ultimately i knew that i could not stay in palestine forever given that foreigners (i.e., not palestinians; read: zionist colonist terrorists) control the borders and they get to play a game with the lives of all people who cross over into palestine whether they are originally palestinian or not. i’ve long heard stories and received emails–some from friends and comrades, others from complete strangers–about being denied entry. about being allowed limited entry, in terms of time. about three weeks before i left a friend of mine left for amman to renew her visa. she’s finishing up research for her dissertation and living in ramallah. she came back and said she had only a few days and she had to leave again. not only could she only stay one week (in lieu of the normal three month visa granted to foreigners at the malak hussein bridge), but she was granted a west bank only visa. this was the first time i had heard of such a thing. but it turns out that it was quickly becoming a phenomenon.
Finalmente supe que no podía permanecer en Palestina para siempre, dado que los extranjeros (es decir, los no palestinos; o sea, los terroristas colonos sionistas) controlan las fronteras y pueden jugar con las vidas de toda la gente que cruza a Palestina, sean originalmente palestinos o no. Hace mucho que escucho historias y recibo correos - algunos de amigos y compañeros, otros de totales desconocidos - acerca de la entrada denegada, y acerca de la entrada limitada, en cuanto a tiempo de estadía. Aproximadamente tres semanas antes que yo partiera, una amiga mía fue a Ammán para renovar su visa.