"You mean getting rid of the jews didn't solve our problems?"

According to this Al Jazeera story, the palestinians, after celebrating heartily because the Jews are out of Gaza, are suddenly preplexed that they still have problems, even though the Jews are gone. No, really. However content they were to watch Jewish settlers evicted from their homes kicking and screaming, they see little material substance behind the glossy TV footage and accuse their leaders of deluding them still further. Unemployment stands at more than 40% in Gaza and 65% of its residents live below the poverty line, says the head of the Palestinian Centre for Human Rights, Raji Surani. "Even our leaders are contributing to this state of mind. If you listen to them, you'd think the Gaza Strip is going to become Hong Kong or Singapore," he said. Which I am guessing they believe won't be the case. So, what kind of stuff makes them so unhappy or doubtfull of the future? Well.... With no guaranteed freedom of movement after Israeli troops leave Gaza, and Palestinians not knowing how they can import and export goods, most believe more than ever that they are headed for life in a giant prison. "Can we come and go from Gaza? How can we get to the West Bank? What will happen to the Palestinian workers who work in Israel? These are the only questions people are asking today," said Farhat. Ohh, so the occupation made all of those things easier huh? And why do you want to work in Israel?I thought you no longer wanted anything to do with it. Whatever happend to Death to Israel? Ohh, I guess they are not soo bad when you want a job huh? But at least you got your land back. That counts for something, right? "This withdrawal is a trap," says Suha Jibril, an English literature undergraduate who calls the operation "theatrical". "We don't know what's happening behind the scenes, but even a five-year-old understands we won't be freer than we are today." [...] Questions of restoring the Gazaairport are still in limbo "From a human rights point of view, there is nothing positive about the withdrawal. Gaza will de facto and de jure be cut off from the West Bank and the rest of the world," said Surani. "We are still in prison, the Israelis have just added various sectors of land. Apart from that, we have nothing to be happy about," he said. I am sorry, were you saying something? I couldn't hear you from all the whining. Jeez, you guys are positive. Hey, at least there is hope in the children. "I also want to rebuild my school which was damaged by an Israeli rocket and the stadium so my friends can play football," said Hisham who lives in the al-Maghazi refugee camp which lies close to the recently-evacuated Jewish settlement of Kfar Darom. "We spend most of our time demonstrating. When there is an Israeli raid and when the martyrs fall, we demonstrate. And when the army carries out a raid, we go into the street," he said, explaining his life in a place which has seen countless clashes between resistance fighters and the Israeli army over the last five years. But Asra al-Hush, 13, hates the fact that children have spent so much of their lives protesting in the streets. "We have had enough of demonstrations. We mustn't waste time, we must stay at school," she said pointedly. Her dream is to become a lawyer. "I want to defend children and their right to play, to participate in debates and to express their opinions." Now we are talking. Look people, nobody said it was going to be easy, but this is what you wanted. You want the Israelis out, and now they are gone; so now you can't start complaining about how you lost your job working for the jews. You didn't want the jews living at all, remember? Good, now that you got your wish, it's time to move on with your life. Plus, why the doom and gloom? Who says it all has to be bad? You are free now. It's up to you to change your future. Let me quote Karim here for a second: "Gaza isn't held hostage. Gaza is free. Gaza is bigger than Dubai and look what they've accomplished. They too are surrounded (by desert) and less than 5% of their GDP comes from available resources. The Palestinian Diaspora has also created in many ways a reflection of post WWII Jews. A group of people, bound by a common belief, dispersed into every corner of the world, primarily first world countries. These people have been exposed to and nurtured by the best elements of modernization. Economics, Democracy, Professionalism…ect. If even elements of stability can be pronounced after the withdrawal, the Palestinians will get there own "Aliyah" (a Jewish concept of return to their homeland) comprised of some of the worlds best doctors, authors, thinkers, scholars, and scientists. Combined with the guaranteed flooding of foreign aid, the Palestinians could create a truly magnificent place in Gaza." I couldn't have said it better myself. Now, let me quote one other blogger whom I admire very much as my way to end this post: "Unfortunately, too many people either argue that more violence with somehow help, or continue to analyze Sharon's motives with the West Bank. Instead of the endless pessimism and blame, we need to be thinking about how to use this opportunity, and turn lemons into lemonade. If more people had faith in the future instead of faith in ancient texts and invisible figures, we'd have more hope about this whole story." Word. This is your future people, get on with it.