Children in Jayyous

When I read this tears came to my eyes. This kind of news takes on a
different dimension when it hits you from near by. I’ll explain :

Abdul-Latif is married to one of Sharif’s daughters (Lana) and they live
next door. So : grandmother and grandfather are Sharif and his wife. The
tractor is Sharif’s tractor, and is the main means of transportation, also
during my stay with them (aside from going to the fields, Sharif also came
with it to pick me up in the evenings from the Charity Center when I
finished working at the computer).

The three children came to the house daily and we played together. I was
also often at their house. When Sharif and his wife were both away all day I
was expected there for lunch (or with the other sister who also lives next
door). The children didn’t mind the fact that I hardly spoke Arabic - as
long as I played with them.

Tamara, the youngest, came every morning to Grandmother, who babysat while
Lana was at work (she’s an English teacher) and the other 2 children were in
school. The three of us always ate breakfast together.
When Tamara didn’t want to eat, Grandma asked me to feed her because that
was ’exciting’ and then she would eat - pointing to the different dishes on
the table (as she understood that I didn’t know what everything was called)
depending on what she wanted (humus, avocado, tomato, etc.) and I put it
into her mouth. She is also a big cuddle.

Arwa is a bit older (I think 10 or 11), very mature and caring. She helps
her mother with everything and if mother is busy when guests arrive
(including myself) she is a perfect hospitable hostess : she takes your coat
and hangs it up (pulls over a chair in order to reach), gets a blanket to
cover your legs (is done for guests in the wintertime) and makes delicious
Arabic coffee. But the most special -as she speaks a bit of English thanks
to her other- is when she sings ’We Shall Overcome’ in perfect English from
the depth of her heart (she knows exactly what it means), with an few extra
lines about Palestine. She has done this a few times in public at
demonstrations leaving everybody listening water-eyed in complete silence !

And then I read this…

The gates have been completely closed for a few days. Today they opened but
not for any farm vehicles, so the crops are rotting in the greenhouses. The
army gives no reason.
This is what Abdul Latif writes :

Dear Friends,

How could we explain this !!

This is the spring time in Jayyous. Everything could be beautiful, but lttle
now you can see or feel. The wall has changed every aspect of life in
Jayyous to be sad and frustrating. In normal times, most of the families
used to spend their holidays in the area behind the wall. This only
opportunity had been also confiscated by the wall. We have no other places
to go, or can promise our kids to visit. Many times my kids asked me this
question « why you don’t get us to the sea ? There you can see it from our
house » I feel disappointed to answer them, but after the wall I think they
understood why, because they didn’t ask me more.

Yesterday my two little kids (Ibrahim 5.5 years and Tamara 3.5 years) asked
me to join their grandmother to the fields behind the wall. Last time when
they visited the fields they were very happy and collected Zamatot, (very
nice and tasty food with rice, and similar in shape to grapes leafs). I
agreed, and quickly they jumped to the tractor with their grandfather and
said « we will bring all the fruits we like, and the Zamatot and Lessayna you
like father ».

When I returned from my work in Nablus, I was waiting them, and the present
they will have. When they came back in the evening they were moving slowly,
upset and didn’t carry any thing in their hands. They look very tired, and
ill. I and Lana and Arwa asked them what happened to you. They don’t want to
talk, but said few words we could not understand. We asked them to relax,
and to bring them food. Ibrahim said we have the food before, but later my
father in law told Tamara didn’t eat the whole day, and Ibrahim ate little.
Then Ibrahim said « the soldiers at the gate didn’t let the tractor pass,
only on foot ».

Then Isaid you walked all the distance from the gate to the field and came
back on foot. Ibrahim and Tamara said yes. I asked them are you tired ?
Ibrahim said « I could not carry any thing with me » and Tamara said « the
soldiers carry guns, but they did not shoot me ».

Late during the night I sent them to the doctor, and they have a cough now.
This morning when Tamara walked up she said without introduction « we will go
to our sea my father said »

They walked 6 kilometers and climbed the mountain. They came back without
fruits or Zamatot. They returned without smile and disappointed.
I think now they understand, but I don’t want.

How could they explain this !!
How could we explain this !!
Our kids have nice dreams, but we could not make it for them.

Best,
Abdul-Latif