Location and Structure
Al Arroub Refugee Camp sits a few kilometres north of Hebron city, a mismatched scattering of crudely constructed homes clambering over the hillside, stacked precariously on top of one another, creating a crowded, suffocating atmosphere hemmed in by Israeli checkpoints and military installations.
Restricted Access and Surveillance
Located by the main road connecting Hebron to the rest of Palestine, the actual road entrance into the camp is shut by a large metal beam locked in place, set right next to a small booth and large concrete cinder blocks constantly manned by the IDF to watch who comes in and out, and interrogate locals and foreigners alike as to their business here. Just further down the road is a large watchtower and military base that the IDF uses to conduct raids and maintain strict control over the happenings of the camp. Other roads into the camp themselves from this location are also blocked by crudely constructed barriers erected by inhabitants of the camp in an attempt to stop any IDF vehicle incursions and provide themselves with a semblance of agency over their material conditions.
Life Inside the Camp
Here, when you enter the camp proper, is a maze of tightly constructed homes and streets that squeeze you in, no privacy or freedom is allotted, instead you and everyone else in the camp is subject to the same lack of respite, an anxiety ridden place constantly watched by the Israeli occupation.
Self-Sufficiency and Resourcefulness
However, the camp is surprisingly self-sufficient – the homes are all constructed using materials available, crude water supplies and systems have been set up linking rooftop water containers with buildings, and self-installed generators supply electricity whenever the occupation forces cut it off.
Education in Adversity
Schools here are also shockingly diverse and accommodating, public schools are available for all students and the staff manning these places are stoic and professional in their craft, fighting against all the odds and setbacks to provide a semblance of normality, routine, safety, and education for the young people that call this place home. There are also a few schools dedicated to students with disabilities, accommodating a range of problems that would be debilitating for the students if they did not have access to the amenities, skills, and care available at these institutions. However, these schools especially struggle with a lack of access to resources, and this saps the fortitude of the community, but simultaneously galvanises the people and educators into making the most of what they have available to provide even the smallest bit of hope and help to the students and children that so desperately need it.
Expressions of Resistance and Identity
All through the camp too are spatterings of graffiti and murals in heartbreaking displays on walls and buildings. Many of these depict resistance, resistance to an occupying force and the conviction present in the population to fight against such overwhelming and suffocating odds. There are too, murals of martyrs – those young men and boys killed by the occupation for the simple crime of expressing their autonomy against a force that attempts to erase their identity. Every day the occupants of Arub walk past these murals and are reminded of the sacrifices necessary to achieve freedom, and of the violence the state will enact to ensure its hold on power.
Hope and Resilience
Despite this, the locals remain hopeful and full of life and love. Their curiosity of the outside world is admirable, and their excitement at seeing foreigners and learning from them is a gift only understood if you are there yourself.
