"I am pleased to be here in the West Bank to help with the olive picking. It was good fun and lovely to meet the local families. After the tour around Aida refugee camp I feel so helpless"
Arche Brooks, UK

"The tour of the camp (Aida Refugee Camp) brings home the problems the world should know about. No person should be allowed to live in these conditions!"
R. J. Brooks, UK (right after visiting Aida)

''Today has been sabbath for my mind: a day of rest from worries of home and a day to depend on my body to be strong for the work of olive harvest. I enjoyed meeting the other workers, potential new friends from around the world. There are so many things about the Palestine - Israel situation that confuse me, that make me feel small and powerless. I hope for a chance someday to talk openly and listen carefully to Israelis too. When I am with Palestinians I feel some guilt as a US citizen but I am working on that"
Jo Prostko, United States

About olive picking:
"I'm 23 years old but it's really hard even for my age. I wonder how hard it is for local old people. About 25 people, 3-4 hours of picking and there are still more trees to work on. That's really hard job."

About people:
"I came here just because I have a Palestinian friend and I promised him I will visit him in Palestine. I believe that connection/friendship is very important to solve some problems or make dreams come true. And it worked with me as I am here now thanks to my friend! So I thought I should continue this connection between Japan and Palestine in the future. Meeting two Palestinian Dabka dancers in the Aida refugee camp turned up for me as a chance to create a new relationship between my country and Palestine. I invited them to Japan and I hope that one day they will be able to come and visit me."
Sawako Ishihara, Japan

"As a Muslim of Pakistani origin, I believed my prospects of entering Palestine were slim. Having made it through, I can hardly say that this trip lives up to all my expectations.

We have spent two days with local families, helping with the olive picking. I was astonished by the optimism and friendliness of the Palestinians, despite the hardship they face under occupation. I was made to feel very welcome, which was a humbling experience.

We were also given the opportunity to visit Aida Refugee Camp. When we think of refugee camp, a number of images enter our mind. The reality is much more of a shock. Small narrow alley-ways with neglected buildings built on top of each. Also the silence throughout the camp. After our short tour, I felt completely ruined. I am amazed that Palestinians have the strenght and determination to strive fos success in such bleak conditions.

Everyone should visit Palestine and see the reality of life under occupation. The world has a duty to help with the struggle the Palestinians face everyday. I dubt that I will be able to return again but inshallah I'll come back when Palestine is free.

Every child has a righ to a future - we must ensure that this happens."
Nudrat Siddigi, UK

"I love picking olives. It’s something people have done for thousands years. And I like it because we are helping and showing support from different parts of the world. It’s a message, to the Palestinians that we support them and to the Israelis that we are here."

Jo also took part in the Olive Picking Program in 2007.

"I want to come back again and again. This is something that is very close to my heart. And it is such a good way to learn about the situation here."
Jo Walton, England

On why he wanted to join the Olive Picking Program:
"I've always wanted to come to the region, but I never wanted to be just a tourist. I wanted to do voluntary work. And I have a problem with injustice and people being oppressed."
Mauritz von Panhuys, the Netherlands

"The nicest thing is the international feel of the group. There are so many different languages here, and everyone is looking out for each other and helping each other."
Tim Mayfield, England

"It's really fun to pick olives. I was worried that it was going to be hard work, but it is not."
Hee-Jo Hwang, Korea

"The time of reading and surfing on the Internet is over. I wanted to see it for myself."

"I have a very good feeling here. People are so nice and friendly. I live with a family, and our host does everything for us. I feel more safe here than sometimes in Belgium."
Eugene Nicolaes, Belgium

"A number of people from our congregation has been here in the past, both planting and harvesting. And Keep Hope Alive is a real interest and vital mission for our church."
Ron Vestal

"The strongest experience for me was the tour in Hebron. You have to go there to believe it. The fact that there are settlements in the centre of this old Palestinian city is incredible and that four hundred settlers can cause so much mayhem, and so much suffering in that city."
Christina Reilly

"I also came here in February 2008 for the olive three planting, and there are many people in my church that became very active in the Palestinian situation and we were also trying to work on something on the boycott and divestment in the pension fund of the Presbyterian church in the USA."
 
"For me personally, being here, makes me more committed to tell people that they are mistaken if they think that this is a struggle between two equal forces. And making it clear that what happens here is wrong. Israel is being very aggressive about stealing Palestinian land. They have been doing it for many, many decades, and our governments (USA) policy supports that. It’s a shame."
 
"I don’t if my presence has changed anything here, probably not. I don’t think I have stopped one settlement, from going up, or one olive three from eventually being cut down, but hopefully when I go back, I’ll talk to people and tell them: If you put your money into The United Jewish Fund, or if you vote for ‘this’ person, this is where your money is going, this is where our tax money is going, into steal from people."
Marita Mayer

"I have asked farmers if our presence makes any difference. Obviously it helps, because we do actually pick olives, and that’s useful. But they also say that having international solidarity is important. Knowing that people come from all over the world because they can and that we will take stories back and tell people. I think that is how I can make a difference. Write articles, letters, and host film events."
Gemma Williams

Reflections and comments connected to different events on the program

Olive picking

On Monday the participants picked olives on the field belonging to Sa’id Abu Sudud in Al Walajeh. Sa’id’s family was told by the Israeli military that their land was going to be confiscated. This was in 2006, and they are now in court trying to change the decision about the confiscation. The land constitutes the main income for Sa’id and his family. But it means much more to him than that.
"This land is my dignity", Sa’id says.

Later that day the group visited an olive press. Agricultural engineer Nadi Farraj told the group about the significance of the olives and all the different things it is used for: oil and pickles for food, wood for handicraft, the leaves from the pruning for feeding the animals and the pulp after pressing the olives as fuel.
"The olive is the life of the Palestinian people", Farraj stated.

On Friday the group picked olives in Nahhalin. The field was very close to a settlement, which had been built on land belonging to the people in Nahhalin. The owner of the field, Mahmoud Abdallah Safi, said that he had experienced settlers throwing stones at him, and that he was afraid to go to his field after dark. "I am very happy, not only for the help, but also that our friends get to see the truth", Mahmoud said about the olive pickers.

Political tour of Bethlehem

Participant Jo Walton: "The wall is such a huge presence. It’s a constant reminder to the Palestinians that they are living in a prison. My heart leaped to see the graffiti on the wall. There was both humour and despair."