Separation Wall

Photos by Gumer Diez

Gumer—complete name Gumersindo Gellor Diez—MSU Marawi Lakandula ng Taon, Circa 1980s, is in the Middle East, touring Israel. I want to holler at him, Hey Gringo why are you in Zionist country contributing hard-earned dollars for its military-industrial complex??? But no way, he’s been unstoppable lately, now in Cancun tomorrow in NYC then back home in Cal.

Palestine is not in the itinerary, he tells you, so it’s no go to Al Quds University, which is just right over the wall. He’s standing on Palestinian land in the West Bank, right by the Separation Wall Israel constructed in 2002 when it annexed Palestinian territory, but this is history now he can only look over. Yes, the wall cut off Palestinian communities from their own land and sources of livelihood, and yes, the International Court of Justice ruled it illegal, in 2004, ordering Israel to have it removed and obliging other countries not to recognize and not to render aid or assistance to action that supports the wall. To this time it remains standing and where’s everyone.

When I think of Palestine it’s Rachel Corrie I remember. The 24-year old American volunteer in the International Solidarity Movement an Israeli soldier bulldozed and crushed to death for trying to stop the demolition of a Palestinian family home in the occupied Gaza Strip. Watching Gumer lolling around this side of history and enjoying the sights too makes me wonder why are there no camels in Camelot.