I had been planning my trip to the West Bank for a while, but did not want to post any information on my blog, for fear that my mother would read it and discourage me from going. I debated, both with myself and with my overprotective brother, whether I should tell my mom about the trip, because the West Bank really isn't the safest place in the world. In fact, even I was a little apprehensive about going into Ramallah, where four Israeli soldiers were lynched to death a few years ago.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/middle_east/969778.stm
But I really wanted to see what it was actually like there. Since I've come to Israel, I've tried to read as much as I could about the Arab-Israeli conflict, and to talk to both Israelis and Palestinians on how they feel. And I've been surprised how moderate both sides are over here. In Canada, it seems like you have to pick a side, and be rabidly pro-Israel or rabidly pro-Palestinian. But here, in the heat of the conflict, I've actually met people who are much more moderate and sympathetic to the other side.
So I went to the West Bank! Samantha, Lydia, Marnie and I rented a Palestinian guide for the day to take us to a refugee camp, Jericho and...Ramallah. Our guide, Abu, has a degree in Political Science and is a journalist living in East Jerusalem. He is very anti-Israel, and at first, I was too busy being resentful at what he said to actually listen to his points. But some of the things that he said, in addition to the things that I saw, had a very strong effect on me.
Our first stop was a refugee camp. We actually went in to one of the homes, and I was astounded by how nice and hospitable the family was to us. They were so poor themselves, and yet they brought out coffee and biscuits. The family consists of 14 people living in a 3 bedroom. Their home used to be where the Jerusalem Mall now stands, but they got kicked out in 1948 when the State of Israel was formed. Ever since then, they've been living in refugee camps. They actually brought out their land-owning documents, dating back to the Ottoman Empire, to show us. I have very mixed feeling regarding this. I think it's horrible that they lost their home, and the refugee camps are cramped, uncomfortable and unbelievably cold. And yet, I can't understand why they'd continue living in such deplorable conditions! Israel doesn't want them there, and they stay because rent is free, but generation after generation is brought up there, and they can't seem to get their s**t together to move out into another town in the West Bank. Obviously it's easier said than done, but still.
Left-wingers are always fond of comparing the Holocaust to the Israeli occupation...so how come the Jews who survived, after they lost everything, and had to live in Displaced Person camps following the war, eventually were able to get their s**t together, move out, and start their lives from scratch, for the sake of their children?! I can't quite understand how these people are content to be victimized, generation after generation. I just feel like saying "get over it!" But then I started watching the daughter of the family, a 3 year old girl who beared a striking resemblance to my brother and sister when they were her age. She was so charming and shy, and kept on coming up to her mother to put gloves and a hat and shoes on her, because their home was so cold. That had quite an effect on me. The mother brought out pictures of one of her sons, Ahmed, who has been in a wheelchair since he was 14. Because he was shot by Israeli soldiers. Because he was very involved in the violence of the 1st intifada. Everything here is horrible for both sides, and only seems to be getting worse.
We left the refugee camp and drove on to Ramallah. Again, I was pretty scared about going there, because when you watch it on television, it just seems like there are angry mobs everywhere, firing guns and lynching Jews. But Ramallah is just an ordinary city. There are cafes, pharmacies, clothing stores, and everything else that is in a modern town. Not an angry mob in sight, contrary to the distorted media view of Ramallah. Our first stop was Arafat's compound. My initial impression was shock at how run-down it appeared. Definitely no White House. The buildings are falling apart, courtesy of the numerous times that the Israelis attacked it. And there are pictures of Arafat everywhere. We went to his grave, which was covered with flowers and wreaths sent by the heads of other countries as condolences on his death. I wanted to stay longer, but one of the Palestinian guards started making kissing noises at me, and I got freaked out and left. I then had an interesting conversation with Abu about his feeling on Arafat (loved him!), new leadership of PLO (they stink!), peace (ain't going to happen for a while!) and Jews (hates Israel, but some of his best friends are Jews....) It was interesting.
We left Ramallah for Jericho, a beautiful city that used to be a prime destination for tourists, but since the 2nd Intifada has started, no one is coming. A casino was built in 2000 that many Israelis used to go to, but now, it's essentially closed down because of lack of business. Same with other shopping centres and restaurants that we passed along the way. It really helped show me what a toll the conflict has taken on the lives and businesses of the Palestinians living in the West Bank. It just seems like a horrible situation for everyone involved. That was one of the strongest messages that I took home from my trip--behind the suicide bombers and rock throwers, there are poor families, just trying to survive in horrible conditions. It's the same thing with the Israelis. It seems like both sides are stuck in this purgatory like environment, with no end in sight.
My roommate Samantha and I came to Israel with basically opposite political opinions. I'm super right wing. She likes Michael Moore. But since we've come, explored, read and talked with Israelis and Palestinians, our political views are becoming more similar--meaning, of course, that we both admit that both sides are crazy. They both do horrible, senseless things to the other side, and it seems like a lose-lose situation all around. I wish that I could sound more optimistic and idealistic, but I'm just sick and tired of the conflict. It's too painful to even really think about it. And I don't even live here, so I don't have to deal with it on a day to day basis! This whole trip to Israel has made me very glad that I'm not involved in Politics, because I don't know if I would be able to pick a side in this conflict. It's just too complicated.
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