Saturday 10th July 2010 - day 2 of youth trip to Israel & Palestine

Today Saturday is not over yet, but was already very very busy. A difficult early morning separation of the hosting families in Nazareth (it really does not take much time to become friends; half a day and an evening is enough), we travelled from Nazareth (Arab/Palestinian city in the North of Israel) to the nearby Jenin (Palestinian city in the North of the Westbank).  It was easy to pass the main checkpoint, so we arrived early in Jenin, where we visited the music school of Al Kamandjati and the actors school of Freedom Theatre, both wonderfully constructive projects in the field of the arts.

From Jenin we travelled for about an hour and a half towards refugee-camp Balata in Nablus, where we visited the amazing Mobile Clinic of Physicians for Human Rights, where Palestinian and Israeli doctors work hand in hand to help Palestinians in need of medical care.  The doctors spoke with us about their work.

From Balata (Nablus), we travelled on to Ramallah (another hour and a half), where we were welcomed by Saed Karzoun and his friends of Beautiful Palestine.  Saed is working for the Barenboim Foundation in Ramallah, and found us hosting families where to spend the evening in Ramallah.  Tonight, we will be going to a classical (arabic) music concert and have dinner all together.  Ramallah by night...