The land between the Mediterranean and the River Jordan (Eretz Israel or Palestine, as you wish) is a land of many true stories. Stories that seem like they cannot possibly be simultaneously true. I think that is why it is hard to hear some of the stories. They fly in the face of the stories we already know to be true. And yet, it turns out that, sadly, people can be both oppressed and oppressor. If you, like me, are a partisan, have ties to one group or other in this land, then it may be a challenge for you to hear some of these true stories. For me this trip was a culmination of a slow process which took many years and is on-going; the process of facing that challenge of hearing the stories which contradict my idea of how things are. If you want to read a bit more about me and what compelled me to take this trip, you can read my brief personal essay here.

One thing that makes it difficult to discuss this conflict is language. For example there is a barrier which the state of Israel is constructing. Israel refers to it as a security fence, and Palestinians refer to it as an apartheid wall. I have to choose words to use in order to continue telling this story, and as I do some readers will be so alienated they will stop reading. The lack of a neutral lexicon permeates this conflict. Some will think I've been a coward for referring to the West Bank, as opposed to Palestine. Others would stop reading immediately if I used the word Palestine. I've tried to be as cautious as possible in my word choice while still fulfilling my goal of communication and respect for the truth as I have witnessed it and as I understand it. I hope you'll read on even if you think my word choice is insulting and ignorant.

I went on this trip with an agenda. I went to hear the stories of Palestinians. I am an American Jew. As an American I help finance the state of Israel (it is the number one recipient of U.S. foreign aid), and as a Jew, Israel offers to be my homeland. I came to learn what is being done in my name. In this website I try to share with you what I learned during my trip. It is not an attempt to give a balanced report on all of the stories of that land. I have no interviews with settlers, or other right-wing Israelis. I trust that you will find ample sources if you choose to seek out those stories, and I do not discourage you from doing so.

One more note. We were not able to visit Gaza. From everything I heard from Palestinians and Israeli activists the situation in Gaza is extremely dire. I only mention Gaza in passing in this website. This is because I do not have firsthand knowledge, not because it does not deserve our attention.