Worlds Largest Open Air Prison?

What Makes Palestine the Worlds Largest Open Air Prison?

The conflict between Palestinian Arabs and Israeli Jews began around the turn of the 20th century. It is essentially a struggle over land. Until 1948, the area that both groups claimed was known internationally as Palestine. But following the war of 1948-49, this land was divided into three parts: the state of Israel, The West Bank and Gaza Strip ( http://www.tucsonshowguide.com/stories/jul02/israel2.cfm ). For over 50 years now, Palestinian people have been suffering from injustice by the Israeli government. Aside from the Israeli tanks and bulldozers that occupy Palestinian lands, there is still the issue of checkpoints. Everyday thousands of Palestinians must wait for permission to cross through the sixty one manned military checkpoints throughout the West Bank and Gaza Strip.

According to the Israeli military, the system of checkpoints works to protect Israel from Palestinian attackers. Government and military officials have cited the system of checkpoints in the West Bank as one of the several factors contributing to a steady reduction in the number of suicide bombings against Israeli targets. Indeed, they are mistaken, with or without roadblocks, attacks will continue because the will of the Palestinian people cannot be broken.

Meanwhile, human rights groups have documented hundreds of cases of abuse by Israeli troops against Palestinian civilians at roadblocks: beatings, harassment, shootings, humiliation and life threatening delays. Last year a female Israeli soldier assigned to a Gaza Strip checkpoint was convicted of forcing a Palestinian woman at gunpoint to drink a bottle of cleaning fluid, according to court records. (The Washington Post) A couple of months ago, soldiers at the Beit Iba checkpoint ordered a Palestinian to open his violin case and play for them while the lines behind him grew. A large number of Palestinians seeking medical care have died during delays at checkpoints. What should normally be a few minutes for a student to get to school are now a few hours back and forth five days a week. This is unacceptable.

Checkpoints are often packed by the hundreds on foot in bitter heat or icy rains. Everyday the regulations are different; one day everyone is allowed to pass while on another no one gets through. It is fairly unpredictable. All these inconveniences fuel the frustration and hatred towards Israel. Like the rest of the world, Palestinians have jobs to go to and families to see. These daily activities are difficult to accomplish when having to face roadblocks operated by the enemy.
In 1995 following an attack on Bet Lid, Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin made his goals more specific: “This path must lead to separation, though not according to the borders prior to 1967. We want to reach a separation between us and them.” The construction of the Israeli Apartheid Wall began on the 16th of June, 2002 ( http://www.americantaskforce.org/the_wall.htm ).This barrier, which will eventually extend over approximately 790 kilo meter, consists of a series of 25 foot high concrete walls, trenches, barbed wire “buffer zones”, electrified fencing with uncountable watch towers, electronic sensors, thermal imaging video cameras, unmanned aerial vehicles, sniper towers and roads for patrol vehicles.
This wall separates the Israeli territories from the Palestinian territories; but not quite. The path the wall is taking through the West Bank is resulting in massive land confiscation. The construction of the wall has so far already uprooted an estimated 102,320 Palestinian olive and citrus trees. The land between the Green Line and the wall has been declared a “closed military zone”. Due to this, all the people living in this “zone” will require permits to stay living in their homes. 71 primary health clinics will be isolated from the West Bank between the wall and the Green Line. The construction of the wall being built by Israel in the occupied Palestinian territory, including in and around East Jerusalem is contrary to International law. But still the building of the Apartheid Wall goes on. When the wall is completed, nearly all of the West Bank population will be affected by the wall through loss of land, imprisonment in ghettos or isolation in areas de facto annexed to Israel.

On December 8, 2003 – The United Nations General Assembly adopted a resolution asking the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to issue an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s constructing of the barrier. By a ruling of thirteen votes to two, the (ICJ) found that “all States are under obligation not to recognize the illegal situation resulting from the construction of the wall and not to render aid assistance in maintaining the situation created by such construction.

The building of the Apartheid Wall continues today. Just about 45% of the wall has been completed. And the numbers of checkpoints have only increased. Palestinians are separated from land, resources, and family. Life in Palestine has never been so miserable. Yet many people see a strong need for this kind of security. But this is not security. This is imprisonment. The state of Israel is in grave violation of human rights. Sadly Israel is showing little sensitivity towards the Palestinians people.

After much un-needed research, I have come to learn that Palestine is in fact the largest open air prison in existence. Israel has raped the Palestinian people of their right to freedom. And America, the so called “super power”, clearly does not give two shits about Palestine and the people in it for they have done nothing to stop this nonsense. I am embarrassed to call myself an American. The construction of the Apartheid Wall and the system of checkpoints takes a heavy toll on the Palestinians. Yet they are strong-willed people, and the roadblocks will not STOP them from living their lives or even ending them. The Palestinians desire nothing more than to live normal lives but even that freedom has been taken away from them.