Journey through Palestine in 2024
Learn about FFIPP’s annual Orientation Week
Written by Marwa with quotes by others
For almost 20 years, FFIPP has hosted a Summer Internship Programme, welcoming university students and professionals from various parts of the world to experience a taste of life in Palestine/Israel.
The first week of the Summer Internship Program is called ‘Orientation Week.’ It helps participants familiarize themselves with Palestine/Israel, as this is typically their first time on-the-ground. The Orientation Week deepens their understanding of the socio-political situations of each village, town and city visited with the support of expert local guides who are well-versed in each of the particularities of their contexts. Every day is packed from morning to night with transport, meetings, lectures, check-ins, film screenings, questions and answers, and much more.
While FFIPP's 2024 Orientation Week lasted for one week and took place across only about 150 kilometers, it seemed like it transcended both time and space. It somehow simultaneously felt like a long intensive year that would never end as well as like sand that quickly slipped between our fingers no matter how hard we tried to hold on. I journaled frantically throughout the days any chance I got, because I learned early on that waiting until the day's end would result in forgetting details. In fact, I couldn’t even write fast enough and switched to recording videos at the end of each day where I recounted memories I didn't want to forget. There were so many constant inputs and impressions that there was not enough time to process it all. Some of it my brain even shut out altogether, while other experiences I remember as clear as day.
“For me the most eye opening aspect was the visit to Jerusalem. While walking through the streets of the Old City we witnessed a group of young Orthodox Jews pushing a Palestinian child riding his bike. That no-one around reacted to this showed me that what was very shocking for me was probably part of daily life as a Palestinian in Jerusalem.”
Within one week we covered many key cities and villages in the Occupied West Bank, from Jenin in the north to Hebron in the south and many places in between, as well as East Jerusalem and the Old City ofJerusalem. We visited human rights defenders, non-profit organizations, artists, activists, organizers, city dwellers, villagers, farmers, and bedouins. We also had introductory meetings with Badil, Defense for Children International, BDS, Tent of Nations, Project Hope, and The Freedom Theater, among others.
“Something that is really stuck in my memory and that left me speechless is the fact that many people see the actual genocide that is happening in Gaza as their future. They believe that their reality will soon be the same. Yet, they stand steadfast on their land, and what you perceive from their voices is strength and hope.”
It is difficult to convey just how much was fit into each and every day—beyond the packed daily agendas, meeting different people, and long hours on winding roads, each morning, day, and night included an emotional roller coaster that can be best described as a small, bitter taste of life under the occupation.
“I was mostly shocked to see how common and frequent it is for people to be arrested, injured or killed by the IOF. Everyone speaks with such normality when telling the stories of their loved ones that were taken.”
Seeing and feeling the Israeli occupation so ever present in Palestine was a surreal experience, both psychologically and in its tangible physical effects. My stomach was in knots the whole time and I barely slept—even as a tourist in a privileged and temporary situation. I fantasized that if I could repeat FFIPP's Orientation Week again and again, I may eventually put the drops together to form a coherent picture in my mind of the fraught ocean we lived through.