One form of control commonly used by the Israeli military is to carry out night-time raids on people's homes, dragging away family members - often for little or no reason. When there is suspicion that this is going to happen, perhaps because the same families are repeatedly targeted, internationals sometimes stay in the house - their presence can often offer some protection.
In Balata Refugee Camp, east of Nablus, I stayed overnight in a family home where the father had been arrested twice in recent days. The man's son was being sought by the Israeli soldiers. His crime? He owns an internet cafe' and, allegedly, someone had sent an email from there relating to Hezbollah - this is enough to make him a wanted man and is apparent justification for his family being harassed and his father repeatedly arrested.
Displacement activity
Whilst the level of military activity inside Nablus itself didn't escalate noticeably, the behaviour of soldiers on the checkpoints certainly spun out of control: they reacted to their military failures in Lebanon by taking out their frustrations on the Palestinians.
When leaving Nablus in mid August I traveled with a friend through Huwarra, the main checkpoint, where hundreds of Palestinians - men and women, children and the old, doctors, ambulances, Red Cross vehicles, trucks loaded with fruit and vegetables, students, everyone - was being held in the burning hot afternoon sun. Suddenly, at the front of one of the waiting groups, shouting broke out and we could see soldiers surrounding one of the men so we pushed our way to the front to try to intervene, both of us on the phone; myself to international human rights workers in the city who could come out to help with the situation, and my friend to an Israeli law group who are able to work on the Israeli commanders to stop them behaving so badly. We questioned the soldiers about why they wouldn't let people through. One young soldier, not even in his twenties, replied that the commander had given an order that no-one was to be let through, not even women giving birth.
Speaking against injustice
Whilst much of Israeli society is silent about - and therefore complicit with - the occupation, some individuals are taking brave steps to be heard.
One example of this is the weekly demonstrations at the village of Bil'in near Ramallah, where much of their land is being annexed for the construction of the “Apartheid Wall” and settlements. Here, every Friday, villagers and Palestinian and international activists are joined by Israelis who risk not only the wrath of the family and community, but also being imprisoned.
There can be even more dramatic consequences for all of those who take part in these demonstrations, as the Israeli soldiers are often violent. During the demonstration I attended in August, one of the Israelis, Limor, a young trainee lawyer, was deliberately shot in the head, face and neck by a soldier (pictured). He is currently fighting for his life.
Futility of war
One of the most visible changes that I noticed in my friends who I hadn't seen for three years was the loss of hope and faith, especially in the international community. Something further compounded during the bombing of Lebanon when, every day, we saw pictures of dead children being recovered from yet more bombed buildings, and witnessed politician after politician arguing that Israel had the right to “self-defence”.
To gain a greater understanding of the futility of military action as a route to peace, and as an insight into the effect of Israeli military action on children and their future, I urge everyone to watch the film Arna's Children.