Thursday, Oct 24 ~ Anna Schoettle

Thursday was like a sandwich with many layers. The beginning, end, and midday were fairly benign, with Palestinian friends and interesting places–Abuna Firas, a Roman house and stable similar to where Mary and Joseph might have stayed in Nazareth. Then Sister Margaret and an amazing archeological ruin, with layers from first, fourth, and twelth centuries, and ending with our first evening at the Mar Elias School.

But, in between these things were 2 other things that showed again the depth of the oppression of the Palestinian people, and forced a major change of plans for us. The first was the checkpoint we had to pass through going from Zababdeh to Nazareth. Usama described it as the mother of all checkpoints, with several screenings for Palestinians that left him angered and humiliated. For us it was tense, as we had to wait and watch guards with guns, then everyone had to get off the bus with passports and 4 people had to go thru metal detectors.

The second revealing thing was time with a British journalist married to a Palestinian woman. He took us to a destroyed Palestinian village and told us the ways that the Israeli government tries to cover up the destruction, and how the people displaced from that village fight to keep their connections to that land. He also took us to a nearby sacred site, that should be on a list for every Christian pilgrim that goes to Israel, but because it is in a now-all-Jewish moshav, The church is officially ignored. The journalist concluded his talk with analysis of what makes an apartheid state. Isreal definitely qualifies.

I am more aware than ever of the privilege I have in the US of going where I want, when I want and with who I want, of having a choice of the work I do, and the friends I have.