15 October 2004 - Qalqilia
Patience and perseverance. Both are tested here. Plans change constantly and it has taken awhile to get used to that fact. When I expressed my frustrations with friends who have been in this part of the world, they all said the same thing - let it go, but be persistent. I took a break and went to Ein Gedi which is a resort on the Dead Sea way out in the desert. The Dead Sea is extremely salty and as a result, no fish live in it. But people can float in it without trying. The Dead Sea is also supposed to have therapeutic powers. The most therapeutic part for me was seeing Jews, Muslims, and tourists enjoy the resort together. The penpals are now set. The exchanges are: Grand Isle with Qalqilia, South Hero with Bethlehem, and Lawrence Barnes (Burlington) with Ayda refugee camp in Bethlehem. Hopefully, students in Vermont will get their return letters within a month. However, it's Ramadan, now, so schools aren't in session as often plus the public schools in the West Bank are on strike. Things will work out, enshallah. In Qalqilia, the effects of the wall/separation barrier have been depressing. Before the wall was built, farmers had access to their citrus trees and Israelis regularly visited the city to trade despite the occupation. Then the wall got built around the city and prevented farmers from reaching their fields. The only Israelis people see now are the army. Lots of people have left Qalqilia. Those who remain face 60% unemployment. In Bethlehem, the effects of the occupation have also been crippling. Things are relatively calm, now, but in 2002, the army imposed curfews on the little town. A curfew here is not the same as in America. Here, curfew means house arrest. You are not allowed to leave your house unless the army says it's okay. You can't even poke your head out the window otherwise you might get shot. Your chance to get food lasts 2-4 hours every few days. Bethlehem endured a bunch of curfews including a 40 day one. Bethlehem's economy is built on tourism and the tourists rarely come here any more. It's really sad to see the emptiness and desperate merchants. On my travels throughout the West Bank, I regularly see Palestinians being detained while the Israeli army/police "check" their identification. I've seen long lines of cars waiting to get through checkpoints between West Bank cities - no exceptions made for ambulances. I've seen places where construction of the wall has stripped the land of trees (which are rare here to begin with) and replaced them with concrete walls, fences, razor wire, and pavement. There are beautiful sights here, too. Farmers landscape their groves such that the trees are on big steps or plateaus. This is so that what little soil there is doesn't erode. Despite the inhospitable terrain, the trees persevere. I can see why the olive trees are a symbol of the Palestinian people. Despite the inhospitable conditions of living under occupation, Palestinians persevere. Masalaame. Joe _________________________________________________________________ Is your PC infected? Get a FREE online computer virus scan from McAfee� Security. http://clinic.mcafee.com/clinic/ibuy/campaign.asp?cid=3963 ------------------------ Yahoo! Groups Sponsor --------------------~--> $9.95 domain names from Yahoo!. Register anything. http://us.click.yahoo.com/J8kdrA/y20IAA/yQLSAA/MknplB/TM --------------------------------------------------------------------~-> Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/VTJP/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
