Israeli Blockades
www.guardian.co.uk
by Yousef Farsakh
As the situation in Gaza deteriorates and the world’s superpower endorses the growing violence by not bringing accountability to Israel’s actions, many have forgotten about the humanitarian blockade of the West Bank. While not remotely as deadly and evil as the blockade, siege, and now massacre in Gaza, the world must not forget that Israel’s support for Abbas’ Fatah government has not prevented them from continuing the illegal confiscation of Palestinian freedom and humanitarian right.
I write about this just as I complete a one-week medical mission in Nablus, Palestine with two American doctors through the Palestine Children Relief Fund. The objective of this mission was to complete 28 pediatric urology surgeries on complex medical cases from all around the West Bank. My first glimpse of Israeli cooperation and compassion was the six and a half hours my Arab American colleague and I spent being questioned at Ben Gurion Airport in Tel Aviv. After questioning every aspect of our identity and upbringing as well as relations with the state of Israel, we were released to our patient driver awaiting our final arrival. Upon our arrival initially in Ramallah and then Nablus, we discovered that the medical equipment, instruments, and supplies that the doctor brought with him were confiscated at the airport.
Perhaps one of our biggest obstacles that eventually proved too large to be overcome actually ended up being one of our …
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