The Challenge

I woke up at 4am

Jerome and Jean, two French peace activists, joined me travelling as eyewitnesses from Jerusalem to Jericho on my way to the Israeli side of Allenby Bridge.

At the entrance of Jericho, the IDF soldiers stopped us, they denied Jerome and Jean access the border.

We fought with them. Jerome tried to talk with the occupational officer. One soldier pushed him, he was ready to shoot at me. I shouted at him to stop playing with his rifle, he is in the age of 18 years, and all what the army learned him is shooting and killing ...

The soldiers made a deal with us: they took Jerome's passport and allowed us to access the border. Jean wasn't allowed to come with us, the soldiers detained him at the border until Jerome returns !! Unless Jerome returns ... !!

Jerome dropped me in Jericho, and he returned around the Israeli border with Jean and waited for me at the Bridges border entrance.

Here Amit, an Israeli Jew, she has her private relationship with the occupational government was calling me to be sure wether I had fulfilled my travel through Allenby Bridge or not. She asked if somebody was accompanying me to the bridge. She confirmed her contact with the Israeli headquarter offices of General Amos Gilad and General Dov Tzadaka, who both confirmed that they will allow me to access the border without problems.

I took the second bus to the bridge. She said I'll call you after awhile to know if everything was okay !! It was a miserable situation at Jericho Israeli border! I arrived at the bridge, the Israelis allowed me access without problems.

At 12pm. I arrived at the Jordanian airport, on my way to Austria. I had mixed feelings, happiness, sadness and fear of an unknown future.

My flight landed at Vienna's airport at 6:30am. I tried to collect my contradicting feeling and gather my strength.

Ramin was waiting at the airport, he looks like a normal person. I talked with Ramin as a friend, I even asked him about a small sign on his t-shirt.

I arrived at my new house. It's very small. No comparison between this and my house in Hebron from which I was expelled.

posted by الفــ العربي ــارس @ 9:07 PM, 0 Comments,

Departure from Homeland to Austria

I left the Jewish family where I was living illegaly after the occupation threw me out of my homeland in Hebron. I left my friend Dina and her child Romi in Tel Aviv. Departure was a difficult moment for both of me, Dina and her child ...

Dina and Romi drove with me from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem.

Romi was questioning me all the time about "Ramin", the Austrian man who invited me to visit Wien.

Do you know Ramin ?
How does he look ?
Do you have a picture of him ?
Is he married ?
Are you going to live with him at the same house?

Romi asked me many questions. She asked me to please tell her the truth: What are you going to do with Ramin ?

Dina was driving and listening to our conversation. The only question that I answered, was, if Ramin is married? This was really all what I know about him.

Romi wasn't satisfied with my answer. She was looking worried at me ... We were two friends living in the same house, and sleeping in the same room.

On our way to Jerusalem, Dina recognized a group of Jewish hanged a big colored sign, "Transfer Arabs". Dina asked me if I have a scissor. She stopped her car, and went to cut the sign. A young jewish woman and young men were arguing with Dina, they were all shouting at her ...

We arrived Jerusalem during rush hour. Dina was driving and recommended me to take care of myself and to be nice with Ramin. She stopped in the middle of cars rushing by, we exchanged kisses through the window ... and all the cars were making toot to open the street ...

posted by الفــ العربي ــارس @ 9:06 PM, 0 Comments,

The Author

Kawther Salam

A Palestinian Journalist...

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