MAKING PALS WITH PALESTINIANS EXCHANGE HAS LOCAL GROUP HOSTING YOUTHS FROM NABLUS

AS ISRAELI tanks rolled into a West Bank city under curfew, a group of Ottawa youth and their leaders were smuggled out of Nablus in an ambulance last year, a dramatic conclusion to their five-day visit.

Those memories will be treasured forever. And in return for that gift, they have arranged for a group of Palestinian youth from Nablus -- who have never left the ravaged city in the occupied territories -- to visit Canada and experience this vast land of endless trees, lakes and rivers.

The group of nine, aged 16-25, plus two church leaders landed in Montreal Thursday. They are a group from St. Philips Anglican Church in Nablus, which hosted the group of Ottawa youth last August.

"It was an amazing time built on the hospitality of the youth and the families there," said Father Robert Assaly, of Ottawa's St. Thomas the Apostle Anglican Church.

Assaly, who co-ordinated last year's exchange and is spearheading this one, was one of the leaders who visited Nablus last year with youth members of the Eastern Ontario Anglican Diocese. Their five days in Nablus was part of a month-long trip to the Middle East.

SAW CAR BOMB

In Nablus, they stayed at the church, which came under occupation by the Israeli military, Assaly said.

During a roof party, which they would have nightly, the group witnessed a car bomb explosion.

They would sometimes sneak out of the church to fill jugs with water from nearby sources.

"What struck them (the youth), was in a place where, by our definition, they have absolutely nothing, they offered absolutely everything," Assaly said.

Their experience left a handprint in their hearts and the Ottawa youth wanted to do the same for the Nablus youth.

With vigorous fundraising, and overcoming a hurdle placed by the Canadian government, that dream is now a reality.

Only two days prior to their scheduled arrival in Canada, the Nablus delegation's visas were finally approved. The Canadian Embassy in Tel Aviv turned down the applications even before processing them, even though the $75-per-person fee had been paid. The visitors then paid an additional $150 each for a quick issuing, Assaly said.

From the 35 Christian youth from Nablus, the nine who were chosen to travel have never left the city.

PRISON-LIKE

"They'll be able to come out of a military prison that is called a city," Assaly said.

They, along with two church leaders, will visit Canada for 31/2 weeks, starting in Montreal, then going to Halifax, coming to Ottawa June 24, and then heading to Quebec City, before returning home.

Church groups involved are the Diocese of Nova Scotia, the Diocese of Montreal, the Diocese of Quebec, Ottawa's St. Elias Antiochian Orthodox Church and the Diocese of Ottawa.

The trip's theme is peacemaking and water because they have neither peace nor plentiful water at home. As a result, canoe trips and an outing to Algonquin Park are among the events planned for their visit.

"This group of people are tomorrow's peacemakers," said Assaly, who lived in Nablus for three years.

nelly.elayoubi@ott.sunpub.com