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‘Dignity Not Identity’ and Hamas Hijacking(12:34)
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Bassem validates a new report indicating that more and more east Jerusalem Arabs are seeking Israeli citizenship. He attributes this to the quality of life in Israel. For example, while Israeli citizens can visit 147 countries without visas, those living under Palestinian Authority jurisdiction can only visit 35. The bottom line, he says, is that the average Palestinian is seeking “dignity,” not “identity,” where statehood is concerned.
Then, Bassem refers to a recent column he wrote, in which he cites studies he conducted which indicate that the residents of Gaza would welcome renewed Israeli control over the Strip. His numbers show that Hamas has hijacked hundreds of thousands of tons of building material for terrorist purposes, instead of using it to improve the lives of Gaza’s civilians.