That is a very good question! Huge amounts of money are sent to the Palestinian leaders, so where does it go? We can all guess!
As for blockades, yes there are some - but humanitarian groups, and Israel too, deliver a lot of food and medical equipment and utilities free of charge.
Right. Sorry I don't buy this.
Palestine does receive money from international donors but how can they utilise this money when basic equipment is not allowed to enter Palestine? How can they effectively build new schools, hospitals and develop a tolerant society when they are unable to trade freely either to import or export??
How can you insinuate that the Palestinians are wasting the money when they have rebuilt their territory umpteen times following Israeli invasions destroying roads, schools, factories and other buildings?? Israel only allow a fraction of what is actually need on the ground in Palestine to pass through their borders as the UN has continuously tried to tell the world.
3,500 items are not allowed in Palestine at all. I can't find a full list of this anywhere (coincidence?) but some of the items include livestock, sewage cleaning equipment, kitchen utilities and construction materials.
Seriously Steve what are you on about? Are you deluded man? I don't know what you have been told when you travelled through Israel but it doesn't add up to me man. It doesn't correlate with what is out there for us to read man.
Did you ever travel through Palestine? I don't think you can relate what it's like on the ground in Palestine by asking Israeli citizens, I'm sorry. They don't provide utilities free of charge because Palestinians don't have enough water (because Israel control all the rivers running through Palestine), don't have electricity (because power stations were destroyed by Israel and Israel do not allow construction material into Palestine), do not have a proper sewage system (again because of the black list), etc. etc. etc.
Israel has become a successful modern country for a few reasons:
1) The people work incredibly hard for the good of their nation
2) They have an open and democratic form of government
3) They have the structures of good government: justice system, free press, and so on
4) They have invested a huge amount in education
5) They have support from Jewish communities around the globe
If the money sent to the Palestinian authorities was spent in the same way, and if the people living in the Palestinian territories worked just as hard and invested just as much in education, they would thrive. They would have just as much support from Arab and Muslim communities around the globe. Instead, we all know what is taught in their primary schools - and it doesn't do anything to help the situation. There are thousands of small Israeli companies that lead their field, especially in advanced technology. Where are those companies among the Palestinian communities? Their people are just as smart and capable, so why are there none? It's a matter of leadership and having a vision for your country.
If ever you get the chance, walk the streets of Jerusalem and then walk the streets of Bethlehem. The contrast is striking in so many ways. In the latter, very many people are just sitting around doing nothing. If they had inspiring leaders who encouraged them to work hard for their own success, they would do well. But that's not the goal of their leaders.
I am not denying that the Israeli people have done very well for themselves, one reason you neglected is because they much feel grateful to be in Palestine, the holiest place in the world for them, while Palestinians (or whatever you want to call them) probably all want to go to the West or America. The same goes for Iran, all the smartest Iranians are in America and the UK. All the smartest Palestinians are abroad.
The thing is though, how can the money be 'spent in the same way' when they have been persecuted for the past 50 years Steve?? How can it be spent when they are in constant fear of being invaded again? I don't understand you man. You came across all open minded and fair, but to me it suddenly seems very clear that you are pro-israeli and why are you pro-Israeli? Because you spoke to people in Israel... Do you not know what they have done to the Palestinian people? Are you not aware of the wall they have built? Do you not know what the Israeli army does to the Palestinian people? Did you not see the new Israeli houses being built on Palestinian territory?
No wonder you think that the Arabs sent all the Palestinians in to push out the Israelis!!! I've really tried hard to find any evidence of that for the past few hours and it never happened man!! Some Israeli told you crap.
Read this link:
http://www.mideastweb.org/briefhistory.htm
It's a brief history of the Israel, Palestine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It's by far the most open minded account most of your theories about lack of indigenous palestinian population down the drain man.
Another anecdote is quite revealing. In Tel Aviv, you can see several Palestinian flags flying from housetops. They are tolerated. What do you think would happen to residents in one of the Palestinian towns if they flew an Israeli flag from their rooftop? An open society can tolerate such things. An oppressed society never will.
And that brings us full circle. A strong army can be supported only when it's underpinned by a strong economy. Focus on liberating and educating your people, and your power and influence will grow.
How is that revealing Steve? Do you not know about the children that have been killed by Israel? Do you not know about the parents beaten up by Israeli soldiers? The innocent family homes destroyed? Would you tolerate your next door neighbour flying the flag of the nation that murdered your children, destroyed your house, ruined your business and that causes you hunger, ill health and suffering on a daily basis??
