Sexism in Palestine

M. tells us that there is a huge respect in Palestine and other countries for “internationals” like us, who, M. says, leave “the comforts from your homes, your education, your work, your families, to come here and suffer with us”. He also says that he feels a lot of respect for all the martyrs, but that he feels a very special respect for Rachel [Corrie, the girl from the USA that was killed while trying to stop the demolition of a Palestinian home by Israeli bulldozers] and Tom [Hurndall, the boy from the UK who was killed while he was trying to protect some small Palestinian girls]. M. looks away and I get the impression that he got to know them both.

When I am a grown-up I want to be a martyr

The original idea was to go to Jerusalem but for different reasons, some of us change our minds. A. is coming and I will like to see him again, this time in occupied Palestine. In any case we take the day off and we decide to go shopping in the main street to support the local economy. I am advised to buy soap, hand made with olive oil.