Dear Friends,<\/p>\n
I find it difficult after news of yesterday?s and today?s killings in Gaza to veer to mundane things. Yet, it might still be of some small value to relate some contrasting experiences I?ve had in recent days in the West Bank. <\/p>\n
Wednesday 2 women and I visited the Salfit area of the West Bank to try to understand, for instance, what it is like to be a Palestinian woman under living under occupation, to take note of the fences now surrounding many villages, the recently added gates to the entry\/exit roads from\/to the villages that can be closed by the IOF at will. We also drove into and through Ariel to see what a settlement looks like, and noted how this one sits high on the hill overlooking the picturesque village of Marda, on whose lands and those of 5 additional villages Ariel is constructed, and to observe how construction of the fence around Ariel is now stealing more of Marda?s lands and has already devoured some 2000 of its olive trees. <\/p>\n
At the end of the day, on the return trip, we drove from the village of Hares towards Qalqilya?a picturesque winding 2-lane road, with a number of Palestinian villages dotting the hills on either side, and containing areas in which the olive groves still look tended (by contrast to the many areas in which Palestinians are not permitted to tend their trees). This is a road on which Palestinian cars are allowed, and which has no permanent checkpoints. But, ?flying? ones (i.e. ones that are not permanent, but which can crop up wherever and whenever the military decides) can suddenly appear. That day one did, about 10 minutes from Hares. Palestinians who had planned on arriving somewhere at a given time, believing that they would not be detained at a checkpoint, suddenly found their plans gone awry.
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\nThe checkpoint was on the other side of the road, in the opposite direction from the one in which we were headed. I pulled over to the narrow shoulder on the road, and stopped and we watched. To the left of the checkpoint were about a dozen Palestinians sitting on the side, near a transit (a mini-bus taxi) with a driver in it but otherwise empty. To the right of the checkpoint, but about 50 feet down the road, about 10 Palestinian cars were lined up, waiting. Israeli cars sped past them unconcerned. Overlording the scene were three young soldiers, 2 males, one female. We sat there and watched while the three casually chatted, one scratching his stomach. The Palestinians who were on their individual ways to wherever they were going had no choice but to bide their time until the soldiers decided to take notice of them. <\/p>\n
We watched from the car for about 5 minutes. Nothing moved. The soldiers continued chatting, oblivious of those waiting. I then got out of the car and walked over to the soldiers, who did not chase me away, and even listened (not always the case). I asked them if this is the way they would want their parents, grandparents, brothers and sisters to be treated. Reminded them that they were dealing with human beings. The soldiers responded that they were obligated to check IDs, and that the people had been sitting there for no longer than 10 minutes (but, remember, the soldiers had not been checking IDs while we?d been watching them from the car). One of the soldiers tried to convince me how necessary the checkpoint was, how much it aided security. I in turn reminded them that although they undoubtedly had conscripted to defend their country, what they really were doing was helping their government steal land from the Palestinians and make their lives unbearable. I also told them that checkpoints would not bring security. I should have reminded them that collective punishment is not acceptable. After all, in Israel murders occur almost daily. Do the authorities then put up checkpoints in Israeli cities to stop all murderers? <\/p>\n
The people waiting near the transit told me (by contrast to what the soldier had said), that they had been there between 30-45 minutes. But miracle of miracles?2 minutes after I complained, one of the soldiers returned the IDs, and most of the people (as many as the transit could accommodate) went off on their way, grateful to have been released, and good-humouredly thanking me, as if I?d done something important, when, in fact, it was something that should never have had to be done at all. Checkpoints should be, like the occupation, abolished!<\/p>\n
We continued to sit there for about 40 minutes, watching to see if the soldiers would let the cars come through. They did, one at a time, taking about 5 minutes with each car. Initially the soldier signals with his finger for the driver to move the car to a stop sign (part of the checkpoint). There the driver gets out, hands his ID to the soldier, who stands arms length away, and if the soldier oks the ID, the driver gets back into the car, drives it a few feet further, again stops, this time for soldiers to check the car and baggage compartment. If the soldiers approve, the driver is then permitted to go on his way. <\/p>\n
After about 30 minutes the soldiers began to fold up the checkpoint. Only then, when a soldier on the road signaled to someone on the hill, did we realize that a 4th soldier had been hiding among the brush behind us. During the 10 minutes it took to fold up the checkpoint, the soldiers continued to check cars (some cars had arrived while we?d been there). Whether the soldiers disbanded the checkpoint for the day, or merely moved it up the road out of our sight, I do not know. We could not stay longer, and so drove off.<\/p>\n
It is sad and infuriating to know that there is nothing that we can do to stop this injustice, to know that tomorrow it will be the same, maybe not at that location, but at numerous other ones across the West Bank. It is sad and infuriating to know that 18-20 year olds who lord it over other human beings, worse even than had they been cattle or goats, are not likely to turn into angels when they doff their uniforms for jeans. Three years of behaving to other human beings as though they are subhuman cannot but leave its print on the psyches of these kids who behave as though they are gods. <\/p>\n
As we were driving down the road, one of my passengers burst into tears. The day had been emotionally draining. I understood her feelings. I come home after days like these fuming. The doors of our house, fortunately have withstood the occasional bangs they get as I vent my feelings. <\/p>\n
What we saw and experienced that day is nothing compared to what Palestinians undergo during IOF incursions and detentions. My anger is from my utter helplessness to change the situation, to end the occupation, the injustice, the harassment, the horror.<\/p>\n
But then there was Thursday. It brought an entirely different experience and feelings. We had been invited to a wedding in Qira. Two of Amina?s (Lina?s mom) brothers are getting married. We had already been to the village several times visiting the family, and had been to the celebration in Qira when Lina came home from the hospital with a new kidney. So we were familiar faces to many in the village and they to us. The affair began about 9 in the evening. <\/p>\n
The males and females were in separate areas. I of course joined the women. The older women were dressed traditionally sitting on the side. But the younger ones wore sexy dresses; some of the women were bejeweled and beautifully coiffured. The dancing was very sensual. And although given my age I should have been sitting with the older women, the younger ones dragged me into the circle to dance. I felt like an elephant among the daisies. The young women are very limber and graceful. But everyone accepted me as a natural part of the festivities, and took pains to make me feel very much wanted. They succeeded. I felt utterly at home. That is Palestinian hospitality. <\/p>\n
One woman related, after I?d asked her about her experience crossing the Huara checkpoint to attend the wedding, that it had taken her 2 hours to get through. My spouse (Israel) told me that the professional male debka dancers who had entertained the men had also spent a couple of hours getting through checkpoints on their way to Qira. But the festivities went on, checkpoints not withstanding!<\/p>\n
On the way home, as spouse and I expressed our mutual happiness at having been invited and having attended the wedding festivities, I thought to myself on how much Israelis are missing out. We and Palestinians could so profitably live among one another, could learn from one another. How vibrant an experience we?d had that evening. More the pity that occupation and self-satisfaction and fear prevent Israelis from friendships with people who, after all, have a rich cultural tradition to share.<\/p>\n
More the pity that most people do not realize that not Zionism, not colonialism, not occupation, not unilateral political moves will bring security and happiness to Palestinians or to Israelis. More the pity that most people do not realize that this land, instead of being a killing field, could be a land of milk and honey, if only we could find and elect leaders to end the occupation and to replace it with cooperation.<\/p>\n
Dorothy<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
(from my e-mail) Dear Friends, I find it difficult after news of yesterday?s and today?s killings in Gaza to veer to mundane things. Yet, it might still be of some small value to relate some contrasting experiences I?ve had in … Continue reading