The significance of unforeseen death in a community on the brink

The Jordan VaHey was captured by the Israelis from Jordan in June 1967 during the Six Day War. Its continued status as Israeli territory has been uncertain since the inception of the political process towards peace in the Middle East. Arab settlement in the Jordan Valley, with the exception of an urban center in Jericho, is extremely limited. Many view the Jordan river and the Jordan Valley highway, running to the east of Gilgal, as a necessary security zone for the state. The politicians, however, have made few pronouncements on the future plans for the area, and speculations are rampant. Residents of the area, therefore, remain in a state of particularly difficult psychological uncertainty.