the tourist capital of the occupied territories

i am in ramallah. it never gets easier, the transition from "free" society to military occupation. on the bus on the way in, a couple of school girls got off at their stop, one of the many between jerusalem and ramallah. they got off the bus onto the sidewalk, and had only a few feet from the massive wall separating them from their fellow palestinians. and within sight of the border, huge gates, military checkpoint, guns, closure, identification checks, humiliation. i cant really imagine what goes through their little heads. i saw a man and his son walking up some steep stairs, the man's hands were clasped behind his back, and his 3 or 4 year old son followed, slower, up the stairs, with the same hand posture. it just made me think about how we learn when we are little.

friday leaves the muslim city quiet, and i make my way peacefully to my hotel, where the trc is putting me up. its called the rocky. i think i might be one of four or five guests in the five story hotel. clearly tourism isnt what it used to be here. but my hosts hop when i get in and are happy to serve me.
i have been getting dose after dose of humility when i am here, putting me in my place. this morning I walked around the old city of jerusalem, watching the day get started, people do their business as they have done for so long. and they are watched, monitored by the soldiers in green, with their walkie talkies and uzies. the soldiers laugh, joke, have coffee, try to make small talk with some of the vendors. they don’t even realize that if most of the vendors felt that they had the freedom to speak their minds the conversation would be quite different. Its so easy for the oppressor to say, hey, lets just get along here, right now, you and me, we are both people. Oh, why are you angry? Don’t get angry, I am being peaceful, just trying to make small talk. Well, I guess these people are just barbaric, unable to make peace.
The parallels with the “pioneers” and homesteaders and “settlers” of the American west with the native peoples are too striking to ignore. I wont even bother elaborating, its too clear and disturbing for me to have to put into words.