February 12, 2002

Elizabeth met with a group of ex-patriate women in Jerusalem who meet periodically at St. Andrew's Church of Scotland. Many of them are wives of diplomatic corps officers, NGO folks, etc. They were very interested to hear and see what things were like in the northern part of the West Bank. Even though the distance is so small, things here are so fragmented that people just don't or can't get around anymore, even foreigners. She showed pictures and maps, and shared the story of our work and the situation as we and our friends in Zababdeh see it.

Israeli checkpoints have become Palestinian transportation hubs.

Afterwards, Elizabeth swung by Caritas to pick up something for one of nuns in Jenin and then she took a shared taxi to the Qalandia checkpoint, which is between Jerusalem and Ramallah, and is as close as most Palestinian people and drivers can get to Jerusalem. So it has become a kind of loud, dusty, slow-moving center for transportation, with taxis parked all over and people walking past the checkpoint to find transport on the other side.

Elizabeth found a taxi headed to Jenin, and hopped in, prepared for the wait for it to fill up, and then the long, bumpy ride home. They were stopped several times, but after inspection (opening passengers' backpacks, having men get out of the taxi and turn around and open their jackets, etc.), they were always let through. Both of us usually get somewhat carsick on these long rides, as they are often on small dirt roads snaking around hills. However, the views, especially now that everything is green, are gorgeous.