IMEU Institute for Middle East Understanding
From Bethlehem to Nazareth to the Gaza Strip, Palestinian Christians — a group that many people don't know exist — are taking a breath from the daily struggles of life under occupation to enjoy tree lightings and time with family. Palestinian Christians make up over 10 percent of the Palestinian population worldwide.
on December 23, 2015
Following a ruling by Israel’s High Court of Justice on May 15 allowing the army to demolish the entire village of Susiya and expel its residents to Area A of the Occupied Territories, the people of Susiya now prepare for the imminent destruction of their homes.
on July 21, 2015
Doctor and human rights activist Bassel Abu Warda and architect Mostafa Asi started the Save Gaza Project (SGP) during Israel's attacks on the Strip last summer. They plan to rebuild Gaza's only school for children with disabilities, Shams Al Amal, and create an alternative space to be used for classrooms while the original school's reconstruction is in progress.
on April 8, 2015
Khan Younis was one of the areas most affected by the Israeli military offensive that claimed the lives of over 2,100 Palestinians in the Gaza Strip last summer. Ismael Ahmed Wafi, a truck driver and father from Khan Younis, worked to help rescue victims from under the rubble during the attacks and is currently assisting with cleanup efforts.
on February 24, 2015
The damage Israel inflicted on Gaza during its 50-day attack last summer left thousands of Palestinians in desperate need of aid and home reconstruction. The process of rebuilding has been heavily impeded by the blockade, which prevents most types of building materials such as cement and steel from entering the strip. This shortage has caused many to resort to making repairs and building new homes with the limited supplies that are available.
on January 28, 2015
Shojae'a, which is one of the largest neighborhoods in Gaza, was also one of the most intensely bombed during Israel’s summer offensive. Before the attacks, more than 250,000 Palestinians lived there. Now, months later, few voices can be heard in the streets. Some of those whose properties were partly destroyed in Israel's bombings returned to live in what remained of their homes.
on January 20, 2015
The streets of Bethlehem are filled with people, lights, and decorations every season around the Christmas holiday. While the Israeli occupation severely limits Palestinian movement to, from, and within the city believed to be Jesus' birthplace, thousands of Palestinians and visitors from around the world gather and celebrate with a great assortment of daily festivities.
on December 27, 2014
Khuza’a, a village in Khan Younis, was one of the many villages attacked during Israel’s ground invasion and aerial bombardment of Gaza in July and bore witness to horrific incidents of brutality. Two paramedics with the Palestine Red Crescent Society branch in Khan Younis share what they experienced during the few hours they were allowed to work in the village.
on December 12, 2014
Omar Mohammed Shaheen, a father of four, describes what it was like returning to his neighborhood in Beit Lahiya, Gaza after taking shelter in an UNRWA school during Israel’s latest assault.
on September 26, 2014