We finally had a house visit of our cities uninvited guests. Sixteen fully armed Israeli soliders entered our home as part of the house to house searches that they have been carrying out for 4 days now in Ramallah, while we sit under 24-hr curfew. Read more about Breaking the Fear
It’s been awhile since I’ve written; I have needed some time to digest our new situation, one dominated by the presence of the Israeli army. Their presence has never been easy to accept, but what is harder to accept now is that we are back to “normal,” and this, apparently for us, means being in the continuous presence of an occupying army. Read more about Back to occupation, back to "normal"
The distance between Hanan and I depends on what gauge you use to measure it. In terms of physical distance, 10 miles separate us. In terms of occupation distance, she is two checkpoints away. Read more about The distance between Hanan and I
I have not written for quite some time. I was busy protecting myself and my family the last few days before the Israeli army left the area around the presidential compound near our house. Read more about Between victory and defeat
Today was an exciting day. My colleague from work made it into the office from his home in Dheishe refugee camp. The atmosphere in the office was one of celebration, rightly so. Read more about All in a Day's Work
It has just taken me almost two hours to get through Qalandia checkpoint, have just stepped around the last of the barbed wire. There are a few more checkpoints to go before I reach the office. None could be as bad. Partly to settle my nerves, partly to check in, I dial a colleague’s number on my mobile. My hands are still shaking. Read more about Teargas, bullets and a cage: Trying to get home
The breaking points are sometimes small, innocuous. You can’t sleep for a week because the Israeli shelling is so bad, there are continuous and horrible reports of death, but we’re fine- “I’m fine. No, I’m ok. Really.”—- then something as silly as trying to fold an omelette in the frying pan, it breaking, and then- the tears fall. Read more about Teargas, bullets and a cage: Getting to school in Palestine
Almost 3am, and there is no point in trying to ignore the sounds and to try sleeping anymore. It is just too loud, too near. The heavy machine gunfire, the thuds of tank shelling. Read more about Can you hear the shelling?