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A letter to say goodbye

From Jerusalem, the Holy City
On 6 September, the first Friday of Ramadan


Lieber Jürgen,
Thank you for your encouraging words for my discharge from the Holy City. You put the Holy City in quotation marks and write in brackets, still you held fast to this title. I had given you my hand but never encouraged. But now I want to respond to them.

First I owe you thanks! You saw me through this year are true, I followed in my ways and to the encounters in Bethlehem and its surrounding villages and in Yanoun, a small mountain village. You helped me, the little horrors of everyday life and great horror at the consequences of the occupation of Palestine for both occupied and occupier, to reflect on and endure. So you were with me in Bethlehem and in Yanoun. And we were always in between in Jerusalem, is where our office and where I was also used when no one else was there. That was often an additional burden, especially for the soul. Imagine, then, because you so about the "Holy City", went to Jerusalem.

"The carrier of Jerusalem", photo by Sliman Mansour

had to accompany me in Jerusalem house demolitions and displacement of families. But I also had time for me to move through the city to sit and wait for someone to be part of the people who live in Jerusalem or experience it as a travel destination, as businessmen, tourists or pilgrims. And then again the observation of house demolitions, of occupation and plunder of the houses by Jewish settlers and expulsions. What a horrible task! And what a goodbye now, to see that in the three years that I perceive this problem, nothing changed, nothing has improved and that the courage to believe in a just solution that has sunk, especially Palestinians. They understand that time is working against them. The world looks and sees it , but she gets used to the situation in Palestine and Israel. And they can give the evil. This is what the Palestinians this and still hold firmly that their holy city of Jerusalem and Palestine is their land, a magical land created for dreams and visions .

"A woman with Jerusalem", photo by Sliman Mansour

I'm standing on the roof terrace of the hotel where I spent the last two nights. The city is known only by their lights, close the so-called Tower of David, all around the old fortress wall from the heyday of the Ottoman Empire, the Old Town with its towers and domes, in the west, the new Jewish town and on to the edges of the settlements, which have placed the winners of the recent wars in the former surroundings. There were once the villages of the Palestinians. Whatever you see, determines that night and all night here, it is the traumatic scenario: The winner take all around the Palestinian city and country to country in the middle of their house by house. It is their Holy City, the city under the Holy Zion. You have a law and then Jerusalem is the undivided capital of Israel forever.

Today is the first Friday of the fasting month. has started four days ago of Ramadan. A Friday in the month of fasting to all Muslims in the country offers the opportunity to fulfill their duty and in the Al Aqsa mosque or on the large square in front of her, pray to the Haram as-Sharif. Many have their festive robes, white robes and white Keffiyas of the men who have made the hajj, or pilgrimage to Mecca. The women wear festive, colorful embroidered dresses and beautiful wide head scarves. It is a holiday. No seller of pastries, coffee and cigarettes are here today. Food odors, water bottles, cigarette packs are banned. All the bright day fast. Prayer this Friday and utterly this Friday or in the front of the Al Aqsa Mosque is the culmination of the Lenten week, it means a thousand times more than an ordinary prayer at home. From around the country they come from. Early in the morning at five in the first clock are at the gates - not just outside the city, if not all are - but the checkpoints. Military and border police here have prepared themselves and have built a barrier in front of the barrier, here the 12-meter high wall. There are the soldiers on surrounding rooftops, their snipers and machine guns are stationed. Jeeps are parked in such that the narrow entrances between the concrete block by the men and women separately and individually passed through to be able to be closed. The soldiers can only men over 50 and the younger only by special permission for religious purposes. Inside, in the checkpoint, the men are still controlled again to life and luggage and on their papers. The pious men take the up, the waiting and checking take sometimes up to two hours, but it was much better than last year, say observers. The women over 45 and between 35 and 45 with the "religious license" may use the newly created entrance, the third goal through the wall, whose construction we have observed in recent months with the worry that the only tourists or for Women, children and the sick will be opened. The women must not enter into the terminal. They are only once "manually" controlled by soldiers and then at the terminal by road led to where the buses are back, that they had traveled. There they are, troubled, most do not know this business at the checkpoints. They are waiting for their husbands who are left ... hopefully by then they leave for Al Quds, "The Far," as the city is in the Muslim tradition. It is the third of the Holy Cities, Mecca and Medina. Al Quds, where the Prophet Mohammed had been placed in one of his nocturnal visions, and where it had the angel Gabriel brought directly into the open sky. Al Quds is the natural capital for the Palestinians and all Arabs and all Muslims, the inviolable holy city.

Today, I had no breakfast because I had to leave early on the hotel. But yesterday I was at the Knights Palace. My counterpart at the breakfast table, I easily recognized as pilgrims from Down Under, Queensland in Australia, he then explained, told of his pilgrimage in the Holy Land. But he was without to make this clear, was only in Israel. For 2 hours, his pilgrimage by bus across the border traveled to Bethlehem. It was quite easy, not 5 minutes we had to wait, and the soldiers were very polite, he said. He also asked what am I doing here and listened to short, but understood he does not. The Holy Land was simple and accessible to him: the Via Dolorosa, the Holy Sepulcher in Jerusalem's Old City, Nazareth, Mount of Transfiguration, the Sea of Galilee - all he had seen in a few days. Palestinian Christians, he was hardly meet et, was the leader of an Israeli and the priests who worship the pilgrims had thought they were, English spoken, he recalled. He had seen the Holy Land Christian, Islam and Judaism his tour group was not met. For this particular book would be a long journey, "he admitted. But the main thing, the holy places which they had yet seen.

Tonight I will visit a friend in West Jerusalem. In the synagogue not far from her house I have been twice, it is Orthodox, while politically minded, but men and women still sit separately. Our hostess is like in another, very small synagogue, where is this separation is removed. Together with a colleague from our social program, we will take with her the Sabbath meal. We will speak German, because she is German, many years ago came into the country and to Judaism converted. After the visit will be time to experience the night of the Sabbath at the Wailing Wall, where thousands of faithful from Jerusalem, especially from Mea Shearim, the quarter of the "religious" as they are mostly full-called dressed in black from their secular compatriots, to hasten. Single men, families, groups of young people who pull the still or singing and dancing through the gates of the Old Town. The Muslims and Christians withdraw then. This night between Friday and Saturday are the Jews . The old town is filled with her crush. Tourists and pilgrims, then, if not already in their Hotels are jostled or pushed to the edge if it does not take place. At the Western Wall, there is a solemn mood. Jerusalem, the city of David, the city of the First and Second Temples is focused on their Jewish center, the Wailing Wall.

had between my morning at the checkpoint and use my visit to the Jewish Jerusalem I have time - not only to start this letter - but for a walk in the old town. I attended a workshop for artists ceramic . It's nice to look at the big bowls and vases, small objects and tiles. Unlike the stores, everywhere in the souks memory offer and utility ceramics featuring Jerusalem, is here to see old Armenian art. Bold colors and ancient motifs that had brought the Armenians, as they did hundreds years ago in this province of the Ottoman Empire came the bowls, vases and tiles decorate. A tile I liked it because it is the skyline of Jerusalem, in my opinion, is excessive mystic: the Hurva Synagogue (still in ruins), Church of the Sepulchre and Church of the Redeemer, the minaret between the two and the Dome of the Rock with its golden dome. You get the otherwise cheesy in all forms. Here I liked that the Armenian colors all in an unreal, heavenly plane moved. The City of God he will descend from heaven. Christmas they will be where people still desecrate their own story, their pain and their dreams. Where do they follow with boots, sneakers or sandals with her wishes and ways.

The sanctity of such a vision of how the Armenian on the tile, I can take you. It shows the city of God , not the people it claims as God and how they could contact the doings of the people for good. This vision helps me, hope for an end to the fear that a bomber could mingle with the prayer, an end to fear, the walls and sniper needs an end of impotence, with the losers of the war Israel here raise their claims and an end to ignorance, worship with the Christian pilgrims dead stones in this country and an end to tenure - it helps me to keep hope alive on an end to this hopeless time .

So, my dear friend, you're still in the coming week birthday. And this is my greeting for you. The tile I take with me on my way home. We will soon see, but you shall know that you have accompanied me on my last walk through the city. I will take a few pictures and you enclose - from the "holy city" as you can not leave to say.

Salaam maleikum! And Shabbat Shalom! how to say this evening is here! Peace be with you, as the beginnings of our Christian faith have yet hello and goodbye! Your
Gottfried

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Migros is rethinking its marketing strategy
With the help of external consultants reviewed the orange giant 250 brands currently on his heart and kidneys. He tried to determine a few core brands.
----------------------------------
Still the same problem. Our own people are too stupid.

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Ex Libris corrected listing - booksellers remain firm

The Booksellers and Publishers Association sued against Ex Libris SBVV because of a misleading advertisement. Ex Libris has corrected the listing, the SBVV complains further - the frustration runs deep.

stumbling block: The Ex-Libris listing.

Ex Libris praises on large advertisements 30 percent discount on all books - and can enable small booksellers fear for their existence. So it was a godsend for the booksellers association, as the Ex Libris on Friday on the listing the new book by Franz Hohler applied with incorrect pricing. The SBVV sued for "breach of Prices."
"systematic deception"

Ex Libris gave the error immediately, in the advert in the Sunday press, he was also corrected. Nevertheless, the action draws the SBVV back. "The suspicion remains that it is not an error, but that Ex Libris deliberately misleading customers," says Dani Landolf, SBVV managing director.

Ex Libris deceiving not only customers, but trying to "systematically destroy the diversity in the book trade." LANDOLF seems a desperate struggle. Did he think because of winning the trial of Ex Libris? "Yes, the we will win," he says decisively. And: "Anyone who promotes false is punished. Point. "The fact that he can slow the action Ex Libris, he does not believe. But: "We want to send a signal."

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peace for Yanoun

window
The window is wide open, it's summer. Behind me, the students are loud and boisterous. It is the last day of vacation, but from Jerusalem, a group of musical instruments, toys and good cheer come. They play with the children and playing with enthusiasm.
The window is wide open. We are in school. On the opposite slope no laying flocks are seen, as before on summer days. In general, no one is there on the hillside, not now and not other times. It is the safety zone of a non stated limit. Up on the crest of the hill are some houses and barns. There is a large chicken farm, and perhaps other agriculture. But no one knows here in the village. No one was ever up there. While it is all the land of the farmers down here in the village, but they may not set foot in this country. Above, the "Mustauteneen," a word that fear and terror on the faces of the children are causing. Jewish settlers who have taken this country, do not have the right, but protected by the army be. And that they are entitled to. The Palestinian farmers have no right, at least none that could prevail in practice. They have lost their land. They have lost their cattle in large part because they have no more pasture and the fields towards the Jordan Valley is no longer where they were grown in the winter feed for cattle and sheep and horses. They have lost their freedom of movement and have to drive long detours, where they have run previously over the hills. And they should be expelled.

The window is wide open. Empty is the slope in the summer heat. And there were days and weeks, in which, the school was empty. The windows were farmers, as they leave their village had left open. That was in October 2002. The teacher had his adopted children. The families had fled. The pressure from the Jewish settlers had become unbearable. Day and night the settlers came to the village, masked, with dogs, sometimes on horses. They had overthrown the water tanks of the farmers. They had destroyed the generator. They had bathed in the well shaft their dogs. They came with guns and had fired. There had been a dead man, Hani Maniyeh Ben, aged 24 years. One day, the settlers had made clear: "We do want to see the next Sabbath is no longer here. Leave the village, goes to Aqraba. And for the first time in 1947 and 1967 had shown Israel's settlement policy and her face cleared a Palestinian village completely.
(read at: Living with Settlers, interviews with Yanoun Villagers, by Thomas Mandal) was empty

the school building. The village was empty. The windows were wide open, so that the glass was not shattered by rocks - if there was a chance to come back one day ... will

village life

Today, almost 6 years have passed. The villagers have come back, because committed Israelis fought for them and made known the story in newspapers and were heard from the authorities. Because volunteers from Europe and North America have come back with them and since then day and night in the village are present. Since 4 years, the volunteers are from the World Peace Program.

Today we are playing, while the children devotedly, or shy, the youngest on the lap of their fathers, the older cool and distant. All join in, the children of Yanoun, the aid workers from Jerusalem, the giraffe on the wall, which steadfastly desires peace over Yanoun.

All children know us. The days when the kids are running into the house if they have seen strangers in the village are over. Now they know how the settlers and what the volunteers. They greet us warmly, get back to their parents so that we stay there for a coffee. Or type in the ass on which they ride, an extra beat, so he begins this flirtatious patter. A cheeky little guy is always there: Here in Yanoun he calls the volunteers when they go through the village, to: "Mustauteneen"
. The first time he was successful: The volunteers have now taken their mobile phones, selected hectic and held to the ear, have turned around to see where the danger came, and made anxious faces. But now we just laugh and look forward to that one about "Mustauteneen" Jewish settlers, also can laugh.

The giraffe

the troops to Ghassan, who came from Jerusalem, can dance the children sing, and play games to win where the rapids or the clever. But they also give the slow ones a chance. The faces of the children show all the gifts that people need to make the world the home of love and beauty and justice and trust in the neighbors. In the background, the wall is painted, for example, a giraffe (from a Berlin graffiti artists) who announces in a speech bubble for peace Yanoun.

Some fathers sit beside it and are proud when their children make a point. But The fathers also make tea for the adults and even have the whole thing organized. The mothers cook - we learned only later, when the children bring us Msakhkhan, chicken on bread soaked in olive oil. It is a day that is more like the many everyday life, which consists of work, fear and slowly growing confidence, glad. The village celebrates its children. In the evening the big boys play football, against the backdrop of the village, the forbidden wall and the stables of the Jewish settlers.

Perhaps the open window is a good symbol: that the school is open to a future and a hope that these children a life free from occupation and Settlers have no war going on.

Photos:

Spieletag in school

open window overlooking the slope and the settlers
viewers
The giraffe

father and daughter

Cameltoe Athletes Volleyball

The painter in Yanoun

greets before we see him, hear we him the tap. It's a beautiful cock ridge with magnificent plumage and high. He drives his hens from strangers, which he sees in his district away.

The farmer

Najeh, we want to visit because of his pictures, is not at home. He worked in his olive grove, he harvests almonds. And he is alone. I'm on my way and after 15 minutes I found him on the hillside east of the village. We welcome and I help him when collection of almond fruits. He does not want me to work. Sit down, my dear, he says, sit there in the shade. But I want to help him yet. Najeh is alone. His wife is from the neighboring village of Beit Furik. There she is now with the kids and spend the holiday with her family. Najeh supplied his old father and the house here in Yanoun. And he reaps the almonds. He has many trees and he has to work longer than the neighbors because he is alone. We create three trees this morning. And because the almond fruit is ripe, the nuts fall from the flesh and we have almost all the nuts, no fruits in the large bag. Najeh shouldering the full bag and carries him down the hill and over to his house. The tool, a long pole to hitting and shaking the branches, the saw and the bucket he refuses to be one of the trees for the next day lie.

life among the settlers

home, he offers me tea. Then he apologizes. It is lunch time and he must say his prayers. Then he has his father, Abu Najah, supply. The calls impatiently. The father is old to 90 years blind and wears a catheter. Over the violent years ago, when the settlers landed on the top of the mountain tops, robbed the country and attacked the villagers regularly, is Najeh Abu been beaten and has lost his eyesight. Now he is confused. Najeh is very gentle and patient with him. Usually it's quiet now in this house, because the young family spent the holidays but over there in Beit Furik. And now when Najeh his father explained that the "foreigners" were to visit. Audrey, my English colleague, has now been added. They, too, is interested in the pictures. Najeh is in fact a painter, but I will get even.
Najeh married late. He has worked as a young man in Oman for a shipping company. He came home when his parents needed him. He got married. His wife, Huda - now Umm Ahmed, because Ahmed is the first born son - from the neighboring village. Najeh had only the hill on which are the olive and almond trees his family are going up, then the rocky slope, graze the sheep, and down the other side of the hill again. There is Beit Furik, a small town. It was a walk of 25 minutes, I was a bit younger, he laughs. But this path can not walk it. Above is now one of the settler outposts, with stables for the chickens. The Jewish settlers up there operates a large organic chicken farm, supplying half of Israel with eggs. And in any case the occupied land is not available to the farmers who own the land yet. Now is the road to Beit Furik expensive and takes about an hour by car. But Najeh is not allowed through the checkpoint, the Israeli army has sealed off the village and then two smaller villages and blocked. Only the residents may go in and out. They are also, like the farmers around here in Yanoun, settlements, must avoid the streets and give up their ancestral land and spring water. This is our life, including his portrayal Najeh. And so spends his family the holidays across the hill at the big family of his wife.

The host

He could as easily run on top of the hill and wave or call out from there. But this attempt would be an adventure that could be painful or deadly start for him. Najeh has the time to have the shot, the settlers on farmers who were harvesting their olives and almonds, and came down to the village and have bathed in the well do not forget.
We sit and drink tea with Najeh. Drinking tea, my dear, take a lot of sugar, he says to me because I had him but helped with the harvest. But We are interested in his pictures. Najeh is a painter. If he wants to recover from his work or the pressure that is above the village, he paints. They are very colorful pictures, perhaps naive, but very expressive. I like the pictures he has painted of the pomegranate.

The painter

In the garden he has some pomegranate trees. Among the smallest is a yellow-blue vehicle, which the children have left behind. Another tree is like a contest between red and green. In addition, yellow fruits explode on the pale green cactus bush. Najeh loves his garden. On one of the pictures he has the apples with the Grant Palestinian flag combined. And the dynamic red triangle of the flag he presented as the heart. The red drops on the hand can be interpreted as a fruit juice or heart blood. Is it not a painful picture? Yes, he says, the pain is always there. It does not explain everything, and I would have from an artist not expect otherwise. He is a quiet, thoughtful man, he does not say everything he thinks. And he knows more than he can remember. Perhaps the reason paints. We now adopt some pictures of him and for us today.

laughter

Outside, the beautiful cock is once again in the limelight. Najeh, back to his farm, tells us the excited behavior of the cock, which markets a careless hen in front of us. He is a good cock, he laughs, he can protect his women, but his court he did not defend. We laugh. And in that laughter is again more than we can imagine. On the other hand, laughter is still a beautiful gesture of farewell.

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Save from evil

for a devotional book for the year 2010:
life and kindness you have done for me, and your care has preserved my spirit.
Job 10, 12
Christ prays, I ask you not, that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from evil.
John 17, 15

History
The man had every reason to be an act of desperation. His parents had been driven from their village. The boy had grown up with their longing for the homeland as a refugee. At 16, he was for 18 months been in prison because he had thrown stones at the soldiers, who kept his country occupied. He carried scars from the time in prison. At 32 he was forced to watch as his parents' house, which they had meanwhile built was demolished by soldiers, while his mother shouted as the young soldiers and was hit with a rifle butt and his father a few days later died of a heart attack. His mother and siblings were left homeless. The debt for house construction and house demolition was immense. It was a fate as it had to suffer Job. But it was not just bad luck that had to suffer the family, it was evil. The man spoke not with anger but with despair over his shattered life. He wanted to die. The death was better than this life ...


How much was missing here, that he would give in to evil and to pursue an Rachetat?

Jesus' prayer in John's Gospel focuses on the situation: Evil is part of our world and our lives. We can close our eyes, we can leave to others who are more affected by or can we repay evil with evil. But we can also resist the injustice, even the thoughts of revenge, offer themselves. And it's good to know that we have God on our side here.

prayer

God help the man who has suffered so much harm! God help us, that we not accept evil and can not repay evil!

song (from the Protestant hymn book, page 373, verse 1):
Jesus, help to win, you presseth in. Prince of life,
See how the darkness,
how powerful their hellish army is not in vain
aufführet to me to be harmful.
Satan, sinnet on all sorts of intrigue,
how light it me, irritate and offend.
(Johann Heinrich Schröder, more than three hundred years, sealed)

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God's children

for a devotional book for the year 2010:
- It is not even teach the others say a brother the other, and "Know the Lord," but they should know me all, both small and large, says the Lord. (Jeremiah 31, 34)
- We are children of God, but it is not yet been revealed what we shall be. But we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see him as he is. (1 John 3, 2)

"God is too big for just one religion," says a graffito on the wall in Bethlehem.

An employee in the peace program World Council of Churches meets the representative of Israeli human rights organization, and complains that he was dealing with hostile Israeli soldiers and Jewish settlers, violent, and he could hear the Hebrew language any more. That sounds serious, says the friend. Come on Friday evening with us in the synagogue and then to our home. And so the stressed Christ celebrates the Sabbath with Jewish friends.

Later, in one of the Palestinian villages are terrorized by Jewish settlers, says the ecumenical staff of the Imam: Can he go with him to the mosque for evening prayer? The imam hesitates. At the same time one breaks out political argument between the Imam and young men from the city. They accuse each other of belonging to Hamas or to work together with Israel. They differ in the dispute. The Imam takes the Christians by the hand, showing him the space for the ritual washing and then takes him into the mosque where they perform at the same time their various prayers. -

Our Father in heaven, do you hear and you know our prayers! Let us understand what to pray the others!

Lutheran hymnal page 344:
Our Father in heaven,
of us all hot and his brothers the same
up call
and also want to pray han of us
Grant that most do not bet the mouth alone,
it go from my heart.
(sung confession of faith, verse 1, from Martin Luther almost five hundred years, sealed)

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diary Yanoun

26th July 08, Saturday or Sabbath
travel in the occupied Palestinian territories
Jerusalem. Departure from the Jaffa Gate 10.45. We are four, which should make the first in Yanoun Service: Collin was previously in Jayyous, Paula was in Tulkarem, Hebron, Linda and I in Bethlehem. We have reduced all our luggage and leave the big suitcase in the Auguste-Viktoria-guest house on the Mount of Olives. With the rest of our luggage we go from hotel to the Jaffa Gate and negotiate with the taxi drivers where the cost of the Jerusalem hotel or to the Green bus station. Because the Sabbath is to ask the taxi driver to stick together more than usual, because, we have bad cards. Way to start the journey, would follow a bus trip to Ramallah, a shared taxi to the Huwwara checkpoint, another taxi to Aqraba and a final taxi to Yanoun. That would be just 50 miles on a direct route, but would need a good two hours when we have no control roadblock to come in between. On the way back from our visit to the transfer of work in Yanoun we had taken 5 hours. Travel to the occupied Palestinian territories is a time-consuming and expensive. Flying Checkpoint

brewing in the Middle East
So we get out behind the Qualandia checkpoint. There is Ghassan from Aqraba that drives us through to Ramallah over the whole distance. He makes us a trip to Taybeh, where an ancient Christian city stands that is interesting not only with its four churches, but with an important company for Palestine, against all the difficulties that Israel has made, imported all the boilers and equipment, and has built up: a brewery, the best in the Middle East. A Christian Palestinian, a businessman who was for his home village, which lies in the mountains of Ephraim and the Jewish settlers is a thorn in the eye. One of the churches and the brewery we visited and drove to Yanoun, a case of beer along with the other luggage. Beer, we will get to buy in the near future anywhere, it is "haraam" improper and illegal in the Muslim society.

phones
Our afternoon in the small apartment that will be in the next few weeks, our home runs, silent at first. We sort our mobile phones: We should keep our old phone, because we thus also for our existing partners in Bethlehem, Hebron, etc. are accessible. But we are also the phones of have teams of last Yanoun us if the villagers and the contact people from the surrounding villages need us. There are also two mobile phones of the Palestinian telephone company, if we fall out from the Israeli radio communications. And finally, two of our team their private cell phones, making a total of 12 Than all of them on the table and we still hectic at typing and testing are stored whether in mobile phones all the key contacts and apparent to us, and we also can mutually reach each time knocking and shaking it down at the door settlers in village! So West dressed, jumped into the sandals, the cell phones and cameras in the pockets and out.

Settlers in the village!
the village wells have two young boys, just 20 years old to swing. Here, other settlers before them bathed and contaminated the well. These have a dog with him and has his rifle at the ready. The villagers are afraid least they had been expelled a few years ago from the village are, with the help of international organizations came back and watched our teams ever since. And the settlers can always think of new evils. They are completely illegal here, but that they look after the (Israeli) state. And even if they are the army and have to ask you out from the village, they are usually not punished. The boys today are bold and fearful at the same time and that is precisely the dangerous mix, before we always warned. Before we start, Colin and I arrive at the well, they see us and walk on. Should they then left the village! In the street above us as Rashid, the mayor, and gives us instructions. We are obliged to do only what he asks us. Stay back, let them get away, he calls out to us. We watch the guys as they walk through the valley, but on the other side into the small open farm Abu Hani, go sit down there on the low wall and take it all around in inspection, pick up from the ground as they would come tomorrow and all possess. And they used to such announcements actually made. We quickly over to the court of Abu Hani and approach the two boys up to 10 meters. Both get up to go but instead, they take a position against us, one aimed the gun at us, the other yells "exchange! interaction ", which I later than the mispronounced version of an Arabic word for" can be explained back. " Then they insult us and call over, "Jesus is gay," after which I put to him and not to shake your head and say that that was not the right language on the Sabbath. We stop and allow them to retreat. You pretend that they were very cool, but you may notice that they repeatedly turn to us. I take photos, in 20 meters distance, we follow them. Once again, it is critical, as they are obviously upset that we assist them from the village. They face a flock of white chickens, the gun aimed at the chickens and call us: If you want to see the chickens alive, stops. Then I see the top of a saddle are a jeep, a little lightning, apparently a pair of binoculars, the jeep moves, looks like army and is also army. Comes slowly down a dirt road, where do the boys slowly through the valley to the other side of that hill, quiet, for they have nothing to fear. Now I see down the road a second Jeep to drive fast on the village. Obviously Rashid, the mayor, the Palestinian liaison office called, which has in turn complained to the Israeli army. By law, the Army is responsible for order in this part of the country. We are over the action, two hours later, repeated by the boys naughty and uncertain through the village in the valley to go back to their hill, by mobile phone in conjunction with the two women, Paula and Linda, are sitting at the mayor and Dan, our new coordinator in Jerusalem. Do not go too far out of the village! Do not go too close to the Men ran! Remains in sight and in telephone contact! These are their instructions to us. Later, we sit at
Rashid and talk through everything again. It is our first lesson in our new mission in the village. Later, I cook a vegetable soup and set the table. We eat our first meal in our new home. Then sit and talk long, Colin from Scotland, Linda from Norway, Sweden and Paula of Gottfried of Germany. The sky seems favorably with our open window. When we do something at home, sit in the dark, speak in front of the house? This was our first day in Yanoun.

27th July 2008, Sunday
checkpoints in the Occupied Territories
It is Sunday evening. We were at the two checkpoints sensitive, Huwwara and Beit Furik. Huwwara is one of the checkpoints that the army has erected around the middle of Nablus in Palestine. He heard a total of 28 checkpoints, roadblocks and gates to a system that cordoned off the entire city of Nablus and all traffic is monitored. We have been on the way back 30 minutes in the ranks of those who leave the city again in the evening. A young man sat in the holding cell of concrete, in which soldiers can hold people for up to three hours. We have granted to him in courage, and we approached the soldiers. We have also talked to his friend: The two go through here every day and complete in the neighboring town for swimming lessons. Why now? The soldiers give us any information. But the women of Machsom Watch come and we give them the case.
In Beit Furik, the checkpoint on the object of two villages, one with 9,000, the other to cut 3,000 inhabitants on their access to Nablus and other parts of the West Bank. This is a road that is only for settlers, through and around the hills are the outposts of the settlers in the hills, these villages, Beit Furik and Beit Dajan, separate from our tiny village of Yanoun. In the so cut off villages, only the residents themselves are left in, no guests and relatives, even if they are Palestinians and the real inhabitants of this country. Our responsibility is to look from time to time with the checkpoint over and possibly visit the mayor or other contact people in Beit Furik. Today we remain beyond the control point to set us on a couple of car seats and stones, which has put up with an enterprising small businessman running a shop with coffee and tea and other beverages. We watch how the shared taxis come and go through the doors and get people, men in work clothes and women in city clothes, with children from the vehicles and to get to the checkpoint. We talk to taxi drivers. Two of us are particularly presented, because one of Hamas, another to Fatah holds. That was so nice that they drink coffee together here. Only in the evening when we heard the news on the radio - Internet we have not - is clear to us why the peaceful neighborhood relevance today. Only now we understand why Dan has imposed on us from Jerusalem, to call every half hour, so he let us know, if produced in Nablus, a critical situation and we should go back immediately. It was therefore the attack in the Gaza Strip, a Hamas leader in the Fatah and other people have been killed and Hamas is said to have threatened retaliation. We can form an accurate picture here, but are glad that we have experienced in the evening that the situation tense was.

The afternoon

I do not monitor all day.
We were in the service. We were in an Internet café, where we have mailed our report of yesterday at our office in Jerusalem. And Yasmeen Hotel, where we ate well. Overall, we have used seven taxes and paid a lot of money for it and were 9 hours on the way? How much easier the trip would have been if it is not the situation with the occupation of this country exist?
Linda, who had been left - all at the same time we must never go out of the village! - Has helped the neighbors to the left, fresh harvested almonds to peel. The cores must now dry and later be opened in order to share the precious almonds.
Back at home, has Linda, who sat outside the door, asked aloud: Did you buy bread? Oh, we forgot! Never mind, we will not have to starve. During the evening there is a knock down twice on the door, we jump up to where we live, in our hands, on the stairs in the sandals, just outside the door once the neighbor from the left and right, even the children of each with bread found that they do hold up and give us. I believe the children have frightened me, because I was so busy jumping out the door. But then she laughed, as they have seen the changes in my face and heard my probably wrong thank you pronounced.

Then we sit and write reports, transfer photos to your computer or take us a piece of something neglected front kitchen, we want to do bit by bit clean. Linda will cook later. It is shout a peaceful evening, donkeys, sheep bleat, children call and once a car is heard.
The second day was in Yanoun.

With the bike in the next City

28th July 2008, Monday
Colin and Paula remain in Yanoun. They make visits to the neighbors.
Linda and I go to Ghassan, our taxi driver, after Burin. We had not heard in Jerusalem, that the settlers had made new attacks on Burin. Since I was at the presentation last week in this village, it was now my decision as soon emerge there and talk to the family that we had recently visited.

A family in Burin
Ahmad's family lives in Souha a house outside the village, on a slope, which limits the village to the south. Above them, on the hill, there are outposts of a larger settlement, on each level are some of the container, the whole ridge is occupied by Jewish settlers and the shepherds and farmers can no longer use their fields and olive trees at higher altitudes because the Settlers claim it as their safety zone. This house, the only side of the road, which is only used by settlers, is a thorn in the settlers, they want to drive the peasants obvious. The farmer had been displaced as a young man by the Israeli army from the Negev, a Bedouin. He's here from the village land bought and settled down. Then came the settlers. And now he should be expelled a second time.

Today he was traveling with his flocks and by Bedouin in a tent on a remote pasture. His three sons are welcome, we are sitting in the garden. After several minutes, the mother sat down with us. It has taken 5 sons and 4 daughters in size. Two of the daughters are still in the house, we do not get to see, but they only make us sweet tea, then coffee, one encounters a beautiful aromatic watermelon. One of the sons bring the trays and dishes. The hosts are very friendly and the confused us even more than the news we hear from them, are very disturbing.
A week ago they had us by the settlers, tells the murder of a donkey, 4 sheep poisoned and beat a pastor together. The settlers coming from the next outpost down to this house, may not carry firearms, they, the police probably has prohibited them specifically, but obviously sticks are allowed.
This time, tell us the sons of attacks on the village, we see below us and on the other side of the valley. A house was burned down early today and was a gang of about 30 to 40 settlers came down the hill yesterday. They attacked two shepherds and beaten with clubs. But (Israeli) police came in time and they had to withdraw. We do not know if the one yesterday and the other happened today or yesterday depending on both morning and afternoon. Later Ghassan will translate for us small interviews. The family members here are much more on the density of attack moves, as of how it all ended in detail. They want us to get a camera to the settlers when they come back to impress. We call to our office in Jerusalem, but refers us to the Israeli-Palestinian human rights group Betselem. Betselem has a program, "Shooting Back", with the threatened villagers with Cameras are equipped, for if they provide any evidence to be pursued their ads on. We take the concerns of the family, Linda phoned Jerusalem. Meanwhile, I get a call from Abdullah of Asira, the next village. He will bring us to the house in question in Burin.

The burned house
Together we go out there. The house is a little lonely at the village. Many neighbors are sitting on the terrace or in front of the house. The house had had with the police to sign the report, it said. The housewife was admitted to hospital because of the risk of premature birth after the shock, she is heavily pregnant. The whole family was not present when the fire had been laid. Intention? A young woman, the sister of Abdullah, takes us through the house. Three rooms are burned out, sleeping, living room and kitchen. We see the broken windows left open or the little window through which the fire bombs were thrown. Are clearly on the ceilings and walls finest bunch of charred sticks to see clearly the material that had been tinkered with the fire material for a bomb. On most of us touched the charred crib. If there had lain a child in it! Under the mattress of the house had 10 000 Jordanian dinars, about 9,000 € was hiding - which are now burned. He had to build a pay their own house in the village do, that's over now.
Why would someone hide such a large sum of money under the mattress? Because he finds here in the Israeli-controlled areas was not a bank. Because Israel is not willing to stand for the safety of banks now. And because the road to Nablus, which is controlled by the Palestinian Authority, too difficult, too long. All Palestinians in the West Bank, if they do not live in the A areas, make it that way. There is obviously nothing that is normal in this occupied country!
the walk through the house with the charred furniture and the burning smell I cancel any time. The cot and the story of a pregnant woman make me to create. We make a few exterior shots, because our Jerusalem office, with which we are constantly in touch, we will have a report and pictures.
Abdullah, the last week I had met at the handover, and Ghassan, who drives us in these villages make clear what they expect from our program: A team of volunteers will live in Burin and Asira and with his presence a protection pose, as in Yanoun. Also, we will pass on to our office in Jerusalem.
The crux of this story is: About 10 days we had read a newspaper article, which for the first time, a young settler - a student at a Torah school in the village of Burin - fired missiles themselves, assembled on Palestinian targets. As we read, we did not know that the village of Burin is, the settlements Yitzhar and Bracha, who were named in the report are above this village and we would have to do with these aggressive settlers soon.

What do the settlers?
First they want to make the links between farmers and herders free. Then they want to leave the valley. Then they want to have all this land, which they still call Samaria and never Jewish. They want the country - but without the Arabs, whom they despise and want to sell it, just as Abraham's servant Hagar in prehistoric times with his and has driven her son Ishmael. About
Burin lies Mount Gerizim, as it says in our Bible. On the other hand, in Mount Gerizim, lies the ancient Shechem, in Roman Neapolis, now called Nablus. There is one of the two small Samaritan communities, the residue of a folk that was not before 2 ½ thousand years ago led to the exile in Mesopotamia and still lives in Palestine as the rest Be population of Palestine, which have survived and their right to exist is only now being provided by the return of the Jews in question. The Mount Gerizim, the Jews of the post-exilic time despised, because the Samaritans had their temple there, is now occupied and settled - not by Samaritans, but of Jews.

barely visible: the settlement on the hilltop

The evening
We drive home, I sit down and write the report to our office, Linda chooses some photos, and append them to the report. Tomorrow morning we have to run after Aqraba and send the whole thing from the Internet Cafe at our office in Jerusalem. I take the laundry off the line and put them together. Colin cooks, Paula sits among the neighbors, where they shelled this morning, almond kernels from the fruit has. The sun sinks. The sheep were down on the valley floor on the harvested fields and come back. The donkey calling across the valley, the ass from the other side responds. The evenings here are special rs beautiful. The indirect light everything appears in bold colors. We would like the two hundred meter run at the levels and take the views of the Jordan and the Jordanian mountains. But such a walk could be fatal and is kept strictly prohibited. We think that is the beautiful view and we make do with the peaceful evening scene here in this valley. I hope it stays peaceful. This was our third day in Yanoun.

29th July 08, Tuesday
Today we had a quiet day! We had time for breakfast. Two guests were surprisingly stopped by a taxi driver in front of our house, because that was the mayor, with whom she had a date, not at home. Afternoon came another guest who had come with the team of Medicines sans Frontieres: the new psychology and the driver. The doctor was busy so long to neighbors. Obviously, the International House, as our stay here is known and the point of contact for residents.
In addition, we have not visited a total of 5 families, visited an orchard and let us show how the goat cheese is made here. Evening We were invited for dinner.
Linda and I went to Akraba. There is the next opportunity to use the Internet and we should send our report yet of the events in Burin at the Jerusalem office. It was a beautiful trip, the Internet cafe has a warm welcome to us ("You're the new team?"). And we also have opened the letters, read and responded to that were in our mailboxes, and the private.
It was cloudy, not too hot, the evening was a breath of fresh air. Sometimes we could see over there on the street patrols as an army vehicle, which are of course very reassured.
would in a logbook you write: No special events.

30, July 08, Wednesday
Today, no special events.
6:30 I was woken up my phone. One of the women of Machsom Watch wanted to know how it looks on our side. She called the Gilo checkpoint, and I had to explain to her that I am no longer in Bethlehem. Oh, that's bad, she found. Otherwise it
was a quiet day.

Nabi Now
We have made a trip to Nabi Noun, a little hill overlooking the Jordan Valley . There are the ruins of a house and a mosque. But it has graffiti with David Stern and political Slogans in Hebrew, and this points to Jewish interests: It is the grave of Nun, the father of Joshua. In both traditions, in the Hebrew Bible and the Koran, is now called for Muslims, a man of God, a prophet for the Jews, the father of Joshua, who conquered the country. Unfortunately, the age of Jewish interest declared in such local legends as a rule with the occupation of the village by the Israelis and the expulsion of the surrounding Palestinian farmers. So justify all the outposts of the Israeli settlement of Itamar that surround our village Yanoun: A pious Jew from the Bratslav Hasidic community had dreamed, Gideon, one of the judges from the pre-monarchic period, lie buried in these hills. Buy a grave has been identified and registered in the cards and occupied the three hills ...
We at Nabi now enjoyed from the view: a mountain landscape with olive groves, the farmhouses of Yanoun, in the east, far below us in the haze of the midday sun, the Jordan Valley and over to guess to see more than the mountains of Jordan, in the mountains tolerated the illegal even under Israeli law, but by the army, which has the last word, - to the South more Palestinian villages and towns and on the hills settlements and outposts. The beautiful scenery and the ugly signs of the Israeli land grab.

visits to families
more families we have visited. We are overwhelmed by the friendliness, the openness with which we meet the people here, from the simplicity of life and the consistency of the ancient Palestinian culture. We see children playing, families that sit in the late afternoon with the almond harvest the day before the house and separate the pulp from the nuclei, while the sheep graze in the valley below. We hear about the 6 generations, which may be mentioned the house had effortlessly, by the grandfather of the grandfather of the grandfather, who here has the second House was built. We sit in the third, modern house and drink sweet tea with mint. But in each house we hear the stories of the break in the lives of families, from the collapse of this nightmare of the settlers who settled on them, which have taken away their land and their terrorist may exercise against the villagers. The
our days here in Yanoun.

What we see

And so it is morning and evening and the week is not over yet.

The events and visits are repeated. We can look at the daily routines of work and rest, as they are repeated for generations. We experience the new land acquisition and the underlying war of the settlers against the farmers. They make life unbearable for the villagers. And yet it goes on, this life, with the toil of work, the simple pleasures of terror, against which they are not really protected, and the hope that is not to see how the heat of the ovens, which during the day on the ash rests hidden and every morning is rekindled and bakes the bread for the day.
Colin and Paula to pack her things. Tomorrow they're leaving. They will do service in Jerusalem and have days off before they come back and us, Linda and me to replace. Tomorrow will also Christian and Audrey, who live the next time with us on guard be. With them we will sit in the evening, go through the day and say: We see with their own eyes what's going on, we listen, we understand, but we can not believe it.

What Do Shag Bands Colours Mean?

Good News

Text Message

01-08-08, 4.05 pm, text message on my mobile: "Hi everyone! Just a quick reminder that I'm on duty this weekend. Sun call me for emergencies. Thanks, Matilda "

01-08-08, 4.10 pm, Gottfried to Matilda:" Dear Matilda, that's okay. Could we let you know good news as well? GK "

01-08-08, 4.12 pm, Matilda to Gottfried: “Of course :) I’d love to hear about those! Thanks for pointing that out … Have a great weekend! M”

02-08-08, 10.45 am, Gottfried to Matilda: “Good morning, Matilda! It’s quiet so far in Yanoun. A mare gave birth to a foul. People are receiving us friendly under their grape vine. And hope is alive like the embers used here for the fresh bread after a long night. We are well in Yanoun. AG, LN and GK”

02-08-08, 10.55“Thanks for the hopeful update! Enjoy. M”


(Übersetzung)

1.08-08, 16.05 Uhr. Textnachricht auf meinem Handy: „Hallo, liebe Yanounis! Nur a reminder that I am on duty this weekend. Call me if there are problems. Matilda. "

1:08:08, 16.10 clock. Answer: "Dear Matilda, that's okay. But we must also report to you good news? GK "

1.8.8, 16.12 clock. Matildas text back: "Of course:) I look forward to hearing good news! Thanks for the advice ... a good weekend! Matilda "

08.02.2008, 10:45 clock. Message: "Hi Matilda! It's quiet so far in Yanoun. A mare has given birth to a foal. The people we serve to live under their vine and hope, as the embers under the ashes, according to one of the darkest night, fresh Bread is baked. That's Good in Yanoun. Audrey, and Linda Godfrey "

2:08:08, 10.47 clock, Matilda back". Thanks for the hopeful situation report. Take care! Matilda "

(Note)
Matilda is one of our four coordinators in Jerusalem. It is responsible for public relations. We have in Yanoun not have Internet access, so that communication is only through our mobile phones, and also because we are frugal and send if it is a simple message, a text.

21 Year Old Bedwetter

Our guests at the farewell party

24th July 2008
Our Party was Tuesday, afternoon, at four clock. We had prepared tea and coffee, cold drinks, cakes, nuts and fruit much We had the usual concerns of the host if there is enough of everything and should be ready to run fast in the vegetable and fruit shop nachzukaufen. The next day, the apartment should be left completely empty of stocks back. But our guests were very loose, with a glance, they saw what all was on the table and which plate had to be protected. You talk easily with each other or with us. No one was sitting alone, people have introduced each other, or explain how they know each other. It ran like a well rehearsed loose game.

Some are not able to come:
Pierre Habash, our landlord, who lives in another wing of the house. I have spoken several times with him. He is very concerned about the ever-shrinking Christian community in Bethlehem and mourns for his wealthy friends who have left the country. I'm with him. negotiated when the boiler was broken and we have since decided that the water heater is now not needed in summer, because the solar system provides enough hot water and hot water. Once I was upstairs in his apartment for tea, when I have given him the check with the rental. (And Justice, which made me go see high, it does not last long and afterwards come. Justice passes up an opportunity for a chat and is always eager to meet people.) Anyway, we had invited Pierre Habash and he has the same said he could not make it likely. We then passed the next day from him, Justice and me.

Fuad Giacaman, director of the Arab Educational Institute. He was my guest in Blank field and has held talks in Berlin. When Nini was here, we were taught by him at home and have it brand new, as a father to know. It represents otherwise like his institute, but at home he sits in a chair, has a grandchild on her lap and listens to discuss what his son and daughter with us. Our program it accompanies critical and high expectations, he is one of the few Christians who feel responsible for this social program in Bethlehem. And unfortunately he could not come to the farewell party.

The old couple from Al Waladja, Seham and Mundir Sahem I once had with the whole team visited and where part of the team a second time, was invited to dinner. You live in a house that has twice been torn down and rebuilt twice. The whole village is relocated before been. That was in 1948, is now restricted their builders on their own land for future generations. Only one bedroom plus kitchen and bathroom are Seham and Mundir been rebuilt. Guests receive them in a tent outside the house. They were so pleased with our visit and offered us nuts and Askadinya. Unfortunately, they are then not come and we are sure that the error was that we had a taxi to send them.

Yussuf, Contractors from An Nu'man and his daughter Naveen that has to translate, if his English skills are not enough for entertaining. From previous years I knew more than Yussuf reserved annoyed by the media and international interest in the fate of his village, for all reports, documents and diplomatic intervention had nothing causes. But this year we were closer. He had shown us his construction company and says, 'Show me your site, show me your money and I'll put out a finished house. About my description of the terraced house made of prefabricated components, in which I want to spend my old age, he shook his head.

The store owner, our neighbor who was always afraid we could buy things he had in his shop, in others. We then discreetly let him look into our plastic bags and the Little things that were missing we bought later, with him. But we have three or four times a day greeted, if we were always on the way into town or to the refugee camps with him gone. Come in for tea, he called and we have said another time, here and now we have to go there. And he promptly asked us on the way back, how was it there and there and if we have time now. Twice I have drunk with him some tea. Once he has worried me for bread, because I had complained that I had been in vain in the Manger Street, all the bakers had already closed. Wait 10 hours - what he means with 10 hours? 10 years? No, you mean 10 minutes? Yes, of course, oh my English is so bad! It was then really took only 8 minutes and I had bread. He could not come to the party. But I've brought him later in the evening of that photo that made him doubly happy because there is a small section of his grandchildren and shows because it showed that I was not offended.

Marwan from Holy Land Trust came the next day when we were at the packing and cleaning. He was our leader in the villages with the demonstrations in order Salomone and Al Khadr, has brought us to the farmers in their fields, the dense layers of Israel's new frontier, we unveiled contact people and is actually one of the reliable partner of the program. He was he just came by on Wednesday, under tremendous pressure because he next week starts with the reconstruction of one of the demolished houses and building materials, workers in construction and especially the Finance must get together. The family calls every day and wants to make sure that he will keep his word and actually perform the reconstruction. Marwan is one of the many young Palestinians who have passed through Israeli prisons and have developed a certain fearlessness and contempt Israeli Machtbezeugungen. We have seen how he has been negotiating hard on the border of provocation with the officers of the army if the demonstrators were arrested.

The
had come:
Clemence, Arabic teacher resides directly on the wall. The Israeli soldiers can watch it by the watch tower in the room, she has lost all of their fields on the Jerusalem side of the wall, part of the garden, where now the wall and a small road, access to the monastery, the other with no input been of Bethlehem would have been built. We are met Clemence on Fridays when we have with the Sisters of Charity in a procession around the walls three times prayed the rosary. Clemence but we also have visited at home. It is only a year and a widow is not well done. They gave us their idea of just the prayer procession displayed on the wall. We have learned from her once more, how can that be a lot more prayer, as the observer from outside.

Ghassan, who has shown us Battir and invited us to his house. No other we felt so clear, which means land for the Palestinians, have land that their forefathers harvested built in terraces, with plants, where the women put the men to eat and helped in the harvest; country that many generations has nourished and given life. Battir, a beautiful village. It has its own sales in the Israel-Jordan Treaty of 1948: The Israeli railway may pass through the valley floor and farmers can work their land either side of the valley floor. But between the two wars (48 and 67) where 46 villagers were shot dead by Israeli soldiers. The valley is green and fertile, still beautiful, even if just by driving a train. It is the train from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. It leaves, however, without in Battir to stop and take passengers. There is no train station is no longer page 48. To our Party Ghassan had come to us to say goodbye.

Mohamed Al Khadr who has acquired his degree in Greece, which is on the city council in Al Khadr, who will soon open a restaurant and us a taste of his culinary art in his House had presented to it and arranged a beautiful evening with his family and other local politicians. The city council is desperate not only robs the construction of the barrier fence 90% of the land of Al Khadr, 17 homeowners have received an order to demolish their house, it interferes with Israel's security needs, that is here in the Palestinian territory: the safety of the road to the illegal settlements . Mohamed was with other people from the city council and the mayor and our team in these fields, which are currently still available to us there and has served a picnic. Now he had come to see how we have lived in Bethlehem and to say that we can send the next team to him.

Gabi, one of our taxi driver , who must have a pretty good overview of our meetings with NGOs on conflict areas and about when we were too tired to walk a greater distance. Gabi was not in a good mood, makes his taxi not long and he has not got the money together to buy a new one. Dark words of emigration, a controversial word among Christians, came from his lips. Justice and accompanied him to the outside as he walked to his courage award, as does an African pastor the same.

Aloussi Suleiman, antiques collector, who should advise me how I old Arabic Calligraphy can muster, who wanted to take me to his uncle, the sign painter (Calligrapher). Because I then, a week later, see Suleiman could not, I asked a neighbor who has Suleiman called out of his house out, Suleiman laughed and said, now it's gone wrong, that's my uncle, the sign painter, who up has now brought to me. But the ancient calligraphy I have to look in Egypt, found the two, in Bethlehem, there is no market for such a thing, no money for valuable antiques.

and Ahmed Jamal, Beit Fajjar that we have met on the penultimate day. They showed us the famous town of quarries and stone masons. The whole industry is at risk there, because Israel can no more machines through customs, to sign the master stonemason the contract, the Israel's export monopoly and the dumping prices guaranteed. The two have touched the stones at the house of our landlord and inspected and identified the family, she has trimmed. Jamal and Ahmed are about to send the young generation of Beit Fajjar on universities to make them independent of the industry at risk of the quarries. Both me and the promise has declined to send the next team at the beginning of their time to them to Beit Fajjar.

Majdi, owner of the souvenir shop , all foreigners once come to his shop notes and makes them his friends. The invited us to his house for dinner and worked out for each of us has what we send gifts home and must buy from him. Majdi has rarely see, if we are bent on the corner of Manger Street and San Antonio Road. He has called us to come to tea in his shop or he's come against us and asked if we are really doing well. He is a master of art, friendship and business relationship.

Rianne and Sara, volunteers from the Alternative Information Center, with which we were often together, there in the coffee shop or AI Oush Grave, where we have thwarted attempts by the settlers, the land on which to create a theme park and a children's hospital, as we have held parties and small game festivities. Rianne is Dutch, and I have spoken with her Justice Afrikaans. Sara is Italian, at least when she takes the phone to his ear and "Pronto" calls, which is clear. Both are dedicated and show interest in our program. Here they were, to say goodbye good friends.

Eli, actually Elijah, the other taxi drivers who shared the our weal and woes, drove us past the road blocks on roads and through olive groves, so that we in the demonstration could participate in Umm Salomone. Could call and ask us how come we could quickly and cheaply here and there and when he could not drive themselves, sent us a reliable taxi driver, with which we did not have to talk about price because it had previously instructed. Once, at the beginning I called him, "Eli, you have to take me home, but I do not know where I am." "Give the phone to the boy there so rumschreit", said he and solved my trouble. Eli, Christian, dedicated, well informed and our friendship fond, a recovery in the stress of a tight daily schedule.

Daniel Munoz Rojas the International Committee of the Red Cross, where we have twice sat on the usability of our observations and advice at the checkpoint. He heads the branch of the ICRC in Bethlehem and told us, among other things, the work of the Red Cross and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails. We could compare stories we have heard constantly of Palestinians who have spent some years there. Daniel was one of the interlocutors, of whom we had the feeling that our work is appreciated by large organizations. The second time we were included because other employees had left. Daniel had to climb out the window and try to find next door a key. "Captives" we called it.

And then there were some friends we had not reached that were perhaps abroad or on business trips where they did not want to be disturbed. We would invite much more.
Suleiman Al Hamri, head of the Department of the Interior of the Palestinian Authority, which works with NGOs. 550 of them are in the area of Bethlehem. Suleiman was very strict and dogmatic in the assessment of these organizations regarding their political objectives. Everything designed to ease the current situation , is for him "normalization" and this prevents a large target to denounce the occupation and stop. When we were at Suleiman at home and have learned to know him as host, we found a devoted father and educated interlocutors. Sorry, we no longer can say goodbye to him vin.

The "party" itself, was four clock in the afternoon to early evening for us all beautiful and painful. We have felt that we found in this short time even with only random encounters good friends. From them we heard critical questions about our work: We know what the policy of looking away from the Europeans Change? Will you come back? Can you understand our lack of courage? Can you give us courage? Above all, we have this feeling of friendship and solidarity felt. The sentence about the fact that our world has become small and injustice in a region an injustice to the whole world is a pain that one people is added, the international community hurts - we have in this sentence as a strong feeling we watch them grow. We are moving away from Bethlehem and nothing has changed for the better. Nevertheless, we believe that the end of suffering comes to the Palestinians. We hope to make the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel will soon be visible.

addendum 23. July 2008
Today we left Bethlehem. In Checkpoint, already on the Jerusalem side we have met some of the workers that we know of the morning Checkpoint Watches. If you are stopped, their tired faces friendly on us, without worrying about the Israeli security guards: Masa lkher! Masa nOnly! Kiif haalak? Mabsuu tiin ilhamdilla! It goes away? Yes, our time is up. This is bad! But thank you being there. And the men who are really alien to us have been standing there for a moment, sadly. Then they repeated: So, thank you! Shukran! Wa ma'i ssalaame! Ma'i ssalaame! And we were very woe, with the horrible checkpoint back.