News, articles and documents from the Holy Land

Issue No. 145 - Friday, 12 April 2002

Dear Friends, Brothers and Sisters,

Even if Mr. Collin Powel came, thing are going from bad to worse, it seems that nothing will be better soon: total Israeli invasion and occupation of all the Palestinian cities, strict curfew since more than two weeks, people cannot move or go to work they are in small cages in their houses and in big concentration camp in their cities and in a very big prison which is called the West Bank and Gaza strip. All humanitarian and medical services are absent, even ambulances of the Red Cross and Read Crescent are not allowed to move to evacuate wounded or killed people to hospitals. Electricity, water and telephone are cut in many parts. The Nativity Basilica is under complete siege since more than 12 days with 250 people inside without food, medicine, water, electricity or telephone. No near solution to this crisis is foreseen because the Israelis want them all to surrender and arrest them all. Many atrocities, brutalities, aggressions and even massacres are committed every moment and everyday in each Palestinian city, village and refugee camp, and still Mr. Sharon didn’t accomplish his mission, there are still more war crimes to done before the world walk up and see what destruction, blood and hatred will be left behind. From the other side there is blood and fear, and this is what happened when a young woman blow herself in a Jerusalem street leaving dead and injured people. This proves what we always repeated, that violence calls more violence and the logic of the vicious cycle.

In this atmosphere of fear and violence, we try to help and survive, and sometimes we feel hopeless because we are helpless, we cannot do anything to alleviate the suffering of these people since the political leaders of this country, the region and the world are simply blind and deaf.

For these reasons the heads of the Churches asked to meet Mr. Collin Powel, and will meet him tomorrow at 11.00 a.m at the American General Consulate hoping that he will hear the prophetic voice of the religious leaders and the churches of Jerusalem. They have already prepared a four points memorandum which will be presented to him and discussed during the meeting. We hope that he will capture the message which is a message of peace for our both peoples in this land. I will send you a copy of this message tomorrow soon after the meeting.

Our Patriarch will meet tomorrow also 7 members of the French National Assembly who are in the country. After tomorrow the Patriarch will lead the annual traditional procession of Haifa in honor of our Lady of Carmel and soon afterwards, he will leave to Rome for one day visit for very important meetings at the Grand Magisterium of the Equester Order of the Holy Sepulcher and then for a meeting and a launch with His Holiness the Pope John Paul II and other members of the Roman curia. I guess that they will discuss the current crisis in the Holy Land, especially the subject of the Basilica of the Nativity. I hope that all this will help to resolve the problem peacefully.

We are receiving many solidarity visits and letters from all our Sister Churches and we appreciate their concern, support care and interest on the Peace of Jerusalem, we hope that their efforts will give fruits and contribute fro peace. There is a solidarity visit by a small group from Pax Christi International, yesterday we had the visit of Archbishop of Athens with a big delegation (see below the common statement). I publish some of these messages in order to show you how much they are near of us and suffer and feel with us in this crisis.

You will find in today’s Olive Branch a lot of documents:

1) EXCLUSIVE: TOP VATICAN OFFICIAL SPEAKS ON BETHLEHEM CRISIS: Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran is the top foreign-policy official at the Vatican.

2) Common statement with the Archbishop of Athens about the situation in the Holy Land.

3) OFFICIAL COMMUNIQEEFROM THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM.

4) STATEMENT ON THE DESPERATE SITUATION IN THE HOLY LAND from the BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF ENGLAND AND WALES.

5) A statement of support and solidarity signed by hundreds of Catholic in the United States for the Heads of the Churches and the People of Holy Land at this critical time.

6) Message to the Heads of Jerusalem Churches From Churches Together in Britain and Ireland.

7) 3^rd Message from Ramallah from St Andrew Church By Rev.George Al-Kopti.

8) LETTER FROM BETHLEHEM (21) by Toine van Teeffelen.

9) Occupation Diary by Mary Masrieh, who is in the tawjihi class at St Joseph in Bethlehem.

10) Beit Jala diary under Curfew, from: Jaap Woudman: “He looks like Mr. Bean”.

A lot of material written to be read, but also a lot of efforts and prayers should be done in order to find a way out of this dangerous situation. I am sure that you will join these efforts and pray with us and for us.

Best wishes from Jerusalem City of the ringing bills Fr. Raed Abusahlia

EXCLUSIVE: TOP VATICAN OFFICIAL SPEAKS ON BETHLEHEM CRISIS

VATICAN, Apr 10, 02 (CWNews.com) -- Archbishop Jean-Louis Tauran is the top foreign-policy official at the Vatican. Technically he is the Undersecretary of State, also known as the Secretary for Relations with States. In that position, his duties include briefing the Pope on world affairs, including situations like the current crisis in Bethlehem.

Archbishop Tauran has been in constant contact with the papal nuncio in Jerusalem, Archbishop Pietro Sambi, about developments in the Holy Land.

On Wednesday, Archbishop Tauran agreed to answer questions from the Roman news agency I Media. The text of the interview follows:

I MEDIA: In the 9th day of the siege at the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, what is the situation?

ARCHBISHOP TAURAN: The problem at the basilica is a serious one, especially from a humanitarian perspective, because there are nearly 250 people-- of whom the majority are armed Palestinians, along with 30 Franciscan friars, four Franciscan nuns, five Greek Orthodox monks, and nine Armenian monks-- enclosed in the Franciscan monastery. The apostolic nuncio in Israel is devoting his attention to this situation.

There has been some talk about a plan for the Holy See to solve the crisis. I would prefer to speak in terms of prompt humanitarian actions.

I MEDIA: What solution can you propose to the situation in Bethlehem?

TAURAN: The Holy See has not proposed technical solutions. But we can share some ideas.

For example, we could think about setting up a joint commission, composed of both Israeli and Palestinian representatives, whose sole purpose would be to negotiate the withdrawal of the people who are inside the basilica. Eventually, if the two sides requested, the Holy See could assist here, insofar as it has a certain credibility. The moral authority of John Paul II is certainly noteworthy.

I MEDIA: The Franciscans seem to have taken a position in favor of the Palestinians, by remaining in the monastery after the armed Palestinians arrived, out of fear that the Israeli army would kill these militants. What is the position of the Holy See?

TAURAN: The Franciscans are insisting that they are not hostages, and that they are staying in their monastery because they want to be faithful to their vocation. For centuries, popes have relied on them to safeguard the holy places.

Generally speaking, all of the holy places of the three monotheistic religions must be regarded as inviolable. But with the Catholic sanctuaries, in particular, the tradition is reinforced by recent specific agreements, codified in international law. Both the Israelis and the Palestinians have entered into bilateral agreements [with the Holy See] in which they undertake to maintain and respect the status quo regarding the Christian holy places and the rights of Christian communities.

To explain the gravity of the current situation, let me begin with the fact that the occupation of the holy places by armed men is a violation of a long tradition of law that dates back to the Ottoman era. Never before have they been occupied-- for such a lengthy time-- by armed men.

Today we have arrived at a tragic situation in which both sides continue to insist that they are right…

It has become a practical necessity to find a solution. Certainly we can understand that the Israeli state must defend itself against terrorism. No one can justify the terrorism in any form. The problem is to find the right response. Too many times, it is the people who must pay the price. There must be a legitimate, measured response. It is a question of proportion-- between the evil and the means that are used against it.

The international community has repeated, many times, its desire to see these two states coexist. This is, without question, the only imaginable solution for this conflict. There is no other solution that could ensure peace between the two peoples of the region.

I MEDIA: Can you imagine the imposition of a peacekeeping force?

ARCHBISHOP TAURAN: More and more, it seems necessary to have a third party involved, to help everyone concerned put aside the language of warfare, take a new look at themselves, regain confidence in each other, and sit down around a table. As for the eventual form and structure of a solution, it is best to leave that to the advocates, because it isn't easy to find off-the-shelf solutions in this region!

What is important is to have an impartial, friendly presence. I have the impression that more and more people are becoming convinced of the wisdom of that suggestion-- which was put forward by the Holy See in November 2000.

I MEDIA: How is Pope John Paul II reacting to this situation?

ARCHBISHOP TAURAN: The apostolic nunciature in Israel, and the Secretariat of State, are keeping the Pope informed, day by day, about developments. The problems that we are discussing here have been the subjects of his constant prayer. He has, on several occasions, spelled out his position: mutual respect of both parties' legitimate aspirations; the application of international agreements; withdrawal from the occupied territories; and an international statute ensuring access for all parties to the holy places of Jerusalem.

These are the indispensable conditions for reaching a peaceful solution, and breaking the infernal cycle of hatred and revenge. Quite rightly, the Pope himself told the diplomatic corps, at the beginning of the year: "Both sides, the Israelis and the Palestinians, are losing through war; both sides can gain through peace!"

It is also important to keep in mind that for the Holy See, diplomacy is not an end in itself. It is a means we employ so that justice and spiritual principles prevail in international law. I would also certainly add that we as Christians always have a duty to pray for everyone involved, and never to lose sight of our respect for life and human dignity.

I MEDIA: The Christians in that region are caught in a crossfire, and tempted to leave their country…

ARCHBISHOP TAURAN: I think we have to be realistic. When you are living in a wartime situation, you can't ask everyone to be a hero. It is clear that there is a great temptation to leave, at least for those who are able to do so.

But it is the role of the bishops and priests to tell Christians that they have a vocation to remain. I think it would be terrible to have a Holy Land without the Christian presence which has been there over the centuries.

In order to avoid that outcome, we have to create livable conditions, to give them confidence in the future: a durable peace, decent housing, acceptable work. And I would also add the necessity of living in ecclesial communion, because the Christian community, united around the Pope and the bishops, is the best antidote to despair.

Common Statement

with the Archbishop of Athens about the situation in the Holy Land

On the occasion of his visit to the Holy Land with his retinue. His Beatitude Christodoulos, the Archbishop of Greece met, on the 11 of April 2002 and in the presence of H.E. the Greek Consul General in Jerusalem, in the Greek Orthodox Patriarchate in Jerusalem, with His Beatitude Irineos, the Greek Orthodox Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Michel Sabbah, the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem, His Beatitude Tourkorn Manogian, the Armenian Patriarch of Jerusalem and the Very Rev.d Father Giovanni Battistelli, O.F.M., Gustos of the Holy Land.

These very high ecclesiastical dignitaries exchanged opinions on the current situation in the Holy Land, and expressed their deep concern and anguish over the prolongation of the ongoing conflict which resulted with an unprecedented loss of human lives and destruction.

They concluded, out of their deep sense of responsibility, by addressing an urgent appeal to the political leaders of the two parties, assisted by the International Community, for the cessation by all means of every kind of violence and hostility, for the restart of negotiations towards the achievement of a final, just and lasting solution of the conflict, which would guarantee between other things:

1. The peaceful and harmonious coexistence of the two peoples in conflict and of all the inhabitants of the Holy Land.

2. The protection of the Holy Places of Christianity, Judaism and Islam.

3. The respect of the Status Quo of the Holy Places and the Christian Communities.

Jerusalem, 11 April 2002.

OFFICIAL COMMUNIQEE

FROM THE ARMENIAN PATRIARCHATE OF JERUSALEM

On Friday, 5 April 2002, the heads of the Armenian, Greek, and Latin Christian communities met with representatives of the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry, as well as with the commanders of the Israeli army stationed in Bethlehem. The meeting concerned the besieged condition of the monks from the three Brotherhoods in the Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem. The latter unanimously decided not to abandon the Holy Place of Christ's Birth, but rather to provide to the monks food and medication through the mediation of the International Red Cross.

Although the Armenian Monastery in Bethlehem is adjacent to the Church of the Nativity, it has its own separate entrance and exit. Only four priests and four lay brothers live in the Armenian Monastery. No armed person is in the Armenian Monastery

On Wednesday, 10 April 2002, at noon, one of the Deacons serving the Armenian Monastery, Armen Sinanian, age 22, was seriously wounded by a sniper bullet. The incident occurred when the Armenian Patriarchate had brought medications to the Israeli military personnel in charge to deliver to the Monastery's Abbot, Very Rev. Razmig Boghossian.

The injured Deacon was immediately transported by military vehicle to the Ein Karim City Hadassah Hospital. The bullet had penetrated his right shoulder blade, causing excessive bleeding. Deacon Mher Kostanian, also under siege in the Armenian Monastery for the past ten days together with the other seven residents, accompanied his fellow Deacon to the hospital.

Deacon Sinanian's bedroom window overlooks Manger Square in the direction of the Bethlehem City Hall. The latter is being occupied by the Israeli military. The electricity has been turned off, and requests to have it restored have remained unresolved.

On Thursday, 11 April 2002, at 10 o'clock in the morning, His Beatitude Patriarch Torkom Manoogian, accompanied by Archbishop Nourhan Manougian, Bishop Aris Shirvanian, and Bishop Sevan Gharibian visited Armen at the Hadassah Hospital. The doctors indicated that they had performed successful surgery, that the condition of the patient was stable, and that he was expected to recover soon.

Divan of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem

Thursday, 11 April 2002

BISHOPS’ CONFERENCE OF ENGLAND AND WALES

Low Week 2002 Meeting

STATEMENT ON THE DESPERATE SITUATION IN THE HOLY LAND

1 The Bishops’ Conference wishes to endorse and affirm Pope John Paul’s urgent appeal to the entire Church for prayer for those populations now being “lacerated” by violence and suffering “an unstoppable tide of human brutality”. We also reiterate the recent public statement of Cardinal Murphy-O’Connor in the face of events that “appal the mind and heart”: and we join with an appeal from the Patriarchs and Heads of Churches in Jerusalem that the international community “come to the rescue of all our peoples”.

2 The recent murderous attacks mounted from the Palestinian territories against innocent Israeli civilians, such as the one at a Passover supper, cannot be tolerated: they are moral outrages, both in their indiscriminate targeting of the civilian population, and in their effects. They betray the legitimate claims of the Palestinian people, and they inevitably erode aspirations for a just peace among Israeli leaders and the general public.

3 Recent days have also seen a renewed onslaught on the Palestinian territories, with indiscriminate and grossly excessive use of force in civilian areas and refugee camps. Scores of people, many of them unarmed, have been killed. Entire sectors of the population have been arrested. There has been seemingly systematic destruction of water-pipes and domestic water-tanks, of countless houses, and of roads and electricity-supplies. There have been attacks on churches, other religious buildings, educational institutions and public buildings, so that normal life has been paralysed, and people brought to the brink of destitution.

4 Public authorities have the right and duty to defend their people: indeed, advocates of each side invariably speak of their actions as “responses”. Nevertheless, the invasions of the Israeli forces into the Palestinian towns go far beyond the limits of self-defence, and even beyond the attempt to arrest or kill known militants. The invasions themselves escalate the levels of violence, so undermining any prospects of a peaceful resolution of the conflict, especially since their massively destructive force seems intended to crush all Palestinian institutions and to block the emergence of a viable Palestinian state.

5 Nor can violence be ended, or a just peace and reconciliation achieved, until the root of the present conflict is adequately addressed: namely the illegal occupation of the Palestinian territories in defiance of the relevant Security Council resolutions, UNSC 242 of 1967 and UNSC 338 of 1973.

6 We are encouraged to note that the international community is now seeking urgently to influence the conflicting parties. In particular, two recent resolutions of the United Nations Security Council, UNSC 1397 and 1402, rightly call on all concerned to ensure the safety of civilians and to respect the universally accepted norms of international humanitarian law: they also call on outside leaders to do all that they can to assist the parties to bring about a halt to violence and a resumption of the peace process. In this connection, too, we commend the courageous witness of the international peace observers.

7 Criticism of the actions of the Israeli Government or military neither constitutes anti-Semitism nor warrants anti-Semitism in any of its forms. In fact one tragic element of the situation in the Holy Land is its possible impact on the profound spiritual bonds uniting Jews, Muslims and Christians. The relationship with Judaism is intrinsic to the mystery of the Church; and the Church is constantly seeking to engage theologically and spiritually with both Jews and Muslims.

8 We offer our prayers to all those whose lives have been shattered by this terrible conflict, and will strive to express our solidarity with the Christian communities of the Holy Land, the ‘Mother Church’, in practical form.

11 April 2002

To the Heads of Churches in Jerusalem,

To All the People in the Holy Land, Palestinians and Israelis

From hundreds of Catholics in the United States

As concerned Catholics of the United States we write to you at this time of great tragedy and crisis to express our concern over the increasing spiral of violence that grips your land at this time, our grief over the loss of lives and the damage to the human dignity of both Israelis and Palestinians, and to pledge our support and solidarity to work with you to seek and encourage non-violent paths to peace in the region. We are individuals and members of Catholic congregations and institutions who have committed ourselves to statements and letters to promote new paradigms of thought and action in a world torn by violence and terror.

In recent weeks we have seen and read of the fear that grips the people of the Holy Land. The occupation of Palestinian areas, the blockades and closures, the increasing activity at settlements on the West Bank and Gaza, have destroyed the daily life, economy and infrastructure of the Palestinian people. Israelis live under a constant threat of suicide bombings that take place without any notice, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Especially tragic are the effects these military actions and bombings have on women and children, the most vulnerable of any society. With each new act of violence any hope for peace is diminished.

As citizens of the United States we recognize that our nation has done little to help in stemming the violence. Both sides have called on the U.S. to intervene, to speak out clearly, and to insist strongly that the violence end and that negotiations for peace resume. Until recently, our national leaders have done little to respond to the pleas of either side, choosing to make largely ineffective statements, failing to speak with the legitimate authorities, and allowing the cycle of violence to continue by providing military aid to the Israeli army without insisting on an end to the violence, especially aggressions against the Palestinian civilian populations. We are encouraged that in recent days our leaders have spoken out more clearly about the need to end the violence and we are hopeful that Secretary of State Colin Powell's mission to the region will sow the seeds that will bring about an end to violence and a renewal of the peace process.

However, in the current context of the so-called "war on terrorism," we are concerned that the escalation of this war is being extended to people based on the actions of a few. We deplore any violence, suicide bombings and military actions, that kill and maim civilian populations, destroy the infrastructure of nations and territories, instill fear and lead to further violence. The actions of a few cannot justify labeling an entire people as terrorists and thereby justify an expansion of military actions.

Because of the inability of political leaders to effectively end the violence, we grieve over the loss of lives and the many who have been injured, some quite severely, because of the bombings and the military attacks. In addition, the human dignity of each Palestinian and Israeli is destroyed when they are forced to take actions against one another including the harassment at checkpoints and the closure of Palestinian areas, preventing free movement in the region. These actions violate established international agreements, including the Geneva Conventions that provide guidelines for conduct of nations and treatment of peoples during times of conflict.

Finally, we pledge our solidarity and support during this time of crisis. As individuals, and working in collaboration, including dialogue with you, we will press our government to support and take effective action in implementing U.N. Security Council Resolution 1402 which calls for an immediate cease fire, a withdrawal of the Israeli military from Palestinian Territories, and a resumption of negotiations that will lead to an effective and just peace in the region. We call on Israeli and Palestinian leaders, and the United States, to agree to an international peacekeeping mission that will ensure the safety and security of both Israelis and Palestinians. We will insist that our government pursue a balanced policy in the region calling for an end to the violence, recognizing the responsibility of both the Israeli and Palestinian leadership. We will also call on our government to end military aid to Israel, including the transfer of any military equipment since that aid is being used against a civilian population.

We are mindful that 2000 years ago, the Holy Land was under occupation by a foreign military power. People of the region, Jews and Gentiles, awaited the day when occupation would end and they could live in peace and security. Today, Israelis and Palestinians, Jews, Christians, and Muslims, still await the promised peace that God intends for Jerusalem and for which we are all commanded to pray. For that to happen the violence must cease and the occupation must end. People have to be given hope, hope for a homeland, hope for security, hope for lives free from fear and terror.

As children of the One God, we also join you in praying for peace. Political solutions have not been enough. In this land, sacred to three faiths, political solutions will never be enough. Hearts open to the God who has chosen this land to reveal our common humanity, the God who has invited us all to find a home in Jerusalem, must also have an effective place in bringing about a just and lasting peace. We need new visions of peace, visions that will take root in our hearts and flourish in our actions. Our prayers at this time are that peace will take root in all hearts affected by the violence and will begin to flourish in our day.

The attached names are of Catholic of all walks of life; bishops, clergy and religious, laity. They are involved in pastoral ministries, education, social justice, and businesses. Their names are added to this letter to send a message of hope and solidarity. Organizational affiliation is for identification purposes only.

Message to the Heads of Jerusalem Churches

From Churches Together in Britain and Ireland
12 April 2002

Greetings in the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

We are writing as members of the ecumenical delegation which visited the Middle East for two weeks in March 2001 under the auspices of Churches Together in Britain and Ireland. We spent the week of 17-24 March in Israel-Palestine. During that time we were privileged to meet several leaders of the Jerusalem churches as well as political, diplomatic, church and non-governmental representatives.

In the report of that visit, "Who is my neighbour?" we recorded the haunting words of Archimandrite Cornelius, "Delegations come, delegations go, nothing ever changes". We brought these words back to the UK and Ireland and shared them in our churches, being mindful of the role Britain played in helping to create the conditions for long-term conflict in the land we call "holy".

Since our visit we have tried in ways that have been open to us to contribute to the quest for a just peace in the region. We are always conscious of the inadequacy of our efforts. We nevertheless hold you and your churches in our prayers.

In these dark days, when the crisis has descended to a level which we never dreamt possible, we send you this message of comfort and support, thanking God for the witness which you make in the city over which Jesus wept - and still weeps.

It is our fervent hope that the Powell mission will bring a sea-change to this desperate situation, though it is too much to say that we are optimistic. In the meantime we are maintaining dialogue with the British
and Irish Governments on ways by which they may contribute to the achievement of a ceasefire and rapid movement through negotiation to a conclusive settlement that ushers in an era of peace and security for Palestinians and Israelis alike.

With every good wish and continuing prayers,

Yours sincerely,

Very Rev.Dr.Robert Davidson Church of Scotland
Rev. Frederick George Baptist Union
Rev. Christopher Gillham Congregational Federation
Ms. Gillian Kingston Methodist Church, Ireland
Rev. Sigrid Marten Church of Scotland
Mr. Paul Renshaw Churches Together in Britain & Ireland
Rev.Dr.Frank Turner SJ Catholic Bishops' Conference, England and Wales
Rev. John Waller United Reformed Church

3^rd Message from Ramallah from St Andrew Church

By Rev.George Al-Kopti

Dear friends,

We had some time today to move after they lift the curfew for three hours, I have visited some families from the congregation and friends when I discovered the crisis: two families found their houses opened after their doors were cursed, furniture is upside down, some destroyed, one family lives in fear for the Israeli army didn’t come to his house yet, he has three children and living near Arafat’s headquarter, they have no electricity, phone line..., another family suffered last night when the Israeli soldiers came in at 2.00 a.m. and forced her to wake her four little children up by moving her by the gun on her shoulder which is aging till this moment. People in Ramallah suffers these days from the shortage of food and money, food, especially vegetables becomes so expensive for it needs several transportation stations to get into Ramallah.

The sister churches in the area of Nazareth sent us some food to distribute, but we can’t get them for three days because the Israeli army forbids it to come in even through the UN help.

We ask for your prayers and support to have our freedom again, our right to live, our children to play and our students to go the universities & schools.
We ask for PEACE AND JUSTICE TO PREVAIL IN THE HOLY LAND.
Rev.George Al-Kopti - Ramallah

LETTER FROM BETHLEHEM (21)

Toine van Teeffelen

8-10 April 2002

It is unavoidable that children want to go out when being closed up for a week, especially in view of the beautiful spring weather. The birds whistle their inviting songs. Some gardens are explored, hesitatingly. Jara has made contact with the neighbours’ children and wants to play with them. I help her to climb the rocks into the neighbour’s courtyard. The normal entrance from the street side is out of bounds. Nobody dares to tread the streets during the curfew - except for a single journalist who managed today to enter our area in Bethlehem, walking on the streets with hands in the sky, a white flag in one hand.

* * *

Some of Jara’s plays reflect the political situation. Yesterday she asked me to stretch my hands so as to handcuff me and put me in prison. In fact, there are some hundreds of blinded and handcuffed men from the Bethlehem area who are presently held in a military camp on top of Beit Jala. In another game, Jara takes a tree branch and uses it as a walking stick, playing a man who is injured by Israeli shooting. Afterwards she picks up the stick and makes a shooting gesture. Like kids do, she brags in front of the other children that she belongs to the shabab, the armed young men. She parades with her breast forword, shouting ween al-sha’ab ‘arabi - where is the Arab people, a well-known song often displayed on local TV. Meanwhile she keeps laughing and tells other kids not to be afraid. She divides the world in people who shoot and who don’t. Watching Tony Blair on TV, she suddenly asks, “Does he shoot?” And when we dream a bit about swimming once all this is over, she does not want to go to the swimming pool in Jerusalem, “because the Israelis will shoot us there.”

Although in normal times I abhor the repeated loud honking by cars, I now long to hear something other than the almost idyllic silence hanging over Bethlehem. Yesterday morning we heard a long sirene. I quickly walked out to hear whether there was any emergency, but it turned out to be the sirene to commemorate the victims of the Holocaust. Due to the proximity of the settlement of Gilo, we hear the sirene almost as loud as in any part of Israel. I wonder the reactions of the people here to this absurdity.

More lively sounds come up. At our neighbour’s garden Jara and I play with the dog. The dog starts barking at another dog, the other dog responds, a cat joins the choir, Jara’s friend is able to imitate a monkey’s cries, and in seconds a jungle is created. Some neighbours put their face out of the window. A semblance of ordinary life. Then there is the sound of a faraway shot. Silence follows immediately. After a while the voices of life dare to come out again yet never comfortably.

The night’s silence can be threatening, too. When our neighbour’s dog barks during the night, we are concerned that soldiers are near the house. The dog never barks without reason.

During both day and night we hear sporadic shooting, a single shot or the retetet of heavy gunfire. It is unclear where it comes from or to what it is directed. Suzy says that in her neighbourhood – she lives close to the Nativity Church area, which is really besieged – tanks roll by and shoot aimlessly. She does not see anybody on the streets. The fire just serves to intimidate people. At one point she and her sisters and mother heard fire from all sides and they were all running in the house to seek cover, each choosing a different room, calling each other to join. She tells that during the latest opening hours, she left the house to immediately meet eye to eye with a sharpshooter who stood on a balcony just some ten meters away. She froze, and strangely she thought he froze too. After a lifetime moment she continued walking.

I hear that a couple from Dheisha were being shot at during such opening hours and forced to flee into a nearby house. They could not return to their own home and remained separated from their baby. More than ever Mary and I are relieved that nothing happened during and after the birth of Tamer. This afternoon Mary hears that during the weekend the pregnant sister of a former neighbour got contractions, called for an ambulance but could not get any car close to her home which is located in a tense area. She finally went on foot, and fortunately managed to reach the hospital in time. In her area (Wadi Ma’aleh), people cannot even leave their houses during opening hours and now face severe shortages in food and medicine. A friend of ours, who is a social worker, is all the time phoned by people from that area who ask her counsel: What to do with their kids, how to get food? She heard that opposite the mosque at Manger Square the second floor of a family was taken over by soldiers who made a mess in the rooms, broke furniture, and left faeces on the floor. Other people in that same old part of Bethlehem downtown have also been chased away, or forced to take refuge in part of their home. This especially happened in buildings chosen by sharpshooters.

On local TV we watch an Israeli balloon hanging above the Church of Nativity complex, apparently in order to videotape what is happening in and around the area and to spot possible attempts to bring in food into the church where both the clergy and the Tanzim who have taken refuge there face shortages of all kinds.

* * *

The worst thing that can happen to the people – except for being injured or killed – are the house to house searches. Mary lately had a nightmare about it. Fortunately it does not happen in our area, yet. We hear stories of polite soldiers who do not damage house wares but we also hear stories of cruelty or humiliation. Sometimes male youth are picked up and taken into detention; something of which the parents are afraid. Elias, my colleague in the United Civilians for Peace monitoring project, tells that close to his home the mayor’s house was searched. The man was ordered to stay outside in the garden while his daughter was forced to show the soldiers every room. The soldiers also asked him to take off his clothes. He asked them: “Do you know to whom you are talking?” “Yes, they said, “you are the mayor.” He of course refused to obey. I wonder how his future talks with Israeli mayors will be.

In our area we manage. Unlike others, we do have electricity, water and telephone, and can leave the house every three days. Maybe that after a while the shops will run out of supplies. But it is nothing compared to what is happening in a city like Jenin. Mary tells how she heard a mother on the radio who told that the bulldozers destroyed her house to make way for a road through the camp. At the moment of the interview, she was desperately looking for her child of three who could be under the rubble.

We think of Jara, and don’t think. Filling the bath tube of Tamer, we make ourselves up for one of those little moments of daily life which we cannot help but to cherish - as if through Tamer we hold on to life.

Mary Masrieh: Occupation Diary

Monday 8/4

Here I am in the place where Jesus was born, now a most terrifying place. Monday last week we woke up at 1:00 A.M. I could hear bombing and shelling everywhere. At 4:00 I ran to my mother’s room and hid under her bed because the bombing was very close. My father looked from the window and counted twenty tanks all around our house. They entered the old town of Bethlehem near the Nativity Church. My father has a shop there. Since a week no one is allowed to walk in the street or to look out from the windows. We don’t see daylight; we have covered all windows with blankets. As if we are buried.

Our house has two floors, one for us, the other for my uncle with his three small children. We stay all the time in his place because it is safer there. I don’t move, I just watch TV. Bethlehem is really a small town in which Moslems and Christians live together, and we know everyone. We knew Omar Salahat who was killed near the church while he was checking his restaurant which is near my father’s shop. (They kill anything that moves, even a cat). The Israelis went into so many shops. My uncle’s friend has a jewelry shop; they stole 10 kg. of gold.

Thursday 11

Today was the worst day. Not because of what is happening in Bethlehem – we got used to it. Tanks all around, I can’t sleep, I can’t study. I just cried all day what happened elsewhere, especially in Jenin. Hundreds of people killed. Many lie in the streets for three or four days, nobody can bury them. They don’t allow TV to come in.

Now I can hear tanks near my room. It has become normal. I don’t feel afraid. I wake up at the sound of bullets and I go to sleep at the sound of bullets. I was not afraid when, two days ago, I went out to buy some bread with my four-year old cousin. The tanks in the street started to shoot and shell. Two days ago a man was killed on the street while he was bringing food to his children. He went out during the curfew because his family was in need.

The situation in the church is still the same. I called father Rafael. He is one of the priests in the church. He told me that they had not eaten anything since six days.

I can’t really write everything because I can’t translate my feelings into normal words. In this world, the truth is buried. When you say a word of truth you are smashed and killed under their tanks.

Friday 12

Now I am sitting in the garden because we are allowed to go out for two hours. I can see the people rushing to the markets and stores to buy milk and bread. There are some children playing and others are talking to each other. Five minutes ago the tank near our house started shooting in the air while we were all out. Thank God, nothing happened and none was injured. Then two tanks approached us. Everyone went inside but I stayed outside.

Two days ago they buried a Moslem in the church. There was no place to bury him. I know so many people there and now they are without food for a week.

Everything changed in my little town. The roads are damaged, cars are crashed. Even trees are damaged. Bethlehem is not Bethlehem anymore. It is now a desert with destruction everywhere. There is no hope for us to live peacefully. Now there is no difference between life and death. I prefer death so I don’t see those evil crimes done to my people. Maybe it will be safer in the other world near God. My cousin asked: “Why can’t we play and have fun like other children in this world? What did we do to suffer?” I laughed and told him that it is a crime to be Palestinian.

Beit Jala diary under Curfew

(from: Jaap Woudman, mobile: 050-612732, e-mail: jaapwoudman@hotmail.com)

April 9 “He looks like Mr. Bean”

“He” is the German foreign minister shown on Bethlehem TV. I try to imagine him with a turkey on his head during Christmas. Whatever role he’s playing in the Middle East conflict, Jomana is right: he surely looks like Mr. Bean.

Jomana is 31 years old, a Beit Jala resident, and handicapped. Not only is she grounded in a wheelchair, but she depends completely on charity. Since March 30, she has no work, no transport and no income. It was the day that Israeli tanks rolled into Bethlehem and Beit Jala. It was the day we started to supply her and her friend Randa with food: rice, sugar, flour, and eggs.

Jomana’s only family, two sisters living in Ramallah, often chat with her by mobile phone. Once, they came to Beit Jala. The 25 km from Ramallah by sherut (Arab public taxi) took them more than 3 hours, via snaking roads through the desert to avoid Jerusalem and the many Israeli checkpoints. For Arabs, such an adventure is now out of the question.

Today, Jomana’s remaining social diversions are Randa, my family, the mobile phone and an old television with three local channels. But she knows Mr. Bean. And more important: how to make jokes. The best weapon against a gloomy mood. She tells us about soldiers being ambushed in the town of Jenin, the north of Westbank: 13 Israelis dead, following the massacre at Jenin refugee camp. Israel mourns, but also starts to protest (Jerusalem) against Sharon’s bloody military operation, the so-called “Protective Wall”.

Many Palestinians in the crisis areas such as Ramallah, Hebron, Jenin and Bethlehem, start to feel the lack of basic needs. Supplies in supermarkets run out. To get food becomes a problem. Yesterday, we observed long lines of customers before bakeries and groceries in the short period between curfews. Distribution points of (free) food for the poor have become fighting points. The wrong people take too much, stuffing their big cars, helped by strong family members, shoving others aside. There is no control, no authority to coordinate the mess. Survival of the fittest.

Writing this in the evening, I‘m disturbed by a familiar sound outside: tanks. Three of them moving beside our house. What are they doing here? To be sure, I turn off the light, go upstairs to the roof, peep around the corner and see them turning around. Apparently, they cannot climb the last steep part of the country road to the old center of Beit Jala. From the flat roof, I can see them rumbling back. Are the Israelis going to search our house too? My daughter Amarantha of 6 doesn’t want them to come. They are stupid, she says bravely. Then, she starts to whisper, signaling her smaller brother to do the same, so the soldiers will not hear them.

The nearby presence of the tanks puts me in a dilemma. Better not try to go to Jerusalem tomorrow as planned, and leave the house unguarded. I have heard stories from Jomana and others about Israelis ransacking homes, damaging all interior property of residents without any reason. Confronted with a foreigner, most likely the soldiers will think twice to do so. If they are stupid, as my daughter says, and do as they please, I most definitely will nail them publicly. In any case, we’d better stay home for some days more, and see what happens.

Listening to the residents here, they fear that Israel will continue its assault, and that it will not give way to persistent international pressure to withdraw from the besieged areas. They indeed seem to do exactly as they please. No matter what interference of mr. Annan, mr. Bush, or Jomana’s Mr. Bean.

April 10. After a week of silence, a suicide attacker strikes again in Israel. This morning, one blew himself up in a bus from Haifa, on its way to Jerusalem, leaving a trace of death. The Hamas activists claimed responsibility for the attack, warning that their actions will continue a