Past shared, present shattered

[cali]

Once bound together, Israeli and Palestinian cities diverge, with one booming and the other suffering
By John Murphy
Sun Foreign Reporter
Originally published March 18, 2007
NETANYA, Israel // Robin Leigh, a 45-year-old London attorney, arrived in this seaside city on a recent afternoon to pick out bathroom and kitchen fixtures for his new three-bedroom condominium overlooking the Mediterranean. His purchase was the latest confirmation of Netanya's transformation from one of the most frequently bombed cities during the last six years of Israeli-Palestinian violence to one of Israel's most sought-after addresses.

Just 10 miles away in the West Bank city of Tulkarm, the launching pad for many Palestinian bombers, another move was under way. Abu Afif, 48, a Palestinian building contractor whose business had gone bankrupt amid tight Israeli security restrictions and crippling international sanctions against the Hamas-led government, was packing his bags to seek a new life in Dubai. His departure marked the latest exodus of Palestinian professionals fleeing the deepening poverty and political chaos of Tulkarm.

Although their fortunes couldn't be more different today, Netanya and Tulkarm were once two communities so deeply intertwined that Israelis and Palestinians there believed they were on course for a shared future and shared prosperity.

Thousands of Palestinian workers poured into Netanya to run its hotels and restaurants, build new homes and apartments and harvest fruits and vegetables. On weekends, Israeli bargain hunters ventured into Tulkarm's narrow streets to get their cars repaired, buy fresh produce and visit dentists. It was an unbalanced relationship and tensions remained, but geography appeared to make close ties inevitable.

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http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/bal-te.twocities18mar18,0,3769276.story?coll=bal-nationworld-headlines

Long but interesting and sad article.

[oberliner]

1. To think of what might have been

It really seemed like there was a chance for a peaceful settlement towards the latter end of the Clinton presidency.

Hopefully there is still a chance.

[Englander]

2. "Apartheid".

That article was informative, it clearly showed that the Israeli govt is pursuing a policy of
apartheid in the OPT;

">snip

"We don't have an option of peace with Palestinians. That's why I support leaving most of the Palestinian territories. I want to cut myself off from the Palestinians," says Dan Schueftan a professor of political science at the University of Haifa whose ideas played a major role in initiating the policy of separation that has guided the government of Israel since 2004. "No matter what, the war will continue."

[cali]

3. Yeah, it was informative and it

did illustrate the apartheid like policies in the WB, and their disasterous and tragic- and completely forseeable results.