Omar Hajajlah and His Youngest Son
In His Home ~ Al Walaja Village
Photo Credit: Dawn
“I cannot sell my mother,” Omar tells us through our translator. “Home has a different meaning here in Palestine ~ Home is the tree, the land, the people ~ our ancestors, our history, our memories.”
Two weeks ago we visited a family whose home will soon be totally surrounded by a wall. The Israeli government has recently completed construction of a tunnel, costing 1.3 million USD, which will allow Omar Isar Hajajlah, his wife, and his 3 sons, ages 11, 9, and 2, access to their home. It will be their only lifeline to the world outside.
Omar’s Million Dollar Tunnel ~ Al Walaja
Photo Credit: Dawn
On this particular afternoon, as he graciously welcomed us to his home and his eldest son served us tea, Omar and his family unknowingly taught me something about what it means to be faithful. In Arabic, they use the word sumud ~ steadfast!
Omar is from the village of Al Walaja, a village about 4 km northwest of Bethlehem that was destroyed by Israel in 1948. Some residents fled to Jordan and Lebanon or moved to refugee camps in Bethlehem and Jerusalem. About 100 people relocated to village lands on the other side of the valley where the current or “new” Al Walaja is located. Now the proposed route of the separation barrier will totally encircle the village and leave the villagers with only a fraction of their historical land which they held prior to 1948.
Village of Al Walaja
Photo Credit: Dawn
The village filed an appeal with the Israeli High Court which delayed the barrier construction for nearly 4 years, but it was rejected in 2011. To further complicate things, part of the village is in the West Bank and part is within the municipal border of Jerusalem which Israel enlarged and illegally annexed after the 1967 war. However, the government of Israel has denied the villagers of Al Walaja Jerusalem IDs. Some have been fined for living “illegally” in Jerusalem with West Bank IDs, even though they have lived here for decades. If it sounds crazy, it is…
Omar’s Home
Village of Al Walaja
Photo Credit: Dawn
But what about Omar Isar Hajajlah? Omar’s home is on the outskirts of the village within the borders of Jerusalem, and the Israeli government wants his land. As Omar tells the story, the Israeli government gave him 4 options: 1) a blank cheque to sell his land; 2) a chance to trade his land for land elsewhere; 3) an opportunity to partner with the nearby settlement in building a hotel on his land in return for a 40% share of the profits; 4) an offer to rent his land from the government for 99 years. To each offer, his answer was a resounding, “No.”
Omar and Two of His Sons
On His Land in Al Walaja
Photo Credit: Dawn
So the government now plans to put a wall around Omar’s very modest home. The family will have their own “million dollar tunnel” by which they can access the village, which will also be encircled by the separation barrier. Their view of the beautiful valley and adjacent hills will disappear. Omar’s 18 dunums of land and 118 olive trees will be reduced to no land and only 8 trees. His children have been attacked, the oldest boy needing 13 stitches. The children’s friends no longer visit as parents deem it unsafe.
Construction of Separation Barrier
Encircling Al Walaja ~ Photo Credit: Dawn
The Cremisan Convent School which is now 3 minutes away will take 45 minutes to reach. His family is not allowed overnight visitors (6AM-6PM only!). His permit to work in Israel has been revoked so he is currently without work. He and his family will be isolated. But then this is the point! ~ However, Omar says he will not leave as people did in 1948. He tells us through the translator: “The occupation will not last forever. All empires have ended. The people remain.”
Beautiful red poppies dominate the Palestinian and Israeli landscape in the spring. Their vivid color inspires and gives hope. Spring will come, conflict can end … the poppies will bloom again!
Photo credit: Dawn ~ Spring 2012
Sumud ~ A strong determination to stand firm ~ Remaining on his land and in his home in spite of the obstacles ~ Refusing what might be an easier path ~ Keepinig his connection with land, as tenuous and fragile as it might be ~ This is what sumud requires of Omar ~ This is what it means for him to be faithful ~ to be steadfast. What does sumud require of us? ~ What does it mean for us to be faithful?
4justpeace 
Thank you, Dawn, for sharing these poignant and disturbing stories of truths beyond imagination and comprehension.
Dawn – reading your blog makes me feel as though I’m reading my own journal when I spent time in the Old City, Armenian Quarter, with my friend Nadera Shalhoub Kevorkian (google her). Your pictures and words bring to life my time there. I had been to Al Walaja and am so saddened by the progressive encroachment and destruction of the land. I watched a similar scene unfold near Bethlehem. A farmer told me through a translator that his sheep have more rights than he does. Cripes.
Wow – we do not have any idea how fortunate we are to live in Canada.
Thank you, Dawn, for your sumud.
Yet again, I pause in prayer for the people of Palestine, and I wonder what other injustices in this world I remain ignorant about.
Mary Faith
Sumud at tremendous cost, eh. And I wonder how will this family survive as they remain steadfast and bear witness. The courage of this family is humbling. Would that we had such courage to boldly act for an end to the occupation here in Canada!