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Greetings to all,

I have just spent a few days working with israelis. We do try to listen to people from both sides in this conflictual zone.

On Friday since there was no school for the Palestinian children, during our walkabout in Hebron, we met amd talked with Israeli soldiers. They are all obliged to spend 3 yrs. of their lives from ages 18 to 21 serving in the military, unless of course they opt be conscientious objectors and here in Israel that would end them up in jail. They often feel caught in the middle themselves - caught between the settlers and the Palestinians. Most of them also seem to want peace and realize that the present strife must end some day.

For two days we spent time with a Jewish group called Tayoush (which means coexistence, or living together). This is one of the many Israeli groups who oppose the policies of the present government. Tayoush is composed of Israeli citizens, who are mostly professionals and who give voluntarily of their time to work with Palestinians in their present situation.

With Tayoush members, we went down to the south end of the West Bank region. In this area there is an Israeli settler who is living in a supposed "illegal" settlement outpost. He regularly rides down on his horse, (of course he is armed) and he hassles the Palestiinians who are trying to farm land they have lived on for over 100 years. During our visit about 20 Tayoush and CPT members accompanied four Palestinian farmers as they attempted to plough their land with their tractors. Within an hour or so the Israeli military arrived and announced that the zone that was being farmed had been decdlared a "military security zone" ( to protect the "illegal" settler from the possibility of Palestinan attacks). Immediately a dispute arose between the Israeli Tayoush members and their own military. After a long process of discussion, stalling, and forcing we did indeed leave. The result of all of this? Not much - the Palestinians got to plough their land for a few hours.

What is going on here? Think wild West frontier, think cowboys (herding not cows but Palestinians), think "Bury my Heart at Wounded Knee". The analogy is not so far fetched. Some Israelis see the expansion into North American Indian lands as the model for the expanding Jewish state.

We keep wondering about the US Roadmap for Peace.There is much skepticism about it here, but without some kind of outside pressure Israel will continue with its gameplan of expansion into Palestian lands.

Blessings on you all in all of your various endeavours,

Eric

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