THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS “NORMAL” LIFE IN THIS PART OF THE WORLD. VIOLENCE AND RESULTING CURFEWS AROUND BETHLEHEM BY THE ISRAELIS SHUT DOWN “NORMAL” LIFE.

PEOPLE MUST COPE, HOWEVER. AND, THAT INCLUDES YOUNG PEOPLE.

HALF A DOZEN BOYS ARE TRAPPED, BY THEMSELVES, IN THE HOPE SCHOOL. IT IS A REFUGE OF LEARNING AND OPTIMISM FUNDED BY UNITED METHODISTS AND OTHER WESTERN ORGANIZATIONS FOR PALESTINIAN CHILDREN, CHRISTIANS AND MUSLIMS, FROM FAMILIES TOO POOR TO OTHERWISE AFFORD SUCH AN EDUCATION. BUT NOW, THERE ARE NO CLASSES, NO TEACHERS…

Kosay Altakroury: “It’s really hard, but we have to live in it.”

WHEN MILITARY CURFEWS ARE IMPOSED, TEACHERS CAN’T GET HERE. WHEN TANKS COME WITHOUT WARNING, SOME CHILDREN CAN’T CHANCE TRYING TO GET HOME. IT COULD BE WEEKS.

Kosay Altakroury: “We’ve been like this situation before, so we know how to cope, we know how to clean our clothes, so it’s like normal.”

Anan Altakroury: “I hope for peace. We always pray for peace, and stop fighting, let us continue our study.”

THE BOYS WANDER THE EMPTY HALLS. TRY TO FURTHER STUDIES ON THEIR OWN, WHILE FEEDING THEMSELVES FROM FRUIT TREES ON THE SCHOOL GROUNDS. THEY TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR MAINTAINING A CHICKEN FARM THAT HELPS SUPPORT THE SCHOOL, BUT THERE IS NO WAY TO GET EGGS TO MARKET, AND NO FOOD FOR THE CHICKENS.

SOME WESTERNERS MIGHT LOOK FOR THE KIND OF HATRED IN THESE FACES THAT WE HAVE SEEN TOO OFTEN IN NEWS FROM THIS PART OF THE WORLD - BUT THERE IS NONE. EVEN UNDER THESE CIRCUMSTANCES - ISRAELI TANKS AT THE SCHOOL GATE, FAMILIES OUT OF TOUCH - THE BOYS TELL AN AMERICAN JOURNALIST WHAT THEY LIKE BEST ABOUT THEIR STUDIES.

Khalid Zaharn: “I love stories.”

AND, ABOUT THE FUTURE “THEY” SEE.

Mohammed Fatafta: “I like to be a pilot or a businessman.”

Khalid Zaharn: “I hope to go to America and study, be a scientist or spaceman.”