Kairos Crowthorne goes live

The Kairos Group has decided to create a Kairos Crowthorne blog. This will be open to other people to write about Israel/Palestine and so I will now focus my efforts on that blog - kairoscrowthorne.blogspot.com . 

Arrived safely

I am delighted to have arrived home safe and sound. The journey to the airport was straightforward and the security light.; The flight was very comfortable and I met a Russian Jew who told me her story, so another article coming soon on that. Looking forward now to catching up with Tracy and all my friends and family. Thank you again to all those who prayed for a safe journey.

Meeting a Russian Jew

On my way home from Israel, I sat next to a young lady who told me that she is Russian. Her family lived close the the border with China and life was very hard - her mother did not get any wages for a year. Being Jewish, her family was offered the chance to come to live in Israel and they now live in Tel Aviv, where she is very happy. She was on her way to America for a holiday.

She has a job, and is learning to cope with four languages - Jewish, Arabic, English and Russian. Life is much better for her and her family. I mentioned that I had been living in Bethlehem. and she made a face. The problems there were not of her making and she told me that she does not wish to become involved. I understand that for many Jewish immigrants there is no connection to what the Israeli Government is doing - they are just pleased to be treated well.

Then she surprised me by telling me that she served in the israeli army. I was even more surprised when she told me that she was in a tank regiment! I asked if she drove, but she said the boys liked to drive the tank. I did not see any tanks while I was in Israel or the West Bank. When I think of soldiers in Israel, I will think of her and remember that they are just ordinary people asked to do difficult things.  

I realise that there are many in Israel who live well but at the cost of pain and suffering for others. It will be difficult for these people to give equally to others if it means limitations on their own lifestyle. 

On my way

I am on the way home and writing this at the departure lounge of Tel Aviv airport. I left Bethlehem at 8am and travelled from by Palestinian bus to Jerusalem, then Israeli tram to Jerusalem bus station, then israeli coach to tel Aviv and finally an airport bus to get to the airport. The security at the airport was thorough, but I had no problems answering the questions, so am very pleased to be waiting for my flight to board. We expect to land at 8:25 this evening at Heathrow. Thank you so much for all the prayers - they have been answered and I will soon be back home.

Saying goodbye at the Church

This is Damascus Gate, part of the wall around the Old City of Jerusalem. The Old City is about 1 square kilometre. The wall was built around 1535 and is about 12 metres high, 4 km long, and 2.5 metres thick. You can walk around the top of it and get a wonderful view. It was built around 1535 under the Ottoman Empire under orders from Suleiman I.

I am in Jerusalem for the last time today before I start my journey home tomorrow. The East Jerusalem Baptist Church is in an area with a complicated status. The population of East Jerusalem comprises mainly Christian and Muslim Palestinians. Israel has "annexed" this part of Jerusalem into the rest of Jerusalem, but this is not internationally accepted and still challenged as being part of the occupation. However, life on the surface appears "normal" with Jews and Palestinians co-existing with the many tourists. I regularly go to this coffee bar which is Palestinian and has been here since 1960.

The Church was packed this morning with people from all over the world- Australia, New Zealand, Sweden, Malaysia, America, and UK. It was a joyful occasion as Christians from all these countries worshipped and praised God together. I said my farewells - I shall miss this lovely congregation. I was invited to stay for lunch, but have been invited to lunch with Odette, so had to decline.

Bethlehem viewed from Jerusalem

On the way home I am reminded of my privileged status here as I travel back to Bethlehem from Jerusalem. This is the walled city which is Bethlehem from the Jerusalem side. This view is of the camp where I live. The fields in the foreground are in the West Bank, so are Palestinian, but have been annexed by Israel - the wall runs right next to the houses, so the people have no open space in which to breathe and play. 

On the way into Jerusalem, the bus stops and all permits are checked. Some Palestinians have to dismount for permit inspection, others stay on the bus - I have not worked out why. My passport is checked but I have no problems as Internationals are allowed anywhere. On the way back we drive straight through as the Israelis don't check people entering the West Bank - obviously not a security risk that way round. 

Back home I am invited to have lunch and refuse the second time! I am hoping that I do get lunch at Odette's!

Land Day tomorrow

Tomorrow is "Land Day". I am going into Jerusalem for Church, but will need to be aware that this is a sensitive day.

What is it that Palestinians commemorate on Land Day?

Copy of an article by Arjan El Fassed 

The Electronic Intifada 

30 March 2001

"On 30 March 1976, thousands of people belonging to the Palestinian minority in Israel gathered to protest Israeli government plans to expropriate 60,000 dunams of Arab-owned land in the Galilee. In the resulting confrontations with Israeli police, six Palestinians were killed, hundreds wounded, and hundreds jailed. In the intervening years, those events have become consecrated in the Palestinian memory as Land Day.

After years of military rule and political docility, Land Day 1976 was the first act of mass resistance by the Palestinians inside Israel against the Zionist policy of internal colonialisation, a systematic process of expropriation that had reduced Palestinian land ownership from around 94 per cent of all territory in pre-1948 Palestine to less than three per cent in what is now considered to be Israel.

After years of quiet ostracism by the PLO and the Arab states, Land Day reaffirmed the Palestinian minority in Israel as an inseparable part of the Palestinian and Arab nation.

The Palestinian minority in Israel

Today, Palestinian Arab citizens of Israel comprise approximately 19 percent of the total population of the country, numbering close to 900,000. They live predominantly in villages, towns, and mixed cities in the Galilee region in the north, the Triangle area in central Israel, and the Negev desert in the south. They belong to three religious communities: Muslim (76%), Christian (15%), and Druze (9%).

In 1947, the Palestinian Arabs comprised some 67 percent of the population of Palestine. During the Arab-Israeli war of 1948, approximately 780,000 of the pre-1948 Palestinian population fled or were expelled to the fate of becoming refugees in the Arab states and in the West. Of the 150,000 Palestinians who remained in the new Israeli state, approximately 25 percent were displaced from their homes and villages, and became internal refugees. As a result, the Palestinian Arab population in Israel found itself disoriented and severely weakened.

From 1948-1966, the Palestinians in Israel lived under a military administration, applied only to them, despite the fact that they were declared citizens of the state in 1948. Military rule severely restricted their fundamental civil liberties, including freedom of movement, speech, and association. Up until 1965, attempts to organize the Arab community in Israel in pan-Arab movements were forcibly stopped and these associations outlawed.

The Israeli authorities also massively confiscated Palestinian-owned lands. By 1993, over 80 percent of the lands owned by Palestinian Arabs living in Israel had been confiscated and placed at the exclusive disposal of Jewish citizens.

Israel never sought to assimilate or integrate its Palestinian citizens, excluding them from public life while practicing systematic discrimination in all fields. Successive Israeli governments maintained tight control over the community, attempting to suppress Palestinian/Arab identity and to divide the community within itself. To that end, Arabs are not defined by the state as a national minority: rather they are referred to as “Israeli Arabs” or by religious affiliation."

Last day at the Holy Land Trust

Today is my last day at the Holy Land Trust. I shall miss the walk each day through this beautiful city, where every person greets me as I pass. And I will miss all the wonderful people that I have met. 

I learn new things every day. Today I switched on my laptop and it told me the time had changed by one hour. Daylight Saving Time has started! I didn't know. I race to HLT and find it deserted. Elias arrives and tells me that Israel changes the clocks today, the West Bank changes the clocks tomorrow, and of course the UK changes on Sunday. I'm glad that is sorted!! 

Daily hits on the blog

This blog is private in the sense that it cannot be seen by search engines - I have switched that option off. It can only be accessed by someone knowing the url (kenperrett.blogspot.co.uk). I am therefore very pleased with number of  daily "hits" and am grateful to all the people who have followed my story. When I get home I shall make it searchable so that others may have the opportunity to read the stories. 

While I have been here writing the stories, Tracy has been at home reading, checking and commenting on the stories, providing support, printing of the newsletter and keeping people informed, as well as coping with all the many things I normally do at home(!?!), including the Church website. I am deeply indebted to her for supporting my trip here in every way possible.

I look forward to coming home on Monday, even more grateful for my peaceful, happy, comfortable life at home. But I will not forget this friendly, gracious and hospitable place, or its pain. 

Meeting a Settler

Today I went to Kfar Etzion to meet Myron Joshua, a Settler. If you have been following the blog, you will know that I met him in the street in Bethlehem. My readers may not realise the significance of this statement, but every Palestinian does - it is extremely unusual to meet a Settler in Bethlehem - they are told it is illegal for them to enter. The Palestinians all ask me "what was he doing?" Some say "maybe he is spy". All suspect his motives. So now I can answer their questions. 

Regional Administration Centre

I travelled in a "Service" (shared taxi) with another international. We were dropped off on the main road south of Bethlehem and I called Myron. He kindly came with a vehicle from the Kibbutz to pick us up. While we were waiting, he suggested that we have a look around the supermarket at the junction with the main road. This was quite contentious at the time of building as it would be used by Jews and Palestinians. The Rabbis feared "integration" and other Jews were worried about suicide bombers. It seems to be working, but the only Palestinian we saw there was peddling goods outside the store. Myron told us that there were some Palestinians employed as check-out staff, but there were some tensions about how many Jews and Palestinians were employed. We guess that the store owner is Jewish. 

We had only gone a few yards when Myron stopped to pick up a Palestinian. He was going to the regional administration centre and so Myron drove him there, and told us about the process.

Waiting for permits

 Palestinians have to come here to get a permit. They queue in this empty room until called to go through the turnstile. Myron spoke to the Palestinians to ask them about their experience. The Palestinian in the photo told us that last time he waited from 8am until 1pm and then was told to go away and come back in 3 weeks! The others had been waiting hours. There is no human face they can react with. The Palestinian asked Myron to help, but Myron told us he had no influence on the process. 

Hirbeit Zakariyah

 We looked out over the land. Myron told us that some of the fields were Jewish and some Palestinian - he could not tell. We asked about the provision of water, as our experience is that you can tell - Jews get water and Palestinians don't. He told us he didn't know, but that was one of the issues he felt he should know more about. 

Mohammad Saad

In this surprising itinery, we then drove to a Palestinian village - Hirbeit Zarariyah. Here Myron met and introduced the mayor - Mohammad Saad. 

Myron told us about the efforts of some of the people from the Settlement to get building permits for this village - in particular for the school here. The village is, of course, a startling comparison with the Settlement we were to visit, but Myron puts this down to long-term lack of investment in infrastructure by the administrations - Jordanian and Palestinian. Of course, this is now Area C land, which means that no building by Palestinians is allowed by Israel, even though this is in the West Bank. 

This fascinating, yet unexpected, itinery continues when Myron tells us that he has had a call and needs to go to Nahalin. This is the Palestinian village nestling in the valley surrounded by Settlements on all the hills. We take the bumpy track to the village and encounter a road closure - due to the installation of a major water drainage pipe by the US. Myron negotiates with the Palestinian guarding the barrier and we are allowed to enter. The excavators give way and we squeeze through and on into Nahalin. We pick up Mahmoud, who turns out to be Myron's barber! He needs to get to the kibbutz at Kfar Etzion, so Myron finally takes us there. 

We walk into the Settlement. There was no security on the gate. We notice the green grass (with built in watering system). All is calm and pleasant - the soldiers sit having a smoke under the tree.

Myron did not tell us, but I researched Kfar Etzion - I did not know the story. Kfar Etzion was a (Jewish) kibbutz established in 1943. It was at the heart of the tensions between the Jews and the Arabs and was attacked on the day before the State of Israel was declared on May 13th 1948. Most of the people in the kibbutz were killed by the Arab legion. Israel retaliated and killed all the Arabs in a neighbouring village. There is always a dispute about who started the war. The date of the "massacre" is remembered as Israel's Day of Remembrance. The orphans of the kibbutz pressed to return and were allowed (by Israel) to came back to resettle in 1967. This was the first Settlement in the West Bank. Myron came here in 1971 (from America I think). There are now around 150 families, about half of which are in the Kibbutz and half not. 

While we are here, Myron tells us two more stories. A Palestinian who worked in the Kibbutz was injured in a fire and needed hospital treatment. They called for the Settlement ambulance to take him to Hadassah hospital in Jerusalem. However, the Palestinian would not be allowed through the checkpoint as he had no permit for the hospital! In the end they decided to take him in a military ambulance that is not checked. An act of kindness amidst discrimination. 

Myron also told us about the play area nearby. This has been established for Jewish and Palestinian children to meet and play together with their families. 

We heard about some violence by the Settlers. I read later of Settlers who had burned a Mosque. The Rabbi and several others from the Settlement went to apologise and to take gifts of copies of the Quaran.

Our time had come to an end and we took our leave. Myron told us that he had struggled to tell us his story, and we felt a similar confusion. Myron is a kind, peaceful, man and I enjoyed meeting him. I discovered that he attended several sessions at the Christ at the Checkpoint Conference, and that he participated in Sami's workshop. There was a simple explanation for his presence in Bethlehem.

As we travel back to Bethlehem, we pass this outpost. Temporary (white) buildings are replaced by new houses (with red roofs). Another sign of the inequality as Israel builds another new illegal settlement.

This visit gave rise to considerable discussion back home in Aida Camp. Can Settlers be kind and peaceful, while living in an illegal Settlement, while Israel discriminates by refusing Palestinians permission to build on their own land, by requiring permits to travel and work, by allocating four times as much water to Jews as Palestinians? 

I believe that all are equal in God's sight. People here are not treated equally. The occupation is wrong and Israel will destroy its own soul if it continues. Good people like Myron live in physical comfort, yet moral discomfort with the injustice. Other Settlers just live in comfort and ignore the "arabs" as they call them. Should good people move out of Settlements as they are illegal, or should they live there and do what they can to make other Settlers uncomfortable and try to make life better for Palestinians. A complicated question!

Getting involved in the disturbances

The Israeli Defence Force replaced a section of the wall on Sunday. Today the young people pooled their cash and bought some tyres - made quite a show this afternoon. The unrest continues. Photo courtesy of Facebook (not mine). 

The family asked me last night why I did not get involved in the disturbances here. When there are noises, the children rush to the window (or as yesterday go up on the roof) to see what is happening. Several of the internationals in the house get fully involved, filming and talking to the soldiers and the young people. Around 8 Palestinians and two soldiers have been injured in the clashes. The family are, of course, concerned for others here - they are mostly related, and seem disappointed that I do not want to demonstrate solidarity with them by going out on the street.

I told the family that I see my role as telling people at home what is happening, reporting the injustice and working for peace. I do not agree with violent means, either by the soldiers, or by the Palestinians, though I can feel the frustration of people who have been imprisoned and face oppression every day. I am in full support of removing the oppression which makes their lives almost unbearable. For young people, it is all they have left to show that they resist this occupation - to throw stones at  soldiers with guns. I will use the pen and the word to do this.

I am hopeful that the nations of the world will right this injustice. Sadly the people here have seen many, many international visitors, and still nothing changes. They do not expect me to make any difference. I aim to prove them wrong.

Repentance and Forgiveness

During my stay here, I have read Professor Tom Wright's book "Luke for Everyone". I have just completed it. Tom Wright obviously has a deep knowledge of the issues of this land and writes with great insight and sensitivity on the subject. This has been invaluable to me as I struggle to come to terms with the issues here.

Tom ends the book by saying that "it is impossible to give an account of the conflict in which one side is responsible for all the evil and the other side is a completely innocent victim. The only way forward is the one we find hardest at very level: repentance and forgiveness."

Britain has a share of the responsibility for the situation here. I think it would be good if we expressed repentance for this as a starting point.  

Working on my presentation

I already have a couple of requests for me to speak when I get home, and so I have started preparing a presentation. The main reason for this is to check that I have all the facts I need to tell people the story. 

The tension in the camp continues. I can hear the occasional sound bombs and smell the tear gas. The children are drawn to the windows to see what is happening and have to be told to come away, in case a bullet is fired directly at the house. This picture is taken from the wall and you can see that our house stands up above the others. 

Clare and Johnny Anastas

In 2002, amidst the second intifada, and while the children were at school, the military turned up and built the 8 metre high wall on three sides of this house, which lay on the main road into Bethlehem. Overnight, this prosperous family, with several shops, lost their business and became isolated. They have been told that they will be shot if they use the roof of the house. 

Today, Clare is in the US talking about the experience of the family. Meanwhile I spoke to Johnny, who told me how they have tried to cope. 

They have a gift shop which caters for the people that come to see this strange site. He also now offers an unusual type of guest house, for those keen to find out more about the situation here.

Why this convoluted wall. Well Rachel (Jacob's wife) was buried in Bethlehem, but Israel has managed to extend the security wall so that the tomb can now only be accessed from Israel. 

Of course, this is just another of those "security" issues.

Who fired first?

There are a lot of stories here about Palestinian "terrorists" being killed. Unfortunately, the method is usually the same - dozens of soldiers turn up at the person's home, with automatic weapons, rockets, grenades and tear gas. 

They always claim that the Palestinian is a terrorist, that he is armed and that he fired first. Local people sometimes refute these claims, but it makes little difference. 

The soldiers always storm the building and kill the Palestinian. We will never know if he was guilty of a crime. As this usually happens in sensitive areas, it often triggers a riot, and then more people get shot.  If these terrorists are always armed, one would expect more Israeli soldiers to be shot, but this is rare - one was wounded last September. Just google "Soldier shot Palestine" and see who shot who.

UN Human Rights Council Resolution

Many of the international rulings seem to have little impact on Israel. 

However, the UN resolution to be voted on this week means that international companies who deal with settlements may be held liable for violations of  international law. Many companies are already withdrawing from involvement with Israeli settlements. 

Just read my blog on my visit to the Jordan Valley last Friday to know more about the human rights violations there. 

This resolution moves the debate on from simply "Boycott" by personal consumer choice, to "Ban" - meaning that the products will not be available. 

Israel is now responding by relabelling Jordan Valley settlement goods as "Made in Jordan" to avoid the boycott. 

Extract from Haaretz March 23rd

The United Nations Human Rights Council in Geneva is scheduled to vote on five anti-Israel resolutions later this week, one of which includes a call to boycott and divest from West Bank settlements.

The draft resolution as published by UN Watch in Geneva states that the Israeli settlement enterprise makes Israel responsible for serious violations of international law, and calls on UNHRC member nations not to facilitate the continuation of these violations. “The direct or indirect assistance of States and private entities to the settlement enterprise constitute obstacles that have frustrated international efforts for the end of the occupation and fulfillment of the right of self- determination of the Palestinian people,” the resolution says.

The draft also notes “the probability of liability, including international criminal liability, for corporate complicity in breaches of international law related to illegal settlements,” and expresses satisfaction “that some businesses have withdrawn from settlements due to awareness of these risks.”

The resolution calls on all nations “to implement the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights in all circumstances, including in Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, their territory and/or under their jurisdiction, including those owned or controlled by them, that conduct activities in or related to the settlements, respect human rights throughout their operations, by taking all necessary steps — including by terminating their business interests in the settlements.”

The resolution also calls for UNHRC member states to inform private persons and businesses of “the financial, reputational and legal risks, as well as the possible abuses of the rights of individuals, of getting involved in settlement-related activities, including economic and financial activities, the provision of services in settlements and the purchasing of property, and to prevent and discourage such involvement.”

Three days of tear gas, rubber bullets and sound bombs

The creation of a symbolic hole in the wall by the young people in the Aida camp has triggered intense clashes around the house where I live. Sound bombs, tear gas and rifle fire has been constant for three days. The soldiers arrived in huge numbers on Friday evening and the clashes have continued since then. 

It is strange how life continues normally, even when a tear gas canister hit the window blind on Saturday and jammed there, filling the apartment with gas. The children run around the apartment, trying to catch sight of the action, whether soldiers or Palestinians. They collect the canisters afterwards as trophies. 

It is all totally one-sided, as the soldiers have guns and the palestinians have stones - everything will stop when the soldiers feel they have made their point and leave. This illustrates how the violence is always a response to the military oppression.   

Extract from Ma'an News 

BETHLEHEM (Ma'an) -- Two Israeli soldiers and eight Palestinian youths were injured as clashes with Israeli forces in Aida refugee camp north of Bethlehem continued for a second day on Sunday.

Locals told Ma'an that Israeli forces raided several houses in the camp, taking them over and using them as military posts while firing tear gas grenades throughout the camp.

Local youths responded by hurling rocks at Israeli forces.

Israeli news site Ynet reported that two soldiers "sustained light to moderate injuries" and were evacuated to the Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital in Jerusalem.

Witnesses in the camp said that two Israeli soldiers from the border police were injured in the camp after Palestinians threw bricks at them from a rooftop near the camp school.

Israeli forces opened fire at the camp after the incident, and called for reinforcements in order to evacuate the injured soldiers.

Director of emergency services Muhammad Awad said that eight Palestinians were injured with rubber bullets during the clashes, one of whom was shot in the head with a rubber-coated steel bullet when soldiers opened fire on protesters. He was later evacuated to the hospital.

Israeli forces also opened fire on the car of Associated Press photographer Iyad Hamad as he was covering the clashes.

15 individuals suffered from excessive tear gas inhalation during the clashes.

Soldiers also inspected vehicles in camp and prevented the movement of locals, despite the heavy presence of tear gas in residential areas.

Israeli police spokesperson Luba al-Samri said that Palestinian youths threw "improvised explosive devices" and Molotov cocktails towards members of the border guard near Rachel's Tomb, and confirmed that two border guards had been wounded after being struck by rocks and empty bottles.

The clashes come a day after heavy clashes in the camp, as locals protested against Israeli forces' killing of three Palestinians during a raid in the northern West Bank city of Jenin on Saturday.

During those clashes, Israeli forces detained three journalists and tried to use them as "human shields," one of the journalists told Ma'an.

Our final visit in the Jordan Valley

Our final visit of the day was to a very isolated community. We left the road and drove up a rocky track to arrive at a camp with two tented families. The families live in tents because they are not permitted to erect a building. 

Rashid took us to this small building and sat down. We knew that there was a story here and so we listened. This is the new school! Rashid and other JVS supporters have erected this building using mud bricks, timber and plastic sheets.

The children of this community have to travel many miles to get to school. The school bus stops on the road up the steep hillside from the camp. The bus is not allowed to wait if the children are late, and the families are wary about the children waiting on the road with settlers passing by. There are 50-70 children who would use this tiny building as their school. 

The problem is that, until the school is finished, it is at risk of being demolished. Rashid told us that the Israeli military knew that about the building. As this is an isolated area, we asked how they knew. He pointed to a hilltop and a mast, with a camera. All areas are watched by the Israeli military. The delivery of the building supplies was a complex logistical exercise to avoid them being confiscated.

As Abu Mohammad brought out the tea, I began to understand how Jesus and his disciples managed to travel around the land. Hospitality is universal. Abu Mohammad told us his story. He moved here from the Southern hills of Hebron following harsh treatment from the military there. He keeps sheep and goats in partnership with his neighbour, but life is proving difficult. 

There is no water supply or electricity. Abu Mohammad has to buy the water and needs two tanks per week (cost £24). He has experienced rocket attacks when grazing sheep and tells us that the military is now using wild animals and birds of prey to attack the sheep. In winter the ground is waterlogged and no-one can leave the site. Water and animal food is brought by tractor (at extra cost). 

The day draws to an end, and we leave these communities to return to Bethlehem. We thanked Rashid and Adrielle for all they had told us about this area. 

With so many hardships, it would be easy to be angry. Yet we see no anger, just resolution to stay in this land. Adrielle told us that she had never seen anyone even throw a stone. Now we understand the headline we saw as we arrived at "To exist is to resist". It has been a privilege to travel the road with these brave people.

I have often heard it said that there are always two stories. After what I have heard today, it is difficult to find another valid story. People in the settlements live a wonderful life at minimal cost to them, but the State not only subsidises them, but pays the moral cost of discrimination, apartheid and ethnic cleansing. Maybe the cost is not so low after all.  

Visiting a community in the Jordan Valley

Rashid and Adrielle took us to visit two small communities to the north. As we drove, Rashid explained.

There are few roads in the Jordan Valley. Highway 90 goes down the middle and is the arterial road. Access to all the villages and settlements is via this road. There are a few roads which climb up through the mountain to the West Bank cities (Ramallah, Nablus etc). There are 5 checkpoints, plus the entry point to the West bank on highway 90. With the strategic closing of minor roads (by tipping a load of rocks in the road) Israeli controls all movement in and out of the Jordan Valley.

Treatment is random and unpredictable at the checkpoints. Palestinian trucks loaded with produce may be delayed, or asked to unload the whole vehicle (for checking) before being allowed to pass. Trucks carrying building supplies can be stopped and confiscated. We were initially refused entry at one of these checkpoints - in a hired Israeli vehicle. After waiting for 20 minutes we were allowed to pass. Rashid and Adrielle were held for 3 hours on their previous occasion (and for no reason other than "security").

We saw several roads and miles of ditches, all designed to isolate the Jordan Valley from the rest of the West Bank. 

Some roads are in a poor state. Rashid told us that they are "not allowed" to repair the Palestinian roads.   

We passed a Mosque - Rashid told us that the military has cleared the people from the village as it has been designated a military zone. The military are using the Mosque as their office.

We stopped by the roadside and called in to see this delightful family. We sat and listened to their story, while they served us with coffee, then tea, then cold drinks

The family have no electricity and no water. At the back of their house is a large Israeli well pumping water out of their land to the settlements. They have 10 goats and 2 sheep - the children took great delight in showing us the animals.

Unfortunately, this is not sufficient to keep the family, so two of the women work in the settlement picking fruits and vegetables. The work is hard and not reliable as they work as and when required. They get paid £13 each for a full days work. The Israeli court has ruled that the settlements must pay a minimum of £4 per hour, but they don't. 

And finally, we were invited to stay for lunch. We were embarrassed to receive so much from this family that had so little, but Rashid told us it would not be considered polite to refuse, so we gratefully accepted. They brought a huge plate of chicken and stuffed vine leaves that were delicious. We ate while the women and children watched; we wondered if we were eating their meal.

Finally, after lots of shaking hands and thanks, we were back on the road. I have never experienced such grace and generosity anywhere We were strangers on the road, and they gave their very best to us.

May God bless this lovely family.

"The Jordan valley is the key to the peace"

Rashid said "The Jordan Valley is the key to the peace"

I asked him to explain this statement. The Jordan Valley is the only international connection of the West Bank. Palestinians are not permitted to use Ben Gurion airport. If they wish to fly, they must first obtain a permit from the israeli government, and then must travel out of the West Bank across the Allenby Bridge checkpoint to Jordan to fly out of Amman. 

If Israel retains the Jordan Valley, then all entry and exit to Palestine will be controlled by Israel, just as is the case for Gaza. All exports, all imports will be controlled by Israel. Israel will be able to slowly strangle Palestine, just as it is doing with Gaza. Of course, Palestinians can choose to leave, but they can never choose to return, as Israel does not permit this. 

Then I understood what Rashid meant.

Incredible day in the Jordan Valley

Fasiyil Community

We spent six hours with Jordan Valley Solidarity (JVS) learning about the issues in this part of the West Bank. 

The Jordan Valley is an area 75 miles long by 9 miles wide, fringed by the River Jordan to the east and the mountains to the west. It constitutes 30% of the area of the West Bank and is extremely fertile. 

Jericho is in Area A, which means it is administered by the Palestinian Authority. Most of the remainder of the Jordan Valley (88%) is designated Area C, which means that it comes under full Israeli Military control. 95% of this area is not accessible to Palestinians - 49% of which has been declared "State Land", 46% closed military area, and 20% nature reserve. Some land is taken directly, some is fenced off as a military area for 3 years, and then confiscated as it has not been cultivated (under Ottoman Law). Nature reserves can be reclassified as State land when required. 

Jordan Valley Solidarity

We met JVS at Fasiyil, which is just north of Jericho. Their HQ is the oldest house in the village being over 80 years old. This is important as it helps to refute the Israeli claim that this is Jewish land to which the Palestinians have recently moved.

Rashid

Rashid is a passionate Palestinian. His family was displaced - like many Palestinian families they moved into the city and now live in Tubas. 

Adrielle is Brazilian. She is spending some time here providing practical help and support to the Palestinians. They both told us the story of the people here.

Adrielle

There are around 60,000 Palestinians living in the Jordan Valley. The vast majority live in Jericho. Around 10,000 live in 20 scattered communities through the area. 

Around 10,000 Settlers live in 39 agricultural settlements, on the land taken from the Palestinians. The vast areas of crops require water. Israel extracts water from the River Jordan and from deep wells which have been dug all over the Jordan valley - 28 out of the total of 42 Israeli wells are in the Jordan Valley. The volume of water in the River Jordan is now reduced to a muddy stream, being only 2% of the flow in 1945, due to extraction by Israel and Jordan. This means that the settlements have 45 million cubic metres of water per annum. 

Palestinians living in the few Area A villages receive piped water - just 64 litres per person per day. You can see their crops dying in the fields for lack of water. A few communities survive as they have long-standing wells.

Palestinians who live in area C do not get piped water. They have to buy water in tanks like this, which hold 3 cubic metres,  at £4 per cubic metre - an average family with a few animals requires 2 tanks per week - £24. It is too expensive to water crops with this water. The Israelis sometimes turn up and confiscate these water tanks. 

The Israeli wells are 700 metres deep. The JVS well is 60 metres deep and has run dry because of the water extraction. JVS has approval to deepen the well to 150 metres and we watched the work - they do not know yet if they will find water at this depth.

Mud bricks

All Palestinian buildings in Area C are deemed illegal and therefore subject to demolition. Part of JVS's work is to assist Palestinians to rebuild their homes when this happens. The Red Cross has, until recently, provided tents, but the military returns and confiscates these, so they have, for the time being, stopped providing tents. 

JVS is using the sustainable technique of making bricks from mud and straw. They are using these to build new structures. These are illegal without a building permit. No Palestinian gets a building permit. Israelis do not need a building permit. 

Fasiyil School

This amazing building is a school, built using mud bricks. The small communities lacked schools and so the children faced long journeys (25 kilometres) to and from school. JVS  has built this school in Fasiyil. Under the Oslo Accord, the Israeli military cannot demolish an operational school, so these are vitally important for the community. JVS has also built a health centre using the same technique of mud bricks. 

After a look around the village, we set off to visit a couple of the communities in the Jordan Valley. 

Tear gas in the apartment today

Lots of military activity in the street outside. A tear gas canister just hit the blind and filled the bedroom with gas. Everyone carries on as if this happens all the time (because it does). One international (American lecturer) arrived and took refuge here, but has gone now. Another has his own gas mask so is out on the street taking photos. 

The wall starts coming down

On Thursday night, young people in the Aida Camp drilled a small hole through the wall. Yesterday Israel retaliated by entering the camp last night with a huge force of soldiers firing tear gas into houses and in the street. Several people were injured and one international photographer was hit in the head by a rubber  bullet. One of the internationals in our house has just left to visit her in hospital. 

As they gaze at the beautiful Bethlehem land on the far side of the wall, these young people dream that one day they will have the freedom to escape this prison. The fulfilment of this dream lies with the international community. While it stays silent, the injustice will continue. 

The cry "Let my people go" echoes a Jewish cry of long ago, but today it is not the Egyptians who are the oppressors. 

Travels in the Galilee

We set off from Ibillin this morning and headed east for Tiberias. We were pleased to see our hotel as we arrived in Tiberias around 45 minutes later. Then we turned north alongside the Sea of Galilee. 

We called in to see the boat which was found exposed when the lake was at a very low level. It has been beautifully restored. Then we drove up to the Church of the Beatitudes and sat on the hillside overlooking the lake to read the sermon on the mount. We all enjoyed the moment thinking about Jesus teaching here over 2000 years ago. Not much has changed in this area since then. 

Onwards again to see Capernaum, the town where Jesus spent the early part of his ministry. This is nicely presented as an excavated site showing the synagogue and Simon's house. 

Marianne and Lloyd paused for a paddle in the Lake at the Church of Simon Primacy, where Jesus forgave Peter and commissioned him to lead the Church.

Then we drove back to Tiberius and settled in to the hotel. After a short respite we were off into the centre of Tiberius to have a meal. We had a lovely meal together.

Back at the hotel we are still working on the arrangements for tomorrow. We are expecting to meet Adrielle, a Brasilian lady, who will show us around the Jordan Valley. 

Future plans

I started to panic this afternoon as we had no accommodation and no confirmation of our plan for Friday. The hotels in the Galilee area are extremely busy and most were completely full. After a lot of work on the internet and telephone calls, we have booked into a hotel in Tiberias, in a good location. 

Tomorrow we will leave after breakfast to visit the Galilee. It is about 40 minutes drive from here. We hope to visit Capernaum and take a boat out on the Sea of Galilee. Weather looks good, so excited about that. 

On Friday we are planning to join with Jordan Valley Solidarity for a guided tour of the Jordan Valley. This is the main focus of the trip for me. We are still waiting for confirmation of that tour, but God has not let me down so far, so trust that he is working on this. I have the Holy Land Trust working on it as a back-up.

Meeting some great people

In the morning, we were fortunate to join a group from the US who were visiting the school and had arranged to meet Elias Chacour.

When we got back from the talk, another group was just arriving and they came and had lunch in the guest house where we are staying. In the afternoon they had a tour of the school and returned for the evening meal. We joined them for both meals. 

As they had been unable to visit a class, the school had arranged for some of the senior pupils to come along and share the meal and conversation with us. The photo is of Lama, Noor and Rema. All the young people were charming, full of life and wonderful advocates for the work of this school. They are Israeli citizens, and either Muslim or Christian. Life is OK for them and they have great aspirations for the future. Elias was certainly right when he said that the future of the Palestinians is in the hands of the young people, and today I feel more hopeful. These young people are proud to be Palestinian and have something to be proud about.  

Meeting Elias Chacour

I think Elias Chacour is one of the wisest people I have ever met. He spoke to us this morning and I was spellbound by this amazing man. He is a wonderful example of how to behave amidst this difficult conflict. I will always treasure my visit here.

He said so much that I want to capture. I will try to share some of the key points. 

He said that it is not wise to be in a hurry to give answers. "When you have been here a few weeks, you feel that you want to write a book, and after being here a few months you feel you should write something and after a few years, you no longer know what to write." I am finding this to be so true.

Elias told us he is full of contradictions. He is proud to be a Palestinian. He is an Arab. He is a Christian - now Archbishop of all Galilee for the Melkite Church (but has his retirement party today.) He is an israeli citizen. He had learned 11 languages and said that now he just tries not to forget what he knows. How is it that such great men are so humble and modest?

He told us that we should not come to tell the Jews, Muslims and Christians how to live together. They know how to do that, and have done that for thousands of years. The past 67 years are the exception and we just need to return to the situation we knew before.

He is a living example here. The school he founded has 2,300 pupils and draws pupils from all over Israel and Palestine - even to the Negev in the far south. The children are Muslims and Christians. They had Jewish Children as well until the state required the school (as for all Jewish Schools) to have pre-army training. The school refused and so they were not permitted to have Jewish pupils. They do have Jewish teachers though, and organise summer camps for Jewish, Muslim and Christian young people.

Elias told us how he came to Ibillin. He was ordained in 1965 at the age of 24. He was assigned to Ibillin. He had been given an elderly VW and set off for the village. He missed it and arrived at the Sea of Galilee many miles away. He turned round and finally found it, late at night, near Haifa on the west coast. At that time movement was restricted, there were no proper roads, no electricity and no water in the village. He knew that the priest would have a house and asked where his house was - there was no house, no bedroom, no toilet, nothing. So he lived in the VW for 6 months! His Bishop forgot him and he was there for 38 years, until called by Pope Paul II to become the Archbishop. 

This is a young community - 50% of the people are under 14. Elias realised that he needed to focus on the children. He arranged summer camps. In 1981, the movement restrictions were lifted and 5,000 children signed up for the summer camp. He did not know how to feed them, so prayed for a miracle. Then he realised that every children has a mother and he visited every one of the 30 villages to organise the mothers. 300 mothers came every day to feed the children and he had his miracle. 

The elderly in the village told him they needed a school. So he started building one. He could not get a building permit and the police came and told him "you need a building permit to build a  school". He replied, "no, I don't. I need sand and cement." He was summoned to court 37 times, but still he continued. The school started with 80 pupils and 4 teachers. The child were taught in the morning  and helped build the school in the afternoon. In 2,000 they had 4,500 pupils from 73 towns and villages. The school covers primary, junior and secondary teaching. 

He was trying to build a further building and had been waiting 6 years. he had spoken to everyone, but none could help. So he flew to America and called on James Baker, Secretary of State, at home. Susan Baker answered the door and asked him if he had an appointment. "No," he said, "We don't do appointments, just appearances!" He was given a drink before being asked to leave, when Susan told him she was expected a group of ladies for a Bible study. Elias asked what they were studying and she told him the Beatitudes. He told her that this was written by a neighbour of his and asked how she would understand what he meant when she did not come from Palestine. He was invited in and talked to the group. So started a friendship. He returned to Palestine without mentioning the building permit. Susan Baker contacted him and they prayed regularly together over Skype - as he put it, they spoke to God on the telephone. Then he rang the Bakers and said he needed help over the building permit. James Baker flew to Israel and petitioned the Prime Minister - Elias got his building permit the next week. 

Elias told us that, if we wanted to take sides, please not to bother, because Israel and Palestine do not need any more enemies. First and foremost we are not born Jewish, Muslim, Christian - we were all born equal, as babies. We need to continue to treat all with equality, dignity and respect and to support the people of Israel/Palestine in finding their common future.