Quote:" ...between getting to it, waiting in line, going through and waiting for their rides, they could be standing outside for up to an hour." It is horrible to commute to work in extreme weather, especially if one is forced to remain outside for a large portion of the commute. I can empathize because I've been in this situation myself. I found there are things one can do to make things a bit more tolerable. I've had jobs where the commute to work took an hour plus if I added the walk to the stop, waiting for the bus, and walking to my job. The bus ride itself was sometimes the shortest time spent during my commute. Oftentimes the bus stop had no shelter and I ended up outside for great lengths of time. Most of my bus stops never had any shelter. I had one bus route that only came on the hour and was very undependable. Sometimes it wouldn't come at the scheduled time and we had to wait an additional hour, outside, for one to finally come. I didn't have access to any bathrooms en route either. Living in the New England area of the US I've had my share of standing outside for long periods in freezing cold, blowing snow, pouring rain, and boiling hot weather while trying to get to work. I did develop some ways to cope with the weather. Perhaps it would make things a less horrid if people were to: For the freezing cold and snow - Dress in lots of warm layers topped with a windproof coat plus hat, gloves and scarf. Heavy socks with boots (carry shoes for work). Also, bring something warm/hot to drink to sip on while waiting. Keep moving around while waiting in the cold because it will keep you warmer. Move arms also. For rain I tried to obtain the longest waterproof coat I could topped with a rain hat and umbrella. If it was really pouring out, I wore old shoes or boots and carried shoes for work. I was under the impression that the UN was providing funds, along with additional monies from countries, to help rebuild Gaza and provide employment. How is this working out? Have job opportunities increased in Gaza itself? If not, why not? Where is the money being spent?

If the examples of the postings here are representative of the Israeli public I see a very cruel people and it makes me very sad. As a Jew I was not brought up to be cruel but I see this happening more and more in Israel. Israel is becoming more and more cruel every day. A Palestinian young woman, a student at Bethlehem University, an outstanding student only a few days away from graduation, is grabbed by Israeli authorities, blindfolded, handcuffed and tossed into a truck and dumped at the border to Gaza. This is cruelty and you wonder why some people don't like Israelis? If you would not like Jews treated the way that Israel treats Palestinians then change your ways and act like decent human beings. You might reap good rewards. What you reap now is only more hatred.

give them jobs?

I wonder why Spain isn't stepping up to the plate to accept all terrorists that Hamas demands for Shalit, and Israel wants exported. Spain can certainly have them if they want them, and any other "pals" who you want to give jobs to. Though, average Spaniards, while reflecting Marco's racist hatred, might not agree considering their own growing unemployment rate, larger than most other countries in EU.

What do Palestinians know about cold? It's what, around 40 degrees there? They'd be in bad shape if they ever went to a colder country or parts of America around winter.

May I suggest a waiting lounge in the style of the Airport buisness club.But without free alcoholic drinks.

Israelis are out of work and we are bringing in Palestinians?

GET JOBS ELSEWHERE Israel doesn't owe you jobs... the government owes those jobs to out of work Israelis. If they are unhappy about the conditions at the checkpoint then prehaps they can build new 5 star facilities at their own expense.

Sarah, if I were that full of venom and hatred like you, I would worry about my physical health. So much venomous, hateful thinking eats up the soul and sooner or later will also afflict the body. You know that the weakest points of the female body are breast cancer or cancer of the womb. Shouldn’t you get psychological help before it’s too late?

Or in Egypt, or work in their own country, state,whatever, - Gaza, Pa whatever. Why work in Israel, if it is so bad?

Richer Arab nations should not be hiring from Southeast Asia and other countries. Take these Palestinians, a.k.a. low-life Arabs and give them jobs. Then re-settle your Arab brothers in your Arab lands. Simple solution. Arabs should be taking care of Arabs, no?

I think a proper facility is reasonable. They are cheap labor that enables us to save thousands of sheckels everyday. I think they should have a proper building with heat/AC and bathrooms. Nothing fancy. They are working for Jewish companies. If they show up to work sick, who suffers? WE DO. This is not political. Only economics. If you have employees, no matter who they are, treat them well. PERIOD.

Great idea!

From most of the talkback here, I see that we Jews hold much hate and detestation to the Palestinians as if they took our land, property and life. We are acting like the Germans in the 1940’s with no human heart.

but then again , i forgot this is a zionist site !!!!! good jews , please start educating the racist zionists on how to be good people , they just might change !!!

Sorry Tosefta, Marco already wrote in a previous commentary of his that he is from the USA. So when he appears to invite Arabs into Spain, he's really offering hospitality into a homeland where he himself doesn't belong. But that's alright, the guy's a buffoon; he loves to show off his ignorance.

If that ever happens, it will be a cold day in hell.

The record shows that the Israeli government restrictions for land confiscation and hence settlement construction are responsible for crippling the Palestinian economy. Long before even the First Intifada. Long before the existence of the PA. Quit using the PA's corruption as an excuse. I know it helps your conscience. But seriously, it's getting old. People don't believe Israel because of the settlements. The settlements reveal the hypocracy.

Explosions do more damage in an enclosed space. If there is an attack there, it will be better for all involved if they are not in an enclosed space.

the sabras? they don't even know how to pick up their own garbage from the floor.

I used to walk to school evry day in the snow. They do not have to work in Israel. Wear a jacket, go work in Jordan or shut the hell up. When they stop trying to kill my children we can take the wall and checkpoints down like it used to be before they started to kill.

Why Israel should pay? We would like to see them in better conditions of course! But I dont understand why Israel should pay here!!! In israel and in every part of the world, when you wnat to improve things you pay your society/state which in turn pay to build the right thing. Qalkilya is in PA territories so PA money should take care of it! And BTW, they receive plenty of money from Europe so 50 000 dollars spent on that and the problem is over.

At some point dear reader we the Israeli people are going to have to make peace with the Palestinians - that is like it or not! IF we are not ready to treat all peoples with civility and humanity and understanding then we ourselves have become worse than those that uses to oppress us. Would cover and toilets and some form of deceny mean we have lessened ourselves or made us look soft,does one toilet for thousands of people make us look stronger and cleverer and braver,does seeing a man standing in the rain mean we in Israel have achieved anything? We have no option but to treat these people with respect - we dont have to love them or kiss them but we have to live with them and they like us are not going away. We act with such bravado and yet a smidgen of humanity would bring so much in return BM

So the so called palestinians stand waiting to get into Israel AN OLD PROVERB THE DOG BITES THE HAND THAT FEEDS IT. Are these not te same palestinians that want Israel destroyed.?? Are these not the same palestinians that voted for hamas to wipe out Israel??? Are these not the same palestinians that hate the jews for not giving them humanterian aid according to the virus(peace now)??Why does Israel even allow them into Israel Let them work for themselves .

why don't they have their dangerously obese very homely-lookin wives knit them some jerseys?

To tell you the truth, it doesn't make a bit of difference which terrorist organization you choose to be your "leadership." Whether Fatah, Hamas, Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, or any of the remaining twenty-seven or so organizations, EACH of which purport to be the true representatives of the Palestinian people -- all have one thing in common. Their charters call for the destruction of the State of Israel and the extermination and/or expulsion of the Jews. And from what we've seen -- all such "leadership" build lovely homes for themselves, acquire second and even third extremely lavish homes in Europe, and set up very hefty offshore bank accounts for themselves. While doing NOTHING at all for the Palestinian people. This despite the fact that the billions of euros and billions of dollars in cash aid that has been lavished upon both the Palestine Authority and Hamas. Even your great vaunted "heroic" "leader" Yasir Arafat (may his name be cursed through all eternity) took extremely good care to line his pockets and fly around in private jets. I note, further, that the Widow Arafat lives rather grandly in Paris with a "pension" of USD 2.0 million PER MONTH. With leadership and heroes like that, frankly, the Palestinians will never have a viable state. You spend more time squabbling amongst yourselves than doing anything else. Your leadership -- whatever stripe or breed -- makes unreasonable and ludicrous demands upon Israel which is supposed to delude you into thinking they are working on behalf of the Palestinian people. Does it fool you? How are the roads in the autonomous PA? How are the hospitals doing? The schools? I notice a couple of the universities which the Israelis built for you have closed. How is the irrigation system set up by the Israelis doing? Not terribly well, I hear. How much industry and joint venture investment capital has the PA brought in? Shouldn't be hard to attract, given all the money that has poured into the coffers of the Palestine Authority. How many new jobs have the PA created? Right. You see the problem? The fact is, you know that the Jordanians ignored you, and the West Bank that Israel acquired in 1967 was a most primitive place. Had one of the highest infant mortality rates on the planet. Israel fixed all that, didn't she? Built schools, paved roads, brought electricity and running water to ALL homes; brought irrigation techniques, built a sewage system (putting an end to CONSTANT cholera outbreaks), provided good jobs essentially upon demand in Israel proper and improved the standard of living for all Palestinians. In many ways, Israel has been a far better friend to the Palestinians than any of your Arab brethren, who left you to rot in sordid refugee camps. The Palestinians should have accepted the two-state solution in 1947 (not to mention the two times it has been offered, and rejected, since). Sad thing is, we could have built two states, side-by-side, each benefiting from the other. I guess you thought terrorism was the better way. Look where your leadership has brought you: to the brink of ruin, economic collapse and disaster. Fatah ... Hamas .... only the name changes, not the quality of the leadership. I wish you well. You certainly seem educated and articulate and capable of doing far more than working as a day laborer in Israel. That's something else you need to take up with your leadership. Good luck, my friend.

"This is not political. Only economics." I am quite far to the right on the Israeli political spectrum, too, Gedaliah, but while your heart may be in the right place, what you are saying sounds quite a bit like exploitation to me.

In all fairness, according to the article, they offered to do precisely that, and were turned down.

Funny you should mention that. I do happen to be a breast cancer survivor. I was diagnosed nearly one year to the day after losing my 13-year old son to a suicide bombing attack. Thank you for worrying about my psychological health. I tell you, were it not for what the Nazis and Nazi collaborators did to my parents and all the family members I never had an opportunity to meet; were it not for what the Palestinians did to my son and to so many people I knew and loved --- I'd be just fine. Thank you for your "concern," nonetheless. My venom and hatred is solidly based in fact and experience. If you find that offensive -- too bad. No false sympathy from you, please -- you have yet to answer my questions about the Swiss.