The Impact of the Conflict on Daily Life

The Land Mark

Samia Khoury
September 4, 2007

"No Street names or street numbers" is something that amazes foreign guests in our area. How does one tell the taxi driver to get anywhere? Well you almost have to write an essay as you describe the way; the first entrance after the supermarket, and then the left turn after the traffic light. No, do not take the first one; the second one, just before the check point. No, you do not pass the check point. etc. etc.

At the entrance of the road that leads to our house in Beit Hanina, there is a check point that has been implanted out of no where and for no good reason at all. Not that any of them have a reason to be there, but that one is within the Jerusalem area, and our road either takes you south to Jerusalem or north to Ramallah where the infamous Kalandia check point is in control.

We had house guests lately from England, and to them the sign showing that there is a check point ahead was the landmark to turn to the road that leads to our house. Ironically however, when they rented a car to go to the Galilee for a couple of nights, the checkpoint was removed, in the same mysterious way that it was put up. So when our guests came back they lost their landmark, and almost missed the turn.

Thanks to the Church at the corner of the street, another landmark that I had told them about when they were trying to find their way. It reminded me of the story in our Arabic reading book in school about a fellow who hid his treasure in the field. He went to look for it, and could not find it. And his friend asked him if he had marked the area. He said that there was a cloud above it. Indeed that check point is like a February cloud that appears out of no where, and simply blocks the very much desired sunshine at that time. Now the check point is back again, so our guests will not get lost.