January 16, 2002

Two members of Care International came to stay with us today. They were coming from their office in Jerusalem to the one in Jenin to visit projects in the area. We got connected with them through mutual friends at the Arab-American University of Jenin. One of them, who had been working in the Balkans, was surprised by the treatment of them as NGO staff by the Israeli military. In the Balkans, she related, no matter where she went her NGO credentials gave her access - here (as we discovered last month) not even the Red Cross has instant access. Somehow refreshing and yet depressing to hear that confirmation from someone fresh to the situation.

Marthame’s headwear has raised questions.

Over the last few days, Marthame has been wearing the kaffiye, the traditional Palestinian headscarf, to fight off the cold weather (it's quite effective). Students keep asking him whether he's a Fatah (PLO) supporter. Tonight, there was a Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) demonstration in town (as evident by the red kaffiyes) because the Palestinian Authority arrested the leader of the PFLP. Looks like a regular scarf and hat will have to suffice in the future.

Word also came that a Palestinian with Jerusalem residence was killed by gunmen near Jenin. They thought they were killing a settler - the Israeli license plate was the target. Now Palestinians are literally killing themselves.