What is it like in Palestine now ?
Working in one of the biggest hospitals in Palestine, namely in Hebron, I have seen MUCH during the past 2 months. Starting from October the first almost 90% of the teachers in govermental schools started their strike. Since then all palestinian students are NOT going to their schools , except for few schools where students and their teachers stay for 2-3 hours then they leave. The Palestinian Ministry of Health has been on strike since then ,too. ALL govermental hospitals stopped receiving patients ( except for urgent cases ) and the whole health sector in the country is devastated. Even vaccinations are not being given . Some health centers open their doors only for 2 hours to give vaccinations to children, only tens receive the vaccinations and thousands are left to suffer from this 'strike'.
I believe that this 'strike' puts ethical and logical questions that needs to be answered by us ( as Palestinians ). It is not the political dimension I am talking about here, but it is this mentality that is putting the lives of hundreds of thousands of Palestinians in danger so as to 'achieve' some political goals !
I think that we have to restart evaluationg our abilities as a 'nation' that can handle building a 'state' : something we have been asking for since long.
What is happening here is not only shameful and stupid, it is a very dangerous situation that needs second thoughts from everyone of us.
Being ready to keep on with a "strike" that is treating the people worse than occupation, is something that means only one thing : we are VERY close to a civil war .
May God forbid .....
posted by Osaid Rasheed @ 3:03 PM
12 comments
12 Comments:
Osaid, the strike, as the election of Hamas itself, is the will of the people. It must be supported.
It is a statement to the 'poers that be' (actually powers that SHOULD be) to get their act together. Israel owes the Palestinian Authority millions of dollars from collected taxes. This money can and should be used to pay the workers the back wages they are owed.
As long as the infighting continues among the palestinian leadership, Israel remains the victor... not the Palestinian workers.
The blame clearly lies with Israel's refusal to hand over the money to them.... not with the strikers.
Good to see you back on the blogesphere my Brother... I hope the pressure eases up on you and you will show yourself here more often.
Dunno if it's much consolation, but strikes in Israel are often just as self-destructive as the ones going on in Palestine. The best method we've found to stop the strikes is to make the union leader the new Defense Minister.
I'm not sure how much of the financial trouble in Palestine is due to the withheld-taxes business; as far as I know, the amount of Western aid that ended when Hamas took power was considerably higher than the amount of the customs duties that Israel has been withholding. (Question: Are we in fact still withholding those funds? I haven't seen anything about the issue in the papers for quite a few months.)
Here's hoping things start improving soon!
This is what happens when a government is built upon the destruction of another. It's built upon sand. Hamas should recognize Israel, stop the violence, and build a peaceable, and prosperous state. The amount of charity needed to run the palestinian terrority only shows the ineptness of their leaders.
It's a difficult issue. Strikes can be a useful tactic. But the logic of strikes in previous colonial situations, has been to demonstrate that the colonial power is no longer in administrative control.
I guess the question for Palestinians, is - who is the strike meant to target and does it achieve the desired outcome?
Osaid,
A very moving bit of insight into daily life there at the moment. The ethical conlfict that such a strike involves is a tough one. The only problem in this situation is that there is no real labor conlfict with the employers/government. There just isn't any money due to all the reasons everyone knows. In that situation, striking does indeed seem counter-productive unless the aim of the strike would be more directly to pressure Hamas into accepting a unity government and maybe in some vague wording accept the conditions neccessary to get the PA's funding back.
Your general comments about the ability to self-govern, those are tough ones. Steve's comment that Palestinians 'never will' be able to self govern should be repudiated. Maybe what is required is a ten-year Marshall Plan for the PA, of course in the context of a peace agreement or 20 year 'hudna.'
Its not going to be a very festive Eid but best wishes for Eid anyways.
Osaid, good to see you back :)
Coincidentally I read something about a Hamas official saying much about the same thing you are writing here (look at ourselves as a society) - in the context of violence.
I think it's a positive development - because unity under the people will influence an individual foremost (and all of us are first individuals)....
Here's where is mentioned what he said:
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3317748,00.html
Take care & be well,
Tse.
Osaid,
How are you doing? I hope all is well there. I wrote a bit on my weblog yesterday and I am trying to get some different perspectives on it. I would find it cool if you had a chance to check it out and see what you think. Its the current entry - 'White Man's Truth.'
Hope you had a good Eid, as good as possible under the circumstances.
Salam and shalom,
Lennybruce
Osaid.... WHERE ARE YOU?????
please email me to let me know you are OK... or call.
This is the first time i am writting into this blog. I think that this is a really cool way for people to get their opinions out on this issue but i also think that the comment posted shouldnt be so personal especially if you arent really aware as to what is happening and stick up for one side only. I know that bot Israel and Palestine are to blame for many things but i dont believe that Palestine will never be able to govern itself. it is not made up by a bunch of ignorant people and things will never go anywhere if each side just keeps on insulting the other.
thomas: checked your temperature lately?
The best method we've found to stop the strikes is to make the union leader the new Defense Minister.Steve's comment that Palestinians 'never will' be able to self govern should be repudiated.
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