The Killings in Gaza: A West Bank Story

Remember that day seven years ago. That day where all of a sudden everything you knew just seemed to fall apart, where shock and uncertainty where the only things left to cling to. 9/11... we all know where we were and more importantly how we felt.
12/27 or 27/12 was such a day too. The Palestinian version of 9/11. As anyone that hasn't slept in a cave for the past few days knows, Israel has relentlessly attacked Gaza, killing around 250 people on the first day only. It has been the bloodiest day in decades and came without warning (although there were many signs that Israel was planning a large attack on Gaza).

I freezed to the ground as I heard what was going on, my eyes stuck to the television in front of me. Is this for real? Is this really happening? Are they really bombing the hell out of Gaza?

Gaza is not that far away from here, but seeing those images it was worlds away. Fathers dragging the dead bodies of their little children through the streets. Piles of bodies inside the small rooms of the hospital, because there wasn't any room to put the bodies. At first I thought it was a pile of cloths, until I saw a hand sticking out. Crying women, crying children, smoke, people running, people screaming, the sound of ambulances, destruction and dust everywhere.... the clear image of a warzone.

At the same time, it wasn't worlds away at all. It was happening right here and right now. Life completely came to a stop inside the entire West Bank. Everyone automatically seemed to abide by an invisible curfew: a curfew of compassion. Sitting in front of the television trying to get an idea of what was going in Gaza. Sadly Israel was not only bombing Gaza, Israel was bombing the minds of all Palestinian people.
I suddenly remembered a facebook quote of a Palestinian boy from Nablus, saying something like: Every people live in their own countries. The Palestinian people are not allowed to live in their own country, the country lives in them. Palestine truly exists in the mind of the Palestinian people. From the faces of people I could tell that it wasn't Gaza that was being torn to pieces, it was them, their dream of Palestine that was torn apart inside their heads. Memories of the second and first Intifada became vivid again, old wounds...

The so-called Hamas-Fatah divide seemed to have ceased to be of any importance. One people, one enemy, one struggle. As the death toll rose the people began to look more and more depressed. Everywhere you go and everyone you talk to, it's all about Gaza. Often without even mentioning a word, Gaza is the topic, Gaza is just around us all in these past two days... it doesn't have to be named to be present.

Many people have stopped asking 'how are you?' and no-one says fine anymore. Not so good, not too fine are now the universal answers. Israel pledged that this was just the beginning, but everyone felt that already. This is really the beginning, but whether Israel will be able to control the outcome remains to be seen. The tension can be felt. Israel has gone too far this time. What will happen? It is all uncertain. That Israel will do whatever it takes is the only thing that is quite certain, because Israel has never shown much restraint in its wars. It certainly didn't show any restraint when it came to Lebanon in 2006.

But what will the consequences of the Israeli actions be?
There have been protests in Ramallah and other West Bank cities such as Hebron. There was also a protest in Nablus but it was rather small. Next to that there have been mass demonstrations all over the Arab world, in countries such as Yemen, but also in France and the U.K. Is this a sign? It might just as well not be.

There has been a period of national mourning imposed. All the shops were closed, although many of them were still doing business, even though they pretended to be closed. Instead of opening all the iron doors as is normally done, they only opened one. That's the Palestinian difference between a closed shop and an open one. But what will be done by the Palestinians and their so-called authority after this period of mourning?

A shitload of tanks has been mobilized at the military base outside of Huwarra checkpoint. Is an invasion of Nablus at stake? Rumours have been going through the city about it. But it might just as well be 'a security measure' or a deterrent', a measure of intimidation. Nothing is certain. That's the feeling that remains, even after the smog of the first few days has started to come down and things are starting to become more clear. 12/27 is really just another 9/11.... a major terror attack that imposed on us feelings of uncertainty.