silent night, holy night...

I spent Christmas in Bethlehem, amid over-dressed cardinals, plastic santa clauses, well armed security guards, too few tourists, and friends. (Here's Elin, visiting from Norway). We ran into peace on the way, in various guises.

Our first dose of peace came on our way to Bethlehem, at the notorious Gilo terminal. To get into Bethlehem, you have to pass through an 8 meter high concrete wall. The Christmas procession with Jerusalem's latin patriarch Michel Sabbah and a bunch of cardinals was escorted through a separate gate, VIP special arrangements. The tourist buses, a sad few this year, were ushered through the car gate with the wave of a hand. The rest of us, local Palestinians and tourists off the beaten track, tried our luck at Gilo.

Gilo terminal is a huge complex, serving as control point for Palestinians travelling between Jerusalem and the southern West Bank. It is also de facto a structure of intimidation and collective punishment. It is a place I prefer to spend as little time as possible, especially on a Christmas Eve. To add to the absurdity, as you step out of the terminal, you are met by a colourful sign, decorating the concrete monster slabs, proclaiming "peace be with you!". Christmas greetings from the Israeli Ministry of Tourism...

Bethlehem Peace Centre offered our second peace scenario. We dawdled around town, for our falafel eating and carol singing, enjoying the charming mix of neon- and not-so-neon Christmas decorations. At Manger Square different programs unfolded, all observed and supervised by the security guards posted on top of the centre.

As a friend commented, it is quite saddening how the Palestinian security policy seems to copy Israeli tactics. Roll out enormous guns, display visibility, and ensure thorough militarisation of society. Christmas greetings from the Palestinian National Guard...

As I stood at Gilo terminal 2:30 that night, coming back from a chaotic Christmas mass, a third peace vision popped up. I imagined Christmas 2007 and his beatitude Michel Sabbah stopping his car in front of the terminal, stepping out amid the crowd of Palestinian pilgrims, confronting his Israeli police escort and the waiting Palestinian guards, and making his way on foot, into this horror of a complex, through the metal detectors (would he have to take off his patriarch cross?) through ID check (would the soldier dare check him? would he be on the list of ususal suspects?). After him would follow an enormous crowd of pilgrims and tourists, throwing the soldiers totally off balance, lifting Palestinians over fences and gates, like a flood of justice.

I'd like to see that. Bethlehem is ready for some real peace soon.