The Arab club in Tegucigalpa.
It was as early as the late 1800's that the first Palestinians arrived in Honduras. It was the time of the Ottoman empire and many Christian Palestinians felt the pressure that they had to convert to Islam and enlist in the Turkish army. Many took the boat with destination ‘the Americas’ and honduras turned out to be the final destination. When the state of Israel was created in 1948 many followed. With many more in 1967 (six day war, occupation of Gaza, Westbank and the Golan heights) and during and after the two Intifadah’s. Nowadays, its estimated that there are around 200,000 people of Palestinian decent in Honduras, making it probably the biggest Palestinian community in the Western hemisphere. They have been very successful on both an economic and a political level. Almost all are Christians and from the Bethlehem area.
Sunday brunch at the Arab club in Tegucigalpa. The belly dancers are not Palestinian, but Honduran.
La Corona hardware store, Tegucigalpa.
Elias Larach (84) is from Beit Jala, Palestine.
'My parents came to Honduras in 1920, but went back to Palestine in 1930 where I was born. They build two houses in Jerusalem. In the 20's my father was hiding from the Turkish empire (the Ottoman empire) and my mother sold her jewelry to make sure he didn't have to go in the army. In 1948 the zionist came and closed of our town. I was in school with Jewish children, the next day they were gone. In 1954 I came back with two brothers to Honduras. I have six brothers and two sisters, two brothers are in the USA and one sister in Ecuador, the others died. In 1956 I bought my hardware store (Ferreteria La Corono) from a Jewish - German. I now have five children and I still work every day in the same store. I went back to Palestine for the first time in 1970. It makes me sad, there is no work and its a military zone. I hope for a free Palestine, but it will look like Swiss cheese; they want to remove all Palestinians'.
Buthaine Salman, teacher at the Arabic School, San Pedro Sula
“My husband already lived in Honduras, and when we got married I came too. Until then I lived in Bethlehem. I supported the first Intifada, which broke out in 1988.”
Buthaine Salman (40) was born in Betlehem, Palestine and sings in the choir of the Orthodox church.
Buthaine Salman (40) was born in Betlehem, Palestine and sings in the choir of the Orthodox church.
'I went to the Lutheran school in Beit Jala. In 1986 I received a scholarship in Germany, I was supposed to stay for 7 years, but I only staid one. My mother felt it was too long, I was only 15 years old. I graduated in 1988, the first intifadah just started. I supported the uprising, but it affected my studies: universities were often closed because of strikes. I married in 1989 to a Samir Bandy, a Palestinian but who was living in Honduras. We moved to Honduras. It was very difficult in the beginning, I didn't speak any Spanish and it was so different. My parents in law didn't allow me to work because they felt they could pay for me. In 1993 I got my first job at the school of the Orthodox church here in San Pedro Sula. Now I am teaching Arabic, English and music. I went back to Palestine in 1992 and 2010, but I will not live there anymore, although I love my country so much. I have three children and they would have language problems if we move back. I really hope that a Palestinian state will come into existence soon.'
The Arabic School at the Orthodox cathedral.
The John the Baptist School stands next to the Orthodox cathedral. The 150 pupils are almost all from Palestinian families, but Hondurans are also welcome. Three languages are taught: Spanish, English and Arabic. Like the Cathedral, the school is under the leadership of Pastor Jorge Faraj.
Padre Jorge (41) is the father of the Iglesia Catolica Apostolica Ortodoxa Antioquena in San Pedro Sula.
Padre Jorge (41) is the father of the Iglesia Catolica Apostolica Ortodoxa Antioquena in San Pedro Sula.
'My grandparents came in 1923 from Beit Sahour, Palestine to Puerto Cortez in Honduras. It was my uncle who started to bring more and more family members and a few started hardware stores here. My parents were born in Honduras, but they did go back to Palestine in 1936 and came back in 1961 to Honduras. I am the father of the Orthodox church here in San Pedro Sula. In 1993 we created a school here to preserve the Arab language; many youngsters only can speak Spanish. I was baptized in Palestine in 1972.'
The industrial laundry service of Atala Jaar Mudenat (55). He is from Betlehem and has two sons Abraham Atala Jaar (22) and Tarik Atala (19), he lost his wife in a car accident.
In Atala Jaar Mudenat's home.
Since his wife was killed in a car accident, Atala Jaar Medenat has lived alone with his two sons, 19 and 22 years old. Atala is a Christian, but a Koran which he received as a gift is on display in his living room.
Atala Jaar Mudenat (55) is from Betlehem and has two sons Abraham Atala Jaar (22) and Tarik Atala (19), he last his wife in a car accident.
'I came in 1967 to Honduras, three months after the six day war where Israel occupied the Westbank, Gaza and the Golan heights. I came with my parents, my two sisters and my brother. It was difficult in the beginning I thought we were going to New York, but we arrived in Honduras: I didn't speak the language and there was no electricity. We arrived with very little and we started to produce and sell hammocks. I went back for the first time to Palestine in 2007. It was very sad, all our land was gone and where the land was the Israeli's build a highway. I have one sister who is still in Betlehem. If a free Palestine comes into existence I would consider to go back.
In 2006 I opened an industrial laundry service, we were working for the largest US jeans factory here in Honduras. We stonewashed 150,000 a week, but the American factory decided recently to one the industrial laundry to Nicaragua, because its cheaper. So we had to close the company.'
The living room of Victoria Larach (73). She was born in Beit Jala, Palestine.
Photgraph of of Victoria Larach (73), She was born in Beit Jala, Palestine.
Victoria Larach (73) was born in Beit Jala, Palestine.
'In 1962 I got married in Palestine and left the same year for Palestine. I used to be a teacher at an UNWRA (UN agency for Palestinian refugees). My mother was from Nazareth, my father from Beit JalaI thought going to Honduras was an adventure. In 1963 we organized the first Orthodox masses at home. My husband had a factory for uniforms and jeans. I have two sons and one daughter, they are all in Houston. Otherwise I have family in Chile, USA, Central America and Palestine. I went back to Palestine for the first time in 1972 and for the last time in 2008. I don't believe there will be a Palestinian state, I sincerely hope it, but I feel sorry and sad that this happened to the Palestinians. Before 1948 life was good in Palestine. Now I am the chef de cuisine of the Arab restaurant at the Arab club.'
Hassan Mohammed's store in San Pedro Sula.
Hassan Mohammed (72) is from Ramallah, Palestine.
'I am one of the very few muslim Palestinians in Honduras. I came in 1975 to San Pedro Sula after my divorce. I re-married to a Honduran woman. I have two daughters in Palestine, they studied at the Bir Zeit university and work now for the Palestinian authority. Here I have two children as well. Twenty years ago everything was better in Honduras, now things are really bad. I want to go back to Palestine, its so violent here and the business goes bad. My wife was recently robbed and they shot her.'
Juan Bendeck (62) in the El Progreso TV-studio.
“When my mother left for Honduras in 1965, I stayed behind in Bethlehem, where I was in school. The Six Day War broke out two years later. Israeli troops entered the city in the middle of the night; that's when I decided to leave. After a long detour by way of Tel Aviv, Amsterdam, Curaçao and Panama, I ended up in Honduras. At first it was difficult. I didn't speak the language, had few family, and no network at all.”
Juan Bedeck (62), from Bethlehem, Palestine.
“Since then I've become successful here. I have been Minister of Transport, consul for Morocco, and am now the director of the Council for Tourism. I have my own TV station, El Progreso, together with my daughters. We employ 93 people. The profits go for social projects, in memory of my wife, who died of dengue fever.
“My last trip to Palestine lasted only three days. Bethlehem felt like a prison. I realized that I love my country, but I couldn't live there anymore.”
Carmen (89) and Victoria Selman (91) in their Arab restaurant. They were born in Betlehem, Palestine.
The family house of Carmen (89) and Victoria Selman (91) in Bethlehem. They were born in Betlehem, Palestine.
Carmen Selman (89) was born in Betlehem, Palestine.
'I came with my mother and my sister Victoria to Honduras in 1935. Our father was already here, he had a store where he was selling crockery and linen. I went back to Palestine in 1947 and married in 1950. We went back in 1975 after we sold our land in Ramallah, there is still a family house in Betlehem. I still feel Palestinian. A few years ago I went back for a visit, at Tel Aviv airport all my bags were searched and I was questioned, I felt so humiliated; I was just visiting my own country. With my sister I have an Arab restaurant here in Teguchicalpa. I said to her the other day: maybe we should open some franchises.'
Ricardo Abedrabbo's Rivoli clothing store, in Tegucigalpa.
Ricardo Abedrabbo (62) was born in Beit Jala, Palestine.
'My parents are both Palestinian but my father was born in Cuba and my mother in Egypt. They went back in 1921 to Palestine. I was a lawyer in Jerusalem and went in 1952 with my mother and brother to Honduras by ship, my father was there already. In 1964 my father started the Rivoli, an exclusive clothing store. Now I have four Rivoli stores. In 1977 I went back for the first time to Palestine, we still have a house in Beit gala. The last time I went in 2008, I didn't like it at all: the conflict and the Israeli's build this wall. I have two children here. Business is very bad due to the political situation here in Honduras. An independent Palestine has to happen.'
The Palestinian passport of Ricardo Abedrabbo (62).
