Hebron, South Hebron Hills

The occupation’s having a birthday these days – it’s already 47 years old, and a man.  It already feels like a damn routine we’ve all gotten used to.  That feeling remained with me throughout my shift.

We reach the Meitar crossing in time to meet the bus leaving for the beach day, full of women and small children, without a single man.  H, the kindergarten teacher, said that at the checkpoint they first told her she had to go through the Bethlehem checkpoint; she insisted and G., the checkpoint commander, decided to let them through.  We telephoned Gil’ad who entered the dates of the upcoming trips in the log and promised they’d go through with no problems.

We went to Tuwani to arrange the final permits for their trip to the beach on Thursday.  From there we drove to the Hebron DCL along with T., the teacher in charge of the bus.  We waited there with him to ensure he’s admitted and taken care of.  Two of the four who didn’t receive permits had problems with their ID numbers and the others had been blacklisted by the police.

Photo caption:  The Palestinians are the ultimate “other” – we wonder whether the Israeli school system treats them differently it’s been “educated.”

Summer vacation has started in the Palestinian Authority; the children are in the streets.  There were no detainees at any checkpoint.  On the way up to Tel Rumeida we met Fa’iza who’s in charge of the Tel Rumeida women’s club.  She invited us to her home; we drank coffee.  She wants us to run activities together.  We promised to try.  She volunteers in B’Tselem; she showed us on her computer how her son was arrested and not the settlers’ children who’d beaten him…So long as Fa’iza keeps inviting us, there’s hope the peace candle won’t be extinguished.