The Political Economy of Western Aid in the Occupied Palestinian Territory Since 1993

Abstract

In the summer of 2012, a Palestinian theatre company toured the West Bank with its production, Beit Yasmine (House of Yasmine). Showed to packed theatre houses, the play narrates the story of the shooting and subsequent treatment of human rights activist, Yasmine. While she lies critically wounded, her family is required to write and submit a proposal for medicine which will only be accepted if they also supply a written assurance (the Anti-terrorism Certification1) that none of it will go to ‘terrorists’. When the medicine arrives, the family discuss whether it will be addictive or not; a debate ensues where they are assured by the ‘medical expert’ that in small doses it will be beneficial. However, simultaneously, other ‘experts’ arrive with more types of medicine, and it soon becomes clear it is best that Yasmine remains ill in order to continue receiving such care, and for those around her to profit from it. The rebellious son of Yasmine, who initially opposes the medicine, is plied with offers of paid study abroad or a comfortable salary in a good job for his silence and acquiescence — thus posing him with a severe moral dilemma.2