West Bank Diary: Middle East Violence as Reported by a Former American Hostage

Past CNN Beirut bureau chief Jerry Levin says the Palestinians’ story is distorted by the media. While working in Beirut Jerry was kidnapped and held hostage by the Hezbollah for almost a year. On his release, instead of being vindictive against his captors, Jerry decided to devote his life to giving voice to those silenced by foreign policies that victimize the innocent. Rather than return to being an observer and reporter, he became a dedicated advocate for nonviolence. Here he shares incredible insights acquired after his release, making the connection between the unresolved issues of Palestine and the violence of life in the Holy Land. Determined to demonstrate the power of nonviolence, Jerry decided to be an example as he escorts Palestinian children to school or farmers to their fields, being a peacemaker in a world filled with hate and violence. He shows how merely “getting in the way” of the Israeli occupation becomes an act of social consequence giving recognition, courage and hope to those seeking to defend and protect Palestinian human-rights. Levin describes the plight of the Palestinians cut off from each other, from their hopes and dreams, their heritage and lives held hostage to myth and historical inaccuracy. This important exposé is intended to rescue their story from being wiped from history by the media’s simplistic news soundbites and clichés, shedding light on the Palestinian’s suffering, violence and dispossession with a goal of restoring them to the center of the discussion about Palestine, the Holy Land and peace in the Middle East