Usdan Blockade Raises Awareness, Irritation

By Miriam Berger, Assistant Features Editor

Armed with pamphlets and an online petition, nine University students temporarily disrupted access to the Usdan Marketplace on Thursday as part of the Open Shuhada Street Campaign, an international day of solidarity with the Palestinian residents of Hebron. From Scotland to South Africa to Wesleyan's own campus center, activists simultaneously obstructed access to staircases, sidewalks, and street corners to protest the closing of Shuhada Street to Hebron's Palestinian residents sixteen years ago.

"To me it was a really important action in the spirit of solidarity with those Palestinians who are suffering and as a way to broadcast their story," said Paul Blasenheim '12, an organizer of the event and member of Awareness, Dialogue, Action for Palestine/Israel Today (ADAPT).

Hebron, a city of religious and historical significance for Muslims, Jews, and Christians, has long been a site of conflict between Israelis and Palestinians, A predominantly Palestinian city in the West Bank, Hebron came under Israeli control during the Six Day War of 1967. Since Feb 25, 1994, the Israeli Army has restricted Palestinian access to Shuhada Street, the commercial center of Hebron, in response to the massacre of 29 Palestinians by an Israeli settler, Baruch Goldstein.

To symbolize the street's closing, participants in the Campaign initially placed a blockade in front of the main staircase of Usdan at noon and directed students to the less convenient side entrances. However, following a complaint from Public Safety, the demonstrators moved the barrier a few feet forward to allow the free passage of students during lunch-time congestion.

"We told the students involved that they are welcome to raise awareness about this issue but they couldn't create a fire hazard by blocking the staircase," said Dean of Students Richard Culliton in an e-mail to the Argus. "The students were cooperative and remained in Usdan handing out flyers."

Returning again at dinner, demonstrators refrained from restoring the physical barrier but continued to request that students not use the stairs.

"It wasn't pleasurable to be inconveniencing people but at the same time it was necessary," said participant Darian Combs '11. "I want to do what I can to raise awareness on campus."

Hebron is currently separated into two sections: H1, comprising of about 80 percent of the city, is controlled by the Palestinian Authority, and H2, the remaining 20 percent, is under Israeli military authority. H2 is situated at the center of the city's industrial and conmmercial zones where historical landmarks and main roads are located. About 500 soldiers are stationed in H2 to guard the 800 Israeli settlers and students living in this city of 180,000 Palestinians.

According to their website, the South African based Open Shuhada Street Campaign objects to the institutional restrictions on the movement of Palestinian residents within H2, the presence of Israeli settlers within Palestinian territories, and to the anti-Semitism and Islamophobia that fuels the conflict.

Student reaction to the event ranged from irritation to inspiration to indifference.
“It’s an interesting metaphor for the situation,” said Charlotte Christopher ’12. “It’s nice because an activity like that really brings this experience, which we might marginalize because of the simplicity and routines of our daily lives, into our everyday consciousness.”
Evan Schnoll ’11, at first shocked by the event, was motivated to delve deeper into the issues.

“I was initially kind of annoyed by it,” said Schnoll, who had expressed his dissatisfaction to the demonstrators. “I was kind of unaware of the situation, and I went back home to research it and came back and told them that I had a change of mind.”

Waiting by the elevator amongst a crowd of displaced students, Simoneil Sarbh ’13 attempted to put the event in perspective.

“There’s another staircase—it’s not like we are going to die,” she said.

In addition to passing out pamphlets, demonstrators asked students to sign an online petition to Israeli Prime Minister Benyamin Netenyahu insisting that Palestinian access to Shuhada Street be restored. A de-briefing session open to the campus was also held later that evening.

“I think that in general our goal of connecting positively with the student body was met,” Blasenheim said. “There were a couple of incidents when I was very surprised by the level of annoyance because of the almost benign nature of what we were trying to do.”

Referencing a thread of negative posts on the University’s Anonymous Confession Board (ACB), Blasenheim welcomed the critiques as a sign that the event has raised campus awareness. He noted that for every provocative post there were many more students who appreciated the event.

While Shuhada Street is only a part of the complex conflict in the Middle East, Emily Hoffman ’10—an organizer and member of WesShalom, a network of students for open dialogue on Israel/Palestine—felt a clear cause for this particular action.

“Even being really confused about an issue, at least having one aspect that you can stand behind and feel confident about is important,” Hoffman said.