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April 15, 2008
Welcome to Israel
What does daily life look like in Israel and the Palestinian territory? Two editors of the Arabic desk of Radio Netherlands Worldwide, Nicolien den Boer and Abir Sarras, will be - separately - travelling through the region in the coming weeks.
Their trip coincides with the 60th anniversary of the state of Israel and the commemoration of the naqba (catastrophe) for the Palestinians. They are keeping a travel diary.
In the first contribution of Nicolien den Boer: five hours at Tel Aviv airport.
It’s 4 a.m. at Tel Aviv Airport and this is the third time I’ve been questioned so far. My passport has stamps from various Arab countries: Dubai, Yemen and archenemy Syria. Finally I get my passport back and am allowed to enter.
If they treat me, a Dutch woman like this, what’s it like for a Palestinian? I’d started going on about getting the Dutch embassy involved. I even rang them up - they were closed, of course. But a Palestinian wouldn’t have any embassy to call. I’m trying not to think in simplistic terms of ‘good guy, bad guy’, but it’s difficult.
I save my complaint for the government press office in Jerusalem, where I go to pick up my press card the next day. “Security measures,” is the explanation I get from the press officer, a tired looking woman by the name of Pnina Aizenman. “What do you think it’s like for us, waking up each morning and never knowing what the day will bring?” she says, clearly referring to Palestinian suicide attacks on Israeli civilians.
While Pnina’s busy getting my press card ready, I take a look at the photos of children and a newspaper article on the wall behind me. The article is about a woman who lost her mother and her five-year-old child in a Palestinian suicide bombing. The name of the woman is Pnina Aizenman. I get the shivers. “That’s you,” I stammer. “Yes. Do you understand now what I mean by security measures?” she replies. I suddenly feel ashamed that I’ve just been complaining about being kept waiting for five hours when this woman’s life has been totally wrecked by a bomb.
Reality sucks sometimes, doesn't it?
Visit Sderot Nicole.
Posted by LindaSoG at April 15, 2008 06:50 AM
Comments
My first thought was, There is such a thing as "the Arabic desk of Radio Netherlands Worldwide"?....why?
And then I thought, wow, wouldn't it be something if the MSM got hold of this first story?
Moving....really moving.
Posted by: Wollf at April 15, 2008 12:32 PM
Yes Linda, Nicolien den Boer and Abir Sarras should spend at least two weeks in Sderot, they could get a first hand glimpse of what an indiscriminate 120MM Katyusha is really like, maybe even become a recipient of the Iranian-Syrian and Russian gifts. I still have the tail fin from one I recieved as a birthday gift from our close Russian and Chinese friends, I'm sure they intended it to be a final birthday gift like those sent to Sderot. Sorry I can't forgive the Communist Chinese and Russians.
Posted by: Jack at April 15, 2008 01:08 PM
I am amazed the Israelis have had such restraint for so many years. Think about what the US would do if Canada or Meheeko lobbed missiles at us even once. The government wouldn't even have to do a thing, just get the fuck out of the way and let a convoy of cowboys go get some payback.
If the reconquistas don't put a lid on their activity, it may come sooner than they would like.
Posted by: Elvis at April 15, 2008 01:48 PM