Democracy for Some, Apartheid for Others
The Israeli army closed the city of Jericho on one of the busiest tourist days of the year. We spent hours waiting outside the checkpoint. “Do you go to the…
Is your mother one of those soldiers?
When my daughter said that I speak Hebrew, a girl in summer camp pantomimed firing a gun and asked, “Is your mother one of them?” “Ima! There are kids up…
Intimate Acquaintance with Terrorism
In addition to the six Palestinian NGOs, Israeli officials branded my neighbor, my life partner and an ice cream company as terrorists. No evidence needed. Job Interview In 2017, a…
Quiet in Raleigh. Less so in the Jabalia Refugee Camp.
Far from the violence, Osama worries about his family in Gaza while I clumsily try to create a holiday atmosphere. It’s our third war together. Smoking Break Raleigh, North Carolina,…
Leaving Palestine
We waited for hours, the children and I on one side of the checkpoint, Osama on the other, hoping to make it to the airport. Cleaning the refrigerator “I knew…
Searching for a Safe Place in the West Bank for a Family Hike
Most deep natural pools in the West Bank are near settlements, and settlers have taken them over, by arriving there with guns or Israeli soldiers. Our relationship exposes my partner,…
Flying Checkpoints and Traffic Jams: The Genius of the Israeli Occupation’s Architecture
The driver who cut me off really did behave like an idiot. But he wasn’t the one who built the wall or closed the tunnel. I finished a work meeting…
Bad Guys and Sick Hamsters: Leaving Ramallah for a Foray Into Israel
For the first time after two months of corona-closure, we were leaving the West Bank to visit close friends in the Israeli city of Holon. “Forat, brush your teeth so…
My Parenting Challenge: Protecting My Two-year-old from Tear Gas
I went for a morning run with my son in a stroller and felt my eyes and throat burn. Tear gas thrown by Israeli soldiers. “Aaaaaaahhhhhh!” Adam’s voice. I heard…
I Went for a Run and Saw Settlers Took Over a Spring Near a Palestinian Village
On a morning run, I discovered that settlers took over a spring that Ein Qinya is known for, on lands belonging to a Palestinian family Every time I return from…