The end of the academic year involves a series of graduation ceremonies and leaving parties in Palestinian schools. So, on several occasions during the last days of May, while working in the vegetable garden in Tuwani, we could hear music and speeches reverberating across the valley from the local school.
Lots of classes had noisily rejoiced as they wrapped up the term. There had been a leaving party for the Headmistress. More notably, there was the celebration for the Tawjihi. This diploma is the equivalent of A-levels or the Baccalaureat and is taken very seriously. We had seen village families getting dressed up to accompany youngsters who had passed the Tawjihi. Balloons and flowers decorated the sitting rooms, speeches were made and generous family dinners were eaten.
Nota: education is generally considered important, and the level of enrollment in universities is high in the oPt.
And all of this joy and celebration caused great displeasure to the army of occupation.
Two jeeps were dispatched to Tuwani; apparently the pretext involved a box of fireworks which some officer had decided should not be used and which the military sought to confiscate.
I was disturbed by the incongruity of the armed men amongst the benches of children and their families. However, the youngsters of Tuwani didn't let the gun-toting soldiers break up this party.
As officials negotiated with the military, the music was turned off, then on again.
From the podium, someone addressed the crowd in Hebrew, telling them not to worry, that there was no problem, that the soldiers would soon see this and get bored and go away*. Laughter broke out. Singing and clapping enthusiastically and loudly, teenagers surrounded the soldiers, making their job very difficult indeed.
(*No, I don't understand Hebrew, this was translated for me)
The soldiers left, without the fireworks, I believe, and the party and the speeches continued.
Although you can't help but admire the skillful way the soldiers were dealt with, it is revolting that even a school party should involve getting into non-violent resistance and risking arrest. It is just another aspect of the Zionists' constant denial of any possibility of a normal, stable existence in Masafer Yatta.
P.S. There were no arrests on that day, but the guy who posted videos of the event was subsequently arrested a couple of times.
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