January 14, 2003

By chance, our nurse friend was headed out this morning to his job in Nazareth. Our college friend tagged along, splitting the cost (and avoiding the checkpoint headaches alone). The Jalame checkpoint is simply closed, our usual escape route for the Galilee, so they headed towards the northwest of Jenin via God-knows-where in order to arrive.

This road, once a main West Bank artery with spectacular vistas, has been bulldozed by the Israeli army to further tighten Palestinian travel.

They made it safely, but it seems that the Israelis are intent on enforcing the new, unbelievably strict, travel restrictions. It was announced that no Palestinian between the ages of 16 and 35 (except special humanitarian cases) is allowed to leave from the airports, ports, or land bridges. No Exit.

Our landlord and his family had gone back to Amman, where he's become pastor in the Pentecostal church, a few days ago. All permissions were in order, but his two oldest sons were not allowed through. His 15 year-old was refused entry twice. Finally, on his third day spent at the border, he was permitted to pass. The 17 year-old spent a week waiting, sleeping, and eating at the border. (Imagine a week marooned in an airport; better yet, imagine a week stuck in an interstate rest stop bathroom). He finally came back to Zababdeh, having been consistently refused passage.

Meanwhile, Fr. Thomas' sons, who came back from overseas to visit for theChristmas holiday, are stuck at home. One is trying to return to his engineering job in Kazakhstan, the other to his theological studies in Greece. They, too, are simply not allowed to leave - Israel doesn't want them traveling, Jordan doesn't want them to enter, and no one can do anything to help them.

People are wondering about the tighter restrictions. Is it simply because of the elections (in two weeks)? Is it due to advance information on an American strike on Iraq? Or is it, as Fr. Aktham jokingly suggested, a New Year's gift from the army?

In any case, our school busses all arrived today. We remain thankful for small graces.