March 3, 2003

Our latest update has been well-received.

The flood of replies continued, the most overwhelming we've had to any of our writings, and by far the most positive. If only that energy can be turned into hard-core efforts to stop this catastrophic war that's threatening on the horizon.

Marthame went to Ibillin for another evening of classes, catching the "regular" "taxi" (a man who comes almost every day to deliver trade goods across the border and picks up extra passengers) from Jalame to Nazareth. The checkpoint itself was routine, a check of all IDs and travel permissions, but another checkpoint awaited down the road once inside Israel. All Arab-driven cars were being pulled over for a search. Though the car had four West Bank Palestinians (all with valid travel permissions) inside, it was Marthame who was scrutinized the most closely by the police. They seemed far more interested in where he had been than what he might be bringing in his bags. This apparent fact frustrates, and many internationals who work in the Territories complain about this. It's one thing to check for security purposes: open bags, run through x-ray machines, check for explosives, weapons, etc. That's understandable. It's the questions - Where have you been? What were you doing? Whom did you see? - which not only seem to take precedence over the searches, but also annoy, as though it is the very exchange of ideas and human interaction which is more threatening to the State of Israel than any weapons.

Marthame arrived in Nazareth for lunch with our friend Fr. Hatem and his family before they made their way to the college. Tonight's subject? The schisms in the papacy in the late Middle Ages and the beginning of the conciliar movement. Of course.