Whereas West Bank settlers can travel freely between Israel and the West Bank, Palestinian movement is governed by the Israeli security establishment. This illustration is the fourth in a series of infographics on the effect of the occupation on the Palestinian civilian population.
Sincere thanks to Michal Vexler for permission to reprint this artwork freely and without restriction.
Very difficult to think of Israel as a democracy when you see this. Impossible. No wonder so many Palestinian have psychiatric problems ranging from depression to so much worse. How can one survive in such a humiliating situation and became mad ?
I do sometimes feel that people I know are experiencing a kind of collective depression, which wouldn’t be surprising. But there’s also something very alive about how they enthusiastically they enjoy weddings, how honored they are to share good food, and how natural it is to get up every day and keep on going no matter what. I guess that’s steadfastness, which sounds like a slogan, but it’s really no more than human endurance and hope.
you expressed it all in this peace Nora, I share you the same feelings, this is exactly how I feel when I cross checkpoints, especially Qalandia. Each time I am coming from Ramallah to jerusalem , I have this argument in my mind which way to take Qalandia checkpoint , which is shorter in distance (supposedly) or go around Pisgat Zeeve…I try to ignore the soldiers, or try to act calm..an Italian friend once told me the best way to do it is to close the windows and listen to a good music? I tried but still….the worst is when you get trapped between the boys throwing stones and the soldiers tear gas bombs…I feel like a hostage, and mostly I get terrified when my children are with me…I hate checkpoints, I hate Qalandia checkpoint.
And to think that it was paid for with United States aid to the Palestinian people!