ACTION NOW | Response To The Invasion

REPORT FROM THE FREEDOM THEATRE

& WHAT YOU CAN DO

Late Sunday night on the 2nd July, Israeli forces — armed with aircraft and bulldozers — launching the most violent attack on Jenin Camp since the 2002 invasion.

12 people have been killed, 100s injured, and many more arrested. Huge parts of the camp have been bombed and destroyed.

The Freedom Theatre and many of the team have been heavily affected by this attack.

This comes just two weeks after 14-year-old Sadeel Naghniyeh, the niece of one of our team and a young participant at the theatre, was shot and murdered.

Below we will continue to add key information to help you take action

GENERAL INFO & UPDATE

THE FREEDOM THEATRE

“The 3rd Intifada will be a cultural one” - JULIANO MER KHAMIS

The Freedom Theatre is based in Jenin Refugee Camp, Palestine. Founded in 2006, it has cultivated a powerful new generation of artists who fight for equality, justice and liberation.

This vibrant artistic community has toured productions globally, bringing international attention to one of the most aggressively attacked refugee camps in Palestine.

Alongside a three-year professional actors training, there is also training and professional work in film, photography, stand-up comedy and writing.

The Freedom Theatre provides a vital space for children to play, create and imagine away from the repeated trauma they experience, with year-round activities and performances.

Founded by a team including armed resistance fighter Zakaria Zubedi and actor and director Juliano Mer Khamis The Freedom Theatre has built its own unique methodology of Cultural Resistance

The Freedom Theatre is continually attacked, members of the theatre have been arrested and imprisoned and on April 4th 2011 Juliano Mer Khamis was murdered on the doorstep of the theatre.

JENIN REFUGEE CAMP

The Freedom Theatre is based in Jenin Refugee Camp in the north of the West Bank in Palestine.

The camp was formed in 1948 during the Nakba, a catastrophe that saw 750,000 Palestinians displaced as Israel was founded

It is 1km squared with roughly 15,000 people living there

KEY FACTS ON THE INVASION

The Invasion included 1,000 soldiers, 150+ armoured Caterpillar bulldozers, armed drones, armoured vehicles and aerial military equipment

12 Palestinians were killed including at least 4 children

The Israeli operation resulted in the highest number of Palestinian fatalities in a single operation in the West Bank since OCHA started recording casualties in 2005

143 Palestinians were injured, and that 20 of them are in critical condition

Over 3,500+ people were internally displaced during the operation. About 140+ people are still displaced

Israeli airstrikes and bulldozers damaged homes, roads and other civilian infrastructure, including electricity and water supplies

100 households lost their sewage connection

Israeli forces bulldozed roughly 3.9 kilometres of roads in and around the refugee camp

UNRWA’s only health clinic in the camp sustained extensive damage

Ambulances were attacked and roads damaged; paramedics struggled to get to the injured and access those used as human shields for hours whilst the Israeli occupation used their homes as military bases

HUMAN RIGHTS REPORTS

OCHA: https://ochaopt.org/content/israeli-forces-operation-jenin-situation-report-1

Norwegian Refugee Council:

https://www.nrc.no/news/2023/july/palestine-jenin-operation-marks-violent-half-year-for-israels-government/

UN Response (scroll down): https://www.un.org/sg/en/content/sg/press-encounter/2023-07-06/secretary-generals-press-encounter-visits-haiti-and-trinidad-and-tobago-and-the-situation-the-middle-east

ATTACKS ON STAFF & STUDENTS

Many of The Freedom Theatre, staff, students and young people live in Jenin Refugee Camp. Many had to flee the camp as the invasion took place. Some of the team were forced to stay in their homes and were used as home shields and others fused to leave at all

Isra Awartani, The Freedom Theatre’s accountant, hastily created a safe space within her home to shield her three daughters from harm.

Ahmed Tobasi, artistic director of The Freedom Theatre, found himself face-to-face with an armoured vehicle stationed right outside his house, its barrel aimed at his window.

Rania Wasfi, TFT former colleague, frantically tried to reach her mother and sister after news that their house was bombed.

Adnan Torkoman was arrested and held for 4 days by the Israeli army. His home was also damaged.

WATCH: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCu051am8pA

READ: https://www.972mag.com/jenin-camp-invasion-army/

IMAGE BY Marwan Bishara

DAMAGE TO THE FREEDOM THEATRE

The courtyard and outside area of The Freedom Theatre was severely damaged. This is where many of the kids gather to play.

The ceiling of the theatre has cracks from the impacts of bombing. The level of structural damage is being confirmed - it could be a simple fix or we might need to rebuild it completely.

Cars in the courtyard of The Freedom Theatre were bombed and burnt.

Homes were bombed and severely damaged next to The Freedom Theatre

IDF raided the Freedom Theatre Guesthouse

Shattered windows and aesthetic damage to the outside of the building

WHAT YOU CAN DO

DONATE

Many people have reached out who are interested in fundraising including to cover the damage to The Freedom Theatre.

It is underdetermined quite how bad that damage is at this stage.

However, what is very clear is the long-term psychological and traumatic effects these continuing attacks have on the children in the camp.

On Saturday 8th July The Freedom Theatre held their first event for children. They are planning a 3-month program of activities led by Palestinian artists.

Donate: https://thefreedomtheatre.org/donate/

Paypal link: http://paypal.me/thefreedomtheatre

PROGRAM PALESTINE WORK

Program Palestine performances, in your cultural venues and spaces so that Palestinians can speak directly to audiences about their experiences.

We appreciate that this can be costly and practically tricky. But don't worry The Freedom Theatre has created a virtual reality film, where audiences are immersed in 360 performances in Palestine. All you need is a headset.

Email Producer Mustafa Sheta: mustafa@thefreedomtheatre.org

Virtual Reality: https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/vr

JOIN BOYCOTT, DIVESTMENT & SANCTIONS

BDS is now a vibrant global movement made up of unions, academic associations, churches and grassroots movements across the world. Since its launch in 2005, BDS has had a major impact and is effectively challenging international support for Israeli apartheid and settler-colonialism.

BDS: https://bdsmovement.net/

CULTURAL BOYCOTT: https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/bds-cultural-boycott

PERFORM OR CREATE AN EVENT USING THE REVOLUTION'S PROMISE

The Revolution's Promise is a collection of testimonies from artists across Palestine, celebrating cultural resistance and highlighting censorship and attacks on artists.

We are inviting friends, activists, and artists worldwide to join this collaboration by telling these stories in the community you live, work or organise in.

Created by The Freedom Theatre and Artists On The Frontline

https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/

LEARN READ & WATCH

Resources on Palestinian History, Culture, and Israeli Occupation collated by Artists On The Frontline

A History Of Palestine Told Through Film https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/films-on-palestines-history

Cultural Resistance In Palestine https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/cultural-resistance

Timelines & Maps of Palestine https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/timeline-maps

Palestinian Prison Systems https://www.therevolutionspromise.com/prison-systems