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| − | The majority of families with dark skin in Gaza originate from Sudan and Egypt, many of them came to work in the Ottoman Empire's army hundreds of years ago. | + | ==Afro Palestinians in Gaza== |
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| | + | The majority of families with dark skin in Gaza originate from Sudan and Egypt, many of them came to work in the Ottoman Empire's army hundreds of years ago.<ref name=almonitor2013/> |
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| − | Wealthy Arab families in Gaza participated in the slave trade. | + | Wealthy Arab families in Gaza participated in the slave trade.<ref name=almonitor2013/> |
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| | + | Black Palestinians constitute a minority of one per cent of the total population of the two million inhabitants living in Gaza Strip.<ref name=gn2017/> |
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| | + | They have to work twice as hard to prove himself. |
| | + | Many black Palestinians are not considered for jobs that require direct communication or interaction with customers..<ref name=gn2017/> |
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| | + | Majority of Palestinians do not marry black Palestinians, although recently there have been some changes in mentality..<ref name=gn2017/> |
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| | + | In some areas, it is strictly forbidden for Arab Palestinians to marry black Palestinians, but in other areas..<ref name=gn2017/> |
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| | + | The situation is worse for black Palestinian women — while dark-skinned men may be able to marry light-skinned Palestinians, the reverse is mostly not accepted..<ref name=gn2017/> |
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| | + | Some mixed races couples are threatened by family of the Arab side to renounce him in the newspapers..<ref name=gn2017/> |
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| | Sometimes the racism is expressed nonverbally through looks. | | Sometimes the racism is expressed nonverbally through looks. |
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| − | Some tell of discriminatory experiences growing up. | + | Some tell of discriminatory experiences growing up. |
| | Racist taunts toward Gaza’s African minority are not uncommon, despite centurieslong African migration to Palestine.<ref name=almonitor2013>Asmaa al-Ghoul, "[https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2013/11/black-palestinians-suffer-racism.html Black Palestinians shrug off racism], Al Monitor, November 4, 2013. | | Racist taunts toward Gaza’s African minority are not uncommon, despite centurieslong African migration to Palestine.<ref name=almonitor2013>Asmaa al-Ghoul, "[https://www.al-monitor.com/originals/2013/11/black-palestinians-suffer-racism.html Black Palestinians shrug off racism], Al Monitor, November 4, 2013. |
| | <blockquote> | | <blockquote> |
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| | ...after the split in 2007. “The policeman looked inside a taxi and ordered the two dark-skinned men inside, us, to step out. So my brother and I stepped out, and we headed to the search location. After they made sure that we weren’t suspects, we went back to the car. I felt very insulted. The driver asked me why. I told him ‘It seems we are now in Chicago!'”</blockquote> | | ...after the split in 2007. “The policeman looked inside a taxi and ordered the two dark-skinned men inside, us, to step out. So my brother and I stepped out, and we headed to the search location. After they made sure that we weren’t suspects, we went back to the car. I felt very insulted. The driver asked me why. I told him ‘It seems we are now in Chicago!'”</blockquote> |
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| | + | Security forces have been recently (2017) very harsh on black Palestinians. Like selecting them out for further security checks.<ref name=gn2017>"[https://gulfnews.com/world/mena/black-palestinians-face-subtle-racism-in-gaza-1.2018514 Black Palestinians face subtle racism in Gaza]." Ahmed Alnaouq, Special to Gulf News. May 05, 2017.<blockquote> |
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| | + | Obaid, who believes his ancestors came from Sudan, says he has to work twice as hard to prove himself. |
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| | + | Gaza: Black Palestinians constitute a minority of one per cent of the total population of the two million inhabitants living in Gaza Strip. |
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| | + | While its is difficult to accurately pin their exact origins, many say they came from Ghana, Sudan and Egypt — or at least that’s what has been passed down through their oral history. |
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| | + | Many first came to Palestine during the Islamic conquests as slaves to serve their owners in the seventh century. |
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| | + | It is also reported that another wave of Africans emigrated to Palestine in the late 19th century to work as merchants or fighters under the rule of the Ottoman Empire. |
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| | + | Despite their deep roots in Palestine, many still encounter racism and discrimination, although it is to a much less degree as how poorly people of colour are treated in other countries — particularly the US. |
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| | + | Mohammad Obaid, 26, a folklore dancer and founder of the Dabke Club for children, thinks his ancestors originally came from Sudan. |
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| | + | “My grandparents worked as merchants in 1948 areas, which is considered Beersheba in Israel today..." |
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| | + | At least 11,000 black Palestinians live in Al Jalla’a district of Gaza in a neighbourhood called “Al Abeed” which means slaves in Arabic... |
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| | + | Although there is no official discriminatory policy against black Palestinians, Obaid says that subtle racism makes his life more difficult than lighter skinned Palestinians. |
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| | + | “If I wasn’t the best dancer, I wouldn’t be on the Dabke team,” he said. |
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| | + | “I always have to prove myself twice as much as others.” |
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| | + | Many black Palestinians are not considered for jobs that require direct communication or interaction with customers. |
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| | + | The majority of Palestinians do not marry black Palestinians, although recently there have been some changes in mentality. |
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| | + | “Where I live, people accept to marry black Palestinians, but in other areas it is strictly forbidden,” he said. |
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| | + | It is worse for black Palestinian women — while dark-skinned men may be able to marry light-skinned Palestinians, the reverse is mostly not accepted. |
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| | + | “I knew a couple who were in love but the father of the would-be groom threatened to renounce him in the newspapers. Sadly, they separated,” he said. |
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| | + | And Obaid says the security forces have been recently very harsh on black Palestinians. |
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| | + | When the cops pulled him and his friends over recently, he was the only one from the passengers pulled out for further security checks. |
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| | + | He took his anger out by writing a poem directed at the police entitled “Blacks are not security suspects”... |
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| | + | “The police treatment has gotten worse, so for the first time I thought about leaving.” |
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| | + | But for Karama, a 34-year-old Palestinian woman, who has a black father and white mother, race has never gotten in the way of her success. |
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| | + | “I personally haven’t experienced any discrimination,” she told Gulf News. |
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| | + | “Blacks are sometimes preferred by some organisations who seek diversity.” |
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| | + | Karama has participated and led many different social work initiatives and ceremonies, but she acknowledges that having a white mother could be the reason. |
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| | + | “I know in other areas of Gaza, people are not as accepting.”</blockquote></ref> |
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