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I’m in Bethlehem this week, with limited Internet access and even more limited time, so comment moderation may be slow and a longer discussion will have to wait. For a fuller contextualization of the human rights issues connected to checkpoints, I recommend Israel’s Backyard. Still, I wanted to joy and share a couple brief observations from this morning’s visit to the checkpoint, before they get swept away.
Some genius from the ministry of tourism has plastered the checkpoint building with posters: “Israel: Experience the Glory”; “Where Every Day Is Vacation!”
Seriously?
A Palestinian doctor to the Ecumenical Accompaniment guide we were with: “We are very grateful for all the good work done by you human rights agencies. But maybe there would be better results if you sent the animal rights agencies.”
I mentioned this interaction last night at a discussion group led by a modern orthodox rabbi and a reform rabbi. We were going through a piece of the Talmud regarding the “peace in the world” – I don’t have the exact passage here, but I can look it up later. It kind of brought silence to the room for a moment. Thank you for that.
Kol hakavod to you for going to Bethlehem. I was there only briefly — a day trip to Bethlehem and Hebron — but it broke my heart.