The Wall turns Al Ezariyah into a jail
 Tuesday September 11, 2007 16:16 by By Maisa Abu Ghazala - IMEMC News
In Al Eizaryah the Separation Wall snakes through the town turning this way and that for a length of six kilometers and laying waste to an area of up to a hundred meters in width. Its configuration means that Al Eizaryah is virtually surrounded and cut off from the immediate areas on three sides. The only way in or out is to the south. A once prosperous town which boasted factories, stores and several service organizations is now a virtual prison for its 20,000 inhabitants.
The route of the Wall in the town
A report issued by a human rights organization on the impact of the Wall describes its route through Al Eizaryah. It extends from the Abu Dis junction up to the nearby area of Marj Al Zitun passing through Al Sheyah and by the convent of Beit Faja. From there it crosses Al Khalah as far as the al Zaitunah crossing where a new section is under construction. This will reach al Martamah, part of which lies within the neighboring community of al Tur. Further on it continues into the areas of al Musahleb and She'aab Salma.
The building of the Wall has meant the confiscation of several dozen pieces of Palestinian-owned land notably in the Ras Qubsa area. It has also meant the loss of land belonging to several convents and part of the road at Beit Faja, a route once taken by Jesus Christ. The main street is closed to the west at Ras Qubsa and there is a plan to do the same in the east. Such a closure will have serious consequences for Al Eizaryah and the surrounding area meaning it will effectively be completely closed.
A statement from Issam Far'oun , head of the town's head of municipal council the al Quds Center for Democracy and Human rights confirmed that the Wall had completely cut Al Eizaryah off from East Jerusalem. Residents are now living in a huge prison where they feel frustrated and deprived of right to be able to live their lives as they always done. They are feeling frustrated by the injustice of what has happened to them and worried about the serious consequences for their community. Far'oun then went on to catalogue the ways in which the Wall was having such a negative impact on the town.
Psychological effects:
The Wall has caused great anxiety for school-children who have to study outside the town. Similarly it has affected women and the elderly who have tried to reach the Al Aqsa mosque to perform prayers. They have been prevented from doing so by the Israeli army and border guards who have chased them away from the entrances. Many are said to be suffering from depression as a result.
Education
The Wall has made it difficult for school-children and university students from reaching their places of study. They are unable to get there at the appropriate times and have to return early causing disruption to their studies.
Agriculture:
The construction of the Wall has meant the destruction of olive trees. In addition there has been a shortage of food for the livestock. Farmers have been unable to buy fodder because of the town's isolation from East Jerusalem adding to the economic problems.
Environment and home demolition
The Wall has become a source of major inconvenience for local residents. The construction work carried out on their land has in places cut off access to its owners. One house which belonged to Saleh Al Zer'ee was demolished because it stood in the way of the route of the Wall.
History & Tourism
The road linking Al Eizareyah to Beit Faja has been closed. The road is a holy one for Christians as Jesus Christ once passed through and each year pilgrims would visit in commemoration of this event. Tourists from all over the world used to visit the archaeological sites in the area including those at al Uzeir but the closure of the road connecting the town with east Jerusalem will prevent this from happening.
Economy.
Scores of shops in the town have closed down because they became economically unviable. The rate of unemployment has shot up to a staggering 95% among the labor force.
Social aspects
An example of the difficulties faced by those who live in Al Eizareyah and work in Jerusalem is that of Zleekh Eirekat. Zleekh works at the al Fatah al Laje'ah High School and in a statement to the Al Quds Centre for Democracy and Human Rights she described how she now has to reach her place of work. To arrive on time her journey begins at 5am. Sometimes she has to wear a school uniform to enable her to pass through Israeli military checkpoints and she is obliged to take a route through the neighborhoods of al Ram and Qalandia which can often take more than three hours. Most days she reaches work late and exhausted. She added that, "This has become part of daily life for me but I have to overcome these obstacles to be able work. Before the Wall was built going to school would only take about an hour, now it takes at least three. I have to get up much earlier and I also have pay much higher transport costs. On top of this is the humiliation you feel when you have to stop for hours to sign papers which are only written in Hebrew." She concluded her statement by saying "We are deprived of the basic right to human dignity and the ability to play full roles in society. We have the right to live in dignity and feel safe and secure. The Wall denies us these things and it exists to impose political goals on us and make it more difficult than ever for Palestinian dreams to be realized."
Translated by Manar Jibrin
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