WEST BANK: THE TERM SHOTGUN WEDDING HAS BEEN GIVEN A WHOLE NEW MEANING IN WEST BANK IN THE CONTEXT OF A MILITARY CURFEW LIFTED FOR ONLY A FEW HOURS EVERY SO OFTEN

Record ID: 377104

  • Title: WEST BANK: THE TERM SHOTGUN WEDDING HAS BEEN GIVEN A WHOLE NEW MEANING IN WEST BANK IN THE CONTEXT OF A MILITARY CURFEW LIFTED FOR ONLY A FEW HOURS EVERY SO OFTEN
  • Date: 8th July 2002
  • Summary: (U7) BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK (JULY 8, 2002) (REUTERS - ACCESS ALL) 1. SV PULL OUT LV BELLS RINGING IN BELFRY OF CHURCH OF NATIVITY IN BETHLEHEM 0.19 2. SLV GUESTS GREETING BRIDE AND GROOM 0.25 3. MCU BRIDE AND GROOM SHAKING HANDS WITH GUESTS 0.29 4. CU PEOPLE TAKING SWEETS OUT OF BASKET PANT OT GUESTS GREETING FAMILY OF BRIDE AND GROOM
  • Embargoed: 23rd July 2002 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: BETHLEHEM, WEST BANK
  • City:
  • Country: Palestinian Territories
  • Reuters ID: LVA6VWHAUX55EW3AN4Q0UJ3OCSN0
  • Story Text: Tying the knot these days in the Israeli-occupied West
    Bank requires a real desire to wed, nerves of steel, and good
    timing. In the context of a military curfew lifted for only a
    few hours every so often, the term shotgun wedding has been
    given a whole new meaning.



    Suheir Harb got out of bed early and did her best to
    avoid Israeli soldiers enforcing a curfew in Palestinian-ruled
    Bethlehem as she made her way to the hairdresser's salon
    before her West Bank wedding on MOnday (July 8).

    Her appointment was at 6:30 a.m., three-and-a-half hours
    before the army lifted the curfew for four hours. This gave
    her just enough time for her to marry her fiance Ziad Ghattas,
    have a brief reception and go home.

    After the ceremony in Bethlehem's Church of the Nativity,
    built on the site which Christians revere as Jesus birthplace,
    Suheir
    said she had no problem breaking the curfew.

    Ghattas was not quite so lucky. An army patrol spotted him
    driving through the empty streets before dawn as he went to
    pick
    up the wedding dress after last-minute alterations.

    The soldiers did not arrest him but took away the keys to
    his car. Undeterred, he returned home, picked up a spare set
    of
    keys and continued on his way.

    There were fewer guests than is customary at the Orthodox
    Christian wedding because many guests could not reach the city
    because of the blockades Israel's army has imposed across the
    West Bank since Palestinians rose up against Israeli
    occupation 21 months ago.

    And there was little time for a reception after the
    wedding because of the need to be home before the curfew was
    restored at
    2:00 p.m. Usually there would be a large party, singing and
    dancing, but this time there was just a wedding cake and a low
    key celebration.

    It was hardly the wedding of their dreams, but it was
    relief for the happy couple just to be able to tie the knot.

    "We cancelled the wedding three times", said Ghattas after
    the service in a quiet courtyard off Bethlehem's central
    Manger
    Square.

    Many other young Palestinians face similar matrimonial
    dilemmas.

    Some have cancelled their wedding several times because of
    the blockades and curfews. A local television station now
    carries written announcements when weddings are cancelled at
    the last minute to ensure guests do not make an unnecessary
    journey.

    "This is my suit -- unfortunately I couldn't wear it
    today, and the same, also, for my brother, he's also waiting
    for the
    curfew to be lifted, hopefully tomorrow or after tomorrow",
    said another hopeful groom.

    "This is our way of life right now, were just waiting for
    the curfew to be lifted to live our natural life", he
    explained.

    The army has imposed curfews in seven West Bank cities
    which it reoccupied last month following two suicide bombings
    which
    killed 26 Israelis in Jerusalem. It now lifts the curfews for
    a few hours during the day.

    Israel says the reoccupation of the cities was needed to
    prevent suicide bombings, and that a halt to such attacks in
    the
    past two weeks justifies its decision to send in the troops.

    Palestinians call the measures a collective punishment.


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