I ask Wajieh if he plans to take the back roads to get to his office in Ramallah tomorrow and he says no. I tell him I don't plan to go to my office in Ramallah either until I was absolutely sure that it is safe. A smiling presenter is telling her audience about the newest movies being shown at Israeli movie theatres. Wajieh and I look at one another and laugh. We live in such a crazy, crazy world.
Life goes on in Israel.
It is as if it is a nation on the other end of the earth that has nothing to do with what happens in the Palestinian territories. It is as if the Israeli soldiers who've been bombarding, shooting, killing and maiming Palestinians these past three weeks are some mercenaries from planet Venus and not part of the nation that occupies us with such brutal force. Hourieh calls in the afternoon to complain of headaches, nightmares and pains in her stomach. I ask her to bring along her three kids so we can go for a walk. Maybe some exercise will help clear our heads.