Port of Call LAST UPDATE September 10, 2005
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June 13, 2005 Aqaba, Jordan – Cultural Exchange: Hittin Palestinian Refugee Camp
Peace Boat arrived at the port of Aqaba, the only sea outlet of the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. Strategically bordering Iraq, Saudi Arabia and Syria, Jordan also has the longest border with Israel and the occupied West Bank of any Arab country. As such, since 1946 Jordan has taken in the largest number of Palestinian refugees in the area and now more than 50% of the population is Palestinian in descent. After the partition of Palestine and the creation of the state of Israel, more than 3.9 million people left their homeland of Palestine and now reside in refugee camps in the West Bank, Gaza Strip, Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan. And it was at one such camp—the Hittin Camp—where Peace Boat participants engaged in a cultural exchange with Palestinians.
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Hittin Camp (also known as Marka Camp) was established in 1967 after the “Six Day War”. In this war, Israel occupied the partitioned area of Palestine after crossing a defined border established in 1948. This area included the West Bank, Gaza Strip and East Jerusalem. The occupation violated UN General Assembly Resolution 181 and forced many Palestinians to flee into neighboring countries such as Jordan. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) has estimated there are more than 40,000 refugees living in the camp. However, in actuality the camp is said have more than 60,000 to 100,000 inhabitants, making it the second largest camp in Jordan. Now into their second and third generations, most of the refugees, save for a few elders, have never seen their ancestral land of Palestine yet still yearn for the day when they can return. Hittin Camp is considered only a temporary residence, and people still have keys for the homes they or their families left behind in Palestine.
Although called a “camp” people do not live in tents as one would imagine. It has been more than half a century since the first refugees arrived in Jordan and lived in tents. Soon after, tents were replaced with concrete houses and the camp grew to include a market, hospital, schools, clinics, social service center as well as other facilities. Mr. Mohammed Nasar, administrator for the camp’s service and development center, spoke about some of the daily experiences in the camp. Of these, the most pressing daily problems include the increasing unemployment rate of the young generation at 70%, and harsh conditions during winter when most homes are flooded.
After being guided around the Hittin Camp, Peace Boat participants engaged in cultural exchange activities. Some visited a women’s center to make traditional handicrafts; others played soccer with local children and youth; while others participated in a discussion at a community center. In the discussion group, Peace Boat participants and local community members came together to exchange ideas concerning the situation of Palestinian refugees, including the right to return to their homeland. If the approximately 6 million Palestinian refugees worldwide were to return to their original land they would become the ethnic majority inside Israel. Currently Palestinians compose 20% of the population in Israel. Thus, if Palestinians were to become the majority, there is fear inside Israel that the political balance of the state would be jeopardized. Concerning this issue, a community member asked Peace Boat participants what they would do if they were Palestinian. In response, a participant said they would “continue to fight for the right to return as well as preserve the Palestinian culture for future generations.” Moreover, they would “relentlessly educate others around the world about this situation”.
Peace Boat participants were then officially welcomed at a ceremony held at the Hittin Cultural Complex. The Sheik of the camp and an official from the Department of Palestinian Affairs each gave a speech. They appealed to the international community for continued support towards the realization of peace. They also hoped to enhance relations between Jordan and Japan. On behalf of Peace Boat, Voyage Director Tetsutaro Kadowaki thanked the people of Hittin Camp and the Jordanian government. “The first step towards understanding is to know each other and see each other face to face,” Kadowaki said. “We want to receive your message and spread it to others.” As a gesture of cooperation, Peace Boat presented two computers as a donation to the center. The ceremony ended with cultural performances including traditional Palestinian dancing and music as well as a concert by Japanese musicians Soul Flower Union.