Jews, Arabs, deliver humanitarian aid to Jenin
By Ariga Correspondent Gila Svirsky

April 15, 2002

On Saturday, April 13, a large group of us (at least 5,000 though the Israeli media
reported 3,000) joined a convoy organized by "Ta'ayush: Arab-Jewish
Partnership" to bring humanitarian aid to the devastated town of Jenin.
People poured out their hearts and pockets, and an amazing 31 truckloads
of water, food, medicines, blankets, and clothes were collected. Thanks
to the generosity of the Urgent Action Fund, we in the Coalition of Women
for a Just Peace were also able to purchase and add a very large quantity
of sanitary napkins, diapers, and wet wipes.

We were a mixed group of Arabs and Jews, women and men, from a dozen or so
Israeli peace organizations, and we gathered at a highway junction in the
Jezreel Valley of Israel. It was a hot Saturday, but we loaded the trucks
and walked the final 2 miles to the border where the Jenin checkpoint is
located. This was quite an impressive array of peace activists, carrying
signs and chanting slogans as we walked along the pastoral country road.
The loudest chants came when we passed a military camp. As soldiers came
to the fence to watch the "parade", marchers began to chant at them "The
occupation is terrorism; refuseniks are heroes". It rhymes in Hebrew, but
could not have been amusing for them to hear.

When we reached the checkpoint, Ta'ayush representatives negotiated with
the Israeli army to allow the goods to enter. The presence of thousands
of us right there was a good source of pressure on the army, and finally
the last of the trucks passed through and were met by our Palestinian
colleagues. Our job done, we all went home.

Then the news began to arrive: The Israeli army did allow the trucks to
pass through, but were keeping them at the checkpoint. Thus, despite the
critical situation inside Jenin, the Palestinians were not allowed to
bring in these desperately needed supplies of food and water. Ta'ayush
lawyers and activists did everything in their power, and finally the army
announced that it would allow UN trucks to move the goods. The UN was
contacted, and they allocated 2 trucks to the task. The problem is, 2
trucks can remove only 30 tons a day, and 300 tons await transport. (This
includes an additional 10 truckloads from a previous convoy, also held
up.) At this rate, it would take 10 days...and untold further suffering.


We're still working on increasing the transport capacity. Meanwhile, on
this evening's state-sponsored TV program, an Israeli army spokesman, when
asked about the distress of the Jenin residents, said that the army is
"making every effort" to allow in humanitarian aid. To illustrate, he
showed a film clip of our march on Saturday and a soldier "directing" the
transfer of goods through the checkpoint.

This is the face of cruelty, and its cover-up.

Gila Svirsky
Jerusalem

P.S. You can see pictures of this and other actions at the Coalition of
Women for a Just Peace website:
http://www.coalitionofwomen4peace.org

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