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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 AMMAN 001721 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR PRM/ANE AND NEA/RA 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREF PREL KPAL KWBG IS JO
SUBJECT: MONITORING AND EVALUATING SEEDS OF PEACE'S 
COEXISTENCE CENTER IN JERUSALEM 
 
REF:  A) PRM MONITORING GUIDANCE 12/04/03 
 
      B) 03 AMMAN 1477 
 
¶1.  REGIONAL REFCOORD ASSISTANT MONITORED PRM-FUNDED 
ACTIVITIES AT SEEDS OF PEACE'S COEXISTENCE CENTER IN 
DECEMBER 2003 AND THROUGH FOLLOW-UP PHONE CONVERSATIONS 
BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH 2004.  CABLE IS KEYED TO 
MONITORING GUIDANCE PROVIDED REF A. 
 
¶A.  REFCOORD ASSISTANT MET WITH SEEDS OF PEACE'S COEXISTENCE 
CENTER SENIOR PROGRAM DIRECTOR JEN MARLOWE, ADMINISTRATIVE 
DIRECTOR DR. REUVEN BARNEIS AND CENTER SUPERVISOR SAMI AL- 
JUNDI DECEMBER 3, 2003 TO MONITOR PRM-FUNDED COEXISTENCE 
ACTIVITIES. REFCOORD ASSISTANT ALSO CONDUCTED FOLLOW-UP 
MONITORING BY PHONE AND E-MAIL BETWEEN JANUARY AND MARCH 
¶2004. 
 
¶B.  DUE TO CONTINUING POLITICAL TENSIONS IN THE WEST BANK 
AND GAZA, SEEDS OF PEACE (SOP) HAS BEEN UNABLE TO IMPLEMENT 
SEVERAL KEY GRANT OBJECTIVES, INCLUDING COMMUNITY SERVICES 
PROJECTS IN THE CAMPS, VIDEO MESSAGING ACTIVITIES AND SCHOOL 
PRESENTATIONS.  SOP IS ATTEMPTING TO FIND CREATIVE SOLUTIONS 
TO THESE PROBLEMS BY TRAINING PALESTINIAN YOUTH TO IMPLEMENT 
UNOFFICIAL SOP ACTIVITIES IN REFUGEE CAMPS AND SCHOOLS.  SOP 
ALSO RECRUITED TEN PALESTINIAN TEACHERS (WHO SERVED AS 
ESCORTS AT THE SUMMER CAMP) TO INTRODUCE SOP ACTIVITIES IN 
THEIR SCHOOLS AND PRODUCE THE TEACHING MANUAL FOR THE ARABIC 
EDITION OF "THE OLIVE BRANCH" MAGAZINE.  ON A MORE POSITIVE 
NOTE, SOP IN JULY 2003 HELD ITS FIRST JERUSALEM GATHERING OF 
ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN SEEDS IN MORE THAN THREE YEARS. 
WHILE GOI OFFICIALS CONTINUE TO ISSUE PERMITS FOR 
PALESTINIAN YOUTH TO TRAVEL TO JERUSALEM FOR SOP ACTIVITIES, 
MANY PALESTINIANS FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE TRAVELING TO JERUSALEM 
OR ISRAELI CITIES AND PREFER INSTEAD TO MEET SOP STAFF IN 
PALESTINIAN CITIES.  SEEDS IS THEREFORE HAVING A HARD TIME 
MEETING THE LETTER OF THE PRM GRANT AGREEMENT BUT IS 
FULFILLING THE SPIRIT OF PROMOTING A CULTURE OF TOLERANCE 
AND COEXISTENCE AMONG PALESTINIAN REFUGEE YOUTH. 
 
¶C.  UNDER THE PRM GRANT, TWELVE PALESTINIAN YOUTH FROM WEST 
BANK REFUGEE CAMPS PARTICIPATED IN THE THREE-WEEK SOP SUMMER 
CAMP IN MAINE, WHICH WAS HELD IN JULY AND AUGUST 2003.  THE 
PALESTINIAN REFUGEES CONTINUED TO PARTICIPATE IN SOP 
COEXISTENCE ACTIVITIES IN THE CENTER IN JERUSALEM THROUGHOUT 
THE ACADEMIC YEAR.  A SUMMARY OF COEXISTENCE ACTIVITIES 
FOLLOWS: 
 
  ¶1.   COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES:  IN AUGUST 2003, TEN 
     PALESTINIANS, MORE THAN HALF REFUGEES, SPENT TWO DAYS WITH 
     68 REFUGEE CHILDREN AGED 8-14 IN EIN EL-SULTAN REFUGEE CAMP 
     IN JERICHO.  SEEDS TOURED THE CAMP ON THE FIRST DAY AND 
     LEARNED ABOUT REFUGEE LIFE.  ON THE SECOND DAY, SEEDS 
     CONDUCTED WORKSHOPS IN DRAMA, ART AND GAMES FOR THE REFUGEE 
     KIDS, IN WHICH THEY SHARED SOP IDEAS AND THE VALUES OF 
     MUTUAL RESPECT, TOLERANCE AND NON-VIOLENT COMMUNICATION. 
     SEEDS ALSO ORGANIZED TWO ADDITIONAL PREPARATORY MEETINGS IN 
     GAZA AND NABLUS TO DISCUSS COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES 
     IN CAMPS THERE BUT DUE TO POLITICAL TENSIONS, HAS NOT YET 
     SCHEDULED COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES IN ANY OTHER REFUGEE 
     CAMPS.  BECAUSE SOP STAFF BELIEVE OFFICIAL SEEDS OF PEACE 
     ACTIVITIES WILL NOT BE WELCOME IN THE REFUGEE CAMPS, SOP 
     STAFF ARE INSTEAD HOLDING ORGANIZATIONAL MEETINGS IN 
     PALESTINIAN CITIES AND TRAINING SEEDS THEMSELVES TO LEAD 
     COMMUNITY SERVICE ACTIVITIES IN THE CAMPS. FOUR COMMUNITY 
     SERVICE IDEAS ARE IN THE EARLY PLANNING STAGES AND WILL BE 
     IMPLEMENTED AS PROJECTS IN THE CAMPS TO FULFILL THE TERMS OF 
     THE AGREEMENT. 
 
  ¶2.   MEDIA TRAINING COURSE IN BEIT BERL:  ON OCTOBER 3, 
     2003, TWO HUNDRED ISRAELI AND PALESTINIAN SEEDS MET IN BEIT 
     BERL TO REGISTER FOR A ONE-YEAR MEDIA TRAINING PROGRAM. 
     SEVEN PALESTINIANS REFUGEE YOUTH ARE NOW PARTICIPATING IN 
     THE COURSE THAT WILL TRAIN THEM TO WRITE, PREPARE 
     COMMENTARIES AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO CRITICALLY INTERPRET AND 
     ANALYZE TELEVISION AND NEWSPAPERS.  AN ISRAELI AND A 
     PALESTINIAN JOURNALIST WORKED WITH THEM ON THE PRINCIPLES OF 
     PRINT JOURNALISM, AND SEVERAL PARTICIPANTS CONTRIBUTED 
     ARTICLES TO SOP'S "OLIVE BRANCH" MAGAZINE.  SEEDS ARE NOW 
     LEARNING (FROM OLDER SEEDS WHO STUDIED MEDIA AT THE 
     UNIVERSITY LEVEL) MORE ABOUT TV AND FILM MEDIA, HOW TO 
     PRODUCE AND ANALYZE IT AND HOW TO EDIT THEIR OWN 
     PRODUCTIONS.  PALESTINIAN COURSE GRADUATES WILL WORK ON THE 
     ORAL HISTORY INTERVIEW PROJECT. 
 
  ¶3.   ORAL HISTORY PROJECT:  A REFUGEE YOUTH (WHO RECEIVES A 
     SALARY AS PART OF THE PROJECT) WAS SELECTED TO LEAD THE ORAL 
     HISTORY INTERVIEW PROJECT.  THE ORAL INTERVIEWS ARE UNDERWAY 
     AND TWO VIDEOS CASSETTES ARE UNDER PREPARATION.  SOP HAS NO 
     CLEAR PLANS HOW TO USE THEM IN THE PALESTINIAN SCHOOLS. 
 
  ¶4.   OLIVE BRANCH MAGAZINE:  AN EDITOR FOR THE ARABIC 
     VERSION OF "THE OLIVE BRANCH" WAS SELECTED AND TRANSLATION 
     OF THE CURRENT ENGLISH-ONLY EDITION OF "OLIVE BRANCH" 
     MAGAZINE INTO ARABIC IS UNDERWAY.  THE MAGAZINE WILL BE 
     DISTRIBUTED TO YOUTH IN SCHOOLS IN THE WEST BANK AND GAZA IN 
     COORDINATION WITH THE EDUCATION DEPARTMENT OF UNRWA AND A 
     UNDP PROGRAM ON YOUTH EMPOWERMENT.  SOP IS NOW PRODUCING AN 
     ARABIC STUDY-GUIDE FOR THE MAGAZINE AND PLANS TO DISTRIBUTE 
     IT WITH "THE OLIVE BRANCH" AND ALSO PLACE IT ON THE SOP 
     WEBSITE AS A RESOURCE.  SOP PLANS TO TRAIN TEN INTERESTED 
     PALESTINIAN TEACHERS (WHO SERVED PREVIOUSLY AS SOP CAMP 
     ESCORTS) TO USE "THE OLIVE BRANCH" AS AN EDUCATIONAL 
     CLASSROOM TOOL FOR TOLERANCE AND RESPECT OF OTHERS IN THEIR 
     SCHOOLS. 
¶D.  WHILE THE POLITICAL AND THE SECURITY SITUATION ON THE 
GROUND HAS NOT CHANGED SINCE OUR LAST REPORT (REF B), SOP 
MANAGED TO RESTORE JOINT MEETINGS BETWEEN ISRAELI AND 
PALESTINIAN SEEDS, ONE OF THE PROJECT'S PRIMARY GOALS.  IT 
HELD ITS FIRST JOINT MEETING IN THREE YEARS AT THE 
COEXISTENCE CENTER IN JULY 2003.  MARLOWE ATTRIBUTED SOP'S 
SUCCESS IN RESTORING THESE MEETINGS TO THE LEADERSHIP OF SOP 
PRESIDENT AARON MILLER, WHO, ACCORDING TO MARLOWE, CONVINCED 
ISRAELI OFFICIALS TO ALLOW PALESTINIANS SEEDS TO TRAVEL TO 
JERUSALEM FOR COEXISTENCE ACTIVITIES.  EXTENSIVE 
COORDINATION WITH ISRAELI MILITARY AUTHORITIES IS REQUIRED 
TO ENSURE THE PALESTINIAN SEEDS CAN TRAVEL TO JERUSALEM AND 
CITIES IN ISRAEL.  SOP ALSO COORDINATES WITH THE PALESTINIAN 
AUTHORITY AND PALESTINIAN NGOS TO ARRANGE PROGRAMMING IN 
REFUGEE CAMPS.  DIFFICULTIES IN SECURING COORDINATION FROM 
ISRAELI MILITARY FORCES AND POLITICAL REPRESENTATIVES IN THE 
PALESTINIAN REFUGEES CAMPS OFTEN DELAY THE IMPLEMENTATION OF 
SOP ACTIVITIES.  SOP IS NOT SURE IF IT CAN WORK IN THE CAMPS 
UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES AND IS INVESTIGATING OTHER WAYS TO 
REACH PALESTINIAN REFUGEE YOUTH, INCLUDING WORKING WITH 
REFUGEE YOUTH THAT LIVE OUTSIDE CAMPS AND TRAINING YOUTH TO 
IMPLEMENT PROJECTS THEMSELVES. 
 
¶E.  IN ITS COEXISTENCE ACTIVITIES, SOP ENSURES THAT 50% 
PERCENT OF THE PALESTINIAN TARGET GROUP IS REFUGEES.  LIKE 
ALL SEEDS, THE REFUGEE YOUTH ARE SELECTED BASED ON THEIR 
ENGLISH LANGUAGE SKILLS, ACADEMIC STRENGTH, AND SOCIAL AND 
LEADERSHIP SKILLS.  DUE TO RESTRICTIONS ON PALESTINIANS' 
MOVEMENT, SOP STAFF VISIT PALESTINIAN SEEDS IN THEIR 
HOMETOWNS IN THE WEST BANK AND GAZA FOR PREPARATORY AND 
NATIONAL MEETINGS BEFORE ARRANGING JOINT MEETINGS WITH THE 
ISRAELI SEEDS IN JERUSALEM AND ISRAELI CITIES. 
 
¶F.  SOP DOES NOT USE SPHERE STANDARDS, BUT IS WILLING TO USE 
THEM IF REQUESTED BY PRM. 
 
¶G.  SOP HAS A CODE OF CONDUCT AND ADVISES PROJECT STAFF OF 
THEIR OBLIGATION TO REPORT ANY SUSPECTED SEXUAL EXPLOITATION 
AND ABUSE OF BENEFICIARIES BY FACILITATORS AND ESCORTS. 
 
¶H.  THE CONTINUOUS VIOLENCE, CURFEWS AND CLOSURES IN THE 
WEST BANK AND GAZA MAKE TIMELY IMPLEMENTATION OF SOP 
ACTIVITIES DIFFICULT.  AN ACTIVITY PLANNED TO TAKE PLACE 
WITH A PALESTINIAN DIALOGUE GROUP IN BETHLEHEM'S DEHEISHEH 
CAMP, FOR EXAMPLE, WAS MOVED TO EIN EL-SULTAN CAMP IN 
JERICHO DUE TO SECURITY CONCERNS.  MARLOWE REPORTED THAT 
STAFF SAFETY HAS BECOME A CONCERN.  PALESTINIAN MILITANTS 
WHO OVERHEARD A MEETING WITH PALESTINIAN SEEDS IN NABLUS, 
FOR EXAMPLE, THREATENED ONE AMERICAN STAFF MEMBER.  IN 
RESPONSE TO THESE SECURITY CONCERNS, SOP NOW PLANS TO GIVE 
ITS PALESTINIAN SEEDS FIRST AID TRAINING IN COOPERATION WITH 
THE PALESTINIAN RED CRESCENT SOCIETY.  AS THE SEEDS 
THEMSELVES ARE GETTING OLDER AND GAINING MORE EXPERIENCE, 
SOP PLANS FOR THEM TO TAKE OVER LEADERSHIP OF THE PROJECTS 
FROM ITS AMERICAN STAFF.  SOP BELIEVES THIS EMPOWERMENT PLAN 
NOT ONLY ADDRESSES THE SAFETY ISSUE BUT ALSO FUFILLS SOP'S 
MISSION OF TRAINING YOUTH TO LEAD THE FUTURE PEACE MOVEMENT. 
 
¶I.  MUCH OF THE PROJECT'S FOCUS IS ON BUILDING THE CAPACITY 
OF THE YOUNG PALESTINIAN SEEDS, ENABLING THEM TO TAKE OVER 
THE COEXISTENCE PROGRAMMING THEMSELVES.  FOUR PALESTINIAN 
SOP GRADUATES HAVE BEEN RECRUITED TO LEAD GROUPS OF YOUNGER 
SEEDS.  SOP IS WORKING ON THIS GOAL AS A LONG-TERM STRATEGY. 
 
¶J.  THE COEXISTENCE CENTER STAFF SEEMS TO BE FULLY AND 
GAINFULLY EMPLOYED. TWO ADDITIONAL AMERICAN STAFF MEMBERS 
WERE RECRUITED.  HOWEVER, FOR LONG-TERM CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT 
PURPOSES, SOP NEED TO HIRE MORE LOCAL SOP GRADUATES. 
 
¶K.  THE COEXISTENCE CENTER'S OFFICE IS SPACIOUS AND WELL 
EQUIPPED. EQUIPMENT APPEARED TO BE IN WORKING ORDER AND USED 
ON A REGULAR BASIS. NONE OF THE EQUIPMENT WAS PURCHASED WITH 
USG FUNDS. 
¶L.  N/A. 
 
¶M.  SOP COEXISTENCE PROGRAMS STRIVE TO ACHIEVE AN IMPORTANT 
PRM AND NEA POLICY GOAL OF PROMOTING A CULTURE OF PEACE AND 
COEXISTENCE AMONG PALESTINIAN REFUGEE YOUTH.  HOWEVER, 
CURRENT POLITICAL AND SECURITY DIFFICULTIES IN THE WEST BANK 
AND GAZA HAVE PREVENTED SOP FROM IMPLEMENTING SEVERAL KEY 
OBJECTIVES OF THE PRM GRANT AGREEMENT.  NEARLY NINE MONTHS 
INTO THE GRANT, SOP HAS VISITED JUST ONE OF FIVE TARGET 
REFUGEE CAMPS, HAS NOT YET FINALIZED THE VIDEO MESSAGING 
PROJECT, HAS YET TO CONDUCT A SINGLE SCHOOL PRESENTATION AND 
HAS ONLY BEGUN INTERVIEWING YOUTH FOR THE VIDE PROJECT. 
WITH ONLY THREE MONTHS REMAINING IN THE GRANT, WE ARE NOT 
CONFIDENT THAT SOP WILL BE ABLE TO ACHIEVE THESE OBJECTIVES. 
GIVEN VERY LIMITED FUNDING AVAILABLE FOR NGO ACTIVITIES, WE 
RECOMMEND THAT ANY FUTURE GRANTS TO SOP BE SCALED BACK TO 
INCLUDE ONLY ACHIEVABLE GOALS, SUCH AS SENDING REFUGEE YOUTH 
TO THE SOP SUMMER CAMP. 
 
¶2.  ConGen Jerusalem cleared this message. 
HALE