Jurish

Jurish, 

09:30  We left from the Rosh Ha’ayin train station.

10:00  Tapuah junction. There are two soldiers in the parking lot, a third in the position across the way and two more at the bus stop toward Ramallah.  Farther along Highway 485 there’s a military vehicle with lights on at the entrance to ‘Aqraba.  Boulders still block the shortcut to Kusra.  Cars reach the main road via a narrow path that bypasses the roadblock.  We take the longer, “permitted” route.  The villagers, young and old, are widening the road inside the village and laying a sidewalk alongside it.  It’s a local initiative.

10:30  Jurish.  During our previous visit we were surprised to witness something unusual in Palestinian society:  women who’d organized an association to develop businesses to earn money and help support their families.  The need arose because of widespread unemployment among the village men, most of whom have been blacklisted by the Shabak.  We came today to see how the initiative is progressing, and to determine whether they’d be interested in Hebrew/English classes.  We met the director of the women’s club along with three other women.  They tell us proudly that their business has grown since our last visit:  they’re now marketing their attractive woven baskets to the United States as well.  More women soon arrive.  Each carries a bag of coins, the revenue from their other business – kiosks in the village’s six schools which sell sandwiches, pizza (“made only from healthy ingredients”) and drinks to the pupils for a shekel.  They pour the daily take onto the table – hundreds of shekels – and start counting, their faces beaming.

They ask us about the Hebrew and English classes.  To give them first-hand information, Nadim connects the director by phone with the woman in charge from Far’ata.  These impressive women are definitely interested in English lessons.  They believe they can get 15-20 women together.  Are we, Machsom Watch, able and willing to meet the challenge?

On our way back:  Two jeeps, a command car and a military pickup truck park at the entrance to Kifl Haris, across from the open checkpoint.  Two soldiers at the hitchhiking station toward Emanuel/Kedumim.  We assume Israel will close the West Bank for the Passover holiday, large forces will surround it and deny the inhabitants what little freedom of movement they have left;  just so we, the chosen people, may securely celebrate our festival of freedom.

12:30  Back to Rosh Ha’ayin.