| People ask me all the time why I went to occupied | | | | a room filled with American Jews and Palestinian |
| Palestine-not just once-but five times since 2005 and | | | | Muslims. I was in awe of all of them as I prayed, |
| why do I care so much about such a small plot of real | | | | "Jesus Christ! Will you look at all these Muslims and |
| estate. | | | | Jews doing exactly what you commanded your |
| I reply, that I went the first time to meet a little boy of | | | | followers must do; forgive, love and bless ones |
| Bethlehem who changed my life and to be the | | | | enemies. Imagine when all we Christians do it too!" |
| Christian delegate amongst the Palestinian and Jewish | | | | It was that fateful day that led me to travel two hours |
| co-founders of the Olive Trees foundation for Peace [ | | | | every Tuesday afternoon for many months in order to |
| an interfaith non-profit dedicated to raising awareness | | | | listen and write down Dr. Diab's memoirs, with the |
| and funds to purchase trees to replace those that | | | | intention that it would be for his grandchildren. |
| have been destroyed by The Wall. | | | | But, being an Irish story teller, dissident and spiritual |
| But, my last four trips to occupied Palestine were | | | | creative, I had no control over the six fictional |
| driven by the fierce urgency of now and a sense of | | | | characters that welled up within me and who began to |
| calling; to go-bear witness-and report about the lives of | | | | converse with Dr. Diab during the days that followed |
| regular people living under military occupation and to | | | | our Tuesday meetings. Not until I completed, KEEP |
| learn about and support the grass root efforts of | | | | HOPE ALIVE did I even realize that my 'imaginary |
| Israeli, Palestinian and International nonviolent activists | | | | friends' also represented six different ways to intuit, |
| against the occupation of Palestine. | | | | love and serve God. |
| I also left hearth and home for occupied Palestine five | | | | KEEP HOPE ALIVE is also an historical fiction based |
| times because injustice anywhere reverberates all | | | | on the memoirs of a 1948 Palestinian Muslim refugee |
| over the world and American taxpayers are culpable | | | | who became an American citizen with Top Secret |
| in where their money is laid down. Annually, over 3.2 | | | | Clearance during the Cold War and founded the |
| billion USA tax dollars are sent to Israel to support the | | | | non-profit interfaith Olive Trees Foundation for Peace |
| now 40 years of military occupation of the indigenous | | | | as a positive response to THAT DAY we call 9/11. |
| peoples of the Holy Land. | | | | Because of my connection to the OTFFP, I journeyed |
| It was at an Olive Trees Foundation for Peace | | | | the first time to occupied territory in June 2005. I wrote |
| meeting, that I met a Catholic woman who showed | | | | down everything I experienced, felt in my gut and |
| me a photo first published by the Florida Catholic in | | | | wondered about. I went places I had never imagined |
| 2000; a photo that irrevocably changed my life. | | | | existed and I did things I never thought I would or could; |
| Photographer Debbie Hill, captured three year old | | | | such as leaving Ramallah for Jerusalem late at night |
| George [it is his photo that adorns the banner of my | | | | with a driver I did not know and who only spoke |
| website] of Beit Jala, a once peaceful Christian village | | | | Arabic. |
| a five minute car ride from downtown Bethlehem, the | | | | That morning, I rode along with Dr. Diab and his driver |
| morning after the Israeli army destroyed his sanctuary. | | | | to Ramallah from Jerusalem, and witnessed the Wall in |
| Israeli forces had retaliated against a few hopeless | | | | full frontal, brutal view. On my left was a thirty foot high |
| militants who had infiltrated George's neighborhood to | | | | wall of concrete; on my right, only rows of bankrupt |
| snipe across the way into the illegal settlement/colony | | | | businesses. |
| of Gilo, about a mile from the top of the hill not far | | | | "Financed with U.S. aid at a cost of $1.5 million per mile, |
| from George's home. | | | | the Israeli wall prevents residents from receiving health |
| The shrapnel that blew apart the wall of George's | | | | care and emergency medical services. In other areas, |
| bedroom read 'Made in USA ' and was delivered via | | | | the barrier separates farmers from their olive groves |
| American made Apache helicopters. | | | | which have been their families' sole livelihood for |
| The second I saw George's eyes, in that photo, my | | | | generations." [Washington Report on Middle East |
| heart said "DO SOMETHING!" | | | | Affairs, Page 43, Jan/Feb. 2007] |
| What could I possibly do I wondered, but I did make a | | | | Dr. Diab and I had an appointment at the Palestinian |
| copy of the photo, put it in a frame and placed it upon | | | | Authority's compound, where Arafat is now buried. |
| the altar [a bar high table] in the upper room of my | | | | We met with Rafiq Husseini, chief of staff to President |
| home. Dozens of times a day, I stop and gaze into the | | | | Abbas who informed us, "We have lost more than 1.1 |
| eyes of that little boy of Bethlehem and wonder what | | | | million fruit-bearing trees in Palestinian territories. Trees |
| it will take to end the insane cycle of violence in the | | | | are about food, the environment, and life. Ancient trees |
| Holy Land; which is in pieces-bantustans. | | | | have been demolished by tanks, and we thank the |
| When I met George for the first time in June 2005, I | | | | Olive Trees Foundation for Peace for addressing the |
| vowed to him that the rest of my life would be | | | | need to replace them and rebuild the faith of our |
| dedicated to doing all I could to help bring about the | | | | people. Palestine has always been tolerant to people |
| end of the occupation of Palestine. | | | | of all religions. The Jews came here out of Spain along |
| Of course I had no clue as to what I would or could | | | | with many Arabs - and then came Zionism. When one |
| possibly do, or how much of an 'impossible mission' I | | | | wants to take over another, war happens. President |
| had promised a little child of Bethlehem. But, every | | | | Abbas is a very bad politician; he does not lie! He is |
| morning I wake up and wonder what I can do today in | | | | ready to move on from the past. We have quit crying |
| the pursuit of peace and justice; equal human rights for | | | | over our losses; we must move on. Live and let live is |
| all, for that is the only way Israel will ever be secure. | | | | the motto of this administration. We can not carry on a |
| A month after my first return home from occupied | | | | battle; it must stop. Peace can only happen with peace, |
| territory, I put up my website and became a civilian | | | | not force. President Abbas has promised, 'We will do |
| journalist; which is best understood as one who goes | | | | whatever it takes to show the world we want peace.' |
| out of their comfort zone to report for the benefit of | | | | We need America to help us. The best thing would be |
| we the people, without orders or censorship from | | | | for Americans to come and see the truth of the |
| editors or paychecks from conglomerates. | | | | situation for themselves. I encourage Americans to |
| The first civilian journalist may well have been Rachel | | | | come and see the Wall; it has nothing to do with |
| Corrie, the altruistic young American and volunteer with | | | | security, but everything to do with grabbing water and |
| ISM/International Solidarity movement who was run | | | | more land. When Americans understand the real |
| over and killed by the weight of a Caterpillar bulldozer | | | | situation, things will change for the better. The |
| in Gaza in 2003, four days before America bombed | | | | humiliation at the checkpoints is beyond belief. It can |
| Baghdad. | | | | drive anyone to desperation. We condemn all |
| Rachel and other NONVIOLENT activists had spent | | | | terrorism, but resisting occupation is necessary." |
| hours protesting against the demolition of the home of | | | | After that meeting, Dr. Diab set off for his home village |
| a pharmacist with five children in Gaza. The Corrie | | | | in the Galilee and I explored Ramallah with a friend |
| family has sought but has yet to receive justice; an | | | | who was born and lives there. Just before midnight, |
| open Congressional investigation and admission of | | | | my friend walked me through the checkpoint to where |
| accountability by the Caterpillar Company which | | | | the cabs waited. I cringed when I saw the |
| continues to reap profits from manufacturing products | | | | watchtower's small window lit up, and I considered |
| that further the military occupation of Palestine. | | | | how easy it would be to be shot at and never see it |
| On February 7 2003, Rachel wrote: | | | | coming. The ground was rocky, uneven, and littered |
| "…no amount of reading, attendance at | | | | with debris and the only light was from the moon. |
| conferences, documentary viewing and word of | | | | My friend bargained with a cabbie in Arabic and I |
| mouth could have prepared me for the reality of the | | | | marveled that I, who hated to fly before 9/11 and with |
| situation here. You just can't imagine it unless you see | | | | absolutely no sense of direction at all, who only speaks |
| it - and even then you are always well aware that | | | | and understands English, was traveling alone through |
| your experience of it is not at all the | | | | occupied territory without any fear at all. |
| reality…Nobody in my family has been shot, | | | | After two weeks of traveling through Israel Palestine |
| driving in their car, by a rocket launcher from a tower | | | | with ten other Americans connected with the OTFFP, I |
| at the end of a major street in my | | | | remained alone in Jerusalem for the following three |
| hometown…When I leave for school or work I | | | | days and once again, my life was irrevocably changed. |
| can be relatively certain that there will not be a heavily | | | | On the third Tuesday in June of 2005- six days before |
| armed soldier waiting…at a checkpoint with the | | | | I returned to the USA- after an excruciatingly painful |
| power to decide whether I can go about my business, | | | | day in Hebron, I crossed paths with Vanunu for the |
| and whether I can get home again when I'm | | | | first time. |
| done…I am in Rafah: a city of about 140,000 | | | | In April 2005, two months before my first trip to |
| people, approximately 60% of whom are refugees - | | | | Jerusalem, I turned the TV on that had last been tuned |
| many of whom are twice or three times refugees. | | | | onto the History channel. They were broadcasting a |
| Today, as I walked on top of the rubble where homes | | | | show called, "Sexpionage" all about Russian female |
| once stood, Egyptian soldiers called to me from the | | | | spies and one from the Mossad. |
| other side of the border, 'Go! Go!' because a tank was | | | | The very first clip that ran before my eyes was of |
| coming. And then waving and [asking] 'What's your | | | | Vanunu being transported to his closed door trial |
| name?' | | | | depicting his inspired move to write upon his palm: |
| "Something disturbing about this friendly curiosity. It | | | | "HIJACKED" and the Rome flight number he had been |
| reminded me of how much, to some degree, we are | | | | on. That was followed by a clip of Shimon Perez in |
| all kids curious about other kids. Egyptian kids shouting | | | | 1986 stating that Israel would never be the first in the |
| at strange women wandering into the path of tanks. | | | | Mid East to possess nuclear weapons. |
| Palestinian kids shot from the tanks when they peak | | | | Then, a black and white photo of a bearded, unkempt |
| out from behind walls to see what's going on. | | | | and disheveled Vanunu filled the TV screen and I |
| International kids standing in front of tanks with | | | | thought his eyes looked just like George's of Beit Jala's, |
| banners. Israeli kids in the tanks anonymously - | | | | and again, I heard in my heart: |
| occasionally shouting and also occasionally waving - | | | | "Do Something!" |
| many forced to be here, many just aggressive - | | | | I did email Vanunu after that show to thank him for |
| shooting into the houses as we wander | | | | what he had done in 1986 and to let him know that I |
| away…There is a great deal of concern here | | | | and nine other Americans would be in his territory in |
| about the "reoccupation of Gaza". Gaza is reoccupied | | | | two months and we would like to take him to dinner or |
| every day to various extents but I think the fear is that | | | | lunch. But, just days before that trip, a Palestinian |
| the tanks will enter all the streets and remain here | | | | American warned me not to contact Vanunu as Israel |
| instead of entering some of the streets and then | | | | had denied him the right to speak to not just foreign |
| withdrawing after some hours or days to observe and | | | | media but also ordered him to not speak to any |
| shoot from the edges of the communities. If people | | | | foreigners at all. |
| aren't already thinking about the consequences of this | | | | Only because a friend from Ramallah happened to be |
| war for the people of the entire region then I hope you | | | | in Jerusalem on the third Tuesday in June 2005, and |
| will start."[1] | | | | invited me out to dinner, did I venture out again. I had no |
| It was the events of THAT DAY we call 9/11 topped | | | | hunger for food after my day in Hebron but as we |
| off by President Bush's advice a few days later to we | | | | walked towards the Old City and neared St. Georges |
| the people that we should all go shopping if we | | | | Cathedral where Vanunu had been living, I asked my |
| wanted to help, that drove my curiosity to learn "about | | | | friend if he knew about Vanunu. He recalled hearing |
| the consequences" of USA foreign policy in the Middle | | | | about Vanunu's release from prison in 2004, but he did |
| East. | | | | not know Vanunu was a Christian who had grown up |
| Being a Christian, I also was driven by the need to | | | | in an Orthodox Jewish home but rejected the faith at |
| forgive, love and do good to my 'enemies' that led me | | | | 14 years old. |
| to connect with the interfaith non-profit OTFFP/Olive | | | | As we entered the courtyard, Vanunu was on his |
| Trees Foundation for Peace during the summer of | | | | way out to a meeting and a few minutes difference |
| 2003. | | | | and we would have missed him completely. |
| I connected with the OTFFP after reading two oped's | | | | Instead I was startled by his physical presence, for I |
| published in the Orlando Sentinel written by the | | | | had imagined Vanunu to be dark eyed and much taller |
| Palestinian Muslim and American Jewish Co-Founders | | | | than I at 5'4". Vanunu is not much taller or heavier than |
| of the OTFFP regarding the need for open dialogue | | | | I, but what knocked me for a loop were his light |
| that recognizes, respects and empathizes with the | | | | green-blue eyes that immediately reminded me of the |
| pain of the other; for when that happens, anyone of | | | | eyes of an old woman I met in 1998, who irrevocably |
| good will, will be moved by compassion to do | | | | changed my life. |
| something to alleviate the pain of the other. | | | | Her name was Bernice and I crossed paths with her |
| The OTFFP organization united American and Israeli | | | | for the first time just a few weeks after I began |
| Jews, Christians and Muslims after THAT DAY we | | | | visiting someone at a local nursing home. As I walked |
| call 9/11 to literally extend the olive branch of peace to | | | | down the hallway, Bernice called out, "Help me. Help |
| all the cousins in Father Abraham's family in Israel | | | | me." |
| Palestine by providing the funds to purchase fruit | | | | I had been a registered nurse for twenty-five years |
| bearing trees on both sides of The Wall. So far, 30,000 | | | | and when ever I hear someone ask for help, I am |
| have been rooted. | | | | compelled to do something, or at least try. All Bernice |
| After a few phone calls and emails to the OTFFP | | | | wanted was for me to change her position, for she |
| organization, I committed to attend a Sunday afternoon | | | | was completely paralyzed. From a distance I thought |
| OTFFP meeting in south Orlando following the final | | | | her eyes were dark, but as I approached her, I was |
| third of my first year of weekend retreats for students | | | | startled at how light green-blue they were. That day |
| in a two year formation program for Spiritual Director's. | | | | was the beginning of my now ten year nursing home |
| During 2002-2003, I participated in a central Florida, | | | | ministry, and although I have no clue what color Jesus' |
| Episcopal-Methodist Formation Program for SD | | | | eyes may have been, in that moment, I sensed |
| Spiritual Director's/SD's. SD's are not counselors or | | | | experienced the presence of The Other; that mystery |
| therapists, but are centered and prayerful people who | | | | we call God, for lack of a better word. Crossing paths |
| have learned to listen with their hearts to any other | | | | with Bernice was the first time I had known a visceral, |
| speaking of their struggles with God. | | | | intuitive experience of the presence of God within |
| I knew going into the program that I would NOT be | | | | another. It happened for the second time in the |
| hanging out a shingle as an SD, I was drawn to be | | | | courtyard of St. George's Cathedral in 2005, during the |
| there for the curriculum; studying the saints and various | | | | chance crossing of paths with Vanunu, who inspired |
| ways of prayer. That is also when I began to write | | | | me to do something I had not yet imagined I would or |
| creative spiritual literature. | | | | could. |
| But on a Sunday afternoon in the summer of 2003, | | | | During our third meeting, while Vanunu was telling me |
| after concluding my final weekend retreat I attended | | | | about growing up in Marrakech, Morocco he asked me |
| my first OTFFP meeting and my life was irrevocably | | | | if I had ever seen the "Dorothy Day" movie, "The Man |
| changed, and it began that morning during a guided | | | | who Knew Too Much" for the beginning scenes were |
| meditation. | | | | shot where he grew up. |
| The workshop leader instructed my class to close our | | | | He meant to say Doris Day, but in that moment I |
| eyes and breathe deep and slow as she invited us to | | | | realized my childhood dream of being Brenda Starr |
| enter into a long corridor with many closed doors; and | | | | had matured, for Vanunu's slip of the tongue was the |
| then, she went silent. Immediately, I imagined myself | | | | catalyst for me to begin to imagine following in the |
| skipping, jumping, dancing and running past miles of | | | | footsteps of Dorothy Day, the 20th century socialist |
| closed doors as I headed to the end of that long | | | | muckraker who became a Christian and a voice for |
| corridor. I was aware of, but not interested in any of | | | | the voiceless in her newspaper The Catholic Worker, |
| the closed doors on my right and left. I headed straight | | | | which persists today. |
| ahead although it was a while before I saw the | | | | Dorothy Day understood that, "Love is not the starving |
| enormous cathedral sized double doors at the very | | | | of whole populations. Love is not the bombardment of |
| end of the hallway. As I approached the wooden | | | | open cities. Love is not killing......Our manifesto is the |
| doors they slowly opened into the inner space and I | | | | Sermon on the Mount, which means that we will try to |
| could see trees and mountains. After crossing the | | | | be peacemakers." |
| threshold, I realized I stood upon a mountain top and I | | | | During my travels through occupied Palestine and after |
| could see for miles. There were people of every color | | | | listening with my heart to the people who shared their |
| and creed, in diverse dress and all were at rest and in | | | | stories with me, I asked everyone, "How can I help? |
| peaceful harmony under those trees. | | | | What can I do to try to be a peacemaker?" |
| When the workshop leader interrupted my reverie, I did | | | | Everyone responded, "Tell our stories." |
| not want to leave that mountain top. I also had no clue | | | | Dorothy Day and Rachel Corrie told the stories of the |
| if I had a glimpse of heaven or a possibility for this | | | | oppressed. They both are dead, but as long as I can |
| world, but as I was on my way to meet some of the | | | | do something and have breath, I too will tell the stories |
| Olive Trees for Peace people I thought that had | | | | as I try to be a peacemaker by seeking justice; equal |
| something to do with my imaginative meditation. | | | | human rights for all, and persist to hope for the best. |
| I was the first to arrive at Dr. Diab's home for the | | | | Might you do something too. |
| meeting, and on that Sunday I was the only Christian in | | | | |