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Interview Questions for Ihsan Turkiyyeh

How did you first get involved in joint Israeli Palestinian productions?

Could you start at the beginning... tell us about your background, where you grew up?

You met your husband while you were on the walkie-talkie?

Where was your husband from?

Your husband was killed fighting against the Syrians?

When did you come to Ramallah?

When did you first get involved in working for peace?

What is the women’s race you participated in?

What was it like the first time you worked with Israelis?

Can you explain what you mean by someone speaking to you as if you're part of a group and not as a person?

Do you remember some of your first encounters with Israelis?

Can you be specific about some of the scenes that were hard to write together?

What is the theater piece and who works on it?

Where do you perform the show?

Why do you think it’s not a good idea to do the show here in Ramallah?

How do your kids and the rest of your family feel about you being involved in work like this?

What is the goal of the show?

What are some of the tough questions kids ask after the performances?

The Israeli army invaded your house here?

What gives you hope personally?

What is depressing to you?

Are there any other peace-related activities you were involved with?

What language is the show in?

Do you act in Hebrew also?

You mentioned that there was a time when the Palestinian Television refused to pay you? Besides that how do people react to your doing these projects?

What does the word peace mean to you?

What do you think it will take to get to a point where progress can be made?

Which international audiences do you feel are most important and influential here?

Which international audience do you think can do the most here?

What are the biggest misconceptions, things that people who are not here do not understand?

What would be one thing you wish you could tell people?

Who accuses you of being a normalizer?

How do you think you were able to "break the taboo of fear?"

How do you think fear impacts this conflict?

What do you think are the roots of the conflict?

Do you think religion plays a role in the conflict?

What do you mean by "death education?"

That’s different from what your husband said-- whether you should die for your country.

You said that it was difficult when you first started doing cooperative work. What was difficult? What were you struggling with?

Is there something you have to give up to do the work you do?

What do you think it would take to be able to do the show here in Ramallah?

You go to schools in East Jerusalem? Is that experience closer to what it would be like in the West Bank?

Where are your kids now?

Do you feel you can stand behind the show, you are proud of the show?

How do you identify yourself?

Is there anything else you want to talk about?

How many times a week do you do the show?

Do you have family here?

How long does it take you to get through the checkpoint?