Day 13- Saturday

You might think, as I did, that a day where all we do is get up, pack and drive to the airport would be a fairly uninspiring finish to this series, happily this is not the case.

We are de-briefed on our way to the airport on security measures. Not unsurprisingly if the Israeli Police think you've been traipsing around the West Bank talking to Palestinians they get a bit worried. We have spent time in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, and Bethlehem, and we agree to stick to these tourist destinations as our itinerary for the two weeks.

As soon as we enter the quizzing begins. At the main doors to the airport a man asks us where we've been and what we've been doing. Perhaps it's our rehearsed answers, given in unison that rouse his suspicions, but as soon as we're through the door, we've picked up someone in plain clothes following us.

Things do not bode well as we queue for the security gates. As well as being asked the usual airport things (did you packs these bags etc) Israeli security deems fit to ask after our personal relationship, who we've been staying with, who are family here is and so on and so on.

Our bags are x-rayed, and while Camilla is fine (Security sticker "2"), mine causes problems.

I've packed, in the bottom of my suitcase, a series of folders and information packs picked up from various institutions (including the UN and B'tselem). My bag is pulled over to the search area where the security person delves immediately past the electrical equipment (packed on the top of my bag) for these papers. You might wonder why some papers and folders would be targeted so instantly- we certainly did.

Once they see the various documents (including "Facing the Wall", and the UNs "Humanitarian Monitor") it's fair to say they're not buying the "tourist" line (which we stick to). Here's how the next bit goes:

Why do you have these papers?
"I like to read"
Where did you get them?
"I picked them up from various places"
What places
"Bethlehem, you know, around."
Why do you have them?
"I like to read"
But this is more than reading this is... facts and figures
"It's all just reading, I have other books too"
Show me
"This is a history of Prussia, and this is a fiction book called Wait Until Spring. I really like reading, I'll read anything."
Who are you traveling with?
"Camilla, she's over there"
(Camilla is called over, and her bag opened)
Where are you from?
"Norway"
You have family there?
"Yes my parents"
What languages do they speak?
"Er... Norwegian and English"
He then goes on to ask the same questions about 5 times, including asking her to continually repeat her parents names and then what her brothers and sisters are called, and what languages they speak too.

I wouldn't say he was satisfied by our answers, but we're in a position where he can't go any further without accusing us of lying about what we've been doing.

Our bags are moved to another post, x-rayed again, and gone through in detail for traces of explosives. (Luckily they don't pull out the massive UN Access and Closure poster I have in the middle of my bag- I keep trying to think how I'm going to explain it!)

A slightly bent screw in the bottom of my laptop is a major issue, but I assure them it's never been tampered with or repaired, and they let it go at an X-Ray.

It's difficult to see how much of this has to do with security. My massive plastic bottle of Olive Oil is given just a cursory glass, despite containing 2 litres of suspicious oily liquid, same thing with the bottle of wine.

After our luggage (and by this point we're both a bit shocked at how they're allowed to do all this) they move onto us. We are taken away separately (which neither of us are happy about) and walked by security to curtained rooms. I kind of know what coming at this point. We spoke to someone during our interviews who broke down when they described to us this exact treatment at the hands of Ben Gurion Airport security.

After removing anything metallic from my person I'm thoroughly metal-detected, including my armpits and the soles of my feet. I am wearing shorts with metal buttons on them that appear to be a cause of concern. I can hear another security officer taking their time going through Camilla's flowing trousers in the curtains next door, I consider shouting out to her, but decide against it.

I am told to wait, while the metal detector guy calls for a supervisor. Here's the conversation when he arrives:

We have a problem
"What's that?"
The zip on your shorts
"What about it?"
It's metal
"I have a metal zip?"
Yes
"Okay"
We need to check it
(I show my flies to them)
"You mean this zip?"
yes
"It's metal"
That's the problem
"What's the problem with my metal zip?"
We need to scan it.
"Go for it" (I thrust my crotch forward)
Not like that, you need to pull your shorts down.
"Tell me why?"
It's for security, you can just pull them down.
"No thanks, I'll undo them"
(I take my time and drop them to my knees as instructed- I'm still wearing boxers by the way)
The zip is scanned, and the metal detector is touched briefly to my crotch and they are satisfied that my zip is no longer a threat to security.

Soon after this Camilla and me are walked through check in, and into the terminal building, bypassing the rest of security (although our baggage security sticker status is raised from "2" to "9")

On reflection, of this treatment a few thoughts occur, and here they are:

When we were inside Bethlehem, and coming through checkpoints, our ethnicity (Westerners) gave us preferential treatment, we weren't stopped by guards often. But at the airport the opposite occurs.
Why did they go straight for papers in my suitcase? Were they looking for them?
Did our cover "story" make things worse, or did it help us? What would they have done if we told them everything that we'd done?
How much of what they did was legal?
What an embarrassment for the security of the nation- I'm not talking about us being embarrassed, we're fine. I'm talking about the embarrassment a government should feel at stripping aid workers and volunteers, or at giving people a grilling for reading UN reports, or for asking what Camilla's brother and sister are called.

Is this game played on both parts (ours by avoiding the whole truth, them by giving us a hard time without satisfactorily explaining why) necessary? Does it discourage or encourage us to come back and keep going? (Yes!)

Looking back, and thinking of things I wish I'd said. I want to go back in time to where the security guy says, "What is this reading?" and tell him, "You know what- you read it. You'll get more out of it than I would." or to pick up the report and read loudly at random, "Overview- Regional Focus, West Bank including East Jerusalem, Israeli High Court Dismisses Appeal of Susiya Residents. During a 6th June hearing, the Israeli High Court dismissed the appeal that was filed in 2001 by residents of Susiya (population 250)..." and so on.

I also want to go back into that curtained room and shout over to Camilla that "They're telling me to pull my shorts down!" laughing as I undress.

Afterwards, wondering about the legality of what just happened Camilla says "Surely they can't go against International Law, giving people a hard time, just on the pretext of security?". Then we both burst into nervous laughter as we realise that the incident sums up the whole Palestinian situation.

Then we shut up because we worry we're still being listened too or overheard.

Next time will we be allowed in? What security sticker will we make it to- "20"?

More importantly, will Al Mahkrour mountain still exist for us to visit?

Thanks for reading.

Day 12- Friday

Despite our 12 hour writing shift yesterday we still need to spend most of the morning finishing things off and tidying up the office.

With the Advocacy work completed we have a hand over meeting to present the work that we've done. We feel exhausted, and gutted to be handing our work over to someone else, but we feel that we've left it in good hands and are determind to follow up when we get home.

We're both a bit sleep deprived and Camilla is developing a serious headache but we head off for our farewell evening meal- back on Al Mahkrour mountain. It is beautifull and emotional to be back in the Tent restaraunt on Al Marhkrour, with friends and colleagues eating our final meal. Me and Camilla are both a bit quiet, and sad to leave.

We enjoy the meal and conversation and are done at around 7pm when we go and take some final pictures of the wall in Bethlehem. The night doesn't finish there however,

We have been playing basketball regualrly as a thoroughly enjoyable part of our evenings and a big match has been organised on the best court in the West Bank. The court, in the Catholic Action School is a product of joint Israeli and Palestinian work. A committee spanning both groups worked to import the court. The Israeli group used connections to import the full size parquet floor in from the US and accross into Bethlehem, the Palestinians, working with Catholic Action readied a state of the art sports hall, that is the most modern and developed structure we see in our time there.

It is Camilla, myself and our colleagues facing the local team. We play for an hour and a half and it's a seriously good game. Both sides are pretty equally matched and everybody plays hard, but in good spirits. No one really keeps score, and the match is close, but I'd have to say we edged it overall.

We get back to the apartment and enjoy a final Gin and Tonic before collapsing, too tired to really get upset that tomorrow we fly home.