Undercurrents in Palestine
undercurrents | 21.07.2005 15:07 | London | World
It has happened to many Palestinian women in the past and it is still happening to many Palestinian women - it almost happened to another Palestinian womanat Huwara checkpoint as I came through to Nablus last week.
I'd been told that the checkpoint had been open for a few weeks, so I felt sure getting through would be simple - but this is Palestine and the Israeli invaders make sure that nothing is ever simple or easy for the people whose land they occupy.
There had been a bombing in Israel that day killing two and injuring many -in the eyes of the Palestinians, another martyr in their fight for freedom and justice, in the eyes of the Israelis and the West - a suicide bomber. As always, the people are held collectively responsible for any blow struck against Israel - so all the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza are punished. For the people of Nablus it meant the checkpoint was immediatley
closed.
When I arrived there I was told by the women that they had been there over an hour, people looked weary and resigned and the children fractious. As I was munching on a cucumber handed to me by one old woman (in her 70s - 80s) two women supporting a third came towards us, the woman in the middle wascrying. Suddenly she squatted on the ground and gave a long low moan. She was obviously well along in labour.
With the help of a young woman with good English I found out that they had been pleading with the soldiers to let the woman through or to call an ambulance. They refused and sent her back.
She was groaning continually now, and it look like she would give birth on the spot. I went back with the women to the soldiers and harangued them and embarrased them ('this woman could be your sister, your cousin - would you allow this to happen to her?') until they agreed to call an ambulance.
Doesn't it disgust you that it takes an International person, a 'white'
person to force the Israel Army to grant someone the most basic of human rights? Should a woman have to give birth in the dust and dirt when there is a well equipped hospital 10 minutes away - would this be allowed to happen anywhere else in the world?
And these acts are being carried out by a so-called 'Demorcracy', a so-called 'civilised' country, a county supported by the us, by the West. You must come here to feel the level of frustration on one hand and resignation on the other.
This country was invaded in 1967 - almost 40 years ago. Remember when Sadam Hussein invaded Kuwait? The might of the Allies descended on him and the misfortunate people of Iraq 3 weeks later - 3 WEEKS LATER. But here 38 YEARS have gone by and this country remains Occupied.
How can this be? Can anyone not understand the despair that must come over the people sometimes? As we continued to wait, one man rushed forward shouting in English:
'KILL ME NOW, DO IT, DO IT, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE, IT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, ISN'T IT, GET IT OVER WITH - DO IT, DO IT, YOU WON'T LET ME GO TO MY HOME,
TO MY FAMIILY, SO KILL ME!!.
The 18 year old soldiers looked on impassively - the man's friends led him away. I held back the tears, as I am holding them back now - you don't cry here, or you would never stop, there is so much to cry for.
d. in Balata Camp, Nablus.
I'd been told that the checkpoint had been open for a few weeks, so I felt sure getting through would be simple - but this is Palestine and the Israeli invaders make sure that nothing is ever simple or easy for the people whose land they occupy.
There had been a bombing in Israel that day killing two and injuring many -in the eyes of the Palestinians, another martyr in their fight for freedom and justice, in the eyes of the Israelis and the West - a suicide bomber. As always, the people are held collectively responsible for any blow struck against Israel - so all the inhabitants of the West Bank and Gaza are punished. For the people of Nablus it meant the checkpoint was immediatley
closed.
When I arrived there I was told by the women that they had been there over an hour, people looked weary and resigned and the children fractious. As I was munching on a cucumber handed to me by one old woman (in her 70s - 80s) two women supporting a third came towards us, the woman in the middle wascrying. Suddenly she squatted on the ground and gave a long low moan. She was obviously well along in labour.
With the help of a young woman with good English I found out that they had been pleading with the soldiers to let the woman through or to call an ambulance. They refused and sent her back.
She was groaning continually now, and it look like she would give birth on the spot. I went back with the women to the soldiers and harangued them and embarrased them ('this woman could be your sister, your cousin - would you allow this to happen to her?') until they agreed to call an ambulance.
Doesn't it disgust you that it takes an International person, a 'white'
person to force the Israel Army to grant someone the most basic of human rights? Should a woman have to give birth in the dust and dirt when there is a well equipped hospital 10 minutes away - would this be allowed to happen anywhere else in the world?
And these acts are being carried out by a so-called 'Demorcracy', a so-called 'civilised' country, a county supported by the us, by the West. You must come here to feel the level of frustration on one hand and resignation on the other.
This country was invaded in 1967 - almost 40 years ago. Remember when Sadam Hussein invaded Kuwait? The might of the Allies descended on him and the misfortunate people of Iraq 3 weeks later - 3 WEEKS LATER. But here 38 YEARS have gone by and this country remains Occupied.
How can this be? Can anyone not understand the despair that must come over the people sometimes? As we continued to wait, one man rushed forward shouting in English:
'KILL ME NOW, DO IT, DO IT, I DON'T CARE ANYMORE, IT'S WHAT YOU WANT TO DO, ISN'T IT, GET IT OVER WITH - DO IT, DO IT, YOU WON'T LET ME GO TO MY HOME,
TO MY FAMIILY, SO KILL ME!!.
The 18 year old soldiers looked on impassively - the man's friends led him away. I held back the tears, as I am holding them back now - you don't cry here, or you would never stop, there is so much to cry for.
d. in Balata Camp, Nablus.
undercurrents
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