Security?
Reageer (0)Dear All,
This evening I have little appetite to write. My mood alternates between extreme ire and frustration.
I was to have driven 2 Palestinian children and their accompaniers to a hospital in Haifa tomorrow. This evening I learned that both the two possible accompaniers of one of the children (call him ‘X’)—an older brother and mother--were denied permits to accompany him. This has happened in the past, too, but on that occasion permits were issued for both the mother and brother at the last minute. Today the Israeli military person in charge of the brother’s and mother’s permit informed them that there would be a meeting at 8:30 tomorrow to decide the case. Never mind that children had to be at the hospital by 9 in the morning, and that it is a good hour’s drive from where X lives.
My initial reaction (apart from anger) was to suggest that X go with the other child and her father, who seemed not to have permit problems.
But ‘X’ had to stay in the hospital overnight and undergo tests. His brother therefore felt that it would not be a good idea.
Later, in thinking it over, I realized that it would be a very bad idea. Substitution would be not only unjust and wrong but also might give the authorities the notion that X could manage without someone from his family accompanying him.
I am so angry I could throw things, and frustrated that there is so little that I can do to alter the situation! Imagine that your child or younger brother or nephew or neighbor’s child needed to go to the hospital for follow-up treatment to a serious illness but was prevented from doing so by some stupid evil beaurocrat! Can you possibly imagine having to get a permit from your government to keep a medical appointment? And worse yet, can you imagine never knowing whether or not you will be allowed or denied the right to accompany your child to the doctor!?!
As for the comment at the top of the page, I do not for the life of me understand how, in the light of the missiles flying from Gaza, it is possible for any Israeli to believe that the wall/barrier could possibly bring security. Having been in Sderot several times, and having interviewed about 40 residents (so far) and spoken to others, I am under the distinct impression that most residents of Sderot (probably all) feel anything but secure! As for how the wall impacts on the lives of Palestinians—I think that Chavetz’s depiction is accurate. As Robert Frost wrote:
“Something there is that doesn’t like a wall---
That wants it down” Well would you want a wall that separated you from your farm land, school, church, friends, etc? And as concerns ‘gates,’ there are many villages with a wall but no gates that open to allow farmers to reach their lands.
Best,
Dorothy
Bron: dor_naor@netvision.net.il
