Report One: 'Your being here, caring, is a sign of hope.'

October 31 – November 2

How moving to hear the above words from Israeli Rami Elhanan, whose beloved 14-year-old daughter Smadar was killed by a suicide bomber. The 500 Israeli and Palestinian families of the Bereaved Families Forum -- on behalf of whom Rami was speaking -- share their pain and their hope as an example to others. (www.theparentscircle.com).

Rami explains: “If we who have paid the highest price can talk to each other, then anyone can.”  He asked that we “amplify this voice” and “tell others that there are some decent people over here.”

Not only has the FOR delegation met profoundly “decent people” in our first two days on the ground, we have received outstanding access to information.

Our first meeting was with Dr. Sami Musallam, the Palestinian governor of Jericho, who spoke in detail on a broad range of topics. The recurring theme was Israeli governmental control of virtually everything of importance in daily Palestinian life.

The city of Jericho, where we met, is under Palestinian control. However, 95% of the surrounding district of Jericho is Israeli-controlled. Palestinians are severely restricted in their access to main roads. The region’s abundant agricultural production often rots in trucks held up by Israeli soldiers at interminable checkpoints. Israeli electric lines bypass Palestinian villages granted no permits for electricity, running water, or schools. Water is drained from the aquifer under the West Bank to supply the Israeli settlements, and what remains, the Palestinians must purchase. The situation is extreme. What to do?

Dr. Musallam urged us to educate Congress, stating that he feels that even those legislators who do come to visit rarely have open minds.

The ultimate instrument of control: Israeli settlements.

The word does not do it justice.

This afternoon we saw a “settlement” larger in area than Tel Aviv. Looking at the map, we saw that seven large areas of settlements divide the remaining Palestinian areas of the West Bank into isolated enclaves, reminiscent of the Bantustans of apartheid South Africa. Palestinian East Jerusalem is fast disappearing among Israeli developments on confiscated lands.

Jeff Halper, coordinator of the Israeli Committee Against House Demolitions (http://www.icahd.org/eng/), says everything seems in place to actualize Sharon’s plans to leave zero possibility for a viable Palestinian state.

Although troubling statistics have filled our minds throughout these two days, today we were hit in the gut.

There it was: the Wall

How could anyone call it a separation “fence”? Around Jerusalem, it is a cliff of concrete. This afternoon at B’Tselem, the leading Israeli human rights organization, Executive Director Jessica Montel showed us graphic maps of the Occupied West Bank.  But actually seeing the Wall that towers to five times our height, and putting our hands on the cold concrete, filled us with shock. Apartheid?  Berlin – magnified to hundreds of miles?  We were shaken; some so moved, they wept.

Can the 13 of us here make any difference? Rami Elhanan thinks so. Dr. Musallam thinks so. We hope so.

-- Lynn Nadeau and Nancy Salzman, for the November 2005 delegation.

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Other Reports from this delegation

Report 1 - Report 2 - Report 3 - Report 4 - Report 5