When Alkmaar actor Hamza Othman hears the life story of his Palestinian teacher after theater lessons, he is deeply touched. Alaa Shehada was able to flee the war by sheer coincidence with a previously applied for visa, but he is terrified of the fate of his family and friends. Together they manage to unite dozens of (known and unknown) Dutch people in a video message to the new government.
Theater maker and actor Alaa (31) from Palestine is part of Troupe Courage, an international players’ collective in Amsterdam. He participates in performances and also teaches acting. He regularly travels to the Netherlands for this purpose. When actor Hamza Othman (24) starts talking to him after class about the long-running conflict, the suffering of the Palestinian population suddenly comes awfully close. “I immediately felt a kind of brotherhood. We look alike, we are both Muslim. If I had been born there, I would have been in his shoes.”
Alaa’s tourist visa expires in a few weeks. The idea of having to return terrifies him. “Going back is very dangerous. I applied for my visa for work months ago, otherwise I would never have gotten out of there so quickly. I hope I can stay in the Netherlands for the time being. I don’t know whether that will work.”
He had to leave his parents and the rest of his family behind in his hometown of Jenin, a city in the West Bank. That area has been under the control of the Israeli army since 1967. “It was not possible to take them with me, so I am very worried. My parents are very scared and do not dare to go outside. There are soldiers everywhere,” he says.
“Bombed hospitals, schools, refugee camps, churches and mosques: nothing is sacred anymore”
An attack on Jenin on November 9, according to Reuters 18 Palestinian civilians killed. “One of them was my good friend Mohamed,” says Alaa. “There were many people on the street who tried to flee. Mohamed also ran away, but soldiers shot him dead. I spoke to him two weeks before his death. I have lost many friends over the years.”
According to the Palestinian, the temporary ceasefire is like a plaster on a wooden leg. “After the ceasefire, the violence continues as usual. This is not a war, but a total occupation,” he responds. “Israel is committing war crimes. Citizens, journalists and aid workers are being murdered under the guise of: we are tackling Hamas. People are without water, electricity and without food and medicine. Bombed hospitals, schools, refugee camps, churches and mosques: nothing is sacred anymore. “
Look away
“The European Union always talks about human rights, but people turn a blind eye to the violence and oppression in Palestine,” Alaa continues emotionally. “Everyone asks me to condemn the actions of Hamas, but no one condemns the violent conquests of the Israeli army.”
“The horrific violence against the Palestinians has not seemed to interest the international community for years,” Hamza also said. “The Dutch government does not want to argue for a permanent ceasefire and supports the occupation and the war with the supply of weapons. You cannot cause thousands of civilian casualties in the context of combating terrorism, right? How many more deaths must occur before this stops?”
In the hope that the new government will speak out critically against Israel, they decide to make a video message. They make the appeal via social media: ‘Are you also very concerned about the war? We call on the new House of Representatives to ensure that the violence stops. Send a selfie video and help’.
Call for peace
There was a massive response to this call: within a few days, about two hundred videos came in, says Hamza. “Including by actors Carice van Houten, Marian Mudder and Achmed El Jennouni.” Watch the appeal to the new government below:
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“Everyone is for humanism. Innocent civilians dying, including many women and children, we should never accept that,” Hamza responds to all responses received. “Killing aid workers and journalists, cutting off water, food, electricity and medicine are violations of international law. The Netherlands, take responsibility: stop military support to Israel and condemn the violence against innocent Palestinian civilians.”
‘Distribute land fairly’
The fact that the government has previously called for humanitarian breaks is not enough, according to the two. “A temporary ceasefire is ultimately of little use to the population. The Palestinian territory has been occupied for more than fifty years and Israel continues to build settlements,” Hamza responds. “There must be a two-state solution. I think putting down our arms and dividing the country fairly is the only peaceful way out.”