Today me and my friend took the bus to east Jerusalem from Abu Dis. It took around 40 minutes. This seemingly unremarkable journey is something which most people in Abu Dis can no longer do. It made me think about what a terrible injustice the separation wall is. East Jerusalem is absolutely central to the lives of the people of Abu Dis - in religious, cultural, family and economic terms. And yet most are unable to travel there unless they have a permit from Israel for very specific reasons.
In east Jerusalem we went to see the Palestinian family in Sheikh Jarrah (see pictures above) who have been evicted from their home by Israeli settlers, backed up by the Israeli police and courts. The family had lived in the house since 1956. Now they live on the road outside in protest at the settlers who now live in their home. Everyday Friday their is a large protest outside the home, including many internationals who have heard about the case.
I also found a great book shop in east Jerusalem which stocked (amongst other things) one of the best books you can read on Israel/Palestine, The Myths of Zionism by John Rose. You can purchase a copy of this book from the best bookshop in the world www.bookmarks.uk.com
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