25 december 2011, it was sixteen years ago today...

...I was in bethlehem, following through on an impulsive decision to visit the city just a day after the israeli army pulled out of what at least to the western world is the most iconic palestinian city. The oslo two agreement, implemented after rabin was assassinated, saw the army of occupation pull out from the biggest west bank population centres and the establishment of the palestinian authority. I was living in tel aviv at the time (working at its most excellent museum) and my colleagues thought the trip totally mad, but actually I had a spellbinding day in an amazing place on literally the first day of the rest of its life. Though hard to imagine now, those were heady times, with even the prime minister's assassination seemingly unable to stop the peace process juggernaut careering towards a two-state solution for one of the world's most contested small spaces. You can read the whole story here (christmas in bethlehem) but my abiding memories are of smiles, good cheer, crowds everywhere and the smell of freedom in the air. Not victory, but relief, belief and optimism, captured well by the last person I saw that day. Sixteen years later, it's terribly sad to reflect how, far from a new beginning, that period was the briefest of false dawns, as hopes were dashed so soon afterwards and there's never quite been a plan since. If I had one wish for 2012, it would be for peace in that corner of the world, and justice and freedom for all its inhabitants.