March 9, 2001

Traveling back was a little more complex than we had anticipated. Normally, taxis leave for Ramallah from the Damascus Gate. Given the increased closures (Ariel Sharon took office this week), taxis to Ramallah meet on a side street and are unmarked vans.

The interior of a Palestinian shared taxi, usually Mercedes that seat seven passengers.

We arrived in Ramallah and visited the vast resources of the British Consulate before meeting our taxi back to Zababdeh (he goes once a day roundtrip). One of our stops was the ar-Ram checkpoint to pick up Heineken for a Zababdeh liquor store. On our way there, we saw two ten year-old boys running across the street and into an open field, ducking behind a big rock. We slowly realized what was happening, that they were throwing stones at the Israeli soldiers across the street guarding an empty field from their bulletproof jeep. We turned just in time to see a soldier aiming his gun at them, realizing that we were driving towards the line of fire. As we passed, the gun went off - we all ducked in reflex, but the car was untouched - not sure about the two boys who apparently posed a great security risk. Only one word can describe the scene we witnessed - obscenity.

The route back took the usual detours, but as we approached a yellow-plated settler car from behind, our driver quickly slowed. Apparently this route has, more than once, brought him into range of stone-throwing Israeli youth. Thankfully, there was no incident this time. We made it home safe and sound, getting rest for our first day back at school tomorrow.