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Neighborhood memories By Amira Hass Tags: Gaza Strip, Hamas, Fatah  When I hear Israelis propose that a Gazan neighborhood be obliterated, I see Yafa, 15, in her neighborhood. I've known her since she was a year old. Always-curious eyes, now behind thin-rimmed eyeglasses, a slightly husky voice, bouncy and quiet, persistent, good in English and math, helps out at home and tries to calm down her two younger sisters - balls of energy who, unlike her, are talkative. She likes to surf the Internet and chat with her friends online. Within a range of hundreds of meters from her home, in Gaza City's Tel al-Hawwa neighborhood, a few houses already have been obliterated by Israeli bombs. I remember the name of the neighborhood, of course: Saja'iyya. I have forgotten the name of the young woman who had just begun to publish her poetry: personal poems, in a minor key. The pages of the newspaper in which they appeared were laid out, with great excitement, on the table in the rented apartment. "Obliterate a neighborhood," and even I don't know in which Khan Yunis neighborhood M., a dyed-in-the-wool feminist, lives. Her sharp, critical tongue is aimed at officials of every rank. She was the first woman I ever saw smoke a nargileh (water pipe) in Gaza. I believe she is among the few women who still go out bareheaded. Unfortunately, we have lost touch. I occasionally receive reports about her from a mutual friend, such as how close she was to a missile fired by an Israeli army helicopter. Advertisement Ask where the schools is and you will get to our neighborhood, Bassam once directed me. Later on, when I got lost in the alleys of the Jabalya refugee camp, he sounded impatient. "I forgot that you weren't born here," he said, and I couldn't tell whether he was being serious. He taught me to drive against the traffic, when necessary. "If the whole world is upside down, then why should we go straight?" he would explain. I think that paving stones and asphalt have replaced the sand in the neighborhood's alleys since then. I don't know whether people have yet painted the concrete walls of the apartment buildings that were put up in place of the original refugee camp shacks, turning the alleyways into narrow crevices. After all, for over a year we Israeli journalists have been prohibited from entering the Gaza Strip. During one of the army's invasions of Jabalya, in October 2004, to fight terror and vanquish it forever, but really forever this time, the home of Bassam's parents faced possible obliteration, just as dozens of homes had already been obliterated, not by aerial bombardment but by army bulldozers. Other homes were severely damaged by shellfire. People fled from the bulldozers and the shelling. Refugees for a second time. That is why Bassam's parents and grandmother refused to leave their home. An outdoor market that I recall as busy and crowded and colorful was laid out in the alleys of the neighborhood's northwest. There was always someone standing behind a mountain of guavas or bananas who knew Bassam and who served us fruit with a broad smile, seasoned with a bit of Hebrew. The neighborhood was also home to a cousin of Bassam's who worked in strictly kosher, Ashkenazi pastry shops in Jaffa until the work permits were obliterated. I wonder whether the pastry shop that he later opened in Jabalya, and which made rugelach and croissants, is still open. In a typical home of Fatah activists, a family of refugees from Huleiqat village (Heletz), in Gaza City's Nasser neighborhood, it was suggested that I convert to Islam, so that I could go to heaven. It was the grandmother who worried for my future. When her son was a prisoner in an Israeli prison he saw, on television, soldiers arresting his own son and his wife trying to free him. That was in the first intifada. Not far from them is the home of N., a teacher, and her family. I am always amazed to discover how girlish her face appears when she removes her veil to reveal her close-cropped hair. Her opinionated son, who is eight, has serious complaints about Hamas even though his father is an activist in the movement. When asked whether he is for Hamas or for Fatah, he says he is for Allah. But about a year ago, when fighting burst out between the two movements, he stopped saying that he was for Allah because he knew it would be interpreted as support for Hamas. The residents of the neighborhood have lost count of the shells and the bombs and the missiles that have fallen near their homes, killing friends and acquaintances, seriously injuring children from the school and destroying relatives' homes. Abu Aouni likes to sit outside his door, in the Shabura refugee camp in Rafah, in the neighborhood called Bureir, named after his village that was destroyed and on whose lands Kibbutz Bror Hayil now stands. Tall, with a voice that is hoarse from cigarettes (despite his bad heart) and the hands of a farmer, his memories crumbling the lost clods of earth. He, too, has stopped counting the number of houses that the Israeli army has obliterated in Rafah since 1967, even though his son, a field investigator for a human rights organization, carefully counts each such house and neighborhood since 2000. Obliterating neighborhoods, what's new about that, people in Rafah ask. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Independence day Kosovars rejoice as Kosovo declares itself an independent and sovereign state. Settling the score 1/3 of W. Bank settlements are on Palestinian land seized for 'security purposes.'   1.   HOW MANY HOUSES WERE THAT AMIRA 10:45  |  indrajaya 13/02/08   2.   Can anyone object against this article from Amira Hass? 10:48  |  Mark B. 13/02/08   3.   How about Neighbourhood Memories - from Sderot? 11:07  |  Ilya Meyer 13/02/08   4.   Illy Meyer supports Israeli terrorism 11:17  |  Minda 13/02/08   5.   # 3, ILYA MEYER 11:22  |  indrajaya 13/02/08   6.   You reap what you sow 11:29  |  sabra 13/02/08   7.   Israels Whole Legacy is One fo Ethnic Cleansing, 11:33  |  Lev Bronstein 13/02/08   8.   Other nations must fill the gap for Israel 11:40  |  Natallie Durson 13/02/08   9.   Reply to #1 & #2 11:42  |  Ilya Meyer 13/02/08   10.   Amira Hass 11:45  |  Ralph 13/02/08   11.   Very moving Amira. Now would you please 11:48  |  S 13/02/08   12.   IIyal Meyer 11:50  |  stormy 13/02/08   13.   Amira Hass is nothing but a pro-terrorist propaganda writer 11:52  |  Steve Randolph 13/02/08   14.   IIya 12:12  |  easy 13/02/08   15.   Amira, tell us about the morality police 12:30  |  FOX 13/02/08   16.   STEVE 12:32  |  middle of fense 13/02/08   17.   Marky B. #2 12:39  |  FOX 13/02/08   18.   Amira is delirious 12:48  |  Steven 13/02/08   19.   To Mark B # 2 - Can anyone object to Gazan homes 12:52  |  Dagma 13/02/08   20.   Whats new? Israel has not returned fire Arab style. 13:04  |  PETER SM 13/02/08   21.   Shame 13:07  |  Emma 13/02/08   22.   osher and rami twido 13:13  |  newyorkone 13/02/08   23.   was she named after hamas or a ass 13:22  |  don K. 13/02/08   24.   Deal with the root cause 13:27  |  Ilya Meyer 13/02/08   25.   nothing new 13:29  |  ravi 13/02/08   26.   BRONSTEIN.ARAB population in Israel&Pal areas growing continously 13:58  |  PETER SM 13/02/08   27.   amira hass on gaza 14:09  |  bobby goodman 13/02/08   28.   Time for Amira Haas to Return to Israel 14:18  |  Jane 13/02/08   29.   I know there is terror from Pals and suffering by Israeli people 14:23  |  Mark B. 13/02/08   30.   Solution requires balance 14:37  |  Ilya Meyer 13/02/08   31.   MARK B COURAGE?? If she wrote this stuff about Hamas in Gaza 14:44  |  PETER SM 13/02/08   32.   Natallie Durson - read what you write, please 15:05  |  Joe Sittizen 13/02/08   33.   PLO & UN contributed to the problem when Israel tried solve it 15:10  |  zionist forever 13/02/08   34.   Amira, Pal Payed Propaganda 15:10  |  GF 13/02/08   35.   @31 PETER SM 15:18  |  Mark B. 13/02/08   36.   Amira ... 15:23  |  Bob 13/02/08   37.   what`s new about obliterating neighborhoods 15:36  |  peter 13/02/08   38.   Let Gaza implode 15:46  |  Rick and TC 13/02/08   39.   Part and Parcel of Any Occupation 15:52  |  Yaakov Sullivan 13/02/08   40.   Guess what? 16:33  |  Gee 13/02/08   41.   Reply to Ravi #25 "Nothing new" 16:53  |  Ilya Meyer 13/02/08   42.   If israelis don`t shape up they won`t last in the ME 17:02  |  Dutch 13/02/08   43.   Sderot`s SUFFERING: NON-STOP WAR On INNOCENTS (1) 17:03  |  Linda Rivera 13/02/08   44.   If Israelis don`t shape up they won`t last in the ME 17:04  |  Dutch 13/02/08   45.   Jew-HATERS WICKED LIE of Occupation. Return STOLEN JEWISH LAND 17:10  |  Linda Rivera 13/02/08   46.   Jew-HATERS WICKEDLY Ignore Justice for One Million JEWISH REFUGEE 17:14  |  Linda Rivera 13/02/08   47.   Jew-HATERS DECEIVE for Expansionist Islam. Already ARAB Pal State 17:16  |  Linda Rivera 13/02/08   48.   A jewish name?/ 23 don K 17:19  |  Anne 13/02/08   49.   Simund Freud Says 17:32  |  Knott Bushman 13/02/08   50.   Ilya Meyer 17:43  |  eleni 13/02/08   51.   Natallie, re filling the Israeli gap 17:52  |  Dutch 13/02/08   52.   #7 Lev Bronstein Exactly right!! 17:57  |  T A Sheppard 13/02/08   53.   Jews wonder whats new about the arabs wanting to destroy Israel 17:59  |  the AntiHass 13/02/08   54.   Israeli moral yardstick 18:16  |  Dutch 13/02/08   55.   Reply to Eleni #38 18:20  |  Ilya Meyer 13/02/08   56.   Thank you Amira 18:24  |  tired 13/02/08   57.   reparations for amelikites,armenians,sephardics and palestinians 18:47  |  mitch paul 13/02/08   58.   Few Jews Killed,why bother 18:56  |  Moshe 13/02/08   59.   Sderot & Gaza 19:01  |  Ellena T 13/02/08   60.   In trues, "my dear patshead" Israel will celebrate... 19:06  |  Misha 13/02/08   61.   Amira & her Israelis enemies 19:10  |  Rachel from Ramat H 13/02/08   62.   Amira, Israelis need to come up to the 20th century 19:11  |  Dutch 13/02/08   63.   #7 19:12  |  Moshe 13/02/08   64.   Amira we simply do not care 19:22  |  Daniel 13/02/08   65.   An "Arab city" proposed for northern Israel 19:27  |  jonathan Goodman 13/02/08   66.   #32 Yaakov, What about Lox , stock and barrel? 19:39  |  Dutch 13/02/08   67.   #36 All the more reason Israel don`t belong there 19:43  |  Dutch 13/02/08   68.   Why does Amira write so much hate ? 19:46  |  Isaac from T A 13/02/08   69.   #39 Dutch 19:50  |  Moshe 13/02/08   70.   let`s stop treating this author as a partner in a potentially ... 20:02  |  felix 13/02/08   71.   For the first time, I agree with Natalie 20:06  |  Scharker Yid 13/02/08   72.   Amira`s Heart 20:10  |  Cyclops 13/02/08   73.   Jew haters # 36 20:11  |  Leonie B 13/02/08   74.   Linda ....... 20:19  |  justajew 13/02/08   75.   JUST SAY NO AMIRA! 20:23  |  Melvin Wells 13/02/08   76.   is it just me ? 20:25  |  someoldyid 13/02/08   77.   Lox Stock and Bagel 20:34  |  KJJ 13/02/08   78.   Linda stop reasoning with Doris or Dutch 20:36  |  KJJ 13/02/08   79.   Discussing peace in the Punjab 20:45  |  Ilya Meyer 13/02/08   80.   Them and us mentality 20:46  |  Ilya Meyer 13/02/08   81.   Send the Azzatim back to Egypt: Rebuild Gush Katif 20:49  |  Yehuda 13/02/08   82.   People like Amira Hass are the problem 20:49  |  The Other Woman 13/02/08   83.   Do not obliterate Arab neighborhoods. Obliterate Arabs themselves 20:50  |  Moshe 13/02/08   84.   # 28 Amira to return to Israel? 20:55  |  Annette B 13/02/08   85.   Palestinian sufferings are not for nothing: 21:04  |  17 13/02/08   86.   Jack Sullivan`s occupation shuffle 21:12  |  peter 13/02/08   87.   to #2 `Can anyone object against this article from Amira Hass?` 21:22  |  Colin Wright 13/02/08   88.   # 60 ANTI-ARAB BIGOTRY 21:27  |  JH 13/02/08   89.   someoldyid - 1st try 21:27 HT 21:27  |  BBSNews 13/02/08   90.   hass 21:33  |  Connie 13/02/08   91.   Lev Bronstein 21:36  |  Connie 13/02/08   92.   Amira Haas - 1st try 21:37 HT 21:37  |  BBSNews 13/02/08   93.   #64`s anti-Arab bigotry 21:37  |  JH 13/02/08   94.   #26 Squatter fron daan unde PETER SM 22:00  |  Labhras 13/02/08   95.   #54 Isaac from TA 22:04  |  Labhras 13/02/08   96.   Iyal Meyer and Amira Hass 22:37  |  interested observer 13/02/08   97.   Imagine 22:48  |  Charlotta 13/02/08   98.   only Israel gets all the criticism ? 22:57  |  hipolito dormal 13/02/08   99.   Little 8 year old Osher`s Leg is Severed 23:02  |  Yechiel 13/02/08   100.   Yechiel - 1st try 23:30 HT 23:31  |  BBSNews 13/02/08   101.   Thanks Amira, I enjoy the post 00:08  |  a good palestine 14/02/08   102.   B&BS - "news" 00:08  |  17 14/02/08   103.   no, Amira, JUST not enough! 00:41  |  akiva (zionist) 14/02/08   104.   #92 BBSNews "Amira Hass is an Haaretz treasure." 01:37  |  Maureen Ann 14/02/08   105.   AMIRA HAMMAS KEEPS REPEATING THE SAME SONG 01:42  |  Jorge 14/02/08   106.   If Yafa can surf the internet... 02:00  |  B (The other one) 14/02/08   107.   Thanks Amira 02:12  |  Cristina 14/02/08   108.   Israel is at War since 1948 - and still is at war 03:00  |  Mike Binelli 14/02/08   109.   moshe, let`s take a poll 03:15  |  hollingsworth 14/02/08   110.   Ha`aretz, are you on your heels? 03:34  |  akiva (zionist) 14/02/08   111.   HAARETZ CENSOR WONT PRINT CRITICISM OF AMIRA HASS 04:10  |  Jorge 14/02/08   112.   #87 COLIN WRIGHT - Colin WRONG! 04:14  |  PADDY 14/02/08   113.   Binelli on predictions - 1st try 04:20 HT 04:20  |  BBSNews 14/02/08   114.   17 - 1st try 06:59 HT 06:59  |  BBSNews 14/02/08   115.   17 - 2nd try 08:12 HT 08:12  |  BBSNews 14/02/08   116.   and let`s not forget the bulldozers... 08:51  |  eric 14/02/08   117.   Gush Katif memories 09:21  |  fred 14/02/08   118.   They would use their own method not Ours in ww2 10:21  |  Mike Binelli 14/02/08   119.   The good humans are too few and too scared to control the beast 12:30  |  Shoshanaci 14/02/08   120.   #119 Shochanaci 13:29  |  Hastaroth 14/02/08   121.   #51 this sentence tells it all about Dutch 13:33  |  Hastaroth 14/02/08   122.   If you see terrorists operating in your neighborhood 13:59  |  Mike Binelli 14/02/08   123.   The Sderot - Ashkelon - Israel Problem 14:44  |  Joseph E . post 1 14/02/08   124.   Who Are The Palestinians? 15:00  |  Joseph E . post 1 14/02/08   125.   fred - 1st try 17:55 HT 17:55  |  BBSNews 14/02/08   126.   Talkbacks are the most depressing phenomenon of the decade 17:59  |  DS 14/02/08   127.   Binelli on rocks - 1st try 18:03 HT 18:03  |  BBSNews 14/02/08   128.   Binelli on terrorists - 1st try 18:11 HT 18:11  |  BBSNews 14/02/08   129.   Gosh, DS, I hate to see you so depressed. 00:01  |  hollingsworth 15/02/08   130.   Binelli you are correct for the USA 04:07  |  Derek Phyfe 16/02/08

Today Online Bradley Burston: Anti-Zionism as a form of racism Responses: 213 Iran Revolutionary Guard chief: Hezbollah will destroy Israel Responses: 185 Top diplomat: Calling Sderot-Gaza violence 'cycle' may breed terror Responses: 80 Anshel Pfeffer: Are Israeli policies risking the lives of Diaspora Jews? Responses: 48 Abbas rejects PM call to defer talks on Jerusalem Responses: 70 Report: Progress made in Shalit prisoner swap deal Responses: 31 More Headlines 14:47 Abbas rejects PM call to defer talks on Jerusalem 18:04 Source: Israel deploys Patriot missiles, fearing Hezbollah strike 17:25 Four Qassams hit west Negev, residents treated for shock 17:06 Egypt to deport 500 Palestinians who crossed in border breach 17:43 Top diplomat: Calling violence in south a 'cycle' may breed terror 14:42 French gov't softens Sarkozy plan to honor Holocaust victims 13:25 Report: Progress made in deal to free abducted soldier Shalit 11:27 Israel delays taking stance on independent Kosovo 16:40 Jerusalem girds for rare snow rerun as storm makes landfall 16:39 Security guard convicted of killing taunting friend 12:45 New bill would make attacks on the elderly require imprisonment 12:46 Quality of air improves in central Israel, Haifa 17:24 Report: Tel Aviv branch of top cafe chain suffering rat infestation Previous Editions Select Day 17 feb 15 feb 14 feb 13 feb 12 feb 11 feb 10 feb 08 feb 07 feb 06 feb 05 feb 04 feb

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