1,250 sq. km
Of hilly plateau:
Why is it such a big deal?
It's just land
in southwest Syria
that Israel won in the Six Day War.
30,500 people occupy it
yet opinions flutter like hawks
inagricultural villages
among the silent mountains
that have nochoice in the matter

Some say:
Yes,
Give it back!
Letthe Arabs have it.
It will bring peace.
They promised!
Allour problems will be over.
My children won't have to go to war.
Anyway, it's only land.

Others say:
No.
We won it.
It's ours.
They can't have it.
It won't bring peace.
Itwill bring more threats,
more peace talks,
and eventually
wewill end up without any land at all.

When will it end?
Willit stop with the Golan?
Will it continue until everything is gone?
Will they not quit until they have
Tel Aviv andJerusalem?

What should we do?
I leave that question
foryou to ponder:
I climbed in the Banias,
and breathed the air
that smelled of dried-out earth
and all I know is this:
abeautiful piece of land
with parched trees
and skies withoutrain,
has nowhere to call home.