South Hebron Hills, Thu 21.4.11, Morning

Translator:  Charles K.

07:30-11:30

I received calls during the holiday informing me that the Israel Police hadn’t returned ID cards they’d taken from Palestinians who had been picked up because they didn’t have a permit to be in Israel.  I was given the card numbers over the phone, and we left on a journey to find them.  As you know, life in the occupied territories is impossible without an ID card. 

At the police station dealing with the Bedouin towns and settlements, and at the Arad police station, we were able to get the cards without any particular problems (we hadn’t asked for powers of attorney forms), and drove to Khirbet Tuwwani to return them. 

What can I tell you – the stalks of wheat are short; all the families are using small sickles to harvest them.  Every little plot of ground is being harvested that way – the drought will lead to more and more arguments and conflicts over grazing land between the Palestinians and the settlers. 

The new, “magnificent” neighborhood in the Ma’on settlement has been completed.  The schoolyard is full of playground equipment, and I’m really sick of being the “nice guy” in this whole business – when will we finally be equal?  When won’t the Palestinians need us any longer?  Maybe we won’t have to wait for the millennium?  Maybe it will happen tomorrow?