers can get an official
certificate. At that time we requested some help from Rome and we
were asked to associate such a project with a large foundation and
not with a group of people. As a result, we presented the project to
the University of Bethlehem and Leila worked there after taking one
year leave without pay from the UNRWA. She offered to continue her
work if the university wanted to make a contract with her, but things
proceeded so slowly and Leila was forced to go back to the UNRWA.
That was the way my dream faded before it was born .Those with
BA certificates and diplomas in pedagogy who worked with us weren’t
probably able of applying what they had learned in their classrooms due
to the fact that they were untrained. That was the end of our project.
But I did my best to send young teachers to France to get trained at a
French training center.
Problems and Development
There was a problem concerning the official programs brought by
official supervisors from the ministry of education; such programs were
limited and didn’t provide enough space for teachers to be creative, and
forced teachers to cage educational materials in an irrational context,
which resulted in enforcing memorization of Arabic, English, history,
geography and science. This made the students hate these subjects
because they are not interesting. Moreover, the supervisors used to
impose traditional ways on the teachers. We found ourselves in trouble so
we started expanding and varying our methods and connecting the school
material with our students’ life. We always demanded changing the exam
forms which were based on memorization which was time consuming
for parents who used to teach their children. We also tried to free the
teachers from unnecessary burdens imposed on them and their students
in order to make learning and teaching more efficient and enjoyable.
Building a New School at Beit Hanina
The idea of building a new school at Beit Hanina brings us back to
Brothers Eleanor and Franco who initiated the idea of expanding our
school at the New Gate.
In our school at the New Gate learning was free at that time and
there was a college and a boarding school where fees were covered
for students who couldn’t pay. The surplus of school’s income was
spent on needy students. Due to the limited areas the schools were
built on, Brother Eleanor had tried to buy from the Patriarchate what
was considered as a hotel but the Patriarchate declined to sell it. This
led Brother Eleanor to construct a new building, next to the old one,
which took a large part of the play grounds which had to be narrowed.
Expanding was a must so a land was bought near Hebrew University.
However, the Israeli occupation confiscated that land so Brother Felix
sued the Israelis and could bring back only a part of its price which
was used to buy a land in Beit Hanina. We had to expand as the
number of Palestinian students increased after leaving the local Israeli
schools. Bishop Helarion Capucci, Malekite Bishop of Jerusalem,used
to encourage us to receive those students and urged them not to enter
any Israeli school. So our school started to receive a new class every
year to an extent that the director’s and accountant’s offices had to be
turned into classes .We had no longer space to make new classes as
even corridors were used .
This need to accommodate new students forced us to think about
constructing a new building. So, I prepared plans and presented them
to the Brothers’ Council in Beirut. Nevertheless, getting a license was
necessary to build a new school with less than 200 thousand dollars as a
reserve. However, that amount of money “melted” due to a continuous
financial crisis and the long delays in getting a license. But before I
left Jerusalem, we got a building license and received an agreement
on the external borders of the school in 1986. Brother Rafael took my
place and was responsible of proceeding with the mission. In 1996, I
returned back to Jerusalem to complete the construction project in Beit
Hanina which started the following year; a new approach to Jerusalem
emerged due to the problems that stormed Lebanon. Brother Regis
who was our Brother Visitor at that time showed great interest towards
the construction project in Jerusalem, refusing the initiation of any
project until our project is completed. Brother Rafael offered giving the
old building in the Old City to the Latin Patriarchate and getting the
school built. Thank God, this didn’t happen.
Having enough classrooms for more students, whose numbers
are increasing, is a must in a country under occupation with an
occupier that never refrains from declaring war against education and
knowledge, which the Palestinians must hold as a weapon against Israel
to reach their freedom.
Cooperation with Seculars
From my experience in Lebanon when I was responsible for
teaching Arabic and religion, there were about ten teachers around
me and we prepared lectures together. Those teachers asked me
once: “What is the difference between you and us? We can be a part
of the Brothers Association” I answered: “Yes, you represent another
organization beside the Brothers.” That day, we were convinced that a
secular teacher can cooperate with us.
After moving to Jerusalem and working with the teachers there
and in Bethlehem I started to believe that working with secular
teachers is at the core of the Christian message. I encouraged teachers
to cooperate with me in educational projects and we used to discuss
outstanding problems and take decisions together. At that moment
I felt the importance of giving attention to the kind of teachers we
employ at our schools, as our students are from well-educated families.
However, the unstable Palestinian circumstance forced lots of those
well-educated to go abroad, so we had to appoint teachers and fire
them when we found that they didn’t match our school aspirations
or were unable to enrich their experience in teaching students who
belong to families who expected more fromour schools.
Final Words
I feel that one of our big problems is the absence of a teachers’
training center, what we have is just training when required. Only 3%
of the teachers benefit from training, these are the ones who pursue
development. The rest complain and underestimate these courses.
If this kind of centers are hard to establish then we have to seek the
assistance of professionals who are capable in providing teachers with
what methods they are in need of and accompanying them through in
service training to combine the theoretical part with the practical one
to achieve intellectual and creative teaching.
I think that Professional people are better than local university
teachers because those with experience are better in delivering
information. I considered imitation, violent punishment, absence of
modern assessment tools and simulation as scourges of education. I
think it is important to maintain a good relationship between teachers
and the Director of a school and between the heads of departments
and teachers because this reflects on their general performance.
5
Interview
The
Essence
Safieh to our team of interviewers:
I belong to a tragic generation many of whom were stuck abroad
In an exclusive interview with the distinctive writer, former Palestinian
ambassador in England, Russia and the Vatican and the veteran graduate
of Collège des Frères, Afif Safieh, we held a dialogue addressing several
issues including his work as an ambassador and his contributions as an
active diplomat who played an important role to gain sympathy for the
justice of our cause. The dialogue also touched on the different stations
of his long experience in dealing with one of the most important
diplomatic files in the major Western capitals. The following is the full
text of the interview:
The Best School in Jerusalem
Q.Let us start by thanking you for allocating your time to enable us
to get to know you better and share your thoughts regarding the
Palestinian-Israeli conflict.
A. I believe that we have suffered historically from this questionable
notion of Palestine; “the Promised Land”. I see through you that we
can make Palestine the promising land.
Q.We would first like to ask you about your school days, we have
been privileged to know that you have attended Collège des Frères
and we would like to enquire about your school years and how they
shaped your life as a diplomat later.
A.Well, I believe that one’s years in school are decisive in the formation
of his personality, intellectual curiosity and outlook towards the
world and its horizons etc.
I believe the Frères has been historically the best school in
Jerusalem and we, all my generation, were privileged to be at the
Frères. One of the assets of this school was that it taught 3 different
languages: Arabic; our mother tongue, English and French. It was
and still, as I guess, a French institution preparing the pupils for an
English program, GCE. So, being brought up in a multilingual cultural
environment was in my opinion an asset; we were also privileged
to have fantastic professors and I had no great inclination towards
physics, chemistry or mathematics, my aim was always to just succeed
but I had a fascination with history and I still remember several of our
professors in this subject, mainly professor “Awwad” who triggered
my fascination in the trajectory of mankind, the evolution of society
regionally and internationally. I remember my father at dinnertime
would ask me and tell me something about Bismarck, then he would
ask me just to animate the evening dinner, who contributed most
to the unification of Italy Cavour , the prime minister of Piedmont
or Garibaldi, the leader of the mass popular movement. So we had
a very challenging and fascinating environment, I remember our
teachers in English language and English literature professor Sarkis
and professor Dickranian and I remember graduating from school
having read most of what is called the classics of the English literature,
arriving in university at age 16 and I was mentioned in the works of
the Vatican: The President of my university, the Catholic University
of Louvain (Leuven), made an intervention saying “according to our
comparative study, the youngest student, Afif Safieh, is from the Holy
Land and arrived at the university at the age of 16”. I had no need to
feel any inferiority complex because I was equipped with an intellectual
luggage from school to cope with the level and the standards.
I would always invite your generation to look at things from a
universal approach, the macro approach and not the micro one.
Tomorrow you will be on the world’s stage competing with students
of your age who have graduated from Scandinavia to California to
6
Australia, you are not competing with St. George or Al-Ibrahimieh,
all of your generation from all those schools, will be competing
on the universal “world” stage and this school is supposed to
give you the intellectual equipment and artillery to cope with the
challenges and opportunities. So I have great memories of that era
and I believe that my generation was tragic in a way, we were 36
graduating from school in 1966 and I believe that out of the 36 only
3 are still in Jerusalem and 33 are scattered in the four corners of
the world, in a normal situation you would have found 33 in their
hometown and 3 for personal or professional reasons abroad. Our
pyramid also in that level is unique and specific; what has happened
was the following: my generation of Palestinian students, those who
graduated and went abroad for university because then except for
Birzeit which had a sophomore and freshman program we went
abroad mainly to Europe or some to the Arab countries and we
were not here when the 1967 War occurred and the Israelis as you
know immediately annexed and conducted a census and those who
happened not to be there became legally none existent. My father
then had a sentence which I think is painfully accurate, he said:
»‫ضوعنا والدنا‬
ّ 67 ‫ وفي‬،‫ضوعنا بلدنا‬
ّ 48 ‫ «في سنة‬which means “In
1948 we lost our land, and in 1967 we lost our children”. I happen
to belong to a family of 3 children, luckily my sister had been to
France and England for her university studies was back already
but my brother and I got stuck abroad and became the wandering
Palestinians, only capable of coming back as tourists with foreign
passports in 1993 after what so called “the breakthrough of Oslo”.
So I belong to a tragic generation many of whom were stuck
abroad and that was the Israeli policy of decapitating of potential
future Palestinian intellectuals because, unfortunately, they were
more aware than our society about the importance of the educated
in the functioning of any society.
Painful Moment
Q.After your 27 years of involuntary exile, what did it feel like coming
back to your hometown, Jerusalem?
A.To tell you frankly, we are a closely knit family of five; my father
and mother and their 3 children- 3 were inside, in Jerusalem and 2
were abroad, the interaction was extremely intense and you might
be surprised that when I came for my first visit back home 27 years
later, everything was new and I was aware of every possible change
that has occurred, my first visit was from the airport to the Notre
dame Hotel where my family and all our friends had gathered to
have a collective breakfast and from there immediately I went to
the cemetery to visit my father who had died in the meantime and
that was another painful moment because the cemetery where my
Alumni
father is buried has been transformed into a wall with- like- drawers
and I could see all the family names of Jerusalem, the names that I
have grown up with.
It’s painful because most of those families had almost evaporated
form Jerusalem during the last 5 to 6 decades, so I was disconnected
and I became a wandering Palestinian around the globe, but having
kept my family ties here we come to the importance of the family
cell unit, I was aware of the settlements that I will be struck with
the arrival towards Jerusalem. I knew that Jerusalem would be
mutilated in deliberate decline. Yet my dream was how to help
reawaken the city and give it back its political, cultural, economic
and intellectual centrality. I dreamt of abandoning politics, coming
back to Jerusalem, starting an English Weekly which I wanted to title
“The Palestinian”. I had worked on a feasibility study and how to
make it viable independently because we need independent media
vehicles. We need a wonderful debate to be a platform of interaction
between us: the Palestinian insiders and outsiders but also between
us and the Israelis, between us and the world because as you know
Jerusalem is a city of great symbolism, it’s important to us because
it’s our future capital, it’s the centre of our intellectual thinking but
it is also of significance to the entire world so I wanted a magazine
from Jerusalem, unfortunately the Israelis in two months’ time asked
me to forget about it saying “you will not be authorized to come back
to Jerusalem, if you are to come with your political colleagues, you
can come to Ramallah, Jericho or Gaza, but Jerusalem never”.
They were afraid of creating a precedent and unfortunately in
two months’ time and many friends, very prominent friends, from
around the world wrote to protest or to enquire about the negative
response and they had a standard letter that I still remember
by heart where it said that they would send to people who have
protested or inquired: “we process in priority cases of minors or
spouses” obviously I was no more a minor and it was a “distant”
relative who had asked for me, my mother, who in the meantime
had died, so according to those who today set the rules of the game,
I’m supposed not to have any connection to anymore Jerusalem or
any legitimate claim even though my family goes back in Jerusalem
as far as the archives exist and that’s not my unique case; it’s the
case of an entire society that has been dislocated.
Q. Do you think that your political background could be a reason to
prevent your coming back to Palestine?
A. I believe our tragedy is that we are undesirables in our homeland;
the Israelis want the geography without the demography. To put it in
one sentence, even if I wanted to come back to retire in Jerusalem,
to just walk around strolling and enjoying the Old City and the new
one, I would have been undesirable. It’s the way society is being
decimated. My family today is proliferating in Europe and in Brazil
and evaporating from Jerusalem and that’s the political purpose ,
history is always undecided
and we should always
We have to turn this country
behave in a way where
into the Promising Land and we
we are the subjects of our
should abandon the mentality
own history and not the
objects of history and we
of losers, the psychology of
have through our activity
defeat and failure.
to help history make the
right choice. Tomorrow is
ours, that’s the way we should believe and that’s the way we should
operate.
Today the status quo is revolting, unacceptable nauseating and
inadmissible.
Sort of Equilibrium
Q.How can we, as youth, make our country the promising land?
A.By imagination, creativity, through a sense of responsibility and a
spirit of initiative, we have to get rid of uncreative, uninspiring
patterns of behavior; we have to unleash imagination but also
responsibility creativity, all that together.
I believe we are in a moment in our history where our society
should do a lot of soul searching, one should not be afraid of
questioning accepted ideas, I believe that your generation should
show intellectual curiosity, this is why I started by saying, for
example, that we used to learn 3 languages and well, languages
are an art opening your horizons, giving you access to the world, to
other cultures, other societies, other civilizations, other patterns of
thinking and today I’m not saying something new. Language is not
only knowing it, it’s like an envelope and what’s important is the
message or the letter that lives in; what was called the planetary
village, today we live in a shrinking world; today we live in the era of
the quickness of communication.
You are an important
component of society, you
Do not allow my generation
should have a say what world
to colonize the future of
you want to live in today
your generation.
and tomorrow. The future
is yours but always bear in
mind that in any collectivity in any society you need the optimist and
the pessimist; you need the adventurous type and the prudent type.
Q. We would like to know about your early life, what triggered you to
study political science and international relations at the university?
And could you tell us about your educational journey?
A. As I told you I was fascinated with history, from ancient times,
the rivalry between Persia and emerging Greece, the rivalry
between Greek city-states, Sparta and Athens. I was fascinated
with Mesopotamia, Contemporary Iraq and Pharaonic Egypt. I was
fascinated by how Palestine was located in the middle of three major
continents: Asia, Africa and Europe, which were the three major
continents of international interaction, the emergence of the Roman
Empire and what it symbolized and meant then. So I liked history
and international relations as a young pupil, now for my generation
of Palestinians we also perceived politics as the necessary evil and
one of our slogans then in the second half of the sixties was “if you
don’t take care of politics, anyway politics will take care of you” and
not necessarily in the way you would like it to take care of you, so
you’d better take care of it or else it would take care of you, so I had
an inclination for political activity and it was a necessary evil because
it shaped and determined our future.
I studied as I told you in the Catholic University of Louvain which
was in Belgium and was the oldest catholic university in the world
established in 1425 and for my postgraduate studies I went to Paris.
I think I’m the only Palestinian who was president of 2 different
branches of the general union of Palestinian students; the Belgian at
age 19 and the French at age 24 in 1974-75.
I invite you to have that dynamic involvement in the student
movement, thus you learn the respect of yourself and the respect
of the topic you discuss, the respect of your interlocutor and you
learn that you might not necessarily be always right and that what
the others are saying might have some truth in it and here you learn
to be dialectical and dialectical does not mean necessarily a Marxist,
it is rather the idea of thesis, antithesis and synthesis that you
always have to absorb the ideas of others, integrate them in your
own approach and come up with a better theoretical framework to
understand realities.
So student life for me was fascinating, you make friends from
around the world, you don’t live in your national ghetto, it’s then
that we had networks of contacts with Latin American students,
African students, European students, so you become familiar with
realities that you have not physically visited, it was the golden era of
the student movements.
“Breakthrough to Breakdown”
Q. What can you tell us about your book “The Peace Process from
Breakthrough to Breakdown”?
A. This book as you have seen is a selection of lectures I have given
between 1981 of last century and till 2005 which was my farewell
speech in London. I believe it’s a book that covers a lot of scope
and it covers a Palestinian analysis of the unique nature of Zionism;
it covers a Palestinian look at the domestic dynamics within the
Israeli society; it has lectures that deal with the Palestinian internal
7
Interview
The
Essence
situation; it has lectures that deal with Palestinian-Arab relations as
there are lectures that deal with Israeli-American relations; it covers
the itinerary of the Palestinian national movement and its evolution;
it traces the evolution of the Palestinian national movement and
I believe it covers the era when we were still negotiating prenegotiations then pre-negotiating negotiations, then it covers the
breakthrough of 93 and almost the immediate disenchantment that
followed and up to the breakdown. So I believe that it’s a wonderful
tool for many categories, I know the excitement it has aroused
within the Palestinian Diaspora communities, many persons whom
I know said that they are recommending it to the new generation
of Palestinians born abroad, not living day to day Palestinian reality
and if parents want to recommend to their children one book there
has been a proliferation of production of books, and if they want
today to recommend one book to their new generation to read that
would be the one. It’s provoking or arousing a lot of interest within
the academic community, many professors are now having it on their
list of recommended readings and it’s not by accident that two of
the major professors of Oxford University, Avi Shlaim and Eugene
Rogan have recommended it and in America now the book would
be distributed starting from April and the first initial indications are
extremely encouraging, it’s arousing a lot of interest within Jewish
communities in Europe and America and it’s not by accident that
Haaretz and the Jewish Chronicle in London had excellent book
reviews of the book. I m working on another book now but which
would take probably two years to prepare titled “the Anatomy of
Mission” where I will go into detail and analyze the function of a
diplomat, a Palestinian diplomat, which by itself again is a unique
experience and I for one happen to have had the privilege of having
been the head of mission in London, Washington, Moscow in addition
to the Holy See “the Vatican”.
In normal diplomatic services one doesn’t have time
materially to be head of mission in those three major capitals
of the international system, materially one is an ambassador
in one of those capitals and probably number two in another
of those, I had the privilege of being head of mission in
those three capitals. I’ll try to translate my experience in the
upcoming book, but it’s a two year plan and I m entering a
phase in my life where I’m allowing myself some well deserved
laziness, now when I speak of laziness I’m speaking of 14 hours
a day of work.
If I had one piece of advice to the next generation, discipline
in the usage of one’s time is an extremely precious approach, to
be disciplined, I remember Edward Said telling me that he woke
up very early every day at around 5 in the morning, did most of
his writing and productive intellectual work before 9.00 when
others become operational and then he had a usual day.
I’m not inviting everybody to wake at five but discipline
in one’s life is extremely important and one should always allocate
time for reading; digesting new things or else you stagnate. I invite
you to be voracious readers.
Q.How was the peace process different from self-determination?
A.Unfortunately, and this is why we are in a period of soul searching,
we and everybody else around the world have had more process
than peace the last 20 years, which is a shameful thing, and I
believe diplomats around the world should be ashamed, for they
have allowed that process not to come to any fruition; it became
a meaningless tragic farce. Since at the negotiation table we have
explored every possible scenario and every alternative and their
opposite. May be we need today to have peace without negotiations,
there is no more any need for them, because the world knows what
is needed and I said in matters of war and peace in the international
system, the international will should prevail on a national whim, and
I said today since we have respected all our commitments to the
international community, today it is the international community
that has to respect its commitments to our Palestinian people, either
by the quartet or the Security Council to tell both sides in the most
unequivocal manner what the world expects of them; it’s not up to
the Israelis to decide that if I vote for Barack I give them back 70%,
8
if I vote for Netanyahu I give them 50%, and if I vote for Lieberman I
can afford giving them a kick in the back.
History is Always Undecided
Q.But what is the international law doing?
A.That’s the battle and it has been an uphill battle, but we are on the verge
of winning and we are born winners, we should create the mentality of
winners and abstain from the mentality of losers, defeat and failure.
I believe Israel is also in trouble, we are a suffering society but
they are a society in crisis and trouble. Having lived in America and
Europe I can see how Jewish Communities around the world see
Israel’s behavior as a source of embarrassment for them, unlike the
sixties where I could see the unanimous excitement and enthusiasm
around Israel. Today to the contrary there is this feeling of shame and
embarrassment. I believe in America a majority of public opinion is
in favor of Palestinian aspirations, ending the occupation and the
birth of a state. As I told you history is always undecided; we have
to help it and this is why in the Palestinian society where I perceive
some masochistic tendencies, and some suicidal propensities, we
should overcome those wrong inclinations, recreate the national
cohesion that is needed and never forget that there is the primacy
of politics. What we need is again to recreate all the components
of Palestinian cohesion, Palestinian perseverance and marginalize
all the negative elements that our society has suffered from.
So cohesion and perseverance and a sense of purpose and never
to forget the primacy of politics and we should again send to the
world an unambiguous unanimous message on what we all agree
about, instead of always projecting the image of a dislocated society,
cacophonic society, we have to be a harmonious orchestra rather
than a cacophonic noise.
Q.We have seen a new era beginning in Egypt but what are the next
steps? What strides can be made in order to begin something new?
A.If we look at Egypt, yes there were hundreds of casualties and
fatalities that could have been spared had the regime not resorted
to repression through its force at the beginning, but the army’s none
usage of violence was a welcomed phenomena; what we have today
is a promising future. There is a constitution committee of very
prominent individuals, all competent in constitutional law working
and maybe by now they have finalized their work; they are working on
the amendments to the constitution in the right direction. Secondly,
I believe that all the political parties that exist in Egypt would be
legitimized and legalized and they all have the feeling that they have
to introduce new blood and a fresh breath, because unfortunately
the situation of fossilization and stagnation had not only infected
regimes in the Arab World but has also infected oppositional parties.
The youth that has emerged as a decisive player on the political
stage, up to now we are not organized institutionally but they had
their own flexible fluid network through Twitter and Facebook,
which is superb, to mobilize technology at the service of ideas. But I
believe today many of them would be entering into already existing
parties or creating new ones, I personally have always consistently
been in the favor of the following:
Alumni
I’m in favor of constitutional pluralism and I believe democracy
is not a Western idea, it’s a universal achievement, the West has
contributed to it but still it’s a universal idea.
We need to inculcate the respect of the idea of pluralism, the
rule of the majority and the respect of the minority because today’s
minority can be tomorrow’s majority and vice versa. In politics we
should value the battle of ideas and resort to the means of persuasion
and not coercion, let’s try to live up to those high standards.
Factors of Cohesion
Q.That isn’t the case of neither Libya nor Yemen, so what are your
projections of the Middle East and what is your vision of Palestine
in the near future?
A.First of all nothing is to be ruled out in those countries, as I told you,
you can’t say that history should be made in a week and if by then
it didn’t give a final verdict then you can’t say history has failed us,
history is always in the making, politics is the confrontation of wills;
sometimes it is done in a civilized manner through peaceful protests
and absence of physical repression, and sometimes unfortunately
the regime resorts to instruments of power and repression they
have at their disposal.
A regional integration and economic cooperation are what we may
need, we must learn from others, we shouldn’t reinvent the wheel, and
this is why the study of history is important, therefore one can see how
other regions have increased, enhanced, broadened and deepened
their regional cooperation. We can’t copy but take advantage, let me
tell you, when I was a student, Hegel the German philosopher, whom
I liked a lot had a pessimistic yet very important sentence which goes
like “the only thing we learn is that we learn nothing from history”.
I think we should hope to prove him wrong and I’m sure he
wouldn’t have minded if we could do so.
Q.How do you see the recent development in North Africa and other
countries in the Middle East will impact the peace process?
A.It’s too early to say, but a region where governments are more
legitimate and more representative of their own public opinion will
behave on the international arena with more national dignity, than
we have seen in the past. I’m in favor of this concept of national
dignity to be honest.
Hence, I believe that with having more legitimate representative
accountable governments, those units in the international system
will behave with more national dignity and their opinions will be
taken more in consideration.
Q.You were the representative of the PLO office delegate in Moscow,
London and Washington. What are now the drawbacks in the
Palestinian diplomacy?
A.I think that we are a small people numerically and statistically and we
have a highly motivated society, but any small population needs to
have a fantastic impeccable diplomatic instrument. The Palestinians
are people with a cause, but also because our country and society
are central to three continents, we are condemned or blessed with
the need of having an impeccable and large diplomatic instrument.
I have lived the period and the era when we were ostracized,
ghettoized and marginalized by the international system because of
the strength of the Israeli lobby and the Pro-Israeli lobby.
I’ve lived from 1974, after the October War of 1973, all the
successive breakthroughs from Yasser Arafat appearing on the
international stage of the UN in New York with his fantastic speech
saying “Today I have come bearing an olive branch and a freedom
fighter’s gun. Do not let the olive branch fall from my hand.”
Gradually we became mainstreamed and accepted.
Unfortunately, the world is very unfair; there is a security council
with certain countries enjoying the questionable privilege of vetoes,
but I believe that from total marginalization and the perception as us
being a collection of terroristic subversive elements to the projection
of an adorable society, history has maltreated and should render
justice to all this tremendous sacrifice and great achievement. So
there’s room for improvement. Helmut Schmidt, the former Prime
Minister in Germany, used to say “The biggest room on earth is the
room for improvement”.
Nostalgic Pilgrimage
Q.Can you share with us some memories or the way you feel when
you visit the school you studied in and graduated from? What goes
in your mind and heart?
A.For me, it’s a sort of nostalgic pilgrimage into my past and before
we had this discussion I had a superb encounter with the director
of the institution, Dr. Suleiman Rabadi, who informed me about the
goals and targets of the future projects. I believe Collège des Frères
is the best school in Jerusalem and will be. I believe there is now a
historical necessity for somebody taking the initiative of making a
conference for the Jerusalem Diaspora around the world. Jerusalem
suffered demographically a lot in 1948. People forget that West
Jerusalem was also Palestinian and that there were eight residential
neighborhoods from where people were kicked out; some moved
like my family from West Jerusalem to East Jerusalem but others
moved to Western California, American West Coast, Scandinavia and
Australia. I believe that we should not lose this Jerusalem Diaspora
and we should interact with them and somebody here, preferably
an NGO, and maybe a partnership between Collège des Frères
and Faisal al Husseini Foundation for an example could convene
a conference soon and this could be done within the coming six
months for the Jerusalem Diaspora. Can you imagine the potential
of such an initiative of 400 to 500 people for the first conference
coming to Jerusalem from all over the world, from Scandinavia to
California to Pennsylvania to Australia, and buses taking them to
visit (Al- atamon, Al-bak’a, Al-tambieh..Etc), then going to the Old
City of Jerusalem to visit the mosques and the holy places? Can you
imagine the interactions? I have seen in America the committees
of Bethlehem, Ramallah, and Der Dibwan in action. Every such
conference that takes place in America results in 4/5 marriages,
which is beautiful, what is better than the intermarriages between
Jerusalemites from Jerusalem and those who live abroad, we can
make agreements with either Collège des Frères or the University of
Jerusalem to have every year a one month summer project where
Arabic and history are taught. We can have all the NGO’s coming
and giving their brochures so that the children of our Diaspora can
volunteer and I like voluntary work on which my generation was built.
This is the beautiful gift you can give to any cause. Can you imagine
the interactions that can happen when hundreds of the children of
Diaspora come every summer to work in the NGO’s in Jerusalem and
Ramallah donating their time?
We are a society, here again we come back to our multilingual
nature; a lot of our successful Palestinian diaspora can subcontract
and have partners from Palestine. We live in the media age; we can
have companies established in Jerusalem for the dubbing, subtitling,
and translation as we have people fluent in Spanish, Portuguese,
French, Italian, etc. Can you imagine how much work can be created?
Maybe 50 of our young actors can be involved in that, if you want to
do the subtitling, so many of our translators can be involved and the
sky is the limit. I believe we should unleash Palestinian creativity. Let’s
put imagination in power. Unfortunately, we live in a very uninspiring
moment. You can be the breath of fresh air for the future.
Ideas are Nobler than Institutions
Q.As a prolific writer, do you regard downloading your saved books
and articles as a violation of your intellectual property or as an
infringement of copyright?
A.As long as it’s always mentioned, on the contrary, a person who
believes that he is at the service of an idea, he would like to have
his intellectual production as democratically shared as possible. I
take it as a tribute and a compliment. I have devoted all my life for
the Palestinian cause on the framework of the PLO and I’ve always
said the following: ‘I believe the PLO is in the same time an idea and
an institution, if a few thousands work in the institution, then the
eleven million other Palestinians are the vehicles of the idea, and
ideas are nobler than institutions. In politics on the contrary, having
one’s article or lecture distributed and circulated is a very positive
thing as that was the purpose to begin.
9
Articles
The
Essence
The Gift of Life
E
veryone was granted a life, some
enjoy it, others don't; everyone
lives a different life, every day can be a
different challenge, a different thing to
do, or it can be the same as the other
day: boring and dull, with each day
being a repetition of what was already
done in the previous one.
Some say an adventurous and
eventful life can be as exciting as a
boring quiet one. What led to people
thinking this way? Well, the fact that
we all leave this world and our lives the
same way; dead. What we do before
that is simply a forgotten history, or
if we did something significant in our
lives, is a written history for generations
after to recall and mention each year, or
maybe each day, depending on how this
event impacted the lives of many.
However, back to the question,
an adventurous life or a quiet one?
Things can be achieved in both lives;
as shown by many great people who
made the laws of physics, but will they
enjoy their lives when they're doing so?
Probably not, a quiet life, or at least in
my opinion, is a curse, one that no- one
deserves, even if it's at their own will.
Living life is a one-shot hit-or-miss,
you only get a chance to live once, a
one-way ticket if you will, so making the
most of it is the best thing to do.
How does one live an adventurous
life? It doesn't have to be literally
adventurous, climbing mountains would
be too much, sailing across oceans is too
much, pretending you did, is too little.
Perhaps the best thing to do would be a
compromise between all these, without
wasting time on what many do instead.
Mohammad Abu Gharbieh
A Right or a Privilege?
B
eyond doubt, the drinking age
system is not only retarded but also
obsolete & has been so for as long as
ages.
It is a fact none may try to debunk,
teenagers are anything but getting
sober. It may have to do with the
drinking age, yet you can easily spot 14
year olds wandering the streets drunk,
a phenomenon you couldn’t have
encountered a decade ago, this has no
obvious relation to the permitted age of
drinking. However, this points to a more
serious issue; related to the distribution
and violation of certain laws.
In the light of new statistics and
research a shadow of doubt I cast upon
teen problems in general and addiction
related in details; the currently used
and practiced system worldwide where
none is entitled to a beverage of the
alcoholic variety unless they are of a
certain age, which is usually 18 except
for some countries – like The United
States of America – is a kind of nonsense,
many fancy to defy with no regards in
mind for repercussions or far reaching
consequences.
However, if such a system was
reinforced by introducing a far harsher
penalty on those who violate the law
by allowing the purchase of Alcohol by
under aged individuals, then many will
rethink and reconsider the prospects of
their illegal deeds.
These arguments are not in favor
of neither increasing nor decreasing
a preset drinking age, yet they try to
convey the idea that what suits some
cannot be applied to everyone as my
teacher would say “One man's meat
is another man's poison” and so is the
case with Arab countries where drinking
is absolutely banned and prohibited,
try imposing such a law in Europe, that
would be an utterly amusing experiment
to embark on!!
Issa Kharouf
Drinking and Teenagers
D
rinks vary in types and tastes,
based on different cultures. Tasting
these seems like a hobby to some
people. However, this has turned into
an addiction for teenagers, who see it
as a way to forget life's problems, or
as a way to show off in front of friends.
This might be fun at the beginning but it
often ends as an addiction that takes a
lot of time off their lives. All counties agree on one thing,
even if their laws differ, there should
be an age restriction on drinking,
which is often when a person becomes
an adult at the age of 18. However,
these restrictions are ignored in some
European countries, where teenagers
start drinking at the age of 14.
The age restrictions by the
government should be enforced in
shops everywhere, and fines for illegal
shops should be issued to reduce the
numbers of these places. Moreover,
the age limits should even be raised to
over 20 years of age, when a person has
decided what his life is going, or when
he starts a family; by then, most people
only drink on certain occasions, such as
holidays and parties. Finally, and in my opinion, drinking
should be restricted for all people under
all ages, unless it's on a certain event,
this is not due to my religious beliefs,
but due to what drinking has done to
the lives of teenagers everywhere. Mohammad Abu Gharbieh
10
Articles
that took place from the ice
age till today.
Finally, I believe that
humans have a fundamental
influence on the environment
in which they live, but also,
this environment is always
changing. So humans need to
find new alternative practical
solutions to minimize their
effect as much as possible so
as not to threaten the life of
other living organisms and
to maintain an acceptable
global climate.
that helped the makers of solitary play
with their feelings.
Bottom of line, no one can
remain alive in this harsh life if there
is no shoulder he can lean on in bad
situations or someone he could kiss or
hug when he is happy, or help him when
he is in need. Usually that person is your
partner whom you live and share your
life with.
Elder people have nothing in their
life other than the memory of things
that happened to them with people
they lived and shared moments with.
That’s what gives them the energy to
continue living this life.
Adnan Shihabi
Wasseem Bazbaz
Global Climate Change
T
he fact that global climate is rapidly
changing to the worse has been
confirmed by many meteorologists
worldwide.
Most definitely, humans play the
major role in this change, simply by
disturbing the general environmental
equilibrium.
Every year, a significant number
of trees are being cut or destroyed by
humans. Factories are continuously
releasing their harmful chemical wastes
to the environment, thus polluting land,
air and water.
What is more astonishing, is the
fact that many plant and animal species
are seriously endangered by these
terrible environmental conditions and
therefore, leading to the extinction
of such creatures. This is considered
as a clear sign that global climate is
actually changing at a rate greater than
expected. Also, global warming became
a widely noticed phenomenon in the
last few years, and every day we hear
scientists warning us about the horrible
consequences of global warming
including the melting down of polar ice,
land infertility and warmer atmospheric
temperatures.
On the other hand, many people
believe that global climate change is
not purely man-made. It is thought
that environmental change is perfectly
natural and could be due to some factors
such as solar radiation levels and the
position of earth with respect to other
planets in the solar system and all these
changes could explain the transition
A Place Without People
Revolution
od created both males and females
to live together and share their
feelings.
No-one can survive this ruthless
life without people, he would feel so
hollow inside him and know that there
is something missing that should fill the
place.
For example, when people get stuck
on a cave of some kind, they relieve each
other thus become less scared than one
being alone without anyone to company
him in this miserable situation.
Human beings by their nature tend
to tell anyone they say whether they
know him or not their misery, they don’t
accept him to fix the problem, but the
act of you talking and him listening is
enough for you to get rid of that misery.
Knowing that there is always
someone you can open your heart to
would make you feel more powerful,
that’s why in prison they tend to put
someone in a sole confinement, thus
making him agonize more.
There was a T.V. show called
Solitary where nine contenders, each
would be put in a room away from
the others, and they would test each
competitor’s ability to survive on his
own. They let the competitor endure
things that you won’t imagine and there
is always a chance for them to give up
whenever they want, and the first one
to quit would lose, but the others won’t
know that making the left contenders
push themselves to the limit to win, and
re we human beings? The last
time I checked we were. But what
we now seem to be are puppets in the
hands of the powerful. Manipulated,
brain-washed, mentally propelled into
the, obviously, planned agenda put by
people who are, somehow, magnetized
to occupy any position that allows them
to be in charge. Are they democrat rulers
of the country? Or better, defenders of
the nation? NO, they are the suppressors
of the future. We wanted change, we
took action, we revolutionized it but
we have not planned it, and that, my
friends, has paved the way through
for these position-loving parasites
to take over. The ideology of this is
not taking for granted the individuals
themselves for who they are, but the
regime that will hamper through them
into the constitution that, again, will
eventually be done through the new
elected president, which will also be
like a reenactment of a the same series
starring different actors. The actions on
forth will be directed and acted upon
the people by, in my opinion, antirevolutionist parties that will dictate the
people forever after. A slight mistake of
not comprehending the foreign regime
has done this, whether we see it or not.
This blindness will stamp our brave,
yet stupid and unplanned action in the
books of history as the people who
removed the bad to bring upon, the
worse.
Fadi Abdinnour
G
A
11
The
Articles
Essence
What is Humanity?
I
n my opinion I don't think there is any
humanity left in this world, because
for me humanity is when people fight for
each other, help each other, save each
other, love and care for each other and I
seriously don't see any of that around me.
I really feel that it is wrong to call
ourselves human beings, we should be
called PARASITES. We kill each other for
money and stupid things.
When an injured dog is walking
and another dog sees him he goes and
licks his wounds, takes care of him until
he feels better and not goes and eats
him alive.
That's humanity in my opinion. The
world is so darn selfish!
Hagop Sivzattian
Blindness
W
e are humans. We see what we
want to see, we hear what we
want to hear. We may not know or may
not care. There are things hidden but
at the same time revealed. We wish
we haven't seen it but the deep feeling
within us urges to uncover the sheath.
We want to have fun, run, enjoy and live
our lives and dreams. But behold what
you don't see, a world of destruction,
hunger and forgotten scenes. We are
selfish whether we see it or not. Not
the wealth nor the fame or any of what
selfishness ever explains but that of
what you yourselves uncover from your
inner deeds. It's not our situation I'm
talking about, but that of the forgotten
world. A world with populations less
12
than ours but with lands bigger than
that we have. It is a world filled with
what eyes cannot bare to see, beware
it's not ugliness but a devastating scene.
Skins painted on bones, and the bones
clustering on the entire body. Behind
the bushes they can be barely seen, not
because they're hidden but because
they are so small that they cannot be
seen. Starvation is what is hitting them
like rains of bullets. The sight of it kills
us from the inside, tearing out our
insides as we haven't done anything to
prevent something. We'd like to think
we can't but hell I'm sure we can. Do not
become self-centered and think that
you're the only ones with problems. I
am not stupid and I know that we're in
an entirely unacceptable situation, but
have a heart and think; plan for a better
tomorrow because today we only have
little freedom left so let's use it and
build a better and a blissful world.
Fadi Abdinnour
The So-Called Love
I
n a new world order where income
and material wealth are the sole
representatives of status and superiority,
fondness is usually left to rot on that
shelf behind the closet, in the basement
of the now forsaken mausoleum of a
once popular figure that no more stands
for that obsolete ideology, regarding
love of thy comrade and mother nation.
Instead, by today’s standards, one
in pursuit of happiness and affection
is a person on the quest for lust,
fornication and of course the new
corporate standard of the age; relations
of questionable integrity and longevity.
Thus, true love or however you
want to call it has eventually degraded
in status, from a retrospective point of
view it once was a virtue of pure merit,
a trait bestowed on the most righteous
of people, and the gift of the divine,
but in reality a keen interest to the
issue at hand surfaces only on a couple
of occasions that include but aren’t
limited to February 14th, a day devoted
exclusively for our unique perception of
love, be it fornication or restatements of
infatuation, a day reserved for rose gifting
and of course, lonely chocolate gulping.
Therefore regardless of your
infinitesimal infatuation with someone,
Valentine’s Day is your one and only
shot to a better future and hopefully
reciprocation, mutual respect and all
the cheesy stuff sixteen year olds waste
their time reading, watching and talking
about.
Yet in the real world, that one devoid
of fantasy and sparkling blood suckers,
life is harsh, ruthless and hard to the
core, hence many on this once fateful day
– for the establisher of said occasion –
run into the foe of cupid’s, the renowned
heartbreaker, rejection. Hence, why
many prefer to delve in an enterprise that
is neither risky nor frisky? One that may
well payback at the end, despite being a
tad more materialistic, it at least keeps a
roof over your head; work.
Consequently,
people
are
losing faith and investing their trust
decreasingly in an institution of age
old standards that fails as many times
as it succeeds, marriage is no longer
synonymous with “eternal care” but
stands now for a fifty-fifty chance, a coin
flip if I may say.
Issa Kharouf
Short
Stories
The Discovery of Alcohol
Benedict was a man of God, he was a priest with
rom that moment on he was adamant about repeating
Father
F
the highest morals, values and priorities in life, despite
such experiment, within two months he tasted the
being a tad overweight, not overly tall and having a rather
rotund and unattractive countenance he thought God
loved him best out of all people roaming the face of earth,
maybe he was right hitherto, for his piousness was beyond
comparison, consequently he fancied that love would
easily find its way into his heart.
A
mong his many possessions were the land where he
dwelled, the church that he erected and the fields that
he overlooked, and fatefully those vines that stretched into
the horizon. Each day he drank the juices of his grapes for.
One day, by sheer accident he forgot his juice on a window
frame only to notice it there a couple of months later, a
mere glance over the bottle spiked a tremor in his stomach
& what was he to do, he couldn’t oppose it so he picked up
that dusty bottle of red gurgling liquid with a swift move
of his palm, being thirsty that evening after a late mass
and curiosity playing its role he took a sip, that sweet yet
fruity taste tinged with a sourness was so addictive and
intoxicating.
ripe fruit of his endeavor, after calling some friends over
they broke bread together, following a tasty supper he
presented his drink, everyone was surely impressed,
praising the old now vicar for his great work, it was not
until the early night had father Benedict noticed the side
effects, people’s conciseness was easily manipulated, they
barely stood and most of them were in a deep sleeplike
condition. He was plainly dumbstruck. Could it be that this
beverage he created was doing what it wasn’t intended
to do? Was this a bless? Was he to tell people what to do,
thus forge their beliefs? Was this a sign?
it was, grape juice can’t do what this liquid is doing,
Sure
it must be a miracle then!
Father Benedict was moved, could it be that God has
entrusted him with a mission, was he to spread the word,
now equipped with a miracle at hand?
There was no other explanation, and so with Alcohol in
one hand and the teaching of God in another, Benedict
sets forth to convert and intoxicate.
Issa Kharouf
What we Engrave in Life
cold January morning. Skies were as black
Itaswascoal,a dark
wind was blowing ruthlessly and streets were
almost empty. Death angels seemed to be drifting angrily
from one corner to the other.
That morning, while I was walking slowly in my way to
school, no one could imagine the feeling I had at one
moment. It seemed to me as if the world was losing its
beauty and kindness…
my mobile phone rang in a frantic disastrous
Suddenly,
way.
“Hello my son, I…I… I wish you are alright”. My mother
cried.
Once I heard the tone of my mother’s voice I got completely
terrified.
“I’m fine mum, what’s wrong? ”I immediately replied.
“Your aunt, Sarah, has just been delivered to the nearest
hospital, she went in a coma and doctors are saying that
her situation is hopeless.” My mother explained.
As soon as I had realized what my mother was saying I was
mesmerized in my position unable to think, talk or even
see what was in front of me. I started shivering strongly
and I could not prevent my tears from pouring extensively
running as fast as a race car towards my aunt’s hospital.
time I reached the hospital, I was almost dead
Byfromthe worrying,
fatigue and sadness. I was extremely
surprised to see the emergency department over crowded.
There was a numerous number of people crying and waiting
for what is going to happen to my aunt. Everybody was
deeply affected by the idea that she was on the verge of
death. We all loved her in an unbelievable way.
One hour later, Doctors announced the worst news I have
ever heard. “Sarah is dead!” We all burst crying.
The silence then dominated the department. No one could
imagine how gloomy the news was.
was the friendliest person I have ever known,
Sarah
to the point that, she never had any enemies. She
devoted herself for helping the needy without waiting for
any compensation. Sarah was always truthful, honest and
modest. She had all the best qualities one could imagine.
Sarah’s funeral was the most attended funeral ever.
Hundreds of Sarah’s friends, which I have never heard of,
came to offer their condolences.
this was the ugliest experience in my life, I
Although
learned a lot about how doing the good is important
during one’s life. I started to believe that collecting people’s
love, respect and admiration are actually much better than
collecting diamonds. This is simply because one achieves
nothing after death except how he is looked upon.
Adnan Shihabi
13
The
Adnan Shihabi
“The fruits of
success can't be
reaped from a
dead tree.”
“Intellectual growth
should not cease at
death, but prosper
into the souls of
generations to
come.”
Elias Zabaneh
“Good life is
one that is
inspired by love
and guided by
knowledge.”
“Excellence is the
unlimited ability
of improving the
quality of what
we have to offer.”
Hanna Turjman
Hagop Svizatian
“Seize your
day and never
trust your
tomorrow.”
Fadi Abdelnour
“Excellence is the
unlimited ability
of improving the
quality of what we
have to offer.”
14
“The future
starts today not
tomorrow.”
Diaeldin Najib
Antranik Emerezian
“We do not
remember days,
but moments.”
Alex Al-Hadweh
Essence
Abdallah Al-Labadi
Class 2011
“We must
accept finite
disappointment,
but we must never
lose infinite hope.”
“Stupidity is a
right the stupid
love to abuse.”
“A creative man is
motivated by the
desire to achieve
not by the desire to
beat others.”
“I will miss
you my dear
school.”
“One never
appreciates the value
of something until
it’s taken away from
them.”
Waseem Bazbaz
Omar Addabbagh
“One may not be
rewarded if his life
was for the best
of others, but the
footprints he leaves
will never fade away.”
Nour Dirini
Mohammad
Abu-Gharbieh
Joudeh Facuseh
“Don’t waste your
wood on the fire that is
burning you, save it
for the one that will one
day keep you warm.”
“Make up your
mind and decide
because your
future is slipping
behind.” Zeid Sinokrot
“Loop and
loop, life is a
hasty route!”
Issa Kharouf
Hussam Shehabi
Ibrahim Nasser Eldin
Graduation
“Defeat is never
an option.”
15
Farewell
School
The
Essence
S
W
A Turning Point
e meet to part and we part to meet. Who thought
that this day will come? Who thought that a chain
built over twelve years will finally break and every part of it
will start its own new chain?
To whom am I going to say goodbye or hold feelings for?
Pictures are printed in my mind and words are engraved in
my heart and memories are flowing in my blood. I promised
myself not to forget the smell of my desk nor the sound of
air blowing through the closed window.
Goodbye to our principal, to our teachers who raised
us and will raise others.
A turning point, where we finish a chapter of our story
and start a new one, I believe that we successfully finished
this part of our life and I hope that we are ready for life
outside.
Last but not least, my friends or my brothers as I refer
to, I hope we are going to remain friends and that each
one’s chain will be connected to the other’s.
Goodbye isn’t the right word to use, so see you later….
Life Keys
eptember 1st, 1998 was my first day at school! I was
delighted to be at school but as a four year old kid I
didn’t have a single idea of what is going to happen, or what
do kids usually do in school. Everything was wonderful
until I saw my teacher holding my right hand and telling
me, “welcome Alex! Your parents will come back later to
take you home, tell them Good Bye!” and that was the first
time I felt myself alone, without any help or any care, my
first day was the worst, I spent it crying and didn’t talk to
anyone, and even I was furious with my parents when they
came back!
And now after 13 years it is time to say “Good Bye” but
not to my parents, it is time to leave school, where I was
raised and lived my childhood, and spent the best days of
my life with all my friends and teachers, Those days will be
engraved in my memory for ever…
My School, you gave me the keys of life, three things
that are the foundations of life: reading, writing, and having
true friends! I am thankful to you, your management, your
teachers and all the other staff!
It is not easy to leave your second home and look for
your life outside its walls, but this is life, and building our
future starts from the day of our graduation!
To my school students, I would like to leave you with
what Abraham Lincoln once said as a key to your future:
“The philosophy of the school room in one generation will
be the philosophy of government in the next.”
Alex Hadweh
I
Farewell School
ears have passed, minute after another like a blast.
It isn’t really hard to leave the school knowing that
the future isn’t far apart.
Years have passed by, like days or even minutes,
you enter the school as a kid thinking when will this
misery end but as you grow you make friends until you
reach the end hoping those days, minutes don’t end
nor pass or if the time would go back to relive the whole
experience again. So don’t waste your youth growing,
because as you think it over and over you know that
those days were and will be the best.
All the pranks and games that happened in the
school years and every teacher’s scream and each time
you get thrown out of class, you will look at and laugh.
t recently dawned on me that there are only few weeks
ahead before I embark into the real world. It was a time
to remember, a time to feel sad along with a time to feel
hopeful and thankful.
More than 9 years I spent in this school, I’m feeling
that my departure has come upon so quickly; it seems like
yesterday when I was finding my way around the school.
Here I learned from my teachers whose influence on me
was so great and my friends whom I had the best memories
with.
My school was the place where I learned, laughed and
ate so that to a point I felt really that it’s like my second
home, the academic staff were like my parents or my family
whom always advised me. However, school has not solely
taught me manners, subjects of an academic nature and
imposed rules upon me; I’ve learnt things that will be
valuable to me throughout my life.
Now, it is time to move on, my time in school is done,
and I will venture into new things. I must now pack up my
memories and leave. Farewell my beloved school.
Wasseem Bazbaz
Omar Dabbagh
Antranik Emmerizian
Y
16
Pranks & Games
Farewell
School
T
First Step
en years have passed so quickly and I still remember my
first day at this school as it was yesterday. I made my
first step as a kid, scared and I can say I will leave it with full
confidence ready to face my future.
I want to dedicate this to thank everyone in this school
who helped and stood by me to go through the ups and
downs and shaped me well to be the person I am today.
I have learned a lot of things from each and every one of
you, and the days I’ve spent here, the good and bad ones,
will stay in my mind and heart forever. Good luck to all of
you.
Dia Najeeb
Never to be Forgotten Memories
S
ince we started school everyone used to tell us that
school is our second home. I personally didn’t believe
them, but as the years flew by like a dream and I got wiser I
knew that they were right all along. Throughout the twelve
years I spent at school I engraved my memories, feelings
and adventures in my heart and mind.
We don’t know the meaning of school until we bid
it farewell. We take it for granted that we go every day
and see the same teachers, faces, …etc. But when the time
comes to leave it forever one will say I wish I could stay
longer in my second home. It is very upsetting to leave it
and my childhood friends, but I am proud to say that I once
went to Collège des Frères, sat on its desks, played in its
playground and built my knowledge in its classes.
For as long as I shall live I will never
forget these special memories.
I
My Beloved Mother School
t is obviously the first time that such a feeling comes
to my mind; a feeling that is totally vague and foggy. It
is a feeling of pain and sorrow mixed with the sense of
appreciation and gratitude.
Days, months and years have passed quicker than a
blink of an eye. I still clearly remember that day when my
father brought me to New Gate Campus in order to sit for
the entrance exam, so as a five year old child, stepping up
the stairs of your 130 year old building made me feel as if
I’m going to meet somebody that means everything to me.
This moment, still shines in my memory every morning
I go up that stairs to my classroom and stimulates my heart
to beat faster and faster.
It is time to leave, a fact that I’m still unable to
realize. I can’t imagine, even for one second that I have to
permanently abandon you.
Doubtless, this would be the hardest separation ever:
a separation between a mother and her child.
Your classrooms, laboratories and playgrounds became
part of me; a part of my personality and entity. They hosted
me for 13 years, nourishing and feeding me with knowledge,
hope and love.
Yes, it is the end of 13 years of rich and fantastic
experience which taught me how to be a self independent
person who is able to solve almost all problems facing him.
Today, I’m leaving your stairs with sweet tears of
appreciation and respect.
And I promise you, my beloved mother, that I’ll always
obey your teachings and be as you expect me to be.
Adnan Shihabi
Hagop Sivzattian
17
Farewell
School
T
The
Essence
A Significant Segment
welve years have passed; school will always be in our
memories and the friends we made will always remain
in our hearts. They may have seemed to be long, but the
last few years the ones that mattered most passed in the
blink of an eye and the teachers we patronized will be
missed for sure.
School makes up a significant segment of our lives, we
might have hated it at the start, but now that it’s heading to
its end, we’re regretting that feeling.
Yes, we have learned, whether academically or not,
one comes to appreciate the value of something when
it’s being taken away from them, the same would apply to
school.
Every part of this experience pays off in the future, this
will be later passed on to future generations, who will still
fail to see the point in enjoying school life until the very
end.
Goodbyes are better left unsaid, but with this, I say
farewell to everyone I’ve met at school, farewell to you my
teachers and school.
To you teachers, I have never known what or why do
you still wake up every morning and go to teach u?
You have dedicated so much for us, but you have
received so little in return. You have sacrificed for us, but
we didn’t seem to acknowledge what sacrifice is? But you
must know that you have planted a seed in every student’s
soul, and it is growing, so never quit teaching because we’ll
never stop learning.
Today, I leave you my school with tearful joy. Goodbye.
Fadi Abdinnour
Mohammad Abu-Gharbieh
T
Tearful Joy
his day has been long awaited by us, students. This day
I do not rush in going away, but I share a memory that
will never fade away, for 12 years we have been together my
fellow peers, even words fail to express those tremendous
years.
In this school, we did not only receive excellence in
education, but we gained friendships, experience and
everything we ever desired.
This wouldn’t have happened if it weren’t for my
parents whom always put our education as a priority and
wouldn’t risk it at any cost. I want to thank you, mum and
dad for everything you have ever done.
Time Really Flies
I
t is time to say goodbye to my beloved school after 13
precious years full of sad and happy memories that I have
to treasure for the rest of my life.
It was a wonderful long journey that I have learned a
lot from and gained academic and social knowledge which
help me in building my future. In my school I have made
wonderful friends that I have learned from, played with,
helped each other and shared happiness and sadness
together.
I am very grateful for my teachers who worked hard
and taught me how to write, read and think, built my
personality in order to face my future and taught me how
to deal with my community.
I will always be grateful to my parents who supported
me and helped me to have trust in my abilities, they
worked hard for this moment and I worked hard in school
to guarantee them being proud of me.
Saying goodbye doesn’t mean leaving for ever we will
be always in connection with friends, teachers and school.
I will never forget you.
Elias Zabaneh
18
Oasis
of Poetry
My Beloved School
Days, months and years have passed
quicker than a blink of an eye.
Today was the time to say the final
goodbye.
It is the end of a 13 year-old experience
Rich in hard work, determination and
educational excellence
Collège des Frères is more than just a
school to mention
It is a 135-year old heritage of uniqueness
and exception
And that great old building situated in the
west of the Old City
Has been the beacon of knowledge and
equal opportunity
Those days will be permanently engraved
in my memory
As returning back will only be imaginary
Today I’m leaving you with sweet tears of
appreciation
Praising and thanking you for the best
quality of education
Thank you my beloved school for teaching
me all I need to know
I’ll always remember you most fondly no
matter where I go.
Adnan Shihabi
Who am I?
I am the soil
I am the sea
I am the roots of every olive tree
An unborn baby that this land awaits to
see
A chocolate cake?
Or a muffin bake?
None of the above
‘Cause I’m the sweetest
Definitely the best.
History or myth?
Neither, for I am a mystery revealed to the
rest
Comprehensible? Indeed
But all are eager to be me
Religions exist in and around me
But yet so fervent to take over me
A land for all
Not for one
I wish they could all see
I am the land
The fury
The rage
The revolution
And everyone’s dream
I am Palestine
And forever this shall be.
Make our day!
Fadi Abdinnour
I am
I am from Palestine the land of poets and
heroes.
A Church from the Holy Land,
An Olive tree standing high with strong
roots,
A Politician fighting for the freedom of my
country.
I am the soil that embraces all the
martyrs that have gone down by
the perfidious enemy bullets.
I am the Palestinian flag that will always
stay standing tall and proud in my land,
Palestine.
I am from Palestine!
Where Jesus gave the Sermon on the
Mount,
And where your hear the “Azzan” mixed
with bells,
But you never see evil smiles or cunning
handshakes!
I am from Jerusalem
The city of lost peace, where love is
forbidden, and dignity is confiscated!
Where David chanted:
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem,
May those who love you be secure.”
Alex Hadweh
Inspiration
Hagop Sivzattian
Tears
Down by the river of tears
There the mother kneeled Grasped the dirt between her hands
And planted the flag of peace With her fear filled heart.
Rocks, gunfire, bloodshed...
The tombs filled with innocent children.
The mother looked at the sky,
And wished she was with her child.
Up there….
She gazed at the horizon Bursting into tears, Shouted a piercing sentence:
STOP KILLING OUR CHILDREN
Hagop Sivzattian
Lost Peace
I am from earth!
From a place where Olive trees are
uprooted,
Where White Doves are rarely seen,
Where sad smiles are dominant on the
faces of people!
I am from the Middle East!
In my country falafel is the main breakfast,
And “Maklubah” is the daily lunch,
Drinking dark coffee and discussing
politics…
I am your sensation
Trying to help you gain your dark
temptation
Whether you use your car or public
transportation
I will make sure you reach your destination
Without being thrown away by any false
allegations.
If you are seeking knowledge or any kind
of inspiration
Just don’t forget that I am with you in this
lonely world and occupied nation.
You’re older than me living here from the
start of creation.
Whether you want to be mean or seeking
salvation,
Just know that I will always be near you
to help you with reinvigorating quotation,
Even if you are suffering from any kind of
mutation.
Do you understand the explanation or
need any further demonstration?
I think this is enough rhyme for me to
write before I start writing uncensored
information.
Wasseem Bazbaz
19
Revolution
The
Essence
Fear of the Dark
R
evolution is not something fixed in ideology nor is it
something fashioned to particular decade: it is a perpetual
process embedded in the human spirit. I am against corruption,
high unemployment rates, and the unfair distribution of
resources, I am against a regime that suppresses human rights
and forbids free speech, but I am also against what is happening
in Tunisia and Egypt because we are a nation that does not have
a fertile soil for democracy and we definitely do not have a real
alternative for the current situation. If Arabs want to change their
reality they should start with their homes, schools, children and
themselves before changing what is better than the unknown.
The ongoing demonstrations in Egypt proved to us that
the Arab youths are craving for democracy and change, and
they are connected and determined to decide their future. But
unfortunately these peaceful protests are being abused by groups
with foreign agendas trying to meddle into our world using
media as their weapon. Regrettably, we swallowed the bait. Our
emotions overcome our intelligence. After all, nothing captures
the human mind more than human tragedy. We should ask
ourselves before raging with pathetic: Why do we live in a society
where a heavy-bearded man, with no education whatsoever,
has a larger influence on people more than a skillful politician?
The answer is right in front of our eyes! Our societies have been
accustomed to usurpation of the mind and lack of democracy.
Abdallah Labdi
The City of all Nations
I
n a sunny bright day of July, I was standing at the roof of a
restaurant in the Old City talking to a European friend about
the situation in Jerusalem, meanwhile people were dashing in
the narrow crowded ancient markets and tourists who gathered
from all around the world to see the city of beauty and hidden
stores where prophets and saints have lived, It is the holy city that
unites the divine religions and all the descendants of Abraham in
one sacred place.
Beyond that entire beautiful scene there is a bad face that
shows the sufferings and struggles of people of Jerusalem. Life in
Jerusalem is not easy at all, and being a Jerusalemite means a lot
to the Palestinians who strongly believe that Jerusalem should
be the capital of the future independent Palestinian state!
For centuries Jews, Christians and Muslims lived in peace in
Palestine, until the beginning of the previous century when the
International Zionist Movement started its actions. Unfortunately
the last six decades were bloody, and Jerusalem was the aim of
the fighters!
But innocent people always pay for the greed of others and
wise ones keep on praying with David for the peace of the city
and the safety of those who really love it (Psalm 121:6).
Palestinians in Jerusalem suffer from persecution and public
discrimination, they are not allowed to restore their old buildings
and they are denied building permissions! Palestinian lands in
Jerusalem are in danger of confiscation and it doesn’t matter
whether the property belongs to a church or to an Islamic Waqf.
Another obstacle that faces the Jerusalemites is the issue
of the IDs and the right of residence in Israel for a Palestinian
person who’s married to a Jerusalemite.
20
Despite all of this we still have faith in a better future and
we will never leave our city, the one that God have loved and
chosen to be the Holy One.
”This is my homeland;no one can kick me out!” Yasser Arafat
Alex Hadweh
The Delivered Message
T
unisa and Egypt are two examples of the power of the
population of nations, when thousands of civilized people
demonstrated in the capitals of their countries, asking for change
in the government, they made their voice be heard all over the
world, and they succeeded. It first started in Tunisia when a young
man burned himself after he got humiliated by a policewoman,
while he was selling stuff on his stall because simply he couldn’t
find a job. This was the spark that started the resolution of the
people on the government, and these people changed the whole
system and secured the future of their children. Tunisia was just
the start, what happened in Egypt was much bigger. In Egypt,
people died and thousands were injured to say what some
people couldn’t. They delivered their own message to the world,
because they just couldn’t hold it anymore and it was their only
way with their will as their weapon, some people said that what
was going on was really a shame. But I think that Arab people
started to realize what’s going on, all around them, which made
many Arab Presidents give rethink of every step they are about
to take. No -one can laugh at these people anymore, nor will they
be waiting for any commands from other nations and this is an
important point, where the future of the Middle East won’t be
decided in Washington!
The Future of the Arab World and Palestine will be decided
here.
Zaid Sinokrot
Tunisia Revolts Egypt
A
n hour after news broke that President “Ben Ali” had fled
Tunisia, reverberations of his departure were already being
felt over thousands of miles away in the Capital of Egypt.
Outside the Tunisian Embassy in Cairo on Friday night, a thick
line of a wielding riot police and plain- clothed security watched
Articles
in anxiety as dozens of Egyptian opposition members chanted
slogans criticizing of the government led by President Hosni
Mobarak and his regime.
For weeks, the Arab world watched with surprise the events
in Tunisia, once seen as the stable model for the countries in
I believe that change is soon coming to the Middle East.
This change will be achieved by the power of the population of
the Arab Nation, who strongly refuse the normalization of their
countries with Israel, which they consider to be their enemy and
the source of evil in the world.
I’m really optimistic that these revolutions will finally
lead to many fruitful results including the elimination of the
roots of corruption, oppression and unemployment, and the
establishment of freedom, justice and economic prosperity.
About Time
Adnan Shihabi
F
North – Africa region. Waves of popular unrest crashed four
weeks across the tiny North – Africa state.
What started the man self – immolation in protest of casing
unemployment and stagnating economy of central Tunisia,
erupted into countrywide fury against repressive regime run by
Ben Ali since 1987. Despite Ben Ali’s attempts to quell the risings
uproar, including the sacking of his Interior Minister and the
dissolution of Parliament, violence escalated.
All of what has happened and is still happening exudes
hope that the Arab nations will be liberated from dictatorship
and prejudice.
Omar Dabbagh
The Glorious Revolutions
in the Arab World
T
he prejudice fire burns the oppressor before the oppressed.
This is the best explanation to the violent resolutions that are
taking place in the Arab world against the dictatorship regimes
that have been ruling for many years.
The Tunisian and Egyptian people have finally succeeded
in breaking the barrier of fear. They protested in enormous
numbers demanding their freedom, rights and liberations.
People in the Arab world have turned into consumers
instead of producers; this is definitely due to the oppressive
regimes that are devoted to killing the creativity of the individual
by making him care about nothing except how to get his daily
food and shelter.
Obviously, the observer can conclude that these revolutions
were spontaneous and normal, reflecting the degree of misery
and poverty in Tunisia and Egypt.
I see that the Tunisian revolution provided the initiation
spark to the Egyptian people to start protesting against their
leader, and so will the other Arab countries do and rise up against
injustice and oppression.
or decades the Arab nations has been oppressed, robbed,
mistreated and tortured by their dictator governments
who “claim” democracy. For too long the Arabs have kept silent
unwilling to claim their rights and gain their freedom. However,
the days of the weak Arabs are over, after a long deep sleep.
Egypt the mother of the Arab Nation and Tunisia are the first two
nations to awaken.
After many years the people can no longer resist, the cruel
unfair lives, they witness with their own eyes every single day
and as a volcano they have built enough pressure in themselves
to finally erupt against their governments. These current events
will go down in history and will play a vital role in the massive
changes yet to come. Changes that will bring justice back to the
Middle East, changes that will show all human beings are equal,
no more will people be deprived of their rights and a better
future can be seen once more.
Noor Dirini
Jerusalem, with Hope we can
W
hat does Jerusalem mean to me, what does it means to
you?
We always ask ourselves, ask people or we just think about
it, the importance of Jerusalem to every person in this world, let
us make it clear, let us say the priorities, let us put our feelings
behind us and try to see what is infront of our eyes, the fact.
The reality is that Israel has the leading power in Jerusalem, they
control every square meter inside and outside the Old City.
The Holy land, a little which stuck to our land for years. It is
unique for the divine religions, Islam, Christianity and Judaism.
It contains religious place more than any place in the world. The
Holy Sepulchers Church, The Dome of the Rock and The Aqsa
Mosque, They all meet in one place; the Old City.
I know that what I’ve just said is all known to almost
everyone and that the question to be asked is what can we do?
What is the solution?
Should we rebel against this occupation or what is more
important can we? Well frankly I don’t think we can, we cannot
compete with what Israel has reached in the present time.
What we really can do and what we are able to do is use our
media. I believe that we can transfer a picture of what Israel is
doing to our history and our holy places, we can let people know
and as we are not able to fight the occupation from the same
land, maybe people from all over the world can do something
to help us. I believe that what happened recently in Tunisia and
Egypt is a reason to have hope and is a sign that it is time to
loosen these chains and break free.
Antranik Amarezian
21
Voluntary
Experience
The
Essence
of the Palestinians should be in their
own hands. I profoundly believe that
education is the key to this, the young
generations are the future, they will
A German Development Worker at Collège des Frères, placed
shape their community and country.
in a Civil Peace Work Program commissioned by the Catholic
My Contribution I spent some weeks
at school by talking to students and
“Association for Development Cooperation” (AGEH) which is
teachers in order to find out what is
based in Cologne/Germany who holds an MA in Education and a
appropriate and challenging for this
PhD in Comparative Religious Studies from University Utrecht/
school. My firm conviction is that any
program in the first place has to meet
Netherlands shares with us her experience at the school in
the needs of the particular students,
particular and Palestine in general.
teachers and school. One of the topics
I stand for is “Participatory Learning
and Teaching” which means: how
students can be more active when learning. Different types of
group work and experiential ways of learning, also in more playful
ways might make learning more sustainable and enjoyable at
“Why do you want to work at our school?” “What do you like
the same time. In this respect, I had the opportunity to discuss
more, the West Bank or Jerusalem?” “What do you think as a
in workshops some pertinent approaches with teachers of the
German about the Israeli occupation?” When I came at the
Secondary School.
beginning of 2010 - 2011 school year to Collège des Frères High
“Speak up – Debate!” was one of the headlines of a course
School in Jerusalem, the students greeted me with a firework
I
was
able to develop in a team with Mr. George Abu-Said for
of questions. I was surprised and I appreciated this, because it
6th to 8th Graders at Beit Hanina Campus. In
provided me with a great opportunity to learn
this “Debate Club”, we had several “heated”
something important: The students know
debates on different topics. I remember for
how to make their point, they are curious,
example the topic “Should girls and boys
they are passionate and they really want
sit beside each other in class?” It is not
to know! Isn’t this the best thing you
easy to cool down after an exchange
can say about kids? I was impressed
of the divergent points of view. But
by their eagerness to get to know
whatever the topic was and however
the foreigner – me – who started
strong the students “fought” with
to work at their school. I have
their words, we always managed
been working at the school
to part after each session as
for nine months now. With
friends. It helped considerably
hindsight, I can say: my first
that
we reflected on some
impression of the students was
debate techniques, for example
not wrong: Both campuses; New
how to construct good arguments
Gate and Beit Hanina, have a lot
and how to build counter arguments.
of bright students who really strive
One of the highlights of our sessions
for knowledge and competence, all
was when two students agreed to join
this under conditions which make it
the “contra” group although they inwardly
sometimes hard to study. Jerusalem is not
were convinced from the argumentation
an easy place to live in, especially not as a
of “the other side”. They deliberately put
Palestinian. Every day when I walk to school
themselves into the shoes of the others; a
at the New Gate I pass by Israeli soldiers, from
way to understand better the “other side” and by this to see
time to time I see that they stop one of the School’s students
themselves with the eyes of the other. A real learning challenge!
on his way to school. Sometimes this is a humiliating experience
“Debating” was also a topic at New Gate School too: together
for the kids right in the morning before they reach school. From
in a team with the class master,
2005 till 2010, I was working at Bethlehem University where
The Parent Teacher
Hanna Abu ‘Issa, I had the
I was launching projects, always in teams with Palestinian
Association which
chance to conduct a course
colleagues, in the field of participatory learning and teaching,
has
been set up by the
with
9
GCE
Class.
Here
the
in intercultural exchange programs with German universities,
school
is a great example of
most heated topic was
in advocacy courses and in interdisciplinary outreach programs
how
parents
and school could
“Palestine and Israel:
with the community on identity issues. Living in Bethlehem and
develop a constructive partnership
working at Bethlehem University gave me the opportunity to get
One country of two
and by this outreaching the
an insight into the situation of Palestinians in the West Bank. My
countries?” A topic
community.
I am sure not a
greatest learning experience in Bethlehem was that it is on the
which was chosen by the
few
schools
in Germany
Palestinians themselves to say how they want to live, how their
students themselves and
would be jealous of
state should be organized, how the relations to Israel should
carried out in a debate with a
such a model.
be planned and arranged. I am deeply convinced the destiny
lot of enthusiastic engagement.
Inge Tiemann
The Many Questions
22
Voluntary
Experience
“NO for Violence – YES for PEACE” was the
self-chosen motto of 8th Graders at school in Beit
Hanina who attended a course in the fall semester.
In a team consisting of Ms. Janet Saleh, Mrs. Fouz
Qotob and me, we discussed and tried out with
the students’ win-win solutions to conflicts within
school and society. In spring semester, 8th Graders
acted in small teams in 4th Grader classes as “coteachers” and tried to convey to the small kids what
they have learnt before. At the New Gate, in a team
with Mrs. Ruba Makki, supported by Br. Daoud
Kassabry, we also worked with 8th Graders on self
esteem and responding to conflicts.
A new experience for the school was a video
conference Mr. Nabil Abdallah and I held together with
members of the New Gate Student Parliament and
some other students in cooperation with a German
High School. The students from the German school
and from our school presented to each other pictures
and knowledge about their city and their social life,
by this triggering very passionate discussions about
the different lives in Germany and here. We had not
enough time to understand fully the situation of each other, but it
was a beginning. The Video Conference facilities provide us with a
unique opportunity to get closer to each other and to learn about
each other’s culture and life.
Sincere Gratitude
When I am writing this, my first year at “Collège des Frères”,
has almost come to its end. I have been learning a lot from the
teachers who in a very friendly way opened their classes to me,
were patient with me when I was at a loss with the Arabic language
and who also opened up in helping me to understand the school.
Let me here also say that I felt the great support of the staff of
both schools who helped me in finding my way in many respects.
I would like to seize the opportunity here to express
my profound gratitude to the school administration for their
continuous encouragement which was and still is very important
to me.
Last but not least, I want to address you; the students of
both schools, in Beit Hanina and New Gate as well: You really can
be proud to be part of the Frères Schools. Although I know that
sometimes it is not easy to be a student - sometimes for sure
you are angry with teachers or your classmates. Also to sit for so
many exams is not always fun, I am sure. But never forget: you
have a unique chance: the chance one day to shape the future
of your country. I am deeply convinced it’s you who can make
it. Seize your chance! Let me tell you, as a foreigner, what I feel
since I am at your school: When I see and experience you, I am
less afraid about the future of Palestine.
Sharbain’s
Bookshop Co.
English & French Books
for Children, Schools and Universities
19903 ‫ ب‬.‫ ص‬11‫ شارع صالح الدين رقم‬،‫ القدس‬- ‫شركة مكتبة شاربني‬
Sharbain's Bookshop Co.
Jerusalem, Salah Eddin St. P.O.Box 19903 Tel.: 02 628 6775 | Fax: 02 627 2698
e-mail: helensharbain@yahoo.com
23
Report
The
Essence
New Experience of Partnership with St. Michael School in Ahlen
O
ur belief in the importance of openness to other
cultures and creating bonds of cooperation with
the other motivated the school to embark on a cultural
exchange program with St. Michael School in the city of
Ahlen, Germany.
The foundations of this program were laid last year
with the visit of the partner school’s Vice Director and
Program Coordinator whom were welcomed by Dr. Rabadi,
the school Director, Mr. Naber, the Vice Director and the
project Coordinator, Mrs. Ghadeer Bishara. As a result it
was agreed that 2011 is the year where the first exchange
visits will take place.
In April of this year, the German delegation that
consisted of 20 pupils, 2 teachers, the school Director,
Michthild Frisch and the Program Coordinator, Johannes
Epke, arrived full of hope for a successful start. The pupils
were hosted by guest families who showed the Palestinian
generosity.
In the context of a pre-planned program by our school,
the Palestinian students and their German counterparts
took part in different activities including several visits to the
Palestinian cities like Bethlehem, Nablus and Jericho and
participated in a number of workshops and lectures that
highlighted the Palestinian cause, youth problems, living
in the shadow of the wall and difficulties that our pupils
Such a program provides for teachers and students
opportunities to identify the different communities and
cultures as well as bridging the gap between them, and
introducing the Arab culture in general and the Palestinian
society and cause in particular. The program aims to
inform teachers and students of the educational systems
of other communities, as well as make them gain access
to the historical landmarks, economic systems, political
and intellectual life. It aims also to build friendships and
partnerships with others through cultural interactions
among youth. A high level of commitment, maturity
and responsibility is expected from the participants as
ambassadors of their school and country abroad.
face in their daily lives, in addition to recreational and social
events to introduce the Palestinian culture.
The German delegation’s visit coincided with the Holy
Week, so together with our students; they participated
in the ceremonies and rituals of Palm Sunday, Maundy
Thursday and Great Friday. A number of visits to the Holy
Places and monuments in Jerusalem, Bethlehem and Jericho
highlighted historically the importance of such places for
the human beings. Among those visits, both parties shared
a very unique and intriguing experience by visiting one
of the smallest minorities of the world, The Samaritans
living at Mount Gerizim in Nablus. A stroll in the Old City of
Nablus and eating Kunafah, the sweet dish which the city is
renowned for, marked the day.
24
Report
As guests to one of our student’s families, we were
invited to Sultan Tourist Center and Jericho Telepherique.
We began the day with a visit to Hisham’s Palace; the
archaeological remains of an Umayyad winter palace
located 5 km north of Jericho. Everybody was astounded by
the mosaic and carved stuccos that marked this historical
sight.
A drive in cable cars linking Tel
Jericho to the Mount of Temptation
followed. We were welcomed by
the hosting family and had lunch
together at the Sultan Restaurant.
A guided visit to the Monastery of
Temptation followed where very
sacred moments and beautiful
views were inscribed in the visitors’
memories.
A drive back in the cable cars
over Jericho Oasis and the banana
fields marked the end of a very
beautiful day.
The hosting families and
their guests arrived at Beit Hanina
Campus for the farewell party to
be welcomed by our Dabkeh Group
who presented a very enjoyable
performance that inflamed the
audience. Dancing, singings, talking,
drinking and eating were but some
activities that everybody enjoyed.
Hugs, kisses, tears and smiles were but few expressions
that marked the German guests’ departure.
P
reparations for the Palestinian delegation’s visit are in
full swing now for the trip that will start on June 30 to
July 14. A number of educational and recreational activities
are on the agenda, in addition to, visiting different German
cities.
‫ فهذا هو العنوان‬... ‫إذا كنت تبحث عن الصيانة واملصداقية‬
‫خدماتنا‬
.‫ بيع وصيانة جميع أنواع األجهزة‬.‫ ماكنات تصوير وثائق وأجهزة فاكس‬.‫ طابعات ليزر بجميع األحجام واألنواع‬.‫ طابعات ملونة للبيوت واملكاتب‬.‫ ف ّرامات ورق بجميع األحجام‬-
‫مقاسم الهواتف‬
‫خدمة تركيب مقاسم الهواتف لتنظيم املكاملات الهاتفية يف املؤسسات‬
.‫والرشكات‬
‫أحبار وطابعات‬
.‫جميع أنواع األحبار امللونة والليزر وأجهزة الفاكس‬
‫أجهزة املراقبة‬
‫قسم خاص لرتكيب أجهزة اإلنذار وكامريات املراقبة مع نظام التسجيل‬
.‫األوتوماتييك‬
nbtbros@017.net.il : ‫ بريد إلكرتوين‬5464170-050 ‫ أو‬5283143-050 : ‫ بلفون‬- 6561868-02 ‫ هاتف‬- 44217 ‫ب‬.‫ ص‬.‫القدس بيت حنينا الشارع الرئييس‬
25
School
Projects
The
Essence
2010 - 2011 School Projects
its quest to improve the quality of its offerings, the school had embarked on a number of projects
Inthroughout
the 2010-2011 academic year in order to guarantee a better use of the provided space
to create new facilities and a safe environment for our students on the one hand, and to improve the
quality of our academic offerings for the students and teachers alike on the other.
In terms of the infrastructural projects a number of projects have been completed and others are in
the process of being completed or are in the planning process to be implemented next summer or year.
KG & First Grade New Classes
In 2010 summer, ANERA with a grant from
USAID executed this project which enabled
the school to create 6 new classrooms for
kindergarten and first grade with their facilities
and outdoor playgrounds. At the beginning of the
school year the new classes were in use with a
central conditioning and heating system that was
donated By Akram Sbitani and Sons. A design for
canopy (outdoor shelters) for these playgrounds
is in place for future implementation waiting for a
generous donation to make it a reality.
Pedagogical Center
Before
The school in its strategic planning envisaged
hosting a pedagogical center that would engage
in teacher and staff training and would render
services to other schools as well. The center would
also engage in educational research and the use
of technology in education. The infrastructural
part of remodeling and creating a hall and 3
workshop rooms was funded by ANERA, and we
are in the process of soliciting funds for furnishing
and equipping it to cater for the programs that
the center would offer. The Center is already
functioning and more than 20 workshops for 60
teachers were hosted in the new facilities.
After
Libraries and Resource Centers
New Gate
26
The academic year witnessed the remodeling
of our library in Jerusalem with a generous
donation from Give Palestine Organization. The
library has been heavily used by our primary
section students with the help of our teachers,
voluntary parents and students from upper
grades. The library and resource Center in Beit
Hanina has been remodeled and put in use with
the help of the newly constituted Parent Teacher
Association that showed a lot of vigor in rendering
their help to the school.
Beit Hanina
School
Projects
The Pool in the Community Center Building
The skeleton phase of the pool was built 10 years ago and
was left unused for lack of resources to finish it. This year with a
generous donation from ROACO and Faisal Husseini Foundation
the works have started in February 2011 and it is expected to
be ready by July from the same year and hopefully to be fully
functional by the next academic year. The Theatre Hall in the
Community Center Building, which is designed to hold seven
hundred seats and facilities for artistic performances, film
festivals, conferences, etc., is waiting for our generous funders
to enable the school and the Jerusalemite community to have
a cultural center and a much needed facility.
Our Lady Virgin Mary Mausoleum
The design for Our Lady Mary Mausoleum, have been
in place and the school would embark this summer to
implement it. The garden hosting the Mausoleum would be
at the entrance of our Beit Hanina Campus. Our Alumni and
Parents have started committing funds towards achieving the
works.
Museum at New Gate Campus
The second phase of renovating the spacious basement at our New Gate campus to
host The Brothers of the Christian Schools Museum, have been completed. The generous
second grant from Sida Sweden and the Welfare Association made this dream come true.
The collections to be hosted from all our schools in the Holy Land have been classified
in preparation for display. We are still in need of a generous fund to finish the interior
works, lighting and show cases, etc.
Academic Programs
The school administration has been keen at improving
the quality of education in the school. Embarking to create a
Pedagogical Center and a Lasallian Center to be hosted at the
school was an important achievement towards professional
institutionalizing aimed at achieving academic excellence
through training and development and strengthening the
Lasallian mission in the Holy Land. More than 35 workshops
were held by these two centers in the Last academic year for
that purpose.
The school has been keen at strengthening our Remedial
offerings for weak students in addition to offering study hours
after school. More than 200 students benefited from these
programs which were partially funded by George Wick Foundation and Swiss Holy Land Fund. The Department of Special
Education has been working hard along with our Social Work Department to help all the students with special needs. More than
170 students were provided with special programs by professional staff in order to help them integrate in the school.
27
‫‪The‬‬
‫‪Essence‬‬
‫‪Interview‬‬
‫مهندسون استشاريون ‪Architects, Engineers, Consultants‬‬
‫مشاريع مدرسة الفرير ـــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــــ ‪Freres School ongoing projects‬‬
‫مرشوع بركة السباحة‬
‫‪School Swiming Pool‬‬
‫‪New High School‬‬
‫املدرسة الثانوية الجديدة‬
‫مرشوع ميدان الشاعر محمود درويش‬
‫‪Mahmoud Darwish Square 2007‬‬
‫إسكان املهندسني األول يف القدس‬
‫‪First Engineers‘ Housing 2009‬‬
‫عامرة أبنيه ‪ -‬تخطيط مدن ‪ -‬تنسيق حدائق ‪ -‬ترميم ‪ -‬تصميم داخيل ‪ -‬إدارة مشاريع ‪ -‬دراسات‬
‫‪Architecture, Renovation, Planning, Landscape & Interior design, Construction Management & Feasibility Studies‬‬
‫‪www.catd.net‬‬
‫‪catdmail@catd.net‬‬
‫‪+972(2)656-1883‬‬
‫‪+972(2)656-8931‬‬
‫‪Jerusalem‬‬
‫‪28‬‬