I just ran across this short video clip on B'tselem's (an Israeli human rights organization) website today. It focuses on life in the Palestinian village of Tuba and the harassment against them by the nearby Israeli settlers. Tuba is near Tuwani and I stayed there a couple times to accompany shepherds and document harassment by settlers. There is also footage from after the 2004 attack by masked settlers. They attacked Tuba children and two CPTers who were walking to school.
http://btselem.org/English/Video/200509_Southern_Hebron_Hills.asp
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Friday, August 10, 2007
All in a Day's Work
CPT's work in the south Hebron Hills as well as the normal events in the area can be difficult to understand. Below you'll find an update CPT sends out about events in At-Tuwani and the surrounding villages. For those of you who don't receive these updates via email, I hope this will give you a better idea of the work we do and the challenges facing people in the area:
AT-TUWANI UPDATE: 11-24 July 2007
Every day during this period, the team accompanied Palestinian shepherds in fields near Israeli settlements and settler outposts. The team monitored several temporary Israeli military checkpoints on the Palestinian road leading from At-Tuwani north to Yatta. On team during this period were members of Operation Dove ( called "Doves") and CPTers Diane Janzen, Sarah Scruggs, Matthew Chandler, and Peggy Gish.
Wednesday 11 July
CPTers Chandler and Janzen monitored a temporary checkpoint on Road 317 in the late afternoon. The soldiers briefly stopped a Palestinian fromAt-Tuwani who later told Janzen the soldiers had yelled at him to run towards them. He had just kept walking, and when he got to the jeep, the soldiers asked him why he did not run and he told them he had already walked two km. When the soldiers saw the CPTers coming down the hill one said,"Here come the sons of bitches."
Friday 13 July
Chandler and Gish walked to Tuba in the morning. About 10:00 a.m., a settler security guard and the Israeli army arrived in the area and told the Tuba shepherds they were on Ma'on land. The soldiers said the shepherds were allowed to be on the farmed land lower in the valley, but not up on the hillside. After several minutes of arguing, some of the Palestinians started to leave the area and the soldiers left with the settler security guard.
Saturday 14 July
In Tuba, the settler security guard and the army came again and told the Palestinians they were on Ma'on land. When Chandler and Gish arrived, Palestinians were telling the soldiers the whole valley was theirs and the Israeli military's civil administration, called the District Coordinating Office (DCO), confirmed this ownership two weeks earlier. The soldiers threatened to arrest one of the teenage boys. A Palestinian asked Chandler to call the DCO. The DCO finally promised to send someone after a call from an Israeli peace activist.
Two more army jeeps, a police jeep, and two border police jeeps arrived and an hour later, the DCO. All of the Israeli forces congregated to speak tothe DCO captain. Afterwards, the police returned the IDs to the Palestinian men and said the valley in question was in fact open to the Palestinians for grazing, but not for farming. One Palestinian told him that assertion was false and said he wanted to speak to the DCO directly.
The DCO captain came and explained the entire valley did indeed belong tothe people of Tuba, and they could use it freely. However, he insisted the Palestinians coordinate with the DCO whenever they want to work the land. One Palestinians told him there was no point in this coordination because the DCO never comes when they do call.
Sunday 15 July
Janzen and Scruggs visited a family in the village of Mughayir el Abeed. The father of the family told the CPTers that at 10:00 a.m., a truck drove toward him, his sons, and their sheep. A settler emerged from the truck and pointed a gun at them. The Palestinians then descended into the valley and the settler drove away.
Monday 16 July
Janzen and Scruggs went to observe a temporary checkpoint on Road 317, where the police had stopped a car coming from Yatta and were blocking the passage of other vehicles. One of the police officers asked for Scruggs' ID. After she gave him her passport, he told her if she did not stop taking photos and leave in two minutes he would arrest her. Scruggs moved to the other side of Road 317 and Janzen arrived. About ten minutes later, the Israeli police moved their vehicle to allow other vehicles to pass. After another fifteen minutes, police returned the IDs to the Palestinians and drove away.
Wednesday 18 July
While accompanying shepherds in Khoruba valley, Janzen and Scruggs observed a Palestinian woman walking with her children in the valley toward At-Tuwani. A settler came down from the wooden house in Hill 833 and sat above the road the family was going to walk on. The Palestinians moved to the opposite side of the valley and continued on their way.
Thursday 19 July
In the afternoon, Gish, Chandler, Janzen and Scruggs joined residents of At-Tuwani in a meeting with consulate staff from Australia, Ireland, Norway, and Portugal at the school in At-Tuwani.
At 4:45pm, a plain truck entered At-Tuwani from Hill 833 and drove to a Palestinian home nearby. When Janzen and Chandler arrived, they saw two armed men in the truck: the driver was in civilian clothes, and the passenger in an army uniform. The driver had a still camera and was taking pictures of everyone, but left almost immediately after Janzen and Chandler arrived.
After the truck left, the Palestinians told Chandler and Janzen the men said they were with the DCO, but did not act like typical DCO personnel. They told everyone at the house they had to go inside, and when they did not, the armed men cocked their guns and threatened to start shooting. In the midst of this encounter, they took pictures of construction at the house, saying it was forbidden and would be demolished.
After the incident, one of the Palestinians called the DCO, who said they would come to At-Tuwani. Chandler and Janzen waited at the house until sunset. The DCO never came.
Friday, 20 July
Chandler and Gish responded to a call from a Palestinian regarding settlers from Susya settlement planting on Palestinian land near Qawawis. The CPTers filmed and took pictures of three settlers working in the field and then returned to At-Tuwani.
The same Palestinian man from Susiya called later saying the police and Palestinian landowners had come to the area. When Chandler and a Dove arrived, the police were speaking with the settlers who had been working the land. Up to twenty settlers from the Susya settlement gradually arrived and talked with each other on the side of the road. An army jeep and later two more and two border police jeeps arrived.
An hour later, when the DCO officer arrived, he went first to speak with the police and army present. Several settlers argued with them. In the meantime, settlers approached the Palestinians, Chandler and the Dove. The border police intervened to try to keep the two groups separate. Finally, the DCO spoke with one of the Palestinian landowners and told him they had to investigate the matter further to decided who owned the plot of land. Then they declared the area a closed military zone.
Saturday, 21 July
A group of seventy-five Palestinian children from the Hebron area led by a Palestinian peace activist arrived in At-Tuwani for a solidarity visit. When they walked back to their busses parked on Road 317, an army jeep was there. The soldiers said the driver of one of the busses was suspicious because he had Israeli plates stored in the bus, and Palestinians plates on the bus. The soldiers insisted the group must wait for the police to arrive and showed no regard for the children who were forced to wait in the heatwithout water.
The police arrived after about forty-five minutes. The children protested while waiting, chanting and crowding around the army and police, saying, "We want to go," and, "We want water." The police and army responded by shouting at the children to go away. After about an hour and a half the police gave the driver of one bus a citation for parking illegally on theroad. The group then left for a tour of Qawawis.
Sunday, 22 July
Chandler and Gish returned to the plot of land near Qawawis where settlers had been working on Friday to join four other internationals in documenting Israeli settlers' efforts on the Palestinian-owned land. Soldiers tried to stop them from going out into the field where the settlers were working, but they went anyway. After the settlers left, they went out and filmed around the work site, where the tractor sat. When they got back to the road, about fifteen teenage settlers came, took their pictures and taunted them. Another military vehicle and police also came to the scene.
When the Palestinian landowners arrived, the CPTers and internationals stood around them and their car to protect them from the settler youth. The landowners spoke to the police, who told them they would have to go to the Kiryat Arba police station the following morning to file their complaint.
Monday, 23 July
The owners of the land where settlers from Susya had been working the previous evening went to the Kiryat Arba police station as directed, but the police did not allow them in to file their complaint.
A Palestinian came by in the evening and told the team he had just returnedfrom the Israeli High Court case regarding the wall along Road 317. The court ruled the Israeli army must disassemble the wall within two weeks and everyday after that time, if they have not removed it, they must pay the Palestinians in villages south of the wall a large sum of money.
Tuesday, 24 July
A Palestinian reported to the team in the late afternoon that the army had started to disassemble the wall along Route 317.
AT-TUWANI UPDATE: 11-24 July 2007
Every day during this period, the team accompanied Palestinian shepherds in fields near Israeli settlements and settler outposts. The team monitored several temporary Israeli military checkpoints on the Palestinian road leading from At-Tuwani north to Yatta. On team during this period were members of Operation Dove ( called "Doves") and CPTers Diane Janzen, Sarah Scruggs, Matthew Chandler, and Peggy Gish.
Wednesday 11 July
CPTers Chandler and Janzen monitored a temporary checkpoint on Road 317 in the late afternoon. The soldiers briefly stopped a Palestinian fromAt-Tuwani who later told Janzen the soldiers had yelled at him to run towards them. He had just kept walking, and when he got to the jeep, the soldiers asked him why he did not run and he told them he had already walked two km. When the soldiers saw the CPTers coming down the hill one said,"Here come the sons of bitches."
Friday 13 July
Chandler and Gish walked to Tuba in the morning. About 10:00 a.m., a settler security guard and the Israeli army arrived in the area and told the Tuba shepherds they were on Ma'on land. The soldiers said the shepherds were allowed to be on the farmed land lower in the valley, but not up on the hillside. After several minutes of arguing, some of the Palestinians started to leave the area and the soldiers left with the settler security guard.
Saturday 14 July
In Tuba, the settler security guard and the army came again and told the Palestinians they were on Ma'on land. When Chandler and Gish arrived, Palestinians were telling the soldiers the whole valley was theirs and the Israeli military's civil administration, called the District Coordinating Office (DCO), confirmed this ownership two weeks earlier. The soldiers threatened to arrest one of the teenage boys. A Palestinian asked Chandler to call the DCO. The DCO finally promised to send someone after a call from an Israeli peace activist.
Two more army jeeps, a police jeep, and two border police jeeps arrived and an hour later, the DCO. All of the Israeli forces congregated to speak tothe DCO captain. Afterwards, the police returned the IDs to the Palestinian men and said the valley in question was in fact open to the Palestinians for grazing, but not for farming. One Palestinian told him that assertion was false and said he wanted to speak to the DCO directly.
The DCO captain came and explained the entire valley did indeed belong tothe people of Tuba, and they could use it freely. However, he insisted the Palestinians coordinate with the DCO whenever they want to work the land. One Palestinians told him there was no point in this coordination because the DCO never comes when they do call.
Sunday 15 July
Janzen and Scruggs visited a family in the village of Mughayir el Abeed. The father of the family told the CPTers that at 10:00 a.m., a truck drove toward him, his sons, and their sheep. A settler emerged from the truck and pointed a gun at them. The Palestinians then descended into the valley and the settler drove away.
Monday 16 July
Janzen and Scruggs went to observe a temporary checkpoint on Road 317, where the police had stopped a car coming from Yatta and were blocking the passage of other vehicles. One of the police officers asked for Scruggs' ID. After she gave him her passport, he told her if she did not stop taking photos and leave in two minutes he would arrest her. Scruggs moved to the other side of Road 317 and Janzen arrived. About ten minutes later, the Israeli police moved their vehicle to allow other vehicles to pass. After another fifteen minutes, police returned the IDs to the Palestinians and drove away.
Wednesday 18 July
While accompanying shepherds in Khoruba valley, Janzen and Scruggs observed a Palestinian woman walking with her children in the valley toward At-Tuwani. A settler came down from the wooden house in Hill 833 and sat above the road the family was going to walk on. The Palestinians moved to the opposite side of the valley and continued on their way.
Thursday 19 July
In the afternoon, Gish, Chandler, Janzen and Scruggs joined residents of At-Tuwani in a meeting with consulate staff from Australia, Ireland, Norway, and Portugal at the school in At-Tuwani.
At 4:45pm, a plain truck entered At-Tuwani from Hill 833 and drove to a Palestinian home nearby. When Janzen and Chandler arrived, they saw two armed men in the truck: the driver was in civilian clothes, and the passenger in an army uniform. The driver had a still camera and was taking pictures of everyone, but left almost immediately after Janzen and Chandler arrived.
After the truck left, the Palestinians told Chandler and Janzen the men said they were with the DCO, but did not act like typical DCO personnel. They told everyone at the house they had to go inside, and when they did not, the armed men cocked their guns and threatened to start shooting. In the midst of this encounter, they took pictures of construction at the house, saying it was forbidden and would be demolished.
After the incident, one of the Palestinians called the DCO, who said they would come to At-Tuwani. Chandler and Janzen waited at the house until sunset. The DCO never came.
Friday, 20 July
Chandler and Gish responded to a call from a Palestinian regarding settlers from Susya settlement planting on Palestinian land near Qawawis. The CPTers filmed and took pictures of three settlers working in the field and then returned to At-Tuwani.
The same Palestinian man from Susiya called later saying the police and Palestinian landowners had come to the area. When Chandler and a Dove arrived, the police were speaking with the settlers who had been working the land. Up to twenty settlers from the Susya settlement gradually arrived and talked with each other on the side of the road. An army jeep and later two more and two border police jeeps arrived.
An hour later, when the DCO officer arrived, he went first to speak with the police and army present. Several settlers argued with them. In the meantime, settlers approached the Palestinians, Chandler and the Dove. The border police intervened to try to keep the two groups separate. Finally, the DCO spoke with one of the Palestinian landowners and told him they had to investigate the matter further to decided who owned the plot of land. Then they declared the area a closed military zone.
Saturday, 21 July
A group of seventy-five Palestinian children from the Hebron area led by a Palestinian peace activist arrived in At-Tuwani for a solidarity visit. When they walked back to their busses parked on Road 317, an army jeep was there. The soldiers said the driver of one of the busses was suspicious because he had Israeli plates stored in the bus, and Palestinians plates on the bus. The soldiers insisted the group must wait for the police to arrive and showed no regard for the children who were forced to wait in the heatwithout water.
The police arrived after about forty-five minutes. The children protested while waiting, chanting and crowding around the army and police, saying, "We want to go," and, "We want water." The police and army responded by shouting at the children to go away. After about an hour and a half the police gave the driver of one bus a citation for parking illegally on theroad. The group then left for a tour of Qawawis.
Sunday, 22 July
Chandler and Gish returned to the plot of land near Qawawis where settlers had been working on Friday to join four other internationals in documenting Israeli settlers' efforts on the Palestinian-owned land. Soldiers tried to stop them from going out into the field where the settlers were working, but they went anyway. After the settlers left, they went out and filmed around the work site, where the tractor sat. When they got back to the road, about fifteen teenage settlers came, took their pictures and taunted them. Another military vehicle and police also came to the scene.
When the Palestinian landowners arrived, the CPTers and internationals stood around them and their car to protect them from the settler youth. The landowners spoke to the police, who told them they would have to go to the Kiryat Arba police station the following morning to file their complaint.
Monday, 23 July
The owners of the land where settlers from Susya had been working the previous evening went to the Kiryat Arba police station as directed, but the police did not allow them in to file their complaint.
A Palestinian came by in the evening and told the team he had just returnedfrom the Israeli High Court case regarding the wall along Road 317. The court ruled the Israeli army must disassemble the wall within two weeks and everyday after that time, if they have not removed it, they must pay the Palestinians in villages south of the wall a large sum of money.
Tuesday, 24 July
A Palestinian reported to the team in the late afternoon that the army had started to disassemble the wall along Route 317.
Sunday, August 5, 2007
On Shepherd Boys and Soldiers
From June 30:
We went to meet them this morning at around 7:30am, and they were no where in sight. After climbing over the crest of the hill, I called one of the older men in the family and he said they weren't coming today..."Maybe tomorrow." I can't blame them; I don't think I'd want to come back either.
For the past couple weeks, my teammates and I have been accompanying young shepherd boys as they graze their sheep and work on their olive trees located near the Israeli military base in the area. The base was built in the late 90s and since then, it's been difficult for them to get access to their land. With international accompaniment, they felt more comfortable and decided to give it a go. Several times, Israeli soldiers harrassed the boys while I was there and told them they had to be a certain number of meters from the base...one day it was 300 meters, the next it was 100. I asked them for an order stating the actual distance, and they always said there was none. Usually, the soldiers would ignore the boys until they started to head home with their sheep. Then they would come down from the base and tell them to go home and threaten them in what little Arabic they knew to "Be careful!" I spoke with one soldier on a couple occassions...he said he doesn't agree with everything the army is doing in the area, but he needs to follow orders.
Last night, I conducted a video interview with one of the shepherd boys. A few days earlier, he was punched in the face by an Israeli soldier at the base. Two of my teammates, Nicoletta and Georgia, were present at the time. The soldiers shouted for the boy to come up to the base; Nicoletta called out to him to wait for her. He didn't wait. On the video of the event, you see the boy surrounded by soldiers and then he walks away from the base with blood dripping from his nose. As I replayed the footage for him to identify who hit him, he easily picked out the soldier. It was the gate guard, an Israeli of Ethiopian origin. My heart sank.
Israel has a very diverse population; Jews from all over the world live there. And just as in the United States, certain groups have a harder time than others as they integrate into public life. Ethiopian Jews are newer immigrants to the state of Israel. It is widely talked about that Sephardic Jews (from the Middle East and Africa) do not have nearly as much economic or political power as Ashkenazi Jews (of European origin). They are usually part of the lower classes and there is the feeling that the Ashkenazi elite could care less about their communities and their concerns. Many of the Sephardic Jews that serve in the army have a reputation of being really tough; as if they are trying to prove their loyalty to ensuring the security of Israel. They want to make it known they are part of the state.
I honestly don't know what was going through the soldier's head when he punched the shepherd boy. Perhaps he was ordered to do it, but I felt pained for him and also pained for the 11 year old boy in front of me. They probably have more in common than they know. I think we all share more similarities with our "enemy" than we'd like to admit, both good and bad.
We went to meet them this morning at around 7:30am, and they were no where in sight. After climbing over the crest of the hill, I called one of the older men in the family and he said they weren't coming today..."Maybe tomorrow." I can't blame them; I don't think I'd want to come back either.
For the past couple weeks, my teammates and I have been accompanying young shepherd boys as they graze their sheep and work on their olive trees located near the Israeli military base in the area. The base was built in the late 90s and since then, it's been difficult for them to get access to their land. With international accompaniment, they felt more comfortable and decided to give it a go. Several times, Israeli soldiers harrassed the boys while I was there and told them they had to be a certain number of meters from the base...one day it was 300 meters, the next it was 100. I asked them for an order stating the actual distance, and they always said there was none. Usually, the soldiers would ignore the boys until they started to head home with their sheep. Then they would come down from the base and tell them to go home and threaten them in what little Arabic they knew to "Be careful!" I spoke with one soldier on a couple occassions...he said he doesn't agree with everything the army is doing in the area, but he needs to follow orders.
Last night, I conducted a video interview with one of the shepherd boys. A few days earlier, he was punched in the face by an Israeli soldier at the base. Two of my teammates, Nicoletta and Georgia, were present at the time. The soldiers shouted for the boy to come up to the base; Nicoletta called out to him to wait for her. He didn't wait. On the video of the event, you see the boy surrounded by soldiers and then he walks away from the base with blood dripping from his nose. As I replayed the footage for him to identify who hit him, he easily picked out the soldier. It was the gate guard, an Israeli of Ethiopian origin. My heart sank.
Israel has a very diverse population; Jews from all over the world live there. And just as in the United States, certain groups have a harder time than others as they integrate into public life. Ethiopian Jews are newer immigrants to the state of Israel. It is widely talked about that Sephardic Jews (from the Middle East and Africa) do not have nearly as much economic or political power as Ashkenazi Jews (of European origin). They are usually part of the lower classes and there is the feeling that the Ashkenazi elite could care less about their communities and their concerns. Many of the Sephardic Jews that serve in the army have a reputation of being really tough; as if they are trying to prove their loyalty to ensuring the security of Israel. They want to make it known they are part of the state.
I honestly don't know what was going through the soldier's head when he punched the shepherd boy. Perhaps he was ordered to do it, but I felt pained for him and also pained for the 11 year old boy in front of me. They probably have more in common than they know. I think we all share more similarities with our "enemy" than we'd like to admit, both good and bad.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Clarification on the Last Post
I want to make a clarification on my last post. Someone asked me if the barrier north of At-Tuwani is part of the same large barrier the Israeli government is building around the entire West Bank. The answer is no. They originally wanted to build the large barrier there, but the Israeli High Court ruled they had to build it further south. That is another reason the Court was so angry the Israeli army continued to build any type of structure north of At-Tuwani. Click here to view the route of the current/future large barrier Israel is erecting (select the first map on the right hand side). This map was created by B'tselem, an Israeli human rights organization.
They also have a map of the southern Hebron Hills region (where At-Tuwani is located). Here's a small portion of it:
- Route 317 is the Israeli bypass road north of At-Tuwani.
- The blue areas are Israeli settlements.
- Hill 833 is the Israeli settlement outpost near At-Tuwani. It has been there since 2000. The Israeli government considers settlement outposts to be illegal under their laws (Israeli citizens taking and building upon land without "legal support" of the Israeli state). Avigayil and Mitzpe Yair are also settlement outposts.
- The Palestinian village of Susiya under threat of demolition is near the Israeli settlement of Suseya.
- The red line marks the area the Israeli goverment declared a closed military zone in the 70s and later again in 1999. The Palestinian residents were harrassed by the Israeli army and even forced on trucks to leave the area both times. They won their case to stay on their land in 2000, but they still face scrutiny of their land rights by Israeli settlers in the area and sometimes the army and the Israeli Civil Administration.
Wednesday, August 1, 2007
The Gift of Pessimism
I’m now writing stateside. Arrived in Washington, DC on Saturday night and have been spending time resting and seeing old friends. Since I had so little access to Internet while I was in Palestine, I’ll be writing several more posts over the next week or so.
From around July 23:
A couple evenings ago, my teammates and I were sitting down to lentils and curry outside of our house in At-Tuwani when one of the villagers walked by and greeted us. “Salaam alaykum,” he said with an unusually large grin. He said he had just come from an Israeli High Court case on the low barrier wall the Israeli army had built along the Israeli bypass road north of the village in early 2006. This barrier has often prevented Palestinians in villages south of it from reaching the nearby larger towns to buy/sell supplies or visit family members. The army made a hole in the wall to allow donkeys to pass by and occasionally cars, but would close it as they saw fit.
Our Palestinian friend continued to smile as he told us the Israeli High Court ruled the barrier to be illegal. He said the judge was very angry with the Israeli army officials who had been involved in the planning and building of the barrier, as they never sought permission to build it in the first place. The army has two weeks to dismantle it, and every day after that point they must pay Palestinian villages south of the barrier 20,000 shekels a day. This also means the demonstration held against the barrier over a year ago was legal…several Palestinians had been arrested during that demonstration, first on charges they had assaulted Israeli soldiers (video footage proved those charges to be false) and then on charges the demonstration itself was illegal. With the court’s new ruling on the barrier, these Palestinians may finally be able to get back the money they were forced to pay to the Israeli police and receive public recognition they were wrongfully arrested.
I was elated to hear of the court’s ruling! It’s not often you get good news in these parts. The next day, I even heard the army was beginning to tear down portions of the wall west of At-Tuwani. Over the past couple days, I’ve asked a lot of people in the village their opinions of the ruling, and have been surprised with the lack of enthusiasm in their responses. One man said, “Well, we’ll see if they actually dismantle the entire thing.” Another haji (old woman) remarked, “Even if they do dismantle it, that doesn’t prevent them from building something else…The army does as they please; we learned that a long time ago.”
At first, I was a little annoyed with their skepticism, and then I began to realize the wisdom in their responses. Before I left the states, I was reading a book by John Paul Lederach called The Moral Imagination. Lederach is a professor at several universities in Peace and Conflict Resolution programs and has been a practitioner in the field for over 25 years. Hearing the responses of Palestinians in At-Tuwani reminded me of one of the chapters in Lederach’s book entitled On the Gift of Pessimism:
We are not talking here of an attitude born of cynicism…Pessimism born of cynicism is a luxurious avoidance of engagement…The key gift is this: Constructive pessimism teaches us that distrust is needed as a reality check to assure that change is not superficial, Pollyanna-ish, or disguising other intentions. Distrust assures us that we are not dipping into and promoting cheap hope; it keeps us authentic. (55, 61)
My friends’ life-experiences living under violence and oppression have honed a gift of survival within their communities. One Palestinian leader’s words typify this gift and the hope it brings. I don’t remember his words exactly, but they went something like this: “If the wall is dismantled, we will make a big celebration/action out of it and invite press, Israelis, and internationals to see that our efforts and struggle have made this small change. And then we will move onto the next challenge, as there are many. And we hope more people will begin to join us in our struggle.”
He knows they may have to return to this challenge depending on what the army does. Wisely, his hope is not in this ruling, in this seeming victory. It is much deeper than that, rooted in taking one day at a time. Being present to what is and pushing onward to new realities and relationships.
The barrier on a day when the army has closed the opening. Most Palestinians can't afford or get permits to drive on the Israeli bypass road you see in the photo.
From the demonstration against the barrier in June 2006.
From around July 23:
A couple evenings ago, my teammates and I were sitting down to lentils and curry outside of our house in At-Tuwani when one of the villagers walked by and greeted us. “Salaam alaykum,” he said with an unusually large grin. He said he had just come from an Israeli High Court case on the low barrier wall the Israeli army had built along the Israeli bypass road north of the village in early 2006. This barrier has often prevented Palestinians in villages south of it from reaching the nearby larger towns to buy/sell supplies or visit family members. The army made a hole in the wall to allow donkeys to pass by and occasionally cars, but would close it as they saw fit.
Our Palestinian friend continued to smile as he told us the Israeli High Court ruled the barrier to be illegal. He said the judge was very angry with the Israeli army officials who had been involved in the planning and building of the barrier, as they never sought permission to build it in the first place. The army has two weeks to dismantle it, and every day after that point they must pay Palestinian villages south of the barrier 20,000 shekels a day. This also means the demonstration held against the barrier over a year ago was legal…several Palestinians had been arrested during that demonstration, first on charges they had assaulted Israeli soldiers (video footage proved those charges to be false) and then on charges the demonstration itself was illegal. With the court’s new ruling on the barrier, these Palestinians may finally be able to get back the money they were forced to pay to the Israeli police and receive public recognition they were wrongfully arrested.
I was elated to hear of the court’s ruling! It’s not often you get good news in these parts. The next day, I even heard the army was beginning to tear down portions of the wall west of At-Tuwani. Over the past couple days, I’ve asked a lot of people in the village their opinions of the ruling, and have been surprised with the lack of enthusiasm in their responses. One man said, “Well, we’ll see if they actually dismantle the entire thing.” Another haji (old woman) remarked, “Even if they do dismantle it, that doesn’t prevent them from building something else…The army does as they please; we learned that a long time ago.”
At first, I was a little annoyed with their skepticism, and then I began to realize the wisdom in their responses. Before I left the states, I was reading a book by John Paul Lederach called The Moral Imagination. Lederach is a professor at several universities in Peace and Conflict Resolution programs and has been a practitioner in the field for over 25 years. Hearing the responses of Palestinians in At-Tuwani reminded me of one of the chapters in Lederach’s book entitled On the Gift of Pessimism:
We are not talking here of an attitude born of cynicism…Pessimism born of cynicism is a luxurious avoidance of engagement…The key gift is this: Constructive pessimism teaches us that distrust is needed as a reality check to assure that change is not superficial, Pollyanna-ish, or disguising other intentions. Distrust assures us that we are not dipping into and promoting cheap hope; it keeps us authentic. (55, 61)
My friends’ life-experiences living under violence and oppression have honed a gift of survival within their communities. One Palestinian leader’s words typify this gift and the hope it brings. I don’t remember his words exactly, but they went something like this: “If the wall is dismantled, we will make a big celebration/action out of it and invite press, Israelis, and internationals to see that our efforts and struggle have made this small change. And then we will move onto the next challenge, as there are many. And we hope more people will begin to join us in our struggle.”
He knows they may have to return to this challenge depending on what the army does. Wisely, his hope is not in this ruling, in this seeming victory. It is much deeper than that, rooted in taking one day at a time. Being present to what is and pushing onward to new realities and relationships.
The barrier on a day when the army has closed the opening. Most Palestinians can't afford or get permits to drive on the Israeli bypass road you see in the photo.
From the demonstration against the barrier in June 2006.
Saturday, July 21, 2007
Celebration in Tuwani
I am leaving in a week, which seems unbelievable. Over the past week, Tuwani has been a really exciting place to be in as they've been celebrating a wedding. The festivities began on Monday night and lasted until Friday. Each night, the men and women would gather separately to celebrate. The women's parties consisted of singing traditional wedding songs as someone played the tabla (the Arabic drum). Then we would drink tea or juice, and then the cassette player would come out and the women would dance (and I loved joining in). I have never seen them so happy. It's not often the women have a chance to get together as they are taking care of the kids, cleaning the house, and cooking all day. So, when weddings happen, they live it up...our parties lasted until about midnight every night.
The day before the wedding, 11 families gave goats and sheep to be slaughtered for the occasion. I've mentioned this to some of you in the past, but as a meat eater, I think it's very important to see where your meat comes from. As a kid in the city, sometimes I thought hamburgers just magically appeared for my consumption. Watching the actual process of slaughtering an animal isn't something I enjoy necessarily, but it gives me a greater appreciation for the process and helps me to see meat as a rare gift, not a right.
As the women waited for the bride to arrive Friday evening (she is from the nearby town of Yatta), my team mates got a call from someone in the village that the Israeli army had set up a flying checkpoint near the entrance to Tuwani. I was imagining the bride's car being stopped by young Israeli soldiers on their way in...what an interesting way to start one's marriage. Luckily, the soldiers left before she arrived and the women greeted her and her new husband with loud ululations, singing and dancing. I am really thankful for times of celebration in this place.
My team mate Cristina dancing with some of the women from Tuwani.
Henna after it has dried.
The day before the wedding, 11 families gave goats and sheep to be slaughtered for the occasion. I've mentioned this to some of you in the past, but as a meat eater, I think it's very important to see where your meat comes from. As a kid in the city, sometimes I thought hamburgers just magically appeared for my consumption. Watching the actual process of slaughtering an animal isn't something I enjoy necessarily, but it gives me a greater appreciation for the process and helps me to see meat as a rare gift, not a right.
As the women waited for the bride to arrive Friday evening (she is from the nearby town of Yatta), my team mates got a call from someone in the village that the Israeli army had set up a flying checkpoint near the entrance to Tuwani. I was imagining the bride's car being stopped by young Israeli soldiers on their way in...what an interesting way to start one's marriage. Luckily, the soldiers left before she arrived and the women greeted her and her new husband with loud ululations, singing and dancing. I am really thankful for times of celebration in this place.
My team mate Cristina dancing with some of the women from Tuwani.
Children showing off the organs of the goat before they are washed and cooked.
Applying henna before the wedding.
Wednesday, July 11, 2007
The Oddity of the Commonplace
Though this seems strange, I'm going to let CNN dictate what I write today. Last Saturday, a large action took place in the Palestinian village of Susiya (the same village I wrote about last week that's under threat of demolition). There were over 250 people, including three busloads of Israelis coming from Tel Aviv, Jerusalem, and Beer Sheva. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to go as I was nursing the toilet in At Tuwani, but many Palestinians were greatly encouraged by the action and by the support they received from so many Israelis and internationals. There was also a lot of press present. Here is the link to a story done by CNN:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2007/07/09/wedeman.mideast.cave.dwellers.cnn
Since I know the village and its history pretty well, I'm slightly critical of the piece, but it does give you an idea of what life is like in Susiya and some of the issues facing them.
As of now, the Israeli High Court has not made it's final decision regarding the fate of Susiya. A few days ago, I was sitting around with one of the Palestinian leaders in the area and my team mates as we were discussing what he would like us to do if/when Susiya is demolished. He said there are Palestinians in many villages keeping their eyes pealed for the transport of large bulldozers on the Israeli bypass road. As soon as anyone sees one, we'll be notified and get out to Susiya as quickly as we can, calling human rights organizations and press along the way. The strange thing about this conversation is that it seems normal... and I've been struck by the many things here that seem normal but just shouldn't be:
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/world/2007/07/09/wedeman.mideast.cave.dwellers.cnn
Since I know the village and its history pretty well, I'm slightly critical of the piece, but it does give you an idea of what life is like in Susiya and some of the issues facing them.
As of now, the Israeli High Court has not made it's final decision regarding the fate of Susiya. A few days ago, I was sitting around with one of the Palestinian leaders in the area and my team mates as we were discussing what he would like us to do if/when Susiya is demolished. He said there are Palestinians in many villages keeping their eyes pealed for the transport of large bulldozers on the Israeli bypass road. As soon as anyone sees one, we'll be notified and get out to Susiya as quickly as we can, calling human rights organizations and press along the way. The strange thing about this conversation is that it seems normal... and I've been struck by the many things here that seem normal but just shouldn't be:
- One of the two year olds in At Tuwani can now pronounce three words: Mama, Baba, and Jaysh (referring to the Israeli army)
- A little girl told me yesterday about crying with her grandmother when her father was put in jail last year. He was arrested after he spoke at a nonviolent protest against the wall the Israeli army built near At Tuwani (he was charged with hitting a soldier...though the video footage shows he never even raised his hand).
- A team mate had to go to the nearby Israeli police station yesterday to give testimony about settler violence against Palestinians that happened in Susiya in March. The same Palestinian man who was arrested last year jokingly asked her to tell his friends at the station "Hello."
- Palestinians joke about the nearby jail being a five-star hotel because it has running water and electricity, whereas they do not.
These discussions are commonplace, and they and we joke about them to keep ourselves going. I don't know if people will be able to make jokes about the demolition of Susiya if it happens, but I expect there will be a lot of anger and tears when that day comes again. Pray for people here as they go on living and resisting oppression; they are much stronger than I. God give us all strength and, yes, even laughter.
Monday, July 2, 2007
Reading the News as a Spiritual Discipline
You'll notice I've added on the right side of the main blog screen a place for interesting websites and news articles concerning the situation here in Palestine and Israel. The Tabula Gaza blog is by an American citizen named Philip Rizk. Philip has been working in Gaza for the past couple years doing peace and conflict resolution work through the English Anglican church. He is currently working on a documentary on Palestinian nonviolence. I thought his insights and perspective would be good for those of you who are interested in what is happening in Gaza and the political scene here.
The issues here are really complicated and painful. I urge all of you to read many news sources (including those from outside the US) and keep an open mind to perspectives you don't understand. Even though I am here doing work in the West Bank, I don't completely understand the dynamics in Gaza and between the political factions at this time. We all have a lot to learn, myself included. As a friend recently wrote in an email to me, "I feel like it is becoming a spiritual discipline even to read the news these days, to choose to take in what is happening around the world, especially where you are."
The issues here are really complicated and painful. I urge all of you to read many news sources (including those from outside the US) and keep an open mind to perspectives you don't understand. Even though I am here doing work in the West Bank, I don't completely understand the dynamics in Gaza and between the political factions at this time. We all have a lot to learn, myself included. As a friend recently wrote in an email to me, "I feel like it is becoming a spiritual discipline even to read the news these days, to choose to take in what is happening around the world, especially where you are."
Sunday, July 1, 2007
Not Sexy Enough for the Press
This is something I just finished writing for CPTnet (CPT's list serve for information on current CPT projects). I spent the night in Susiya after this tour/action with another teammate in case there were any problems with Israeli soldiers or settlers. Thankfully, things were calm. However, I'm exhausted...time to sleep...
At-Tuwani Reflection: Not sexy enough for the press
30 June 3007
By Sarah Scruggs
I feel today was a historic day in the South Hebron Hills. As the world follows the sensationalized stories of violence and division between Hamas and Fatah, Palestinians in this rural part of the West Bank are uniting to nonviolently exert their right to live and work on their lands. Palestinians from many villages in the area, along with CPT , other internationals and a few Israelis, gathered together in solidarity with the village of Susiya which is under threat of demolition pending a decision by the Israeli Civil Administration. Young and old, women and men, all of them have stories of the horrible affects of the Israeli occupation on daily life and their efforts to stay on their lands. Today, I saw those stories converge into energy for unified action.
As we took shade under a tent in the late morning, one of the Palestinians spoke to the gathered group about what has been happening in Susiya over the last 20 years: confiscation of land by the Israeli army for Israeli settlements and army bases, house demolitions, violent attacks on Palestinians and their livestock by Israeli settlers, the lack of response from the Israeli police to such attacks, etc. He stressed that Susiya is an example of what is happening everywhere in the South Hebron Hills; the story of Susiya is everyone’s story. It is only by uniting together with a common strategy that real change will take place.
Following this speech, we ventured out into the hot sun to take a walking tour of the village. We visited actual sites of attacks and house demolitions as Susiya residents recounted their stories. Eventually, a group of Israeli army jeeps and soldiers joined our entourage. They were confused as to our purpose in walking around, but did not stop us. Israeli army units in the area change frequently; I wondered if any of them knew the history of the village and hoped they were listening to what the residents said. They followed us to a road which the Israeli army closed to Palestinian use. We stopped about 30 meters short of the barrier, which is the farthest any Palestinian has ventured on that road since its closure over five years ago. The group then returned to the tent for lunch.
What I learned from today is stories are powerful. Though today’s gathering and tour was a small beginning for unified Palestinian action in the area, it is laying the path for common stories and action in the future. This may not be sexy enough for the press to cover, but I believe it is the stuff people and governments around the world need to hear. I thank God for the chance to share their stories, and I pray for the day when Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills will not feel a need for the presence of CPT and other internationals as they go about daily life.
At-Tuwani Reflection: Not sexy enough for the press
30 June 3007
By Sarah Scruggs
I feel today was a historic day in the South Hebron Hills. As the world follows the sensationalized stories of violence and division between Hamas and Fatah, Palestinians in this rural part of the West Bank are uniting to nonviolently exert their right to live and work on their lands. Palestinians from many villages in the area, along with CPT , other internationals and a few Israelis, gathered together in solidarity with the village of Susiya which is under threat of demolition pending a decision by the Israeli Civil Administration. Young and old, women and men, all of them have stories of the horrible affects of the Israeli occupation on daily life and their efforts to stay on their lands. Today, I saw those stories converge into energy for unified action.
As we took shade under a tent in the late morning, one of the Palestinians spoke to the gathered group about what has been happening in Susiya over the last 20 years: confiscation of land by the Israeli army for Israeli settlements and army bases, house demolitions, violent attacks on Palestinians and their livestock by Israeli settlers, the lack of response from the Israeli police to such attacks, etc. He stressed that Susiya is an example of what is happening everywhere in the South Hebron Hills; the story of Susiya is everyone’s story. It is only by uniting together with a common strategy that real change will take place.
Following this speech, we ventured out into the hot sun to take a walking tour of the village. We visited actual sites of attacks and house demolitions as Susiya residents recounted their stories. Eventually, a group of Israeli army jeeps and soldiers joined our entourage. They were confused as to our purpose in walking around, but did not stop us. Israeli army units in the area change frequently; I wondered if any of them knew the history of the village and hoped they were listening to what the residents said. They followed us to a road which the Israeli army closed to Palestinian use. We stopped about 30 meters short of the barrier, which is the farthest any Palestinian has ventured on that road since its closure over five years ago. The group then returned to the tent for lunch.
What I learned from today is stories are powerful. Though today’s gathering and tour was a small beginning for unified Palestinian action in the area, it is laying the path for common stories and action in the future. This may not be sexy enough for the press to cover, but I believe it is the stuff people and governments around the world need to hear. I thank God for the chance to share their stories, and I pray for the day when Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills will not feel a need for the presence of CPT and other internationals as they go about daily life.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Tea as a Way of Life
It has taken me a little longer than I thought to be in a place where I had Internet access. The last eight days have been full of meeting old friends again and acquainting myself with new people. In both cases, these occasions call for many glasses of hot tea, with differing amounts of sugar added. It doesn't matter how blazing hot it may be outside, the hot tea will keep flowing. Even if you're out in the middle of a valley with a bunch of sheep, a shepherd may pull out a portable burner and serve you up a few glasses. It's as expected as a handshake would be in the States, and in many ways it's become a comfort drink for me.
A few days ago I was walking around taking photos of the Palestinian village of Susiya with my teammate Mary. As we passed by each group of tents, we would sit down with the family and drink a couple glasses of tea or so. I think by the end of that day I consumed at least 10 glasses. I also feel as though I consumed a life time of stories.
Over one glass of tea, I learned about the village goof ball whose fiance got so fed up with him after a week that she called off the wedding. The villagers are still laughing about that one. They jokingly asked if I would be interested in him...I told them I'd have to think about it for long time:) Another glass-full was time enough them to inform of all of the different types of vegetables they grow. One is called fagoos; it looks like a smaller version of squash but grows without any water. They also grow tomatoes, squash and cucumbers.
On our way to another group of tents and expected glasses of tea, one Palestinian told me he feels like a refugee on his own land. His family has lived there for generations, but their homes have been demolished by the Israeli army four times during the last 20 years. They have come back to their lands after each demolition, but their homes are nothing but tents and a few caves at this time. More and more of their land has been confiscated for Israeli settlements and army training areas, but they refuseto leave the land they have cultivated and cared for their entire lives.
An old man welcomed Mary and I to sleep at his family's tent for the night as we were planning to accompany some shepherds in the area early the next morning. His wife served us a glass of tea and told us about her husband's love of listening to the radio. One evening, the radio was so loud he didn't hear four Israeli settlers pass by his tent and enter his fields below. His wife was picking squash, tomatoes and fagoos when one of the settlers came behind her and threw the vegetables she had picked onto the ground. Her husband finally heard her screams confronting the settlers and came down. She hit one of the settlers and they hit her back. The Palestinian family made a complaint with the Israeli police, but nothing was ever done.
My consumption of tea and stories kept me up half the night as I tried to push away one of the village cats from curling up next to me (I'm allergic). They have joys and problems just as any community does, but their daily lives are punctuated with so much injustice. The next day I sat with a Palestinian family, a couple Israelis and Mary (drinking tea together, of course). One Israeli said people didn't really want to know the truth of what was happening in Susiya and other Palestinian villages in the South Hebron Hills. Ignorance is bliss. We will keep sharing the stories, though, and the villagers will persist in resisting being pushed off their land. And they will continue drinking tea with their guests, even in the heat of summer.
One group of tents in Susiya.
A few days ago I was walking around taking photos of the Palestinian village of Susiya with my teammate Mary. As we passed by each group of tents, we would sit down with the family and drink a couple glasses of tea or so. I think by the end of that day I consumed at least 10 glasses. I also feel as though I consumed a life time of stories.
Over one glass of tea, I learned about the village goof ball whose fiance got so fed up with him after a week that she called off the wedding. The villagers are still laughing about that one. They jokingly asked if I would be interested in him...I told them I'd have to think about it for long time:) Another glass-full was time enough them to inform of all of the different types of vegetables they grow. One is called fagoos; it looks like a smaller version of squash but grows without any water. They also grow tomatoes, squash and cucumbers.
On our way to another group of tents and expected glasses of tea, one Palestinian told me he feels like a refugee on his own land. His family has lived there for generations, but their homes have been demolished by the Israeli army four times during the last 20 years. They have come back to their lands after each demolition, but their homes are nothing but tents and a few caves at this time. More and more of their land has been confiscated for Israeli settlements and army training areas, but they refuseto leave the land they have cultivated and cared for their entire lives.
An old man welcomed Mary and I to sleep at his family's tent for the night as we were planning to accompany some shepherds in the area early the next morning. His wife served us a glass of tea and told us about her husband's love of listening to the radio. One evening, the radio was so loud he didn't hear four Israeli settlers pass by his tent and enter his fields below. His wife was picking squash, tomatoes and fagoos when one of the settlers came behind her and threw the vegetables she had picked onto the ground. Her husband finally heard her screams confronting the settlers and came down. She hit one of the settlers and they hit her back. The Palestinian family made a complaint with the Israeli police, but nothing was ever done.
My consumption of tea and stories kept me up half the night as I tried to push away one of the village cats from curling up next to me (I'm allergic). They have joys and problems just as any community does, but their daily lives are punctuated with so much injustice. The next day I sat with a Palestinian family, a couple Israelis and Mary (drinking tea together, of course). One Israeli said people didn't really want to know the truth of what was happening in Susiya and other Palestinian villages in the South Hebron Hills. Ignorance is bliss. We will keep sharing the stories, though, and the villagers will persist in resisting being pushed off their land. And they will continue drinking tea with their guests, even in the heat of summer.
One group of tents in Susiya.
Monday, June 18, 2007
About Gaza and Hamas
This will be my last post for the next four or five days. I am sitting in CPT's flat right now in Yatta, which is just north of At Tuwani. Team members often come here to get reports out, take a shower, and use the Internet. I'll stay here tonight and head to the village tomorrow morning. I'm getting very excited to see the villagers again and see how much the kids have grown over the past year.
Many of you have asked about the Hamas takeover of Gaza and how that is affecting life here. Honestly, things are pretty quiet. Gaza and the West Bank are very different places. Hamas still has loyal members in the West Bank. Hebron is one such place, but the authorities and powerful families in the city made a pact that internal fighting would not take place. And so far that has been the case.
A Palestinian asked me today what I thought of what is taking place in Gaza. I told him I have never been there and don't really know what to think. So, I asked him his opinion. He said he is sad to see Palestinians fighting Palestinians and there are many factors that are intensifying the violence there. Gaza is a very poor place; the unemployment there is through the roof. Gaza has one of the highest population densities in the world...and with so many people on top of each other with no way to get out, small squables can escalate very quickly. He also said the United States wanted democracy in the Middle East; the democratic process played out in Palestine and the US didn't like the outcome. So, they with held aid in hopes that the Hamas-led government would crumble and the Palestinian people would realize that Hamas couldn't govern. However, the only thing they are realizing through this is that the US gets what it wants no matter how much the people suffer.
This is the only person I have talked to so far about the situation. I'm sure there are many differing opinions.
Many of you have asked about the Hamas takeover of Gaza and how that is affecting life here. Honestly, things are pretty quiet. Gaza and the West Bank are very different places. Hamas still has loyal members in the West Bank. Hebron is one such place, but the authorities and powerful families in the city made a pact that internal fighting would not take place. And so far that has been the case.
A Palestinian asked me today what I thought of what is taking place in Gaza. I told him I have never been there and don't really know what to think. So, I asked him his opinion. He said he is sad to see Palestinians fighting Palestinians and there are many factors that are intensifying the violence there. Gaza is a very poor place; the unemployment there is through the roof. Gaza has one of the highest population densities in the world...and with so many people on top of each other with no way to get out, small squables can escalate very quickly. He also said the United States wanted democracy in the Middle East; the democratic process played out in Palestine and the US didn't like the outcome. So, they with held aid in hopes that the Hamas-led government would crumble and the Palestinian people would realize that Hamas couldn't govern. However, the only thing they are realizing through this is that the US gets what it wants no matter how much the people suffer.
This is the only person I have talked to so far about the situation. I'm sure there are many differing opinions.
Finally in Jerusalem
It has been interesting trying to get to this place. I was supposed to leave Cairo on a bus the night of Saturday, June 16, arrive at the Egyptian/Israeli border the morning of Sunday, June 17, take a bus to Jerusalem, and arrive in the Old City around 1pm. Of course, you can never count on things working out as you planned when traveling in the Middle East:) Which is always a good lesson for me to revisit: I can't always control life around me.
Now for the story:
Cairo's information line gave my friend Mohamad wrong times for the bus and we missed it by an hour. The man at the bus ticket counter told us there was another bus headed towards the border at 7:15am (saba w roba). So, we decided to stay up all night...caught an Egyptian movie at the cinema, ate chicken panne sandwiches at Mo'men (one of Egypt's fast food chains), and met up with one of his friends who doesn't sleep much and smoked shisha. I caught a couple hours of shut eye while in Mohamad's car, but I was pretty exhausted by the time we got back to the bus station at 6:50am. At the bus station, the same man told us that we had missed the bus to the border by 5 minutes. Mohamad started to fight with him...the man had said 7:15am, it was written on the schedule that the bus was leaving at 7:15am, but he insisted he had told us 6:45am (saba illa roba). I finally left Cairo at 10:15am.
Thankfully, I got a good night's sleep last night at a hostel and am feeling pretty alert right now. My teammates in At Tuwani say they don't really need me until tomorrow. So, I think I may walk around for a bit and then go to the Church of the Holy Sepluchre and sit in silence and pray for a while. It will be good to slow down before I reach the village tomorrow.
Now for the story:
Cairo's information line gave my friend Mohamad wrong times for the bus and we missed it by an hour. The man at the bus ticket counter told us there was another bus headed towards the border at 7:15am (saba w roba). So, we decided to stay up all night...caught an Egyptian movie at the cinema, ate chicken panne sandwiches at Mo'men (one of Egypt's fast food chains), and met up with one of his friends who doesn't sleep much and smoked shisha. I caught a couple hours of shut eye while in Mohamad's car, but I was pretty exhausted by the time we got back to the bus station at 6:50am. At the bus station, the same man told us that we had missed the bus to the border by 5 minutes. Mohamad started to fight with him...the man had said 7:15am, it was written on the schedule that the bus was leaving at 7:15am, but he insisted he had told us 6:45am (saba illa roba). I finally left Cairo at 10:15am.
Thankfully, I got a good night's sleep last night at a hostel and am feeling pretty alert right now. My teammates in At Tuwani say they don't really need me until tomorrow. So, I think I may walk around for a bit and then go to the Church of the Holy Sepluchre and sit in silence and pray for a while. It will be good to slow down before I reach the village tomorrow.
Saturday, June 16, 2007
Savoring Cairo
Well, I am leaving Cairo tonight and will arrive at the Israeli border in the morning. It has been good to catch up with old friends; life has been kind to some and very harsh to others over the past couple years. Cairo is one crazy city. A friend once compared it to a scruffy 3-legged cat: quirky, seemingly maimed, but still full of life. I wish I had more time here, but I keep telling myself and others that 6 days is better than nothing at all.
I met up with a family today who is in a lot of turmoil and pain, so it's difficult to write at the moment...perhaps I will be able to write more once I arrive in Jerusalem. In the meantime, here are some photos from my time in Cairo:
My dear friend Mervad's baby girl. Her name is Amy and she is the most even-tempered baby I've ever seen.
Ben and Amber opened their home to me over the last six days. I shared a flat with Amber when I was living in Cairo from 2003-04 and Ben was a student at the Middle East Studies Program during that time. It has been wonderful to spend time with both of them again.
Smoking shisha at the infamous El Fishawi coffee shop.
Friends in a part of the city called Ein Shams. They invited me over for koshary, a very Egyptian meal, and I ate enough to feed half their neighbors:)
A faluca ride on the Nile.
I met up with a family today who is in a lot of turmoil and pain, so it's difficult to write at the moment...perhaps I will be able to write more once I arrive in Jerusalem. In the meantime, here are some photos from my time in Cairo:
My dear friend Mervad's baby girl. Her name is Amy and she is the most even-tempered baby I've ever seen.
Ben and Amber opened their home to me over the last six days. I shared a flat with Amber when I was living in Cairo from 2003-04 and Ben was a student at the Middle East Studies Program during that time. It has been wonderful to spend time with both of them again.
Smoking shisha at the infamous El Fishawi coffee shop.
Friends in a part of the city called Ein Shams. They invited me over for koshary, a very Egyptian meal, and I ate enough to feed half their neighbors:)
A faluca ride on the Nile.
