they are a people who would rather live in abject poverty with no rights and no ability to travel freely just for the privelege of beng able to shoot rockets, kill, and kidnap jews

The author has no concept of "Prison". The reason you can't go to Israel is because your "True Believers" have made past trips with bombs strapped to themselves. Why not go to Egypt, Jordan, or that most advance nation, Saudi Arabia? Why- because as a woman your value is about that of a goat.

The A-rabs destroyed them totally, what morons. They cant compute anything only death and blood

Laila...are you internalizing the responses written to your "opinion/article"? Stop being a victim and start taking responsibility for your life. Why aren't there ANY hospitals where Arabs can go instead of expecting to be treated in Israei hospitals? What happened to the millions that the european nations donated to Mr. Arafat's gov't? Why was Hamas voted into your so called gov't if you want "peace"? Are you REALLY looking for an Answer? Or just want to hear yourself?

Untill we have full sovereignty, then yes, we will keep fighting the fascism of Israel/USA. In Afghanistan, and Iraq, your troops will be fought to the end! don't worry. Hundred years from now, you'll see that we are still fighting you, and you'll get out like you did before, and like we kicked you out before. Layla Tov.

You are ... utter .........

Good job, traitors.

Calling Gaza "the highest security prison in the world" reminds me about reading another time about Gaza being the "largest refugee camp in the world". (In both cases the goal is to present the Israelis as the cruellest people on earth). In fact, the largest refugee camp on earth is Israel ! But through their self-esteem, moral strength and creativity, the Israelis have managed to transform this "refugee camp" into one of the most dynamic, attractive and global-looking countries in the world. The Palestinians could have done the same, building a life-loving and constructive country from their own refugee camp (with the help of the generous subsidies received from Europe and other regions). Had the Palestinians done this (instead of resorting to violence) they would not be the security threat that they are today, and so wouldn't be "locked up" (by Israel, but also by Egypt, and to a lesser extent by Jordan) for "security reasons". They could have become a prosperous trade zone (or even a State) between Israel and the Arab world, and they would now be walking freely across the entire Middle-East, including Israel. To turn one's refugee camp into a depressing prison or into a thriving country is one's own choice.

I have been reading layla blog for over an year, now. Layla is not in Gaza. She is in the US. When things start getting problematic in Gaza she left for the US. Quote from her last post , June 14 : " I’ll be honest with you-we were a bit nervous about coming to Connecticut, staying with families we had never met or knew, and speaking to a variety of audiences in 3 different locations.". As far as I am aware she did not return to Gaza.

This covered up masochist defends her own oppressors. She is green with envy at the Western lifestyle, but like the abused child who loves his abusers, she stays behind to "make it OK."

Car theft from Israel is one of the main industries that finance the Palestinian economy- a fact. Many PA police officers were found to be driving Israeli stolen vehicles. The average Israel car owner pays an extra 2,400 NIS every year in car insurance to help support that industry. Ever have your car stolen?

Thank you for publishing this story. While I don't agree with everything the author has to say, I am grateful that Ynet is giving its readership the opportunity to hear Palestinian voices. Mostly we just hear other Israelis telling us what Palestinians want and think. How refreshing to hear Palestinian thoughts from a Palestinian herself! Give us more!

No time for your steps. Palestinians have rights, and you wont have security untill you give them their rights. Palestinaians are not begging for something of your own, they are asking for their right ... idiot!!

Tell me, what "country" are you talking about? I wasn't aware that Gaza was a couintry. Or are you talking about Palestine??? If so, what was the capital of Palestine. Who was its president? What was its form of government. Did it have its own currency? Countries have these, you know. Gaza was abandoned by Egypt. Refugee camps are kept alive by Arab ignorance and so the UN can have jobs. What about the millions of refugees from Poland, Hungery, the Balkans, and countries the world over. Where are their refugee camps. You would think that the Palestinians would get the message. You say ypour husband is a physician in the US. What's wrong with him becoming a citizen of the US or Britain or one of those fine arab countries? But wait, then he wouldn't be one of those poo Palestinians. Grow up lady. If the Palestinians wouldn't place bombs around their waists, send terrorists into Israel in ambulances, teach their children to hate Jews, you'd be alot better off. The Palestinians caused the problem and the Palestinians remain the problem. Only the Palestinians can make their lives better, but it's easier to cry about it and blame Israel, The US and the rest of the world for your laziness and ignorance.

With all due respect, and I do sincerely mean ti, your article is not a demonstration of how brutal Israel is but of how incompetent your people are. You blame Israel for all your ills when, at least on this occasion, the blame lies squarely at your feet. What is the first thing your compatriots did when Israel withdrew from Aza? They stormed the hothouses Israel had left behind and utterly destroyed them. Are those the actions of people who want to improve their economy, culture, society, LIVES? And what possible result on G-d's green earth could launching a daily stream of rockets at schools and hospitals inside Israel have had, other than to force Israel to send its Army back among you? And, Laila, do you REALLY need to control your airspace, birth control or Rafah in order to build houses for the people who've been languishing away in your refugee camps for almost six decades? You really cannot translate all the energy you have for firing Qasamim at us into building a hospital or a Bir Zeit in Aza itself? Sorry, Laila, but I--as a person who genuinely believed we could get along until about a year ago--am not buying it.

Let them deal only with Egypt If they want to get to the West Bank fly to Cyprus then to Jordan.

I am very happy that this article was published, as it is always good to see the other side and see how certain policies are affecting the actual people living in the area. The Gaza Strip and the West Bank are effectively large prisons. I just traveled and lived inside the West Bank and experienced much of this. The lives of the people in the West Bank are effectively controlled by Israel. Traffic jams are frustrating, but checkpoints are even worse. Palestinians often have to wait for hours simply to travel from Palestinian town to Palestinian town. These aren't even roads in Israel!!! How is that justified? When you have to wait for hours and then have an Israeli soldier check your ID, just so you can travel to the next town to visit your family, how can you ever learn to respect Israeli soldiers? While traveling on a large road inside the West Bank, near Jerusalem, our bus was stopped by Israeli soldiers, because we had the yellow Palestinian lisence plates. We sat with the Palestinians watching as cars with white plates (Israelis) flew by and the yellow plated cars were stopped. We waited for over 4 hours and were finally let go with no explanation. It burned inside to watch the Israeli cars go by while we were stuck, I can only imagine it felt worse for the Palestinians. When your unemployment rate is 70% and you economy dwindling because you are cut off from the outside world, how are you to learn to love the country cutting you off from the world? Do you really think that Gazans just wanted to fire rockets at Israel, no, they wanted to build their economy, but how can you do that when you can't ship your products anywhere or import products from other countries? How are you supposed to form a viable government when you have few resources and an enclosed territory to govern? You can't just give people a territory and expect them to succeed when you block them off from the rest of the world! How can you learn to love a country that buldozes down your house or takes away your olive groves and land to build settlements or the Wall? Now I know I am going to be jumped as an anti-Semite, but criticizing policies of the state of Israel, does not mean I hate Jews. I traveled in Israel as well and I love the country of Israel, and I have thought about how I would ever trust a people who bombed my buses or cafes. Clearly Israelis have been mistreated by the Palestinians, and this is not to be overlooked. But, please do not forget about the immense suffering of the Palestinians. They are wonderful people and deserve to be treated as humans rather than as second class citizens. It is very sad to see this generalization of the Palestinian population as terrorists. The Palestinians I met just wanted to live in peace with their Israeli neighbors, so they could have real lives rather than having to live in fear. Ending the occupation is the right step to peace. Everyone is right, Israel has suffered a lot, and Palestinian terrorists are at fault for this. However, Palestinians have suffered a lot too. Anyone who thinks that Palestinians are just full of crap when they complain about the occupation, please travel to Palestine to find out first hand what life is like for these people. I do not condone Palestinian terrorism, but being in Palestine I can see why there is hatred toward Israel, just as I can see why there is Israeli hatred of Palestinians. BOTH sides must stop putting blame solely on the other, recognizing the faults of their own actions, and work together for peace.

Unlike Nazis and Muslims, Jews are not savages. Civility and freedom must prevail, even during war.

I saw on your blog, you live now in US, wouah, why not in syria or iran? It would be a better place for you no?

I do not doubt, for one moment, the sincerity or truth of what you write here. The only thing I would ask is: Is no part of this the making of the Palestinians themselves? Do you not think it might be a good idea for them to look inside and see what they have done right or wrong, too? Without getting into more arguments about who did what first, wouldn't it make sense to say, "What can we do for ourselves that we know will do us good, rather than bring more ruin raining on us?" From the outside, it really doesn't look like Palestinians have considered this -- other than killing Israelis.

"Gaza had become hell on earth, its inhabitants surrounded from all sides, deprived of their most basic freedoms, completely bereft of their rights and their sovereignty, and yet somehow expected to bow in submission and accept their fate. " Call me crazy, but that sounds a bit like Israel once upon a time, wouldn't you agree?

What about the King and Queen of Balestine and their beautibul palace in Tel Aviv?

Freedom is an illusion. Dostoyevsky wrote for one of his characters to say: "Where there is no God all things are permitted." Is this the freedom man wants, that "palestinians want? It seems to me that is the freedom Islam and "Palestine" exercises. Real freedom permits the acknowledgement of G-d without the need to annihilate men, women, and children. Wake up everyone G-d will return to judge the deeds (and words) you are doing (saying) today. Proverbs 30:4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell?

It's called Jordan!

Beautifully written article. The truth is hard to swallow for these retards that post messages on this website. I Hope everything is going well wherever you may be today. My father and mother send their regards to you and the family.

Re-take Gaza. It has been transformed into Hamastan - terrorist training camps and a global base for terror operations. Punished for not being Muslim, 10,000 hated Jews in Gaza and north Samaria were viciously rendered jobless and homeless for enemies sworn to Israel's destruction. Muslims celebrated their great victory by desecrating and destroying sacred Gaza synagogues. Impoverished Jewish refugees are financially obligated to pay mortgages on their destroyed homes. Many still live in tents. IT TOOK THE GLOBAL VILLAGE TO RAISE THESE TERRORISTS. The Palestinian Authority/PLO terrorist organization's bank accounts and war chests are filled with billions of American and European tax dollars. The PA/PLO were never expected to create farms and businesses with their finances, long hours, and hard work. All of this was to be done for them by the Jewish victims of their terrorism. The wealthy PLO/Palestinian Authority terrorist organization were given wonderful gifts of Jewish land, thousands of high-tech greenhouses, and hundreds of farms of the Jews the terrorists attacked and murdered. In psychological terms, it is known as positive reinforcement - rewarding behavior that is considered desirable. Murders, pogroms, genocides. Deportations. The stealing of Jewish land and assets is the way Jews have always been treated. STOP THE RACIST ETHNIC JEW CLEANSING STOP THE EVIL JEW-HATE

dear genius laila do you think, for israel economy it is better to let people from gaza come and work in all levels in israel, or block them, and pay heavy price to seal the door? what do you think (if really you think) . Please stop the "playing the victim game", and open your eyes. you ( not yourself, the people that you are defending) glorify death, rather than sanctifying life, that is why loosing support amongst many people in the world. you are siding with a fascistic ideology that has eliminated many cultures, civilization, languages and ...in the middle east. donot see the disgrace of terrorism?and complain what is the reasom of those consequences? i do honestly have a suggestion for you, read faithfreedom.org, and you will be enlighten, to the level to see yourself, rather than blaming the others. good luck for your endeavour.

Typical self serving and deluded horse shit from a people too stupid to understand their own propaganda. What right does anyone have to force another country to allow them visitation, passage or anything else ? Israel owes them nothing. Stop whining and build your so -called society. Ask your beloved Arab brothers who cry crocodile tears over you, not Israel.