May 24, 2002

The Same Old Stuff

[Bethlehem, Palestine] Although I haven't heard much about it in the news recently, the situation here is the same -- Israeli soldiers are still invading the West Bank and Palestinian bombers are still attacking Israeli targets.

A trusted friend not prone to exaggeration (as I am) told me that two evenings ago he counted twelve tanks (or APCs) in his area around Bethlehem. Three of the machines passed his home during the night, staying in Bethlehem for a couple of hours before returning. Recently there have been a lot of stories of these "pinpoint" strikes along the West Bank. This evening my neighbor told me that an Israeli APC was stationed along the road well into Bethlehem (in Area C). Rumors abound about another serious Israeli incursion into the area in the near future.

And on the other side, Palestinian suicide bombers have struck four times in Israel this week, after a two-week break in such attacks. Israeli police said an intended suicide car-bomb attack on a crowded Tel Aviv night club was stopped early Friday by a guard who shot the driver as he drove toward it.

So nothing new to offer -- it's just the same old stuff.