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| Israel-Palestine-Jordan |
| Fallout of Hamas's rule spurs Palestinian desire to flee |
| 2006-10-24 |
| Ahmed Hushiyeh holds degrees in political science and communications, and dreams of becoming a photojournalist. But after a futile search for a job, the young Palestinian works as a janitor at his alma mater, Birzeit University. He is saving money in the hopes of moving to Europe, enrolling in another university, and finding work. Political paralysis during Hamas's brief tenure leading the Palestinian government and escalating violence between rival security forces has convinced Mr. Hushiyeh that his career path lies abroad. "I am not optimistic. The situation is only deteriorating. Maybe outside, the opportunities are much better," he says. "Every young man wishes to have a job and have a life. But when he sees what we have here: occupation, siege, a low standard of living, security crisis - all of this creates a desire to leave. I want to get out of this crisis." Like Hushiyeh, a growing number of Palestinians are openly saying they'd like to leave the West Bank and Gaza if given the chance, raising concern about the possibility of a Palestinian brain drain. The sentiment, which flouts the long-held Palestinian belief that Israeli occupation can only be resisted by staying put, is yet another indication of the deepening despair since Hamas was elected to run the government. Birzeit University pollster Nader Said, who has monitored emigration attitudes for 12 years, says the percentage of Palestinians willing to relocate once hovered just below 20 percent. When that figure jumped to 32 percent in a September survey, Mr. Said says he was shocked. The catalyst, the pollster says, has been Palestinian disillusionment following Hamas's half-year in government. "What the Israelis were unable to do - try to push the Palestinian out of the country - the internal strife is achieving," he says. Even more telling, adds Said, is that the percentage surges to 44 percent among Palestinians in their 20s and 30s. Among young men, it surges beyond 50 percent. Malik Shawwa, a consultant specializing in obtaining Canadian visas, says his workload has jumped by two-thirds over the past seven months as more Palestinians ask about leaving. "This is the most important subject in the Palestinian territories," he says. "It's not just a matter of a lack of jobs. It's the situation. They're not secure. They don't trust the government." Among Palestinians, the mere mention of hijra - Arabic for emigration - is enough to stir up painful memories of the 1948 Arab-Israeli war that left hundreds of thousands of Palestinians stranded outside the newly independent Israeli state. "Emigration means that you are escaping the occupation and that you don't want to liberate your land. It's a shame on you," says Abdel Nasser Najjar, a columnist for the Palestinian daily Al Ayyam. "Now it's different. There are many pressures: economic pressure and psychological pressure. Many people are speaking out." |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #12 "Every young man wishes to have a job and have a life. But when he sees what we have here: occupation, siege, a low standard of living, security crisis - all of this creates a desire to leave. I want to get out of this crisis." Hey, Mr. Hushiyeh, what about killin' all them Jews? Was that something you wanted too? If so, then you helped dig that cesspool you're so desperate to climb out of. Just sayin'. |
| Posted by: Zenster 2006-10-24 18:45 |
| #11 the percentage of Palestinians willing to relocate once hovered just below 20 percent. When that figure jumped to 32 percent in a September survey It's a start, I suppose. |
| Posted by: gromgoru 2006-10-24 14:06 |
| #10 anon, America is strong because previous immigrants came to America becaue they wanted to become Americans. I have no problem with immigrants who want to become Americans, who accept American values, who obey our laws, who want to work to make better lives for themselves and their families, who accept the responsibilities of being a citizen. Palestinian, and muslims in general, don't fall into that category. They like the wealth of the country but despise the system that created it. They think we are stupid and weak becaue of the rights that we acknowledge belong to our citizens. They reject our laws and our culture. They look down on Americans as infidels to be cheated, conquered, or killed. They keep apart and work to overthrow our culture and our country. They are poisonous serpents in our midst and only a suicidal fool would allow them entrance. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-10-24 11:24 |
| #9 huddled masses yearning to breathe free it's the same old story - and while nobody wants the Paelo's because they carry all of that hate/blame baggage - I can't help realizing that this sentiment is what makes America strong. The smart ones see the hoplessness of their current and have the get up and go to get out. |
| Posted by: anon 2006-10-24 11:02 |
| #8 You Paleo scumbags ought to be aware of something you nay have missed due to your marching, tire burning, and daily gun sex orgies. No one in the civilized world wants any more sand fleas. You are radioactive persona non grata. Stay in the hellhole of your making. Swim in the shit turds of your own cesspool. No one else wants to be infected by the lowest form of humanity on the earth. |
| Posted by: SpecOp35 2006-10-24 10:49 |
| #7 Danielle, Saddam Hussein brought in Palestinians and gave them a privileged place in his country. Once he was gone and they were no longer protected, news reports indicated that the Iraqi people drove the lucky ones out of the country and killed the rest. Palestinians would not be welcome in most of Iraq. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-10-24 10:39 |
| #6 They want to relocate, but what country in its right mind would take them? Palestinians have proven themselves to be toxic. They do not assimilate. They become a drain on whatever country takes them in. Look at what they did to Jordan. Palestinians are the mosquitos and termites of the arab world. |
| Posted by: RWV 2006-10-24 10:36 |
| #5 I wonder if they would be willing to relocate to, say Iraq, and put their education to use in rebuilding within their own culture? Plenty of opportunities and jobs to fill there so our military can get some R & R. Seems like the Palestinians have more hope of becoming part of a productive society in the region than either staying in Gaza or relocating to the Muslim ghettos of Europe. Reason apparently isn't genetic, though. |
| Posted by: Danielle 2006-10-24 10:16 |
| #4 If only they didn't drag along with them the virulent Paleo hate baggage they were fed from birth and use their Western salaries to support the Hate Machine™ that created them. |
| Posted by: .com 2006-10-24 08:29 |
| #3 it's like a shunt |
| Posted by: Frank G 2006-10-24 08:22 |
| #2 Palestinian brain drain Bwahahahahaha... |
| Posted by: Spot 2006-10-24 08:18 |
| #1 the percentage of Palestinians willing to relocate once hovered just below 20 percent. ...that figure jumped to 32 percent in a September survey... The catalyst has been Palestinian disillusionment following Hamas's half-year in government. ... the percentage surges to 44 percent among Palestinians in their 20s and 30s. Among young men, it surges beyond 50 percent. Some are capable of recognizing reality, and actually responding realistically. |
| Posted by: trailing wife 2006-10-24 07:19 |