For years, Israel has virtually prohibited Palestinians from remodeling old housing or constructing new. More than 20,000 families are virtually homeless. At the same time, Palestinians who leave east Jerusalem for any reason can expect harassment when they attempt to return. Some of them, even those who have lived in Jerusalem all their lives, are denied re-entry. Those who left for holidays sometimes find it impossible to return.
Families are divided, some members are able to stay in East Jerusalem and others kept out.
Jewish settlers in East Jerusalem are exempt from municipal taxes for five years and then benefit from a reduced rate. Because of this bias, Palestinians living there pay taxes that are five times higher than many settlers. The real terrorism is inflicted on the Palestinians, who live in constant fear of bulldozers leveling their homes without anything remotely resembling due process, eviction on the pretext that home repairs were made without proper permits, or confiscation for road construction or other public purposes. And the latest form of terrorism is the voiding of Palestinian identity cards. Under Netanyahu, the instrument has become razor sharp.