The occupation, and one of the logical contradictions it creates.

At the Meitar checkpoint last week I met a man who’s worked in Israel for many years.  When he saw us organizing beach days, he asked us to organize one for people from El Fawwar.  He says the people in that refugee camp are very poor and the living conditions are very crowded and lots of children dream of seeing the ocean and enjoying it.  We arranged to meet with his wife and try to organize something, at least for next year.

 Then he began talking about the younger generation which is growing up in despair, with no future and no work.  “You know, recently three of our young men killed themselves.  They can’t obtain work permits, they have no money to build a future or to study or to marry.  The law says that men younger than 22 who aren’t married aren’t allowed to work in Israel.  I don’t understand that – how will they marry without a job and money?  The world is backwards.  Let them work, they’ll build a house, marry and be satisfied.  Everyone wants quiet, a good life, a house, a family.”

Isn’t it elementary? 

But not according to our geniuses.  So thousands of young men remain idle and with no hope for a better future.  They have nothing to lose, so…

“Can you help me get a work permit for my son, he’s 20, studying mathematics in Hebron?  Just for the summer.  He’s despairing, feels he’s a failure, I raised him to be a good person and he’s sad; I fear for him.”  So I called Sylvia.  It turns out that short term permits are available for seasonal work or in construction in the settlements.  We arranged I’d come to his home near Deir Razak during today’s shift, to meet the young man and also his wife who’ll be able to organize a group of women and children for a beach day…

Yesterday we drove there.  Thanks to his permanent job he escaped the refugee camp and built a lovely, large house on a hill overlooking it.  His wife and children awaited us happily.  The sad young man displayed a short-term permit he’d received in the past.  So the possibility exists; you just need someone to understand that youths studying and working aren’t dangerous like those who see no way out.  He wants very much to work in order to finance his continuing studies so he can finish building the second storey which will be his home so that he can marry.  The money he earns working for two months will pay for the next two years of studies.  Let’s hope he’ll find some contractor who’ll take him.  And we’ll continue helping his wife organize more children and women for a beach day.

Everything’s blocked for these people.  They haven’t a normal life like the rest of us.  And the logical contradiction of the occupation policy creates future generations of those who hate and despair.  The pressure cooker keeps bubbling…

From there we drove to Hebron.  Everything’s the same.

The Hazon David “synagogue” is still demolished.

Another booth has been erected at Curve 160, right next to the entrance gate.  Soldiers are putting up a shade canopy against the sun.

The rest of the checkpoints and roadblocks continue as usual.  Tourists wander around the Cave of the Patriarchs area, as usual.

The infrastructure work continues at Tel Rumeida, the municipality and the Civil Administration jointly laying water pipes.

Back via Highway 356.  New neighborhoods under construction at Carmel, Susya and Sham’a.

What industry, what energy, so much money available for the lords of the land.  Only for them.