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Boston support group for the International Solidarity Movement

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8-19-04 Checkpoint harrasment, the apartheid wall and yet the hospitality in Abu Dis by Haley, East Gerusalem

8-18-04 Terrorism: to make people live in fear. by Haley, Dheisheh camp, West Bank

8-19-04 Checkpoint harrasment, the apartheid wall and yet the hospitality in Abu Dis

by Haley, East Gerusalem , Occupied Territories

Seeing that we opted to stay in Jerusalem today, due to excessive sleep-deprivation and burn-out due to the intensity of our travels in the West Bank, I am writing after a six-hour nap. Hopefully I will be able to paint a better picture of our experiences.

Yesterday we traveled to Abu Dis, a small city, north of Jerusalem. Upon arriving at the checkpoint, we observed that a member of the Israeli boarder police had pulled aside a few Palestinian men to randomly check their IDs a few hundred yards before the official checkpoint. This is one of the more typical tactics of harassment used by the army to maintain an atmosphere of perpetual fear amongst Palestinians. In Jerusalem today, soldiers were walking around the city just randomly stopping men (this is not to mention the "random checkpoint" that had been set up at Damascus Gate--entrance to the old city--on the Muslim holy day). Fellow delegation members of Boston's hip hop group, the foundation, of Liberian and Puerto Rican descent respectively, were pulled aside this morning.

As we literally climbed over a rather unstable pile of rocks at the end of the concrete wall into Abu Dis, we emerged to a scene of about 50-100 Palestinians waiting to try to cross over the check point. The wall is being built literally through Abu Dis, literally separating families and leaving many without homes, due to the demolitions. We have come to learn that the wall is not for the protection of Israelis, but to separate Palestinian from Palestinian. Yet the walls most horrific result will be the Bir Nabala and the Walaja Ghettos, both of which will be completely encased by the wall, literally trapping ~15,600 Palestinians, with only ONE exit, which will be a gated check point that will not be open much of the time. Even more sick, I was told that some portions of the wall facing Israeli communities will be built-up with dirt---giving the sense on Palestinian nonexistence.

We were met with incredible and humbling hospitality in Abu Dis. We were given a tour by volunteers of the Youth Center. All in their twenties, these young men and women, were all university-educated--all of whom spoke English (making me ashamed of my imperialistic single-language focused roots)--with little hope for opportunity. One of the biggest frustrations of Palestinians is unemployment. These are some of the most intelligent, educated, and motivated people I have never met, who have a difficult time filling the hours of their day because they cannot find work now that they are not allowed to travel to Jerusalem. We went to anther vigil for the ~7500 political prisoners, who began a hunger strike this week. Once again, I looked a the faces of young men, as young as 13, who had been snatched from their homes with no explanation and thrown into prison. Later-on in the evening,! all "elders" and trusted leaders of Abu Dis, turned-out to welcome-us and offer us dinner. I sat in a room with men who had spent years-decades of their lives in prison---others, men with doctorate degrees, men with families. Although I sensed no hate in the room, I sensed defeat---a knowledge that they were literally already terminated, already forgotten. I turned to Ben, while we were being shuttled to homes to sleep for the night, and expressed my total unbelief in the spirit of giving ingrained in the Palestinian people. He responded, "The generosity is too great and the suffering is too great".

Tomorrow we will travel to Jayyous, in the far northern part of the West Bank. Then we will continue on to Nablus, which is currently closed to internationals. Thanks to Palestinian friends, we will be taking an alternative-safe-route through the mountains. Yesterday a nine-year-old boy was shot The old city has remained under almost constant curfew, while tanks roll through the streets and refugee camps are raided.

Thank you for your constant support. Palestine in now a piece of me--a part of my heart--a part of my entire being. I look forward to sharing more with you all upon my return at the beginning of September.

Love,
Haley

8-18-04 Terrorism: to make people live in fear.

by Haley, Dheisheh camp, West Bank

First of all, I want to thank the BostontoPalestine community and all of our supporters
back home.
It's now two days that our delegation has started its tour of the West Bank.

Last night we were staying at the Dheisheh Refugee Camp, outside of Bethlehem
(West Bank), when the camp was attacked by the Israeli Army. This happened
only minutes after we emerged from an amazing cultural exchange program with
teenagers, organized by my "host father". Special Forces trapped the camp from
both sides, as eight jeeps surrounded a target building. In the end a
building was destroyed, a car exploded, and three palestinians were arrested.
As shots were fired and explosions shook the ground, a family that I had met
two days before offered us food, compassion, and a roof (expecting nothing in
return). My host mother, Naija, had to rise at 3 the next morning in order
to sneak across the check point to work in East Jeruselum; a trip which once
took less than an hour. Welcome to Palestine.

I apologize ahead of time for leaving so much out-I have some time restraints
and I also feel relatively overwhelmed and incapable of describing the
horrific reality of ALL aspects of occupation and the truly beautiful spirit
of the Palestinian people. And so I continue with a few more notes (to be
filled-in at a later point)

On Monday, we traveled to Bethlehem. We had the privilege of crossing through
the checkpoint, seeing that Palestinians from this area can no longer travel
to Jerusalem, a short 5 Km away, which has significantly contributed to the
70% unemployment rate and the overall isolation (spiritual and geographical)
of the Palestinian people. We first met with George Rishmawi of the Holy Land
Trust, a Palestinian-run organization committed to organizing nonviolence
trainings and development of alternative resistance options and the Palestine
News Network (www.palestinenet.org). In September, they will host the first
Palestinian National Conference on Nonviolence, which will bring many
community and political leaders together. George told us that the occupation
challenges "every aspect of my life....it preoccupies your mind....my
existence is being threatened. I want to be here....We have to accept this
challenge every moment". This day also included a meeting with Gassan
Andoni, one of the founders of the ISM (International Solidarity
Movement)....and much more...

Yesterday, we visited Hebron, the only city in the West Bank with israeli
settlers in the heart of it. There are 500 militant right-winged extremist
settlers here, with 1500 Israel soldiers stationed to protect them. There
are 45,000 Palestinians here, yet three months ago Sharon publicly stated
that Hebron is included in the final plan for Israel. From September 2000 to
September 2002, the Palestinian Hebronites were kept under curfew for 600
days. As we walked through the desolate streets of the old city, which once
bustled with activity, we witnessed how Palestinians are being squeezed out
in a slow and tortuous manner. The settlers are extremely violent and
racist, leaving graffiti on shop keepers doors such as "What's the difference
between an Arab and a Trampoline? You jump on a trampoline with your shoes
off" or "A good Arab is a dead Arab" or "Your day will come. Amen". We
passed through two checkpoints! (along with a pre-school group) to visit the
mosque, where in 1994 a settler, Baruch Goldstein, open fired at the backs of
praying Hebronites, killing ~29.

Today we visited the Aida Refugee camp (population 4500 -- half children).
This was the first time I stood within feet of the wall. No picture will
ever accurately portray the completely inhumane presence of this tragedy.

This was not an easy precursor to our next meeting with a Zionist Orthodox
Rabbi on a nearby settlement and a tour, which showed the theory behind
settlement development (Sharon -"Build at the top of every hill you can") and
eventual ethnic cleansing.

I am sure that this all sounds so heavy and sad. It is. I am filled with
grief and rage, yet total appreciation and love for the Palestinian people,
whose strength, dignity, courage, and compassion is to be celebrated.

I love you all.
Haley