Thousands of Palestinians flock to Israeli beaches, restaurants
The move has created fear among Palestinian officials that Palestinians will catch coronavirus while spending time in Israel.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEHA Palestinian man lifts up his niece on a beach after the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) restrictions were largely eased, in Gaza City July 17, 2020.(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM)
Thousands of Palestinians entered Israel on Friday through border crossings that were temporarily and unexpectedly opened in the northern West Bank.Palestinian officials said they were surprised by Israel’s decision to open the crossings and expressed fear that the move would lead to an increase in the number of Palestinians diagnosed with the coronavirus.“We expect a sharp increase in the number of infected cases following Friday’s opening of the border crossings,” warned a Palestinian Health Ministry official. “We were surprised by Israel’s decision, which was not coordinated with the Palestinian Authority.”Palestinians who want to enter Israel are often required to obtain entry permits from Israeli authorities.Most of the Palestinians crossed into Israel on Friday through border crossings near Tulkarm. Buses belonging to Arab-Israeli companies that waited for them on the Israeli side of the crossings took them to a number of cities, including Netanya, Haifa, Tel Aviv-Jaffa and Tiberias.The Tulkarm-based Al-Fajer TV station published photos of Palestinians freely crossing the border and enjoying their time on Israeli beaches.One photo featured an 87-year-old woman, Um Zuheir, sitting on the Netanya beach with her grandchildren. The caption read: “Um Zuheir fulfills her dream of visiting the sea in occupied Palestine after 87 years.”The scenes of thousands of Palestinian families touring Israeli cities came as restrictions imposed by the PA to prevent the spread of the coronavirus remained in effect in many PA-controlled areas. All Palestinian businesses and institutions are required to close on Fridays and Saturdays as part of the PA government’s measures.“It’s strange that Palestinians are not allowed to hold weddings or prayers at mosques while Israel is opening its borders and permitting them to come to its beaches and restaurants,” said Jamal Masri, a political activist from Nablus. “No one seems to know why Israel suddenly decided to open its borders to thousands of Palestinian families.”
Some Palestinians claimed that the move was intended to boost the Israeli economy. “This is an unprecedented and dangerous decision, which has political, economic and health consequences,” noted Jenin businessman Samir Abu al-Rob. “It’s shameful to see how tens of thousands of Palestinians rushed to the beaches and restaurants inside Israel while the Palestinian economy is very bad due to the coronavirus restrictions. The Israelis must be very happy because this helps their economy.”Others wondered why the Palestinian Authority did not try to prevent Palestinians from crossing into Israel. “Where’s our government?” asked Nadia Jallad, a Tulkarm resident. “Our government has banned public gatherings to stem the spread of the coronavirus, but is allowing tens of thousands of people to travel to Israel. What about the measures taken by the Palestinian government to prevent the disease? Didn’t our government ask Arab citizens of Israel not to enter the West Bank because of the coronavirus?”Leading Palestinian businessman Bashar Masri expressed fear that the move would lead to a rise in the number of confirmed coronavirus cases in the West Bank. He also expressed fear that the move would further exacerbate the economic crisis in the West Bank, where many businesses remain closed as part of measures to prevent the spread of the virus.
