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Humanitarian Aid

Latest addition : 20 July 2009.

The village operates a program to provide humanitarian assistance - mainly, but not exclusively, medical relief - for Palestinian villagers affected by the ongoing conflict. The project is conducted by NSWAS residents on a voluntary basis and is supported by donations of money and materials from Israel and abroad.

Since the start of the second intifada in October 2000, many Palestinian villages and towns have faced a humanitarian crisis. Now, a few years later, the situation in many towns and villages remains desperate, due to high unemployment and poverty. The building of Israel’s "security barrier", the continued presence of multiple military road blocks that prevent freedom of movement to fields, jobs, schools and hospitals are factors in creating a very difficult situation, especially for the inhabitants of remote villages.

The residents of NSWAS have been organizing projects [1] to help alleviate the suffering. We have raised money for the distribution of food and medicines and are conducting medical treatment days in towns and villages. These projects are based on voluntary work by physicians, medical personnel and others.

We wish to continue with similar treatment days in additional Palestinian towns and villages. A committee has been formed in the village to identify sources of need.

NSWAS is interested to receive monetary donations and donations in kind in order to further this work. All funds will be used to purchase essential items such as medicines and food. We will ensure that assistance is rendered to those who are in genuine need.

How to Give

Donations given to the Humanitarian Aid programme must always be specifically earmarked as such and may be made as follows:

In the USA (Tax-deductible donations)

By donating online at:
The American Friends of Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam
or by check (see information on the same page)

In Germany

Bank transfer to:
Bruno-Hussar-Stiftung, Kt. 32012296,
Kreissparkasse Köln, BLZ 37050299.
IBAN: DE84 3705 0299 0032 0122 96
SWIFT BIC: COKSDE33

In Switzerland

Postcheckkonto: Schweizer FreundInnen von Neve Shalom/Wahat al-Salam : 87-99504-1

Elsewhere

By cheque to:
HAP Project
c/o The Treasurer,
Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam,
99761 Doar Na Shimshon, Israel

by bank transfer to:
Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam,
Account No. 355000,
Bank Hapoalim Jerusalem Main Branch No. 690
16 King George St., Jerusalem Israel
IBAN : IL23-0126-9000-0000-0355-000
Swift code POALILITJLM

When sending a cheque, please send us instructions explicitly mentioning that the donation is intended for the Humanitarian Aid for Palestine Project. When arranging a bank transfer, please email us that the transfer has been made.

Articles

Children of War at the Oasis of Peace III
Friday 1 August 2008 by Faryal Awan :: Humanitarian Aid Program

Eyes full of excitement, smiling faces, infectious enthusiasm, and dreams come true... describes the summer camp run by Wahat As-Salam / Neve Shalom for kids from refugee camps in the West (...)
An art workshop for children from Tulkarm, West Bank and pupils of the WAS-NS primary school
Tuesday 1 July 2008 :: Humanitarian Aid Program
In June 2008, an activity took place that was the first of its kind for us. Twenty-five Palestinian children aged 8 – 13 from a refugee camp in the West Bank joined children of the WAS-NS primary (...)
New equipment improves medical services to a West Bank town
Friday 1 February 2008 :: Humanitarian Aid Program
A delegation from Neve Shalom - Wahat al-Salam visit Naalin, together with Japan’s representative to the Palestinian Authority, to mark the successful installation of medical equipment at the (...)
Children of War at the Oasis of Peace II
Friday 31 August 2007 by Ranin Boulos :: Humanitarian Aid Program
In July, for the second year in a row, a successful week-long summer camp was organized for Palestinian boys and girls from a refugee camp in the West Bank town of (...)
Update on the Humanitarian Aid Program: Help from Japan
Friday 9 February 2007
The HAP program receives Japanese funding to equip three West Bank clinics, but needs your help in order to continue responding to medical emergencies.
Children of War at the Oasis of Peace
Monday 14 August 2006 by Deb Reich
The story of a week-long summer camp for children from Palestinian refugee camps in the West Bank. The camp was held in Neve Shalom Wahat al-Salam while the war in Lebanon raged in the (...)
A second medical treatment day in Jorat al-Shama’a village
Sunday 2 October 2005
The NSWAS humanitarian assistance team visited Jorat al-Shama’a for a second treatment dayin the village, treating 150 patients and distributing NIS 8,000 in (...)
Treatment Day in Beit Sira village
Tuesday 26 July 2005 :: Humanitarian Aid Program
Saturday, July 10: The HAP team organized a treatment day for the nearby Palestinian village of Beit Sira (Ramallah district). Over five hours, a team of four volunteer doctors and a pharmacist (...)
Medical treatment day in Jorat al-Shama’a Village
Sunday 30 January 2005 :: Humanitarian Aid Program
The Humanitarian Assistant project team conduct a medical treatment day in Jorat al-Shama’a village.
Summer update on Humanitarian Assistance
Tuesday 3 August 2004 by Michal Zak
It has been a while since our last report, and we have some good news on a number of projects, which we want to share with you. Helping Children who need medical care Helping children who need (...)

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Footnotes

[1] Why does the village’s humanitarian aid programme support needy Palestinians, but not Jews who have suffered from terrorism, rocket attacks, etc?

The HAP programme is a voluntary initiative of individual members of the community, i.e. it is not a programme of the community’s Association of Educational Institutions, which is responsible for the major educational outreach of the community. Donations will not reach the programme unless specifically earmarked for it (see options above).

The programme was initiated and is carried out in order to respond to human needs that are not being handled by other agencies. While both Jews and Palestinians suffer from the ongoing conflict, the economic and humanitarian situation on the ground is not symmetrical and the infrastructure of aid-giving existing in the region is more organized on the Jewish Israeli side. For instance, a donor living abroad who wishes to give to a Jewish victim of terrorism can find at her disposal a number of well-maintained charities for that purpose. Our experience is that the same infrastructure does not sufficiently exist towards the Palestinian side, such as for Palestinian villages not far from Wahat al-Salam / Neve Shalom. Aid given to such villages demonstrates good will from the Israeli side of the fence, helps to preserve good relations in times when they are sorely tried, and encourages forces of moderation and reconciliation. Experience from other conflicts around the world has shown that the preservation of good relations at the grassroots level between people on the opposing sides contributes towards an eventual settlement.

Naturally residents of Wahat al-Salam / Neve Shalom individually give also towards Jewish charities - we simply do not help to organize donations publicly or from our web-site.