Blogs from West Bank, Israel, Middle East - page 14

Jemima: This isn't going to be a proper update, but I'm feeling pretty helpless right now, and all I can do is write this to let you all know what's going on. Today we went to the regular weekly demo in Bil'in, as planned. The march started out as usual, but before we even made it close to the wall, the Israeli army opened fire with sound bombs, tear gas and rubber bullets, coming right into the village. Me being the sensible person (chicken) I am, me and Elliot were pretty near the back, and we were a long way away from the real violence, so there's no need to worry on our behalf. However, the main reason I'm telling you all this is because we found out later that one of the Israeli activists who ... read more

O, What a perfect day... Or more or less. Once again it's Elliot here. By rights, it should be Jemima, but she's off at the women-only wedding do- a hen party in effect. I'm not bitter, though... We had a very good visit to the YMCA in Bethlehem, to see the kind of project Christian Aid supports in Palestine. I will let Jemima talk more about that though- we made the trip because she is working with Christian Aid from September. We went swimming yesterday with the Children of Martyrs (absolutely don't think that word synonymous with suicide bombers) summer camp, where we've been volunteering. It's pretty rare for these kids to get a chance to swim, so they were rarther excitable. Even the two checkpoints that stopped our two coaches wouldn't dampen their spirits, despite ... read more

Jemima: First, apologies, this is going to be a real rush job. Second, just to reassure, we are FINE! We're keeping a close eye on the news, obviously, and we are aware that we may have to do a runner at some point, but right now the west bnk is remarkably calm - a few demos against what Israel is doing in Lebanon and Gaza, but otherwise everyone is just getting on with things. Right now we're in Qalqilya, although we're staying with a family in the small village of Jayyus. The past few days have been a little crazy - we've decided that for the moment we're going to split with ISM and do our own thing, hopefully helping out with kids in summer camps either here or in tulkarm, Elliot's old Palestinian stomping ground. ... read more

I know it's only been a couple of days since Elliot updated you, but we've seen so much the past 24 hours I decided I should have my say as well. We left Ramallah yesterday morning with four others (all Americans) to come to the Jordan Valley. We spent a large part of the day in the car, driving first to Jericho, and then quite a long way north to make a visit to a farm, before returning to Jericho in the evening. It was fascinating to watch the landscape go by; huge, dry, sandy, rocky hills and valleys - Elliot described it as just like Wales but a different colour! It's a bit different actually in the Jordan valley, as the river makes the land a lot more fertile. There are lots of settlements here, ... read more

After my trip to Bethlehem, I spent a few days in Jerusalem before returning to Amman, Jordan. The word "Jerusalem" means "city of peace," a place where people of many faiths can coexist peacefully. Unfortunately, Jerusalem has often been anything but a city of peace throughout the ages, with Jews, Muslims, and Christians each claiming it as their own. The Old City Jerusalem is split into East and West: West Jerusalem is Israeli. East Jerusalem is Palestinian. Between the two is the Old City, a fascinating mix of cultures and religions. The Old City contains four quarters: Christian, Muslim, Jewish, and Armenian. To make broad generalizations, the Christian and Armenian quarters are quiet, relaxed, and filled with churches. The Muslim quarter is the liveliest by far, containing numerous souqs (markets). The Jewish quarter is full of ... read more