Note form the West Bank

national | miscellaneous | news report Tuesday September 24, 2002 09:31 by publo

Im sure you've all seen news reports etc about the present situation in the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

Im over two weeks now in the West Bank and im only just beginning to comprehend the real extent of the situation. All i can think is that ill be going home (hopefully) in a couple of months and that ill be able to relax again, but i cant grasp the thoughts of all the people who are born into this and who have to live somehow under the occupation. Ive been to jenin, jericho, bethlahem, jeruslaem and hebron over the past weeks and am staying in ramallah. All over the situation is desperate. all roads are cloed to palestinians and entire towns are isolated. Travel is dangerous and often off-road. My taxi was fired upon by soldiers outside Ramallah last week, at a spot known as Torah Bora. At hebron a palestinian human rights activist and myself were detained for several hours by soldiers for passing too close to a settlement. As we were waiting at the base all the settler kids were running around stoning and throwing glass bottles at any palestinians that passed by. it was tragic to watch grown men and women being humiliated by these kids who had the support of the soldiers.
Ramallah now is uneasy. Last night some people came oput on the streets singing and making noise to defy the curfew but today there seems to be more tanks and soldiers around. The curfew is terrible and its hard to imagine that everyone is simply sitting at home unable to do anything. I like ramallah when its open. Its a good town and very bisy. Its being strangled though by the occupation. ok got to go. ill try post some more efficient news when i can.