Coloradans Return from Eye-Opening Trip to Mideast
By Colin Gibbs
Denver Daily News
January 15, 2002
DENVER – While many Americans hit the slops or the beach for some holiday rest and relaxation, a group of five Coloradans headed for a less pleasant destination.
Instead, members of Colorado Campaign for Middle East Peace (CCMEP) toured the Israeli-occupied territories of the West Bank and Gaza to promote peace between Israelis and Palestinians.
Hardly a vacation, the five activists fought tear gas after overrunning an Israeli checkpoint.
The CCMEP members – Val Phillips, Beth Daoud, Nadya Waziri, Ben Scribner and Mark Schneider – met with dozens of activists from around the world as part of the International Solidarity Movement. The event was designed to give activists the opportunity to witness how the Palestinians live, but members admitted they had an agenda: To end the occupation by shedding light on the plight of the Palestinians.
“The Israeli military has totally invaded the West Bank and Gaza,” Phillips said. “It’s a very difficult place for Palestinians to live.”
Phillips said the most difficult obstacle the Palestinians face is a “nightmare” of 150 checkpoints scattered throughout the region. Palestinians are required to pass through the checkpoints even when traveling within the occupied areas.
Schneider gave an example of a Palestinian professor who must pass through a checkpoint on his daily commute.
“He has to walk through the checkpoint, have his bag examined, then he’s told to wait for 15 minutes or as long as three hours with no explanation,” Schneider said. “And this checkpoint is completely illegal, in an area meant to be under exclusive Palestinian control.”
The checkpoints, as well as Israeli settlements in the occupied territories, are illegal under the Oslo Accords and international law, Schneider said. Although Israel claims the checkpoints are necessary for security, Phillips and Schneider believe they exist only to keep the Palestinians in place.
After watching an Israeli soldier detain a Palestinian man, Phillips asked the soldier if the man was held for security reasons.
“He must be made to wait so he will come when he’s called,” the soldier said, according to Phillips.
The gropu took matters into their own hands, taking control of a checkpoint in Ramallah to allow the
Palestinians free passage. For six hours, Palestinians could pass through unmolested.
Schneider and about 200 other activists approached the checkpoint, where they thought they’d meet Israeli soldiers. The soldiers had fled, though, apparently to avoid confrontation.
“But within minutes, they came back,” Schneider said. “We were violently attacked by the Israeli military.”
The delegates, who were lying in the middle of the road to block the army, had tear gas hurled at them. When they wouldn’t move, the soldiers kicked them, Schneider said. “One gentleman from Seattle was violently jabbed by a gun,” he said. Another group had live ammunition fired over their heads.
Eventually, the protesters left, and the checkpoint was re-established.
Although the seizure of 50 tons of arms reportedly headed for the Palestinian Authority recently made headlines, Schneider said he’s not convinced that the true destination.
Because of geographical logistics, “it’s very improbable the arms would ever reach Palestine,” he said, adding the ship was in international waters when it was searched.
“But let’s say it’s all true,” he said. “What are these people supposed to do? People are supposed to get obliterated and slaughtered and not do anything about it?”
Both Schneider and Phillips believe their trip was worthwhile, but neither is hopeful peace is on the horizon.
“Under the current climate, it’s very bleak,” Schneider said. With George Bush or Bill Clinton, (Ariel) Sharon or (Ehud) Barak, it’s gotten worse and worse for Palestinians.”
Both agree the U.S. holds the key to the region.
“Americans need to see Palestinians as human beings,” Schneider said. “They should have the right to self-determination, the right to freedom and a good livelihood.”