Christmas Imprisonment in my Apartment in Bethlehem

by Sami Awad

Holy Land Trust

December 23, 2002

To our friends,

With hearts full of sadness I write this letter a couple of days
before Christmas to inform you that Israeli army troops have
occupied the apartment building we live in and have locked us as
well as twelve other families in our apartments. They have told us
that they are here for an indefinite period of time and we will not
be able to leave our apartments until they leave.

This afternoon (Dec 23rd, 2002 5:00 PM), as volunteers (Bob and
Margaret)and myself were going around Bethlehem passing out gifts
donated to needy families through Holy Land Trust, we got a call
from a neighbor who said that the Israeli army had stormed our
building and had forced all residents out of their homes and into
one apartment. We immediately tried to return in order to see what
was happening and to at least be present if the army decided to
enter our apartment. (If the residents are not there, they
usually blow-up the door or a hole in a wall then destroy all the
furniture). I thanked God that my wife Rana and our baby were in the
market doing last minute Christmas shopping. When we got close, we
were welcomed by Israeli soldiers pointing their machine guns at us
demanding and yelling at us to go back. An hour later I tried again
and was informed that we could go to our apartment. Welcomed again
by machine guns, Rana, the baby and myself, were kept outside in the
cold while the soldiers went through our belongings and checked our
identification cards. Once we were escorted to our apartment we were
told to leave the door key on the outside key hole. When I asked
why, one soldier turned his head and walked away in what I think was
a sign of shame; the other said "to lock you in." Yes... lock us in
our home!

When I refused to be a prisoner in my own home, the soldier began to
yell and make threats. Having no choice and fearing for my family's
safety, we were locked in and the key was kept in the outside key
hole so that we can not use any spare key. Christmas is two days
away and we are prisoners in our home. this is our gift this holiday
season. They have refused to tell us why they came here, what they
want and how long "indefinite" means.

The Israeli government had falsely promised the world that it was
going to pull out of Bethlehem on Christmas so that the residents of
the city can celebrate. We are prove and witness to you that the
occupation of Bethlehem continues, that injustice continues to
innocent families. We are trapped as prisoners in our home guarded
by Israeli soldiers standing in front of our apartment door as if we
were criminals.

This year was going to be our baby girl's first Christmas... Even
with the siege of Bethlehem and the continued curfews and suffering,
we still decorated the tree, bought the gifts, took our the
Christmas CDs and thought that at the least we will be able to
celebrate Christmas with our families.

It seems that even this simple wish will not come true this season
and we will be celebrating Christmas as prisoners locked in our
home...

Please pray for our safety. We do not even know what the next hour
will bring us. We hear the soldiers walking up and down the
staircase and we also heard them destroy furniture in the apartment
below us. Are we next?

We do not know!

I can only conclude this letter by saying that from the bottom of
our hearts and from this Holy place, we wish you a Merry Christmas.