January 4, 2003

The military build-up at Jalame has been intense.

We made our way back to Zababdeh, first grabbing a ride into Jalame from Nazareth then waiting for our Zababdeh ride. The rain had us worried about the way back, especially given how difficult the passage is along those dirt roads even when the weather is dry. We made it uneventfully, and thankfully, and spent much of the day getting caught up on Zababdeh's news. There hasn't been the kind of excitement we had prior to our departure, but just about every night the roads around town are closed. The army is now recovering stolen Israeli cars, something that the Palestinian Authority was responsible for doing two years ago. Because of this, the impression is given that everyone who is "wanted" has been rounded up - now the army has moved on to policing.

Travel's still not any easier or more predictable, though. We spent the rest of the day catching up on emails, getting ready for the return of the school year, and paying overdue Christmas visits to our neighbors and friends. There's plenty of all of that!