Raising a three-year-old can be challenging for any parent. But parenting in Palestine comes with its own set of obstacles that extend far beyond answering tough questions.

Every Fall architecturally distinct buildings and grounds in Jerusalem treat the public to free tours as part of Open House Jerusalem. This year, for the first time, the festival was protested after it promoted guided tours at a site in the West Bank and programs in Jerusalem run by a settler organization.

When US congress members Rashida Tlaib and Ilhan Omar were barred from entering Israel it was shocking for many. Traveling for an American citizen is a privilege often taken for granted. But if you are a Palestinian living under Israel occupation it becomes almost impossible. “Most of our visas get rejected,” Malkon Marizian explains to Mondoweiss. “This is related to our status. It is all related to the occupation.”

“I drive through more than 15 checkpoints,” per day, Mahmoud Ali tells Mondoweiss. “That means they take away my freedom 15 times and give it back to me 15 times. My freedom is in their hands, not my hands.”

Megan Giovannetti put out a call on Facebook for Lone Soldiers in the Israeli military to explain why they enlisted. The response was overwhelming. Many left homes in the U.S. to defend Israel, some wanted to escape troubled homes lives for adventure, others are described as “crazy.”