Jalazone refugee camp.

Heard in class, while talking about what we've heard, read or seen on the news lately:

Student A: Israeli soldiers shot and killed a palestinian man in the town of Nablus.
Teacher: Yes, that is true.
Student A: Apparantely, he was one of the 198 prisoners released by Israel last month.
Teacher: That is true too.
Student B: Why was he killed?
Teacher: No reason.
Student B: There has to be a reason?
Teacher: No reason at all.
Student B: But, then why was he killed?
Teacher: Israel is occupying our country. This is their way of achieving peace.
Student B: There must have been a reason?
Teacher: It's occupation. Israel has occupied Palestine.

Later the same day, in my english class. That is, the class (kids between 13-17, and one over 20) I'm teaching english.

Me: I'll ask you questions and I want you to answer in full sentences, ok?
Class: Yes!
Me: Mohannad, where do you live?
Mohannad: Ramallah.
Me: Yes, but try to say 'I live in Ramallah'.
Mohannad: Ok
Me: Where do you live?
Mohannad: Ramallah.

Seeing him having trouble understanding me: Have you learned any english before?
Mohannad: (answers in arabic)...
Class: No, this is his second time here.
Me: But haven't you learned english at school?
Mohannad: (answers in arabic) ...
Class: He was in prison for the last three years.
Me: Oh... Ok. (a bit stressed) What prison?
Mohannad: Sijan israeli... (Israeli prison).
Me: Why?
Mohannad: Because I love Palestine.
Me: Now that's a full senctence.

Mohannad is 16.

On Friday we visited Jalazone refugee camp close to BirZeit town. We were at a cultural center looking for possibilities of voluteer work. Visiting refugee camps is always depressing. Built by UN in 1948, it built one room each to every family, with no regard to the size of the family. With refugees from all over Israel, it's now home for over 14.000 palestinians. The one-room appartments developed into two and three floors appartments, on land owned by the neighbouring villages (Jifna). UNRWA and Jifna has a renting agreement for 99 years. 61 years has passed with no solution, and what would happen after 99 years is not good to know.

It's nearest neighbour is Beit Il (house of god), one of the biggest settlements in the West Bank (built in 1981/1982). Today 50 % of the inhabitants of Jalazone are under 16 years old, with unemployment rate around 60 % (out of the 50 % labour force). The refugee camp has one doctor for its population, one tiny playground (built by the French) and one UNRWA school up to ninth grade. The school is situated at the end of the refugee camp and is closest neighbour of the settlement just mentioned. This causing huge problems since the two, Jalazone refugee camp and Beit Il settlement, have had a number of clashes during the years, especially during the second intifada. This has stopped now, when Israel built a bypass road for the settlement, so the road seperating the camp and the settlement is no more a battlefield. But still, you cannot go too close to the separation fence, for if you do you're at risk of being shot.

By the way. Next time you land at Ben Gurion International Airport you should know that the owner of that land is in Jalazone refugee camp, heading the cultural center for youth owning no land of his own..