April 11, 2002 — Mudeif Productions

A quiet day for us. We slept in late, and spent a good part of the day reading, napping, and watching TV, hoping to recharge our physical as well as emotional batteries. We woke up to the news that the Israeli army had entered Birzeit - no luck getting in touch with Abuna Iyad, but our neighbors from the summer said that the tanks had stayed away from our summer housing. These days, if there's no tanks parked on your street, that's a good day.

We also talked with an American friend stuck near Manger Square in Bethlehem. The curfew was supposed to be lifted today, but it wasn't - they're in need of milk and have tried to get some through relief convoys. However, the army has controlled the routes so tightly for the trickle of relief that she's been left out of that.

Our journalist friend tried again to get into Jenin today, leaving early and coming back late. Like droves of other journalists, he was refused entry by soldiers, and failed to get in to Jenin Camp, or even Jenin City. The Israelis report 100 dead people in the Camp; other reports vary from 200 to 500. Without press inside, there is no way to really know. Other reports are emerging from within the camp - if even half of it is true, there was a slaughter there. The IDF's desire to keep the press out has only made the world more disturbed and hungry to know. What we do know is that people have been without electricity and water for over a week. We spoke with a friend in Jenin city, who said the curfew was lifted for a couple hours today. She ventured out of their home to buy candles and batteries. She said there are no vegetables, fruit, or even flour in the shops. Fortunately for them, her family has enough stocked aside for the time being.

Our journalist hosts, another friend, and we shared dinner together, and we all marveled at the news on BBC. Somehow their Middle East correspondent got into Jenin Camp today, and our friends wondered how on earth she did it. The report was short and disturbing, a sign of things to come, when the Israelis finally open the camp to journalists. Killings of unarmed civilians, refusal of medical care, humanitarian disaster. The report also showed irritated soldiers who finally spotted and evicted the BBC team. The UN, Red Cross, and others have been promised that they could get into the Camp - promises that have been reneged on. The world is waiting to learn the rest.

Our evening meal was interrupted by the loud boom - of fireworks. This week has three Israeli national holidays. With the reports of slaughters in Jenin and the Israeli public celebrating a "success", the frivolity seemed somewhere between bad taste and poor timing.