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It’s not like a conscious decision - that comes after the outrage

In 1997 when the peace process was really collapsing and the Israeli peace movement decided to get really involved in resisting the occupation – we had been kind of dormant – we talked to Palestinians and the really painful thing for them was the issue of house demolitions. What thousands of Palestinian families had gone through, the systematic destruction of Palestinian homes. It gave us a certain handle on how to attack the occupation. 

It’s very hard because you are fighting against very powerful historical forces, cultural, economic and political. It can be very frustrating.  But look at South Africa – who would have thought in 1988 that apartheid would collapse a year later? One of the things that sustains you is the faith, that in the end, people are basically good, that justice prevails. So, you’ve got to have patience, keep your focus, keep your energy levels up, and just keep plugging at it.

I sometimes envy a little bit my friends in the academic world because they’re writing the books I’ll never have the chance to write, but on the other hand I get a particular satisfaction from integrating my academic skills. I have to establish rapport and trust with Palestinians, which is what anthropology is all about. I think I’ve found a nice balance between those two worlds. 

If you look at the 7 years that ICAHD has been active, it’s a mixed bag. There have been more demolitions in that time than ever before, around 5-6,000 houses demolished, which is as much as in the 30 yrs previous to that. On the other hand we’ve been raising public awareness about it I think there are beginning to be changes in perceptions, which in the long run will end the occupation. It’s hard to put your finger on it in the short term.

I think beyond the issue of house demolitions themselves, the occupation being made permanent today and the new apartheid that is emerging is the most frustrating and difficult part of what we’re doing. We are going backwards. Rather than ending the occupation it’s getting stronger and stronger, partly because Europe is allowing it, so that brings up the question … You know, that famous saying, that ‘Evil happens when good people do nothing’?

The problem again is people who just live their own lives, who aren’t engaged – that’s how oppression and suffering can win in the end, can continue; again, not because of bad people but because good people aren’t making their leaders do what they should be doing. We all can give something.

I think so, in my case, I might have gone to work in the Third World. Everybody has their own way to express themselves. I’m very committed to education.

I think that making a difference should be important to everybody. I would really say to young people: Ask ‘how can I help people who are not as rich as I am, or not as healthy as I am?’. That adds tremendously to the meaning and significance of your life.