Free Palestine

Everyday many Palestinians wake up early in the morning with the intention to travel into Israel to work. With permission in hand the wait eagerly to pass through the security area and take a bus or taxi to their destination. Work in Israel holds more opportunities and better pay than most jobs in the West Bank, so permission to enter Israel is a highly valued document. Also, many Palestinians have relatives living in Israel that they cannot see because of the wall. For both groups this document is very important, but attaining this document, and the permission held in it, is extremely difficult. Even with the document, permission is not guaranteed.

The process begins after an application is read. At this time a member of the DCO will schedule a meeting with the applicant to ascertain why the applicant wants permission and to determine if the applicant will commit any harm in Israel. During this meeting the DCO officer may ask if the applicant could aid in giving any information to the Israeli intelligence. Many of the applicants are applying to work in Israel so they can leave the heinous political situation and questions like these can leave the applicant feeling humiliated. If the applicant endures these humiliations respectfully and passes the examination the applicant is awarded a magnetic card.

Although the applicant has been awarded a magnetic card the process is not over. The applicant, with their magnetic card, has three to four ways to obtain permission. The fourth is applicable only to Christians.

One of the first ways to gain permission, and the most used, is having an employer in Israel that is willing to; first employ you, second, apply with you to gain permission to work. With this permit the Palestinian will be allotted an amount of time in Israel and also given an area that they must stay in and not leave. The Palestinian will be under supervision of a single person or the organization that hired them.

Palestinians will also be allowed permission to enter Israel if they have an illness or need surgery that can only be done in Israel. Many times if a Palestinian needs surgery they will be allowed one day for the surgery and the Palestinian must stay in the Westbank to recover. In other cases, the family of the person who is in the hospital be not be allowed to visit their loved one, or they will be given a one time only visa into Israel to visit their family.

In special occasions Palestinians will be allowed entrance to Israel for meetings or other special visits. These permits are rare but can be given to anyone. This is the third way for Palestinians to gain entrance to Israel.

As mentioned earlier, the last opportunity to enter Israel is given to the Christian community. During Christmas and Easter holiday’s Christians are allowed to apply for permission to go to Israel. This does not mean, however, that all Christians will be allowed to enter. Many still are not.

It must be noted that during certain times no one in the Westbank will be allowed out. During periods of violence Israel closes all her boarders and Palestinians are forced to stay in the Westbank. While this may not happen often, it shows the permission does give trust, only temporary stay in an Idolized nation.

As seen, simply gaining permission into Israel is not so simple. It is a long process that has a high chance of ending in rejection. While many Palestinians live very close to Israel many have never seen the other side of the boarder, or have set foot in the holy city of Jerusalem. In the name of security Israel denies innocent Palestinians an opportunity to see family, work, or walk through historically ancestral cities or areas simply because they are on the other side of the line.

It must be noted that during certain times no one in the Westbank will be allowed out. During periods of violence Israel closes all her boarders and Palestinians are forced to stay in the Westbank. While this may not happen often, it shows the permission does give trust, only a temporary stay in an Idolized nation.