The delegation is wrapping up its time in Palestine/Israel. Here are some reflections from two members of the group. Look for more after their return to the US.

Arrival: I lived in Ramallah for three years and it feels wonderful to be "home". Everything seems much the same. But that is not a good thing and it makes me sad. Because much the same means the occupation of Palestine by Israel continues. Ramallah can be deceptive. It looks lively, with lots of apparent commerce and activity and lots of people on the streets. But a closer look reveals more. There are so many people on the streets, especially young people, because they don't have jobs or no classes to go to because they reached the end of studies that are possible here. They're on the streets because they can't go to Jerusalem about 30 minutes away or to the Mediterranean beach about 1 hour away because they are not permitted to. Because they're Palestinian. Looking more closely at the faces of all the people reveals more still. The fresh young happy faces of youth are quickly replaced by drawn worn faces of despair by early middle age. It isn't easy to live in a place where homes are destroyed, people are killed and injured by military forces, children are arrested and freedom is restricted. There is a toll to such a life and it shows.

Reflection: Having come to the Holy Land regularly since 1983, I am struck by changes over the years. In 1983, Israel had begun to confiscate Palestinian land for military road systems, settlements, security.  New settlements, illegal under international law, had been built on Palestinian land in East Jerusalem and the West Bank. I believe in 1983 there were 40,000 settlers on Palestinian land. Today settlements are everywhere with well over a half a million settlers in the West Bank and East Jerusalem. In 1983 there seemed to be a reasonable conversation going on with issues. Now it seems to me a blatant military system that solves all problems on the basis of security and ignoring the human rights of Palestinians.   Third, the culture of the region has shifted dangerously with a right-wing government in Israel and with Christian Zionist support of Israel and the growing fundamentalist movement in Islam, while the Palestinian Christian population has gone from 15% to 1.5% of the population. The collision of all these forces do not bode well for the people of reason who hope to share the land and work together for a meaningful future.

Finding Words: At the beginning of this journey, I had expected to write frequently. It hasn't turned out that way. The days are so full and physically draining that at the end of each day, there just isn't much energy left. But there has been a more compelling cause than energy.....I simply can't find words. What is there to say after hearing about the thousands of people, mostly young and including children, who are imprisoned and transferred away from their homes and families in violation of international law; or worse are "detained" without charges or legal access to charges, and detained indefinitely. We joined villagers in Bil'in for their weekly Friday non-violent demonstration against illegal land grabs that was documented in the film 5 Broken Cameras. We shared the tear gas with them and their supporters from Tel Aviv who recognize wrong when they see it. The people of Bil'in endure the tear gas, rubber bullets and live 22 caliber fire every week as they seek justice without success but also without losing hope. At every turn we have been treated graciously and generously and everyone we meet asks us to tell people about what is going on here. What is really going on.