Sep 22 2006
Starting with the Individual
Daoud Kuttab
Four and-a-half years ago I found myself in a difficult position. This week,  the circle has been closed. But I am afraid that I can’t say that I am pleased with the results.
Israeli troops decided that a five-storey building in Ramallah, belonging to Al Quds University, was needed for their security. They must have decided that the building which houses Al Quds University’s Institute of Modern Media, Al Quds Educational TV and the university’s archaeological department would make a perfect headquarters for the Israeli army’s engineering unit.
On April 2. 2002, troops that were in areas A of the Palestinian Authority as part of the defensive shield operation moved in to take over this strategically based location. They surrounded the building, detained the few people who were manning the educational TV (faculty and students had gone home) and after some hours sent them home and turned the building into their headquarters. My office, as the director of the institute, became the office of the unit’s commander, and the campus’ large basement cafeteria was turned into a temporary jail.