Report filed May 31st
Bethlehem, in Palestine.
"We have a partner for peace," Say the Combatants for Peace. Behind the wall of our fears and the false stories that permeate our upbringing, the Combatants for Peace have found that by talking and listening, they can find peace and friendship on the other side.
This message rings true as we travel, interview, and meet the people of Palestine. I am continually impressed by the gracious Arab hospitably. Everywhere we travel in the West Bank cities of Bethlehem, Beit Jala, Beit Sahor, Aneta, and others, (I will check spelling at a later date) of the surrounding towns, we are met by warm smiles, Arab coffee, and conversation. The Palestinian people love their country and long for visitors to see and feel their joy in living in the Holy Land. As you walk through Bethlehem, shopkeepers greet you with "Salaam a lakem", to which we reply "a lakem Salaam". "Peace be with you", "and also with you". They bring us coffee, smiles, and conversation about all sorts of things, but mostly talk about Peace and the "situation" of the occupation.
After our exciting day of Sign painting on May 26th, we have spent our days traveling around Bethlehem and Jerusalem filming interviews with many members of Combatants for Peace. The interviews average around two hours long, plus travel time, set up and break down. This comes to eight to ten hours of work, plus meal time and preparations for the next days interviews. It is tiring work, but the pay off is tremendous. The Combatants for Peace are dedicated, thoughtful, and patriotic young men.
Elik Elhanan brought us to the site in the Jerusalem square where his little sister was killed by a suicide bomber. Sulaima Al Hamri brought us to his brothers home, where the highway from the Hebron Settlement to Jerusalem is reserved only to Israelis. Wa Ed spoke of his attempted bombing of an Israeli police station, and Itamen spoke of his harassing Palestinians during his time with the Israeli military. All the many men we have interviewed speak of the false perception they once held that there is no partner for Peace. They tell us that wehn they took the risk to reach out to the other side, they found that "There is a partner for Peace". The lesson here is clear, we must learn to finally put aside our fears and take the time to reach out to the other, recognise their face as the face of a brother or sister, and then struggle together for a just and fair Peace.
The signs are sponsored by "IWagePeace.Org" and "Combatants For Peace.Org." Both signs will be received at services at the Berlin Mosque, in Berlin CT at 1:00 P.M. Friday June 8th, at Congregation Mishken Israel in Hamden CT on Friday June 8th at 8:00 P.M. and on Sunday, June 10th, 10:30 A.M. at Woodmont United Church of Christ, in Milford CT. The public is welcome at all services. Proper attire is required. Inside the Mosque, Men should wear modest clothing with long pants, women should dress modestly with long paints or full length dresses with long sleeves and head scarf.
For information call: Bruce A. Barrett at (203) 710-5675, email him at IWagepPeace@.mac.com, or visit his web site www.IWagePeace.Org
