The nightmare of love across the West Bank barrier focus 07/28/2011

The nightmare of love across the West Bank barrier

focus

07/28/2011
JERUSALEM — When Sana, who comes from the West Bank city of Hebron, married her Jerusalem-born husband Mohammed 13 years ago, she never imagined their union would lead to a life of fear and hiding.

At first, their different residency permits — hers for the West Bank, his for Jerusalem — weren’t much of an issue. She could live with her husband in Arab east Jerusalem with a temporary permit, and movement between the city and the West Bank was still fairly easy.

But, with the outbreak of the second Palestinian uprising in 2000, travel restrictions gradually tightened until in 2003 Israel effectively stopped issuing Jerusalem residency permits to Palestinians, catching Sana and Mohammed in an impossible bind.

Without an Israeli permit, Sana can’t live in Jerusalem with her husband and children. But if Mohammed moves to the West Bank, he risks losing his Jerusalem residency and all access to the city of his birth..... MORE

Source:  The Daily Tribune

URL: http://www.tribuneonline.org/commentary/20110728com6.html