Back in Quds
by Noel Winkler
July 29, 2002

Note: This writing was originally sent as an email to a private distribution list. It was written at the end of the author's participation in Freedom Summer, a 2002 campaign of the International Solidarity Movement, which encouraged internationals to travel to Palestine to serve as eyewitnesses. It is reprinted here, slightly edited.

assalaamuAlaikum.

i have too many stories for one e-mail, so i will just be brief for now.

first, i just want to thank all of you who sent such amazing words of encouragement. i will respond to everyone in time, but i hope you can understand why my individual responses are a bit delayed.

when i think of Palestine now, i don't just think of the terrorism committed against its people by israel and america. i don't think only of how sharon responds to "threats" of peace with the intentional targeting and murder of children. now, i think about my new friends. i think about the kind-hearted, gentle yet defiant people that i met. i think about how next time i come here, there is a chance that some of them will have been murdered.

and i also recognize that for every evil act committed by israeli "soldiers" in Beit Ommar, the same is being repeated in every village throughout Palestine. i was fortunate not to witness a death. (although we learned that a pregnant woman in the village lost her child because the ambulance which carried her was not allowed past a checkpoint when she was in labor.) another ISM affinity group who went through training with us cannot say the same. in their town, a man in his home was murdered by the idf, as they fired indiscriminately into houses.

i am back in al Quds (Jerusalem). this is supposed to be the most holy city in the world. it doesn't feel like it. whether on your way to visit the holy sites of Islam, Christianity or Judaism, you are likely to see a Palestinian getting harrassed by armed teenagers in uniform. you will see the smugness and arrogance of "soldiers", and "border" police. you will see a constant reminder that for many israelis, a Jewish state has absolutely nothing to do with Biblical prophecy, but everything to do with greed, hatred and power.

the streets of the old city are nearly deserted, because israel does everything in its power (and greed and hatred) to keep tourists away.

sometimes it is hard to believe that this is reality.