Words from Palestine

Yesterday I went to the Museum of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The building itself is a monument – a MASSIVE monument. It is sort of like a huge open clamshell on a base the size of a football field or two. You walk up into the clamshell then descend down into it to get to the museum. But the museum inside is very small and unremarkable-some uniforms, guns and medals from various eras. What was most interesting was the military personnel who are stationed around the Museum. After looking around inside, I walked around the outside of the monument, then went back to the car to wait for Dana and Mary*. A soldier nearby got a chair for me from the guardhouse, set down his machine gun, hung his hat on the barrel and offered me a cigarette. As a rule we do not smoke out in public, but for the sake of being polite, I accepted. He lit my cigarette and then I showed him the cigarettes I had and he tried one. He really liked it, so I gave him the rest of the pack. He was so touched that I would give him my cigarettes that he insisted I take his. When Mary and Dana came back he offered Mary a cigarette and Dana got a picture of him lighting it. It is amazing how easy it is to make friends with “the enemy” if one takes a moment to be human. If only the people in high places would do the same.

*Dana Visalli and Mary Schoen, IPT members.