Hamid
2008 October 7
Hamid (not his real name) was one of the first citizens of Hebron to welcome CPT when we first arrived. “During the first Intifada (“Shaking off”, 1987 – 1992) the people of Hebron had no trust in foreigners. The first time I took CPT to see an apartment for rent, the landlord threatened to beat me with a stick. The early CPTers suffered a lot from Hebronites. They worked so hard. Now CPT is considered part of our Hebron community.
“The Israeli soldiers here used to come from normal, healthy families. They wanted to please their families, so they treated us with respect. Now the soldiers come from settler families, who encourage them to abuse us. They are not raised in a caring, human environment.
“It’s not their fault they are raised this way. I learned to forgive from CPT. No God – neither Jewish, Christian, nor Muslim – wants us to kill. Many Palestinians now feel hopeless. But I thank God for my suffering. It has made me very strong, and my life very interesting.”
When Yehuda Shaul came to Hebron as a military commander, he was a devout orthodox Jew. One day Hamid spoke to Yehuda, “You are not a good Jew. You allow your soldiers to harass and humiliate and oppress us.” Eight months later, Yehuda phoned Hamid, “May I visit with you?”
In 2004 Yehuda and other soldiers erected a display of their photos and stories from their “service” in Hebron. After some months, the Israeli government shut the display down. But hundreds of soldiers had already stepped forward to add their photos and stories. They call themselves ‘Breaking the Silence’, because of the silence about the occupation. It has become somewhat of a ‘truth and reconciliation commission’ for Israeli soldiers.
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