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Palestinian discord over Holocaust concert

Posted: Monday, March 30, 2009 11:05 AM
Filed Under:

By Martin Fletcher, NBC News Correspondent 

TEL AVIV – Wafaa Younis is a woman whose heart is in the right place; she is an Israeli Arab who has made a real effort to help Palestinian children in the Jenin refugee camp in the northern West Bank.

She started with the boys; she wanted them to put down their stones and learn the violin, in the hope that they would not grow up and pick up a gun. I first met her three years ago when she finally persuaded the Israelis to allow the Palestinian children to leave the West Bank and go to her home in the Israeli town of Ara for violin lessons.

Image: Palestinian children from the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank play for Holocaust survivors
Tara Todras-Whitehall / AP file
Palestinian children from the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank play a concert for Holocaust survivors in Holon, Israel on March 25. 

She even took them on trips to the coast; even though they grew up 30 miles from the Mediterranean, they had never seen the sea. Her first attempts to teach a few boys the violin grew into a small orchestra of boys and girls. She even rented an apartment in Jenin so that she could teach them there, because it was easier for her to cross into the West Bank than it was for them to leave.

Then Younis had an idea; as part of Israel’s annual Good Deeds Week, she would arrange a little concert in Holon, near Tel Aviv. Her young musicians from the "Strings of Freedom" orchestra would entertain Holocaust survivors. They would play their favorite classics, and also some songs of peace; a way to bridge the divide between Palestinians and Israelis.

Too volatile an issue
At the concert last Wednesday, the group of 13 young musicians from Jenin played for about 30 Holocaust survivors and they even dedicated one song to Gilad Shalit, the Israeli soldier who has been held prisoner by Hamas in Gaza for three years.

Younis is not the first person to make such an effort – there are literally hundreds of peace groups that have the same aim – bringing together Arabs and Jews with similar interests and hopes.

Image: Holocaust survivors listen as Palestinian children
Tara Todras-whitehall / AP file
Holocaust survivors listen as Palestinian children from the Jenin refugee camp in the West Bank play music in Holon, Israel on March 25. 

But playing for the Holocaust survivors turned out to be bridge too far. Adnan Hindi, a Palestinian political leader in Jenin, was outraged by the concert. He called the Holocaust a political issue and said that the Palestinian children had been tricked.

He complained that Younis had not told the children they would be playing before such a politically sensitive audience. She answered that she tried to explain to them, but that they made too much noise on the bus and didn't hear her. Other Palestinians said that was a bit late to tell them.

Younis said she didn't realize anybody could possibly object to playing a concert for those "poor old people" – and anyway, most of the Palestinian children had never heard of the Holocaust.

The Holocaust is a particularly sensitive subject for Palestinians. There is widespread ignorance of the details of the atrocities committed by the Nazis against Jews during World War II and there is a sense among many Palestinians that why should they care about Jewish suffering more than 60 years ago when Israelis don’t seem to care about the suffering they are causing Palestinians today.

No good deed goes unpunished
Younis is an Israeli Arab who tried to do a bit of good. For her pains, her apartment in Jenin has been boarded up and she is not allowed into the town anymore. Her orchestra has been disbanded. She said the Palestinian officials just want to take the money that she had raised for the children's orchestra.

I know Younis. After I met her several years ago she called me for months, asking for donations, for a contribution for a new violin, or even an old one, just so that she could teach music to her Palestinian students.

She wanted to introduce a bit of light into their lives and direct them toward the violin bow, and away from the gun. She had many ideas to help people, and she possessed in abundance that peculiar combination of strength and naiveté that mark people who, against great odds, achieve great things.

Today she didn't answer her phone.

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Comments

It’s refreshing to see people who care enough to reach out for peace. It is to bad people in leadership roles don’t put forth the same effort.

Rob Bachand, Browns Mills, NJ (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:11 PM)

Yes, Marina..you are SO right ! How could people not SEE that ? WHAT, in heavens name, are Palestinian Children doing learning the violin ? It takes too much time away from their rock-throwing classes. If this not nipped in the bud, soon they will be learning how to read, write, get advanced degrees and contribute to building society instead of tearing it down ! The SHAME !

Jeff B. (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:11 PM)

Marina,

A lot of Jews are lawyers and doctors.  Would it be unpatriotic for a Palestinian to study law or medicine?  


Onecontent, NY, NY (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:12 PM)

It saddens me to see how quickly a great effort for peace and togetherness in the Middle East is ruined, blasted by the political maniacs.  This woman should be recognised by the international organizations for peace.  She should be interviewed, put on TV, in an effort to try to raise public awareness (and maybe money) to cultural and artistic ties and not the political and religious differences.  God bless this woman.  God bless her deeds!

Gregory (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:16 PM)

Acknowledging the Holocaust creates sympathy and obviously some Palenstinian leaders don't want people feeling sympathy for Isreal or its citizens.

Walter J. Murdock, Cincinnati OH (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:17 PM)

People like Marina, NY, NY are either very poor at sarcasm, or are just full of hate.  Either way, this is what leads to situations like this story talks about.  Intolerance of anything that isn't exactly like your "world".

The Palestinian authorities are the biggest problem the Palestinians have.  Not Israel or the Jews.

The Holocost isn't a political issue.  It's a historical issue, and just like the wrongs that happen to the Jews, Blacks, Slavs and Palestinians, they should be taught, and remembers so that one day mankind can evolve past it.  But I may be too optimistic for our species.

Mark, DC (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:18 PM)

Marina in NY is an ignoramus, the likes of which keep this world in turmoil with that small-minded attitude.  Go back to your cave, Marina in NY!

JL Fulton (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:18 PM)

When I first read about this concert (on Haaretz), I forwarded to all my family and friends, saying that we need more stories like this coming out of the Middle East.

Now I read this epilogue to it and I'm astounded!  Telling Palestinian children about the Holocaust is NOT political propoganda, it is simply telling the truth about man's gross inhumanity to man.  Perhaps if the Palestinians knew about the Holocaust there'd be more understanding and peace over there.

I applaud this brave woman and hope that this does not deter her from continuing this noble mission.

Harry, New York, NY (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:19 PM)

So much hatred in the world. I wish people would just get over it. Life is too short and the world is too small.

Skip Booth, Linthicum,MD (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:20 PM)

I wonder, why patriotic Palestinians allowed their children to study violin at all? Is it a Palestinian business, to play a violin? Do they want to be like those Jews? It is only fitting that they disbanded the group. It is surprising, they allowed it to exist long enough that the kids even learned to play.

Marina,NY,NY.

You sound so full of hate

Bunyard, TEXAS (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:20 PM)

How can learning to play music be considered negative?  Since when, does learning, peforming and sharing music constitute a problem? How can anyone -- i.e., Marina -- think those children shouldn't have been taught and nurtured in music?

Peter, Chicago, IL (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:21 PM)

"alleged holocaust survivors"  ???

Are people still that ignorant to believe this is 1) a political event 2) that it didn't happen?

I think I will now believe that all the horrors that the Palestinians and other Arabs faced is "alleged", therefor I can believe it didn't happen, and I don't have to care about them, and don't have to do anything to help those that suffered.  OK?

Mark, DC (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:22 PM)

I'm sure it's my own ignorance, however I don't see why it matters in the least bit who the children were playing for.  They were there to share their new learned special talent/education that was given to them by someone outside their country.  Since when do artists determine who their audience is???

Michelle, Akron, OH (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:24 PM)

Our time spent here is short, but our deeds can stretch over millenniums.  Lets’ hope that the candle of knowledge can be reignited. Maybe, a little reconigition for Younis work by the UN, or the Nobel Peace Prize could move this mountain

Paul C, Katzmark, Southbury, CT (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:24 PM)

hey pam.  my family lived in arab countries and we were forced to leave. how does that grab you. doesn't sound like it was a paradise for the jews.  

queen esther (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:24 PM)

What a break through, to have the children put down the rocks and to pick up the violin.  How long did this take to learn, to play the violin well enough, to want to play in front of any group.  Yes, she could have told the children earlier, of whom they would be playing for, but wouldnt that have palced more fear into the children.  Dont we tell some things to children way to soon, and all it brings is hives, tears of fear, or upset stomachs.  They could have played with all of their hearts, not knowing whom they were playing for.  I will make an effort to find out where I can send a donation, so they can buy another violin.  Wafaa Younis is a beautiful thing, and shows the potential of all human race.

Jeff Scott, Jenks,Oklahoma (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:25 PM)

So they were willing to play for Jews- who they've been taught to hate their entire lives- just not Holocaust survivors? What is the political issue in that? Are Holocaust survivors considered to be particularly threatening or dangerous? No. It's only that the Arab politicians in gaza want to continue to keep their children in ignorance of history so they are more susceptible to their own propaganda. How else do you to turn children into hatefilled murderers? If they actually taught their kids about the Holocaust, they might have empathy for the so called "enemy" and where would that leave the weapons dealers and war mongers?  Instead of using billions of dollars in international money which is given to them for arms and hateful rhetoric, the "leaders" in gaza should turn it to music, education, jobs, food and electricity, even if that means funnelling less into their pockets.    

Cecilia, New York NY (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:25 PM)

Bringing Israelis and Palestinians together is a noble endeavour. Yet, what this article failed to mention is that neither the performers nor the spectators knew anything about this arrangement.  The Holocaust survivors had no idea that the Performers were Palestinians according to the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.  Wafa Younis took an extremely sensetive issue and blew it.  Her claim that she tried to tell the students on the bus while they were on their way to the concert does not have a ring of truth to it. The performers are from the village of Jenin which was pulverised by the Israelis few years ago during a ruthless offensive that killed 54 people from that village. I am afraid that the picture is not black and white as this article portrays it to be, there is a lot of grey in between.

BazMann (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:25 PM)

waffa has a big heart. Children are brought onto this earth to change the world. If not them who else? It's a real shame adults have to be involved. I hope that she keeps working towards this incredible cause.

R. Zipp GB Maryland (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:25 PM)

There's two sides to this conflict, and they're not Arab vs. Jew; they're those who want to end the conflict vs. those who want to keep it going.

zz, new haven ct (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:27 PM)

Marina-By denouncing the violin, you denounce the beauty of life and you promote violence. What are you doing living in the U.S.??? It's a shame for the minority of Palestinians for peace that your ignorance and destructive attitude confirms what I overheard from a gentleman this weekend...he said "Take away all the guns from the Israelis and there will be genocide and war. Take away all the guns from Palestinians and the war will end." Marina, you should hang your head in shame for your narrowmindedness - it feeds violence.

LH (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:27 PM)

This makes me embarassed to be considered human.

The article itself, no.
the comments below? Yes.

My best friend is Palestinian, and I know much about the conflicts going on over there.

But in the midst of all this talking you are all doing about one person VS the other, and how who got driven out of what country, and how so and so is wrong etc, you're all truly missing the point.

and it's sad.

This is while there'll never be peace. Everyone will be too busy arguing over who deserves peace more, or who started the wars to begin with.

No one is better than anyone else.

It's wrong the things that go on, and killing is killing, no matter what race is doing it.

the fact is, someone was trying to introduce peace for the future generations, and it can't even be validated because everyone's SO worried about who and how and what.

The ignorance is embarassing on this forum. Love each other, and end the violence to ALL people. Why isn't that anyone's concern??

Pauline, Jacksonville FL (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:29 PM)

No wonder Jesus said the two most important things were to love God with all your heart, mind, soul and strength and then to love others as you love yourself.  If we wll only did those two things, what an incredibly different world we would all live in.

Sandy Brill, Lee's Summit, Missouri (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:31 PM)

Onecontent,
I guess, Marina should have wrote "sarcasm" before and after her comment...
and for those who keep calling the West Bank and Gaza a 'concentration camp' - you should come to the Auscwitz then you would stop blatantly mis-using the word.

olga, VA (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:32 PM)

wow the world still had good people, this story made my day.

Roger Arbogast, Indianapolis, In USA (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:33 PM)

And somewhere out there is an Arab woman who is trying to educate Jewish kids as Ms Younis was with Arab kids. I wonder if the Israeli govt would try to put a stop to it. I'm sure no one would write a story about it if they did.

And for the Holocaust, I guess we have already forgotten about the gypsies, christians, and other non-jews who also died....

Ginger, Pennsylvania (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:33 PM)

Hey Mark, DC, Your post is self serving propaganda.  Israel is the biggest problem Palestinians face.  Israel bulit the wall, Israel runs the brutal checkpoints.  Israel murdered thousands in Gaza.

Maybe you'd have more hope for "our species" if you were to recognize the truth and accept the responsibility and guilt that accompanies your mindless support of Israel.

Joe Hill, Durham, NH (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:34 PM)

Younis could not tell the children before they departed because as a minimum their parents would have ensured the event never occurred, and others might even have attacked the bus on the trip.  She was protecting the children from people who didn't want the event to occur and weren't going to offer an alternative, such as going to Disneyland, for those children.

Jake Washington DC (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:35 PM)

Ahmad Jibirilla My dad fought in WWII and that is not a lie. To say someone is hiding something as huge as WW II is nonsense. That would mean alot of people who fought and died in this war did not die at all that it was all a lie and about your statement for the elderly to be paying for the voilins not everyone has money. You just assume because they are jewish they have money. I would never say this but some people might just by seeing your name think you are a terrorist and that is so wrong in so many ways and so is type casting a group of people. Please open your eyes.

Shaheed NJ (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:36 PM)

Andy Gump said: "Why see what the civilized world does or looks like? See demoracy, technology and higher education in action?"


Palestinians have had each and every one of those rights denied to them by the Israeli government and the blood thirsty IDF.

Forrest Gump would have contributed a better informed opinion.

Ciaran, Dallas (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:37 PM)

"The Holocaust is a particularly sensitive subject for Palestians."
It shouldn't be - the Germans were responsible.  It has nothig to do with the current conflict.  

James, VA (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:37 PM)

I'm certain her heart is in the right place.  It is unfortunate that nearly 3,000 years of history could not show her what Adnan Hindi did in minutes: her efforts are both unwelcomed and futile.

Rick, Houston, TX (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:37 PM)

The story writer claims "I know Younis".
One important element which is left out of this story is if he knows whether Younis knew what mass murder crimes the Israeli Jews committed against Palestinian civilian women and children in 1948, in cities like Yassin, which caused the Palestinians to flee their homes in the first place.
I hope Fletcher can update his story to fill in that important element.

Anyone can do a Google of " +1948 +yassin ", to find out the truth about the crimes jews committed against Palestinians which caused the cycle of violence which is ruining US foreign policy and bankrupting out nation with unnecessary wars and higher prices for oil from aggrieved oil rich nations.

John Shocked, California, USA (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:41 PM)

There should only be more people like Wafaa Younis!Until the Palestinians love their own children more than they hate the Jews, there will never be peace. How sad that most Palestinian children don't even know what the Holocaust was.    

   

Michael D. Philadelphia, PA (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:43 PM)

What a daunting task this woman has in her heart. But...really, she didn't think anyone would mind? Very naive.

Dennis E, Denver, CO (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:44 PM)

THis whole matter appears to have an attitude of ignorance and extreme bias. While either faction is at conflict both ar engaged. Noone can really accuse the other of attrocities as both are guilty. Pointing fingers only reassures the accusation of the accuser and ensures neither party can win. If you believe this effort was politically based, good for you. If you believe this action was centered around a small step in resolution and respect, better. When people allow bigotry and ignorance to prevail (reference to " did the holocost really happen?"), the challenge to you would be to go back and ask the civilians who lived in the area of genocide what really happened, if you have the courage. On the same token did and does genocide really exist anywhere? Only the blind or ignorant would respond, no. Numerous accounts of mass murder have populated world history, too many to think about rationally. Justification for actions on either side by example is sheer stupidity, take action to create peace and understanding else you will never see a happy and equitable conclusion to your strife.

P.S. learning to play a violin is not a business, it is the process of developing talent and expression, expanding your awareness.

Milt, Salt Lake City, Ut. (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:45 PM)

Doesn't anyone see the fact that Marina in NY was being ironic ?

Marc Langer Cleveland , OK (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:45 PM)

How sad that such good intentions turned into another fiasco! TRAGIC!  How well put, "No good deed goes unpunished."  Music is the bridge that connects the gaps among people.  As evidenced by this article, Hatred lives and it is well and thriving.  Ms. Younis, carry on.  Never give up. Never give up. Never give up.

Elizabeth Cole (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:46 PM)

Let Freedom Ring, Let peace abide and let the music soothe the troubled mind.

Marata, Grass Valley, Ca (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:46 PM)

Maryam in Salt Lake City, you write about the many "Palestinians" who don't have water, food, etc.  Isn't it the job of a nation's government to build such infrastructure and ensure it's availability?  And isn't there freely elected governments in Gaza (Hamas) and West Bank (PLA)?  So why aren't they taking care of these needs for their citizens?  There's plenty of foreign aid coming in to pay for it.  Where is all that money going?  Could it be that it's politically expedient to have the citizenry suffer?  Why else would Hamas and PLA have destroyed habitable buildings built by Israel to enable them to leave the camps?  Didn't hear about that did you.  Yeah, it happened.

Bunky, Baltimore, MD (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:47 PM)

For a century, the worst enemy of Arabs in Palestine has been their own political leadership.  Besides its own corruption, it has preferred violence and hatred to policy.  Nobody has suffered more from this than those suffering people we call Palestinians.

Jake, Portland OR (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:48 PM)

If this lady wants young boys to put down their guns she should start with Israeli children who will actually have access to guns as members of the Israeli Army not Palestinian kids who only throw stones. If this lady is so interested in promoting peace, let her start with the warmongerers who are the Israelis.

MS Dubai UAE (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:48 PM)

I'm trying to figure out a contradiction in this commentary string.  How can some folks say to forget about the Holocaust, yet still call for the right of return for Palestinians?  They're both from the 1940s.  Would someone please explain rationally?

Bobby, DC (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:50 PM)

The intention was good, the manner in which it was done was not. How could Wafaa not realize it would be an issue who those Palestinians children played for? For those of you who wrote doubting the Holocaust, shame on you! With the wealth of information the world has about this historic period, casting doubt shows the depth of your ignorance. Learn and then maybe you can talk!
Peace will be achieved if and only if both sides can learn to compromise. If that doesn't occur (it hasn't so far), then that side which is strongest will prevail.

Jacqui, Orange, CA. (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:53 PM)

this lady should have told the Palestinian kids well ahead of time and the political implications (and asked the parents for consent, for those who are under 18)... let them (or their parents) make the decision whether to play or not... whatever the situation may be.

LJ, Santa Clara (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:53 PM)

I came back from Israel about 4 months ago.  It was not Jews who took that slice of land, but the UK that gave it to them, I don't agree with it, but that's what happened.  There will never be peace there (not until the end)- if you know your bible you know that is true.  This lady was trying to have these children think of something other than violence - Just like the Palestinian and Jew who had an Israel children's soccer team participate with "Right to Play" in an international tournament.  Both Jewish and Palestinian children were on the team and they came in third place.

Teresa, Canada (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 1:56 PM)

Joe Hill from NH what you said goes back to you. You have you mindless hate for Israel. Who is at fault here many have said it. Those who want the fight to keep going. This is on both sides of the fight. Not just Israelis and Palestinians but Americans like you who blame a whole society and Governments that fund both sides. Israel put up a wall and checkpoints as a result of the suicide bombings. These bombings occurred because Palestine was never declared one state and it gave too little land to Palestinians. Europe at the end of the war should have set aside both land for Sovereign Jewish state in both Europe and Judea(renamed to Palestine after Rome exiled all Jews). This would give more land to both Palestinians and Jews to live in Peace. There is no peace because there is too little land for both to live peacefully.

Octavian, Syracuse, NY (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 2:00 PM)

Just to clear something up for "Arab for Peace", there are 10 UNRWA Palestinian refugee camps Syria, 12 in Lebanon, 10 in Jordan, 8 in Gaza, and 19 in the West Bank. These camps have been in existance for almost 60 (yes that is 60) years. They came into existance after the Arab countries lost the first attempt to destroy Israel when they declared war against Israel at its founding in 1948.

Note the locations of the UNRWA Palestinian refugee camps. None of them are in Israel. Israel turned over control of Gaza to the Arabs (by the way, Israel offered to give it back to its original owners, the Egyptians and the Egyptians refused to take it!). The West Bank is also under Palestinian rule now. Jordan, Lebanon, and Syria are all Arab countries. So answer this question - why, after 60 years, do the surviving families of a war started and lost by the Arab countries in which they now live still reside in United Nation run "refugee camps"?

Why haven't their Arab brothers and sisters allowed them to move into their cities and become part of their countries, with full rights as citizens? Why are they still living in camps in areas THEY now govern? Is it because their Arab brothers and sisters promised they would kill all of the Jews in Israel and return the land to them?

Their Arab brothers have certainly tried over and over again to do that - starting in 1948, then with the closing of the Suez canal in 1956, then with the mutual defense pact of 1967 that precipitated the 6 Day War, then the Yom Kippur war in 1973.

Those are just the open, declared hostilities and don't include the subversive actions undertaken from Jordan and Lebanon until Arafat and Fatah were expelled from both countries.

Oh, and the Israelis didn't drive the Palestinians out of Jordan - King Hussein of Jordan did. It's called Black September and occurred when the Palestian guests of the king decided he wasn't doing enough for their cause and tried to overthrow his government.

The camps exist for at least three reasons - they generate money for the rulers of these regions and countries, they provide a focus for Arabs to remind them of their goal to destroy Israel, and they keep the "Palestinian problem" from infecting their own countries.

There's a quick history lesson for you, Arab for Peace. It's one I'm sure you didn't learn in your own country and probably wasn't known to many of the folks in this audience. Peace starts when we move forward. That means accepting the consequences of our actions. In this case, that means disbanding the camps, granting citizenship to the people in the camps in the countries that they have lived in for the last 60 years, and learning to live with Israel as a country. Perhaps one day their descendents could immigrate and assimilate peacefully as a citizen of Israel.

That's a nice thought, but unfortunately that's not the goal of people like Arab for Peace.

Brad, Atlanta (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 2:04 PM)

Israeli military says "civilian deaths hearsay"stop investagations    OF COURSE  ! these civilan deaths were suicides?

lEE FARMINGTON nM (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 2:05 PM)

Enough please! The Jewish people don't have a monopoly on genocide. Think of Rwanda, Bosnia, and Darfur, Sudan. Move on already! By holding on to hate, you can't heal and do what's right for everyone - Jews and Palestinians alike.

Shelley, Russellville, TN (Sent Monday, March 30, 2009 2:09 PM)



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