Elyse:
“I had many expectations of what I would see when I got here but I didn’t know what I would feel. While here in Israel/Palestine, Israel bombed Beirut; killed Palestinians while reoccupying Gaza; and continued to demolish homes, expand settlements, and build the Wall — right under our noses. All this supported by US dollars and a complicity of silence throughout most of the world. What we did here was one small thing for a short time. It won’t change the world or end the occupation. But it changed hearts, including mine. I learned an enormous amount about pain, patience, humiliation, endurance, arrogance, anger, pushing and stretching oneself. I will need a long time to process what happened here, and I look forward to sharing what I learned with others. I am very grateful for having been part of these amazing two weeks.”

Arthur:
“It’s been an extraordinary fortnight, an emotional roller-coaster. It’s been great to do something practical, putting a very different fact on the ground. I’ve enjoyed meeting and talking to everyone and I’ve learnt a lot. We have much to do when we get back.”

Alec:
“To build a house as a ‘human rights’ statement was a wonderful experience. Twenty-seven men and women from twenty years to sixty-seven, from seven countries discovered the wonderful enthusiasm of a team of Palestinians and Jews. We discovered that respect for others and working together make the best holidays. Completing a house in two weeks allowed me to hear about the horrors imposed on a peace loving people by a ruthless occupier. The Palestinians taught me a lesson in human dignity and friendship in the midst of hardship. Thank you for making me a better person.”

Jessica:
“It is one thing to hear about house demolitions and the suffering of Palestinians who live their lives under occupation. It is quite another to see it up close, to talk to families who have suffered and endured. Letters to editors, articles and demonstrations at our own Governments who support Israeli policies certainly help bring awareness. But there is nothing like being here, working to right a horrendous injustice as a way of acting, and doing so in an effective and tangible way. It is now our obligation to tell the world their stories so that we can all work together to end Israeli injustice.”

Jeff W and Barbara:
“I am glad I came to the ICAHD camp. It allowed me to make a political statement against the occupation by symbolically reversing one home demolition. The camp provides a forum to do something physical - build a house. A second benefit of the camp is the opportunity to get to know Jeff Halper, Terry Bulatta, Ilan Pappe, Ziad Awaysi and Zahira Kamal and others who have inspiring and sophisticated ideas. A third benefit is to spend some time with others who share my views of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

Bruce:
“The world came together for a few days - East and West; North America, Europe, Asia; Jews and Palestinians. And there was no fighting. Only joy and shared labour and the “salaam” that comes when differences don’t matter and when a Palestinian family gets to move back into their home. May the walls of this home stand firm for many years and may other, much taller walls crumble very soon.”

Esther:
“This has been humbling - the generous and patient spirit of the Palestinians, the courage of Israelis/Jews to speak truth, the complicity of my government in perpetuating evil, my privileged life and how little I can do. I am taking home a huge responsibility to make at least a small difference.”

Judith:
“I think now I have a bit of an impression of how people live here…..the construction workers sleeping on the roof of the building site, children playing between the rubble piles of demolished houses, garbage on the streets and sheep eating that garbage before it is burned, the kindness of people offering what they have. I love to spend time with people that I can learn from. This has been a rich experience and seeing a house built in two weeks was fascinating.”

Roberta:
“Jeff Halper asked a question at the end of the camp: ‘So what?’ Exactly. So what? I go home and life resumes. So what? But my life has been irrevocably changed. I have come to love a land and a people whom I can never forget, and somehow somewhere I need to share this. That’s what.”

Martin:
“Between the roses and the thorns,
My heart was gladdened and torn.
Amid the rocks and the rubble,
The spirit knows the world’s in trouble.
I wipe my tears and start again,
And seek the peace
Found in justice and new beginning.”