Holot photo diary, day 21-26: Easing the pain

Activestills By Activestills March 1, 2014 | Edit

Day 21 – Day 26 (February 22 – February 27, 2014) 

Notes: My friend was sick and got these painkillers. Right after he took them he got even sicker, in his stomach too. We were all awake at night because he wasn’t feeling well. Nobody in Holot cares about you when you don’t feel well, there is no medical center, only a small room. You either need to take public transportation to Beer Sheva, or you need to walk. If it is really bad they take you. I think they are trying to kill us. It made me very sad. It is only because of the color of our skin.

I was sick and got this from the Dr, Holot, February 24, 2014.
My friend was sick and got this from the small room that they call a clinic, Holot, February 24, 2014. (Ahmad)
I was sick and got this from the Dr, Holot, February 24, 2014.
My friend was sick and got this from the small room they call a clinic, Holot, February 24, 2014. (Ahmad)

Notes: We get two cups of cheese and some jam for 10 people for breakfast. Sometimes we get dairy products, twice a week we get bread. Meat in lunch comes once a week on Thursday, and on Saturdays there is the worst food, as all the Israelis are on Shabbat. I get the feeling that they are trying to make us weaker and feel bad.

Our breakfast in Holot, February 23, 2014. (Ahmad)
Our breakfast in Holot, February 23, 2014. (Ahmad)
Our breakfast in Holot, February 23, 2014. (Ahmad)
Our breakfast in Holot, February 23, 2014. (Ahmad)

Notes: We are really bored here. We ask for the ability to study and they say no. Once the guard said we might be able to study English, but Hebrew for sure not. Every time we ask for something they say, “no, go back to your country.”

We keep food in the lockers, Holot, February 22, 2014. (Ahmad)
We keep food in the rooms because we get hungry, Holot, February 22, 2014. (Ahmad)
We keep food in the lockers, Holot, February 22, 2014. (Ahmad)
We keep food in the rooms because we get hungry, Holot, February 22, 2014. (Ahmad)
Activestills

Activestills is a collective of Israeli, Palestinian, and international photographers, united by a conviction that photography is a vehicle for political and social change. We believe in the power of images to shape public attitudes and to raise awareness on issues that are generally absent from public discourse. We view ourselves as part of the struggle against all forms of oppression, racism, and violations of the basic right to freedom. Our images are frequently published by many leading human rights, development, and advocacy agencies, as well as by alternative and leading news media. To stay updated on our latest images, like Activestills on Facebook or visit our Flickr photostream.

End of article module for Members

TEST TEST GAL Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war. The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza, inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians, as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence.    We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians. The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent, using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies.   This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, entrenched occupation and apartheid, and a normalized siege on Gaza.   We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives.   Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists, and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.

Make a Donation