"I (Phil) traveled from Jerusalem to Ramallah and meet four members of the Palestinian Legislative Council. On the return journey the check points were closed probably because of the street fighting around the El Aqsa Mosque after the occupation authorities closed the mosque and sent in the riot squad (or maybe just because they felt like doing it). We circled the city to find an open check point back to Jerusalem the 15 kilometer journey took about an hour.
"
"Nablus is just recovering from the 2002 invasion that destroyed much of the ancient old city. These buildings have slowly been restored. The old city has many monuments to the people that died in the 2002 invasion/reoccupation. The narrow streets of the old city were the centre of the resistance and to over come opposition the Israeli army bulldozed a path into the old town square to clear the way for the tanks. They do not give warnings and this monument commemorates seven members of one family that were killed in their home. 1000 people have died since 2000 and 80% of them have been civilians"
"…many people in the camp have seen thousands of delegations over the years and nothing has improved and their return to Palestine remains a distant dream."
— excerpts from Phil’s messages on Facebook.
Of the thirteen members of the APHEDA Australian delegation to Gaza Strip the three Australian Arabs of the delegation were refused entry by the Israeli authorities at the Erez crossing. They were Yusuf Douer Souheir Edelbi and Philip Monsour. No reason was given.
10 Mar 2010. Read More
I have just heard that Phil (Monsour) and others on that tour with Arabic names were refused entry into Gaza with the rest of the group (per David Forde 10/3/10).
“…many people in the camp have seen thousands of delegations over the years and nothing has improved and their return to Palestine remains a distant dream.”
This is the nature of “solidarity”.
I am sure many people in Australia think they are helping the Palestinian struggle by supporting these tourist programs but the only people who benefit from them are the tourists themselves and their supporters at home.
Solidarity tourists can certainly bring back stories of oppression and struggle but, if we have ears to hear, the Palestinian resistance is quite capable of telling its own stories.