Our group
of 10 is back in Jerusalem. We were on our way from Ramallah this
morning when word came that a nearby refugee camp, Al-Ama'ari,
was under siege by the Israeli army. The army was going house
to house to detain all men and boys. 15 internationals from ISM
– the international solidarity movement- headed out for
the camp and were later joined by French, Swiss and Italians from
other groups. We encountered soldiers entering homes on the crooked
dusty street and broke off into groups, leaving a group of three
in a home of an old man, several women and many children that
had not yet been entered. Palestinians called to us from windows
and down alleys, directing us further on in the camp to where
the men were being held. Rounding a corner we saw a large field
set up with tents and open space. 200-300 men and boys were seated
in groups surrounded by soldiers. In the street were tanks and
armored personnel carriers. We identified ourselves as human rights
workers concerned about the conditions under which the men were
being held. The soldiers tried to get us to leave. We reminded
them that the occupation is illegal under international law and
that our concern was about their prisoners. One of our group was
allowed to go into the field and was able to see that the men
sitting in the very hot sun indeed had water. After a soldier
fired his gun in the air to frighten us, our group began to retreat
back into the camp where children gathering in the streets and
alleys motioned for us to cover our ears. Shortly there was a
deafening blast as the soldiers blew up a grocery store one street
away. More kids came out of their houses to surround us, as did
their mothers.
They were speaking all at once, clearly grateful that we were
there although it was also clear that we could not do more than
just let them know by our presence that they are not alone, that
there are people from around the world who are observing and recording.
This is apparently the third time the army has come into this
camp to round up the men. As we were re-grouping, we saw a boy,
maybe age 13 or 14, with his hands tied behind his back being
brought into a building by the soldiers. His father was walking
beside him, alternately re-assuring the boy and talking to the
soldiers. Some of our group and some other internationals managed
to enter the house with them. We don't know yet what came of that
situation.
The occupation
takes a terrible toll in so many ways. Yesterday we broke the
curfew to visit a rehabilitation center and heard the stories
of children and adults who were shot while going to work, or playing
in the yard, or working the fields. The stories are of course
heart-breaking. To compound the situation, the staff of the center,
including the director, must stay over for days because of the
24-hour curfew which often lasts 3 or 4 days and then lifts for
a few hours. Often they don't go home even when curfew is lifted
because to do so means waiting at checkpoints so long that they
would not make it back in time.
Tomorrow
our group of 10 is off to Gaza to lend an international presence
to a project to repair a sewer line that has been approved by
the local Israeli authority but forbidden by the army. We are
hoping that our being there will strengthen the pressure to allow
the local Palestinians to repair the sewer.
