On Dec 12, Israeli soldiers raided the Freedom Theatre in Jenin, a renowned cultural institution whose mission is to promote justice, equality and self-determination for Palestinians. Two of the theater’s producers, Ahmed Tobasi and Mustafa Sheta, were taken away by Israeli troops. Their whereabouts are still unknown. Watch our interview with Canadian resident Rik Walton about working at the theatre....
While the IDF continues a genocidal campaign against Gaza, Israel’s military has also been carrying out murderous attacks in the West Bank, where at least 11 Palestinians have been killed this week. Most recently, Israeli soldiers raided the Freedom Theatre in Jenin. Two of the theater’s producers, Ahmed Tobasi and Mustafa Sheta, were taken away by Israeli troops.
The Freedom Theatre itself is no stranger to danger and violence.
The Freedom Theatre was founded in 1987 by Arna Mer-Khamis, an Israeli activist. Mer-Khamis was born into a Jewish family in 1929 and became a lifelong supporter of the rights of Palestinians, especially children. With her theatre, she hoped to offer children a space for healing and to empower women through the theatre and arts.
The first building which housed the theatre was destroyed in 2002 by Israeli forces during its vicious attack on Jenin during the second Intifada. That attack was documented in the film “Jenin, Jenin”. In 2006, Arna’s son Juliano reopened the theatre on a new site in Jenin, doubling as a community centre. Juliano was brutally assassinated 5 years later under peculiar circumstances. A film about the Theatre entitled “Arna’s children’ is available on Youtube.
The former chairman of The Freedom Theatre, Bilal Al Saadi has been held in prison for more than a year. He is now joined by many others as in the last two months alone, Israel has imprisoned hundreds more Palestinians and is now holding over 4,500 men, women and children.
Through its work, The Freedom Theatre aimed to provide the children of Jenin Refugee Camp with “a space in which boys and girls can equally and safely express themselves, dare to experiment, take risks, imagine other realities and challenge existing social and cultural barriers“. It offered a 3 year professional theatre school and training in stage management, and other media and art forms, stages and tours productions, and runs workshops.
International reputation
Freedom Theatre had an international reputation. When OFIP Advisory Council member Arthur Milner toured the West Bank with his play “Facts” in 2012, one of his stops was the Freedom Theatre. “We performed Facts in ten different theatres, but the Freedom Theatre was unique. It was world famous and it was an important, if controversial, part of Jenin, and we were excited to be part of its history.” said Milner.
Most recent incident
The Israeli army has repeatedly, violently invaded the Jenin refugee camp where The Freedom Theatre is situated, with each attack escalating in violence.
This latest invasion, which was made with armored bulldozers tearing up streets, drones dropping bombs on Palestinian homes, and a siege of the hospital blocking ambulances, killed six. The Israeli army has killed 58 people in Jenin alone since October 7, including children.
Two of the theater’s leaders, Ahmed Tobasi and Mustafa Sheta, as well as Jamal Abu Joas, a recent graduate, photographer and poet, were taken away by Israeli troops. Tobasi, the Artistic Director, was held overnight, interrogated and brutally assaulted, before being released Dec. 13.
General Manager Sheta, is currently being held under ‘administrative detention’ in the notorious Megiddo prison in Israel. Three other members of the Freedom Theatre have been murdered by the IDF in recent weeks: 17-year-old Yamen Jarrar, 26-year-old Jehad Naghniyeh, and 30-year-old Mohammed Matahen. In June, occupation forces killed youth theater participants Sadeel Naghnaghia, age 15, and Mahmoud Al-Sadi, who was 17 years old.
Israeli military forces wrecked the offices, smashed technical equipment and demolished the wall between the offices and the neighbouring house. When they arrested Tobasi, they rampaged through his house, destroying everything of value.
Rik Walton of Ottawa was a volunteer photography tutor at the Freedom Theatre in 2016 and worked with both men. When asked why the IDF targets the Freedom Theatre, Rik answered “Its simple. The pen is mightier than the sword”.
Watch our interview with Rik Walton of Ottawa about his time at the Freedom Theatre here.
Canada Talks Israel Palestine (CTIP) is the weekly newsletter of Peter Larson, Chair of the Ottawa Forum on Israel/Palestine (OFIP). It aims to promote a serious discussion in Canada about Canada’s response to the complicated and emotional Israel/Palestine issue with a focus on the truth, clear analysis and human rights for all. Readers with different points of view are invited to make comment.
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Canada Talks Israel/Palestine 
The world by giving Israel hundreds of billions of dollars, most sophisticated and unlimited weapons, unlimited political support and a lot more, created a Frankenstein. A true Frankenstein which has no limit to crimes and brutality.
Hey Jake,
I’m not sure about “hundreds” of billions, but Obama gave it 35 billion over 10 years, so you aren’t far off. And I agree that Israel feels that it can do anything it wants with complete impunity. The Palestinians are paying a very heavy price for it. But I think that Israel’s run is coming to an end. The sooner it gets called to account, the better.
One reminder which no one talks about it, it’s reparation monies which Germany paid. About 6 month ago I heard that it is estimated between 100 and 200 billion.
Also just in Canada, which is a small part of the total monies, there are over 300 organizations collecting monies for Israel all year around.
Israel is a rogue state. It has committed so many war crimes it should be expelled from the United Nations
I was in Jenin a decade ago and I remember the theatre. As a isolated incident anywhere in the world we would call this attack unjust and brutal. As part of a coordinated pogrom by the Israeli state against refugees who are sheltering there thanks to earlier Israeli state aggressions, it is beyond horrific. The Israeli state, which calls itself a Jewish democracy, has become an evil monster of historic proportion.
There seems to be no end to the atrocities going on in the West Bank and Gaza; all with the aid of the Biden administration that refuses to call for a CeaseFire.