اسفر و أتكلم...

I had my first taste of the urgency/absurdity of the situation today, and I haven't even left the States yet. I called Matan to confirm travel details and he immediately told me, "Don't say your name over this phone. Don't mention my name to the customs. Say you're staying with Noam in Nirit."

I remember when I first found out that Noam was a refusenik; it was back in November on the day of our mock wall protest. I thanked him that night for what he did and started to cry. More than anything us Americans or those with personal ties to Palestine had done, his actions meant the most to me because he is an Israeli Jew who willingly went to prison because he felt that the occupation was morally wrong, and would not passively sit by or participate in his country's tradition. He did this for no personal gain, but because of his outstanding moral convictions. To me, this man is a hero. It is people like him who inspire me to keep fighting.

I am grateful beyond belief that I have Israeli friends who are fighting tooth and nail against their country's system of segregation and oppression. All of these activists are examples I proudly point out to people in the Middle East I run into through discussions on-line, furious with Israel and therefore saying stuff like "Hitler had the right idea." So, thank you my friends for standing up for what is right, and showing the world that not all Israelis/Americans/white people are bad.

Another person who greatly inspires me is Dina's baby cousin, Carla, who pooped on an IDF soldier. (Ask her to tell you that story sometime, it's hilarious!)