Noa Barkai-Kara, one of two project co-facilitators for the the environmental and climate justice change agents course, describes the group’s fourth meeting, which involved a visit to Jabat al-Dib village near Jerusalem. The objective was to look at the challenges faced by Area C towns, and at solutions found to address them.

On the warm morning of Friday, August 13, 2021, equipped with our Covid masks, we met for a fascinating tour of the village Jabat al-Dib, which is located within Area C territory near Jerusalem. This village, like others in Area C, suffers huge challenges, both at the hands of the civilian administration that controls the area, and from Jewish settlers who set up outposts in their locality and thereby provoke additional tensions and frictions.

Our tour was intended to look at how these challenges affect the lives of village residents, as well as to see some solutions to address them. We saw how a women’s organization has successfully worked for change, how an organization, Comet-ME, has provided practical solutions to some of the village’s infrastructure needs, and finally we visited an innovative agricultural initiative.

The tour was organized by one of the co-directors of the Comet-ME organization and we were joined by Comet-ME’s vice-president, Asmahan Samri.

We met at the home of Umm Ibrahim, who heads a women’s organization established in Jabat al-Dib. She told us the story of her village and how, for decades, the village’s male leadership was unable to advance many of the village’s basic needs, including connection to the electrical grid, adequate water distribution, proper roads and other types of infrastructure.

About eight years ago, guided by a number of NGOs, a small group of Jabat al-Dib women decided to take part in the village meetings. They set up a women’s organization and, thus empowered, directly approached the authorities with their demands. Soon, matters that had remained stalled for decades began to move forward. The face of the village began to change and, little by little, the residents’ quality of life began to improve. Listening to Umm Ibrahim’s story, told with a sparkle in her eye, with humor and a big smile, inspired us and kindled hope for the future.

Comet-ME is committed to providing off-grid energy services to Palestinians living in Area C. Since 2009, the organization has provided solutions for 10,000 people, from South Mt. Hebron and currently up to the Jerusalem area. After first mapping the needs of each community, they work to establish independent solar energy systems and water infrastructure so as to provide the residents with basic living conditions. In Jabat al-Dib, Comet-ME set up and operates an electrical system that serves the village’s 200 residents.

One of the group’s Palestinian participants, together with a Palestinian partner, is starting an urban agriculture project in the middle of the village, employing hydroponics. The project is impressive for the thinking behind it, but even more so in its implementation. We wish Leon and his partners great success.

This wonderful tour was attended by 19 participants (11 Jews and 8 Palestinian citizens of Israel).

Umm Ibrahim, while hosting us, prepared for us a delicious lunch. But the visit mainly gave us plenty of food for thought: on life beyond the Green Line, on environmental entrepreneurship and on how to turn an idea into reality. It gave us the understanding that when there is love in the heart, and a desire to promote and support positive aims, this inspires others to join the journey towards a better common future.

Wishing you a pleasant summer, with lots of health to all,
Harb Amara and Noa Barkai-Kara – group facilitators.
Article: Noa (English version edited for clarity)