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The Parents
Arna Mer came from a Zionist family (the belief in the protection of Jewish nation, now Israel). After the Arab-Israeli war, she joined the Communist Party. There, she met Saliba Khamis who was Arab. He was a leader of the “Red Nazareth”. There, he found support for protesting against Israel’s military government’s mistreatments. They married later on in 1953. Mixed race was good in communism, however it opposed to Zionism. Arna was disowned by her family but accepted from Saliba’s. -
The Parents
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis
images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/58e289e0197aea8ba60b0247/1499719284085-QWK2EBMFM2YQNSDLQPWS/image-asset.jpeg?format=300w. -
Birth of a "Hybrid"
Juliano Mer-Khamis was born Palestinian and Jewish. Second of three sons (Shatz 2013). His famous line was he described himself to be "100 per cent Palestinian and 100 per cent Jewish" (Romero 2011). No matter how hard he tried to fit in, in Israel he was told to forget he is a son of an Arab.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis
https://international.ucla.edu/cnes/event/8872 -
Early life
At 18, Juliano joined the paratroopers. Now a solider stationed in Jenin, he sees what a temporary shelter for refugees as a slum where more than 10,000 people were squeezed in tight spaces. Solders would "accidently" kill old women or children. Furious, he refused his orders and punched his commanding officer, spending months in prison. He was then transferred to recover in a mental hospital with the help of his mother, Arna. After his release, he enrolled in acting school. -
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Performing Arts
Juliano dropped Khamis from his name. This can be due to conflict between the Israelis and Palestinians. Going into an industry, it was best for him to hide part of his identity. After finishing a performing arts school, He was first starred in a film called "Bar 51" by Amos Guttman. This was when his passion for acting emerged (Shatz 2013).
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis -
Lost of Identities
He loved losing himself when acting but it was not enough. He wanted something more intense. He then went to the Philippines for a year where he was mostly high on mushrooms. This can also be the cause of stress. He lived in a tent where he talked to monkeys and declared himself the son of God. His parents had him rescued. He claimed, "I lost all my identities" (Shatz 2013).
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis -
The Stone Theatre
The Stone Theatre was named after the stones children would often throw at Israeli tanks. Juliano constantly directed, rehearse, and film "Arna's Children". The Theatre reunited his family and Juliano began to call himself Mer-Khamis again. While reclaiming his name, during this time, he realizes the political abuse that is happening.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis -
Arna and Saliba dies
Arna passed away from cancer and few months after saliba's passing (Shatz 2013). Juliano decides to continue Arna's name in the camp. She educated many children while during the crisis happening around.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis -
The Daringly Physical Performer
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Daringly Physical Performer
After his parent's death, Juliano went back into his acting life. He made a name for himself as a daringly physical performer in Tel Aviv's Habima Theatre. In William Shakespeare's tragedy, Othello, he played Othello. As performing, he nearly strangled the actress playing Desdemona. An ambulance had to called. He often got into fights with directors, actors, and even the audience (Shatz 2013). Because of this, not many were surprised of his death considering the amount of enemies he has. -
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Settling into the Unsettling
As he was struggling to feed himself, Juliano settled down with a family that saved him. Mishmish Or and her daughters Milay and Keshet. He moved into his mother's old house in Haifa along with his adopted "family". Life seemed fine until the second uprising erupted in October of 2000. Juliano turned their house into a base. This new uprising was worse, the Palestine was armed (Shatz 2013).
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis -
Producing and Directing
Mer-Khamis produced and directed the film "Arna's Children" documenting his mother's project to use theatre to showcase children's trauma, chronic fears and depression in Jenin during the first Palestinian uprising against Israeli (Shatz 2013). Juliano wanted to bring awareness to the country's state without any censorship.
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis -
Arna's Children international
His film, "Arna's Children" was released internationally. It was an upsetting film. The film was a portrait of failure. It was the weakness of non-violent resistance in the face of a violent occupation. -
The Freedom Theatre
Juliano and Zakaria Zubeidi, a former military leader of the Jenin armed groups, established The Freedom Theatre where it provided opportunities for the children of the Jenin Refugee Camp to develop skills and confidence for social change (Shatz 2013).
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis -
Teaching for the Youth
Juliano lived and worked in the West Bank where he would teach classes about playwriting and journalism to the children of the Jenin Refugee Camp. -
Students Spreading His Vision
Juliano students would often wonder around the camp introducing him to people and described his vision of being both artistically serious and politically provocative. Some of his acting students were fighters, thieves. A mix of girls and boys. But despite their hard work, many outsiders see them as disgusting. Mainly calling the girls whores. One father threatened to disown his daughter. -
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Foreshadow
In an interview three years before his murder, Juliano jokingly predicted he would be killed by a "F**ked-up Palestinian for corrupting the youth of Islam". -
Animal Farm
Juliano staged "Animal Farm" in the camp's theatre. "Animal Farm" was based of a fairy story by George Orwell. George Orwell based his story off the Russian Revolution in 1917. With similar political states, Juliano was inspired to play out the story.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animal_Farm -
Animal Farm Production
The production was designed to shock audiences. Actors were dressed as pigs, violating Islamic taboo. Army officers that spoke Hebrew then came to to trade with the pigs. A dagger was then aimed at the Palestinian Authority. The audience were offended, some attempted to set the theatre on fire (Shatz 2013).
https://www.lrb.co.uk/the-paper/v35/n22/adam-shatz/the-life-and-death-of-juliano-mer-khamis -
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After the Murder
The Israelis have been more criminally active in Jenin after Juliano's murder. Most Palestinian members of the theatre were taken in for question for hours to weeks. Zubeidi, whom he shared his home with was interrogated, tied to chairs, and spent days in prison. They accused him of plotting Juliano's murder (Shatz 2013). In reality, Zubeidi grieved his death very openly, he would rage when haters would take down posters of Juliano. -
The Assassination
On Monday afternoon, Juliano walked out of the Freedom Theatre in the Jenin refugee camp. He got into his car. At four o'clock, he put his baby son, Jay, on his lap with his babysitter sitting next to them. As he was driving, a man in a ski-mask came out of an alleyway and told him to stop. His babysitter insisted to keep driving but Juliano stopped. The man shot him five times. His son survived and the babysitter escaped with minor injuries. Juliano was pronounced dead at 52. -
Mourning
The Jenin refugee camp held a memorial for his death. Rawand Arqawi, The Freedom Theatre's school director stated, "We are his sons and daughters... and we must continue in order to defy the killer's wishes to stop this work" (Zonszein 2011). Despite the challenges after Juliano's death, his followers fight to avoid abuse of power by the country, Palestine.
https://forward.com/news/136813/juliano-mer-khamis-activist-who-lived-in-two-world/ -
Still Out There
After the babysitter identifying suspects, a man Mujahed Qaniri was charged with Murder. But after DNA tests had proved Mujahed to be innocent, there was no longer any suspects to lead on (Toameh 2011). The case still remains unsolved. Because of his beliefs and values, many disliked him. There was no evidence or leads. The camp remained limited with resources leaving his death a mystery.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/hamas-fatah-member-connected-to-mer-khamis-murder -
