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Resistance Agriculture in Palestine (with Yara Dowani)

 

Meg speaks with Yara Dowani, a CSA farmer and permaculturist from the West Bank of Palestine. Yara tells of her journey from city girl to managing Om Sleiman farm, the continual challenges of producing nourishing food under occupation, and her hopes for Palestine.

Listen to the audio-only version (50mins),

 

or watch the video.

 

In their conversation Yara mentions the film Five Broken Cameras, which is set in the village near where Om Sleiman farm is situated. The farm is under constant threat of Israeli settler expansion, which you can see on the horizon in the below image.

 

Artist as Family is holding a solidarity raffle at each of The New Peasants screenings we attend to raise money for a water filter system for Om Sleiman farm. If you can’t make a screening but would like to donate, click here, then click One Time Gift, and in the field that says Name, please write down your name with Om Sleiman beside it. We’ll add this to the funds we are raising from raffle tickets sales. The raffle prize is two nights accommodation in our Permie Loveshack in southern Djaara country.

As a part Jewish household, we stand alongside innumerable Jewish investigative journalists and public speakers around the world (including, Antony Loewenstein, Aaron Maté, Charles Eisenstein, Gabor Maté, Max Blumenthal, and Katie Halper), who stand in solidarity with Palestinians and against the colonial and genocidal regime in Israel.

Enough is enough!

Big thanks to Yara and the other farmers at Om Sleiman farm for doing this work and so bravely sharing your story of resistance agriculture.

8 comments

  1. Nikki Marshall says:

    What an inspiring woman Yara is and such a powerful story of resistance farming.

    Thanks so much Meg for sharing this interview and helping raise funds which contribute to Om Sleiman’s survival.

    Wonderful! I am full of wonder at this creative energy and commitment, manifested in spite of obstacles and dangers present every day in the occupied territories.

    1. Thanks for your reflections, Nikki 🙏🏽

  2. Kate Beveridge says:

    A lovely and inspiring story, also very moving. I feel a real connection to Yara, as we also ran a 30 member CSA on poor land with no natural water source, running classes and educational tours but then imagining all that under the very real threats of the Israeli occupation and soldiers. It’s hard to imagine and I am in awe of her courage and determination.
    Thanks for sharing, Meg

    1. Thanks for sharing this, Kate.

  3. Marilyn says:

    Lovely story, thank you.

  4. Lisa says:

    Thank you Yara and Meg, a personal insight into living/working in Palestine and showing courageous resistance.

    Our freedom is a privilege
    Thank you kindly

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