No question - while our mind tells us that there are quite a few kilometres between us and Gaza, the traces of the war are clearly visible in Hebron. Hardly anyone of the people we talk to does not have family or friends living there, and even if they do not, they still suffer with the Gazans as if they were their own brothers and sisters. Students tell us how hard it was for them to concentrate on their exams for the last two weeks, and a few of them cannot keep back their tears. More often than not, I get the impression that the people we talk to try to keep up some of their previous lightness, just for us. There are moments, however, when we see people on the street, or even our closest contacts broken – the same ones who, during the violent settlers’ attacks just a few weeks ago, seemed so matchlessly strong and invulnerable. Helplessly, in the midst of discussing, we often fall silent, together with them. – Yesterday afternoon, a 15 year old boy was shot by IDF (Israeli Defence Forces) during a demonstration in Hebron against the war in Gaza. He had thrown stones (according to the media report), and he was standing next to one of our local contacts.
All of a sudden, Gaza has become just a stone’s throw away from us, and yesterday’s death toll from the war in Gaza has increased by one.
Photos: non-violent demonstration of teachers of Hebron against the war on Gaza
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