Palestine
Other posts from Palestine
Yesterday, after 7 hours , 4 taxis, 2 buses, and 3 border crossings, we made it safely to Al-Khalil (Hebron) in the West Bank of the Occupied Palestinian Territories.
Our crossing at the Israeli border went smoothly. However, we had been quite nervous leading up to it. While we are legally allowed to stay in the West Bank and support Palestinian organizations as US citizens, we have heard many stories of people being turned away at the border. While technically no reason is given for denial of entry, these people are clearly rejected for having non-typical plans like staying in the West Bank instead of common tourist spots like Jerusalem, or for any mention of Palestine. Sometimes before being turned away, people are subject to up to 6 hours of questioning and a search through all belongings and through their phone (you can’t legally be forced to unlock your phone, but if you refuse you will be denied entry with no reason given).
So, with all of this in mind, we were quite anxious about making sure that we seemed like typical tourists. We spent many hours clearing our phones of anything that showed support for Palestinians, practicing our narrative, worrying about the border crossing, and thinking about worst case scenarios.
But we traveled into the West Bank without complications.
To us, this was a little glimpse of what it means to be subject to systems that have oppressive power over your life. The border crossing went smoothly for us. However, knowing the power we were subject to, we spent many hours anxiously worrying about what could happen. Hours that we would have rather spent thinking about the work we would actually be doing once we arrived in Palestine.
This feeling that was with us for several days is something that oppressed people have to constantly carry with them. For a Palestinian living in Hebron, any given day will likely be just fine. However, constantly under the gaze of soldiers from watch towers, if you are in an allowed area at the “wrong” time, wear the “wrong” clothes, walk on the “wrong” road, post the “wrong” thing on social media, take a picture of the “wrong” place, or go through a checkpoint at the “wrong” time there is always the threat of restricted movement, arrest or violence (what is “wrong” is depends on what an Israeli soldier or armed settler is feeling on that day, and always subject to change). Arrest is even possible for no reason at all through administrative detention.
Even when more overt forms of control aren’t used*, this knowledge of the power over your life occupies your thoughts at all times; it infects your dreams; it is a force that controls you.
*there are also many instances of more direct control. We will share some of these stories over the coming days.
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