new medina village

You are invited to experience the best artisanal products Palestine has to offer!

Every quarter at Palbox we pack a box with a bottle of organic, fair trade Palestinian olive oil, za’atar, olive oil soap, a Palestinian art or craft and a piece of sterling silver Arabic calligraphy jewelry. Featured in this month’s box are sterling silver earrings which say “habibti” or “my love” in Arabic.

Spring’s box features a hand painted ceramic vase from the Hebron ceramics factory. The proceeds benefit the northern California branch of the International Solidarity Movement but the best part is that each box provides income directly to Palestinian farmers and artisans, keeping Palestinians in Palestine. Let’s face it, Palestinians don’t need foreign donations or sketchy “aid” that comes with strings attached; they need an economy independent from the Israeli matrix of control. Palbox supports this economy.

The featured item of this quarter’s box is the ceramic vase from Hebron which we purchased from the Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative in Beit Sahour. Holy Land Handicraft Cooperative helps support Palestinian artisans who used to rely heavily on the tourism industry which has been severely curtailed due to the Israeli occupation.

I interviewed Basma Barham who works at the cooperative to learn more about the history and challenges of the crafts industry in Palestine and  how the cooperative is preserving centuries-old craft and design traditions.