Intensive Arabic Semester

Photos and text by Lydia Aisenberg
One of the arrested leader activists of the Occupy Wall Street movement in New York is a well known and much respected member of Hashomer Hatzair in North America and with short and long stints of studying and working on co-existence projects in Israel – including Givat Haviva – under his belt and blue movement shirt.

Yotam Marom, a member of Hashomer Hatzair’s Kvutzat Orev that some years ago was involved in community work in Barta’a village where they taught English in the high-school, was among a large group of protesters arrested at the beginning of October.  After his release Yotam returned to the streets to carry on with other leaders the Occupy Wall Street momentum.

In an interview given to the RT television news Yotam, wearing his trade mark scarf wrapped loosely around his neck, Yotam corrected the interviewer who had stated he was arrested as protesters crossed over the Brooklyn Bridge.  

“I’m sorry to have to correct you but I was arrested during the mass rallies a week before the Brooklyn Bridge demonstration,” he commented adding that he saw an interesting contrast in the way police responded to the first two demonstrations in America.

“The first mass arrest was just an act of desperation.  The police just did not know how to end the march as this happened for the first time.  And the arrests that happened on the Brooklyn Bridge were quite different.  That was a strategic attack to arrest an enormous amount of people and to scare away the community groups from coming to join the movement,” said Yotam.

He also commented on the heavy-handy police behavior.  

“I was hit with a metal baton and some of my friends were pepper-sprayed and beaten with metal batons as well.  I think it reflects a lot of fear and an incredibly stupid approach,” said Yotam who a few years ago was the leader of a large group of Hashomer Hatzair youngsters in Israel on summer tour with the movements Yedid Plus program.  During a one day seminar at GIVAT HAVIVA’S INTERNATIONAL DEPARTMENT the group toured Barta’a and region.

 The RT television interviewer commented that despite getting bigger and gaining more support every day the Occupy Wall Street movement has been largely criticized for not having any definite demands.  Yotam, a proponent of demands, explained that generally they are necessary as they clarify the struggle.  However, he said he believes it is not compulsory for Occupy Wall Street to come up with demands.

“I don’t think this occupation has come up with its own demands.  It can be a foundation on top of which community and grassroots organizations and movements can fight.  We have an enormous potential to really build a movement capable of both creating an alternative structure and fighting to create space for that structure,” he stated.