Segregation And Echoes Of Apartheid: Israel Launches Palestinian-Only Buses

[Purveyor]

Unfortunately, the shock lies only in the act of making it semi-official. When Israeli media reported that the country is segregating buses in the West Bank, the only shift is that this looks like an approved form of the sort of petty apartheid that Israel has always denied practising. From this week, buses that are meant for Jewish settlers around the Palestinian town of Qalqiliya, in the occupied West Bank, will no longer take Palestinian passengers – the few that are granted work permits to enter Israel on a per-day only basis. This, we are ludicrously informed, is for the Palestinians’ own good – they will be more comfortable on their own buses, as opposed to the crowded Israeli-only vehicles. But setters, when interviewed, present a different story: that the policy is result of their complaints at having to share transport with Palestinians (because they are, by definition, a “security risk”).

--CLIP
What can we glean from this development, apart from that segregation is a numbing fact of life for Palestinians in the West Bank? That Jewish settlers rule, of course: they have the power to dictate policy, right down to the details of whom should be permitted to travel on which bus line. Also, that Israel’s pro-right supporters have a tough time saying “racial segregation” – even when it stares them in the face. Witness all the qualifying caveats about free choice and free passage and complicated security concerns that surround media reports of these new bus lines. And, finally: that Palestinian labourers from the West Bank are one more group example of daily subjugation. Only a small percentage of Palestinians are allowed into Israel to work, usually in construction – and these are the Palestinians you see crowded around Israeli checkpoints at the crack of dawn, crawling back with expired permits at night – dusty, defeated, glad for the vital work; another cog in the endless, punishing chain of Israel’s occupation profit machine.

MORE...

http://www.newstatesman.com/world-affairs/2013/03/segregation-and-echoes-apartheid-israel-launches-palestinian-only-buses

[aquart]

1. Golly, why would those mean Israelis try not to be blown up?

How bigoted of them to continue being afraid of children and boys and women in suicide vests.

How _____ of New Statesman to consider that unimportant.

Bet the insurance and bus companies like the idea.

[Purveyor]

2. I suppose you have a point as we here in the US still have to basically disrobe to board a plane

some 11 years after 9/11.

Surprised the Japanese and German's are allowed such 'free movement' in this country, considering it really hasn't been "that long ago".

[oberliner]

3. There have got to be some more articles about this somewhere

Only, what, five threads so far?

[Purveyor]

4. Oh I try to meter them out so as not to overwhelm but yes...at least a few more in the future.

It is an abomination after-all, wouldn't you agree?

[shira]

5. Bashing Israel for sport is so fun, don't you know? n/t

[xilify]

6. why am I not surprised that isrealis would do this?

But still you have some 'progressives' that support them..such a disgrace.