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Not the way to win hearts and minds

Laila El-Haddad is a Palestinian journalist. She writes, here on AlterNet, about her experiences, and those of her 2 year old son, as they waited in Egypt for over 2 weeks before be allowed to cross into Gaza where their home is. The Israelis had simply shut the border between Egypt and Gaza down. The actions of the Israelis can't help but alienate an already hostile Palestinian people. Hardly the way to moving toward the peace the Israelis claim they seek.

"Last week, I awoke to the persistent stammering of my 2-year-old son Yousuf: "I think today the crossing will open mama!" After we had waited at the border for over two weeks, Yousuf's prediction came true. Israel finally opened the border for a few hours.

Amidst chaotic crowds of thousands of stranded travelers, my son and I managed to squeeze through Gaza's Rafah crossing from Egypt to reach our home in the Gaza Strip.

However, the hardships persist for thousands of Palestinians on both the Egyptian and Gaza sides of the passage who were unable to cross during those fleeting hours. They now must wait until the Israeli government temporarily opens the border again."

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