Dear Friends,

I am back; hopefully I would be able to provide you from time to time of new updates. But, thinking of updates, it seems that the techniques of the Israeli Occupation Army are of a continuous monotony that not a lot of new things happen.

But what does really happen?

Given the continuous procedures of humiliation and frustrations practiced with idiocy or intelligence-does not really matter- because the result is the same, the policy of curfews practiced on all the palestinian cities and populations and keeping them like animals in a zoo apparently helps the Palestinians to be more realistic.

How could the Palestinians be more realistic?

Well, I am going to tell you a short story… Some of you probably know it… Others do not.

There was a man- a farmer- with his wife, working for someone who became the owner of the land they once had for themselves. The “owner” allowed them to live in one room. And they could manage well in that space. Any way, the years passed and they had children, and the room became too small for a family composed of the parents and 8 children. The farmer complained to the “owner” that the room is very small for all the family, and that he needed more space.

The “owner” was not very happy with this complaint, but what to do? Very inventive as all the landlords, he said: Well, you will put from now on 20 chickens, 10 goats and 3 cows in the same room, and we will see if that is small or not.

The farmer couldn’t resist this and did it.

A month passed and the “owner” came by to see the farmer and asked him: How is it now with you?

The farmer answered: The situation is intolerable. But I figure if you could move the cows we will be in a better situation.

The “owner” smiled and said: Well, you have only to ask, let it be that the cows return to the fields.

The farmer felt a little bit relieved but still that was not the ideal situation.

One month later, and the “owner” returned to see the farmer and asked the same question: How is it now with you?

The farmer answered: The situation is better than before but it is still very difficult, especially with the goats. I figure if you allow us to move the goats we will be in a much better situation.

The “owner” smiled and said: Well, you have only to ask, let it be that the goats return to the fields.

And again the farmer felt happier and the situation remains as it is till the next month when the landlord came again to see him and asked the same question.

The farmer said: We are doing fine, but the chickens are very dirty and life would be much better, if you would permit us to move them out.

The “owner” smiled and said: Well, you have only to ask, let it be that the chickens return to the fields.

Two days later, the owner passed by and asked the farmer: How are you doing to day?

The farmer smiled and said: Perfect. Now we feel really at home. Thank you for moving out the chickens.

The owner asked again: So, the room is fine now, not so small for your big family?

The farmer answered: No, it is fine. We are doing very well in the space we have now….

And so, returning to the situation zero seems now what people want, or what everybody who seems to care for the Palestinians want.

Let it be that the criminal occupation army of Israel lifts the curfew every day, or moves out of the Palestinian cities, does this change anything on the humiliating practices against the Palestinian population, even in east Jerusalem itself?

Let me explain with another story:

As most of you know, I live in east Jerusalem, in Ras Elamoud. And since I still don’t have any permit to pass the checkpoints, even though I live here since 3 years now, and pay taxes to the Israeli government as every Israeli and Palestinian living under Israeli control in east or west Jerusalem do. However, they accept to take my money, but don’t allow me to have access to any service, no health insurance, no permit to pass the checkpoints, nothing in short.

Any way, so in order to go to my parents in law, or for my wife to go to her work in the old city in Jerusalem, she has to cross the checkpoint. The other day, she was driving our car, as usual, taking our two kids (Canaan 2 years and 3 months and Adam 5 months) with her to her parents house. So keeping the distance of 10 meters or so that the Israeli soldiers ask everyone to leave before they call the drivers to advance towards them, the Israeli soldier asked her to leave the car and walk to him. He looked at her and asked for her ID card which she presented to him. Then he asked her if there was anyone in the car.

She said: yes, there are my two kids

He said: go and ask them to get down of the car, and take their shirts off.

She said: But they are very young.

He said: Well, doesn’t matter, just go and ask them to do that

She said: Well, you don’t understand, one is two years and the other five months

He said: I said doesn’t matter, go and tell them to get down the car and raise their shirts

She walked a bit and returned, and in a simple Hebrew she said to him: they are very young. One is 2 years and the other is 5 months, do you understand now.

He looked at her, seemed to think about what she said, and then OK, go and advance the car.

She walked the 10 meters to the car, put the key in and turned the car on, and moved slowly towards the soldier. She stopped near him. He looked at the kids. Adam was crying because of the heat in the car, Canaan was silent looking curiously at the soldiers and saying to his mother: hatha jundi mama, tukh tukh dovvve dovvve (this is a soldier mama, and he made the sounds of shooting of tanks and automatic weapons that he had the occasion to hear once we slept in Aida Camp).

Then he asked my wife to open the baggage and the cover of the motor where he checked everything, and then he made a sign by his hand, that she can go…

The distance between my house and my family’s house is 8 minutes walk, less than 500 meters. However, with the car, and the controls they make on every car, it might take 30 minutes to 2 hours to pass this checkpoint. Many times the soldiers just close the checkpoint, and no cars are allowed to pass.

So with these generosities of the Israeli governments and its arrogant soldiers, people still think that Israel has the right to defend itself.

Let say Yes. Israel has the right to defend itself: but how?

With this continuous humiliation of Palestinian people. With this continuous provocation, and frustration.

They announce a lift of curfew, then they cancel that. They open few hours, and then close for 3 days or a week or I don’t know what. One starts a work, one is never sure to finish it. How could anyone live in this permanent incertitude?

How can students go to the university or to the school and still have this attitude and will to learn, to study and to be present for exams.

I work in a pharmaceutical company. Some tests need to be read in 18-24 hours. How can we read such results if the next two or three days will be curfew days. All what we do have no meaning. How could we ever be able to finish the semester in the university?

How can we commit to a schedule, to a date, to a marriage, or to a funeral or to anything at all?

With all my respect to those who think that Palestinians are poor people that have the right to live, but do not do anything for this to happen, I say, sorry but we do not need pity. We do not need humanitarian help or assistance. We need solidarity. Solidarity does not mean that you come in vacation to Palestine, or bring some food and drugs, you might have even tears in your eyes, and despite all what you see and what you live, you will say poor Palestinians, and you will continue that Israel has the right to defend itself.

We are not a social case, and those who do solidarity have to think of that. We are not a social or a humanitarian case.

We are a people, who are deprived of the simplest rights to an honorable life. We are in need for help to support us to continue the nonviolent resistance and to continue living, to continue developing and expressing our culture and our identity, and our folklore. TO continue providing the children with a healthy environment, workers and women with an opportunity to work. We are not beggars. We are not a social case. We are what we are, fighting an occupation that every body knows, and we are not obliged in any way to pay for the crimes that Europe and all the others committed so that they can feel in peace with themselves by not taking any real actions against Israel. We are fed up with hypocrisy and double faced languages that some international organizations propose.

And again I say, If Israel will continue this play, which has for purpose to frustrate Palestinians and to make them accept every daily humiliation, and accept what Israel decides, they are wrong. People have nothing to lose any more. Nothing at all.

They can take all the land, build a cage around us, put us in ghettos, or in a zoo, make us the animals of the zoo, and invite tourists to see the palestinian zoo… but injustice will not last for over. It will vanish as well as all the injustices of the world. This is history, and history repeats continuously itself… But it seems that those who are willing to learn from history are very few if not absent at all.

Dear friends,

I am really angry, not against you, but against this continuous silence and hypocrisy that paints all the faces of the political society.

Life has lost all its brightness.

Those who still believe in the justice of Israel are invited to come here. I guarantee their safety in Bethlehem and Aida camp. Let them come… have the courage and come and live this democracy by yourself. We will see, for how many days you will continue to praise the democracy and justice of Israel.

Israel actions are against terrorists you say… Maybe… But why don’t you come and see… For two weeks, a week, or few days… Try to pass a checkpoint with a Palestinian… Put yourself for a short time in our shoes, and make your final judgment.

This is an open invitation as long as we live. Afterwards, you may loose this occasion once for all and you will never find an answer for the question, if you ever asked your self that question anyway.

To continue with the idea of Solidarity and not a social case:

Let me be clear about that. Solidarity means help for the people to continue living in dignity, to preserve its heritage and continue its resistance by all legitimate means. It means to support actions that help the society to live and continue living and not to be turned into slaves of humanitarian assistance and help… receive a sac of flour or a bag of medicine. It means give all the support - financial or material or equipment - so that cultural centers, schools, universities, and factories continue to work and help children, student and workers to live in resist the frustration and violence and stress they are forced to live in.

All what we need is a just look and honest expression and actions that help us not to be drown in despair and disbelief in humanity and solidarity.

This is different from the assistance or social cases, because this could be done to anyone in need. But regardless of considering rights and what these people live in. It looks at these people as cases, no matter who is the oppressor and who is the oppressed… Who is the criminal and who is the victim, and in most cases consider both as equal.

I think that needed to be explained as a continuity for my previous message.

With all my thanks to all who really look at us with respect to what we are and what we do…

Deepest thanks to all those who fight the silence and the hypocrisy… to all those who work for a brighter face of humanity and the true meaning of solidarity…

AbdelFattah Abu-Srour