Karamti Women's Center was established in the neighborhood Gheith-Salayma as a space for Palestinian women to organize and build community in one of the hardest-hit areas of occupied Hebron. The center was established in 2017 following increased restrictions on the neighborhood by the Israeli military. The center is a space for vulnerable women to gather, practice nonviolence and build resilience among themselves in the face of heavy oppression. The space is run by Palestinian women from the neighborhood, supported by Friends of Hebron and Youth Against Settlements. We need funds to help run the center to keep it open to hold events, and to support the women continuing this community space.
Location:
The Salayma and Gheith neighborhoods are located next to the historic Ibrahimi Mosque. The Israeli army imposed a separation barrier in the form of a literal fence that cuts off the community from the road leading to the Mosque. The fence divides the road into two with Palestinians being told to walk on one side, and Israelis on the other. In 2017, the fence was extended to enclose the neighborhood entrance entirely, fully segregating the neighborhood from the area around the Ibrahimi mosque. The fence has a door that is often kept locked, trapping people inside and forcing them to take a long way around. Salayma and Gheith neighborhoods are particularly vulnerable to displacement as conditions imposed on the residents make life increasingly impossible. For this reason, Friends of Hebron supports the establishment of social spaces in such neighborhoods.
The Focus on Women
Palestinian women are particularly important in the building of sumud—steadfastness and resilience. Women are often the decision makers when choosing whether or not to remain in their home in the face of severe oppression. Women are particularly vulnerable when passing through checkpoints due to the increasing sexual harassment from Israeli soldiers. Furthermore, movement restrictions contribute heavily toward confining Palestinian women to their homes. Yet Palestinian women's voices are rarely heard and not given many platforms to speak to the international community. Furthermore, the voices of those Palestinian women who live under some of the most vulnerable and restricted conditions of occupation have little to no avenue for speaking up about it. For this reason, it is important to support women's organizing and social gatherings through an independent space to strengthen the sense of community and breathe life back into the restricted areas through women-led activities. As social life is increasingly targeted by the Israeli occupation, the life of the community needs to be protected through the establishment of social spaces.
Events & Activities
Karamti women's community center is a meeting point for local Palestinian women as well as for international visitors who come to learn about the situation in Hebron and the unique struggles of Palestinian women in a women-led space. Events and activities include organizing markets for women to sell their craft, host social events, support each other in their personal and professional lives, and host events for the community. The center will also be able to support public readings of women's literature and writing workshops, as well as supporting women business initiatives and studies at university. Many events will be child-friendly to allow women with caretaking responsibilities to also attend. We will also work with the Karamti women to help facilitate trainings, workshops, career-planning and capacity-building among the women to build resilience and steadfastness.
How You Can Support
We need funds to support the running and maintenance of the center, so that Karamti can function independently with the support and partnership with Friends of Hebron and Youth Against Settlements. This includes funding resources for the physical space, such as furniture, materials for projects or technical equipment for events.
