Mr. Imad Atrash, Executive Director of the Palestine Wildlife Society, smiles, a bit wistfully. "I try to be like the birds don't have to get permit and permissions and security clearances. I do."
Mr. Imad Atrash has devoted much of his life to the wildlife of Palestine, establishing the Palestine Wildlife Society, a recognized NGO based in Beit Sahour, in 1999. Even his business card shows the picture of a bird. Mr. Atrash took the picture himself. "Palestine has many species. We have mammals such as gazelles, the red fox and the rocky hyrax. Palestine is located between three main continents, Africa, Asia, and Europe, and we have nearly 3.000 species of plants in the area," he says.
But he especially loves the birds. Mr. Atrash explains that Israel and Palestine form a corridor over which the birds migrate, and that as many as 500 million migrating birds, such as storks, pelicans and reports use this corridor to migrate each year. "The birds don't like to cross or fly over water. They prefer to fly over land. Over land, they can glide on the thermals and travel as far as 700 km. a day, from the Baq'a in Lebanon in the north to Eilat in the south and they can rest for as long as they need. Jericho is particularly important, as a spot for resident and breeding birds.
In studying the birds of the region, he works closely with an Israeli ornithologist, from Tel Aviv University Dr. Yossi Leshem, whom he calls his colleague and teacher. "He opened my eyes to so much and taught me so much about birds," Mr. Atrash says.
But unlike the birds that he and Dr. Leshem observe, Mr. Atrash must get permits from the Israel authorities in order to enter Israel. Usually, he says, the gats the permits that he needs, thanks, at least in part, to his close cooperation with other Israeli NGOs. "I admire the work that Israeli wildlife enthusiasts do and I am thankful for their cooperation. There are wonderful people and organizations in Israel. But the Israel government doesn't think about nature and the military doesn't think about birds. And they have had a terrible effect on our wildlife."
He points to the massive Israeli neighborhood that the Israeli refer to as Har Homa, established in 1987. "When the Israelis built their settlement there, on Mount (Jabl) Abu Ghneim, they destroyed an entire forest. This was the only green belt to the north. The natural habitat for mammals, such as wolves and foxes, was destroyed and the natural balance of life was ruined. Three years ago, my mother and wife found foxes coming up close to the house. They have no food and no secure place, so now they are coming into our human habitat."
The wall built by Israel, he says, is disastrous for wildlife. "The mammals cannot cross the wall, so their habitats have been cut. And animals that nest on the ground have lost their nesting habits. Vegetation has been affected, because of pollination patterns. Nature is everywhere and cannot exist according to settlements and walls. Wildlife doesn't understand fences and borders." He says forcefully.
But the Israeli government doesn't care. They say everything is for the sake of security. That is not true. Only peace will bring security. If the animals will be safe, then we will all be safe."
The fence and Israeli closures have also hampered Palestinian attempts to maintain the quality of the environment, he accuses. "In Jericho, the Israeli government has blocked our roads so now there is no access to proper dumping sites. They have to burn the garbage. Jericho was a resort city, but now the air is polluted and people will be sick."
But he insists on repeating, "I am not talking politics. I am talking about the environment, about wildlife. That is what I do in my life." And he makes demands of his own society, too.
"The Palestinian natural environment is subject to many threats, the majority of which could directly be attributed to the lack of awareness of the effect of the many non-environmentally friendly actions Palestinians take on a daily and routine basis." According to the Wildlife Society's Website, in the future, we will have to deal with grave environmental consequences if we continue to postpone dealing with the natural environment to a later stage in the development of the Palestinian statehood.
When he began his work in 1992, officials and activists dismissed him, saving that the Palestinian national struggle must come first and no Palestinian authorities showed any awareness of the importance of the environment. "Now, we have project in the schools and in the communities to teach awareness and environmental protection."
"Our message is getting through. It is reaching every level of our society. Everyone understands how much the environment matters. Because the environment doesn't know about boundaries between countries, or parties, or peoples, we have been able to bring together people from every faction to participate in our environmental awareness workshops."
Mr. Atrash grew up in Beit Sahour, in a poor family, and he, the oldest son, often worked in the fields with his mother. In his early years, he studied agriculture, but later on become a sport photographer, trained in Italy and worked for foreign press companies during the first Intifada.
But he always loved wildlife, especially birds, and his awareness of and commitment to the environment have been the major forces in his life since founding the Wildlife Society in 1999. He says of himself, "Wildlife is in my blood, 24 hours a day. I don't stop. It is my work and my life."
He represents Palestine and his organization abroad and spends much of his time fundraising. "I would rather watch the birds," he says wistfully. "I would like rather be in the field. I love to watch the birds, the mammals, the bugs and lizards. When I do, I am at one with nature. I feel that I am part of the universe."
Eetta Prince Gibson is an editor and writes on civil society for the Israeli daily newspaper, the Jerusalem Post .
Bridge magazine –WHO- VOLUME 2 NO.6 OCTOBER-DECMBER2006