June 2010

Hope and Despair

by Paul Larudee May 2010

The outlook for Palestinians has never been more desperate – nor more hopeful.

The desperation is easy to understand. Eight million Palestinians remain homeless. Whether they live in a crowded refugee camp or in Beverly Hills, Israel has denied them their homes for up to 62 years and is working hard to expel the rest.

The crushing Israeli restrictions on Palestinians is intended to destroy their ability to earn a living, get an education, maintain their culture, or even keep their families together. Under the new “infiltrator” law, it is now illegal for Palestinians in one part of Palestine to be in another part, and they are subject to “deportation” to the location shown on their Israeli-issued ID. Many who went abroad for education or work have been refused permission to return, and Jerusalemites are being expelled to the West Bank. More than 24,000 homes have been demolished. On top of that is the devastation of Gaza, with the threats and prospect of being repeated.