The news says the Israelis have raided the Nablus mayor’s office as well as schools and mosques in the West Bank city because of links to Hamas. Here is a first-hand account from a doctor’s wife, who has a master’s in English from the University of Illinois/Champaign-Urbana. She’s writing to two friends in the States, one of them my friend Nancy Horn:
“For the past 3 days, the people in Nablus awoke in a great shock to
discover that the Israeli army has confiscated their property in a very
organised and well planned way. Here is what happened. During the
first night, at around 12, many military vehicles accompanied by huge
containers attacked a school, a clinic, and a mosque. The entrance
doors were broken,exploded and damaged. All the inside
furniture, equipments, tools, files, and other property were carried by
the soldiers into the lorries. You would never imagine that these
things would ever be taken. The computers, files, cameras, the chairs and
tables from the school, even the doors -unbelievable. These places
were left empty with a state of mess and damage. The school and
clinic were ordered closed for 3 years. The second night a huge
shopping center called Nablus mall was also attacked in the same
way. This building has over 50 stores, including a bank, many shops for
furniture–one of the shops was the one that I bought you your presents
dear Nancy and dear Laura–a restaurant, a supermarket, and many
offices. The property of 4 places was emptied into the lorries in the
middle of the night. Other shops were messed up and others were
damaged. A leaflet was left and it said that the mall will be closed
for 2 years, and that the property that has been taken—stolen,
confiscated—now belongs to the Israeli army…anyone dares to enter
will be imprisoned. At the same time, 5 mosques were entered and messed
up in different places in the city…
“Finally, last night, the building of the municipality of Nablus was attacked
in the same way…the computers that are used for water and electricity
services were all taken, in addition to files and other stuff. Some items
were damaged during the attack, and night guards in all situations got
beaten up…you would not believe this: 5 big buses that carry students
and belong to a school were driven into the lorries and taken…
“We do not know who’s next tonight. Maybe our house properties, our
furniture and kitchen equipment, could this be true? No one owns anything
anymore. We all belong to the Israeli army. Our lands, our olive trees,
our bodies, the water we drink, the air we breathe, the food we get
from the super market, our family members who are in jail,
our beds and chairs…..what is left for us? our brains? Maybe.
I do not know what to add, because there is nothing to be added. So
take care and stay in touch since I feel isolated, and somehow
vulnerable and no longer in touch. I love you both. I really do.”
Reminds me a little of firsthand accounts I’ve read from Kristallnacht. No: I don’t believe a holocaust or genocide is about to unfold in Palestine. Still, this is vandalism and thuggery, licensed as retaliatory, and deeply dispiriting. Americans must help to imagine a better future for these people, they cannot do it themselves.
