CPTnet
January 3, 2002
HEBRON: The Things You Don't Want to Hear

by Greg Rollins

Maybe it hasn't happened to many people, but if it happens to one person, it
is too many.

We were in a meeting when a Palestinian friend who is a lawyer told us about
three people to whom it had happened. The Israelis at the meeting moaned and
shifted in their seats.

The first time I heard about it a Palestinian human rights reporter who
lives in Hebron asked me if I had any details. All he had was the story and
a name. In a city of 130,000 people that isn't enough to go on. I told my
friend I knew nothing.

Later I heard the story from other people. Our translators, friends on the
street, reporters, even the United States consulate called to see if we
could confirm the story. "Maybe this is the hot rumor right now," I thought,
because I didn't want to believe someone could actually do that. The trouble
with the stories you hear in war zones is you think no one could ever do
"that." But in conflict, "that" often turns out to be fact.

The other day a friend introduced me to his cousin. His cousin lives in one
of the neighborhoods where this had happened. He said he knows several
people who where hurt this way. I asked him if he could introduce me to a
few of them and he told me I was welcome any time. I do not yet have the
courage to make the call. I should. I need to. If this is true, people need
know.

If I do believe that this has happened, I add to my shoulders one more
weight of this occupation. One more thing I can't forget. One more reason my
eyes close tight. Then again, to me it is just a story. It will be with the
people to whom it happened for the rest of their lives.

Israeli border police stop a Palestinian man. They hold out several small
pieces of paper and tell him to pick one. The Palestinian does. On the paper
is the name of a body part. The police then break that part of the
Palestinian's body.