The Palestine Israel Journal is around the corner from my hotel on Al-Hriri street. During a break in the rain I made my way out of the internet shop and found my way to #4 Al-Hriri. The plaque outside the door indicates that an insurance office is here. Upon inspection of the directory, I discovered the name of the Palestinian editor Mr. Ziad Abu-Zayyid. I walked up a flight of stairs and found myself at the door of the Palestine Israel Journal.
The office reminds me of the Tibetan Nuns Project in Dharamsala. The rooms are old and worn, white walls with a blue tinge from the reflection of the fluorescent lights, tiles on the floor are chipped. There is a small kitchen, a bathroom and several offices filled with books and stacks of the recently published journal. In the hallway there is the smell of stale cigarettes that trails to the back office and an ashtray filled with cigarette butts. Inside the office I'm working in, a cylindrical, bug-zapper looking heater keeps the chill out of the air.
I arrived as two of the journal's staff sat down to lunch. Pita and hummus, another bean dish, onions, pickles and tomatoes. They offered me some sage tea. This is Avi and Najat.
Avi is from South Africa, he came to Israel in 1959 following his Zionist dream and through his wrinkles and bushy white eyebrows, he bitterly laughed that now he is the occupier. He is the managing editor on the Israeli side. He has written for the Jerusalem Post and continues to write for the Jerusalem Report in addition to his work here. He lives near the big Jerusalem mall and has seen his children grow and learn in this country. I spoke to him very briefly and hope to pick his brain more as time goes on.
Najat's family has always lived in the Jerusalem area. Her grandmother and mother lived through the Deir Yassin massacre of 1948. Her grandmother was sixteen-years old and a mother of two. Najat's mother was only 6 days old when the Irgun came through the village and murdered men, women and children. Najat's mother grew up under the roof of her grandfather and her main dream in life was to have what she never had-- a large, healthy and thriving family.
Najat has 10 brothers and sisters, the youngest is 19 years old, they are scattered across Israel/Palestine and Germany. Each of them has received a university education and both mother and father play a significant role in the life of their children and now, grandchildren. Najat's father helps her to understand why and how it is her mother can be so overbearing and suffocating in her love and concern.
Najat has family in Ramallah not 20 minutes drive from here minus checkpoints and other detours. But for fera of not being able to return back into Jerusalem, Najat hasn't seen her Ramallah family in three years.
Najat's sister in Germany has to return every six months to maintain her blue identity card, which is not citizenship but rather obligtes her to pay taxes, health insurance and maintains her rights to the land her family owns. When she married a German citizen the Israeli government tried to revoke her blue identity card and encouraged her to seek German citizenship. She hired an Israeli immigration lawyer who has successfully regained the blue identity card and now Najat's sister must return every sixth months in order to keep the blue card valid. This and another story I heard last night which I will mention later is leading me to understand that the Israeli government is using all means and ways necessary and possible to move these people out of this area. Make them a German citizen, an American citizen, make it as hard as possible to continue living here, make it gruesome, tiresom and uncomfortable and maybe they'll give up. This is what I gather from those I've spoken with thus far.
Najat comes from a wealthy family. They have 4 clothing stores here in East Jerusalem and several properties. Najat and her father used to go to West Jerusalem where her father had business. However, Najat hasn't been back since she was twelve years old. Of course there is a story.
At Mahane Yehuda, the most vibrant, incredible and delicious market I have ever seen, and where I visited before Shabbat on Friday for chocolate rugelach from Marzipan Bakery, Najat's first experience with hatred occurred. She said that she and her father were shopping and visiting other shopkeepers when she saw t-shirt she admired. She mentioned it to her father and the shopkeeper overheard her interest in the t-shirt. His response included calling her a dirty Arab and that he wouldn't sell a thing to her and her people. Najat hasn't been back since. I haven't asked Najat her age yet but I imagine this was 20 plus years ago.
Yesterday I accompanied Najat to the post office and she gave me a tour of my neighborhood. Across from the post office is one of the gates to the Old City. There are Israeli police outside the gate and they may stop whomever they choose and search their person and their belongings. Najat expressed both the humiliation and the frustration with this policy. Including the fact that male soldiers search female civilians which of course, violates the modesty customs of Arab culture and most certainly that of the more religious Muslims.
She shared with me her own checkpoint experience during which she was searched and stopped once trying to get to work. For not cooperating entirely, she was kicked in the back by a soldier and fell to the ground. She arrived at the office her an hour and a half after she left her home, what is usually a twenty minute commute.
I'm trying to figure out a way to ask certain questions because when Najat tells me these stories I am horrified and saddened, but right behind that is : but what about suicide bombers? How are the Israelis supposed guess who is harmful and not without searching people? What is the answer to not wanting to profile every Palestinian, but not wanting to be the soldier that allows passage for someone determined to do harm?
So far it seems like there's a disbelief or detachment from the people that blow themselves up and those who don't. I don't hear much concern or comment on that. From Najat's point of view, as an educated woman and peace worker, being assumed guilty is entirely degrading. I understand that. But I don't know what is the effective alternative.I do know that the methods in place now are only serving to infuriate, embitter and inflame the feelings of hatred and disgust. I imagine on both sides.
I asked Najat if she believes in her work. She said yes, she does. It is because she accepts that no one is going anywhere. I think this is the most practical truth about the situation. People, Israelis and Palestinians are established here. The goal then has to be, first and foremost, finding ways to spread acceptance of that basic fact. I'm understanding that that reality is not a common demoninator here.
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