Stations of the Resurrection Pilgrimage
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May 1, 2007
Tuesday
Day Seven

May Day, the first of May, as it is in Europe, is a holiday in Palestine/Israel, Labor Day.

We were grateful for the fine work of many whom we met today.

Leaving the International Center with bags packed after breakfast, we headed to the ancient city of Hebron, about twenty minutes south of Bethlehem. Otherwise known as the "Hebron Hills," there are four hills around the ancient city that are inhabited both by Palestinians and Israelis. The settlements in Hebron make life very difficult for the Palestinians. Making a way of life is a dwindling proposition, as the ability to move freely and the former infrastructure of roads and shops have been blocked or made impassable.

First, we ascended to the Tomb of the Patriarchs, which is partially housed in an impressive mosque. The other part of the Tomb is accessible only to Israelis. We had to make our way through two security gates with metal detectors before entering, take off our shoes as the rugs we would be stepping on are designated for prayer, and women had to don body length robes with hoods that made them look like Harry Potter characters. The mosque's appointments were exquisite: ornate tile work arches, and domes that made you feel like you were in a palace (the inset tile work helps those who pray to have a focal point to Mecca, which is south). The pulpit-like furnishing for the sheik was striking. We got to see Abraham's tomb before heading back down to walk through the Old City and the headquarters of the Christian Peacemaking Team (CPT). The shops were relatively few for the area of the walkway. Most commerce has been driven out due to lack of access. There were a few shops the CPT suggested we do business with, though they could not directly recommend a particular shop. Bishop Payne managed to sample the local knafe pastry (see Sunday April 29th blog for a description of knafe), and many others bought clothing with Palestinian needlework.

The CPT headquarters was near what used to be a bustling bus depot that now is blocked from access between the street and the building. In their apartment, we were treated to falafel in pita and learned of CPT's work in Hebron, which consists of monitoring activity at the mosque and in accompanying children to school. Kathy Kern, who has been there the better part of twelve years, was concerned that the fate of Palestinians in Hebron is bleak. She then took us up to the rooftop (where an armed Israeli soldier on a roof across the street eyed us warily), and pointed out how the settlements have taken over the bulk of the city, as Israelis can find affordable housing and commute to Jerusalem easily, all the while services, jobs, and housing are increasingly unavailable to Palestinians.

Back to the bus to travel to the little village of At-Tuwani, half an hour further south, where there is another site for CPT work. The village has been around for many years and houses four families that number 150 total in population, while the settlement of Ma'on up the hill recently built has about 50. We were given the story by CPT worker, Heidi Schram, who has been there one year and is leaving for graduate school tomorrow! In the 1980's a Zionist group planted a grove of pine trees adjacent to Ma'on, which in recent years has been occupied by a satellite settlement. Just over the hill is the Palestine village of Yata, so getting from Yata to Atwani is a challenge due to the harassment of settlers. While the settlements are illegal according even to Israeli law, the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) performs an extremely unusual service: providing an escort for school children coming from Yata to At-Tuwani, the children numbering about 20. The settlers, particularly at the satellite of Ma'on, are so aggressive that there are reports that the IDF also receives harassment from them! In addition, the route chosen is snake-like and takes four hours each way with school hours another five.

At-Tuwani has been hanging tough as they have adopted a non-violent philosophy and approach. CPT's role is to accompany the villagers, to provide documentation where there are violations by settlers, and to act as a human shield when necessary. They have a particular interest in the success of the school.

The cave-like dwellings in the village seem primitive, but it is clear that those who live here work hard to grow crops, manage livestock, and live together. We saw a mosque, a school, and a brand new and almost opened Health Care Center and Women's Craft Center (funded in large part by Germany). We met village children eager for play and photos, and in the end met the head of a women's craft coop who described women's eagerness to contribute to the economy of the village by doing traditional Palestinian craftwork and slowly winning over the support of the men. Ilse, from Germany, was the CPT worker who works in Hebron and also came with us to At-Tuwani and was a wonderful Arabic translator. We shopped in the store for handiwork from the women in the village, inspired by their courage and kindness.

Riding back to Jerusalem, we checked into the Knights Palace, part of the Latin (Roman) Church which is through New Gate in the Old City.

In the evening, we met Aaron Barneah, an Israeli who was supposed to be accompanied by a Palestinian counterpart but who was unable to attend, from the Parents' Circle, a story-telling group of those who are bereaved. The group grew out of the hope in 1994 for a Peace Process, where an extreme Israeli group demonstrated at the home of a man who had lost his son. He said to the group something to the effect: "Go away! You don't represent me!" This man, with others, formed the Parents' Circle to tell their personal narratives of grief and to support the peace process. Even though there was no peace process, in 1998 they added Palestinians to their group and they speak primarily to the local population, at schools, and in homes. For Israelis, they quell the misunderstandings that there is no Palestinian to talk to or that they are all out to kill us.

Aaron then told his poignant story of the death of his son, Noam, who was in his last week of military service in Lebanon, and who was killed as an expert in explosive ordinance disposal. The story told to Aaron his family was that Noam put on the pin his father gave him that said Leave Lebanon in Peace, and was ordered to take it off his uniform. Noam informed his commanding officer that he was only volunteering duty this day, as he rightfully had officially completed his term, and that he would leave if the commander wanted him to.

Aaron then went on to tell of the strength of the Parents' Circle work, which is to tell the story of bereavement as a means to reconciliation. He compared it to South African's Bishop Tutu's Truth and Reconciliation Commission, where former captors were confronted by their victims' families to hear their stories and come to reconciliation. Palestinians and Israelis have had to allow their respective stories told from their own points of view to be told together with one another.

We thanked Aaron for his articulate and heartfelt presentation, and bid him farewell.

After Evening Prayer with a song for peace that incorporated Hebrew with Arabic, we prayed for peace at night and peace in the end.

Tomorrow we tour Yad Vashem, the museum dedicated to the Holocaust.

Tim Keyl
Christ the King Lutheran Church
Nashua, New Hampshire


Click here to see Pastor Tim's photos of the Pilgrimage on Flickr.
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