From my Cairo roomie, who likely likes Rumi, Kayvan Farchadi:
Dear All, It is hard to express the last week or so in any concise way: I have been held for 12 hours by Israeli security personnel on the Jordanian/Palestinian border, interrogated and searched thoroughly, interrogated for a total of 8 hours by Jordanian Mukhaberat (in Persian, no less), and moved by buses with blacked-out windows to a total of two 'secret' locations. The US embassy, though very cordial, told me they can be of no assistance. I found that a bit odd, and wondered if 'American-Americans' (read: whitewashed Americans) would get the same response, but I brushed these questions aside and took each grueling experience as an opportunity to learn about how these security apparatuses function. They are, of course, a very real and constant part of many peoples' lives. Currently, I am in Amman, Jordan acting as more or less of a tourist. I have talked with a host of cab drivers, Jordanians, Palestinians, NGO staff, smugglers, architects, soldiers, police officers, liquor store owners, Muslims, Christians, etc during my time here. Yes, I saw the sites. Meanwhile, I have been staying with a Palestinian friend I met in Egypt and his family. Perhaps the most important thing I have come to understand though our conversations is the role of Palestinians in Jordan. Palestinian refugees and their children make up at least half of the citizens of Jordan (not to mention Queen Rania is of Palestinian decent). Citizenship was opened in 1950 and Palestinians were crucial to the development of Jordan into the prosperous country we see today. However, though most hold Jordanian citizenship, many Palestinians still identify very strongly with their villages, towns, and cities in Palestine (they "Put on for their city" in the words of rapper Young Jeezy). The family I am staying with are refugees from 1948 from Ain Karem, a town just west of Jerusalem, in what the United Nations recognizes as Israel. That is, in the two state model, Ain Karem will not be part of a 'Palestine'. Good luck telling that to my (incredibly gracious) hosts. Not only do they all have pictures of their specific village in all of their shops, but they live a virtual replica of Ain Karem. The village moved together to Jordan in 1948, lived in caves outside of Amman, survived Black September, and began rebuilding a life together in what is now the Al-Hasemi Al-Shomali suburb of Amman. In my friend Yassir's family, all of the men have taken up a different trade or profession that will be needed when (not if) they return to Ain Karim in order to quickly restore their ancestral home. Not to mention, they all received basic military training in their youth should they need to call a Palestinian National Army. From their family farm in western Jordan where they spend their weekends, they can see a panorama of the West Bank. "I can't imagine how it feels to see that every week," I told them. "You get used to it," Yassir's older brother replied as he heaped more barbecued pigeon in my hands. To my Iranian peers, please do not rush to make up your mind about this conflict in an effort to define yourselves as the negation of all that is the Islamic Republic of Iran and their hideous policies. To my American peers, please take my words in earnest and realize the power you have in shaping this situation; America is the number one patron of both Jordan, Israel, and Egypt. If assume we live in a democracy, it is our responsibility to at least know what our representatives are responsible for. To my Israeli peers, please do not let hyper-nationalism and fear blind you from the disservice your government's policies are doing to you and the Palestinian people. Walls create two prisons; some are kept out, but others are trapped in. To my Arab peers, please do not let anger and displaced aggression limit your capacity to be objective in seeking a just solution. Blind aggression and bigotry are not attractive qualities to emulate. As an armed Israeli teen told me the other day - Peace and Love. I will be returning to the US on Saturday. Thank you for your support.Kayvan