Israel lifts closure on West Bank, Gaza after Jewish New Year holiday

[Violet_Crumble]

Israel lifted a blanket closure on the West Bank and Gaza Strip on Monday, after the Jewish New Year holiday ended, the Israel Defense Forces said.

The three-day blockade prevented thousands of Palestinian laborers from entering Israel, and made it difficult for people and goods to travel between towns and villages in the West Bank.

Movement of goods in and out of Israel was also blocked.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/766724.html

[azurnoir]

1. Will the Palestinians

get to reciprocate during Ramadan, no Israelis in Gaza? Actually not, Ramadan has already begun.

[sabbat hunter]

2. isnt a sovereign nation

allowed to decide who is allowed within its borders and when? If israel decided to close its borders to any Palestinians isnt that within its rights?

[Violet_Crumble]

5. Since when has the West Bank been Israel?

Because there was this bit in the article as well 'and made it difficult for people and goods to travel between towns and villages in the West Bank.'

[sabbat hunter]

7. yes i saw that part

but as an occupying power they also have the obligation of keeping everyone safe from harm. the terrorists that are among the Palestinian people have used jewish holidays in the past to launch attacks.

[breakaleg]

6. No. As an occupying power they have a responsibility to the

Palestinians to ensure they have certain basic human rights. They can't just lock them inside a prison when it suits them leaving them without health care, access to jobs, food etc.

[sabbat hunter]

8. they have these things

they have health care, food, jobs. there were slowed from getting to their jobs, goods, but those still went thru.

[Englander]

3. This policy isn't feasible in the long-term, at all, really.

It just another eg of how the Olmert govt is bankrupt, in so many ways. Any govt that behaves like
this, that repeatedly makes self-defeating decisions, isn't likely to have a long shelf-life.

[furman]

4. If it prevents even one terrorist attack or arms shipment it is worth it.

[Englander]

9. False premise, strawman.

Which would be the expected argument that tries to 'justify' collective punishment, so no surprises
there. As I said, this policy of the rw govt isn't likely to last very long, it'll fail, because it's
so blatantly bankrupt.