Internationals for Justice in Palestine
Delergation Report Backs - Emily02
Hello Everybody,
I hope this e-mail receives you all doing well and in good health and spirits. I am sitting in an internet cafe in downtown Ramallah.
After having passed through heavy security checks and numerous interrogations in both New Jersey and Tel Aviv, I was let into the country. "A woman traveling alone," they would say. "Why do you want to come to Israel...shop? Why Israel? To visit holy sites, why Israel, to go to the beach, why Israel?" No matter what I said, they didn't want to trust me.
The questions in New Jersey were the most harsh and irrelevant. "You are a student? What do you study? What are the names of your classes and professors? Where are you from? Where does your family live? Your mother is in Florida and your brother is in California...Why? Why are you coming to Israel (after already asking those specific questions ten times or so already)? Who recommended you to come here? Oh, friends and one of your professors? (The Hartmans and Ms. Crossley-Frolick.) What type of friends? Oh, family friends. Neighbors? Did you go to the same school? Oh no? Why?" Finally I admitted that these friends and professor were Jewish and his attitude lightened a little and he said, "Oh, are you Jewish?" With no as my response, he went back to his unwilling mood of letting me on the plane. At this point I couldn't help but think that yes I know it is an all Jewish state, but am I required to be Jewish to travel there? And considering the amount of American tax dollars that flow in each year to fund their brutal military, they could at least show some appreciation and let an American in to see their damage. Finally after several different interrogators, I was able to board the plane.
I won't go into detail about my questioning in Tel Aviv, as you can imagine the results. Though I will mention that there was a spy following me all around the Tel Aviv airport. For he was under disguise in sunglasses and a backpack to resemble a backpacker but happened to have a walkie talkie and followed every one of my moves.
Alas, I made it to Haifa where I spent two days touring. I visited with a Palestinian villager who showed us the ruins of what was once his village pre-1948. We sat under the remaining tree next to the destroyed mosque and listened to his story of being forced to evacuate in '48. He explained how a man and his two sons went out of their homes with their hands up and a white flag explaining they only wanted peace and not to leave their homes. The Jewish soldier then took the man and his sons aside and shot them point blank. Eleven others would share their same fate with the rest of the villagers were warned that if they did not leave their homes they would be killed as well. Many of the villagers, including the speaker, attempted to return home, but were always beaten, arrested, with their lives threatened.
I had read about such stories in my studies on Palestinian refugees, but
to have someone explain his own story while sitting on a rock on the very
earth that used to be his home brought puddles of tears to my eyes.
Some of you may know that the political prisoners in Palestine are currently
on a hunger strike. It began on Sunday and will go until treatment in the
prisons improves. They are protesting, among other things, constant nude
body searches, dirty and little food, torture, and inability to speak with
a lawyer. Many deaths are expected. On top of that, the Israeli prison guards
are having barbeques outside of all the cells in order to induce hunger
and feelings of torture. When I heard that, I was disgusted, but not surprised.
Since Sunday, many mass demonstrations and protests have taken place all over Palestine. Yesterday, I, too, participated in a march down the streets of Ramallah with many students that I met from Birzeit University. I had seen such demonstrations on TV. before, hearing the chants and seeing their anger, but the feeling of actually joining in on such a movement was absolutely amazing. The old women, mothers of the political prisoners, young kids, children of the political prisoners, were also marching/chanting, carrying with them pictures of their husband, son, brother, father, cousin. It was so powerful, for the energy was like nothing I had felt before. I was able to use my voice recorder to tape parts of the protest. I look forward to seeing you all when I get back to share the voices of the people here, as well as the photographs I have taken, physical proof of the conditions.
The trip has only been four days so far, but I have already experienced so many emotions. Fear, anxiousness, happiness, intrigue, sadness, anger, surprise...
Palestine is contagious. I feel as if I am home, for I am so welcomed here. All of the Palestinians are so gracious and inviting. Just one example, we went out for ice cream and the vendor realized we were foreigners. He then explained that he would like to treat us to the ice cream (homemade pistachio and vanilla) and that we were always welcome there. Just one other example, today we were walking down a neighborhood street and passed a man and his family sitting on their terrace. "Would you like some grapes?" he said. He then began to pick the red and green grapes right off his tree in the front yard. These are just some examples of Palestinian hospitality.
We leave for Qalqillya, Tulkarem, Jayous, and Nablus tomorrow. We will spend four days in those cities visiting youth centers, refugee camps, and families. We may not be able to get into Nablus for the town is currently under siege.
If you are not aware about the conditions in Nablus or Gaza at the moment, I urge you to look into it. So many deaths and the wounded are being taken at the hands of the Israeli "Defense" Forces (IDF).
No matter what "side" one is on, occupation, home demolitions, and ethnic cleansing should be condemned no matter what. This is an issue of humanity that everyone should be able to relate with and care about. As an American seeing the conditions (the armed soldiers, the segregation and racism in Israel proper [Haifa], the intolerable living conditions in the occupied territories, and experiencing my first checkpoint), I can tell you that what is going on here is appalling and inhumane.
I will post more greetings when possible. Until then, salaam.
Emily