Art as a Weapon (Youth Against Invasion)

The Freedom Theatre, a Palestinian community-based theatre and cultural center located in Jenin Refugee Camp, in the northern part of the West Bank, Palestine, has long been the center of cultural resistance. The theatre has experienced numerous attacks and invasions over the years by the Israeli army and, despite it all, continues to create and offer shows, workshops, trainings, and a home for local and international artists. Following a recent series of brutal attacks, the forced detainment of theatre staff, and the destruction of the theatre and the neighborhood surrounding it, members of the company created a storytelling project titled Youth Against Invasion in collaboration with Artists On The Frontlines. The series is a collation of responses written by theatre students in light of Israel’s genocide in Gaza and the continued invasions on Jenin and the rest of the West Bank. 

In September 2023, New York-based company Al Límite Collective participated in the Freedom Theatre’s Feminist Festival, devising a new play with young women from the theatre school, and experienced an invasion by Israeli armed forces while watching a performance. Upon their return to the United States, on 7 October 2023, a wave of devastating violence began, and they have been an active part of the cultural resistance actions in solidarity with Palestinian artists. On 13 December 2023 the Freedom Theatre was raided, and leaders of the theatre were attacked and detained including artistic director Ahmed Tobasi, producing director Mustafa Sheta, and company member Jamal Abu Joas. In response to this attack, New York cultural workers organized a series of actions to demand their release. On 13 January 2024, they marched through the theatre district in Times Square alerting the public and theatre community of the repression of Palestinian artists. Along the march there were performances, poetry, dance and music acts filling the streets. Members of Al Límite Collective and Palestinians of Japan performed passages from Youth Against Invasion, with the words of Aya Samara and Chantal Rizkalla.

This conversation between Freedom Theatre students and New York City performing artists, is connecting theatremakers across the world who are responding to the cultural genocide through artistic means. 

In conversation with: Yasmeen Sameer, Naqaa Sammor, Aya Samara, Chantal Rizkalla, Manatsu Tanaka, Monica Dudárov Hunken and Leah Bachar 

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