Seeds of hope

Tonight I had dinner with a good friend of my dad, an Israeli who spent time in Sydney, and who is close to my family. I am always reluctant to tell people why I am here and what I am doing, especially the older generation, and particularly my parent's friends. They grew up in a different era, when Israel was a fledgling state, struggling for survival. He served in the army before 1967, before Israel occupied the Palestinian territories. I am always scared these types of people will judge me, tell my parents I am a loony, and insist that I have no business meddling in domestic affairs.

Well, I am thrilled to announce that I am seriously paranoid, totally misguided, and way too prejudice for my own good. After tonight's dinner, I am finding a whole lotta hope.

Throughout dinner, my dad's friend kept coming up with idea after idea for how to bring peace to the region. I was blown away. This is not his area of specialty. He is into planting trees and instilling a sense of yiddishkeit into Jews who are not aware of their Jewish identity.

Now I know that just because I meet one, two or even a hundred people who want peace, does not mean that peace will come. And I know that things look particularly bad at the moment. Not just because of what the politicians are not saying or doing, but also because of what is happening on the ground.

To be honest, I am not optimistic about peace. I feel more despair than hope. But tonight was an important reminder about the dangers of being overly pessimistic. Imagine if my pessimism had stopped me talking to my dad's friend about what I am doing? Imagine how many opportunities have been missed because of the pessimism this conflict breeds? So here's to optimism and to the seeds of hope. May they go forth and multiply!

31 days to go...

p.s. in case you hadn't noticed, I am having a little problem keeping my photos and maps on the site, I am trying to sort it out.

Twists and turns (part four)

I have two more things I want to share with you about Jerusalem that I learnt last week. One, on the separation barrier, told to me by an Israeli woman, and the other, about settlements, told to me by an Israeli man who spends his life monitoring settlement activity in the West Bank.

First, the Separation Barrier. The Israeli woman carefully explained that the decision to build the barrier between Israelis and Palestinians came after a particularly deadly period of terrorist attacks. From 2000-2002, 330 people were killed and 6, 000 were injured in terrorist attacks across Israel. Jersusalem was particularly badly hit. The separation barrier was proposed as a security measure in response to the attacks.

But, she argued, the route of the separation barrier in East Jerusalem defies all security logic. Instead of separating Palestinians from Israelis, the barrier actually includes thousands of Palestinians on the Israeli side, and in some cases even goes through Palestinian villages, splitting them in two. Take a look again at the map. The red line is the route of the barrier, the brown dots are Palestinian villages, and the blue dots are Israeli villages. As you can see, there are lots of brown dots on the Israeli side of the barrier.

She showed me how the route of the separation barrier lies more or less on the municipal boundary (the yellow line) of East Jerusalem, which Israel annexed in 1967. She took me to two villages, Abu Dis and Kafr Aqeb, which had been separated in two by a concrete wall. She spoke of families who have been split apart. 60, 000 Jerusalemites have found themselves on the "wrong" side of the wall. Her conclusion: the barrier is designed to change the demography of East Jerusalem and undermine the prospect of a viable Palestinian state.

Now to the settlements. First, I want to clarify, settlements are not a politically divisive issue in Israel. Both the left and right support settlement construction. In fact, as I learnt from the Israeli guy, more settlement projects were born when the left was in power. We went up to Mount Scopus to see the project of Ma'ale Adumim and the E1 zone (see the map above).

Ma'ale Adumim is the third largest settlement in the Palestinian territories. 35,000 Jewish Israelis live there and most of it was built on private Palestinian land. The Israeli government has plans to expand the municipal boundaries of Ma'ale Adumim and to build an extra 4, 000 housing units. The proposed municipal borders would effectively cut the northern part of the West Bank from the southern part because the only road that connects the two areas passes through zone E-1.

I asked whether the Palestinians could build an alternative road, but I was told that the area is mountainous and any alternative solution would be extremely difficult. Once again, I heard the same message, this project severely endangers the possibility for a viable Palestinian state.

I know that things can and do change: settlements can be evacuated and walls can come down. Just the other day, Prime Minister Netanyahu agreed to freeze settlement construction in the West Bank (although, NOT in East Jerusalem). Nevertheless, the situation is pretty scary. Time could be running out for a two-state solution.

Are we prepared to abandon the idea of a Palestinian state? Are we aware of the consequences? What are we hoping will happen to the millions of Palestinians living in a divided West Bank?

32 days to go...

The sacrifice

Today was the Muslim fesival of Eid al-Adha, also known as the "Festival of Sacrifice." It commemorates the story of when Abraham tried to sacrifice his son to G-d. Jews, Christians and Muslims believe the same story, they just differ on which son went up to be sacrificed. The Jews and Christians say it was Isaac. The Muslims say it was Ishmael.

During Eid, it is customary to sacrifice an animal and then feast on it. I joined a group of kibbutzniks who went to wish "Eid said" (happy festival) to dozens of Palestinian families in the West Bank. We literally went around from family to family, offering sweets and chocolates, sharing in the festivities, and receiving their warm hospitality.

At every home we were offered sickly sweet tea, cardamon infused coffee, biscuits with dates and figs, traditional bread, rice, yogurt, and of course, the sacrificial lamb. In one case, the family actually sacrificed a camel. I am scared to admit this to my Hindu friends and my animal-loving sister, but I must confess, I ate the camel.

In Arab culture, hospitality is one of the most sacred values. To refuse their hospitality would have been the greatest insult, absolutely unthinkable. And by the way, it tasted damn good!

Now back to my story. Many of you already know the kibbutzniks I am referring to, they call themselves the Villages Group, and they are some of the most inspiring people I have met on my journey. They are Israelis who spend every weekend visiting Palestinian families to build friendships. They are determined to keep the human contact alive; to resist the demonisation of "the other;" to transcend the Us versus Them tag.

I am deeply moved by the simplicity of their acts and the power of their message. Too often I hear people from both sides accusing "Israelis" or "Palestinians" of being killers, fanatics, violent, ideological, full of hatred, and more. I have been guilty of doing this myself. I am not denying that these kinds of people exist here, they do. But I do not accept putting this label on an entire people. The label, and the discourse that accompanies it, is being used to justify the most horrifying acts. Worst of all, it is stripping people of their humanity.

I know that peace is a distant dream, but what price are we willing to pay until we get there? How far are we prepared to dehumanize?

33 days to go...

A day of rest (part three)

Tonight will be my first Shabbat in Jerusalem since I arrived and I will spend it with good friends. I can tell you something, I am really looking forward to getting into the spirit of Shabbat.

Shabbat is the day of rest, Chabad calls it "an island in time." It is the day when you are supposed to stop all involvement with the physical world and turn your focus inward, to your inner self, to spirituality. It is the most sacred day in the Jewish calendar (other than Yom Kippur, the day of atonement). I think Shabbat is a terrific ritual. I love the idea that one day a week is dedicated solely to spirituality.

These past few days have been testing. My heart feels heavy. I have struggled to find hope within the borders of Jerusalem. I will share more of my experiences, but for tonight, I am going to soak up some Shabbos soul.

34 days to go...

Puzzled in Jerusalem (part two)

I keep bumping into Palestinian taxi drivers in Jerusalem. It is quite odd. I thought the two sides were not allowed to mix, especially since the second Intifada in 2000.

So I decided to dig a little deeper to find out what was going on.

Basically, these Palestinians are from East Jerusalem, a group of 250, 000 people who have a unique place in this conflict. They are known as Jerusalemites. They have a different status to Palestinians from the West Bank and Gaza, and from Arab-Israelis.

Jerusalemites carry Israeli identity cards but do not hold Israeli citizenship. They are entitled to free education, health care, social welfare, and all other benefits that Israelis are entitled to. They are the only people, other than foreigners, who can travel freely around Israel and the West Bank.

But to be honest, they do not have an easy time in the holy land. They face housing shortages, bad roads, and irregular municipal services. There are not enough schools. Only 8-10 percent of the municipal budget is allocated to them. If they leave Jerusalem for more than seven years they can lose their identity cards.

Many people blame the Israeli government for neglecting the Jerusalemites. I think the story is more complex. I think the Jerusalemites also have a lot to answer for.

The Jerusalemites were offered Israeli citizenship in 1967. Around 85 percent refused because they said it would undermine their struggle for a Palestinian state. I can understand that.

With their Israeli identity cards, Jerusalemites are entitled to vote in the Jerusalem municipal elections. But they have boycotted that too. This does not make sense to me. They are happy to receive health care, education and welfare from the Israeli government, but they will not exercise their right to vote to influence the decisions of the municipality of Jerusalem.

Jerusalemites are currently 35 percent of the population of Jerusalem. They are an important constituency. Voting could give them a say in how resources are allocated for roads, schools and hospitals, how building permits are distributed, and the quality of municipal services.

They refuse to exercise their political rights because it would mean legitimizing the Israeli occupation. It could also mean risking their lives for collaborating with Israel. And most importantly, it would undermine Palestinian unity, a precious ingredient for their national struggle.

I understand the importance of unity for a national struggle. It is how my people got their State, and why most of my people still refuse to speak out against that State.

Ideology has been an important tool for both peoples, but it is not helping anymore. It is time for some pragmatism.

35 days to go…

Visualizing Jerusalem (part one)

I know, I know, I keep coming back to Jerusalem. But, this conflict keeps bringing me back to Jerusalem. It feels like Jerusalem IS the conflict. So please, bare with me.

Today, I went around Jerusalem with an Israeli woman, currently living in Nepal and practising Vipassana meditation. For those of you who do not know me so well, I lived in Nepal for almost two years, and travel regularly to an Ashram in India, where I practice meditation. It seemed quite fitting for me to do a tour with her. We clicked straight away.

She knows East Jerusalem better than anyone else I have met so far, and she inspired me to tell you the story. Tonight, part one.

She started by explaining the different colours on the map.

The green line on the map is the internationally recognised border of Jerusalem. Everything to the left of the green line is West Jerusalem, where 300, 000 Israelis, mostly Jews, live.

The yellow line is the municipal borders of Jerusalem, which is the territory Israel annexed and declared as its own in 1967, but which no other State recognises. Everything between the green and yellow lines is known as East Jerusalem. The territory incorporates seventy square kilometres, which in 1967, contained twenty-eight Palestinian villages with 17, 000 people. Today there are over 250, 000 Palestinians in East Jerusalem.

In the center of the map is a small pale white box. That is the old city of Jerusalem.

The red line is the separation barrier. The solid line is where the barrier is constructed, the dotted line is under construction or planned for construction.

The blue spots are Israeli neighbourhoods. They are considered as illegal settlements by all other States, since it is forbidden to transfer your own population to occupied territory. But, most Israelis are unaware of this, and do not consider the Jewish neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem as settlements. Suburbs like French Hill (just north of Hebrew University) or Gilo (to the south) are as much a part of Jerusalem as Ben Yehuda street (where I spent many nights partying when I was here fifteen years ago). Around 200, 000 Israelis live in these neighbourhoods/settlements.

The brown spots are Palestinian neighbourhoods.

Next, she explained why Israel chose this route for Jerusalem's border.

First, for security reasons. Israel wanted to have military bases on the hills around Jerusalem to protect the city. Second, Israel wanted Jerusalem to be the biggest city in the country. Third, Israel needed as much land as possible, with as few Palestinians as possible.

A key challenge for Israel at the time, was to ensure that Jerusalem kept a Jewish majority, roughly two-thirds of the population. That remains a key challenge for the Israeli government. As a result, many of the policies and practices of the government are geared to maintaining that balance: the route of the separation barrier, the settlements and the house demolitions all point to that goal.

Now I know this might shock some people, but I do not have a problem with Israel encouraging Jews to come and live here and trying to maintain a Jewish majority in the country. I do not believe this policy should be used to harm or oppress the Arabs, Muslims, Christians, Armenians, Bedouins, cave-dwellers and any other minority group in the country, but I am not, per se, opposed to it.

What I do have a problem with, is Israel undermining the possibility of a viable Palestinian state. And what is happening in East Jerusalem, is exactly this. Everyone knows that any solution to this conflict involves East Jerusalem as the capital of the Palestinian state. What is going on here though, shows absolute disregard for the aspirations of the Palestinian people.

Now, not everyone likes the idea of two States. In fact, a number of people I speak to think the only way forward is one State, a binational State, that would be the home of the two peoples. This might sound completely far-fetched, but time might just be running out for any other solution.

So, what future do you envisage for these two peoples?

36 days to go...

A breakthrough?

The news in Israel over the past few days has been about a possible deal between Israel and Hamas for the release of the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, in exchange for the the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Gilad Shalit has been held captive by Hamas since June 2006. He is kept in hiding, and denied all contact with the outside world, including from the Red Cross. It is still unclear whether the deal will go through or not, but the mood here is electric.

Sorry for the cliché, but Gilad Shalit has truly captured the hearts and minds of the Israeli people. All around Israel, people hang flags outside their houses and put bumper stickers on their cars, with his face and the slogan "Gilad Still Lives" or "Free Gilad." You can follow his campaign on websites, facebook and twitter.

If the deal goes through, there could be more at stake than Shalit's freedom. It could shift some of the dynamics in the region. First, it could help ease the blockade on Gaza, which is having a crippling effect on the population. Second, the potential deal is understood to include the release of a Fatah leader, Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences for murder. Barghouti is popular among the Palestinian people and a possible candidate to replace Mahmoud Abbas as president of the Palestinian Authority.

It seems ludicrous that Israel would release hundreds of prisoners in exchange for just one soldier. But I think there is more to this possible deal than meets the eye. It could help unlock issues that have been frozen for years.

What would a deal mean for relations between Israel and Hamas? And where does a victory for Hamas leave Fatah? Could Marwan Barghouti re-unite the Palestinian people? And if so, will Israel want to deal with him?

The answers remain to be seen. But one thing is for sure, if this deal goes through it will put smiles on a lot of faces, at least for a few hours.

37 days to go...

Goldstone and Gaza

I spent the day at Hebrew University at a conference about international humanitarian law (the laws of war). The line up was extraordinary: judges from the international criminal tribunal for the former Yugoslavia, professors who wrote the reference books on international humanitarian law, and lawyers who have taken cases before international courts. One of the participants said it was like being at the table with the Al Pacino and Robert Deniro of international law. It was incredibly stimulating and deeply humbling to be in the presence of people who have dedicated their lives to achieving justice for victims of war crimes, crimes against humanity and genocide.

Unsurprisingly, the elephant in the room was the recent Goldstone report into the Gaza conflict, which took place earlier this year. The report essentially found evidence that both the Israeli Defence Force (IDF) and Hamas committed war crimes and possibly crimes against humanity, during the Gaza conflict. What has since followed is a massive outcry, either in favour of or against the report's findings.

The majority of speakers at the conference where critical of Goldstone's report. They felt the report confounded human rights and humanitarian law, two separate but related bodies of law, thereby turning humanitarian law on its head. And they were shocked that a fact-finding report saw fit to conclude that war crimes had been committed, without having gone through a thorough legal and judicial investigation.

Personally, I do not like Goldstone's conclusions. I find them incredibly severe and hard to believe. Plus, to deliver it into the hands of the Human Rights Council, a body known for its bias against Israel, just felt all wrong. I think it was a mistake to conduct this investigation under the mandate of the Human Rights Council. I would have much preferred for Israel to carry out its own independent investigations. Israel has done this kind of thing in the past, so it is strange that until now Israel refuses to carry out independent investigations, insisting instead that the IDF internal investigations of its own conduct is adequate.

But, if you strip away all the problems with the report, we are still left with shocking evidence of what happened during that war; evidence that none of us should allow to be buried. According to the report, the IDF bombed the only flour mill in operation in Gaza, destroyed chicken and egg factories, razed 200 industrial sites, and bulldozed thousands of hectares of farmland, without any clear military objective. Mosques, hospitals and schools were also hit. Now, maybe all these targets were legitimate military objectives. But I would like to find out.

The allegations in the Goldstone report must be investigated further--in a thorough, independent and impartial manner. Can we really afford to dismiss all this evidence because we do not like the packaging? Can we ever afford to turn our backs on the truth because it is too hard to stomach?

38 days to go...

Underneath the rubble

Today I did another tour of East Jerusalem. This time to learn about the issue of house demolitions, with the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (ICAHD). I found it hard: confronting and conflicting.

East Jerusalem is heavily disputed. Israel annexed the territory after the 1967 six-day war but it is not recognised internationally. Palestinians want East Jerusalem to be the capital of an independent Palestinian state.

In 1967, according to ICAHD, the population in the whole of Jerusalem was 72 percent Jewish and 28 percent Arab. Since then, the Israeli government has wanted to maintain that ratio. In order to do this, the Israeli authorities implemented planning and zoning laws to limit the growth of Arab communities in East Jerusalem.

In practice, this means a few things. First, encouraging Jews to rent or buy homes in East Jerusalem. ICAHD says that 90, 000 housing units have been built for Jewish Israelis since 1967, and around 180, 000 Jews live in East Jerusalem. Since Israel's annexation of East Jerusalem is not recognised, these people are considered as settlers.

Second, it means restricting the growth of Arab neighbourhoods in East Jerusalem. However, the Arab population in East Jerusalem has grown in the past forty years, and people need extra housing. But, only a few permits are granted per year, so people have built new houses and made extensions without the permission of the Israeli planning and zoning authority.

According to ICAHD, about one third of the homes built in East Jerusalem do not have building permits. This means that they are illegal, and can be demolished at any time. I met a family today whose house was demolished last week.

My initial reaction, was "hey, come on, this guy's house was illegal. Do you really want me to feel sorry for him? If he does not go through the regular channels it's his fault. You cannot blame Israel for everything!" There is a big part of me that gets tired of hearing Israel be blamed for everything. Things are never so black and white.

But, it also got me wondering. How do you judge what is acceptable government policy when the people subject to the policy are not citizens and have no democratic voice in the decision-making? And, what message is the Israeli government sending by actively moving Jewish Israelis into a place which is the hope and aspirations for a future Palestinian state? And anyway, why does all this make me angry at the poor bastard who just lost his home and with it, his life savings?

39 days to go...

The forgotten people

Yesterday I visited a group of people who live far south of the West Bank, known as the "cave-dwellers." They are poor nomadic communities who live in caves. They are largely unconnected to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but got caught up in the middle. Neither the Palestinian Authority nor the Israeli authorities provide services or support to these people. They lack adequate housing, electricity and water.

The family of cave-dwellers I visited are a special case. They are one of a few hundred families who live in an area near Yatta, which has been designated as a "closed military zone." People who have private land in closed military zones are usually allowed to stay in these zones, however, these families have been subject to numerous evictions from their land and their caves.

Two Israeli organisations, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) and Rabbis for Human Rights, stepped in (along with a few other organisations), to defend the rights of the cave-dwellers. Their work is inspiring. They too are among the unspoken heroes.

ACRI represents the cave-dwellers before the Supreme Court of Israel each time they are evicted. In most cases their petitions have been successful and the cave-dwellers have been able to return to their land. The latest eviction took place in 2000, but last week the Supreme Court once again ruled that the they have the right to return to their caves.

A group of rabbis was immediately on the ground helping them rebuild and resettle. They performed the ultimate mitzvah, spending all day friday before shabbat, building pens for the sheep and cleaning up their dwellings.

I am overwhelmed by the acts of kindness performed by so many Israelis in the context of this conflict. This is not the news you read about in the media, which seems to only pitt Israelis and Palestinians against each other. Their acts may be invisible in the bigger story, but they flourish on the ground: it is a true testament to the human spirit.

40 days to go...

Metamorphosis

You will not believe this story, I hardly do. It's crazy, it's drastic, it will blow your mind. I met two men in the past two days, one Israeli the other Palestinian. They defy all logic, all stereotypes, and well, basically any pre-conceived ideas you might have had about the human race.

The Palestinian was a terrorist. When he was fourteen years old he regularly threw stones and molotov cocktails at Israeli soldiers and civilians. One day, he tried to stab to death two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint. The attempt failed and he ended up in prison for ten years.

The Israeli was a settler. A religious orthodox Jew, part of the settler movement, whose family lived in settlements in Gaza and who still has a sister living in a settlement in East Jerusalem. When he went to the army, he served in the West Bank (mainly in Hebron), where he committed acts against Palestinian civilians that violated military law.

Now I am not trying to compare terrorists with settlers, there is no comparison to be made. Instead, what I find powerful in their personal stories is the human potential for transformation. The power to choose a different path.

Both men had an awakening in their early twenties. The Palestinian while he was in jail, the Israeli while he was serving in Hebron. Both men felt that something was not quite right with the status quo. They started to question their beliefs, re-examine their acts, and take responsibility for their future.

On his release from prison, the Palestinian, who had learnt Hebrew while in prison, started reaching out to Israeli peace activists. He wanted to build a joint movement for peace. He was responsible for mobilising the Palestinian side and he found an Israeli partner who was responsible for the Israeli side. Since then, he has set up numerous peace initiatives, including a recent initiative to build "peace villages" in the West Bank and Israel, working in partnership with Israelis and Americans.

On his release from the army, the Israeli decided that it was time for the Israeli people to understand what was happening in the Palestinian territories, what soldiers were doing in their name. Together with a group of other veteran soldiers, he travels around Israel giving lectures and holding exhibitions, to raise awareness about the military occupation in the West Bank and Gaza. They also take groups of Israelis around the Palestinian territories to show them what is happening.

The two men know each other and have worked together. They are truly inspiring. Their drive and ambition for peace is intoxicating. Most importantly, they instill a sense of hope, that people can change and conflict can be resolved.

41 days to go...

City of religions

The other night I ate dinner in Bethlehem; the birthplace of Jesus Christ. It is also the birthplace of David, the second king of Israel. Rachel's tomb lies at the entrance. The place has been ruled by Jews, Christians and Muslims at various stages of its incredibly long history.

Today, it remains important to all three religions, but it has never been a place where people from all three religions could worship peacefully. I am not going to attempt to give you the history (biblical or modern), but suffice it to say, this little city is yet another microcosm into the conflict.

There was nothing special about the city. Actually, I found it quite unattractive, and the food was not great. It left me wondering why the hell anyone would want to fight over it.

I know that many peoples and cultures have a strong connection to land. Working with the indigenous people in Australia, I learnt the importance of their connection to the land; it goes beyond the physical, it is about the spiritual. Many of my religious friends here feel an incredibly powerful spiritual connection to this land.

I understand that people can experience spirituality more powerfully in one place than another. But what happens when people from two or three different religions or cultures experience it in the same place? Can we find a way to share it?

42 days to go...

A kick for peace

Another crazy day in the Middle East. This time, with the Peres Center for Peace and the Al Quds organisation, for a peace-building program bringing together Israeli and Palestinian schoolchildren to play soccer (otherwise known as football). This was no ordinary soccer match, in no ordinary situation.

The game took place in Sderot; the Israeli town neighbouring Gaza, whose civilians have been the target of thousands of rocket attacks by Palestinian militants living in Gaza. The rockets have not killed large numbers of people, but they have terrorised the community, and caused massive psychological trauma. Even this morning, a rocket landed just south of Sderot. But it did not deter these children: they turned out in numbers.

The Palestinian children came from the Tulkarem refugee camp in the West Bank. Its original refugees came from Haifa, Jaffa and Caesarea. The camp has been there since 1950.

When we arrived at the soccer field, we received news that the Palestinian children had been delayed at a checkpoint trying to enter Israel. Everyone was disappointmented. In the meantime, the Israeli kids warmed up and took a quick class in Arabic to learn how to say: "My name is....," "pass the ball" and "come here." The two star students, not more than seven years old, were wearing kippot; it was incredibly moving.

Finally, at 5.30pm, the Palestinian children arrived; tired from the long journey, but glad to be able to get out onto the field and kick a soccer ball. The games began. Each team was mixed with Israelis and Palestinians.

Now, I must admit, I am no fan of soccer. I simply do not get the game. But today was different. Today, I got it. These kids come together because they share something in common: a love for soccer. In this space, they want to play together, they are interested in each other, they speak the same language.

I know that sport cannot solve this conflict, but it is a powerful symbol for what we have in common, not what tears us apart. By focusing on activities that unite, rather than divide, these guys are building hope for shalom.

43 days to go...

A truce for who?

The New York Times columnist, Roger Cohen, wrote an interesting op-ed today on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, entitled "A Mideast Truce"

"Stop talking about peace," he says. "Banish the word. Start talking about détente. That’s what Lieberman wants; that’s what Hamas says it wants; that’s the end point of Netanyahu’s evasions."

As for the dream of peace? "Thats over," he argues. "The courageous have departed the Middle East. A peace of the brave must yield to a truce of the mediocre — at best."

I agree with his analysis on where things stand. I am confused by his conclusion.

A truce with Hamas in Gaza, okay. Hamas would free the Israeli soldier, Gilad Shalit, agree to stop firing rockets at Israeli civilians, and in exchange, Israel would lift the blockade on Gaza, which has been in force since Hamas took control in June 2007.

But a truce with the Palestinian Authority in the West Bank? Now I am confused. The Palestinian President, Mahmoud Abbas, abandoned violence a long time ago, beefed up security in the West Bank, and massively increased the civilian police force. Abbas respected his side of the bargain; he got nothing in return. Abbas was desperate to get the Israelis to stop building settlements so he could negotiate a two-state solution. He failed, and in the process lost the support of his people.

So what exactly would a truce mean for Palestinians living in the West Bank? The status quo? Would Israeli settlements continue to grow and expand in Palestinian territory? Would the separation barrier continue to cut Palestinians off from their farmland, separate villages and siphon off roads?

I agree that for now a truce might be the only thing conceivable, but where is the incentive for Israel to stop the policies that are violating Palestinian rights in the West Bank? What more can the Palestinian Authority offer Israel in exchange?

44 days to go...

The thin green line

My blog on route 443 received a number of comments that raise important issues and questions. I would like to keep the discussion alive.

I agree that without a solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, the question of borders and territory are not clear, and highly contested on both sides. I also agree that this makes practical issues, like roads, tunnels and bridges, extremely difficult to undertake.

But, there is a distinction between Israel and the Palestinian territories: it is currently defined by the green line. In 1967, during the six day war, Israel crossed the green line and occupied Palestinian territories.

Neither party accepts the green line as the final border. And today it is even impossible to make it out on the ground. But it is currently accepted by Israelis, Palestinians and the international community, as the line that distinguishes Israel from the Palestinian territories. It is also the basis of negotiations for a two-state solution. See a discussion here by Israelis and Palestinians on the issue.

I do not think the green line will be the final borders for the two states. But, until there are clearly defined borders, this is the reference point, and each side must respect the rights of the people on the other side.

So what does this mean in practice?

For Palestinians, this means not using violence and terror against Israeli civilians. It means not taking Israeli soldiers hostage, and refusing them all contact with family members and visits from the Red Cross.

For Israeli authorities, this means not violating the rights of Palestinians living in the occupied territories, and protecting the civilian population. Taking a section of road in the occupied territories and prohibiting Palestinians from using that road undermines movement in their own territory. Building a separation barrier inside the West Bank which cuts Palestinians from their olive groves or isolates villages from main cities, undermines livelihoods. Demolishing the home of an entire family because one family member committed a terrorist act, is a form of collective punishment.

If Israelis want Palestinians to eventually have their own independent state, is it not important to accept the green line for now? And if they do not want Palestinians to have their own independent state, then what is the long-term plan?

45 days to go...

Route 443

Andres came to visit for the weekend. I took him to the airport early this morning from Tel Aviv and then took a sherut to Jerusalem. I left Ben Gurion airport at 5.30am. The driver took us on a road I had travelled on before: route 443. At that time, I sensed that something was up, but it had slipped out of my mind. At around 6am, we arrived at a checkpoint, and I saw dozens of Palestinians waiting on either side of the road. I also saw a smaller road, which had been cut off by route 443 and blocked. This time there was no denying that something was up. It was time to do some digging. I got back to Jerusalem and started asking questions. Here is what I found out.

Route 443 currently links Jerusalem and the Tel Aviv area (Modiin and the airport, for example). 40, 000 Israelis (and tourists on their way to the airport) use it daily as an alternative to the main road linking Jerusalem and Tel Aviv. Fifteen kilometres of route 443 is built inside the West Bank, including on private Palestinian land.

The problem: Palestinians are not allowed to use the road.

The road used to be a major traffic artery to Ramallah for Palestinians living southwest of the city. The High Court only allowed the Israeli authorities to build the new road if it served the local population. Now however, the local population, some 35, 000 people, are forced to travel on a different route, one that is much longer, windy and in disrepair.

For a while Palestinians and Israelis shared the road. But in the wake of the second intifada in 2000, and following several attacks on Israeli vehicles where people were killed, Palestinians were increasingly prohibited from using route 443. By 2002, a full prohibition was in force. Of course, those who committed the crimes should be punished, but is it fair to punish all the people living in the area?

An Israeli NGO, the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, petitioned the High Court on behalf of the six villages affected by the prohibition. To date, their efforts have been unsuccessful.

This is not the only case where a road is built in the West Bank by the Israeli authorities, which Palestinians are prohibited from using. Palestinians are forbidden to use, or are restricted in their use of more than 300 kilometres of roads in the West Bank; Israelis on the other hand, are free to use these same roads without restrictions. See the map here.

I support Israel punishing acts of violence and terror. I am okay with Israel imposing robust security measures to protect people's lives. But within reason. Israel has the duty to protect the lives of everyone living on its territory, including people living on territory it occupies. If the lives of Israelis is in danger by using this road, the Israeli authorities could have easily found an alternative route, within Israel's own territory, to provide safe passage. Instead, the Israeli authorities chose to disrupt the lives of Palestinians living near the road, restrict their movement and cut them off from important economic, social and cultural ties. It makes me furious.

How is it ok to punish entire villages for the acts of a few? And should the convenience of this road to Israelis really outweigh the basic needs of the local population to a decent livelihood?

46 days to go...

Unspoken heroes

Every Shabbat a group of Israeli and Palestinian doctors and nurses join forces to provide healthcare to Palestinians living in the occupied territories. They work as volunteers. I accompanied them on one of their mobile clinics to a rural village just outside Qalqilyah.

The Israeli organisation, Physicians for Human Rights-Israel, has 1150 members, over half of whom provide healthcare to people in need. They have an active program in Israel as well, assisting Jews, Arabs, migrants and asylum seekers, who are unable to access adequate health care. The Palestinian organisation, Palestinian Medical Relief Society (PMRS), is the largest primary health care provider in the West Bank and Gaza, and has a network of over 40, 000 volunteers.

The Israeli doctors and nurses only treat patients for illnesses that cannot be treated in the occupied Palestinian territories. In this way, their humanitarian efforts do not undermine the Palestinian health care system. This is the kind of aid I like. They want to help people in need, without undermining their ability to help themselves, and without preventing them from developing their own healthcare system. Alongside their humanitarian work, they push for changes to government policies and practices that undermine access to healthcare.

On my mini-bus were two Jewish Israeli nurses, one originally from Egypt and the other one born in Palestine before the creation of the State of Israel, who had studied nursing at the American University in Beirut, Lebanon. The nurses spoke Arabic and acted as translators for the doctors. The two doctors were also Jewish Israelis, one orthopedic surgeon originally from Brazil, and an endocronologist originally from the United Kingdom. I watched each doctor consult forty patients each throughout the day.

These people are the unspoken heroes of this conflict. Every weekend, they choose to push aside politics and ideology to help people in need. Simple acts that change lives, and in some cases, save lives. What greater gift could you give to someone else?

Initiatives like these are the building blocks for peace. I hope they continue to grow and flourish.

47 days to go...

Torn in Tel Aviv

Here is another thing I love about Israel: Tel Aviv. This city is awesome. It has the chaos of the Middle East and the uber trendiness of New York all wrapped into one. The people are cool, laid back and having fun. But by evening time, I feel a heaviness in my heart. How can I let myself have so much fun, when this is a story of catastrophe for another people. When other people no longer have the right to be here.

Is it possible to be at peace with the story of the creation of the State of Israel? And perhaps more importantly, do I need to be okay with the past to find shalom in the present?

48 days to go...

Can we be friends?

Before this year, I had never met a Palestinian. To be honest, I was scared of them. The first Palestinian I met was in Geneva in March 2009 (neutral territory). I did not dare tell him that I was Jewish. I was careful about every word I said. Then I came to the region, made contact with Palestinians, and decided it was time for me to visit them, to learn more about their story.

My first visit was to the southern Hebron hills in the West Bank. The night before my trip I hardly slept. I kept having dreams that I was taken hostage, tortured and killed. I kept checking and double checking with my hosts whether it was safe for me to come.

When I finally started meeting people and making friends, my walls started to come down. My fear started to melt away. My prejudice started to fade. I felt more comfortable to be myself. I stopped hiding who I am.

There is one Palestinian woman in particular who has become a good friend of mine. We both turned to each other during a time of need, totally unrelated to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. She wanted advice on how to deal with a relationship with a man who has children from a previous marriage, and I needed help on dealing with a personal crisis about what to do with my job future. Typical women's stuff, no?

Our friendship is not all rosy. We still have work to do to build trust. We both have our own misconceptions about the other, our own biases and prejudices to work on. But, we like each other as people, and we are determined not to let our hatred win over our hearts.

I love this process. It is incredibly spiritual. It is about getting to know the other, realising that they are the same as you, even though they look different. This woman symbolises the enemy of my people, and I, the enemy of her people. And yet, we both refuse to let that reality prevent us from breaking down the wall.

I am fully aware that just because I can make friends with a Palestinian or two, does not mean that the problems disappear, or even that we can solve them. It also does not mean that we can all hold hands and be friends. But, if there is a solution to be found, can we really find it without trying to understand the other?

49 days to go...

Freedom

The theme of freedom kept surfacing in my travels today.

I started the day in Ramallah, the administrative capital of the Palestinian Authority, ten kilometres north of Jerusalem. Today is the five-year anniversary of Yasser Arafat's death. There were numerous parades and rallies in the street to commemorate him. For many years he was considered a terrorist. But for the Palestinian people, he was the leader of their freedom struggle.

In the afternoon, I attended a workshop in East Jerusalem about whether the European Union is helping or harming the Palestinian cause. The two Palestinians at the table kept repeating that unless the Palestinian people gain their freedom, in other words, establish an independent State and end the Israeli occupation, then nothing that anybody does will help them. "Without freedom, nothing matters," remarked one of the Palestinians.

My night ended with the Matrix, which for those of you who do not know, was the film with Keanu Reeves, about human beings freeing themselves from the control of machines. Will you take the red or the blue pill?

Freedom is the foundation for a more meaningful existence. On a personal level, I have flourished when I was free to make my own choices. On a spiritual level, I have found a path that encourages openness and diversity. Freedom is a central theme in the Jewish religion. My favourite Jewish festival is Pesach, which celebrates the exodus of the Jews from slavery in Egypt. Today, after endless struggles and countless catastrophes, Jews have freedom.

But I wonder: can there be peace for the Jews without freedom for the Palestinians?

50 days to go...

Why do I do this?

Today I accompanied an Israeli human rights activist to a meeting with a group of eighteen-year old Jewish Aussies and South Africans who are here on a one-year program to learn about Israel. They asked some important questions. I have reproduced the questions below, to tell you how I would answer them.

1. Are you only here to defend Palestinians human rights? Why do you ignore human rights violations from the other side?

I am concerned for all human beings. I am concerned about human rights violations wherever they take place. But I choose to work on issues where I think I can make a difference and where I feel responsible. As a white South African, I felt responsible for the policies and practices of the white South African government during the apartheid era, but I was too young to act. As an Australian, I feel responsible for the situation of indigenous people, and I acted. As a Jew, I feel responsible for what Jews are doing in the occupied Palestinian territories, and I want to act.

2. There is already so much criticism about Israel outside the country. Why are you trying to create so many more problems for Israel? Are you not damaging Israel more than helping it? Are there not more productive things to do to make Israel a better place?

I do not want Israel, or any country for the matter, to develop into a society where citizens and their elected leaders are not accountable for their acts. The rule of law is a basic building block for any democratic country. I think it is essential that laws exist and are applied to everyone. The Israeli government harms Israel, its citizens and the Palestinians under its control, when it violates the rule of law. Is that the kind of country we are dreaming for? Does that help the Jewish people?

3. Are you a Zionist? How do you justify causing so much pain to fellow Jews by saying things against us?

I do not know what it means today to be a Zionist. Zionism was a movement that started in the late 19th century to establish a homeland for the Jewish people in the land of Israel. The Zionists succeeded. Israel exists. Do we really need to keep defining ourselves this way?

I do not consider myself as being against the Jewish people. I do not consider myself against any people. But I think it is important to ask questions. And I think it is important to speak out when someone does the wrong thing. I think it is even more important when it comes to the policies and practices of a State. Is not this the essence of justice?

51 days to go...

The power of film

Three years ago, one of the organisations I work with, B’Tselem, started using video cameras as a tool for their human rights work in the Palestinian territories. After years of hearing and witnessing acts of violence by Israeli soldiers and settlers against Palestinians, they decided it was time to get evidence on camera.

B’Tselem has distributed more than 150 cameras to Palestinian families living in places where tensions are high, for example, near Israeli settlements.

The footage is chilling. In one particularly serious incident, four masked settlers with clubs were filmed attacking three members of the Nawai’ah family, who were grazing their flock on private Palestinian land south of the Israeli settlement of Susiya, near Hebron.



As a result of the video, a criminal investigation was opened and a case was filed in the Israeli High Court. The case was subsequently closed on grounds that the offenders were unknown. Nevertheless, there are many other instances where footage has been used to open military and police investigations that may have not otherwise been possible. Today, the Israeli authorities regularly request copies of videos from B’Tselem to assist their investigations. The films have become an important step towards greater accountability of Israeli settlers in the West Bank.

The distribution of video cameras to Palestinians has also had an important impact on their lives. First and foremost, the presence of video cameras acts as an important deterrent to violence: people are less likely to commit crimes when cameras are around. Second, it has become an important non-violent tool for Palestinians. Third, it has played an important role in empowering women and children, who are the main beneficiaries of the project. And finally, it has harnessed creativity and interest in filmmaking.

I think this is a groundbreaking initiative. For the first time, we can see with our own eyes what is happening on the ground. Let’s face it, we have all become so distrustful about what people say and write about what is happening in the region. It seems almost impossible to separate the facts from the politics, and the politics from the emotions. With these films, we are given firsthand evidence. And if this helps to lessen the violence, well then all the better!

So what do you think? How do you react to this kind of raw footage?

52 days to go…

p.s. For those still having trouble with the comments try using “anonymous” in the profile section.

A ray of hope

Did you know that the majority of Israelis support the creation of an independent Palestinian state? I learnt this today at a meeting with a professor from Tel Aviv university who established the "Peace Index," an ongoing poll of Israeli public opinion on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Even at the height of the second intifada, when terror attacks were more frequent, the poll consistently found that the majority of Israelis supported the creation of a Palestinian state.

The professor also told me, however, that roughly two-thirds of people believe that even if an agreement is reached, that it will not end the conflict. Furthermore, between 60-70 percent of Jewish Israelis believe that if Palestinians or Arabs had the chance, they would destroy Israel.

On the Palestinian side, a 2007 poll by the Palestinian Center for Public Opinion, found that 60 percent of Palestinians supported the two-state solution. And in June and September 2008, the poll found that the majority of Palestinians were opposed to suicide bombings inside Israel.

It seems strange then, that both Israelis and Palestinians elected parties that openly say they want the opposite, that show no desire for a two-state solution. (Remember, it was Hamas who won the 2006 Palestinian elections). So the bad news, even though the majority of Israelis and Palestinians say they want a two-state solution, they vote otherwise. But the good news, the polls reveal that they do not accept the status quo either, that they dream of a different future. Now that is cause for hope!

53 days to go...

Friend or foe?

It was with caution today that I met a representative from the Red Cross. I have always been skeptical of the Red Cross. I was taught that they turned a blind eye to the concentration camps and gas chambers across Europe, and did nothing while the Nazis killed six million Jews. To a large extent this was true, and the Red Cross has since apologised for its failure to act during the Holocaust. But I also learnt today that the story is more complex, that the Red Cross tried to intervene, in most cases unsuccessfully, and in other cases were forced to remain as bystanders while Jews were transported to death camps.

A big failure of internatonal humanitarian law at the time, was the absence of a convention to protect civilians during war. A direct consequence of the Holocaust was the creation of the Fourth Geneva Convention 1949 designed to protect civilians during times of war, armed conflict or under occupation. Since then, the Red Cross has become more effective, for example during the genocide in Rwanda and now in Darfur, Sudan.

The Red Cross also has a strong presence in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories. They provide humanitarian assistance, visit Palestinian prisoners in Israeli and Palestinian prisons, and monitor the situation of Palestinians affected by mobility restrictions, Israeli settlements and the routing of the security barrier.

The Red Cross operates in a discreet and confidential manner. They enjoy good relations with the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) and other Israeli authorities. But many Israelis despise them: the Red Cross was nowhere to be seen when the Jews needed help, but for the Palestinians, they are everywhere.

This short-sightedness frustrates me. While the Red Cross has its limits, it remains the most important organisation protecting and providing assistance to victims of war, armed conflict or occupation. They are often the only ones who remain after all other organisations have been expelled or evacuated from conflict zones. They are able to play this role because of their perceived independence and neutrality.

I am thrilled that the Red Cross is here. I think it shows that we have learnt some of the lessons of history.

54 days to go...

Market madness

Mahane Yehuda, commonly known as "The Shuk," (which means market in both Hebrew and Arabic (Suk)), is Israel's largest market. I could not miss an opportunity to see the madness before shabbat starts. Plus, as many of you know, I am a market junkie.

The shuk was bustling with shoppers and market-sellers trying to get the best deals. The smell of frying felafel, marinated olives and spices, were interspersed with wafts of freshly baked bread and pastries. Jam-filled dognuts, a specialty eaten during the festival of Channukah, are already lining the baker's stalls. I could not help buying a big box of pastries filled with sweet white cheese, chocolate, cinamon, poppy seeds and fig jam.

I was again struck by the diversity. A Jewish-Israeli shopkeeper and his Filipino wife sold me four different varieties of eggplant. An Arab-Israeli baker sold me a challah. At one point, when I was buying fruit, there was an Ethiopian woman standing to my right and a Russian man speaking on the phone to my left.

But the Shuk has also been the target of numerous terrorist attacks. On 30 July 1997, 16 people were killed and 178 wounded in two consecutive suicide bomings. On 2 November 2000, 2 people were killed in a car bomb explosion near the Shuk. On 12 April 2002, 6 people were killed and 104 people wounded when a woman suicide bomber detonated a bomb at the entrance to the Shuk. And on 2 July 2008, 3 people were killed and 50 wounded when a man driving a bulldozer plowed into cars and pedestrians nearby to the shuk.

Suicide attacks have left a massive scar on Israeli society. Whilst they have signifcantly reduced in the past few years, people still say they live in fear. They do not show it; not in the marketplace or on the street. People seem to lead perfectly normal lives. But deep down you can feel it; the security checks all around, the manic rush to get things done as quickly as possible. It is as if two simultaneous realities exist side-by-side.

Today, thankfully, the shuk was peaceful, filled with the crazy sounds and intense smells of any typical marketplace. Now that is the kind of madness I like to be a part of.

Tomorrow I am meeting a representative from the Red Cross.

55 days to go...

What I love about Israel

The food. Well actually, the humous. I cannot open a tub of humous without finishing it. What do they put in it that makes it so damn good? And they have this new thing in restaurants where you can have an entire meal of humous. You get a large soup bowl with tonnes of humous on the bottom, warm crushed chickpeas with a yummy sauce on top, all drowned in olive oil and sprinkled with parsley, paprika and red onions. Now that is holy.

The drinks. These guys make fresh lemonade like nowhere else in the world. And they add fresh mint leaves to help you reach even closer to heaven. It is my favourite drink in the whole wide world. It is even better than the one I used to get in Sydney at the Easter Show. With drinks this good, who needs alcohol?

The diversity. Every face looks different and tells a different story. It is exhilarating. There are Christian monks roaming around in brown cloaks, Arab women at the marketplace wearing brightly coloured headscarves, and religious Jews hurriedly walking to yeshiva.

The absurd. I am learning more Hebrew talking with Arab Israelis than with Jewish Israelis. And the only place where I can buy a mobile phone recharge card is at the lollypop shop. Lollypop shops are also the place people buy cigarettes. Go figure. (And no, mum and dad, I have not taken up smoking again!)

And the everyday. While Israel has plenty of quirks, in general, people are getting on with life. They have been warm and friendly, and it is super easy to get around. A welcome relief, amidst an otherwise tough journey.

56 days to go…

p.s. I heard some people were having problems commenting. I have now changed the settings so it should be okay now ….don’t hold back!

Ariel's finger

Today I visited the region of Salfit deep inside the West Bank, had coffee with the governor and lunched in one of the town’s restaurants. You can see my slideshow with captions here. The food was identical to the food you eat in a typical Israeli restaurant. It was even served in the same way. We started with pita, humus, dips and salads, and once I had finished stuffing myself, they brought out the meat and hot chips. Oi vey!

The city of Salfit and its neighboring villages are an important microcosm into the Israeli-Palestinian conflict: it is home to one of the largest Israeli settlements, Ariel, with over 16, 000 inhabitants. In addition, over a dozen smaller settlements neighbour Ariel, there is a large industrial complex, a university and several settlement outposts. In 2005, a total of 37, 000 Israelis was estimated to be living in the area. Over 60, 000 Palestinians live in the area.

Ariel is known amongst Palestinians as the capital of the Israeli settlement movement. For many Israelis it is seen as a strategic city between Israel and Jordan. According to Ariel’s official website, Ariel Sharon chose the site because of its location halfway between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River, to protect the coast of Israel.

Clashes between Israelis and Palestinians in the region has significantly reduced in the past few years due to increased security measures by Israel and the Palestinian Authority. However, the lives of Palestinians has worsened. The security measures put in place has created a system of separate roads for Israelis and Palestinians, road blockages for Palestinian roads that are near settlements, and endless rows of fences and barbed wire, sometimes cutting through Palestinian homes and olive groves. Israel also decided to include Ariel in the Security Barrier route, earning it the name “Ariel’s finger.”

I never realized how sophisticated and developed are the settlements. I suppose I was naïve. I had imagined a bunch of wild Jewish cowboys roaming around the West Bank in caravans. But this is not the case. The settlements are linked with highways, running water, electricity, public transport, sewage treatment facilities, and more. The government supports and encourages their expansion.

There is no doubt that this is the wrong path toward Palestinian nationhood. But as importantly, I wonder whether this is the best path for the Jewish people.

I am planning a tour with settlers to listen to their perspective. So expect more blogging on this issue.

57 days to go...

In the name of security

Okay, so not quite a tour into the heart of the conflict, but rather a tour of the Separation Barrier in parts of East Jerusalem. This was a hard one. It was depressing. And it did not help that it was pouring with rain, windy and freezing (even by Geneva standards).

So why a barrier anyway? In 2002, the Israeli government decided to construct a Separation Barrier in the West Bank to prevent terrorists attacks on the Israeli population. In urban areas, the barrier is a row of 25-foot (or 6.7-metre) high concrete slabs. In other areas it is an electronic fence with surveillance devices and barbed wire. Most Israelis are in favour of the separation barrier because it has significantly reduced terrorist attacks.

The problem: the barrier does not stick to Israel’s internationally recognized borders (the so-called green line) nor does it stick to Israel’s own accepted borders. And that is because the barrier is also meant to protect the over 450, 000 Israelis living in settlements in the West Bank and East Jerusalem.

For Palestinians living on the barrier's route, this has lead to great suffering. I was confronted with what this means in East Jerusalem. East Jerusalem was annexed by Israel in the 1967 six-day war while the rest of the West Bank remained under military occupation. Israel proclaims sovereignty over East Jerusalem but it is not internationally recognized, not even by the U.S.

The Separation Barrier takes in East Jerusalem, with its 250, 000 Palestinians (also known as Jerusalemites). Whilst most Palestinians from East Jerusalem hold Israeli residents permits, they retain strong social, economic and political ties with their families and communities in the West Bank (and vice versa). The barrier has severely disrupted these ties. I saw some areas where the barrier cut through entire villages. In other areas it separated Palestinian homes from their olive groves, taking away their land and livelihoods.

I am thrilled that Israelis feel more secure in their homes and daily lives. People do not think twice about taking a public bus. This was not the case when I was here fifteen years ago. But I saw for my own eyes the consequences of this new situation. I cannot accept that the security of Israelis comes at the cost of the rights of Palestinians to their own land, livelihoods and security. There must be another way.

58 days to go…

To question or not to question?

Today I started work. I am working with three Israeli organisations: B’Tselem, Hamoked and Physicians for Human Rights-Israel. They are not the most popular crowd in Israel because they ask tough questions about Israel’s policies and practices in the Palestinian territories (and towards Arab Israelis). And if they find that Israel is violating its own laws, or international laws that Israel has signed up to, they take action. One Israeli friend of mine told me: “I do not like what they say, but they act as my conscience.”

There is a strong Jewish tradition that encourages us to ask questions. The tradition shapes teaching at yeshivas and is celebrated in Jewish festivals, like the four questions asked during Pesach. I have vivid memories as a child of being encouraged to ask questions, never blindly accepting what someone told me, and always striving for more information.

When it came to Israel and the Palestinians however, I was not encouraged to ask questions. I was encouraged to support Israel. To some extent I understand why. But, it runs counter to my belief that questions get us closer to the truth, and that truth can lead to justice; a key ingredient of shalom.

I am really glad to be here in Israel surrounded by people who are asking questions and taking action. You will hear more about their work in the coming days, but for now, I will let you judge for yourselves and ask your own questions.

Tomorrow, a tour into the heart of the conflict: Jerusalem.

59 days to go…