Hebron is Hell

I'm posting this article for those who either do not know much about the occupied Palestinian territories and especially to those who claim to have gone to Hebron and returned with smiles and postcards.

I'm saying this because I have quite a few friends who traveled to Israel through Birthright. They think they are getting a real experience of the country but what they get is far from it. Many of them have no idea that the routes they take detour around Palestinian inhabited areas, sometimes up to a 7 hour detour, just so they never see what the IDF is doing there. When they visit Hebron, IDF locks in the Palestinians in their homes by MILITARY force, while the young Americans enjoy their time in the suburban paradise.

A representative from Women in Black, and Israeli peace organization, spoke to a small group of us on campus last year. She described the violent acts of settlers against the Palestinians. The most horrific that stains my mind still was her description of settler women throwing rocks at Palestinian CHILDREN. A photographer friend of mine who has also spent time in Hebron described settler men urinating on Palestinians. The Women in Black, when under attack from the settlers for protecting the Palestinian children, were subject to threats such as, "We killed Jesus, we'll kill you too."

Hebron is hell. Occupation is hell. Read this article if you don't believe me.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6470375.stm