Israeli troops stared in amazement and weary Palestinians broke into broad smiles as a group of Jewish, Christian and Arab Druze activists descended on an army checkpoint to hand out ancient Jewish mystical texts in the name of peace.
About 100 peace campaigners, most of them Israelis, came to this crossing point between Jerusalem and the West Bank town of Ramallah on Tuesday on a mission to distribute 1,000 copies of writings from the Zohar, or Book of Splendor, the central text of Kabbalah, the ancient Jewish mystical tradition that has won celebrity adherents like the singer Madonna.
During 29 months of Palestinian-Israeli violence, Israel has banned Palestinians from entering the country, saying the restrictions are necessary to prevent terror attacks. All over the West Bank, soldiers at checkpoints like the one at Kalandia turn back all but the few with special permits. Palestinians complain that the roadblocks and other restrictions have caused them severe economic hardships.
Dressed in the traditional robes and headdress of Israel's Arab Druze minority, Sheik Hussein Abu Rukun handed copies of the pocket-sized volume to Palestinians waiting to cross the wind-swept checkpoint.
"The Zohar has wrought many miracles throughout the world," he said. "Maybe it can make a miracle happen here."
Abu Rukun said he holds frequent interfaith workshops in his home town of Ussifiya, in northern Israel, and has close ties with the Los Angeles-based Kabbalah Center International, which initiated Tuesday's West Bank mission.
Ruth Wagner came from her home in New York City two weeks ago to help organize the operation.
"The idea is the energy," she said. "There's so much spiritual energy in this book, it's such an ancient book and it's so powerful."
Wagner and those who share her beliefs are convinced that simple possession of the book can protect its owner from physical harm and encourage an altruistic outlook.
The full Hebrew-language version of the Zohar has five volumes.
Bemused Palestinians waiting in line to cross the Kalandia checkpoint from the Jerusalem side accepted the books with a smile and a word of thanks, and as others arrived they began actively to ask for copies.
This edition of the book excerpts has 131 pages of Hebrew text and an introduction in English, Arabic, French and Spanish. One Palestinian who received a copy said it would have made more of an impact if there had been a full Arabic translation.
Irrespective of the book's content, however, the recipients looked touched by the experience of having Israelis approach them and give them something with a smile.
"It's the giving that's important," Wagner said.
Fathi Fatah, from the West Bank city of Nablus said he and his friends sneaked around the barrier to look for work. Clutching a copy of the Zohar, he said that anything was worth trying in an attempt to stop the bloodshed in which 2,196 people on Palestinians have been killed since September 2000 and 748 people have been killed on the Israeli side.
"If it can stop war, then it's a good idea," he said. "We must stop this war."
As the books ran out and the sun set behind dark storm clouds, the activists linked arms and began singing in Hebrew and Arabic, "Peace to us and all the world."
A tall Palestinian joined in holding his hands above his head in a gesture of benediction.
"Inshalah (God willing)," he said. "Peace to everyone."
Wagner said her organization hoped to repeat the exercise in Iraq.
"See you in Baghdad," she said.