Monthly observation at Ketziot Prison Camp for Asylum Seekers and Refugees 

10:30 In a rickety bus shelter we encounter three young men from Eritrea who speak some English and tell us they are more comfortable in Hebrew.  They are polite but cagey and we leave them to it.

Natanya gets into conversation with two volunteers from Kibbutz Sde Boqer who help with an educational project for the children imprisoned here.  They tell her that the conditions inside are good: air conditioning in at least the public rooms, good food and reasonable treatment. The Israeli teacher in charge of the project is so popular they call her Mama Africa.

Near the bus stop is a conveniently located, wide gate. Outside in the sun stands a young man who turns out to be an 18 year old orphan from Liberia. He speaks a little English and tells us that he was imprisoned here for four months but then released, although his money $200 dollars, was not returned to him. He has come today with a letter from the Refugees HOTLINE to claim his belongings. Apparently he is given a receipt for the letter or the money (not clear, he didn't understand all our questions nor we the answers), which he delivered to the prison authorities, who told him to wait…he claims the conditions inside the prison are not great, there is no air conditioning in the cells, the food is so bad that he and his friends bought food themselves, presumably in the prison canteen, since there is no sign of a shop, kiosk or other vending opportunity here. And he did eventually get his money. Hooray! The place is chaotic, largely because of a road being built around the perimeter of the prison. 

We then discover that the convenient gate is not intended for visitors who must trek for about 1 kilometer north and east. I photograph the route and hey presto a Prison Service officers drives up and demands that I delete the photograph. Normally I would have protested, but until we establish ourselves here as a presence, I thought it better to play dumb.

We will map the various organizations that help the refugees and try to find someone who speaks Amharic/Gez for the Eritraeans.  Meanwhile, we need to establish ourselves as observers and overcome the suspicions of both the asylum seekers and the prison authorities.  Natanya drives down from Jerusalem and we invite women from that city and from Tel-Aviv to accompany us on the last Thursday in each month (the only day visits are allowed), but please coordinate in advance via Yehudit at keshetamazona@gmail.com

—

…Things fall apart, the centre cannot hold

Mere anarchy is loosed upon the world..

The blood-dimmed tide is loosed, and every where

The ceremony of innocence is drowned.

The best lack all conviction while the worst are full of passionate intensity…

From Second Coming  W B Yeats