Leaving Jerusalem

On Sunday, I left Jerusalem and flew from Tel Aviv/Ben Gurion to Zurich/Switzerland. I arrived Sunday night late in Bienne where I am residing for the next two weeks. The weather is grey and rainy and cool; a big contrast with Israel/Palestine.

I took a cab going to the airport and traveled the same road I had taken 6 weeks earlier when I arrived, only in the other direction. Again, looking at the landscape, I am struck by the good portion of the road that is surrounded by the Wall; we are crossing the Green Line and driving on occupied land. It is hard to ignore the Wall and the watchtowers and the fence and the barbwire: usual signs of the military occupation and in this case, a pretty good indicator that the road has been built on stolen fields. You can click on the map above and see the details of the roads between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv crossing the Green Line.

Aside from the highway system that already takes Palestinian land, the projected fast-train line linking Tel Aviv to Jerusalem will be crossing the Green Line in two different places; the Wall has been built already to allow for this construction. Several organizations are fighting to prevent this construction, but when you look at the site, it seems to be under good progress. However, when I arrive in Switzerland early May, I heard on the news that the German national train company had withdrawn from the construction project, acknowledging it as illegal. A victory for many lobbyists!

What worries me though is the idea that millions of tourists every year drive this road without paying attention to its path and environment. If only people inquired about what they see on this road, it would maybe make a difference. And it is to fear that once they travel by (fast) train, there will be even less chances for them to notice anything.

I am leaving Jerusalem, driving to Tel Aviv, and my last glance at this land is stopped by the Wall, lost in its grey… and I am praying that people will see it.

*Detailed dossier on the A1 project with maps under the title "Crossing the Line": http://www.whoprofits.org/Articles.ph/
*Website to campaign against the train line: http://stopthattrain.org/?category_name=news/
*Article from the Financial Times bout the German DB: http://www.bdsmovement.net/2011/db-exits-a1-6985/