Border Coyotes of the Middle East: Jewish Settlers and Palestinian Wawis
“West Bank unemployment estimated at 20% (beats Michigan)......Those who make it across, get about $50 per day, about five time what they would earn in the West Bank…..”
Apparently, sneaking across the famous wall separating Israel ‘proper’ from Israel-in-the-making (West Bank), is a big industry. They even have Arab ‘coyotes’ who help them cross the border fence. This has some similarities to the labor movement from Central America and Mexico into the USA, except that they don’t get shot at or abused on the US border (well, there are some armed crackers who seem to have the time to hang around the border to thwart any thoughts of reconquista).
Apparently Israelis catch about 95% of Arabs crossing the border, while the USA catches maybe at most …1%. Oddly, in both cases they are needed, since there are jobs available for them across both borders. Apparently only border guards are hostile.
There is some justice here, since the Jewish settlers keep sneaking (expanding) into the Palestinian West Bank, it is only fair that Palestinian Arabs try to sneak back into Israel. They, the settlers don’t need coyotes: they have the Israeli IDF to guide and protect them.
There is also a lot of movement from Egypt, but it is tougher crossing the desert. Egyptian border security is more vigilant these days for fear of a land invasion by Lebanese Hezbullah, although they can’t seem to stem the flow of cigarettes, Viagra, and weapons across into Gaza.
Which makes me wonder: what about the Israeli border with Hamas-controlled Gaza?
Don’t the Hamas-ruled flock want to work in Israel? Or do the Israelis prefer to leave the West Bank borders porous because there is movement in both directions and it works in their favor ?
Cheers
mhg
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