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Kind regards
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DAY 7

Day off today. Had loads of plans (going up to Haifa to meet the family of a friend of mine, going to Qalqiliya, Jericho....) but ended up staying in East Jerusalem, walking around the old city.
We first had to go to the post office to post back our tapes, books and other documentation we collected during our tour. We went to the small post office near Jaffa Gate, mean to be a safe post office to post your items back. Had to queue for a while as the person before me was sending 7 huge boxes to Russia but finally managed to get all my stuff in parcels and out of the country.
It might seems like to much precautions were taken, but the last thing I want is my tapes to get confiscated at the airport (it has happen before) or the Israeli security to question me for hours because the books I had on me where too "pro-Palestinian".
Once the post office was sorted, I walked around the old city but felt funny about it. Was seriously missing the small Palestinians villages atmosphere we had experienced the days prior to this one.
I decided to call it a day and to go back to the hotel and watch some of the footage I had shot since we arrived in Palestine. Watching back the tapes was weird in a way. The first days of the trip, already seemed so far away for the present. I guess that the amount of informations we receive everyday and the number of different places we go to, people we meet...probably explains that.
Dinner came at 7pm, as usual, and after a chat in the lobby of the hotel, we went out for a drink in East Jerusalem this time.
We found a really nice place called "Askadynia", a bar restaurant located a few blocks away from our hotel. If only we had known about this place the night before.
The waiters and barman were excellent, they played really good music, Arabic and European. They even played "Noir Desir", a French band, my favourite. Excellent evening.
Not much to say today, but I think that I really needed a rest. Felt like I was on "reserve batteries". Feeling "full of beans" now.

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DAY 6

Ahlan.

We start our day in Beit Hanina where we meet with the Jerusalem Centre for Woman which was established in 1994 as a political vehicle to help women participating in political activities.

Palestinian and Israeli women get together and talk about various things such as final status negotiations, Jerusalem....S is doing the talking. It is an amazing group of women training others in taking part in conferences, documenting human right abuses inside Jerusalem, issuing legal reports, press releases....

Life is incredibly hard for Arabic Jerusalem women because they have to live under Israeli laws which are very different from the West Bank ones. A woman has to carry a Blue I.D a Jordanian passport, cannot get an Israeli one, and is Palestinian. Family reunification is really hard. If a woman marry to a West Bank man, the situation becomes impossible. She cannot go to the W.B and her husband cannot get to Jerusalem easily (he has to ask for a permit every time which are really hard to get).

Women in Jerusalem get really low jobs. They clean hospitals, schools....there are only limited opportunities for them to learn Hebrew which makes job hunting even harder.

You have to remember that Palestinians have the highest level of education of the Arab World. Palestinians are highly skilled and educated people.

The women in Jerusalem suffer a lot from House demolitions as well and very little get married by dating. Most marriages are arranged by the father. More and more women in Jerusalem suffer from depression.

Even the most destitute of the women have to pay equal taxes (with the Israelis) but get only 30% maximum of the services that Israelis get.

This is a lot worse than apartheid. People really have to start using this word while addressing the situation in Palestine. APARTHEID.

Listening to S. is again really tough emotionally. How can such things can happen in the world today with the international community standing by doing nothing?

8 women work in the centre including a volunteer from Ireland, E.

This centre is making some progress, even if only marginally. Some women start to get elected in local councils. This is really positive.

RAMALLAH

We then arrive in Ramallah, and pass in front of the celebration of the death of Yasser Arafat. Security is at its highest, and our little bus advances really really slowly thru the controlled chaos that Ramallah is.

We have an appointment with W. from the PLO negotiation unit. We get to his building but it is hard to find the right floor because they have not dared put a sign with PLO in the lobby.

W. shows us a really interesting power point presentation. Some facts:

-The wall will be 755km long when completed

-So far 419 km have been completed

-50 km are under construction

-The wall will go as deep as 22km inside Occupied Palestinian Territories.

-260 000 Palestinians are isolated from rest of Palestinian towns by the wall

-300 000 Palestinians are cut from their agricultural land

-All in all 12% of the W.B will be incorporated inside the in Israel (water resources, Jerusalem..) Which will de facto means the end of a Palestinian state.

-Settlements are continuously growing, they now have taken over 8% of WB

-Jordan Valley Settlers control has taken up to 26% of OPT.

This all means that only 54% of the W.B will be left to Palestine.

How do you call that? This is a wicked scheme, there is no other word.

W. also explains us that the Jerusalem, ramallah, Bethlehem route is vital for Palestinian economy, culture...those towns are inter dependent and inter linked. This route accounts for 35% of Palestinian economy.

End of meeting, as always we are in a rush. The bus in waiting for us on the other side of the road. As usual I always intend on getting in last. I turn around and see a building with a huge Palestinian flag at the top. I really have to photograph that. From the entry of the huge building an armed Palestinian (security services) waves at me menacingly and tell me not to film. I waive back. "La filming" I scream at him (No filming). Another officer start to walk towards me so I decide to go towards him as well. How are you? He does not speak English but ask me to go with him to the building. I still not fully get it. I think that he wants to talk....I slowly realise that this is a security building and an important one apparently. I meet with the other soldier, older, who speaks a bit of English. L. our tour leader, from the bus, screams at me to get back to the bus, she still think that, as usual, I got into a conversation with people and do my journalist thingy. I wish I could rejoin the bus, but this is not my decision. The armed guy asked me to show him the footage I have got. Luckily I have just changed tapes and there is only 1 min of footage. I did not film the building. I think to myself, "ok I can go now" but someone wearing a suit ask me to follow him into the building...shit it is sort of getting scary now. L. comes down running with A. and start screaming "F. go back to the bus, we are late!" I reply that I wish I could, but that those guys won't let me go. Anoother man comes out, say something in Arabic and lets me go. Phew, even if it was not Mossad or something and that I will always feel more comfortable with Palestinian security forces than Israeli ones, I was starting to get worried. I run back to the bus. Yallah!

We have lunch in a famous Palestinian restaurant in Ramallah. Loads of dignitaries..have eaten here. The food is delicious. Portions are not enough to my liking so I ask for desert. Baklava please. No Baklava. Strawberry cheesecake. I guess that'll do.

A well known Palestinian Businessman joins us at the restaurant.

He tells us that he has to leave the country every 3 months to renew his visa. He has been doing that for the last 20 years! He gives us his view on the future:

-The PA does only represent 40% of Palestinian people. The diaspora has to be included.

-The PA has a political entity is dead, has failed, and should be dismantled.

-No choice for the leadership to go to the Annapolis conference. They are the weak party. They have to go but need to go with a strong basic argument. This whole issue has to be based on respect of International law (something foreign to Israel and the USA).

-Israel have to acknowledge that the Palestinians are an occupied people and therefore that they are protected under international law. Israel has always refused this. This is not occupied but disputed territories.

-Israel has to understand that the Gazans are hardened people and that they will not crumble that easily. They have been use to human battering more than anyone else and have not disappeared. The US thought that boycotting Hamas will make the party collapse but Hamas is still there after 2 years.

-The situation in Gaza has to be discussed at Annapolis and Gaza has to be part of the negotiations. Gaza represents 40% of the Palestinian people.

S. has to go, he has to go to a meeting with 2 ex CIA agents. Busy and important man. A mountain of a man as well.

back to BIL'IN

We then go back to Bil'in to show this amazing village to the rest of the group. We are welcomed by the village council.

2000 Palestinians live in Bil'in.

M. explains us that there is now 2 demonstrations every Friday in Bil'in. One has sort of been hijacked by the internationals. They were not asked to come back but have done so for the last 3 years. Their presence is really important.

The other demo has started only 2 weeks ago and is about the apartheid road. Road 443 connecting Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, Israeli road only.

The Bil'in residents can see the sea from their roof tops, but are not able to reach it. (have to ask permission to Israel but this is hardly ever given to them).

We leave the office a bump into a Palestinian "Orus" (wedding). Loads of cars, loads of people, great atmosphere.

We go back to where the demo had taken place to day before and are allowed to reach the location from where the IOF soldiers were firing Rubber bullets, Tear Gas.....Loads of empty cartridges lie on the floor. Not very environmentally friendly those young soldiers.....

Its getting late and we have to go back.
We learn a bit later that Bil'in village has just won the first Yasser Arafat Achievement Award.

We get to the hotel completely exhausted once more. Who said that this was a holiday!

We go for a drink after dinner. I really want to stay in East Jerusalem ("Palestinian part") but nothing is open. We reach West Jerusalem and get enter into a bar. (security outside the door of course). I feel really bad to talk about boycott all day and to drink Israeli beer now. We decide to only get one drink. We are thinking about leaving without paying as a sort of statement but as soon as we get dressed the barman comes and ask if we want the bill. Boy its expensive, pretty much London prices. I pay and the barman looks at me confused. "what about tips?" What? You ask for tips now? I thought this was discretionary? I ask him if its compulsory to tip. He says no. I do not tip.

We leave the place and decide to get to an off licence to get one more drink. Silly us, East Jerusalem is Arabic and you cannot find beer at 1am in the morning.

We decide to walk back to the hotel, but get lost. We order a cab. We were 500 yards away from the St Georges. Tomorrow is off day. A bit of a rest could be nice.....I'll tell you more about it in a few hours.

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DAY 5

Evening dinner out of the hotel in a "commercial" bedouin tent. It was actually really nice to have a few hours to eat and to talk to something different than Palestine and the conflict. Really needed after so many long and emotionally charged few days. Felt like going out after dinner, but Thursday evenings in Bethlehem are pretty quiet. We therefore decided to go back to the wall and to write some graffitis on it.

When we left, IOF soldiers were waiting for us, quite stressful at first but we then realised that even if they knew that we had been writing on the wall, they could not do much about it. They started talking to us saying that (showing rocks lying everywhere) "Look what they Arabs are doing". When I mention that if the wall was not there, maybe the rocks will disappear as well, then do not know what to respond. They are really young. They agree that the wall is ugly, but it needs to be there to protect the Jews. We say bye and bump into a Palestinian police officer a few blocks later. They are 200 yards apart but never talk or see one another. It is getting crazier and crazier.

BIL'IN DEMONSTRATION AGAINST THE WALL

We split from the group today. 3 of us decide to go to Bil'in for the Friday non violent demonstration against the wall. Bil'in demonstration has been a great source of inspiration for Palestinians all around. It started 3 years ago. They have had some successes. Recently the Supreme court decided to alter (just a little bit) the route of the wall. It gave the Palestinians hope.

R, a young activist from Holland had told us to take the bus 18 from Jerusalem. We hop on the bus at 8.35am. We realise at 9.00 that we took the bus the wrong way. We jump off cross the road and jump on the other 18. At 10.00 we are only 5 on the bus. The 3 of us, an Israeli soldier and another man. The man asks us where we going. Ramallah??? Are you crazy, its Arabs there! The bus leaves us at its terminal. Where are we? Definitely not in Ramallah. I call R. "You took the Palestinian bus, right?" Shit!!!! How stupid of us, there was 2 numbers 18, the Palestinian one, and the Israeli one. We took the wrong one. We then take another bus who takes us to a taxi. We jump in, the taxi driver is Israeli and therefore cannot go to Ramallah, he does not want anyway. He does not like the Arabs. I ask him if he has ever been to Ramallah and met the Arabs. He has not. He then tells me that he lives in an Israeli Arab neighbourhood. Do you have any Arabs friends then, in your neighbourhood. He has not, but talks to Arabs and they do some work in is house. Any problems I ask? None. He gets along with Israeli Arabs, but do not like the Arabs....hard to understand. When I mention it, he tells me that the Arabs in Ramallah are different. We get to the checkpoint. I tell him that I hope that one day, Ill go back to see him and hopefully he will have been to Ramallah and made some friends. "Utopia" he answers. I say bye and tell him that I will send him a postcard from Ramallah.

He pass the checkpoint and jump into a Palestinian taxi. We tell him that we need to go to Bil"in, and fast. It is now 11.00. We left Jerusalem more than 2 hours ago. Our driver is really nice, he teaches me some Arabic while driving like crazy. I enjoy it. Ana barhob musica Arabiya. We finally get to Bil"in. It is 12. What a journey.

We meet with the other demonstrators, people from the village and loads of internationals. I bump into a French man from Paris. The march starts, we are around 150. Kids, woman...old people...and then the fun starts.

After about 10 mins, we see the IOF forces, about 25 of them, they do not wait long before starting firing tear gas at us. It hurts like hell. It first gets to your eyes and then inside your throat, really hard to breathe. The soldiers are having fun and do not stop firing. Rubber bullets and tear gas. We run away but then continue. I have lost A. When I find him again he is bleeding quite heavily from the back of the head, he has been touched by a Tear gas cartridge. A doctor takes care of him and apply some bandages. I realise that the doctor is actually Mustafa Barghouti. Incredible. A few Palestinian kids use slingshots to throw rocks at IOF soldiers. They reply by firing live ammunition in the air. Scary. The whole thing last about an hour. My eyes stings like hell. Nose is running and I keep spiting.

We decide to walk back to the village, slowly and peacefully. Suddenly, for no reason at all, the soldiers start running towards us, fire more Gas, and some of them lie on the floor firing Rubber bullets. Are they mad? What's wrong with those bored kids. They really do get a quick out of it. It is hard not to hate them. Still, they are not the problem, and I cannot stop thinking that it is not their fault. A rotten and dysfunctional system is the root cause.

We finally get back to the village, eat a falafel and talk to some kids who want to sell us some Palestinian art. I sing them the DAM song "da dam dadadadam dadam dadadadam" they find it really funny so I continue and start doing really bad human beat box. They love it. I found myself a really good audience.

Someone offers us a lift in his car. We are with an incredible American woman (from the USA) who is about 55 and was in the first line of the demo, she is well equipped, goggles, medicine...she has been goingto the demo for years.

We hop on a bus and meet a couple a retired French citizens. They do not know much about the conflict, I inform them of what's happening and offer them to come thru the next checkpoint by foot. Internationals are allowed to stay on the bus, but Palestinians are not. Internationals have made a point of honour in walking thru checkpoints in support of the Palestinians. Also, it really embarrasses the IOF soldiers.

We finally rejoin the group. They are listening to an ex Israeli soldier who has refused to fight in the Occupied Palestinians Territories. He is part of "breaking the silence" a group of Israeli soldiers who served in Hebron and are now telling their stories about what really happens in the OPT.Y has to leave us. It is Shabat today.

We are they joined by H from the Alternative information centre who gives us the most amazing overview of the conflict. For him, there is only one solution. A one state solution. It means the end of Israel as a Jewish state. For him, Israel is by definition a racist state. The Israeli-Arabs (they are never called Israelis, but Israelis-Arabs.) are considered as second class citizens.

End of the day, it is getting more and more incredible.
When is this wicked and evil occupation is going to end?

Am in East Jerusalem now in an internet place listening to musica Arabiya. I am physically and emotionally exhausted.

Tisbaah al khair.

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JAHALIN BEDOUINS Azaria neighbourhood

We meet with A from ICAHD. A was born in South Africa and was deeply involved in the anti apartheid struggle. This is a lot worse she tells us. During the apartheid, the white regime needed the Black SA workforce (part of the fall of the regime), here is Palestine, Israel does not gives jobs to Palestinians. More and more foreign workers pour in Palestine.

She recently met with Holocaust survivors who issued a statement saying that they had never expected to see something as horrible as what they had experienced repeat itself.

The Bedouins are refugees from the NEGEV. They now live next to East Jerusalem garbage dump. When the wind turns, the smell is horrible. Bedouins would love a house with running water, electricity...they are not romantically nomadic.

We finally get to the refugee camp. We are now in a third world country, with tents, garbage every where, kids running bare footed. In the background, not far away, you can see the beautiful Israelis only highways and the white house of a nearby settlement. It is out of this world. It feels like science fiction.

This tribe (do not misunderstand me, it is a tribe, but does not mean that they are cannibals, naked with knife....these are educated people. The Bedouins are actually really noble people, really peaceful, their word is their word, they will never cheat you. Unfortunately, due to such pressure, unemployment....those values are harder and harder to go by. Some of them have drug addictions, drinking problems, things that never used to happen before.) was kicked off the Negev in 1974. They moved but where asked to move again for the creation of the huge settlement of Maale Adumin. They now live near Azaria.

I meet young kids, really bubbly, they crack me up. Make faces at me while I try to listen to A's talk. One of them speaks English, he is only 7 years old. They do not seem to like my tattoos much. They are sort of afraid by them. They hit me a few times on my arms, to check if they are real or not. I decide to tell them to stop. Quite a strong bunch of 7 years old. Volunteers teach them Hebrew and English. They have a small play ground for sports, and a school.

An overwhelming felling suddenly takes over. I feel rather good here. Edward Said always said that he did not have a "home" (out of place), a country. That he was anything but patriotic. I feel the same way. Do not feel like France is my home, do not feel like England is my home, do not feel like Palestine is my home, but feel at home here....

I want to help here, feel like I could be useful, could teach them English, French....but Palestinians tell me that I will be more useful in Europe talking to people about their problems, this disgusting situation. Wanting to stay here, is it selfish, egoistical? Existential questions keep popping up in my already over full brain.

A told us that the media have failed Palestine but have failed the Bedouins even more. They are inexistant in the media "the banality of evil".

We then meet A I, an Arabic teacher in Jerusalem who recently as been forbidden to get there to work. It lasted one year. No reasons were given.

I think to myself: "why don't the students protest, organise strikes....?"

Most of Bedouins young men clean the street of the nearby Israeli settlement, Maale Adumin. Science fiction I tell you.

The Bedouins are pious Muslims but are now forbidden to go and pray at the Al Aksa Mosque in Jerusalem. They have to pray at the checkpoint. One more humiliation.

Recently the army has ordered a Donkey shed to be destroyed.

We leave the house, it has been a privilege to get into a Bedouin house. They normally do not let foreigners in.

My day is pretty much over. Have to get back to hotel, put a new t shirt on, and go for dinner. Tomorrow is Bil'in and its Friday's demonstration against the wall. Another out of the ordinary day in perspective.

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DAY 4

First I wanted to tell you something that I forgot to mention yesterday. When you leave Bethlehem thru the Tantur gate, you go thru one checkpoint drive and have to stop 5 meters later to go thru another one. Ok, that's said.

I could write and talk about today for 3 months, but I unfortunately only have about 30 mins to do so. I will not be able to re read myself, so once more, apologies for the grammatical mistakes, typos...

This day has been amazing. Why? Hebron and the Bedouins.

Let's start with Hebron.

HEBRON

We met with R, an amazing woman from "Women in black" and ICAHD, Maschom Watch and pretty much every single organisation for a right justice. She had to hid at the back of the bus because Israelis are forbidden to go to the West Bank. The official reason is that the army cannot protect them there (quite funny when you know that the Israeli Occupation Forces are overly present in the West Bank). The real reason is that for the Israeli government the West Bank (Palestine) does not exist and that Israeli should not see what's taken place over there.

While reading, always keep in mind that Hebron is a Palestinian Town.

Hebron is famous for its really sweet grapes but even more for its ultra extremist Israeli settlers.

Around 40000 Palestinians live in Hebron old city (number is going down every year).

Around 400 Settlers live in Hebron old city (number is going up every year). They are mostly from the USA. They are protected by around 1500 soldiers. You've read correctly.

The first impression you get when arriving in Hebron is that it is an Israeli town. IOF soldiers every where, religious Jews walking around..quite stunning.

The second thing you notice is that there is pretty much a checkpoint or IOF outpost every 100 yards. It seems crazy, Orwellian.

I decide to go and talk to one soldier, standing at the entrance of the town. He seems friendly and is happy to talk to me (even if I film him). What a shock to discover that he speaks French fluently, his Lebanese (South Lebanon) and Christian on top of it. When I ask him what he is doing here, serving for the IOF, he answers that he always wanted to get into the IOF. He came to Israel 7 years ago, got his citizenship and joined the army. He has got one more year to go, tells me that his job is really boring, and that he cannot wait to quit the army and join the University in Jerusalem to study architecture. He seems like a really nice bloke, really friendly, even offers me some of his food. This man, I think to myself, could be my friend. Weird feeling.

I leave him and continue to walk following my group. We come across an IOF jeep arresting a Palestinian. They do not want us to take pictures, to film or talk to them. I walk a bit further and film. We then come across someone in jeans and runners but holding a machine gun? He is a settler, settlers are armed here. Bloody scary place. The normal and fast entrance to the old city has now been closed we therefore have, as everyone else to walk a lot more than necessary to get there.

He arrived to another IOF outpost and I talk to another IOF soldier. He is so young. He tells me that he really hate London. He also tells me to be really careful because after this outpost, it is Arab land, he cannot protect me there, and I will be in danger. It is like Irak, he tells me. Oh, by the way, He has never set foot in London and never really talk to Arabs, on the other side.

We then get to the other side, Irak, and what a surprise. So lively, full of life, people, cars....I talk to a really old Palestinian who does not seem to understand that it is not because i can say A salamu alaykum in Arabic, that it means that I'm fluent. Another Palestinian arrives and start translating. "Look, you have 2 foot, and 2 shoes. Can you put both feet in the same shoe?"

The other man tells me that he has plenty of Jewish friends, that he trades with them. He only wants to live a normal life. Nothing more.

We go around the old city, see the market with its net fixed on top (Settlers have bought houses surrounding the market and throw rocks, garbage..on the Palestinians doing their shopping. Rocks means rocks. We even spot massive bricks. Amazing.)

Just before we go, we talk to another IOF soldier, as young as the last one, who tells us. "life is hard here....for us" and "Are you for Israel?" When I tell him that I am here to try to understand and see the situation for myself he tells me that I cannot understand, and will never do. "Palestinians tried to stab us 2 days ago". He has got a bullet proof vest a gun and an M16. "I look stronger than them with all this gear, but it is not true". P from the group tells him "but you are stronger!".....we have to go unfortunately. I feel that we actually could have engaged in a really good conversation here.

Back to the bus. R tells us about another myth about Israel treating women as equals. Ben Gurion wanted, when Israel was created in 1948 family laws according to religion. No secular weddings in the country. If the man does not want to divorce the woman cannot do anything.

In anti occupation marches, most of the people are women. We leave Hebron. An amazing place. What a contrast between the Israeli part and the Palestinian one.

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DAY 3

We start the day with A from Maschom Watch, a women organization that tours the checkpoint to make sure that Human rights abuses do not take place. (they still frequently do but.)

The checkpoints are here for security they tell us. How can you explain then, that most of them are between PALESTINIAN VILLAGES? It does not make any sense.

The route of the wall does not make sense at all also. And by the way, they want us to call it a security fence. I have never seen a security fence twice as high and 3 times as wide as the Berlin Wall. Have you? This WALL is massive. It cuts through villages. It cuts through universities. Most of businesses have closed because of the wall. The wall is another trick for ethnic cleansing. It is made to create "facts on the ground". The settlements...are now so big (Maale Adumin is a city, with 4 swimming pool, a huge shopping centre, a park..) that they is no way they can be dismantled. The Israeli governement says that it is for a 2 state solution, but settlements and the wall have made this solution impossible.

We finally get to a checkpoint, INSIDE a Palestinian village, actually cutting the village in two. Cars are not allowed in the village, therefore villagers have to park outside, then walk with their shopping, belongings....

We are "welcomed" by a scary looking Israeli soldier. He sees that I am filming and does not look happy about it. I hide my camcorder better. We want to ask him questions but he refuses to answer. He tells us to leave. Now. I try to go up to another soldier, but the scary, super armed one, tells me off. He is the boss here.

We oblige after a few minutes. Our next stop is Bethlehem University.

We get to the University and are welcomed by students. They are so happy that people from Europe...come to see them. They speak really good English. They take us for a tour of the Uni.

D, one of the student explains that her parents live in Koweit because unable to find work here. She lives here with her sister.

When I ask A, another student, if he is religious, he answers:

"No, I am not. I believe that there is someone up there, but will pray with Christians, Muslims and Jews"

He also tells me that his house has been demolished 3 times. Every Palestinian has a similar story of dispossession, humiliation...

Another student, a nurse, tells us that he is unable to work in Israeli hospital (the best ones).

We have to leave. I decide to stay and have lunch at the Uni Canteen with 4 students and 2 members of my group. We talk about everything but the occupation and the conflict. When I ask them if they have emails..they crack up. Palestinians do have emails, do watch TV, love music (even if I did not agree with their choice for number 1...Shakira) they love films ( Forrest Gump) and TV shows (friends). They are not animals after all....On the contrary, I find them a lot more civilised than most of Europeans. We have a lot to learn from them. A lot.

They tell us that they do want to go abroad to study, to travel, but that they WILL come back. They are needed in Palestine. Palestine is their home, their country. The love Palestine. They are the future and they know it. Palestine need their brains. More than ever.

We exchange email address..and I have sadly have to go. Could have spent the whole day here. They give me hope for Palestine.

We then rush to meet N, from Badil a Palestinian organisation working with refugees. 531 villages have been destroyed in the 1948 "war". Refugees are now scattered throughout the region. Resolution 194, passed in 1948, has made their return compulsory. Israel has turned a blind eye. The international community did not react.

The problem for Israel is that if they accept the return of the refugees, they will be more Palestinian than Jews in Israel therefore making it impossible for Israel Jewish state impossible to exist. Democracy. A state for all its citizens.

We then head to Deisheh refugee camp.

We meet N, the leader, a chain smoker with a fantastic moustache. He tells us his incredible story. He has first been denied the right to leave Palestine, and has now been denied the right to leave Bethlehem altogether. If he cannot leave, he tells us, the world will come to him. He has invited internationals from all around the world to visit him in Deisheh.They have built a community hall in the camp. Its now been used for weddings, conferences.....12000 people live in the camp. The camp has 1 clinic. They are now trying to built a small hospital. But they need money, and help to build it. A refugee from Deisheh has recently tried to go to an Israeli hospital to get his cancer cured. The doctor told him that he will receive him in 3 to 6 months. This sort of thing occur every day.

In 2002 the Israeli Occupation Forces (IOF) invaded the camp during the second intifada. They imposed a 45 days curfew as well as house arrest. A boy got shot 50 times for not respecting the curfew. The IOF left after 45 days. Not one single weapon was found. Not one terrorist was found either. They army destroyed everything in the camp. Going Thru houses (knock the door down, then the wall, go thru the second house..and so on).

We talk to a lot of young Palestinians. One just got out of jail. He spent 5 year inside. He is now 21. He offers me to come a live in the camp for a while, in his house. I can teach him English, he will teach me Arabic. He wants to go to Paris, London...

His parents were not allowed to visit him in jail for 2 years.

Those people are amazing.

He leave the camp. I love them, all of them.

Its not 6.11pm and I have been in an internet cafe writing while listening to Arabic music for 2 hours. I really have to go.

Maarhaba.

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DAY 2

Oh, I forgot to tell you something. I am filming my trip. Is it therefore really hard to take as much notes as I would like. Hopefully the editing film will make for a great viewing and will be more enjoyable than this blog. Anyway, let's go on.

Slept ok. Awoken at 4.30am but the Muslim call to prayer. Fantastic sound and view from the window in my room. Do not manage to go back to sleep so I start reading about NGO we visited the day before. So much information.

JERUSALEM

We meet with J. from ICAHD. Tour of Jerusalem to see for ourselves the matrix of control around the city. The walk inside the old city is haunting. So much devotion.

We then meet with A, a settler whose goal is to reclaim Jerusalem for the Jews only. He works in the "housing market". He sells houses to Jews in East Jerusalem. He works from a famous Jewish millionaire, Moskovic. He tells us that his work is his life.

A is from England by the way.

We then leave the old city and go to East Jerusalem. What a shock! We were in a developed European city a few minutes ago and are now in the middle of a gettho. Rubbish everywhere, undriveable roads, semi demolished house. The place is a mess (remember about the municipality not doing its work). We pass A. settlement in the middle of Sifwan (Palestinian village) a massive, ugly building. Opposite the building is an old Israeli police station. The government made a deal with A and will sell him the land of the old police station soon. Settlers DO work with the Government.

J tells us that 1/3 of East Jerusalem houses are under demolition order. It can happen any day. Most of the time the families have only a few hours to leave the house.

We get to the wailing wall. J speech is interrupted by Jewish orthodox screaming that he is a liar and supports suicide bombers...childish argument. J wants to engage in a conversation, but the person refuses and go, still screaming.

I am approached by another believer that tells me that he is really happy that Chelsea football team as an Israeli coach.

The night is falling on East Jerusalem and we head to S house.

The road is in such a state that our van nearly turns over. Our driver is not happy at all.

S house has been destroyed 4 TIMES. ICAHD has helped rebuilding it every time but still, S and his family are not allowed to live in their house. It has therefore been decided to turn the house in a peace centre. The house is dedicated to Rachel Corrie, the US activist killed by an Israeli bulldozer in Gaza.

S story is incredible. His family has suffered such a great deal. He got beaten up in front of his kids. His daughter lost her eyesight for a day. His son, suffered broken limbs during the destruction of their house. S tells us that he is only asking for his right to have a house, like us. His right to live in Peace. To go to work without being harassed.

We are treated to an amazing meal, and also meet more internationals. We decide to go to the Bil'in demonstration against the wall together.

Time to go back to the hotel. We stay in the lobby for awhile, so much thing to talk about.

Good night.

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DAY 1

Ahlan wa Sahlan.

Have now been in Palestine for 3 days. Did not have time before to come and start writing. So much to say. Before I start telling you about my daily adventures, I would just like to say one thing.

Palestinians are amazing people. The kindest people I have encountered in my life so far. I have never been offered so much coffee, Arabic tea, wine, baklava...before. Only 3 days and I already know that this trip will stay with me forever.

One more thing about this blog. As I have only little time, I apologize in advance for the lack of editing and the probable typos. Aasif.

Ok, let's start.

Left Heathrow at 10.30pm. Flight went really well. Got to Ben Gurion 30 mins before scheduled. Went through security without any problems at all.

"what's your father's name?", "how long are you here for", "What is your religion" were the only questions asked. I had prepared myself for a lot worse. A good start.

Fantastic weather.

BETHLEHEM

Our hotel is the only one which stayed open in Bethlehem throughout the last intifada.

Meeting with the group in our hotel. A few points were made. Save water as much as possible. Palestinians have pretty much ran out and need to buy theirs.

Meeting with L, CEO of Open Bethlehem.

Open Bethlehem was launched in 2005 in London and Washington just has Israel started building the Apartheid Wall. L has been invited to talk at the White House but has not been able to pay for a ticket yet.

L, takes us for a tour of Bethlehem. We go around and are amazed to see Jewish settlements being built closer and closer to Palestinian villages. Settlers come down to Palestinian villages and harass the villagers asking them for their licence. An Orwellian situation. The famous Cremisan wine, a Palestinian wine, is being sold throughout the world as an Israeli wine. The reason for Boycotting Israeli products is more and more clear.

We then go to the Wi'am offices a conflict resolution centre.

What people often forget is that people living under occupation face strong psychological problems. Stress brings high blood pressure, constant headaches, cancer, conflict between communities, unemployment...

Also, on the eve of the Anapolis conference the media leads us to believe that things are getting better in the West Bank. This is not true. 22 settlements are now surrounding Bethlehem, prices have doubled, unemployment is peaking, people are more and more fearful of another war in the region. (Israel-Iran, Israel-Syria)

Everyone is affected by the situation in Gaza, everyone is concerned and fears that this could transfer to the West Bank as well.

Wi'am sees Non violence as the only solution. You also have to realise that the Israeli government does not let Israelis come to the West Bank. As far as they are concerned, Palestine does not exist. Palestinians are called Arabs. Palestine is taboo. The Apartheid Wall is hidden from Israeli citizens, checkpoints are too.

S from Wi'am tells us: " We do not want you to be pro-Palestinian, we want you to be pro-justice"

Incredible message of peace from people suffering so much. People keep telling us that they have nothing against Jews, they use to leave together and had loads of Jewish friends. The Israeli government is responsible.

We then go back to the hotel where we meet with G from the Palestinian Centre for rapprochement between people. Muslim call to prayer starts around Bethlehem. Haunting and beautiful. We can hardly hear G, but.

Once more NON VIOLENCE is the message. Unfortunately, the media does not show anything else coming from the Palestinian. The first Intifada, mostly non violent, has been totally erased from history in the media. All the things accomplished, the non violence resistance (stone throwing is NOT violence), the creative ways to fight the occupation, all this did not happen. 1987-1996 (first suicide bomber) has not made it to the media.

Beit Sahour, started a boycott and loads of people refused to pay their taxes (you have to know that Palestinians pay has much, if not more, taxes as Israeli, but the municipality does not offer any services to Palestinians villages. You find litter everywhere, roads are in a poor state...). Beit Sahour had to face 42 days of house arrest (people not being able to leave their houses), curfew, cars, computers were confiscated. Shops were closed.

What security purposes does this serves?

Before returning to the hotel a few people and I decide to visit an orphanage in Bethlehem. We are received extremely well once more, even if it is 7pm and we arrive un annouced. Kids from 6 weeks old till 6 years old live here. They start jumping around, jump into our arms. Heartbreaking. My camcorder astound them, they see themselves in the LCD screen, they love it. I asked the nun about the numbers of children getting adopted. She cannot answer. Those numbers are kept secret. She will not tell me why. We then have to go, but the kids won't let us leave. Really tough. Why making babies when so many of them need a mum and a dad?

After diner at the hotel, a few of us leave with S our driver. He takes us to a really nice Palestinian cafe where we smoke the Nargilleh. After such a long day, it is the perfect remedy.

Time to go to bed. Truly exhausted but so happy. I AM IN PALESTINE!

Tisbaah al khair.

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