We Are Here, But We Are Not All Here- Saturday October 8

We are in Ibillin now, safe and fed, but we are not all here. Zoughbi, our brother and host, remains on the other side of the line. This land, with all its layers of conflict is this week also layered with Holy Days that, in the awful irony of the Land we insist on calling Holy, only heighten the tensions. Jewish High Holy Days are transitioning to Succot. It is the Sabbath. It is Mohammad’s birthday. It is too much.

(Zoughbi with wife Elaine recently at Wi’am – The Palestinian conflict Transformation Center in Bethlehem he founded)

Our task, we knew, was to get through the West Bank checkpoints and into Israel by 4 pm, when the crossings would close. We were doing well on that count. We had marveled at the working farms of the upper West Bank—the tractors chugging by, the bent backs of workers in the fields, the families in the orchards to harvest their olives. We had enjoyed the phenomenal acoustics of the Roman amphitheater in Sebastia, where your own voice comes back to envelop you with stunning, ancient perfection. We had delighted in one of our best meals yet, served, no less, by an ardent ‘Bama Crimson Tide fanatic.

Yes, there were troubles, mournful, daunting troubles. The refugee camps in Jenin and elsewhere were being roiled; young people were dying every day. Drones were up and seeking. But Zoughbi was making every effort to steer us safely through, away from the unrest and the deadly response, and out by 4pm.

We arrived at the first checkpoint just before 2 pm, but were shunted off for further inspection. Zoughbi, whose seat near the back felt suspicious to the border agents, was taken off the bus, interviewed briefly, and found to hold inadequate paperwork for such a fiery day. We were turned around.

We headed south and west to Qalqilya, a less troubled area. But this time, advised by a phone call, Zoughbi would cross on foot while our driver took the bus over. We made it. Zoughbi didn’t. He phoned us to say that we should go on to Ibillin, and he would join us when he could. It was what he wanted. It made sense. We did it. It felt awful, and it still does.

The temptation is to tie this up with something nice and reassuring. A lesson learned; perspective gained. But the camps are still roiling; the response is still deadly. Life is messy. That’s not something where I can offer an easy reassurance. Someone else deserves the last word. At this writing, Zoughbi is somewhere between Ramallah and Bethlehem, and has sent us this: “my trip was nothing in comparison to my wife’s deportation in 2019 which took 62 hours”!

Steve Fietz

(Update on Sunday October 9) – Our friend Zoughbi was able to join us today. He spent the rest of yesterday going back to Bethlehem for the night and then left at 4:30 am today by bus for Tiberias on the Sea of Galilee where we picked him up at 9:30 am.

“It’s just a rock” were the words spoken today by our local guide as he took us through the Dome of the Rock.

“We believe in God, the rest is fairly tales” he said next. This seemed to be at least one of the themes for the day. “It’s just a cave” stated another guide, as we visited the Church of the Holy Sepulchre. “You can stand in line for an hour to go inside the tomb but, you know what? Jesus isn’t there.”

I heard versions of these sentiments throughout the day. Why do religions fight over physical objects, over control of churches, over control and ownership of sacred grounds? These are objects of man, not of God. “Look up” our guide said, “We share the same God.” Simple really.

Mark Mehos

Our bus traveled around Jerusalem, through the industrial edge of Bethany and on switchback roads with grades of 5/0 or higher to our first stop, Khan al-Ahmad, a Bedouin community of about 200 people. Because there is no access from the highway, we got off the bus on the side of the highway, walked past a skinny donkey and past sheep in a covered pen. We waved at a few women and young children on our way to the “tire school.” Since this village has been under an Israeli demolition order for years, and no permanent construction is allowed, the community built a school of tires and dirt, covering the walls with plaster and concrete. There are 200 children attending from several nearby Bedouin communities. For more info: https://www.unrwa.org/newsroom/features/rubber-tyre-school

school with artificial turf (left) and detail of tires in wall (right)

After seeing the school, we were welcomed into a covered seating area to hear from Eid Khamis Jahaleen, the community leader. Our host poured small paper cups of strong hot coffee for us, and later we were offered sweet Palestinian hot tea. 

Eid is a very intelligent but down-to-earth man, and while he has visited several U.S. States and speaks English, for us he spoke in Palestinian Arabic and our guide translated. The story of his community is like that of other Bedouin communities in Palestine- threats, intimidation, removal from traditional lands to places where there is not enough water (even though nearby illegal settlements get water), no open space for their livestock, and no access to markets (no access to the highway, no permits to travel). The community has been ordered to move and been given two options: 1) 150 meters (less than 500 feet) from a garbage dump, where a soil test shows it is dangerous for people and animals, or 2) next to the sewage collection center for nearby illegal settlements. Both options would force them to sell their animals.  The community has brought forward 14 master plans and all have been rejected. The land where the Bedouins live are strategically located at a narrow point in the West Bank, and is the only thing preventing the West Bank being divided into north and south portions. Eid gave us some examples of the injustices: solar panels donated by an international organization in 2015 were confiscated by the Israeli military, the electric grid is on adjacent property but no electricity is available to them, another organization provided outdoor bathrooms and mobile homes – these were demolished or some given to settlers. If a Palestinian ID is presented for health care from Israelis, even emergency care, they are often refused and Palestinian ambulances must have specific approval to come through the checkpoints. From 1967 to the present, the number of building permits given to Bedouins is 0. 

Eid Khamis Jahaleen 

We learned so much from Eid and his community. Our next stop was a short, hot hike up to view St. George’s Monastery, where our guide, Usama, read us Jesus’ response when asked “Who is our neighbor?”

Before a wonderful lunch in Jericho, we stopped at the Greek Orthodox Church with its wonderful icons and where stands the remains of the sycamore tree that Zacchaeus climbed. After lunch we visited the overlook of the Mount of Temptation and the Orthodox Monastery clinging to the mountainside. Looking in the other direction, and a short walk, we could almost see the Jordan River and the city of Amman. Too dusty and hazy!

Our last stop was Hisham’s Palace, an early Islamic site from the 8th Century with beautiful mosaic floors and baths. We had to make do with bottles of frozen water available from the shopkeeper. 

Mosaic from Hisham’s Palace

Mary Buchele

When you meet anyone, remember it is a holy encounter. And as you see them you will see yourself. ~ A Course In Miracles

Tuesday October 4th

Today was an easier day as we toured Augusta Victoria Hospital (jerusalem.lutheranworld.org)in Jerusalem, OCHA- UN (ochaopt.org)and Taybeh Beer (taybehbeer.com) in the village of Taybeh.

However, on second and third examination, this only brought into clearer focus that we really do not know what we do not know and there is a lot of not knowing. Movement, identity, permissions, ownership, restrictions, and the ever increasing gnarl of crisscrossing roads, separation wall, checkpoints, Palestinian villages and illegal settlements. I could not possibly do all of this justice in a brief blog. So instead let me tell you a story.

Our presenter at OCHA shared slides and reams of data on Gaza and the West Bank and humanitarian concerns in both places. Anyone who knows me at all knows I begin to tune out in about 10 minutes into any stats and numbers presentation. Things only became interesting for me when we started to engage him in questions. I then asked him, given the nature and subject of his work and his identity as an Israeli Jew, if he experienced internal or peer pressures because of the work he does?  At first he hesitated and said sometimes he has to think whether he will answer a question like this. Then he said he did not receive threats but last weekend he had a minor medical procedure and a growth removed on his neck and was conscious and listening throughout. The doctors and staff were chatting and a woman shared that her father had founded Ariel, an illegal settlement. Early on there was an alleged murder by Palestinian and as a result a group of the settlers including her father went into Palestinian villages and bashed in car windshields. He said the woman said it with pride and was laughing. He was clearly uncomfortable and then he said the doctor asked him what he did for work. Our presenter concluded that since this man had a knife at his neck, he would be wise not to share his occupation and work place. The photo I took has a mask and the image of our presenter blurred as a background image. My lingering thoughts are that this insidious occupation has many victims and some refuse to BE victims, but many in all walks and ways and choices of life are paying a price. Some are punished for their identity. Others choose to hide it. But at some point each must look in a mirror and ask “who am I?”

Rev. Gail Doering

Monday October 3rd- Tent of Nations, Hebron, and The Wall

We started off today visiting a farm called Tent of Nations near Bethlehem. The Nassar recently celebrated 105 years on their land. Their 100 acres in the West Bank is now surrounded by 5 illegal settlements and in fact their farm is the only hilltop in the area without a settlement on it. They have olive and fruit trees, grapes, and they have chickens and goats as well. They have met incredible challenges to hold onto their land that are creative and non-violent. They have unfortunately had physical attacks, destroyed roads, and destroyed olive and fruit trees but they’ve persevered by inviting people to visit and volunteer for planting and harvesting. The dry climate makes it incredibly challenging to replace lost trees and they are denied water and electricity but they’ve thrived in spite of it by employing sustainable practices to preserve the environment. Daoud Nassar told us they refuse to hate, they refuse to be enemies, and the are challenged daily. He believes in standing up for what is unjust and their Christian faith is their center.  Pictures from left to right: Daoud in office cave with art from a children’s workshop on the farm and on right is painting titled “religion should bring people together”.

Hebron- Ibrahimi Mosque and Tomb of the Patriarchs (It is the burial site for Abraham, Sarah, Isaac, and Rebekah, Jacob and Leah). This site is sacred to both Muslims, and Jews. Built by Herod there are 2,000 year old Herodian stones at base. of walls. There is a mosque on one 1/2 and a synagogue on the other half and unfortunately it’s a flash point between the Muslim population and Jewish settlers who now live within this West Bank city. There is a mosque one one side of the tomb and a synagogue on the other.

Hebron – Picture on left – Walking through a city checkpoint. ID’s must be shown and Palestinian children need to walk through to go to school. On right is a covered market for Palestinians. There is an illegal settlement right above and it must be covered for shopper to be protected from debris, rocks, and spit from above.

Walking on Shuhada Street. A half mile long road in Hebron that was once a thriving market frequented by Palestinians and Israelis. Today it’s like a ghost town. Over 1,000 Palestinian shops were closed here in 2000 and Palestinians are no longer even allowed to walk down it.

We finished off the day back in Bethlehem at the Banksy Walled Off Hotel. Inside there is a wonderful small but powerful Nakba (Palestinian catastrophe) Museum about the Palestinian diaspora after 1948. The hotel lobby is filled with Banksy art. These two are just a sample…

Just a sample of some of graffiti art on the separation wall that caught my eye. What’s going on here is dark but art and human ingenuity lightens us. From a prayer from the Community Peacemaker Teams “Beautiful Al Khalil (Hebron), I long for your freedom and your peace. May the dreams of your children- that they may walk your streets freely, that they may be safe from bullets and tear gas, searches and detention, that they may build fine schools, and hospitals, and prosper like citizens of any other city- may these dreams be realized in their lifetimes – or better- in mine”.

Brenda Mehos