#A visit to the zoo and a demonstration 2.12.2017

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A visit to the zoo and a demonstration 2.12.2017

30.11.2017   Too many things happen on the same day. I had bottles today and not having gone for  two weeks did not want to cancel but by 10 when I left things were pretty much sorted out. Jakov is such a friend. I had to go to the zoo  with Hedva and a group of women and children from Bethelehem. He said to me  if he is free he will always take me where I need to go.

 Many of the women came to say hello to me as they remembered me from previous meetings at other places, either at the sea or at the meeting place of Palestinians and Israelis. I am always embarrassed that I do not remember people. But what stuck in my mind was standing next to one of the women looking at ostriches, rhinos and giraffes in an enclosure and I heard her say, “What sort of a life do WE have.” We got speaking and she said to me, “This is a world we do not know. Our lives are getting up, eating and going back to sleep.” And she told me of  her husband who has to go through the Bethlehem checkpoint and gets up at 2 am and comes back at 7. What

can you say to that? She is in the striped jersey. Married three years and has a problem and with no children. I told her of Aunty Milly who had waited if I remember correctly so many years also to fall pregnant. I told her that I came sometimes to the checkpoint in the early morning and felt so guilty when I went home to my warm flat and coffee after seeing how these men suffer to  earn a living.

 I have been doing from 5-10 kilometre most days and my knee of the good leg has started hurting.  I am so disappointed as I was really glad that I was walking more. Now  in the winter it is so much easier and I do not go much to the pool as a result. But I really want the interaction with the Palestinians but it is hard to see how hard it is  for them  to do the things that are so normal to us. Their lives are anything but normal.  It can hardly be called a life.

 Last night we visited on the villages near Abu Gosh where some of you have eaten with me. We were welcomed at the local mosque and than to a home where we were warmly received and were told of the good relations that  they have with the kibbutziem in the area. But when I asked about permits for building the man of the house did not give me a direct answer but did say how hard it is for them to get such permits. He said that there are no home demolitions in the villages but that maybe because Abu Gand of the good relations with the israelis surrounding them. I remember  that once when there was an attempt to station a Border guard  station there the plan was  foiled with the help of the kibbutziem in the area. 

 There is going to be a demonstration in Tel Aviv Saturday night because of all the corruption in our unesteemed government especially amongst Netanyahu’s cronies. And  the same cronies are trying to have a law passed which will stop any further police investigations into the same. And they are now also under investigation. I hate going to demonstrations in Tel Aviv as I can seldom hear the speeches and usually they are all the same, it is very hard for me amongst the crowds and I have to wait until the buses come back. But this time I feel I have to go. It was just this week that I wrote that the time has come for us to take to the streets so how can I sit home?

 Saturday 2.12.2017    I  havea lift to Tel Aviv this evening so will go although my knee is hurting….Dafke my good leg and so disappointing as I was up to walking about 5-8 kilometre ….I have been making good use of the cooler weather and often walking to where I have to get to…normally  I hate walking in town but if I have a destination to go to that is fine. Anyhow I will have to cut down a bit. Use the pool more which I enjoy even less. Basically I am lazy. Actually it would make more sense for me to go to the demonstration  in Jerusalem with less walking but I think it is important to boost up the numbers in Tel Aviv…though I do not know how much it will help and doubt that it will.

 Natalie

  Natanya Natalie Ginsburg

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