Grand Valley Review Volume 6 | Issue 1 Article 4 1-1-1990 Both Sides of the Green Line James Goode Grand Valley State University Follow this and additional works at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr Recommended Citation Goode, James (1990) "Both Sides of the Green Line," Grand Valley Review: Vol. 6: Iss. 1, Article 4. Available at: http://scholarworks.gvsu.edu/gvr/vol6/iss1/4 This Article is brought to you for free and open access by ScholarWorks@GVSU. It has been accepted for inclusion in Grand Valley Review by an authorized administrator of ScholarWorks@GVSU. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Both Sides of the Green Line JAMES GOODE July 29, 1990 Orientation at a small, cozy hotel in Foggy Bottom, not far from the State Depart­ ment. Fourteen academics from around the country, all with some experience in the Middle East, make up our group. In preparation for our study tour to Israel and the Occupied Territories, U.S. officials, Palestinian and Israeli representatives present a series of excellent briefings. A former adviser to Henry Kissinger, now a private con­ sultant, reports that the United States has neglected and abused Jordan because of its close ties to Iraq. King Hussein is "turning back to his people." Anti-Americanism in Amman is more blatant than ever before. The United States does not have a Middle East policy but rather a domestic American policy about the Middle East, with little concern for people in the region. A Palestinian professor reports that the number of deaths (1,000) of his people during the Intifada, which began in November, 1987, is comparable to twice the number of American deaths in ten years of war in Vietnam. An Israeli journalist explains that the Israeli public is fed up with the Intifada and gives it little attention, because it is disturbing to them in a moral sense and they E focus instead on the Soviet Jewish immigrants. Over coffee one of our group tells us of an in-flight meeting with an old friend, who is running for Congress as a liberal Democrat. After A1 revealed his destination and purpose, the would-be congressman explained that he was meeting with members F of the "Israeli" lobby whom he hoped would lend him their financial support. At dinner two colleagues question whether or not Palestinians deserve a nation be­ cause of their chronic disunity prior to the uprising. This triggers debate, but no consensus. 8 July 30 More briefings. Reaching saturation point by midday. Several speakers declare that history is useless in the present situation because it inflames passions. [We hear this again and again in the ensuing days.] A Palestinian speaks of women in the Intifada. 4 . Grand v"alley Review 4 Huleh Syria A . .-. -...,. Der'o .1 lrbid ~ • . ~ :tte Depart­ '"'\._ ...... lence in the B ·ael and the ~s present a private con­ Zerqo• ecause of its ~ricanism in • c tve a Middle Ammon st, with little f his people JORDAN 0 to twice the Kerok • Intifada and nse and they E E ,d friend. who ~stination and ~ith members F F 1pport. Mo'on I .1e a nation be­ Egypt kbate, but no e G 0 10 20 30 ers declare that MILES ;. [We hear this in the Intifada. 2 3 4 Grand 1-alley Re1·jew · 5 She argues that sacrifice, not fulfillment, is the key to women's liberation in the West benignlydm Bank. American feminism is too ethnocentric, she adds, and must change its at­ for tardiness. titudes toward women of the Third World. At the end of the two days, I am dan's frustrat reminded of the fable of the six blind men and the elephant, for our speakers have Americansw presented differing, sometimes conflicting, views on the Intifada_ War ended, t negotiations July 31 Soviet Jewist Departed New York City at midnight on Royal]ordanian Airlines. I awake about the region w two hours out of Amman with the faint scent of rosewater in the air. Every seat on strength of I~ the jumbo jet is taken. Of the Arab women passengers only half wear traditional revert to God dress, the rest Western dresses. The plane lands on time and we move quickly through customs. In the arrival lounge, some women send up joyous ululations Ne:x1:, the fore upon the appearance of a bearded Arab elder in traditional garb; their menfolk but presentin respectfully kiss his hand. Outside a young Jordanian, hurrying along with friends, down and eve drops his parcel; it shatters, and for a moment the desert air is redolent of fine scotch. or another. A tone here is s Our modern hotel perches atop one of Amman's many hills. The tour escort, Profes­ menton thev sor Lou Cantori, who has just returned from Baghdad via Egypt escorting another the Euphrates group, is there to greet us. \'Ve first met in Cairo in 1987 and he seems to have lost to be more ev, none of his love for the Middle East. After a delicious buffet of Arab dishes, grilled bmb, rice, piquant vegetable stews, we assemble with two other groups-Protestant The afternoor ministers and university geographers-who are also crossing the Jordan River in the headquarters ne:\.1: few days. Touring the Occupied Territories appears to be a thriving trade. about camet ~ the hilltop a q1 A Palestinian neurosurgeon, who works at Makassad hospital in East Jerusalem. tells cort us to the . of the lamentable health situation in the Occupied Territories, too few hospitals and Chastened, we medical personnel, too little finance from the Israeli government. The Intifada's casualties have put impossible strains on medical services. He explains that "rubber" In the evening bullets are actually metal, coated with a thin layer of rubber and that along with the jured of the In "pbstic" variety-an amalgam of metals-they can be lethal if used at less than fifty rassingly ama meters. \'Ve examine a collection of shrapnel removed from patients and view slides should start m of the wounded. He criticizes the United States for shipping so much tear gas to Is­ comments. rael. August 2 Later, Lou informs us that violence is increasing in the West Bank with the whole Early departu region slipping into militancy. He has this on the authority of well-informed friends thousand feet t in Cairo. "Let's not kid ourselves," he adds. "We're going into a war zone." Hyperbole? TI1e tinv but fa \'V'e can soon judge for ourselves. the riv~r. wh everywhere. Ir August 1 with rows ofb Early morning finc:ls us at the Jordanian foreign ministry. We wait for the director ]UDEAANDSi seated around aU-shaped table with the youngish-looking monarch peering 6 · Grand 1·'alley Re1·iew )n in the West benignly down on us from a faded portrait. Mr. Bilbeisi arrives with many apologies change its at­ for tardiness. Tea and coffee are served to all as is the custom. Our host reveals Jor­ vo days, I am dan's frustration with Israel and the United States. His government thought that the speakers have Americans would press harder for a settlement with the Palestinians once the Cold War ended, but it has not. The United States kept Jordan in the dark concerning its negotiations with the Palestine Liberation Organization. Jordan does not oppose Soviet Jewish immigration to Israel but knows that limited economic resources in I awake about the region will lead to shortchanging the Palestinians. Regarding the increasing Every seat on strength of Islamic parties in the region, he remarks, "When people lose faith they ~ar traditional revert to God." move quickly :=>us ululations Ne:x1:, the foreign ministry's department of Palestinian affairs only a few blocks away, their menfolk but presenting a strikingly different atmosphere. The small building appears run­ g with friends, down and every room is crowded with Palestinians seeking one kind of assistance . of fine scotch. or another. A television crew waits to record our meeting for the evening news. The tone here is shriller. Dr. Ahmad Qatanani informs us that the Israelis have a state­ · escort, Profes­ ment on the wall of the Knesset proclaiming that their land e:x1:ends from the Nile to :=>rting another the Euphrates. Later, he softens, explaining that Jordan only wants the United St::ttes ns to have lost to be more evenhanded, not pro-Arab and anti-Israeli. · dishes, grilled Ips-Protestant The afternoon is free for a walk to the main bazaar. En route \Ve espy the imposing lan River in the headquarters of Jordan's general intelligence agency. We have been cautioned ing trade. about camet as but two of our group cannot resist taking shots of the complex from the hilltop a quarter mile away. Suddenly, soldiers appear as if from nowhere ::tnd es­ Jerusalem, tells cort us to the main gate. Guards open the offending cameras and remove the film. N hospitals and Chastened, we depart. Traveling in groups, I remember. can be troublesome. The Intifada 's llS that "rubber" In the evening our doctor friend returns to show a locally produced video on the in­ along with the jured of the Intifada. How would it play in the United States? 'I he product is emb::tr­ lt less than fifty rassingly amateurish. Politely, we suggest changes, which altogether indicate he and view slides should start over. If he is discouraged he hides it well, thanking us w::trrnly for our h tear gas to Is- comments. August 2 with the whole Early departure for Jerusalem.