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Mariam:
From Ramleh to Bethlehem
Interview by Jane Toby
Mariam and grandchildren, Bethlehem
When I was
19, I married and moved to live with my
husband in Ramleh. We were so happy. One
month before the war started in 48, we heard
there would be problems; so the population,
the Christians and Muslims, sought refuge in
the Franciscan church. We slept in the
corridors to hide from the shelling.
When there
was a ceasefire, I went home to bring some
food. Just what was left. There was
nothing else. A kid came from the street
and told us to run away. I pleaded with my
children to run with me. When I reached the
monastery, 1000s of Christians and Muslims
were gathered there. We hid in a shelter
under the church. I held my children near
my heart and they slept next to my body
during the bombing.
One day we
got a taxi and paid 70 Jordanian to travel
to Bethlehem. On the way, there were no
people, no cars, no life. When we went
through Jerusalem, we saw government
buildings burning.
My family
told me, “You were lucky. After you left the
town, the Jewish soldiers came and opened
all the wineries and started dancing and
drinking and celebrating their victory. One
day they called the women to come. They
said they would give the men I.D.s.
Instead, they took the men and put them into
camps like a prison.”
My husband
lost his hometown; everything. All his
legal documents were burned. He had to
leave us to look for work in Jordan. My sons
felt like somebody could kidnap them.
In 1967,
the Israelis shelled the Lutheran church in
the old city of Bethlehem where we were
living. People said, “You have to leave and
go to Jordan.” I didn’t want to leave, but
I dressed my children in layers of clothes
just in case. My son asked me, “Why are you
dressing me like this? The winter has
already come.” I was afraid for my sons
because they were young. I was afraid they
would be arrested or beaten like other young
men in 48.
When I was
a bride 19 years old and we traveled to
Ramleh, people would say to me, “Put your
head down, we don’t want a bullet to hit
you.” From that time on, we have hoped for
a better life. Now I live with my son and
his beautiful family. We are still
continuing the struggle.
Interview: January 2008
Interviewer: Jane Toby from Catskill, New
York, who worked for many years with Women
in Black and Middle East Crisis Response,
Hudson Valley, NY. Interview in cooperation
with AEI.
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