Palestine, the cat and the mouse, and the trapped children
By Antonietta Chiodo, Translated by Milena Rampoldi and edited by John Catalinotto, Tlaxcala. It is commonly said that the all worst nightmares
move silently in the dark and wear military uniforms and escaping with light steps
along the asphalt street. This night in the village not even the engine sound
of the armoured vehicle distracts. The vehicle remains there, without moving,
in the night, and next to it there is a street light with a faint light. The
man is watching, and with each movement he seems to be counting steps, three forward, one to the side, and
again three paces backwards, without taking his eyes off the houses, with his
rifle under his arm, and the barrel kept at eye level, ready to interrupt the
silence. It is totally silent, and the silence seems almost begging to be
interrupted by a roar, a scream, or a lament, while from behind a curtain a
child, one of the numerous children, records the scene with his cell phone.
move silently in the dark and wear military uniforms and escaping with light steps
along the asphalt street. This night in the village not even the engine sound
of the armoured vehicle distracts. The vehicle remains there, without moving,
in the night, and next to it there is a street light with a faint light. The
man is watching, and with each movement he seems to be counting steps, three forward, one to the side, and
again three paces backwards, without taking his eyes off the houses, with his
rifle under his arm, and the barrel kept at eye level, ready to interrupt the
silence. It is totally silent, and the silence seems almost begging to be
interrupted by a roar, a scream, or a lament, while from behind a curtain a
child, one of the numerous children, records the scene with his cell phone.
He is careful to cause not the least noise, to keep
his hand steady, hoping that nobody will see him. This child is afraid, it is
afraid of what it will document unconsciously. The soldier lowers his mitre and
approaches the gate by opening it easily without causing the least noise.
his hand steady, hoping that nobody will see him. This child is afraid, it is
afraid of what it will document unconsciously. The soldier lowers his mitre and
approaches the gate by opening it easily without causing the least noise.
From the dark of a street disappearing behind the
corner of a big, white house another two soldiers appear suddenly, walking speedily.
Under their arms they hold a handcuffed boy who is trying to keep up with them.
They push him into a vehicle, lowering his head with the palm of the hand, and
a couple of seconds later the car’s tailgate closes violently.
corner of a big, white house another two soldiers appear suddenly, walking speedily.
Under their arms they hold a handcuffed boy who is trying to keep up with them.
They push him into a vehicle, lowering his head with the palm of the hand, and
a couple of seconds later the car’s tailgate closes violently.
Like cats in the night they move lightly, with the
gesture of an arm. One of them makes a gesture to a second patrol next there,
that everything is OK. The silence is interrupted by the roar of the engines,
and the cars disappear along the asphalted streets and then vanish, taking with
them another fragment of freedom, a splinter of life who has just become 13
years old.
gesture of an arm. One of them makes a gesture to a second patrol next there,
that everything is OK. The silence is interrupted by the roar of the engines,
and the cars disappear along the asphalted streets and then vanish, taking with
them another fragment of freedom, a splinter of life who has just become 13
years old.
In the West Bank, what seems to be the plot of an
action movie is every day realityd. Here children are the first ones being
arrested by Israeli soldiers without any official trail and without any logical
reasoning.
action movie is every day realityd. Here children are the first ones being
arrested by Israeli soldiers without any official trail and without any logical
reasoning.
Tonight it was his turn, tomorrow it could be mine, everyone
thinks here. The project “Pace dei Bimbi” (Peace for Children) has chosen to
care about a village between Bethlehem and Hebron, where the incursions and
abductions of children are part of their all day lives.
thinks here. The project “Pace dei Bimbi” (Peace for Children) has chosen to
care about a village between Bethlehem and Hebron, where the incursions and
abductions of children are part of their all day lives.
For two months we have written stories invented by us
by considering the initial limitations of these children who do not feel free
and are afraid of being put on trial. In the context, the mediation offered by
their teacher Omar revealed itself to be fundamental. Being in front of a
journalist was difficult for them at the beginning, because on one hand they
wanted to trust me, and on the other hand they did not think this trust was
possible. The days passed by, and their smiles started to take shape, and so
did the smile of the small and thin Raiyed, arrested a couple of days ago without
charges, dragged from his home, and wrenched away from the arms of his family.
by considering the initial limitations of these children who do not feel free
and are afraid of being put on trial. In the context, the mediation offered by
their teacher Omar revealed itself to be fundamental. Being in front of a
journalist was difficult for them at the beginning, because on one hand they
wanted to trust me, and on the other hand they did not think this trust was
possible. The days passed by, and their smiles started to take shape, and so
did the smile of the small and thin Raiyed, arrested a couple of days ago without
charges, dragged from his home, and wrenched away from the arms of his family.
Like many other children, Rayied spent 24 hours in
jail, only because his family name is connected to a tradition of resistance
against Israeli occupation. I remember that during my encounters the child who
is only 13 years old talked about stars. For me, his smile is unforgettable,
while he imagined a fabulous story talking about an azure light taking him to
another planet. A planet full of peace and magic animals.
jail, only because his family name is connected to a tradition of resistance
against Israeli occupation. I remember that during my encounters the child who
is only 13 years old talked about stars. For me, his smile is unforgettable,
while he imagined a fabulous story talking about an azure light taking him to
another planet. A planet full of peace and magic animals.
Raiyed knows very well that this will not be his only
trip to jail, and many other visits like this will follow during his life.
However, we perfectly know that psychologically destroying a child by
obligating him to live in fear is much more lethal than any bullet. During my
stay the moments were not rare where the teacher Omar and I were forced to use
makeshift roads because of the blocks around the village because stones had
been thrown from under the shadow of the olive trees surrounding the houses.
Here people live like trapped mice, while deceitful cats, protected from their
own violations of human rights, play dice with these lives and the fear of
their victims fuels their thirst for power and injustice.
trip to jail, and many other visits like this will follow during his life.
However, we perfectly know that psychologically destroying a child by
obligating him to live in fear is much more lethal than any bullet. During my
stay the moments were not rare where the teacher Omar and I were forced to use
makeshift roads because of the blocks around the village because stones had
been thrown from under the shadow of the olive trees surrounding the houses.
Here people live like trapped mice, while deceitful cats, protected from their
own violations of human rights, play dice with these lives and the fear of
their victims fuels their thirst for power and injustice.
Shraeh, a Palestinian man, tells us that during the
last three days three children between 11 and 13 years were arrested at their
homes and also about his brother. He has been in Israeli jail for 16 years now,
without authorisation for family visits. And being visited in jail is an
undeniable right. It is just the right to look at his eyes, the right to smile
at him, and to check his health situation, as we usually do in a so-called
“democratic” country.
last three days three children between 11 and 13 years were arrested at their
homes and also about his brother. He has been in Israeli jail for 16 years now,
without authorisation for family visits. And being visited in jail is an
undeniable right. It is just the right to look at his eyes, the right to smile
at him, and to check his health situation, as we usually do in a so-called
“democratic” country.
There are places in this world more oppressed than
others, but sometimes here young boys are labelled inattentive. They are said
to play with their lives. However, here it is completely normal to imagine a
soldier shooting into the chest of a young boy because he threw a stone and to
hear words of support for the soldiers. And all this is a sign of the tragic
end of human rights. Our world has chosen globalisation, thus replacing the
real value of life and innocence with money.
others, but sometimes here young boys are labelled inattentive. They are said
to play with their lives. However, here it is completely normal to imagine a
soldier shooting into the chest of a young boy because he threw a stone and to
hear words of support for the soldiers. And all this is a sign of the tragic
end of human rights. Our world has chosen globalisation, thus replacing the
real value of life and innocence with money.
