July 31, 2003

Whether a checkpoint or a roadblock, the result is a pointlessly longer commute.

This morning, Marthame skipped class. Going to Ramallah, he found a checkpoint set up at Surda, the place that had been opened to so much publicity a few days before. Though cars were passing, they were doing so slowly. Many, it seems, were so accustomed to walking at this spot through the past few years that they simply got out. Marthame and the rest of the taxi waited in the queue.

His playing hooky wasn't all checkpoint fun and games, though: it was to accompany one of our Zababdeh students into Jerusalem (even though he obtained permission, sometimes there can be trouble) for his visa interview at the US consulate. He won a four-year scholarship to North Park University, and is supposed to fly there at the end of the week to join them for freshman orientation. The visa process has taken very long, with a longer wait than usual for the I-20 form from the US government. He is scheduled to travel on August 10, orientation beginning on August 15, and classes on August 23.

A long overdue visit to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem.

We stopped by Sabeel, the local coordinators for the scholarship, a chance for our student to meet the staff there. They welcomed him like one of their children, clearly proud of the last fourteen years of sending such young scholars to the States. After that, it was time for a quick trip down into the Old City to visit the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, the first such visit for him in more than three years.

Finally, it was off to the Consulate. Marthame tried to enter with him, but new regulations don't permit anyone except the applicant to enter - at least, if he's an Arab. Marthame waited outside for two hours: no visa, simply "provisional approval." He has to wait for another process - probably being an eighteen year-old young man from the Jenin area set off some buzzers. Now his application goes back to Homeland Security, which could take anywhere from a few days to a few months. This is a young man who has been involved with a number of Israeli-Palestinian peace exchange programs, but his profile isn't right. For North Park, this is the first time in fourteen years that their scholarship recipient has been treated so. Nothing left to do but wait at this point, and hope that this nonsense will come to an end soon - the system has known for six months now that this young man is planning to come and study, but apparently that's not enough time. We're used to this place making us sick - now it's our own country.

Disappointed and frustrated, the two made their way to Qalandia, where Elizabeth met them (after a non-eventful day at school) at the Jenin taxis. We all went back to Zababdeh together, fortunately without incident. Once back home, we spent the rest of the evening trying not to sweat in the heat.