The Bush-Capades

I am finally posting my long-awaited review of the day in Palestine when ...

On Thursday, January 10th, 2008, George W.B., along with 1700 US Soldiers, took their 1st trip to the WB, the West Bank, Palestine, the place over 4 million refugees and expatriates, including myself, call home. Not only did Bush bring 1700 US personnel along, but all the employed Palestinian police, army, and security forces were on duty that day. It was like a national holiday. All shops in downtown Ramallah (Al Manara) were required to close. The forces roaming Ramallah were doing everything at all costs to stop opposition to the President we all hate, not just in Ramallah, but in all the West Bank.
Those living in the streets surrounding the Muqat'a, the Palestinian President's headquarters, were forbidden to leave their homes or even look out the window. They were warned that they would be shot at if they did so. All the nearby streets were closed. Oh, yes, and schools were closed as well for this ... day.
As I woke up late and began walking toward the center of town with my laptop bag, sans laptop, I was stopped by a jeep full of Palestinian army men. They asked if they could talk to me for a minute and then the man in the passenger seat got out and asked if I had anything in my bag. I said yes. (I don't normally carry big bags without anything in them, I was thinking.) He asked me what was in it. I said notebooks (telling the complete truth), want to see? I opened my bag, looked at him dumbfounded, and then he appologized and returned to his seat. I set off walking, a bit frazzled, as they drove away. (At this time I was unaware of the security measures I described above).
As I walked on, I realized, a bit slow on hte uptake as usual, that my big bag had suspect written all over it and that I could have possibly been plotting to kill Bush or something. I guess it's a good idea I didn't plot ahead of time, as much as it sounds like a great idea looking back. I've never been that close to Bush! I arrive uptown disappointed ...
Not only was there no protest, which I later found out the reason for, but the only people who were there silently holding up signs were foreigners. Obviously non-Palestinian, native speakers of English, German, etc., and they were holding up signs about peace, "Bush = Terrorist," and one that completely irritated me which said, "Our Freedom Is NOT For Sale." A great message, yes, I agree, but shouldn't that message be coming from Palestinians who actually own the land that should not be for sale and not foreign activists? I was PISSED! Where were the PALESTINIANS??
I later found out where they were. The Palestinian protesters were stopped before they could even start. Two of my friends were planning to just pump up hundreds of black balloons to release upon Bush's arrival around 11am, but they were stopped in the place that was pumping them up, were physically searched, and had their hawiyyas (or ID cards) taken; all this dome by Palestinian police. (How did they know where they would be pumping?? Talk about secret service ...) All of the protests throughout the West Bank were instantly smothered, Gaza being the only region to take a stand against Bush's visit. Could this be a divide and conquer tactic? I am uncertain, but now I will pose more questions for you to ponder.:

1. Why can foreigners speak on behalf of Palestinians, but Palestinians can't speak on behalf of Palestinians?
2. If the Palestinian President, or anyone in the world for that matter, came to DC to speak with the US President, would work close? School close? Would people be threatened of leaving their homes or looking out windows? Would protests be stifled? (Shu? Bafakruna klab? - What? They think we're dogs?)
3. Why does the US worship Israel when their government allowed and didn't stop protests against Bush's meetings with Palestine and Israel? Why were Israelis allowed to work and go to school?
4. Why did Bush go out of his way to pay a visit to the graves of Israelis but refused to visit Yaser Arafat's grave when he was only 15 meters away? (It was literally 15 meters, for I was in the headquarters with a Presidential guard member just days after his arrival where he showed me how everything happened.)
5. After Ramallah Bush went to Bethlehem. Actually, he went to the Church of the Nativity. When asked cordially but the Minister of Tourism on Palestine multiple times to walk around Bethlehem, take a look at the wall, and get a better feel for what Palestinians live like, he REFUSED! Not that I'm optimistic in any way, but how much can Bush help the Palestinian people if he doesn't even care to know their conditions?