This week we had our first opportunity to talk with two individuals living and breathing life in Israel-Palestine everyday. After talking with both Dr Tamari and Beti Herschmann, I was most struck by the effect of the separation barrier, particularly in around the Jerusalem area.
I knew very little about the wall, where it went, and what effect it had until these talks. As we walked through the Ir Amim map in class on Thursday, I began to see how very carefully the entirety of Jerusalem, the Israeli settlements, and the political and physical lines were laid out. Modern Jerusalem did not grow organically. It was particularly manufactured by Israelis, for Israelis, and often at the expense of the Palestinians.
The security barrier is meant to keep Israeli citizens safe, and the government, as a sovereign state, has both the right and the responsibility to protect its citizens. One look at the map, however, reveals that the wall often runs right through the middle of Palestinian neighborhoods-- in effect separating families and friends already suffering from lack of infrastructure and little government funding for necessities like a sewage system and proper schools.
What I found most interesting, though, were the Israeli settlement blocks. I've seen pictures, massive high rises popping out of the foothills of the city, and I've heard and read plenty about them, but I so wonder what it would be like to live there. Many have been around for years-- people have been born and grew up in these places built for the purpose of pushing Israel farther and farther into the West Bank and considered illegal by international law. What is the general consensus on the legitimacy in Har Homa? Does it affect daily life? The thousands of people who live in any of these contested areas are really just people, and that is what makes them and their home so very interesting.
Hi Kellie, thank you for your insight. I have had a hard time understanding and really digesting the establishment of the barrier. From the outside, it seems hard to believe. I understand that safety was a concern for the Israeli government, but, as you said, the location of the barrier suggests that safety may not have been the only motive for construction. It is truly hard to imagine living in a neighborhood entirely surrounded by a looming, unappealing wall. I have no doubt that with time, these barriers will come down.
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