CPTnet
1 March 2006

HEBRON: Good Samaritan alive and well in Hebron

by Jerry Levin

Last month, CPT got a call that no one was expecting. In a cordial voice, a
Palestinian man asked "Is there a person named Sarah missing a computer?"

"Yes," was the urgent reply. CPTer Sarah Mac Donald was indeed missing her
Apple computer. It was one of four stolen from the CPT apartment late last
year. (See 8 January 2006 CPTnet release, "HEBRON: Israeli military invades
CPT apartment, arrests team; team computers stolen.)

Attempts to get back burglarized equipment in the past have not ended
satisfactorily. But now a stranger was describing accurately one of the
missing machines. He said his name was Sam and he was calling from a
computer store run by a friend where he had just encountered a couple of men
trying to sell it secondhand. Sam said he used to be in the computer
business and as a result was certain the machine was stolen goods. Wanting
to get a look inside to see if he could find out to whom the machine
belonged, he told the men that he was interested. Looking through the
e-mail file, he found messages to Sarah along with a local cell phone number
that he then called.

He wanted to know if it really was stolen and whether he should pay
something to get it back. The men, he said, had started out asking for 2,000
shekels (about $435) but that he was sure he could get it for much less.

Suspicious of the affable caller's story, CPTer Jerry Levin asked, "How much
will we have to pay?"

"About 200 shekels," was the answer. "It's an old machine, and I told the
men that's all they would be able to get for it. Should I do it?"

Levin took Sam's phone number and said CPT would get back to him. After
deciding that 200 ($43) was well worth it, CPTer Tracey Hughes made
arrangements to meet Sam and redeem the machines.

Sam in person seemed pleasant. Showing his business card, he said that he is
in Hebron visiting his family. These days he is from Fort Worth, Texas and
Bergen, Norway with citizenship and businesses in both countries. After the
introductions, he turned the computer over to the CPTers, who gave him 200
shekels in exchange.

But then he gave the money back and insisted that CPT keep it. "I did this
for you," he said. "We Palestinians appreciate what you are doing. Please
come and have dinner with my family before I go back to American next week.
I know they would like to meet you and thank you for your work."