Saturday, April 13, 2013

Tales from Gaza: What is life really like in 'the world's largest outdoor prison'?

The guide books warn that it's very unstable and that tourists shouldn't go there; the Foreign Office tells Brits that there's a high threat from terrorism – don't visit any part of the territory, it says, and if you do, there is no 'our man' there to help you out.

In truth, it is pretty difficult to get into Gaza anyway. Unless you are a journalist or work for an NGO, the likelihood is that you will get stopped at Israel's airport-terminal-like border post at Erez, which governs who is allowed to enter the Palestinian territory and, more importantly in Israeli eyes, who is allowed out.

But once you do get permission to go to Gaza, you realise that it is not like anywhere else. After getting the necessary stamps in your passport, you take a long walk through an 800-metre or so long cage, overlooked by Israeli army gun posts and balloons fixed with cameras that keep an eye over what's going on. Locals call it "the world's biggest prison", and it's not difficult to understand why.

You eventually arrive at the first of two checkpoints, controlled by the Palestinian Authority and the moderate Fatah faction. Fatah doesn't run Gaza, but since Hamas, which is in charge, does not recognise Israel, it will not inform the Israelis on their side of the border that you are coming back. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. Australia MPs: Gaza is world's largest outdoor jail...
  2. Palestinians tell Obama ‘You‘re not welcome here‘
  3. The American press and Israel...
  4. Palestinian negotiators 'avoided shaking Tony Blair's hand'
  5. The Corries' ten-year quest for justice...
  6. The wretched scandal of Gaza...
  7. Apartheid is alive and well in Israel...

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