In the first part of this series of articles, I wrote about the awful checkpoints and the results of the Separation Wall Israel has built around the West Bank. Now I want to write about the possibility of prosperity reaching the land. There is only one obstacle in the Palestinians way of reaching prosperity, and that is Israel. (Shocking, right?) The Israelis, when building this wall, didn't even stay on the path of the Green Line, which is the official borders of the West Bank. They chose to take their own path and zigzag around the original borders, taking a huge amount of land from some villages. For example, in the village of Bi'lin, Israel took 50% of the land, where all the farming fields and vegetation was, originally belonging to the village, and built modern settlements for the Israelis. It's so ironic, to have beautiful houses sitting on lush valleys on one side of this wall, and on the other, poverty-stricken villages, with dirt roads and crumbling houses. The Israelis would say, why not let the Palestinian Authority invest in infrastructure. First of all, the financial issues. The neighboring Arab countries, including Saudia Arabia and the gulf states could donate and aid them. Now they have the money. Next thing is, how are they going to bring in building supplies and steel and all the necessities of building, with a wall this size. There is no way in or out of this area for some. And how can the Palestinians be sure that Israel will not take these buildings away from them, just like they did in 1948. They wouldn't want to build for nothing. And if they build homes and new buildings, who would buy them. At the level of poverty the Palestinians are in because of Israel, there is no hope for the occupants to increase their wage, and live a better lifestyle. The West Bank is not even a country! When the Palestinian Territories become a fully independent state, then they can build and prosper their new land. But not now, when Israel is controlling what comes in and what goes out, including water, electricity, and food. People often point out the success of the young state of Israel. But we can point our fingers to the United States, for all the financial aid, and the modern military aid, that helped them acquire this land, violently and with force, in the first place.Tuesday, February 24, 2009
The West Bank: Reaching Prosperity
In the first part of this series of articles, I wrote about the awful checkpoints and the results of the Separation Wall Israel has built around the West Bank. Now I want to write about the possibility of prosperity reaching the land. There is only one obstacle in the Palestinians way of reaching prosperity, and that is Israel. (Shocking, right?) The Israelis, when building this wall, didn't even stay on the path of the Green Line, which is the official borders of the West Bank. They chose to take their own path and zigzag around the original borders, taking a huge amount of land from some villages. For example, in the village of Bi'lin, Israel took 50% of the land, where all the farming fields and vegetation was, originally belonging to the village, and built modern settlements for the Israelis. It's so ironic, to have beautiful houses sitting on lush valleys on one side of this wall, and on the other, poverty-stricken villages, with dirt roads and crumbling houses. The Israelis would say, why not let the Palestinian Authority invest in infrastructure. First of all, the financial issues. The neighboring Arab countries, including Saudia Arabia and the gulf states could donate and aid them. Now they have the money. Next thing is, how are they going to bring in building supplies and steel and all the necessities of building, with a wall this size. There is no way in or out of this area for some. And how can the Palestinians be sure that Israel will not take these buildings away from them, just like they did in 1948. They wouldn't want to build for nothing. And if they build homes and new buildings, who would buy them. At the level of poverty the Palestinians are in because of Israel, there is no hope for the occupants to increase their wage, and live a better lifestyle. The West Bank is not even a country! When the Palestinian Territories become a fully independent state, then they can build and prosper their new land. But not now, when Israel is controlling what comes in and what goes out, including water, electricity, and food. People often point out the success of the young state of Israel. But we can point our fingers to the United States, for all the financial aid, and the modern military aid, that helped them acquire this land, violently and with force, in the first place.
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You know what I think!? I think that if Israel were demolished, then a lot of problems would go with it. I know it's mean, right, but I'm seriously getting fed up with them. And America too, they need to stop sending weapons and money to Israel!!!
ReplyDeleteEvery chance at peace, Israel does not want to use. IT seems like they're trying to AVOID peace--like they WANT any "excuse" to fight!
And in the end, they're the one's prospering, while the poor Palestinians are broke and starving. I don't know what else to say, there are no chances for them living side-by-side or even making 2 states. NO??? How sad is that.
--Lulu
7ayati.puresnowz.com
Lulu, your absolutely right about Israel wanting an excuse to fight. I will have a whole article up on that subject od Israel's disproportionate "retaliations". Until the world recognizes the state of things and what Palestinians are going through, no there will not be peace. The United States plays a key role, and right now, the future looks bleak.
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