Waafa Younis, a Palestinian musician, has for years been showingPalestinian children who live with violence and fear in the West Bank'sJenin refugee camp a different way, through music. Younis started anorchestra called the Strings of Freedom that is creating a bit ofharmony in a conflicted land.  

AnwarFor13-year-old Anwar, this violin is a key to escape from the misery ofthe Jenin Refugee Camp where she has lived all of her life.  

She remembers how, at the age of six, Israeli soldiers came to her house.

"Whenthey took us out of the house, they forced us to sit in front of thehouse, and brought the tanks up to our faces. We were veryfrightened. We were screaming with fear. I was very young," she said.  

The lyrics speak of a prayer for peace.

Opening the door to the world of music for her and many other Palestinian youngsters is music teacher Wafaa Younis.  

Wafaa Younis
"Makingquietness, making happiness, making smiles. This is what music doeswith a person," she said. "When a child plays music, he becomes beautiful. Hebecomes lovely, with a big heart, full of love, full of flowers."

Younisstarted a music school and has dedicated her life to giving hope andjoy to Palestinian children through music, steering them away from aculture of death.

Her work has been here at the Jenin refugeecamp in the West Bank, where violence under the Israeli occupation, anddeath, are part of life for children.

"They see soldiers allthe time. They hear shooting all the time. They feel afraid. When Istarted my project, I saw them smiling, loving, dancing, playingmusic," explained Younis.

Her efforts have not been welcomed by all.
 
InMarch, Palestinian authorities banned Younis from the camp after shetook a group of young musicians, including Anwar, to perform at aconcert whose audience included Jewish Holocaust survivors.  

Playing to Israeli Jews, many Palestinians said, was bowing to the enemy.
 
Colonel Radi Asedeh
ColonelRadi Asedeh is the Palestinian police area commander who ordered Younisout of Jenin and told her not to return to the camp.

"Maybe shemade an unintentional mistake. This was a mistake of using boys andgirls in issues, political issues, that are irrelevant to them. Shedid it with humanitarian purposes, but this kind of action made peoplein Jenin and the refugee camp want to threaten her," said Asedeh.

Despite the criticism, Waafa Younis has made a difference in the lives of youngsters like Anwar.

"BeforeI learned music, I hated listening to music. When I learned how to playit, I really loved it and I now enjoy playing music," said musicstudent Anwar.

Wafaa Younis providing instruction to her class
Wafaa Younis is undeterred in her mission to bring joy, hope, and an end to conflict between Israelis and Palestinians.   

"Government after government, no solution," she said. "But if you ask me, 'What is the solution?' I will tell you."

By teaching music, Waafa Younis pushes on with her dream of bringing harmony to a land of discord.