I had an American passport, and at least these soldiers, weren't sure what to do with me. "Is she Arab?" asked one. "No, she's American." "Are you sure? Is she Palestinian with an American passport?" "I don't know, but she has an American passport. Let her go?"

After about an hour of "checking", I was going to be "released into Israel" - I couldn't go back into Tulkarem I was told. "No way", was my response. "I'm not going anywhere except back into Tulkarem. You don't like that, you can arrest me." It took another half hour and a few more phone calls before I was told that I could go back to Tulkarem if I wanted. I was lead out of the base, in the dark and pointed in the direction of Tulkarem. "You don't have to worry, you are safe here with us. I advise you not to go into Tulkarem, but you won't listen." told me the soldier who wouldn't give his name. "I feel anything but safe here with armed gunmen who kidnapped me and still haven't told me why. And on top of that, you destroyed my camera!" Hmpf!

I was happy to be going back into Tulkarem, even if it was dark, a military curfew imposed, and I didn't know exactly how long I was going to be walking for.

A few hundred meters up the road I spotted a group of Palestinian men sitting in the dark, next to their apartment building. They asked if I needed help. I just asked to be directed in the direction of the Tulkarem Red Crescent.