[Texgreen] FW: [ADC-Houston] 'Things Go Better With Rights'

[Alfred Molison]

>From: ADC Houston Chapter <houstonadc@yahoo.com>
>Reply-To: ADC-Houston-owner@yahoogroups.com
>To: adc-houston@yahoogroups.com
>Subject: [ADC-Houston] 'Things Go Better With Rights'
>Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 05:13:51 -0700 (PDT)
>
>http://online.wsj.com/article/SB115957283766178726.html?mod=opinion_main_commentaries
>
>
>   Things Go Better With RightsBy ZAHI KHOURI
>September 30, 2006; Page A8
>
>In 1995, I moved from a comfortable life in America to Ramallah, Palestine, 
>to invest in the most American of businesses there. I was instrumental in 
>bringing Coca-Cola to the Middle East in the early 1980s; after the Oslo 
>Peace Accords were signed I decided to launch the Coke franchise in the 
>West Bank and Gaza.
>
>Over the last decade, the business has grown. Today, Coca-Cola employs 
>hundreds of Palestinians and sells 10 million cases of Coke a year.
>
>As a Palestinian American, this was more than a moneymaking venture. Each 
>gleaming bottle, with that red Coca-Cola swirl in both Arabic and English, 
>would be a miniature ambassador from America. And each potential investor 
>who saw that Coke was successful might decide to invest as well. It seemed 
>the perfect strategy: to promote American interests while helping to build 
>an economy that could serve as the foundation of a viable, independent 
>Palestinian state.
>
>Following the peace accords, scores of other Palestinian Americans moved to 
>the West Bank and Gaza. Professors came to teach at universities. Doctors 
>came to help modernize the healthcare system and treat patients. Artists 
>came to exhibit and perform. Other business professionals came to invest, 
>modernize the economy and create jobs. Each, in their way, wanted to help 
>build an independent Palestine. Each served as the real ambassadors of 
>America, so different from the American-made Apache helicopters and F-16 
>fighter jets Israel uses to rain destruction on the Palestinian economy, 
>cities and villages.
>
>But Israel has decided that we Americans are not welcome. Many, like me, 
>have lived in the West Bank for more than a decade. Unlike American Jews -- 
>or Jews from anywhere -- who can receive instant citizenship upon arrival, 
>we are unable to obtain residency. Instead, we Christian and Muslim 
>Palestinians must rely on our American passports, renewing our tourist 
>visas every three months. A hassle, yes, but the only way to stay in 
>Palestine, often in the homes our families have inhabited for generations.
>
>Since Hamas assumed government authority after democratic elections this 
>year, Israel has begun to deny Palestinian Americans the right to enter. We 
>are left to wonder why.
>
>This new policy could be another turn of the screw to pressure Hamas. It 
>could be manufactured as a painless concession for future negotiations. It 
>could be one more tactic in Israel's drive -- which began in 1948 with the 
>expulsion of more than 700,000 Palestinians -- to empty as much land of as 
>many Palestinians as possible.
>
>We do not know the reason for denying entry to Palestinian Americans. But 
>we do know the result. In addition to breaking families apart -- for 
>example one spouse with children in the West Bank, and the other unable to 
>return from visits to the U.S. -- it is discouraging investors. It is 
>driving out the very people the U.S. State Department, the World Bank and 
>other international organizations encouraged to return. We are the ones 
>building businesses, creating jobs and inspiring hope for a better future.
>
>Using the pretext of security, Israeli policies of home demolitions, land 
>confiscation, restrictions on movement and construction of the separation 
>wall have choked the Palestinian economy. According to the U.N., more than 
>540 checkpoints and other structures impede movement throughout the West 
>Bank, and crossings into Gaza are rarely open. Gaza represents 30% of the 
>Palestinian economy. Yet we cannot ship goods from the West Bank to Gaza. 
>And Gaza cannot import raw materials for processing, even though it 
>possesses a talented labor force. Israel has also been refusing to turn 
>over nearly $55 million a month (now totaling roughly $400 million) in 
>Palestinian tax revenue. With the cutoff of international aid, this has led 
>to a humanitarian catastrophe. Since March, Palestinian Authority employees 
>-- about one-quarter of the labor force -- have not received their 
>salaries.
>
>Israel will not gain security by creating Mogadishu next to Silicon Valley. 
>Only an open and thriving Palestinian economy can lay the foundation for a 
>sustainable peace.
>
>Our humanitarian crisis is not the result of a natural catastrophe. There 
>was no tsunami, earthquake or drought. We helped to build nations. We have 
>the natural resources and human capital to build a thriving, stable 
>Palestinian economy as well. We do not need international handouts. We need 
>the free movement of people and goods. We need unrestricted gateways 
>between the occupied Palestinian territory and the rest of the world.
>
>American policy makers have tremendous influence with Israel. They should 
>use it to insist on freedom of movement of people and goods, and to 
>maintain access for Palestinian Americans and Palestinians with other 
>foreign passports to continue to play a role in economic development. A 
>vibrant Palestinian economy serves the interests of all -- Palestinians, 
>Israelis and Americans.
>
>
>Copyright 2006 Dow Jones & Company, Inc. All Rights Reserved
>
>
>================================================================
>
>
>
>    ABC Online
>
>
>    AM - Israel's visa changes force people out of West Bank and Gaza
>
>    [This is the print version of story 
>http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2006/s1750814.htm]
>
>      AM - Thursday, 28 September , 2006  08:24:00
>
>
>    Reporter: David Hardaker
>    TONY EASTLEY: Palestinians in the occupied territories are being hit by 
>what they say is a new threat to their survival, but this time it's not 
>economic sanctions or military attacks.
>
>
>    At the stroke of a pen, Israeli authorities have changed the visa 
>status of thousands of foreign passport holders in the West Bank and Gaza.
>
>
>    As a result, many who came to build businesses and provide jobs will be 
>forced to leave.
>
>
>    Middle East Correspondent David Hardaker reports.
>
>
>    (Sounds of street traffic)
>
>
>    DAVID HARDAKER: In the streets of Ramallah on the West Bank there's not 
>much hope these days.
>
>
>    But Palestinian-American, Sam Bahour, is the exception.
>
>
>    SAM BAHOUR: I came back following the Oslo Peace Accords to basically 
>contribute in a very, very direct way to the building of an emerging 
>Palestinian state.
>
>
>    DAVID HARDAKER: Sam Bahour has been in Ramallah for over 10 years.
>
>
>    He's built a shopping centre, he's set up a telecommunications system 
>and he's got other projects in the pipeline.
>
>
>    He holds an American passport.
>
>
>    But under a system which Israel has been operating, he and many others 
>like him have been allowed to live and work in Ramallah on a tourist visa.
>
>
>    The visa only lasts three months so he's had to leave his home, go 
>outside Israel, come back and get a new tourist visa for another three 
>months.
>
>
>    It's been inconvenient, but the system at least allowed him to stay.
>
>
>    But Israel's now told Sam Bahour that the rules have changed.
>
>
>    SAM BAHOUR: The Israelis are saying different things. Three months ago 
>they were saying that this is an old policy that they just decided now to 
>implement.
>
>
>    Three days ago they said that this is tied to the Hamas government and 
>if they... Palestinians change their government they would release... 
>reduce the restrictions.
>
>
>    And remember it's a process that's been unannounced up until now.
>
>
>    DAVID HARDAKER: When his visa runs out in a few days now, he'll have to 
>leave. And he won't be allowed back.
>
>
>    SAM BAHOUR: We are not politicians. We are not trying to end the 
>occupation. We are trying to remain with our families and contribute to the 
>kind of Palestine that the rest of the world wants to see.
>
>
>    DAVID HARDAKER: What impact do you see on business development here?
>
>
>    SAM BAHOUR: I can give you two very prime examples. One is the largest 
>investment company in Palestine, their CEO was denied entry twice in July. 
>This is probably a $1 billion company that has thousands of people working 
>for them.
>
>
>    Another example is the CEO of the Proctor & Gamble and Philip Morris 
>distributor here. He was also denied entry twice last month.
>
>
>    So by addressing this community, which is the last remaining community 
>investing, by kicking them out Israel's doing very, very serious damage, 
>and damage that has long term ramifications.
>
>
>    DAVID HARDAKER: There are over 100,000 people in the same position as 
>Sam Bahour. Some like Swiss woman, Anita Abdullah, are married to 
>Palestinians. If she leaves, she will not be able to come back and be with 
>her family again.
>
>
>    ANITA ABDULLAH: I will have to choose whether I want to live with my 
>husband here or if I want to see my mother who is very old and ill now, and 
>my children and grandchildren.
>
>
>    DAVID HARDAKER: Why do you think Israel's doing what it's doing?
>
>
>    ANITA ABDULLAH: I think it's pretty obvious that they are using their 
>right as occupiers to control the borders of the occupied territory to 
>empty it of its population in a very fast and efficient way, and without 
>blood.
>
>
>    DAVID HARDAKER: Finding out why Israel has changed its policy isn't 
>easy. AM tried through three separate government agencies.
>
>
>    Ultimately, no one was prepared to speak.
>
>
>    SAM BAHOUR: I believe that they have taken a decision that not only do 
>they want to collapse the Hamas Government but I think that they've also 
>taken the decision that it doesn't matter if this policy even collapses the 
>Palestinian society.
>
>
>    And that's where we think it's of utmost importance for the 
>international community to allow us to continue to create an environment 
>where Palestinians can find a sense of hope, a sense of... a job to feed 
>their families.
>
>
>    Without that, not only will they kick out foreign nationals, but even 
>Palestinians themselves will end up exiting the country.
>
>
>    And who will be left here? It will be those that don't have the 
>resources to leave, those 10-year-olds that today, jump on the back of a 
>tank. God forbid what they're going to do when they're 20-years-old.
>
>
>    TONY EASTLEY: Palestinian-American businessman, Sam Bahour, ending 
>David Hardaker's report.
>
>
>
>ADC Houston Chapter
>http://www.adchouston.org
>
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