Coming Home
by Nick Sarchet
July 24, 2003
I am sitting in an internet cafe in the Old City of Jerusalem. In less then
24 hours I will be back on US soil. I am tired and a bit sunburned, but so
much wiser for this leg of my journey. I feel that in many ways, this is
just the beginning. So much work needs to be done at home to change the
policies of country. The people here have become my friends, my family...it
is impossible for me to abandon them in their struggle.
I saw the wall in Qalquilya yesterday...it is massive and is an ugly scar on
the landscape. The wall on the west side of Qalquilya is at least 15 feet
high, 18 inches thick and 2.5 kilometers long. Guard towers have been built
in to the structure at regular intervals. The wall has confiscated over 200
dunams of land.
As we walked up towards the wall, we passed the towns school for girls.
Girls between the ages of 6 and 13 attend classes here with the wall in
their schools backyard. Local farmers had citrus fields and greenhouses
destroyed during the construction. As we walked to the south edge of town
the wall turns east and becomes a fence similar to the one I described in
Jayus. The main road from Israel into Qalquilya has been decimated,
including a huge marketplace. There were to young boys collecting cactus
fruit in their yard as the wall loomed in the background. This wall is not
about security. It is about imprisoning innocent people in their homes and
towns.
Once I am home, I will begin working on a chronological journal of my
experiences here that will include photos and video clips. I will see you
all very soon!
Much love and peace,
Nick Sarchet
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