BETHLEHEM, West Bank -- Children from Bethlehem's Aida and Beit Jibrin
refugee camps talk to Mondoweiss about their life in the camps.
Filmmakers Sheren Khalel and Abed al Qaisi wanted to know exactly how
much the children understood about the military occupation going on
around them, and how normal they believed their lives were. With their
parents permission, Khalel and al Qaisi asked five children from the
streets of the two camps what they thought. All of the answers were
spontaneous and unrehearsed, and as it turned out, the kids understood
-- and have experienced -- quite a lot.

Many of the children
talked about tear gas, soldiers, and being scared of going outside. All
of the children have seen family members killed, injured and detained by
Israeli forces -- as is the life in the occupied West Bank's many
refugee camps. Still, the children have high hopes, telling Mondoweiss
they want to be doctors, lawyers and engineers when they grow up.