Israeli "Security" in General

Bruce Hawkins

March 4-22, 1999

As I have described in my own experiences with it, Israeli "Security" can be very unpleasant. It seems to be intended for psychological effect as much as for any real security purposes. There are checkpoints all over the place, often not manned, but also appearing in impromptu fashion where least expected and for little apparent real purpose. The checks, if they are made, are often cursory, and guards have been known to tell people where to find an alternative route around a closed checkpoint. The Palestinian reaction is that "Jewish" has become a swear word.

The belief of thoughtful Palestinians and of Americans living there such as the personnel of the Friends Schools in Ramallah is that the check points are designed to put as much pressure as possible on Palestinians without provoking mass open rebellion. The intent is to humiliate and to change lifestyles, for example to make people decide it isn't worth going to the doctor they like in Jerusalem, but go to a Ramallah doctor instead.

Since the Israelis really wish the Palestinians would disappear (and Labor is simply more polite about that goal than Likud is), this continual discouragement hopes to drive them abroad. The harassment of sympathetic foreigners is probably intended to keep us from coming back. I know that if I have reason to go back, I will investigate traveling through Jordan (the same airlines fly there).

To get a feeling for the pettiness of it all, read about Tania and Charlie's wedding