I decided to stop teaching on Thursday as Friday is of course holiday day here.

On Sunday I went out on a field trip with Oxfam food and livelihood workers to their projects in the Jordan valley.  We visited individual families who rely on goats or grow vegetables/  Both areas of work have been affected by the occupation as water supply is difficult (diverted to the settlements) and the grazing land is vastly reduced as the Israelis have taken most of the village land and designated it a military zone.  Now the goats cannot graze properly and rely on fodder which is expensive.

On Monday morning I visited Mike Bailey the Oxfam PR manager in Israel and Palestine.  Apart from dealing with the Gaza blockade and crisis he described some of Oxfams projects such as “rabbits on the roof”.  Gaza is very densely populated and people live in highrise blocks so do not have gardens or land.  Oxfam has introduced breeding rabbits and growing some vegetables on the roof tops.

On Weds a.m. I went to a child protection conference/seminar in Ramallah with Dr Huda where I spoke about child protection in UK.  Afternoon teaching girls and women.

On Thursday morning I went to Ramallah again, saw Huda briefly working at her UNWRA medical centre in the Amari refugee camp in Ramallah and then went to meet with Abdullah Abdullah Jerusalem representative to the Palestine legislature (Parliament).  Although he is elected by them he does not have a permit to visit his constituency and needs to ask for a special pass from the Israelis when he has an important meeting in Jerusalem he wants to attend.  So even the Government ministers are controlled by Israel.  Afternoon teaching boys, girls and secretaries.

Yesterday I went into Jerusalem to post all my photos and films, my contacts and notes from all my meetings as I can not risk taking them through the airport in Israel.  I then went to the British Consol to advocate for the visas of the Beit Furik people who are due to visit south London next week and to collect the visas if possible for the Abu Dis people who are due to come to England also next week.  In the evening I had a nice meal with Dr Huda who works for UNWRA and the AbuDis mental health clinic.  Her eldest son was in an Israeli prison at 16 for 18months for throwing stones at the IDF vehicles and she could only see him once a month.

Jerusalem to Jericoo road.

Today I decided to have a last relaxing day being a tourist and visited Jerico.  I got a local bus and found my first foreigners here in the West Bank visiting travelling independently from Jerusalem where they were staying.  They were a couple from South Africa and I now have an invite to go there – perhaps my next Blog will be SarhinSouthAfrica?  I like Jerico and it seems a calm fresh place so close to Jordan and the Dead Sea.  We got a cable car up to the monastry on the Mount of Temptations which is carved high up into the rock. 

Mount of Temptation Monastery

On the steps leading up to it we met some Palestinian Christians from Taybeh which is nearby.  One man was Father Constantine from Taybeh a sixth generation priest who now lives in Oregon, US.  Also with him was the Mayor of Taybeh who is also the manager of the Taybeh brewing company!  He used to export to UK to the Alternative Brewing Company but they couldn’t continue, so if anyone wants to start a beer import business, I have his details!  The two of them tols tales from their childhood.  I asked if people could walk over the mountain but they said there is an Israeli checkpoint on the top so it is no longer possible!

We also saw the Zachaeus tree (or one of them as there are apparently two!)

Tomorrow I will catch a bus to an East Jerusalem hotel and from there catch an airport service taxi to Tel Aviv airport.  I’m not really expecting too much hassle apart from bag search as I never get stopped at customs anywhere – well not until this summer when me and the boys went to France.  They looked in my boot and aske where I was going and I said I didn’t know which was true at that point but I think I will have to give a better story tomorrow!  I already told the airport bus service that I’m staying in a room that doesn’t actually exist(I hadn’t expected them to ask so I gave the first number that came to mind).  When the other Sarah went home two weeks ago she was searched and questioned for two hours and all her laptop etc examined.  Anyway I think I’m as prepared as I can be.

I bought a new memory card for my camera and have some non controversial photos of Jerico on it so being a religious destination it helps my tourist story.

My tour has been fascinating. I have met with so many people from children in orphanages to human rights lawyers and mental health specialists, from farmers to politicians and visited so many places from the Garden of Gethsemane  to the demonstration in Hebron, and everyone has taken the time to talk about their and their county’s story and situation.  I have eaten wonderful food and met wonderful people.  I have never travelled anywhere on my own before, and although I was on a tour for part of my time and there were people here I could call on if need be, I have travelled to some extent on my own and came here on my own and not knowing anyone.  I now have more confidence in maybe visiting and trevelling to other places on my own.  Some people in UK if not most people are concerned about coming here because of perceived danger.  In my experience I never felt unsafe and certainly felt that London is a more dangerous place to live than being a foreigner here.  Of course I did nothing to aggravate the Israeli soldiers and most of them are trained to be polite to foreigners.  Of course it is a different story for the Palestinians, that goes without saying.  As I’ve said before I found the Palestinians to be very helpful and easy to meet particularly in the non tourist areas so if anyone is thinking of visiting let me know and I will give you more information.

Now I return to London and read stories of the US and finance instituions cutting off charitable funds to Hamas related areas, even though Hamas is the democratically elected party in Gaza and the people are in a desperate situation.  I knowm it will be difficult to relay to people back home who may have no understanding of the situation here about the occupation, the wall, the settlements the strangulation of the Palestinian economy, independence and life in general but I shall prepare my films and photos for the talks I have been asked to give and hope that this and the blog will in some small way make a contribution to people’s understanding of the situation and the need to exert political and economic pressure through our Government and Europe on Israel for change.  When I was young I supported the ANC and anti apartheid campaign, the South Africans I met today agred that the situation here also warrants peoples attention and action.  When I see the rapid expansion here of the Israeli settlements, wall and infrastructure which continues contrary to UN regulations I feel urgent action is needed.  When I say to a Palestinian that I hope things will improve for them, they say they also hope but that they have been hoping for sixty or more years.

Men with shisha in Jerico.

Today I went to a Child Abuse and Protection seminar based on some research into traing needs for social and health care proffesionals.  It took place jointly by the University and UNWRA United Nations Refugee Relief who are very involved in providing services for all the refugees in all the refugee camps here.  The seminar took place in ramallah the administrative capital of Palestine.  I was presented and gave a brief talk about child protection in UK.  It was interesting to hear the discussion about how to develop child protection services.  The main issues were about roles and responsibilities, coordinating services, training, legislative framework, engaging families, stigma of SW, definition of abuse and safety of SWs in visiting families with no police back up (many areas are under Israeli military rule and Palelestine police unable to operate).  So very similar to issues in UK albeit within a different setting.

I have now been invited to meet with a Government minister so hope to find my way there tomorrow on my own (today I went with Dr Huda who was attending).  Dr Huda works in a UNWRA medical centre and in a mental health clinic in her spare time.

Preparing to see the minister:

I though perhaps a shower and clean clothes would be a good idea.  Guess what another flood and cold shower as the fuse went again!  I manage dto get to the fuse box and avoid electrocuting myself in the dark as I was of course all wet!  I’m really not cut out for domestic chores! 

Today it rained again after many lovely sunny days.  Preparing me for my return to England perhaps.  Only for days now before I return and reflecting a bit on my visit I think the main observation I have that is different is the extent of the occupation.  Not only the wall and checkpoints but the extent of the Israeli control over the Palestinians in every area and the size of the settlements – large towns now extending further and further.

Maryam

Her daughter Hiba Abed Al Karem Ayyad gave me her eyewitness account when I visited her home with Najar one of the women from the Women’s group I work with who is writing her story for the Camden Abudis newsletter.  Maryam’s father Abed Al Karem Mohamed Ayyad was also there. He made sure we had tea and the right amount of sugar etc at pains to be a good host despite his suffering.

Abed al Karem Mahamed Ayyad

Hiba told how about 50 Israeli soldiers came in jeeps and cars, wanting to search their house, her brother’s house upstairs and the student house below.  They made the students go outside and crouch down with hands on their heads while they pointed their guns at their heads threatening to shoot them if they moved.  They thought their end had come as it was not possible to keep still for long in this position.  They had to stay there a long time while other soldiers searched the houses.  Maryam sat on a wall outside her front door and blessed the soldiers who replied that they did not need her blessing.  They searched Maryam and Hiba’s house.  Then they went to go up to search Maryam’s son ‘s house but her son was staying away at work in Ramallah leaving his pregnant wife and three small children at home.  Hiba’s sister in law managed to come down with one of the children leaving the 3 and 2 year olds sleeping in their beds.  The soldiers kept threatening as they went upo that they would shoot and kill anyone who moved so of course Maryam was scared for her grandchildren.  As the soldiers went up the stairs she heard a shot and so stood up crying out.  At this point one of the soldiers pushed her and she fell backwards onto the ground, banging her head and looked seriously injured.  The soldiers found no one in any of the houses that they wanted.  Hiba ran to the street to call for an ambulance for her mother but the soldiers pointed their guns in her chest stopping her.  They did not let her call an ambulance until they had finished all their searching.  By this time she was dead.

Hiba is a student at the local Al Quds University.  She studies fine art and specialises in drawing hands and eyes.  She told me she can not believe that her mother is dead.  However she asked me to tell her story.

Hiba described how students are targeted by the Israeli forces who come to different places e.g. internet cafes and take the boys and men outside making them stand on one leg etc until 2 a.m. in the cold and hitting them.  She said they often like to come in the winter when its cold.  I asked Hiba if they felt like resisting this in some way but Hiba explained that if they did the whole university would be closed and if they did plan to throw stones there are now people in the community who would inform on them so they would end up in prison.  They thought it better to help their country by becoming well qualified in diefferent proffessions.

Girls Group (the few who agreed to a photo)

So, the teaching part of my visit started on Monday.  The schedule is variable but in general I teach at the Arab Institute school to a group of about 15 boys age 15, though I have cut the nember to about 8.  Then I go to the Camden friendship House where I teach a group of girls, also aged about 15.  Sometimes there are 20 – 25 of them all crammed in a small room.  Then I either teach a women’s group

Walking home with some of the Women

or go to a training centre in another place to teach Enlish for secretaries!  This lasts from about 12.30 to about 5 so I make the most of my relaxed mornings as I am usually pretty exhausted afterwards.  Of course just when I think I’m far too exhausted to do anything other than go home I am invited to go with one of the women to the house of Maryam who was killed by soldiers last month to see her husband and daughter – a real priviledge of course – or to have lunch or tea at the “orphanage”.  As my time here is short I want to fit in as much as possible and I am very happy to have these inviations. I sometimes feel that it is wrong to intrude into people’s suffering but they are keen that people hear their stories and I always ask if they are happy for me to write about them and show their photos.  Despite their suffering they are unceasingly good humoured and hospitable.

The girls and boys are very lively and confident on the whole and speak very openly.

What I find most difficult and waring is the terrible acoustics in the rooms.  It is really difficult to hear what anyone is saying as the noise booms about the room.  Its just as well that with the girls we are all on top of each other!  I do enjoy the teaching but have no idea what the children and women think of it!

I am rapidly finding out what class control tactics are effective.  The best so far was when I told them about respect – for themselves, each other and the teacher!  We repeat this mantra regularly in the girls classand it seems to work (don’t know where I dredged it up frombut glad I did!  They aslo tell me it is an Arabic custom to all talkall the time!  Then the Mosque is right next door and the calling from the there is loud to hear.

They ask interesting questions like “Do I read the Koran?” and Why Not?  One of the women again asked me what I thought Britain should do as we are reponsible for their occupation because of the Balfour agreement.

Another difficulty is the mixed ability but the better ones are happy to help in interpreting.

The women are writing articles for the Camden Abu Dis newsletter as well as having general conversation/discussion.  I have managed to combine this by them reading in turns one article and then discussing it.  The articles so far are about women’s rights under Islam which they all agree are good, and about schools in Abu Dis.

I think the boys thought I was a bit boring on Tuesday but they seemed much more engaged today and I took my video which I produced at the end.  Maybe they just needed some time to get to know me a bit.  The girls generally do not want to be photographed or filmed, though a few are more than happy.  The women seem happy to be photographed as long as they are wearing their hijab.  I am a bit unique in the school as apart from the UNRWA schools the schools are completely gender segregated and this applies to the pupils, staff and support staff.

The secretarial course is fun. Today they did how to make an appointment with an English person.  Of course this is quite culture influenced so for example I taught them to keep saying please, not to ask personal questions like how old are you, but I didn’t tell them to offer coffee which is traditional wherever you go here.  For example today I had some in a shop where I went to buy a converter for my battery charger.  When we were travelling we notched up several cups an hour it seemed as we went to so many meetings.  It is starngelyhabit foring as I thnk it is always sweet giving you energy even if you haven’t had a chance to eat and the caffeine, being very strong coffee keeps you going through the day (in more ways than one!).  Fortunately the word Toilet is understood. 

Two sides of the Arab Institute school for boys.

1.  Study in the library.

Arab Institute Library2. Bullet hole in the window, left after Israeli soldiers entered the building.Bullet hole in school wimdow

Bullet hole in School window

The Arab institute is in a very nice building funded with money from Kuwait.  However the library has very old books e.g. Encylopaedia Americana from 1962, a donation.  The teacher told me that a large financial donation had been made to the school from another midle East country but that the US had blocked the payment into the account , probably because they are linked to Hamas somehow.  Part of the occupation means that all Bank transactions are contolled by Israel and the CIA also monitor and stop what they don’t like.

This morning I had a meeting with the Palestine Oxfam Advocacy and PR manager Mike Bailey in his office in a suburb of Jerusalem.  I was very pleased I managed to get there without asking Abed for instructions!  I’m finally learning my way around a bit and how to distinguish where a white or yellow taxi goes and what is a bus or a taxi – its not as obvious as it sounds!

I got one bus to Damascus Gate which is in the old City Walls of Jerusalem.  My 10 a.m meeting had to be put back to 12 as Mike was dealing with the crisis in Gaza as a result of the Israelis blocking all entry including humanitarian aid such as fuel and water.  Dealing with the crisis meant contacting media and governments to pressurise for aid to be allowed in.  I though that was a reasonable cause to delay my meeting!

Actually I was happy to have the extra two hours as it gave me time to look around the Old City for the first time apart from my whistle stop tour on the first day after my British Council trip.

First I had a lovely pomegranate and orange juice – freshly squeezed.  Then a lovely cheese and syrup caske.  My mobile had run out of charge again – this has been my main expense here.  I don’t mean charge – credit – technology problems again!  I walked through the Arab quarter which is lots of narrow alleys and colourful market stalls.  I went to the Church of the (something signinficant!) again which is the main Christian tour focus and has the stone where Jesus body , they say, was laid and where he was crucified and buried.  It is hard to imagine how ll these things could have happened in this church and I wonder how all the pilgrims feelas they kneel down at the stone and press different things against it I guess to take home for others.  To me I could see no spitiuality or connection to what I learnt of Christianity here in a specific building whilst not looking at the situation around.  I know that for many people it has been there dream to visit these places and I would be interested to know how they feel when they come and are here amidst the jostling crowds all trying to get the best spot etc.  Oh before this while I was eating my cake a Palestinian tour gide took me to the top of the Austrian Hospice (actually a very grand hotel inside).  From the roof there is a wonderful view of the old city and I realised that I should have read my guide book as I realised for the first time that the Dome of the Rock and the Al Aqsa Mosque are different buildings!  Pardon my ignorance!  Anyway I continued and managed to find my way through the maze of alleys to the entrance for the Western or Wailing Wall – it is not far at all.  I had to go through a check point and then suddenly stepped out onto a wide open space spread out below me with the wall on the far side of a big square full of milling crowds, soldiers, tourists, worshippers, and BarMitzva parties.  Somehow I felt that I had entered a different world altogether and perhaps I had.  The soldiers, still carrying their large machine guns were laughing and having their photos taken with Japanese tourists and by each other in front of the wall.  It is difficult to accomodate all these sights.  I find it hard to see the guns in this casual way after the stories I have heard of the Palestinians killed by them, and having seen them pointed at children and at the head of the Oxfam worker as his pass was checked on our trip yesterday.  The proximity of the most holy places with the weapons of death and suffering seems at odds to me.

I was easily able to be close enough to see the women at the wall  – the women and men have different sections.  Other women were standing on chairs to see over the dividing barrier into the mens section where the Bar Mitzvah’s were taking place.  The women then passed baskets of sweets over the barrier while the men and children danced to celebrate the ceremony. 

I tried to find a way to the Mosque but what I was told was the emtrance was blocked so I was not able to see it.  Maybe I will have a chance before I leave as I think I will need to go to Jerusalem again to post all my video and camera film and notes from meetings as I can not take it through the airport in case it causes difficulty to anyone here and they may be confiscated and I could be refused entry in the future if I ever wanted to return.

I have a lot more to write about such as my Oxfam trip but better be getting home as its dark and getting late.  My Orphanage visit doesn’t seem to have materialised – just as well as I’m not feeling well. 

Oh, I noticed that when I saw a coach of tourists in Bethlehem yesterday, I looked at them as if they were strange people from another planet – most of the time I see no other foreigners here  – I’m forgetting who I am obviously!  On the Palestinian (or Arab as they call it here) bus into Jerusalem today when we were held in a queue a tour bus happened to be next to us and as they took their distant photos of the Dome of the Rock which had just come into sight I wondered what they thought of the Arabs on my bus and vice versa.  I wonder if they even realise that for most Palestinians including the girls, boys and women I work with here in Abu Dis, it is not permitted for them to enter the centre of their city and go to the Mosque there or even visit relatives, whilst we foreigners are allowed to go wherever we like.

Domestic matters!

So far I have had two washing machine floods, one fire on my gas stove which is very ferocious.  I disturbed Abed as I could not put it out and thought the gas bottle next to it would explode.  He calmly told me to through water on it the plastic washing bowl I’d bought came in useful for the purpose and worked.  I had two days without any water which is not too unusual and I was able to wash with wet wipes and clean my teeth with bottled water.  I cleaned the flat (yes I know unusual activity for me), and even put some chemical in the toilet – the lable was in Arabic but I thought I’d risk it and was a bit concerned when a huge eruption of noxious brown bubbles rose up the toilet bowl and toxic fumes came out .  But I shut the lid , opened the window and it gradually subsided!

Bye for now!

Isn

Flags at Dead Sea.  Where is the Palestinian Flag?  You can see the Union Jack at the end and of course Israel and US side by side, so is this Palestine or what?  The answerof course  is yes, but under occupation.  After a lot of dithering about whether, when and how to go, I got up late and just decided to give it a go.  Abed had given me some instructions for how to get there which was to go to the Arab Bank, catch a taxi to Jerico Dead Sea cross and then get off and catch an Israeli bus to Dead Sea.  None of this made much sense to me apart from I knew where the Arab Bank is!  However I set off walking in the beautiful sunshine, the streets fairly quiet as it is holiday today.  After quite a long way I reached the area where the wall is very high and runs next to the street. 

Helpful man showing me way to taxi past wall in Abu Dis.

Road to Dead Sea

The road gradually descends to the lowest point on earth.  I realized unfortunately that we had not stopped at the cross (a crossroads) for Dead Sea at all but had entered Jerico.  However I resigned myself quite happily to spending some time there.  The driver tried to explain something to me which I didn’t understand so he drove with the last remaining passenger right to her house to fetch her daughter who spoke a little English.  It transpired that the driver was offereing to take me to the Dead Sea for what seemed to be the same price I would have paid anyway so I happily agreed and off we went again.  He did actually have a few words of English when he was more confident and we agreed that I would only spend one hour at the sea and then he could drive me back to Abu Dis.  This was a great arrangement as I could see that the lternative of hanging around hopefully for an unknown bus on some hot desert road could be a little worrying.  Also it meant of course that I did go to the Dead Sea with a Palestinian! 

I actually felt a little excited to see the sea and it was extremely relaxing there so made a good day off.  Deyaa the driver came in too and we both had a swim and covered ourselves in mud which we let dry before washing it off in the sea again.  It was strange to be with Deyaa surrounded by tour groups.  I heard American, Italian and Irish and of course Hebrew voices and spoke to a couple of very nice Irish women in the changing area who were on a pilgrimage and staying at Bethlehem.  They said they had to get up at 5.30 so I was pleased I was independent.  Jordan is just across the sea so this is border country. 

Dead Sea - IDeyaa in Dead Sea mud

So thanks go today to the helpful man in Abu Dis and Deya the driver who made my day a lot easier and more pleasant than it might have been.

I could go of course with my foreign passport, but I would either need to get an expensive taxi or an Israeli bus and sit on the beach with Israelis and tourist groups knowing that my Palestinian friends can not be there.  However I could have gone on Sunday but am now going on a tour of Oxfam projects in the Jordan valley which I am quite excited about and think I am very fortunate to be able to do.

No picture as haven’t seen it!

Army enters Abu Dis

Although this may sound shocking back home, and I guess it should do, this is unfortunately a regular occurrence for people here as the Israeli military forces come in to stamp their control on the community.  I had wondered why the street was deserted at about 11.50 this morning as I walked to the school where I was due to teach a lesson.  Then I came across about three army jeeps with a melee of heavily  (they always are) soldiers.  I couldn’t see what they were doing and thought it best not to take photos as I aproached but managed a quick one after I went by.  I decided the best course was to walk casually on past their agressive glares.  After they were gone people came out on the street again and continued their business.  I went to school and taught my class.

I was introduced earlier in the week to the daughter of Maryam, the woman who was killed by soldiers here in September (I shall write her story separately).  She is a student and told me that the soldiers come and target the students at their schools or student hostels or internet cafes which are regularly used by students.  They make the students stand on one leg or crouch with hands on heads for a long time holding rifles at their heads telling them they will shoot if they move.  Hiba commented astutely that they do this “so that we are under control”.  So next time you hear that phrase e.g. “the situation is under control in the West Bank”  you can think this is what it means.

While on the subject of army activity, Moein, teacher at the Arab Institute school, told me an accont of some of their boys in their “orphanage/boarding school” being arrested after another boy had thrown stones at a jeep and run off.  They came into the school and took different boys , took them to prison and although they had a trial, witnesses do not count against army witness statements and they spent 14 months and 9 months in prison.  One was on track to get 100%, the highest score in West Bank in his A level equivalent.  When he was released he returned to school, took his exams late and scored 98%  He is now studying medicine.  An incredible story but of course others are not so resilient.

I asked Hiba why students didn’t retaliate in some way.  She said that if for example there was much action like stone throwing, the University would be completely closed. Also that there are now informers living in the community and so people would be sure to end up in jail.  No one now knows who to trust.

Abed, Tom Medean (the Al Jazeera reporter) and I went there.  There were many political speakers , and balloons the colour of the Palestinian flag were released synbolising a free Palestine.  The baloons were certainly more at liberty than the people. 

Behind bars in Hebron

However the demonstrating seemed to be left mainly to the children who faced a line of heaily armed soldiers.  It had been planned to march through a gate passing the cemetry and into the old city a routeblocked off in recent times but the soldiers were not going to allow this.  Sharifa who was with us told us that her family are buried in the cemetry including a cousin killed by settlers I think two years ago, but she is not able to visit the cemetry as it is blocked off by the Israelis.  She had been looking forward to the chance to say a prayer at their graves but it was not to be.  She was very anxious about us getting too close as she was certain tear gas would be used.  We joined the demo and took lots of photos before having to leave.  I did not like leaving the children – many very young to the soldiers.  I was told that the soldiers would not do anything while photographers were there.  We went back to the old city Rehabilitation Centre where there were activities and more politicians.  I was interviewed for two television stations, I think one in Palestine and the other Egyptian.  I mainly answered about what I was doing there and what I thought about the situation in Hebron.  I was also asked about the Balfour “agreement” and whether I thought the British Government had a responsibility because of it.  How many of you could answer that question??  Most Palestinians will cite this and do consider that Britain has had a large part to play in the situation they are in now and therefor need to take action politically exert pressure on the Israeli government.  Unfortunately I don’t think most people in Britain have any idea or interest in the current situation in Palestine let alone the historical one. It is quite important though to understand how this situation was created.  Anyway I hope I didn’t say anything too stupid!

Bethlehem: it had to be done!We travelled through Bethlehem again and I bought a few bottles of Palestinian beer – very useful these Christian towns!  This time we stopped and I took the opportunity to visit the Church of the Nativity where Jesus is said to be born.  Not much like a stable now!  Packed with tourists – large groups mainly of course, and I had mixed emotions there but again it seemed to have little connection with what we sing about at Christmas.   I also find it difficult to see these tour groups bussed in from Israel, having obviously passed by all the settlements and ignoring the situation for the Palestinians whose country they are visiting.

Tomorrow I start teaching at the Arab Institute.

Oh and this evening I tried to wash some clothes in a washing machine at the Guest House. It flooded the floor twice and I couldn’t get it to work so have no clean suitable clothes for work.  The washing is more of a challenge than protesting.

Last night I enjoyed my stay with Fouad and his family in their home. His wife Reema cooked a lovely spinach and chickpea soup and we had local honey, bread, olive oil and zartar (herbs) with cocoa before bed and again for breakfast with boiled egg, yoghurt, etc etc.  Reema was very amused by my description of egg cups!  I slept with Reema in her bed which was lovely as I now have a sister and she has a fith sister.  In the morning her children joined us in bed. but it was Yala , Yala from then on.  I managed to visit the bread oven which was in a neighbours garden.  It seems that each woman makes bread dough and then takes it to the oven and bakes it.  Of course I had a go but managed to break the oven – not permanently I think.  The oven uses dung I think for part of the fuel and is situated inside a derelict car – difficult to imagine I know, but true.  It was great to spend some time with the women as mostly it is the men who show me round and meet. 

Bread oven Beit Furik

Women at the Bread Oven, Beit Furik

 I have become a strange man/woman hybrid here!  Out clambering around the farm walls and wells with the farm men and then sleepng and talking about children and food with the women.  This is particularly in the villages, in the cities women work more and are represented on committees and Unions etc and of course everywhere you can see the familiar site of women walking back from college with their book under their arm.

Reema is expecting a baby and although there is a health centre in the village needs to go into Nablus for ante natal appointments and she will need a caesarian.  For this she needs to walk through the checkpoint evrytime and is not always allowed or is kept waiting etc and of course there have been ocasions of women giving birth at the checkpoints for this reason.  I wish all goes well for Reema.

After the bread oven I had a quick look at the Children’s Development Centre which looked mainly set up for meetings and teaching and not exactly child friendly as we’d say but the director has hopes and dreams for the place if they can manage to find the funds.  The West Bank is typical of the need for foreign NGOs etc to ensure they provide what is menaingful to the community as I have seen absolutely ridiculous western style playgrounds used by no one and one right in the middle of no where and near to the wall so too dangerous for the children to play.  Communities do look tointernational fund raising for improving resources of all kinds.  However the message I hear again and again is that it is political pressure and change which people really want support with.  Computers are often donated but it is the cost of internet which is really needed to enable them to make connections etc outside of their lives restricted by the occupation.

I left Beit Furik returning through the checkpoint.  I took some photos as I had been allowed the previous day but this time the captain was there and was not at all happy about it.  Fortunately he was placated by me deleting the one of him.

When we got to Nablus we visited a trade union ofice which is supported by an American based International solidarity of unions organisation. One union they support is the tourism union.  This tries to promote the rights of workers in such areas as hotels and restaurants.  Of course most tourists come to places in the West Bank such as Bethlehem, Jerico, etcwith an Israeli tour firm, on a bus with armed security and donot experience the life of the Palestinians at all who eqaully do not benefit form the tourism in their own country.  I would recomend however that this is not the best (or safest ) way to visit for anyone who may be interested.  The best way would be to link with a Palestinian organisation or travel independently.  With an international passport this is straight forward and you would be assured of a warm welcome.

We visited the Union for the Palestinian Disabled and met a man just elected to their committee who was disabled after being shot in the last intafada.  He and his blind colleague were both truly inspiring people  who spoke about how they have adjusted their lives to be successful, and in their project they work to raise awareness for rights of disbled people in society, education and employment and build up their strength of character to overcome difficulties and be independent and successful in ife.  Of course they face huge difficulties.  The blind man explained how his stick was broken when a car ran into him crossing the road and due to short resources he had to wait a long time for a replacement.  Despite this he travels everywhere independently, plays the piano, and sings in a choir in Bethlehem as well as volunteering in a hospital. He spoke good English which he picked up from television and listening to conversation.  The resilience and strength of all the people I have met here is incredible and these two were certainly special.

After this we went on a walk around old Nablus.  First the market which looks thriving and is how old Hebronshould be if it were not for the settlers and IDF forcing the Palestinians out.  It is full of very old (BC) alleys and buildings and market stalls.  We saw an ancient soap factory which of course uses olive oil.  The children of the town were hidden in here during the 6 day war to keep them safe.  I felt hungry and spotted a bakers who made me a tradtional kind of bread with an egg on top.  He would not take money for it, such is the hosptiatlity of the people.  Then the residential area which us a stronghold of the resistance and this is the first year even Abed has been able to walk as far into it as we did today.  It is a well known site for fights between resistence fighters and IDF butit would be impossible to find anyone in there as it is such a maze of interconnecting houses, alleys etc.  Still the IDF have sent targeted missiles and we saw one place where half a Church was destoyed in this way.

Boys in Nablus

After the old city we visited a Musicproject for children in Nablus run by three music teachers from the University. They have a recording studio they made themselves and they teach classes and groups of children and have taken them to France and Dundee.  They would welcome any visits from musicians or groups.

Then the long drive back to Abu Dis, made longer due to roads being closed and needing to go 70 kms around the city to find a way south.  Abed found a friend to guide us out as knowledge of where all the checkpoints are and alternative routes is needed.  We arrived back around “rush hour”.  The queue of cars was caused in this case though by the Palestinian cars being kept back off the road to allow the settlers to use the road home to their settlements from Jerusalem without being stuck in a crowd .

So, now our group, led by Abed, is myself, Tom the musician and Median the Al Jazeera jounalist living in Brighton who has joined us for a couple of days and we will all go to the big (we hope) international protest against the Israeli takeover of the old city in Hebron and the Human Rights abuses there.  The aim is to allow the Palestinians to live safely and return to their homes there .  As stated previously the problem is in particular here the fanatic settlers who are armed and violent and decided they want to live near Abraham’s tomb.  Even the IDF here, at least some of them have stated that they are unable to protect the Paestinians as their only orders are to protect the settlers.

There was a photo of arrests and of settlers throwing rocks at protesters so I hope for a good and successful protest and of course for us all to keep safe.

Blogging

Sarah, signing off from the lamd of milk and honey!  Well ok – bread, honey and olive oil!

NB I may look tired but it was nearly 1 a.m.!  This was in the comfort of Fouad’s house, usually I am in a smokey internet cafe.