Journey With Jonathan: Entry #15
Mylo Takes a Bath
A year ago (some of you may remember from my previous reflections), Sami Awad got a poodle for his daughters. Mylo is a lovable, obedient dog who loves to go for car rides and knows how to close the door when ordered to do so. Today, he got a bath. He was thoroughly cleaned, then dried with a hair drier. I wanted to share these pictures with you. In a way, this is the most political “reflection” I have sent so far from my travels. To imagine that there are real human beings, people with children, and yes, dogs, living and surviving in this pressure cooker called Palestine is the most amazing thing.
Alas, today, all the people in Nablus and the surrounding villages are under siege, as are all the people of Jericho. Also, the bridge to Jordan--the only exit to the outside world for most West Bankers--is closed, and those who are travelling are stymied. The person who shot an Isareli settler near Jericho is still at large, as is the person who shot two settlers near Nablus. The fact that the lives of tens of thousands of Palestinians have to be put on hold until they are found and eliminated by Israeli forces is almost never mentioned. Collective punishment is standard practice now, and the same settlers who rampaged through Huwara and its surrounding villages, along with their leaders in the government, are complaining that the current government is “too lenient” on Palestinians and call for yet harsher measures.