July 9th, 2003.
Nicholas Sarchet, CCMEP
I arrived here Monday afternoon. Paul and I got turned away at the
Huwwara checkpoint. The soldier wouldn't even talk to us, just made us get
out
of the service (group taxi) and walk away. We caught another service to the
Awarta
checkpoint which is only a short distance away. The soldier asked us why we
were go to Nablus. We told him we were going to the hospital in Rafidiya.
He asked if we were with the Red Cross and we said no, just going to work
with the children. He let us through. We then caught yet another service
and came to Balata Refugee Camp. This is the longest lasting refugee camp.
The city of Nablus is the largest Palestinian city with over 300,000
residents. The refugee camp has over 3,000 people.
We are staying above the home of a now dead suicide bomber. He is
considered a martyr, as are all deaths related to the occupation. Three of
his friends were visiting the gravesite of another friend who had been
killed by helicopter fire (Chinook helicopters provided by the US government).
Soldiers opened fire on them in the field and killed all three. As an act of
revenge, Jihad Titi (whose brother rents this space to us) and five of his
friends
planned six individual suicide attacks. He was the first and did it near
Tel Aviv.
Pictures/posters of martyrs cover many parts of the walls everywhere.
Yesterday we went to a demonstration at the University in Nablus. The
students and faculty were very welcoming. The protest pertained to the
desire to have Palestinian prisoners released.
Later, we walked around the Old City of Nablus and saw many areas of
destruction. One of the local ISM coordinators, Qusai, just graduated
from music school and took us for a party at a Turkish bath. The men went
first, and then they actually let the women go, too. It was very surprising
unfortunately they did not have a gender queer version, so I had to pass
on the experience. I did meet an amazing 16-year-old named Huzmah. He took
us
to get great falafel for dinner and then invited us to his home. I met
his parents and two of his sisters. The whole family, including another
elder brother all live in the house. It is quite small. Huzmah speaks English
very well. His family offered us tea and his sister, who studies fine arts,
showed us some of her work.
Huzmah also showed us a beautiful piece he and his sister did together. In
March, soldiers came and shot out one of her windows. He collected the
pieces of glass and glued it to a board just as the window was. You can
see the bullet hole. Then they painted a beautiful abstract flower on the
glass. It was amazing.
We come back to Balata Camp to sleep. We are on the third floor and have
three rooms, a bath, and a small ineffectual kitchen. The men and women must
sleep
separately. It was very hot. Their were seven in my room, next to a
bathroom that smells very bad! The bathroom is a hole in the floor that you
flush
by pouring water down the hole.
Today we traveled to Sara to visit an occupied home. The soldiers came
in February and took over the 2nd floor of the family's home.
More on that later. I AM TIRED and tomorrow we are going to remove a
roadblock early in the am.
Much love and thanks to those who have
written. I appreciate reading
your words!
Journal #2
Today was quiet for the most part...went to
a check point, but instead
of the roadblock removal (there were so many of us we were afraid we would be
turned away at the checkpoint near the roadblock at Beit Furik), I went to
Huwara checkpoint to observe. This was the same checkpoint I was turned
away from the other day. All was quiet and the soldiers weren't hassling
anybody so we stayed for a bit and then left for Nablus. In Nablus I toured
the prison that was attacked by the Israelis trying to kill a Hamas leader
who was hiding out there. Instead, the attack killed 12 Palestinians
including
at least eight guards. I also toured the destroyed Mucado (kind of like a
mini-mall/market) with homes above.
The destruction was overwhelming. I shot a lot of video. Many, many
were killed, including women and children. The Palestinian police officer who
walked us around spoke of hearing the babies crying.
There was a rose bush just outside...it was blooming while we were
there. There are very small simple bits of beauty amongst all the
destruction.
Later this afternoon, I traveled to the city of Azmut where we visited
with Aziza, a local activist with whom we are coordinating an action with for
Saturday. She was amazing, and strong, and passionate! The village,
as well as two others, are affected by an off-and-on checkpoint as well as a
trench that has been dug around the village and has been filled with sewage
by the IOF. Many villagers who aren't allowed through the checkpoint will try
to get to Nablus by walking around the checkpoint and going through the
ditch.
This has caused many to become sick with hepatitis. On Saturday, the
women and children of the three villages will dye the sewage red and give
speeches in a non-violent protest. We expect 500 including three Israeli
peace
activists and 30 internationals. I will probably miss it as I need to be in
Yanoun.
Tomorrow there are two roadblocks to remove on the village of Tell, starting
at 6 am.
I am learning a little Arabic, very slowly. The kids here are great
and very friendly! I can ask them their names and ages in Arabic and tell
them mine. The all know how to say "Hello, what's your name?" and yell it
everywhere we go.
I just finished a lovely dinner of falafel, some cherry yogurt, some
grapefruit drink and some wafer cookies. I am headed to bed soon for the
early morning.
Peace,
Nick