Just as our group have been let loose in Ramallah, 10 of our activists from ISM and a journalist from the LA Times, entered the nativity church in Bethlehem, laden with bags of food for the starving people inside. 11 others, including one of our chief coordinators were arrested. Reports we have had are that the men are in prison, and the women, about 5 were detained. They were shackled hand to foot, and had all their money, mobile phones, and other materials confiscated. Then, at 2 am they began dropping the women off around Nablus,on their own, without money or phones, the first they dropped off was a Swedish girl. Our coordinator saw what they were doing and protested. She was then hit across the face. She then coordinated, prior to the remaining being released in various locations, a place to meet later on. Unfortunately for the Swedish woman, it was too late to receive this information, and noone has heard from her since. They were told to meet with the Isrealis the next day, to see what they would do with them, but I have heard nothing since.

The direct action on the church was an amazing victory. We had tried when I was in Bethlehem without success, and these people are very hungry and some unwell. The night before 2 activists on a march to the church were shot dead by the Israeli army. Two more have apparently been killed inside the church by snipers. Sharon is very very angry, as he was when we had entered Maqataa. The latter action he was so angry he set up a committee to find out how we managed to get in! and head rolled, and reactive retaliatory behaviour was carried out.

I have revisited the compound several times, the last joining a demonstration against occupation. President Arafat appeared giving the victory sign, resistance songs sung, and I was able to see friends, soldiers, who are still protecting the compound. One cannot trust the Israelis, and a surprise attack could happen at any time. Leaving there with a friend, a Palestinian writer and activist, we passed a demolished car on the way in to central Ramallah. “There is my car, look”. He looked on, upset yet laughing. This is the way, so much tragedy here, yet the spirit of the people remains strong, and that cannot be broken. The Israelis are continuing their pointless carnage, going into Nablus again today and killing a Palestinian policeman, and unsure what else. They are not a good army, but good at mass destruction and the killing of many civilians along the way, more thugs and juvenile delinquents than soldiers. They are no match for the Palestinian soldiers, who have few weapons in comparison, no planes, no tanks, no bulldozers, no helicopters. Just a gun. The resistance to occupation will never end and neither should it, until the Isrealis grant the Palestinians a viable state. Not one like in the Camp David agreement, which was just pockets of state surrounded by Israeli land. That can never be accepted and never should have been by Arafat, and has never been by the Palestinian people, but Arafat has had to give up so much to end up with so little. The only viable state is based on resolution pre 1967 borders, and until the Israelis agree to this there will be no peace. How can Sharon want peace when he, even today, is confiscated land and houses, the most recent was in occupied East Jerusalem 2 days ago, confiscating houses, forcibly removing the Palestinian residents.

I have Israeli friends in Tel Aviv, who are active as they can be in the peace movement. Speaking with them a few days ago, on my last night in Moqataa, they told me how hard it is to get any information from Palestine, and how hard it is in Isreal for activists. They were very supportive of my actions, and have asked me to stay with them, and also one of my friends’ parents in Jerusalem, saying how happy they would be to have me as a guest in their home. Her father was a conscientious objector, refusing to go the army , was inprsisoned for a few months. During this crisis there have been around 400 Israelis who have refused to serve the army, and one helicoptor pilot in Jenin refused to shell housing as he knew it was full of civilians. He is now in prison. Isrealis have risked their lives to bring aid to Jenin. Do you ever hear about these people in your media? To anyone reading this from the jewish faith and blind support for Sharon , I ask you, do you know any of these people, or do you believe that Isrealis are all behind the fascist Sharon. And he is a fascist, wanting to destroy another race, to take their land, to loot their homes and destroy their property, kill their people, destroy there government, ministries, banks (and loot them), universities, and, without charges, round up thousands of young men and place them in a concentration camp in the Negev desert, with little to eat, in appalling conditions, including snakes and scorpions. My Isreali friend who was in Moqattaa with me said she had a friend there, he was held without charge for 18 months, and came out emaciated. Does any of this sound familiar? Is this not fascism? How can you compare the tens of lives lost in Israel by suicide bombing by the desperate attempts of those who have so much to greive and have lost so much, to the thousands of lives lost, thousands wounded, and thousands locked away without charges in Palestine. How do you call one ‘terrorists’ and the other, well whatever you want to call them . I call them fascists, and it is time everyone, including jews, especially jews, looked at who they were supporting, and what are you if you do.

I am going underground, to avoid arrest, to avoid being beaten and shackled, denied food and water and a lawyer and diplomatic assistance in an Israeli gaol for commiting no crime. Oh yes, under Israeli law I have, entering a closed military zone, one by an army on foreign soil who has no right to be there. I need to avoid that, and hope, when I do reach (enshallah) Ben Gorion airport in Tel Aviv to leave, that I am only interrogated for a few hours by the secret police,and then deported and not dragged off to Ramla prison and denied by rights under international law. And how privileged I will be to go home to a safe and normal life, and not incarcerated indefinitely. I urge anyone who wants to help fight the occupation to do so on any level they can, even if it is donating money, to the many NGO’s who are working hard to change things. Few else are helping on a government level, so it is up to us. Anyone willing to donate their time can come here and help, this struggle is far from over, and I especially invite anyone who doesn’t believe me to come and see for themselves. Then, I promise you, you will know the truth.

Last night we were congratulated by the French consulate for our actions, and also by the head of the NGO’s in Palestine, and that our actions had prevented a bloodbath in Moqataa, and also the assination of a President. A small step for the Palestinian cause, and a symbolic victory for its people. The nativity church action was another. We were also told how important grassroots peace activism is, and the need to inform the world what they are not seeing and hearing about, the continued human rights abuses, and destruction of a people. I visited by wounded Palestinian friend today in hospital, who I had been trying to help in Moqataa, and he is doing well now reveiving the treatment he has been denied by the Israeli regime. His suffering, yet determination is a symbol of strength in spirit of a people who, if enough help them internationally, can live in peace. But time is running out. The Palestinians do not have time as more and more land and property is either destroyed or confiscated by the occupying army. Soon, there will be nothing left for the rightful owners of this land. Let us hope that the International community can act and control Sharon and his friends, before it is too late.

Finally I would like to thank everyone, especially the Fran, Frank, Dan and the rest of the Byron Bay chapter who have helped in the struggle and given me so much support.. You are all loved and thanked by the Palestinian people and myself, they really do appreciate what you are all doing to help them.