Thanks for responding,i am in tears just to hear from ye again. The situation is very bad today. From early on, soldiers on the street with megaphones were saying anyone on the street will be arrested or shot, so there was no religious procession to the church. A group called 'The Friends of Israel' contacted me through an Irish Times journalist and offered to send immediate medical supplies to the hospital here, so that is happening. We have not been able to go out, but doing lots on the phones. We just had a meeting and are thinking of what actions to be doing. A possible march is to Jenin which is being bombed, via Ramallah. We heard that the soldiers are strapping older women onto the tanks there calling for the fighters to come out. One of the porters in the hotel who is a dear friend has his family there. He got news that his cousin was shot. I operated the switchboard all morning to give him a break. We have news that 80 activists were not alowed in at the airport, so we have to put in some work and organise info to get out recommending entry through Jordan.
I have never met some the people who are the main inspirers of ISM, but I was intrigued to read when I was in Eire, that two were a youngish couple. They have both been holed up in Ramallah. Adam is American jewish! and AIPAC, (American Israel public Affairs Comittee) the jewish lobby in he US, have put out a freephone number giving out the phone number of his parents in the US who have had death threats as a result! The lobby rule the US, heavy duty bastards. Huwaida, his girlfriend is Israeli- palestinian! What incredible people. I cant stop crying after reading the letter of the IDF soldier to his mother.
I am doing advanced yoga amongst other stuff to keep me healthy . I have had
to come to this situation to really feel the need to disarm my own armour,
which was killing me! Will try and report again later.
Thanks to you all for being there, Mary.