The two pieces by Suad Amiry were rather enjoyable to read. I appreciate how her writing takes on a very casual style yet also succeeds in drawing attention to relevant political issues. As I read these two chapters I began to wonder how the travel restrictions that the Israelis placed on the Palestinians developed. My question cannot really be effectively answered (Israeli policymakers would never publicly state the driving reasons behind their policies), but I am curious though as to what degree Israeli border controls are in place simply to discourage Palestinian movement between the occupied territories and Israel proper. Some Israeli border controls are justified, as an extremely porous border would immediately be exploited by Hamas and Islamic Jihad. While there are logical security measures in place it is also undeniable that some of Israel's border protection procedures have been constructed to merely complicate life for the Palestinian community.
The serious attention that Israel devotes to its security made it somewhat comical to read how Amiry was able to enter Jerusalem by making the outlandish claim that she had to escort her dog along with its Jerusalem pass into the city. I will admit that I was thoroughly surprised that Amiry's plan worked. I would have expected the Israeli soldier to simply deny her entry with little explanation.
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