CPTnet
20 December 2006

HEBRON REFLECTION: A conversation on Shuhada Street

by Art Gish

On 6 December 2006, three members of Christian Peacemaker Teams in Hebron
decided to walk up Shuhada Street even though the Israeli military regularly
prohibits non-Jews from walking on that street. Since the US government
spent millions of dollars to up-grade and beautify that street on the
condition that the street remain open to everyone, we wanted to test this
specific example of Israeli government policy of gradually separating Jews
and non-Jews.

We had some fear of Israeli settlers attacking us on that street since they
have hit, kicked, cursed, spat upon and stoned team members in the past.

When we approached the front of the Beit Hadassah settlement, we saw an
Israeli settler whom I had met in 1995 during my first time in Hebron. To
the amazement of other settlers, he enthusiastically greeted and hugged me,
after which we began an animated conversation. He and I have always had a
positive relationship and I have often told stories about this settler and
his warm relationship with Palestinians in Hebron. Other settlers watched
with disdain as we continued our conversation, but they did not interrupt
us.

Soon another settler approached us, a man with whom I once had a
conversation about ten years ago, but who has refused to talk with me since
then. My settler friend introduced us. I greeted him warmly and told him I
was glad to see him again. The man was somewhat trapped, since it would
have been difficult for him in that situation to ignore or be rude to me,
and so he did talk with me.

I asked him how he saw the situation in Hebron, and if he saw any solution
to the strife here. He said he saw no hope since only Israelis, not
Palestinians, want peace. "As long as there are Arabs here," he said,
"there will never be peace."

I consider these conversations to be a small victory. The settlers have
been hostile to team members, but today we had a warm conversation with a
settler right in front of Beit Hadassah, and no settler felt free to
interrupt us. I long for more human contact between people separated by
walls, barriers, and fear.