Palestinian Commute
There was a time I can remember punching the innocent dashboard of my ailing car on the way to somewhere, only to get nowhere with the punch and nowhere with my car because of unexplained traffic. We call it road rage west of Greenwich Mean Time. It’s such a whimsical phrase for a pent up anger we think and care little to resolve.
Imagine every time you’re in a line of traffic you’re actually not in a car at all. You’re on foot and all those in front of you are waiting to get their identification cards checked by the police officers standing between you and your destination. After the police officers, you have to make your way up a rickety ladder made of scrap wood and over the eight-foot cement wall it poorly aims to get you over. You are a Palestinian on your way to visit family. You are a Palestinian on your way to work every morning. Welcome to the Palestinian commute.
What whimsical words do will we utter when a Palestinian punches the dashboard?
Wow. This picture captures so much and without the words. I see so much of the photographer in it. Hard to explain, but this picture made me proud of you somehow. I can’t wait to see more of your work. There is a story here and I want the whole story.
March 30th, 2006 at 1:40 pmI know the photographer is in here and I am proud too! Me and him have talked about it a lot and this is exactly what should be told.
Don’t think many people in the West realize what this wall is doing to Palestinian ordinary life. Apart from stealing some else’s land, it is affecting society in so many awful ways. Not only by separating people from work and loved ones.
A few weeks ago I was shocked by the images of vegetables being destroyed at the Palestinian borders, since border closures made it impossible to ship them.
March 30th, 2006 at 2:01 pmThis is so incredibly sad. What is the answer?
April 4th, 2006 at 6:54 pm