keep Hope Alive - The Olive Tree Campaign - English

Keep Hope Alive - The Olive Tree Campaign
Source: Joint Advocacy Campaign (JAI)

The Olive Tree Campaign (OTC) seeks to replant olive trees in areas trees have been uprooted and destroyed or in areas where the fields are threatened to be confiscated by the Israeli military Occupation and settlers.

Since the year 2001 Israel through its military and settlers in the West Bank and Gaza has uprooted, burnt and destroyed more than 548,000 olive trees that belong to Palestinian farmers and land owners, most of these trees have survived hundreds and thousands of years. We know that we will not replace the life of such olive trees, nor the stories and life lived around them, but we try to overcome such barbaric, irresponsible and careless practices by providing a sign of hope that future generations might than us for.

When the campaign was launched in 2002 it objective was to replant 50,000 olive trees in the Palestinian Territories through the sponsorship of individuals, YMCAs, YWCAs, churches, church related organizations, human rights organizations, as well as solidarity and advocacy groups around the world. Through replanting olive trees, Palestinians will be encouraged to keep hope alive and to reaffirm their commitment to work constructively toward peace-building.

The Campaign has an expanding network of friends and partners who have decided to join into the campaigns mission in keeping hope alive. They all work to bring about awareness about Palestine and encourage others to get involved through the sponsoring of planting of an olive tree in many countries like Netherlands, Norway, Denmark, Sweden, Japan, UK, Switzerland, USA, Ireland, and many others. The aim is to bring in about 350 new sponsors each year and to help in replanting 8,000 new olive trees each year.

So far the campaign has planted more than 50,000 olive trees in hundreds of fields in the West Bank and Gaza many of the fields now are barring fruit for the farmers and their families, the trees planted have helped the farmers to steadfast on their land and confront the unjust Israeli military practices and more importantly got individuals from all over the world involved and became more aware of what is happening to Palestinians in Palestine.

Why Replant Olive Trees

One million trees and thousands of acres of farmland have been destroyed in the Palestinian Territories by the Israeli Occupation Army since the beginning of the Intifada in October 2000. As a part of this policy, nearly half a million olive trees have been uprooted (31.03.2005), and this destructive practice continues daily in the Occupied Territories . Some of the excuses given for the confiscation of Palestinian land and the uprooting of trees range from the expansion of Israeli settlements and their bypass roads to the building of the "Apartheid wall" which annexes 50% of the West Bank to Israel.

In spite of the destruction of the very foundations of their existence and in spite of the ever increasing violence in the Holy Land , most Palestinian women, men and children have not lost hope, and they are committed to rebuilding society and its structures without the use of violence. The East Jerusalem YMCA and YWCA of Palestine are in the forefront of this effort to KEEP HOPE ALIVE through projects like the Olive Tree Campaign, which aims at planting 50,000 olive trees in the very places where they have been uprooted and destroyed, or in areas where the fields are threatened by land confiscation.

Through the sponsorship of YMCAs and YWCAs, as well as churches and other groups and individuals around the world, olive tree planting will be a sign of solidarity that encourages Palestinians to keep their sense of hope alive, and to reaffirm their commitment to work constructively toward peace-building.

The Olive Tree: Symbol of Peace, Prosperity and Wisdom

In the whole of the Mediterranean Basin , the olive tree is an ancient source of basic livelihood and nutrition. Approximately 1000 square kilometer of land in the Palestinian Territories are planted with olive trees, compared to only 20 square kilometers in Israel . An average olive tree produces 9 kg of olives yielding 2 liters of oil which has many uses: food, sacramental oil, fuel or as ingredient of medical ointments. The olive tree is plain and frugal. It grows in poor soil and yields precious fruit. It can live for 800 to 1000 years. Together with the wine and the fig tree, the olive tree is a symbol of prosperity and happiness.

Help Keep Hope Alive

For the amount of USD $20 you can Sponsor an Olive Tree. Sponsorship covers the cost of the young plant, distribution, planting and information for the farmers on the best techniques for olive tree care and production improvement. The cost also covers an official certificate, a sponsor label to be inscribed with the sponsor's name and put up in the field where his/her tree is planted and miscellaneous implementation costs of the project. Three-year old, solid, young plants and agriculture tubes are used in order to optimize survival potential.

Every sponsor will receive a certificate and an indication of the location of their trees.

keep Hope Alive - English:

"justghassan | December 29, 2010

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