Israel is a paradise

It is Friday. Sama and I are going to visit a group of refugees who have just arrived from the Ivory Coast and are living in our bomb shelter. Yesterday Sama went to visit the refugees by herself when she heard that they were there and didn't have anything - food, clean clothes or a place to wash. When we arrive, most are outside, some playing football, others just sitting in the cold winter sun.

The shelter, two underground rooms with no heat or shower, has been home to 25 men since Monday. Some speak English, some Arabic, some French. We ask what they need - rice, sugar and soap - and get it from a local shop. I explain to the shopkeeper what the food is for. He says: 'There are Palestinian refugees who don't have anything - and no one helps them,' but he gives us extra rice for free.

Then I talk to Kourouma, who is 22. 'We left everything behind because of the war,' he says. 'We have lost all our families - some are dead, the rest have disappeared.

'We came through six countries to get here. It took us four years. First Guinea, then Mali, Niger, Algeria, Lybia and Egypt. In each place we were clandestine, working until we could move on to the next, until we got to Israel, when the army took us at the border and brought us here. This is the first country to accept us.

'Israel is a paradise. Nobody can do bad to us here.'

Please help the refugees. If you live locally and can offer food, clothing or any other assistance, please email me (link above).

Comments

[Joseph Mutti]

As usual your photos are fabulous and articles so very different in providing such little flashes of real life in Israel.

In London. GOD, it's COLD! Have no desire to live here but I HAVE to for Humberto's sake - at least for now.

Love J

[Leila]

Joseph! For love, you would do anything... xxx