International presence in Palestine - spring 2002

Reports from the occupied territories


Deheishe camp - the tanks are approaching

h 6.30 the israeli tanks are arriving, they are at 1 km from the camp.

It's not even seven o'clock when they call me to tell me that they are arriving, that they are at Kader, near the Hamami hospital, at more or less one kilometer from the camp. I wake up, even if I'd gone to sleep not long ago, and go down to take the keys of the place where we are and a telephone to communicate.

The houses of the camp are still sleeping. The street is completely desert, silent. From far away we can hear a slight rumble of the tanks that are geting closer, nearly imperceptible. The minutes go by and the first old man comes out on the street, he has the look of who is accustom to this desolating panorama. Then 2 women that walk fast.Then nothing, nobody, the sun on one side that raises from the hill, and black clouds that approach from the opposite end, from where, very slowly, the israeli tanks approach. Usually at this time there are allready dozens of vehicles, people and carts that sell falafels around, they smoke, blow the horns producing every kind of sound that announces the beggining of the day, of the everyday life.

...now nothing, only the imperceptible sound that makes you think of something horrible that is approaching.

It's the occupation.

By now it's decided, all palestinian territories in the last hours have been taken, occupied yet again by Israel, leaving in the ground innocent victims, sacked cities, domolished houses. Sharon has decided, he has to be strong against terrorism. This time the arabs have to leave, the palestinian authority has to be destroyed. Nobody has to interfere, nobody...but we are here, awaiting their arrival, along with thousands of palestinians that for the hundredth time have to suffer the occupation of their land but also of their life.

We don't know yet how the occupation is, for this reason, until they don't arrive we don't have much else to say, but to express an infinite sadness.