Looking for Trouble

Guest blog by Gerri Haynes: Goodbye Gaza, hello Jerusalem

As she did last year, Gerri has organized a Washington Physicians for Social Responsibility delegation of doctors and other health care providers to work in hospitals and clinics in Gaza in an effort to directly help the people there and to bring attention to the ongoing humanitarian crisis that the Israeli blockade has created. She has been sending back reports from inside the Israeli blockade.

As we said “goodbye” this morning to our friends in Gaza, we were acutely aware that, no matter what the stresses of crossing through the Erez checkpoint, we could freely leave – our friends cannot. Thankful for this time to serve in Gaza, we know that the solution lies not in temporary visitors, but in justice for the people – for the opportunity to live freely.

At the checkpoint, there were only a few Palestinians crossing – nearly all of them were temporarily leaving Gaza for medical care that is not available in Gaza. One tiny little boy with a dialysis shunt in place left with us. He was traveling with his grandmother who told us he is ten years old – although he looked at maximum two years. He moaned and cried out from his wheelchair throughout the long walk between the Palestinian entry point and the Israeli exit. We were thankful he is able to receive care, but wished he did not have to make this arduous journey. We wished again for the citizens of Gaza to have full access to care in their homeland.

As we rode through Israel into Jerusalem, we noted the fields of blossoms and vibrant agriculture along the way – and the presence of F16 fighter jets over our heads. We had heard from a friend that bombs were dropped yesterday by Israel in Gaza – none of us had heard the explosions, but tonight’s news told of further destruction along the “no man’s land” area of Gaza. The F16s were a reminder of the tenuous nature of life in Gaza.

The Old City beckoned and most of our group toured through the market areas and some of the sacred sites of Jerusalem. Tonight, Hillel Schenker – long time friend, member of the International Physicians for the Prevention of Nuclear War and co-editor of the Palestine-Israel Journal – and David Helfand, son of our friend, Ira, National PSR Board member, joined us at the Notre Dame for dinner. David, a U.S. citizen, is living temporarily on a kibbutz between Tel Aviv and Jerusalem and is planning to pursue Middle East studies. Hillel has lived most of his life in Israel and gave us some of his views on the current complex situation and his hope that the present opportunity for peace will be realized. Hillel is a strong supporter of peace and a two-state solution. We spoke of the potential for a one-state solution, but were advised that this is an unlikely solution – promoted more often by U.S. citizens than by residents of Israel or Palestine.

Tomorrow, we will meet with three Israeli groups who work for peace – then travel to Bethlehem to meet with Zoughbi Zoughbi, director of Wi’am, The Palestinian Conflict Resolution Centre.