We are leaving for Jordan and Egypt tomorrow, a necessary trip to renew our Israeli visas that expire at the end of December. First Jordan, to see amazing Petra, then Dahab in Sinai for scubadiving. We are driving down through Eilat, where Israel, Egypt and Jordan all converge on the top of the Red Sea. Our friends Reem and Ziad were planning a similar trip to Sharm El-Sheikh in Sinai at this time as well but alas, no permit was granted to Ziad. Refused not by the Israelis, but the Egyptians this time. With the situation in Gaza, haram(1), the Egyptians have decided that for the moment, no Palestinian male under 40 gets a visa (2).
Right now it is Eid Ul Adha (festival of sacrifice – goat being the favourite), the second major Muslim festival of the year, which lasts about a week. The streets have been insane these past few days, with everyone buying their food for the holidays. The market is never quiet, but this time, the pushing, shouting and shoving was beyond what my ‘special place’ was capable of. I saw a beautiful pyramid of the icing-sugar-dusted date and semolina cookies, which I love, but not enough to fight my way over to them. Besides, we would have had to buy a kilo of them, which would have been way too many cookies. You can’t just buy a few oranges or bananas either, everything is minimum one kilo. We once asked for 2 pomegranates and got 2 kilos. It’s a love/hate relationship we have with the market, I dread going because I am more attached to my personal space than I ever thought, but once we get there we enjoy our little exchanges with the grumpy greens guy, the performative baker and young avocado guy (aka ‘my boyfriend’).
We walked around the downtown after the market, watching everyone out in the streets buying candy and balloons for their kids. I understand now what some said to us about Ramallah not being the ‘real Palestine’. Hebron, Jenin and Nablus are areas in conflict over settlements in the West Bank whereas Ramallah is peaceful and does not have a visible Israeli presence, at least right now. The elections are approaching and it is only when you start understanding some of the details of the political situation, that you realize how fragile this ‘peace’ is here, and how quickly things can turn. How the infighting between Hamas and Fatah are destroying any chance of a unified Palestine, how Fatah is being accused of collaborating with Israel and allowing the siege of Gaza to continue in order to weaken Hamas. How Hamas is legitimately in power in Ramallah (but most members are imprisoned) and Fatah has overextended their ‘emergency’ rule. How all the banks just closed in Gaza because the money is gone. These things seem far away from Ramallah, from the yoga studios and cafes, where new traffic lights and garbage cans are being installed daily. Gaza is now a prison of over a million people, shut tighter than a nun’s… well, you know. Nobody is getting in or out, not journalists, not food or medical supply. Gaza is probably a 2-hour drive from Ramallah, and for the moment, it makes all the difference.
Footnotes
1) We have picked up this Arabic expression from Huda: ‘haram’ meaning ‘to have pity’ and is often tagged onto the end of something sad
2) Anticipating the rush of young Palestinian males over the border from Gaza if they were to open it.
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2 comments:
Tamira,
as the term is winding down, i'm finally able to catch up on your blog --so fascinating, and so well written!
It's funny how you describe Ramallah as being peaceful. Just this past Friday, I was talking to a woman at a party, someone who maintains strong connections to Israel. She takes her three kids there 3 x a year, has them enrolled in the school at the JCC, etc. Anyway, she was shocked when I told her that you were living in Rammalah, and she got me a bit worried. She said it was dangerous --one could get hit by a stray bullet. I find her reaction odd given what you write, which is far more convincing of course.
Next time it comes up in lecture, I will refer to the Transfiguration as Jesus's "outing" (btw, i think there are probably far more representations of that in the history of art, as opposed to the ascension). And Gina will definitely be impressed that you saw Ibexes in person.
hugs to you and Elle,
bernice
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