Immigration to Palestine by Hamze Awawde, Palestine

If the only option is immigration, then let’s immigrate to Palestine. Although the state of Palestine has not yet been established, Palestinians are already living in the land where the state of Palestine will be established in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem; so I call for the young frustrated Palestinian men and women from all around the world to immigrate to the state of Palestine. We should not knock on the doors of any embassy in Europe or anywhere else, to get access to their countries in order to build ourselves a decent life. We should turn to our own land and use what we have to get the decent life we dream of; here in Palestine, for ourselves and the following generations. The key to build the life we want here in Palestine is the courage and the risk-taking ability that we show when we move to other countries. Risk, courage, and hard work are what make for a successful emigration adventure. Those components are that which many young Palestinians possess and are willing to utilize. It is the same recipe for building a successful progressive state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem. But we need to put those components into building a heaven in our land instead of putting them in the Diaspora. We can work for what we deserve. We demonstrate economic success in Europe, the Gulf States and America, so we should be able to build a strong economy with opportunities for our youth in Palestine. Like any young person in the world, the young Palestinian does not want more than a decent life. We want to enjoy security, freedom and economic opportunities. Luckily, the nation of Palestine hosts a young human capital known for its courage and intelligence. This human capital is the best asset to build a very successful state. Freedom comes by ending the military occupation, through Peace and by creating a healthy, democratic and progressive Palestinian society and a transparent governance system where the majority of the population (the youth) has a strong role to play in the government. At a time when everything around us is already terrible, and the occupation is continuing with unending settlement expansions, our politicians are divided. In times of urgent national crises they seem to be doing their best to destroy what was achieved in the long history of the Palestinian revolution. Young brilliant students are becoming full time customers in café shops because obtaining a job after graduation is impossible. We are sick of the same movie repeating itself since our birth: war, no war, war, Hamas hits, the right wing in Israel wins; the right wing in Israel hits, Hamas wins… We just can’t stand it anymore and I understand the desire of many Palestinians to emigrate. But it is still not a completely hopeless situation. Sometimes it is helpful to look around and see how badly things have become in other countries in the Middle East like Syria and Iraq. Yet, hope has not been lost there and we shall not lose it here. It always seems impossible until we achieve it and with strong hope, optimism, and hard work we can build what we want. Despair and fear are our worst enemies. What young Palestinians have to do for their Palestine is probably what the youth in other parts of the region have to do for their countries as well. Israelis need to elect leaders who can stop selling them empty slogans and fears of peace. They know that if they don’t work for a better Israel it will not happen by default. A peace deal with Palestinians and a more socio-economically equal society is the only way forward for a decent and secure life.

Hamze, YaLa Young Leaders