Shopping for answers

As the seasons have changed significantly during my time in Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory, I found myself in need of sandals and sunhats. This provided the perfect opportunity to interact with a young Israeli, as I went on a shopping spree on Mamilla Avenue, West Jerusalem.

-My family lives in Efrat. You said you have been there, it is a great place right!? So close to Jerusalem, and still so calm, it is great. All the farmers, and sheep and olive trees –it is so idyllic! Did you know that there are locals there who have not even got electricity or running water? What a great way to enjoy life, and never take anything for granted. Good for the environment too, seriously I wish everyone could think like that.

It is true I have been to Efrat, and I often try to mention all the Israeli places I have been to, and not only the Palestinian. So I excluded the little village of Khallet Sakariya next to Efrat, where Abu Osama has neither electricity, nor water, and where his family is too afraid of the settlers to live anymore. Sometimes to be open to the Israeli perspective requires an effort even by the most neutral minded tourist, especially if you are living on the West Bank together with the Palestinians. The problems caused by the occupation become so evident that it can be frustrating to not question the other side. At this point I could not help but to ask:

-I though everyone in Efrat had electricity? I may be wrong, but it looked very modern to me, with shopping malls and swimming pools.

The reply I got was:

-Yes, yes you are right. I was talking about the locals - you know who live like we did two thousand years ago. We can learn from them. Also it is great that they are so flexible, my uncle he lives in Maskillyot. Have you heard of it? It is close to Jordan. There the locals are so considerate, they remain flexible to our needs and move.

-Bedouins you mean?

-Yes, Bedouins. They can just move anywhere. It is strange really that they have not moved away yet. That would solve all of our problems, and then we could all live next to each other in peace. You know it is not like they cannot take their sheep and leave. And one of those houses, it does not take long to build.

-Have you ever built a house? Or could you think of moving somewhere else?

-You are funny. Of course not this is my home, or at least it has been for like the last 15 years when I moved from Argentina. This is our history, our land.

Deeply troubled by the reasoning I decide that for once I shall not hide what I am doing here. So I confess to be living in a small village of Yanoun, no it is not a Jewish name, but very clearly a Palestinian village. And in the Jordan valley next to the village, there are Bedouins who’s river has dried up because the Israeli settlement nearby is using all the water. That settlement just happened to be Maskillyot. Settlers who have been moved from Gaza, and relocated in another part of the occupied territory.

-Yes it is difficult. We should think more about the environment. You know this is produced in China, but the brand is Australian. And then it is shipped all across the globe. It is no good, all the resources should be used locally. And the Bedouins, they can find water locally too. If they find it somewhere else, would not that be the most sustainable solution? We would not need to build large control stations for security, and we would have more usable land. Then we could save the houses they leave behind, and recycle them.

Feeling slightly provoked, I asked where would they go?

-They can go back to where they came from.

By this point I left the store. Sometimes you may be looking for answers, but it is not always you find them. At least I did not leave empty handed, and have something to cool my head (a hat). I need it. The possibility of going back to where I came from, is bestowed upon me. I can also go back to try and meet more Israelis, and keep an open mind. I can continue shopping for answers.