although unemployment is still more than 40%. But in Gaza things have got worse. In Bethlehem the tourist trade is devastated, and trol all the purse strings.
It has become clear that international solidarity must involve this fight for democracy; otherwise all we do is back up the betrayal of the Palestinian people by the capitalists who run Fateh. April 25 Jerusalem Through walking checkpoint, the kind where you climb over piles of rubble then walk some distance to a similar point, and the Israelis check some people, then in to Bethlehem.
Out to lunch in a village, which is likely to be cut in two by the wall. It is already bordered on one side by a settler road. Here ancient Solomon's Pools (Yes that Solomon), still incredibly impressive, not a single tourist.
On the issue of tourists, it becomes clear that some farmers are losing their farms. people are coming to the Church of the Nativity, but in small numbers, and in coaches from Israel.
These coaches stop at the church, then a souvenir shop, and then go back and spend their money in Israel. The 240-bed hotel I stay in has 11 people; two of them tourists, some of the hotels are closed.
They probably don't even notice the settlements, or know what they are.
These are growing all the time; they dominate all the hills around
Bethlehem, they all have cranes working away. Their special racist roads then disWomen from all over the West Bank bring framed photos of loved ones imprisoned by the Israelis sect the Palestinian land that they have stolen. Then there is the wall, at one point heading over the hills towards Bethlehem, on another side surrounding the checkpoint. A giant prison is being developed, visited by sanitized tourists.
In the evening a prisoners demonstration, the end of their week of activities, again dominated by women holding photos. They are determined to keep their issue at the forefront of peoples' minds.
There are still 8,000 prisoners, the Israelis always refill the spaces, after publicly releasing some, and in this instance they rearrested 50 of the same people.
It's clear that the elections are on, everywhere posters, and everywhere meetings. The lists hire cafes, tents etc, bring in seats, lay on coffee and a little food, and then Workers' conditions have slightly eased on the West Bank, people make speeches, and ask questions. As they face out on to the street, they are almost open air, and they are everywhere.
There are also motorcades, and even adverts on the local TV, it is quite strange to be watching Portsmouth Southampton, and at halftime comes an advert for a political slate.
In the discussions the problem of Hamas comes up. They got one third of the seats at Bethlehem University student council, almost half at Bir Zeit, as well as doing well at local elections. So although Fateh is disliked because of corruption etc. some people talk about voting for them to keep Hamas out.
Sound familiar? A catch 22, they lose the votes, but you have to always support them.
It will be interesting to see if people fall for this. It looks like in Bethlehem the Communist Party, and Fateh are going together. The problem is of course that Hamas supporters always vote as an organized block. April 26, Jerusalem Out to Qualandia checkpoint this morning. Whilst waiting on bus, on the Jerusalem side, soldiers started appearing from all angles, including in huge troop carriers. They took total control of this very busy area. Not difficult if there are about 100 of you.
The soldiers then forced all the traders, who gather at all checkpoints, to put their wares in their vans. They then took all their barrows in to the checkpoint. In this way they stole these desperate people's means of trade.
No doubt the traders will be back, but the army will have shown who is in charge. Every checkpoint has its traders, because people never really know how long they will be there, and anyway you are out of your transport, and walking to the next vehicle, so you need refreshment.
The bus then moved off towards Jerusalem, was stopped at a checkpoint, in Out of prison, still not free, but still speaking out: Mordechai Vanunu the middle of nowhere, and two Palestinians, with Red West Bank identity cards were forced to get off. This happened to a woman on my last journey from here.
People have permits to visit Israel, for hospital, or some other reason, but a particular soldier might not be satisfied with the permit. The bus then goes on without the people.
This is just a couple of the ways that the Israeli occupation affects people. April 28, Ramallah Spent this afternoon in Bir Zeit and had a short discussion about the academic boycott with Munir, a lecturer. He does research work, as part of a world network of people working in his field.
He wanted to bring a compound to his university; to do with his research into Alzheimer's, the Israelis blocked this for 5 months. Similarly, as he was allowed to use advanced equipment in Palestine he took a compound, to do with his work on epilepsy, to be tested in a laboratory in the UK. The Israelis refused to allow it out of the country.
These are just two immediate examples of the way that Palestinian academics are treated everyday. Where is the protest from the union leaders who talk about keeping open the dialogue? One side isn't listening, and the other side isn't speaking anyway. The AUT decision has gone down big over here.
On a superficial level it did seem to me that in Bir Zeit a bigger proportion of the girls were wearing headscarves. The University is definitely growing in size, and the lack of checkpoint with Ramallah certainly makes things easier.
As regards the El Bireh municipal workers strike, it ended in what the workers consider victory on Saturday. Today there was a big teachers strike and demonstration through Ramallah. May 1, Ramallah Yesterday "I went to the PFTU headquarters, for a meeting that consisted of a delegation on behalf of the next European Social Forum.
The report from Gaza is that there is a big movement of new workers bodies, some are members of the POFTU, but most are new, and all are hostile to the lack of action by the PGFTU.
Have today attended 2 May Day demonstrations in Ramallah. Both had over 1000 people. One was organised by the official the PFTU, the other by some new democratic unions, and supported by some NGOs.
Both WEIL the Palestinian Legislative Council, demanding rights for the unemployed, disabled etc. Suffice to say that workers' conditions have only slightly eased on the West Bank, although unemployment is still more than 40%. But in Gaza things have got worse.
In Bethlehem the tourist trade is devastated, and farmers are losing their farms. May 2, Jerusalem Last night I went-to an exhibition of sculpture, in wonderful village near Ramallah. Kids laughing in the street, felt like the South of France, on a summer evening. Back to Jerusalem, work all finished. Flight tomorrow.