Friday, August 8, 2014

Adania Shibli, "Separated by Israel, Palestinians are forgetting how to stand together": Distorting the Facts

In a guest Washington Post opinion piece entitled "Separated by Israel, Palestinians are forgetting how to stand together" (http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/separated-by-israel-palestinians-are-forgetting-how-to-stand-together/2014/08/08/ab3ab1fa-16a3-11e4-9e3b-7f2f110c6265_story.html?hpid=z3&wp_login_redirect=0), Adania Shibli, a visiting professor at Birzeit University’s Institute of Women’s Studies and Cultural Studies Department, writes:

"What used to be an open space where people could travel freely between all the Palestinian areas, and even into the Israeli areas, has been divided into four zones, with connections between them controlled by more than 500 checkpoints and roadblocks and a wall 26 feet high."

Peculiar. In fact the West Bank separation barrier, intended to keep suicide bombers out of Israel, is only 10 percent "wall," meant to prevent terrorists from shooting into Israel, and 90 percent "fence." Moreover, as of February 2014, there were only 13 West Bank checkpoints, whose use is dependent upon the security situation at any given time (http://www.idfblog.com/blog/2013/05/06/reality-check-the-truth-behind-crossings-in-judea-and-samaria/).

Apparently unbeknownst to Shibli, there is also a separation fence between the US and Mexico, to prevent Mexicans from crossing the border and seeking work. Mexicans are not trying to blow themselves up and kill innocent American civilians.

But why should the facts get in the way of Shibli's propaganda opinion piece?

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