One of the ironies of the Mideast conflict is that while the Palestinians clamor for a state, when push comes to shove, many of them prefer living under Israeli rule! Itâs not that difficult to understand. Life under Yasser Arafatâs regime is characterized by mob rule, chaos, violence and economic catastrophe. With all its troubles, Israel is relatively stable in comparison. With Israel accelerating construction of its security fence in Judea and Samaria, many Palestinians are hastily making plans to ensure that they will be on the Israeli side of the new border, once it is drawn. This is especially noticeable on the Tunnel Road, the highway connecting Jerusalem to the Gush Etzion bloc of settlements between Bethlehem and Hebron in the south. Palestinian Christians from the town of Beit Jala near Bethlehem have been buying up homes and property near the Tunnel Road because they know that under any future arrangement, Gush Etzion will remain a part of Israel. As a result, property values in the area of the tunnels have skyrocketed, while in Beit Jala, on the other side of the emerging border, they have plunged. For the Christian families moving out, it is a matter of self-preservation. There are no economic opportunities on the other side of the fence, and Islamic fundamentalism is encroaching on every aspect of Palestinian life.
Publicly, of course, these Christian families donât admit to this âstrategy.â That could bring reprisals from the Palestinian Authority and Islamic militants. Even in the churches, Arab clerics direct criticism toward Israel alone. Thatâs partially because they identify with the suffering of their Palestinian brothers and partially because theyâre afraid. But thereâs an old saying that people vote with their feet. And as many Palestinians as have the resources are making sure that theyâll be on the Israeli side of the fence. Beit Jala is not the only place where this is happening. For example, the Bedouin of the Yahalin tribe have been erecting their tents as close as possible to the settlement of Maâale Adumim, located between Jerusalem and the Dead Sea. Maâale Adumim, a city of 35,000, is also expected to remain under Israeli rule. |