Long Time No Write

Well, I'm finally back online! I only have a few minutes online right now, but I intend to come back to this internet cafe later today so I can take a few hours to write a good update.

Before I start, though, I want to make a very important correction to my earlier entry about the fiasco at the Bethlehem checkpoint regarding Lulu. In that entry I mistakenly wrote that Susie flirted with the soldier, and this is what ultimately got him to let Lulu pass. I want to offer a sincere apology to Susie for this, as I was tired and in a rush when I wrote that entry and did not describe that aspect of the incident very accurately. To clarify, Susie challenged the soldier a lot, refusing to answer a lot of personal questions about where she lives. She actually turned the questions right back on him as a way to resist the invasion of privacy that is so much a part of IDF soldiers' daily interactions with Palestinians. This soldier was clearly attracted to her, and ultimately it was his attraction to her that likely influenced his decision to let us pass. However, Susie did not encourage this and would never demean herself by initiating even the hint of anything sexual with a soldier. This is an important point, because part of the occupation really is about emasculating Palestinian men and objectifying Palestinian women in various ways. Again, I hope this correction offers some clarity in light of my earlier mistake.

Another thing I want to say before continuing to update you on my trip is that, though I have clearly received some very antagonistic comments on my blog about recent posts, after careful thought I have chosen not to respond to these at this time. Because I have limited time on the internet for the remainder of my trip, I would rather spend that time writing substantive posts about the stories I am hearing and the experiences I am having than engaging in discussions about the legitimacy of Zionism and whether or not Israel is actually committing genocide and killing innocent people. However, I encourage readers to respond to those comments, as this could be a great forum for discussing important issues that are relevant to my trip blog. And, as always, I want to thank you all for reading. This trip has been very emotional for me (as you will see in my upcoming entries about the last few days), and it makes me feel really connected to others who are willing to care about Palestine when I see how many people are reading my blog (I've been using a stats counter to track the number and location of hits).

I will close this post for now, but later I'll post an entry about my adventures from the last few days.