The occupied territories will soon stop being silent about the occupation
Na’ama describes life in the West Bank:
Entire regions are closed off. The Salfit region, for example – all exits and entrances into and from villages are blocked. Whoever wishes to reach the district town (Salfit) has to reckon with three hours each way.
Schools are closed because the PA has no money to pay salaries. Since mid-October they have ceased all payments. (This is associated with the tax money that Israel should have paid the PA and has not passed it on).
Men who usually work in Israel also sit at home now.
People spend 24 hours watching TV, Al Jazeera shows them the goings-on in the Gaza Strip – the hospitals, the wounded and killed – adults and children both.
This is the worst time she has ever had. She felt that even a bit more TV would plunge her into depression. As a manager of a kindergarten, she decided to go on and open it although the parents cannot afford to pay. She spoke with her team-members and told them of her decision. They can decide each whatever suits them. They all chose to continue working without pay.
The children are very affected. They watch TV, hear their parents talk. Ask many questions that have no answers: What if we should undergo what is now happening in Gaza? Shall we die like in Gaza? Why do they kill us? Are we ever going to be happy?
She asked them what they wanted to be when they grow up. One child said he wished to be a bank manager. To have lots of money. He heard his daddy say they have no money. Another said he wanted to go far away to where there are no wars.
She feels that the children need to have someone with them outside the home, so they can talk and be heard.
The Israeli army enters villages. Kills people. No one feels safe now, anywhere. No one knows whether they would live out the day.
The situation is totally shitty.
We could not find any consoling words for this, except for the fact that we can go on being friends and against wars, and support anyone against wars. Small consolation…
There was no room to ask about October 7th. The situation in Gaza is so shocking that Israel will very soon not know where all this came from. In addition to Gaza, in the West Bank soon people will not be able to remain silent.