A Personal Profile: Mohammed Ali

Meet Mohammed - one of our translators for the village research we're doing in Battir.  . Though he is not a refugee, he has only been outside the "West Bank" a handful of times: to Jerusalem twice - once as a little kid and once later on, illegally - and outside the wall once to get to Hebron (located in Palestine). Mohammed lives near Mt. Herodium, though he's never climbed it because he's forbidden to due to an Israel military base at the top (tourists can visit for 25 shekles, apparently). He studied at Bethlehem University where he majored in English and minored in Translation. His dream job is to work as a translator in Bethlehem, which is what he is currently doing. He would also like to attend grad school, somewhere in Palestine, or possibly in London. If he could go anywhere in the world, at the moment, he would choose Britain, though he would be happy going anywhere.

                When I asked him, "If the occupation ended tomorrow would Palestine...........," he absolutely lit up. He sees the solution to the difficulties in Israel and Palestine right now as ending the occupation, which he defined as having all the Israeli soldiers leave and allowing Palestinians to return home. Though he recognizes that some feel that if the occupation did indeed end tomorrow, Palestine might not be able to support itself as an independent nation because of certain corruption, Mohammed believes that the people would be able to unite and live peaceably. He also welcomed any Jews who currently live inside the West Bank to remain in their homes, pointing to the fact that Muslims and Christians live in harmony, as brothers.

                                                                                                                -- Heather