“Two guys died for nothing”: the story of an almost ordinary operation by the Israeli army in Nablus, in the West Bank

Honestly, it’s strong, I didn’t see them coming. There are two soldiers in the open kitchen, equipped like Volkswagens, infrared camera on their helmets, bulletproof vest and bag on their backs. They point their machine guns at me, they yell at me in Hebrew and I stare at them, taken aback, surprised, I must admit, not fully awake. I passionately devoured the Wikipedia page concerning the Samaritans on my phone, breakfast atmosphere, a cup of tea in hand, in the sumptuous dining room of a former Ottoman palace in Nablus transformed into a youth hostel. A presentiment made me raise my head a bit too late for me to be proud of it. I find myself facing two IDF soldiers [l'armée israélienne, NDLR] well into their operation so I stand up cautiously, hands in the air, smile reassuringly, venturing into English.

They continue to yell. What do they want? « Put your cup down ! » I apologize confusedly and put my cup on the table. « Sorry, I didn’t understand ! » The day before, I arrived in this historic city, the most beautiful I have ever seen during this trip, stronghold of the resistance…