Refugee Camp in Tulkarm

December 23

Vidar and I walked over to the Tulkarm Refugee Camp in the late afternoon.  The camp was established in 1950 by the United Nations on land leased from Jordan.  It is located within the town of Tulkarm and houses over 18,000 refugees, some of whom have resided here their entire lives.  You can read more about it by checking this url:  http://www.unrwa.org/etemplate.php?id=122 

The director of support services met us at the local hospital and he walked with us to the resource center of the camp.  Even though there are no signs to indicate the actual borders of the camp, it is quite apparent when walking through it.  It is a very densely populated area with buildings and streets in need of repair.  There are some small shops with a few pieces of merchandise on display. 

The men’s conversation group meets at the resource center.  There were about 7 men and a 15 year old boy present.  Also present was a woman named Suhair who is the director of the women’s resource center.  We met in the room that has several commercial sewing machines.  We started the group by introducing ourselves, telling a little bit about our families and saying one thing each of us was interested in.  Everyone in the group knew some English. 

One man who works at the camp has shared with me on another occasion about his past life.  He is from a Palestinian family of 6 boys and 3 girls.  His sisters are deceased and he didn’t go into any discussion about the circumstances of their death.  He shared with me in a private conversation that there was a period of 6 years when he was detained in prison due to an action on his part as a young adult.  Many Palestinian men have been arrested at some point in their lives either for throwing rocks or showing aggression towards soldiers. 

This man said he was beaten many times while in prison and now suffers back and shoulder pain because of it.  After his release from prison he somehow managed to turn his life around and he went on to college and has learned English as well.  He is very proud of his accomplishments and says he is setting an example for his own children who are 5, 7 and 8 years old. 

We plan on holding conversations weekly at the Tulkarm Refugee Camp.



1000 year old olive tree



Well, I will write more upon my return from Bethlehem.  We are very, very excited to travel to Bethlehem.  And unlike Mary and Joseph, we do have reservations in the Bethlehem Inn.  ;)

Susanne