Barkan, What’s Happening over Green Line

Barkan, What’s Happening over Green Line

Summer time. Israelis travel.  It is reported that half the population goes overseas.

Having traveled plenty, especially when we lived in Australia and circled the globe numerous times, I am staying closer to home.

However, I gladly accepted another chance to go see more of the Shomron.

View of Shomron from bus

There are vast expanses of land, with magnificent views as seen from the bus.

Arab building in YESHA construction

This is all new Arab construction, and many are empty summer homes for people living overseas.

Leshem new houses

Leshem, the future home of hundreds of young Israeli families, is growing.

Near Ariel, only an hour drive from Jerusalem, our destination was the Twitoplast factory in the Barkan Industrial Park.

Barkan Industrial park Israeli business hiring Arab workers

In the Ariel and Barkan Industrial Parks, Israelis and Arabs come together and work together.

Arab workers in Israeli factory in Barkan Industrial Park

I was in the factory on a previous visit and saw some of the plastic pieces being made,

Palestinian workers in Barkan Industrial Parl

plastic components which are sent around the world.

Palestinian workers in Israel

This is where Arab workers, many second generation, get a decent wage and benefits.

Cars in Shomron industrial area with Palestinian license plates

Last time I noticed their cars parked outside.

Barkan Industrial Park near Ariel Israeli business new green house for education of Arab workers' children

This visit, however, the green house constructed in the parking lot was our point of interest.

Moshe Lev Ran, VP of International Sales, spoke for the owner, Yisrael Twito.

Twito has built and maintained a successful business, in spite of BDS activists trying to shut him and other businesses down.

I decided to let you hear Moshe, an individual too hard to describe in one caption.

Twito not only employs and supports hundreds of families, but in this greenhouse he is teaching their children the importance of education. The children are learning about agriculture and animals, and more importantly, about innovation and motivation.

Israelis traveling in Europe have noted it is hard to find kosher food. European labeling laws and BDS initiatives have affected some “Over the Green Line” businesses.

Arab woman working in Israeli business

Twitoplast is only one business. There are dozens more. From over two years ago:

What the Main Stream Media is Not Reporting: The Arab Jobs at Risk 

West Bank view from bus

Ariel and Barkan Industrial Parks, carved out of hills, have been developed over the past 30 years.

BDS does not “help Palestinians,” rather they are ones hurt most if companies like TwitoPlast and SodaStream are forced to move.

West Bank Winery in Shomron

One small, growing business in the Shomron is the Kabir Winery in Elon Moreh.

Elon Moreh Kabir Winery

The Kabir Winery is one of several wineries with tastings and food options.

New vineyards are being planted. Listen to the wind on the mountain top looking down on Shehem, or Nablus.

If you miss the annual Wine Festival at the Israel Museum, take a trip and see these boutique wineries. The quality of the kosher wine and food options might surprise you.

View in YESHA, West Bank

While I marvel how much Israel has accomplished under difficult circumstances, in 70 years, in 50 years Israelis in Judea and Samaria have many accomplishments of which to be proud.

I only regret that it took me so long to go and see for myself what was really happening over the “Green Line.”

If you want to see for yourself, let me know and I will connect you.

Finally, if you missed my other recent trip to Shomron, those 7 stops: HERE.

BDS in Jerusalem

Sorry I do not know any BDS, Boycott, Divest and Sanction folks,

so I can not ask them how boycotting Soda Stream

and putting hundreds of Palestinian workers out of a job

is good for anyone.

I can only assume that they are simply anti-Israel or ignorant,

 as they would hurt those that BDSers are supposedly are out to help.

What I do see in Jerusalem, Israel, is that

palestiniam girl. BDS image, J Street photo, Jerusalem photos

Arab girls shop.

That is not new or news

and certainly everyone here knows that 

Muslim woman image, Arab woman in jerusalem, photo Arab woman

Arab women shop.

But the biggest change in the last two years

 that I have seen

is that now

Arab family photo, Arab girls photo.image Palestinian, Jerusalem photo

Arab males shop.

Palestinians in Israel, photo Palesiinian family.

Not just for cell phones,

Muslim man, Palestinian woman, photo Arabs in Jerusalem, image muslim

or candy,

Food shopping photo, Arab food shopping, supermarket image

or food

shopping supermarket, BDS image, photo Arab, picture Muslim

in the supermarkets,

image Machane Yehuda market, shopping in Jerusalem

or in the shuk, Machane Yehuda Market, 

Arab men image, BDS, Jerusalem apartheid, J Street

or in a bakery.

Palestinian, BDS, image Arab in jerusalem, Jerusalem photos

They walk the Jerusalem streets while shopping with women

Arab girls, image Arab boys and girls, photo Jerusalem

and girls,

shopping in Jerusalem, BDS image, Apartheid, Israeli oppression picture,

and they carry those bags home too.

Mamilla mall, Arab boys, BDS fail, image shopping mall

Especially in Mamilla Mall, 

shopping Mamilla Mall, photo Jerusalem, image apartheid

groups of young Arab men

Mall shoppers, Jerusalem photo, image Palestinian youths,

can be found every day

Castro sign, Mamilla store, Jerusalem photo, Palestinian family, BDS

and at night.

I have been asked what this means,

 I am really not sure.

However, I do see that BDS in Jerusalem, Israel

is not boycott, divest and sanction,

but more like Boys Do Shop!

Time to add another pin on the BDS Fail Map 

this time from the heart of Israel.

Komen Israel Race for the Cure

The second Komen Race for the Cure was held in Jerusalem today.

"photo Komen March","picture March for Cure", "image sign"

Thousands gathered in Gan Sacher, Sacher Park,

"picture Arab girls", "image Arab girls", "photo Arab girls"

to help raise money for breast cancer research. 

"Arab women photo","picture Arab women", "image Arab women"

People came from all over Israel and all over the world to take part,

"Arab women photo","picture Arabh women","image Arab women"

including hundreds of Arab women

"image Arab girls","photo Arab girls", "picture Arab girls"

and Arab girls.

"photo stage", "picture Arab girl", "image sign"

From a large stage after warm up and exercise music played,

 US ambassador to Israel Dan Shapiro spoke to the crowd in Hebrew.

"photo Mayor Nir Barkat", "picture Jerusalem mayor","image Nir Barkat"

Jerusalem Mayor Nir Barkat and his wife Beverly

led the crowd out of the park

"staring line photo","image Jerusalem march", "picture security"

to the starting line.

"picture starting line","photo balloons","image balloons at starting line"

Balloons were released after the mayor spoke

"picture Arab girls", "Palestinian photo","image Palestinian women"

and the march began

"picture Arab girls", "photo Arab women", Image Arab crowd"

going up Bezalel Street toward the center of town 

"picture Arab women", "photo Arab women", "image Arab women"

to King George Street.

"picture Arab women", "photo Palestinian", "image Palestinian"

The March then proceeded through the Ben Yehuda Mall

and to Yoel Salomon Street,

which was a great improvement over the previous route.

"picture Joe Lieberman","photo Dan Shapiro", 'image ambassador"

US Senator Joe and Hadassah Lieberman and Ambassador Shapiro

seemed to be really enjoying themselves. 

The mid-day weather was much cooler than the last march

"photo Palestinian", image Old City","picture East Jerusalem"

and there was plenty of water for everyone.

"picture Old City Walls" "photo Al Quds", "image Al-Quds"

Walking along the Walls of the Old City was perfect way to end the march.

"picture Arab girls", "photo Arab girl", "image yoga"

In the park after the finish line,

a yoga session was led by a breast cancer survivor.

"picture sign","image Eden Wellness","banner photo"

Sadly, not everyone survives breast cancer and

many people walked in memory of a friend or relative.

"picture toilet", "photo Palestinian woman", "image Palestinian"

Komen organizers should also be complimented for providing

toilets for the disabled at the beginning and end of the route.

"photo Old City" "image Old City"

For an event that received so little advance publicity,

it was bigger and better than last time.

"photo Arab woman", "image Palestinian", "picture woman"

It is not clear yet how much money was raised for cancer research,

but as people we passed on the way kept saying,

“Ayza yofi, ayza yofi“… this is beautiful, so beautiful.”

 There was no violence, 

 certainly no sign of apartheid on the Jerusalem streets today,

but there were a lot of pink banners and pink balloons.

Additional photos on The Real Jerusalem Streets Facebook page.

Also see:

Arab Women Raced Through Jerusalem with Weapons