The next stop: The Telem Settlement

25th July, 2004

This settlement (Telem) is like a summer vacation for soldiers. We have 4 hour shifts at night and morning and the rest of the day is off. We played soccer yesterday, everything was really fine, although everyday I feel myself more and more distant from the 3 team mates that reside here with me. They're totally different in their behavior, their interests and their life perspectives.





In one way, I'm happy to be left alone - listening to my own music, reading my books without being disturbed, but on the other hand I often find myself wondering whether I should change my behavior and get closer to them.

But how can I? They listen to music that I despise, they talk about things that annoy me more than anything else: sex perversion, chauvinism. They tend to give shit about everything but themselves (sometimes even about their own friends).





Palestinian workers, as absurd as it may sound, work in the settlement, paving roads, building patios, gardening and so on. Some Palestinians probably despise them for that, but what can they do, they need the money.

A young soldier from a Golani unit was guarding at the entrance gates to the settlement when the Palestinian workers approached him and asked for a permission to stay for 5 more minutes so they could finish their work. But what was even more absurd is they reply of another young soldier from Golani who received the notice via radio. He said: "Tell them they have 5 minutes only and no extensions!"





While there's not much guarding to do, time seems to slow down, switching to a lower gear. 10-11 more days until I'm home again. Can't help but count - an indication of a slow time-pace.