On the theme of graves and reconciliation

Haaretz reports that Israel is planning on building a "Tolerance museum" on top of an old Palestinian Muslim graveyard. The area is currently called Independence Park - as if that wasn't enough of a slap in the face (you dont need be very creative to read into the symbolism of Israel's building their independence park over Palestinian graves), they have now approved a plan to build a Tolerance Museum on the same site.

As Paige put it - you can slap this into an SNL skit without even changing the wording.

Nachy calls me out

It's really time to declare a moratorium on this now irrelevant travel blog. That said, I'm not likely to get around and start a new one anytime soon so I might just keep posting here once in a while for anyone that wants to pop by.

Been incredibly busy moving back, catching up on 7 months of "This Week In Palestine"s, eating mansaf, waiting at checkpoints, readjusting to the climate and to the occupation, figuring out my new job, going to Hebron and generally tiptoing around and juggling various male egos in the public and private spheres.

I miss having the "clueless foreigner" excuse as an alternative to justifying my sometimes strange behavior. But now that Paige is visiting I just have her ask the obvious questions, take the inappropriate photos, or buy that second bottle of wine (or blog about my comically insignificant little life)

Searching for an apartment in west Jerusalem which has been more difficult than expected, although quite entertaining. I have been contacted by settlers looking to rent their studio in Gilo, and by Israeli lefties consoling me: "I'd rent my place out to you if you could afford it".