Some people might wonder why do Palestinians go to Jordan
that much, others might ask why are they spending that much money just for the
sake of going to Jordan, others might ask why aren’t Palestinians using their
own airport, and finally, why is the border between Palestine and Jordan called
“The Dignity Border”. These questions are the main questions that one would
tackle when mentioning traveling from Palestine. Therefore, before talking in
details about all the previous questions, I shall mention that Palestinians do
not own or have an airport no more since the Israeli occupation on Palestine,
1948. They use the Jordanian airport to be able to travel to any other country,
stating that Palestinians are not allowed to use the Israeli airports. Also,
before talking in details about the money Palestinians spend while traveling, I
must say that the name of the border is not related not even close to the ways
Palestinians are treated by Palestinians themselves, Israelis, or even Jordanians.
Palestinians aim either, at least, to change the name of the border into “The
Humiliation Border” or requiring the people in charge to improve the procedures
Palestinians have to go through on their way to Jordan.
Palestinians are spending more than 17,000,000 NIS
(4,415,584 $) to travel, yet they are not able to travel with dignity or in
order. Also, their traveling is usually affected by coincidences,
probabilities, and connections. The annual rate of Palestinians who travel
across “The Dignity Border” is over one million people.
Those people pay fixed expenses, which might increase or
decrease for certain reasons. However, the rate of these expenses for a
Palestinian citizen to reach Jericho city (where “The Dignity Border” is), is around
80 NIS (20$). Meaning, back and forth is 160 NIS (40$). Nonetheless, the
travelers’ transportation’s total in Palestine is around 160 million NIS per
year, which is around 41,558,441$ per year.
Moreover, since a Palestinian should pass the Palestinian, then Israeli,
then Jordanian side, going to the Jordanian side, he/she spends around 125 NIS
(32$). Therefore, going back and forth, the Jordanian side of the borders make
money out of the Palestinians 71,428,571$ per year. All the previous expenses
are mentioned without including, of course, the taxis Palestinians take to
reach Jordan. Thus, the transportation expenses Palestinians spend only from
the bridge “The Dignity Border” to Amman- Jordan and from Amman- Jordan to the
bridge “The Dignity Border” is more than 70,129,870$ per year. Nonetheless,
Palestinians also pay taxes, which most of its returns goes to Israelis as well
as its’ aim is to make the break “where Palestinians take a short break in a
big hall” the best place for traveling worldwide! Lastly, Palestinians spend
around 15,584,415$ only for bus tickets back and forth, with a rate of 16$ per
person going and coming back from Jordan. All this, yet Palestinians spend
hours and hours on borders, not being treated well, nor being respected. Isn’t
it the least for the Jordanian and Israeli sides of the borders make it easier
for Palestinians to travel?
Moreover, regardless all the expenses that were mentioned
above, I did not include the money Palestinians pay illegally to the workers on
borders, for the sake of easing their procedures, who actually make the
procedures harder, more complicated, and unorganized. On the other hand, all the previous expenses
did not include the money Palestinians spend in Duty Free, the Jordanian
airport’s Duty Free, water, drinks, and food spent on Israeli side of the
border, money exchange prices, renting cars, using taxis, and any extra needs
might a woman need who has children or elderly people who cannot carry their
bags. Also, I should mention again that there is also money that Palestinians
spend illegally for the workers who ease the procedures “they actually do not,
but make it more complicated”, as well as take advantage of the drivers on the
Jordanian side of the border to book certain number of chairs in the bus, to be
sold for those people who are on a hurry. All the previous mentioned details
happen daily in front of all Israeli, Palestinian, and Jordanian employees, yet
no one puts a minimal effort to change the procedures into better nor make the
life of Palestinians, on borders in specific, easier.
All the information and numbers above are only the expenses
Palestinians pay for the sake of going to and coming back from Jordan. They did
not include any expenses of how much Palestinians spend for the sake of
creating temporarily Jordanian passports or renewing them. Nonetheless, the
expenses above did not include also what Palestinians spend for the VIP
service. This service is for people who come from Jordan to Israel then to
Palestine which its expenses is around 80 thousand dollars per crowded day.
Note: The numbers above in the previous article are
approximate and not precise. However, the numbers are accredited regarding the
numbers of Palestinian travelers and official fees. And, the expenses
Palestinians spend in reality while traveling are much more than that.
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