Bill's Journal

August 10:

I am the least computer literate person on this delegation, but I will try to send a message from time to time.

It is a great relief to hear of Dennis' return. We wish that he could be here with us, and know that he is in spirit.

I will not be long this time, but just say thank you to everyone for their support of this delegation.

I am finding the Israeli and Palestinian people to be gracious. Both have wonderfully rich cultures, and I hope that the future holds the opportunity for all of the grandchildren to celebrate together. I believe that the great majority of people on both sides of this conflict want that to be. It is imperative that we discover ways to honor the dignity all and lessen the demonization factor upon which fear and prejudice feeds.

Be well and be at peace.--bill

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August 11th

Tonight is my night to give our daily report.  It has been a busy day.  we began early this morning.  It is a challenge to get around this city in any timely fashion, but we were on schedule most of the day.

We began with a meeting at the headquarters of Bat Shalom (The Link), a feminist peace organization which, among other things tries to link up the Israeli and Palestine women.

It is the source of many groups.  The Women in Black movement started at Bat Shalom.  It was started in the early 80's when it was illegal for Israelis to meet with Palestinians. Because of the current restrictions it has been two years since they have been able to meet their Palestinian counterpart, but they keep in contact with those in the West Bank.

We met with Ronnie Yeager, a Canadian born observant Jewish woman.  At the beginning of their work, Bat Shalom was fire bombed several times by reactionary groups opposed to contact with Palestinians.  Their history reminded me of the story of Clarence Jordan's courageous work in Americus, Georgia breaking the taboos of inter-racial contact and community building. Bat Shalom is now working at the UN assure the voices of women are heard in working for a solution of the conflict over the West Bank.  We will share more about their work when we return.

We then travelled to the office of B'Tselem, an Israeli NGO which monitors human rights in West Bank.  They report that, for the Israeli public, human rights are considered a luxury that must take second place to security.  Their work is presently focused on exposing the reality of the "Wall", "Fence", or "Boundary Structure".  The term used depends on who is talking.

The wall, which is many times the length of the Berlin Wall is an unimaginable structure. It is nearly twice the length of the "Green Line" which is the UN recognized border separating Israel and the West Bank. The reason for this is clear when one looks at the map.  B'Tselem's report, Land Grab provides the picture of the jerrymandering which this wall represents.  It cuts deeply into Palestinian land, sometimes cutting villages in two, and separating Palestinian homes from their fields.  It also separates many Palestinians from their only water supply.  These are the hard physical facts of the "Wall" on the ground. It is not a matter of interpretion.  Given the physical reality of the wall, the possibility of a "viable" Palestinian State is about as likely as the lamppost becoming tomorrow afternoon.

Hearing these Israeli voices, Jewish people who can hardly be accused of anti-semitism, adds an important ingredient which is ignored by the Western press.  The important message they wish to convey is that the occupation and the wall, in their opinion, not only represent an injustice which the world cannot forever ignore, they represent a threat to the long term survival of the State of Israel. Both of the groups with which we visited this morning are led and staffed by persons for whom the State of Israel is home, the realization of their dreams. They are striving to bring peace and justice for both Israeli and Palestinian people.

We then travelled to lunch at the headquarters of Sabeel, a Palestinian Christian center for liberation theology.  This is a non-violent movement for peace and justice.  Sabeel, meaning the "Way" or "Stream of Water", organizes churches to peacefully resist the occupation. Their message is one of co-existence rather than segregation.  It is important to understand that the people of Palestine, Jews, Christians and Muslims, have lived peaceably together for more years than they have warred with one another.  This is not a problem with the long standing religious traditions in Palestine. It is a problem caused by political actions of the few to the detriment of the many.

I believe we leave tomorrow for the West Bank.  Our stay in the Old City has been wonderful.  All of us have been impressed by the hospitality and genuine human decency of the Israeli and Palestinian people we have met. This is a land struggling for the rebirth of justice, before the forces of racism, fear and hatred destroy all the dreams of peace and justice for all.  It is a complex problem, but not unsolvable.  It is our hope that we can help the voices of the people arise over the din of accusations of the political leaders.

We certainly believe that seeing "On the hoof" gives a very different perspective than that presented by the political parties and the press.  These people can live together.  They can build a just and equtiable society.  They deserve a chance to prove it.

Finally, we want to say that we are gladened to learn that our delegation member, Dennis Childers, who was denied a visa by Israeli immigration is home safe and sound.  At the same time, we carry some sadness for his absence.  We salute his courage and willingness to come, and we look to the day when this nation will be open to all, and peace rather than fear will reign in this Holy place.

peace--bill

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August 15th

Hello Bloomington,

We have returned to Jerusalem after several days in the West Bank. It was like being in a large prison. It is difficult to believe the conditions under which the Palestinians live. No rational person could justify such conditions.

It took us nearly four hours to make a journey to one village, which was only nine miles away. We were refused entry at one checkpoint and had to hire a Palestinian taxi to take us over the mountain on one of the worst roads I have ever been on. At one point the taxi tried to go over a roadblock that the Israelis had built on the road. The taxi got stuck high, centered with all four wheels off the ground.

The taxi driver was unbelievable. He simply called a brother on his cell phone and five minutes later a truck arrived to pull us off the roadblock. Before the truck got there, an Israeli military patrol approached. It was the only time the driver appeared nervous. He asked us to hide his identification card for him, because the Israelis would take it from him, which would result in his being a non-person. I guess he was going to tell them that he had forgotten it and hope he could talk himself out of the situation. He also faced a serious fine and imprisonment for being on a road that is meant only for Jews. However, the patrol saw that he had a bunch of "Internationals" with him, and they turned around and left. I guess they figured being stuck out in the desert was punishment enough.

The truck arrived and everyone frantically worked to pull the car off the roadblock and get moving again. It turned out that the driver had knocked a hole in the radiator and I thought we would be stranded in the middle of the desert… [email cut off…]

peace—bill

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August 19, 2003

I don't send as much mail as these younger computer friendly folks with whom I travel, but I thought I would check in tonight. A correction from my last missive: The house in Nablus that was destroyed a few days ago was not actually one we visited. Messages get confused when things like this happen. It was a house nearby.

Yesterday and today, I would have traded about twenty years with the younger men with whom I was traveling. We had to walk a "fer piece" in the heat of the day, and the last 300 yards was straight up hill. It was worth it because the Palestinian farm family with whom we spent the night included a two-year-old daughter. I was reminded of my grandson -- who I will see in a few more days.

The tragedy of this whole conflict is the impact on the children. Here was a family whose home has been twice destroyed, who has suffered attacks from settlers who have illegally confiscated their land, and often harass their children. It is difficult to understand how persons can justify displacing and abusing children regardless of their religion or race.

It was a sobering experience to see the Baghdad bombing and the Jerusalem bombing on a TV while sitting in the home of this Palestinian family. I wept for the children on the bus, for the lives lost in Baghdad, and for all the children in Israel and Palestine who continually see the inhumanness of war. At the same time, I rejoice in the love shared by these families. I am sure that Israelis and Palestinians love their children with the same intensity that I love my own. Surely, if there is a political will for peace, we can find a solution to this conflict.

peace - bill

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August 20, 2003

Hello everyone,

This is not Karl Hauss, but I would love to hear his program right now, because that would mean that I am back home. It is not long now, only six days to go. We have returned to Jerusalem after spending another few days in the West Bank at the old city of Hebron. We spent last night out in the grape growing area with a Palestinian farmer. It was very nice to be out in the country, although the lack of trees is hard to take. I cannot wait to stand beneath the shade of an oak again.

The story of this family is heartbreaking. Their house has been destroyed twice and he is rebuilding. This time he thinks it will not be destroyed again. I guess being hopeful allows him to continue working on it. The illegal settlement just across the valley has taken part of his land, which his family has farmed for six generations. His 75-year-old father was severely beaten as he himself has been, his wife and brother, too. The settlers in this area are not the kind of people anyone would want for a neighbor.
It was an unusual experience to sit and watch the news of the bombing in Baghdad and the Jerusalem bombing in the home of a Palestinian family. He continually stressed that he did not support the bombings, but he understood those who did them because it is the only weapon they had to fight the occupation of their land. There is a great deal of non-violent resistance to the occupation, but the media never covers it. The Palestinian journalist killed by American soldiers in Iraq was from Hebron. He has been shot three times by Israeli soldiers and settlers, but always survived. This time he did not. A large rally was held the day of his death, but it is unlikely that this non-violent protest was covered in the USA.

I have often been asked in America why the Palestinians don't have a Gandhi to lead them. In fact they have had many. The press ignores their work, and they are either in prison or exile. The farmer we stayed with was a Gandhi in his own way as he has refused to return the violence that has been against his family and land.

I just wanted to send a message to say that we are safe. We stay in Jerusalem for a few days now. We may try to visit Qalqilya, a village completely surrounded by the 30-foot high wall that the Israeli government is building around the Palestinians. There is a much higher security level with last night’s bombing and they have announced a complete closure of the West Bank, so it will take some creative imagination to find a way in. We have gotten pretty good at it, and the Palestinians always know a way around the military.

I have had little time for the normal sight seeing that one would do in the Holy Land, although we did see the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron. This is the place of the Goldstein massacre in which a settler killed 29 Muslims in the mosque several years ago.

Well, I hope things are going well in Bloomington. Take care and know that I long to be back with you all. Thank you for keeping us in your thoughts and prayers.

peace—bill

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August 21, 2003


Hello,

We don't have long to go. I wish my flight was leaving tomorrow, but I reckon I can make it another five or six days.

We met tonight with an Israeli army officer who is a Refusnik. He was really thoughtful and a very good spokesperson for those who are concerned about the future of Israel. It was a source of hope to talk with him.
I think that I might like to come back here someday. It is really an interesting place, and the people are the most hospitable folks I have ever met. I really love the Palestinian culture.

The heat is something else! We had to walk about three miles in the middle of the day yesterday, and the last 300 yards to the family's house were straight up hill. I was thoroughly exhausted. I had decided to carry my full backpack instead of leaving it in Hebron for the night, and I was cursing that decision by the time I climbed the hill. As things turned out, it was a good decision because we were unable to get back to Hebron as planned. The bombing in Jerusalem changed our plans.

We ended up taking a settler bus to Jerusalem. It was really strange after going over mountainous roads that are unbelievably horrible for several days. Those are the roads the Palestinians have to travel while the Jewish settlers have these wonderfully paved smooth roads. From Hebron to Jerusalem it is only about 17 miles, but for Palestinians it takes about two hours if they are lucky to get through the checkpoints. That is two hours over the roughest, dustiest roads I have ever seen. In the wintertime it is even worse because it rains all the time and the roads are impassable.

The people in the old city of Hebron are in danger of running out of water. The Christian Peacemaker Teams’ house was down to two days water supply and they said most of the neighborhood was in similar condition. With the closure today, they may face a very difficult time.

Joanne Lingle lives at the Christian Peacemaker Teams’ house in Hebron. We got to spend a good bit of time with her. They are a good organization and really do make a difference in the lives of the Palestinians. Most of the CPT members are Quakers or Mennonites.

peace—bill

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August 22, 2003

Yesterday's schedule was a mix of emotions. We went to the house warming celebration at a home dedicated to Rachel Corrie. There was a large celebration with many people. I got to use my hands in driving some nails in the trim around the roof. The Palestinian carpenter with whom I worked said, "Ah, you have worked with wood before." He then looked at my hands and said, "The hands of a working man." I didn't tell him that my calluses were from golf and guitar playing as much as from swinging a hammer of late. It was a joy to see this home, but one has to wonder how long it will be before the bulldozer comes again. The discriminatory zoning laws are another example of how difficult it is for Palestinians to plan for the future.

We then met with Jacob Goldberg, a former advisor to Barak and an active participant in the peace negotiations. I was very impressed with his grasp of history although I would disagree with his interpretation thereof. He is an academic with wonderful qualifications and an obviously brilliant mind. I would like to sit with him for coffee in a less contentious setting. I am sure that we could be friends in spite of our disagreements.

I would also like very much for him to travel with me to the West Bank. I do not know when he has last been there and with whom he has met, but I cannot help but believe that any thinking, "left-wing" (his designation) person would be greatly offended by the conditions there. It is, I think, rather easy to justify things from a distance, to look at the documents, study the culture, and point the finger at the other in justification of the self. Seeing life "on the hoof" is a steed of a different hue. "Facts on the ground" do not lie or deceive. I cannot accept the current collective punishment of the Palestinians by pointing the finger at the extremists, any more than I can accept the Bush administration actions in Iraq, Afghanistan, and the USA by replaying the video of Sept. 11.

It is certainly a fact that there are those building the belt bombs in Gaza, Nablus, and other places in Palestine to strike at the heart of Israel. This cannot be denied and cannot be justified. It is terrorism. However, those who build the belt bombs do not create the boys and girls who wear them. Those are created by the continued occupation and oppression of the Palestinian people. They are created by the denial of hope, the loss of a future.

Furthermore, even as I call the suicide bombing an act of terrorism, so too are the Apache helicopter attacks, the F-16 strikes and the war being waged against the people of the West Bank.

War=terrorism=war=terrorism, ad infinitum, ad nauseum, ad absurdum.

Finally, it was stated that we are only meeting with the "lunatic fringe" in Israel. Guilty as charged. I have often been accused of being on the lunatic fringe, but so long as collective punishment of people is considered a sane way to peace as in the case of Afghanistan, Iraq, the West Bank, and many other places in the world, I will choose the lunatics. So long as fear drives the sane to trust in weapons, walls, and wars for illusive security, I will stand with the lunatics.

Following our meeting with Mr. Goldberg, we met with another lunatic, I suppose. Rami El Hannan is the founder and director of a group that unites bereaved parents on both sides of this conflict. A suicide bomber killed his fourteen-year-old daughter. He has found the strength go on living by the process of reconciliation with Palestinian parents who have also lost children in this conflict. It was a healing experience to hear his story. It was a sign of hope. My belief is that peace, when it comes to the Middle East, will come as a result of people on the ground, not experts sitting around tables far away, whether those experts be academic, political, or military.
It is interesting that Rami's father-in-law was one of the most decorated generals in Israeli history. He led forces in the 1948 war, and in the war of 1967. He was also the first Israeli leader to meet with Yasser Arafat. Rami himself served in the military. He said, "We all, on both sides, have too much blood on our hands. It is time to look to the future and not to the past."

It should be said that none of us are experts. A few weeks over here cannot suffice to make us so. Much of our initial response is understandably emotional. It is difficult to see the suffering of the people, the innocent people on both sides of this conflict, without responding emotionally. I hope we can resist the temptation to make snap judgments and accusations.

One final note: As I see this continued pursuit of security which permeates the Israeli society even as it does our own in the States, I cannot help but remember the words of the prophet Hosea, "Because you have trusted in the size of your chariots and the multitude of your warriors, therefore the tumult of war shall be upon your people and all of your fortresses shall be destroyed." He goes on to say, "Sow for yourselves justice and reap the fruits of steadfast love." You cannot reap peace after sowing injustice; you cannot find peace through the paths of violence.

Take care. We will be home soon. For my grandson, and for all the children, I pray for peace and wisdom.

peace - bill

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August 22, 2003

Hello, just one more quick note. I had a dream the other night that is evidence of the fact that it is time for me to come home. I dreamed I had been hired as a pilot for John Mellencamp's Apache helicopter. Now I don't know what use John would have for an Apache -- unless he is planning to move into very heavy-metal rock -- and I don't know why he would hire me as his pilot if he did have one. I do know that when I start having these kinds of dreams it is time to change my diet or my location or both. No offense to John, but if anyone hears that he is interested in an Apache, tell him I am a preacher not a pilot.

Just thought you would enjoy the fact that I am still blessed with humor if only in my subconscious.

peace—bill