I remember that someone once asked me over the radio to do something, so I walked from one post to another in total darkness in Hebron, two minutes walk, and when I got back to the post I thought to myself, you’re simply nuts. Anyone who’d see you out there would kidnap you and end your life. Alone at night in Hebron, with all due respect to weapons and all. And there was this shop we went into. We always used to ask Palestinians there to buy stuff for us. We always bought at this store. Once we went into this Palestinian shop and no one was there, it was totally scary. You go in. Israeli soldiers don’t go in there. You’re afraid and you don’t want to and it’s against all regulations. It’s a really big security risk. On the other hand, if some commander catches you, you’ll go to jail or at least be grounded. I remember being on the post and then one of the guys, someone else, one of the young ones who had no problems, he replaced me at the post. Regulation-wise it’s breaking your guard shift. Because he didn’t go through procedure or anything. So he replaced me and four of us went out to get something from the shop. Because we couldn’t find anyone else to buy for us.

So what did you do? Yes, mostly the children. “Jib al-hubz” (get bread) and pita bread and stuff like that, and he’d get it for you. They’d always get it.

You’d give him money? Yes, yes, everything with money. He’d bring back change. They were like messengers. We didn’t pay them extra. I remember that I was really impressed with how nice they were. Years later I realized that they did out of fear. A soldier comes to you and asks you to do something, he was afraid of what you’d do to him if he refused.