NPR Radio had this story on their "All Things Considered" podcast about the latest group of people are moving into new houses in the Israel occupied West Bank. It just pissed me off to no end.
The article, which you can read, talks about the ultra-orthodox Jewish families that are moving in mass into the area because it offers inexpensive housing. I don't have any issue with their faith. I don't have any issue with people deciding where they want to live.
What pisses me off are two things. First, these people move there and then expect the Israeli taxpayers to protect the and provide them with services. Second, the fact that the government lets them get away with it.
It is with morbid fascination the I read that these men who head these household neither work, or serve in the military. The consider the tasks to be distractions from their most important duty, which it is to sit around and study the Torah.
Again, that is fine. If that is what you want to do with you life, then find a way to do it. But to expect others to pay for your food, educate your children, provide you with food, water, electricity, medical care, and everything else is too much. Get a religious scholarship or sponsorship. But to consider that you are too important to work for a living, pay taxes, or even serve in the military to help protect your country.
The article mentions that they move there for economic reasons. But what I can't figure out for the life of me is how they get away with it. Does that mean I can just walk into the Angeles National Forest behind Pasadena and build myself a house? And then demand government services and protection. And then to add insult to injury, refuse to contribute money or labor to society. Please!
If I were in the IDF, I'd be pissed off to no end that I have to put my ass on the line to protect these bozos from outraged locals. I'd be pissed off that my government didn't have the balls to stop these bozos when they started pouring the foundations to the house.
If I were an Israeli citizen I'd be pissed off that my taxes are going to subsidies the lifestyle of these religious slackers. If they want to go live in the bad lands, then go ahead. But don't go crying to me when things go tits-up in your neighborhood. That is the risk you took when you decided to build where you were not supposed to.
I also don't get how these people get title to these properties? Who gives them the money? Do they get mortgages? Who is dumb enough to issue a mortgage on a piece of land that has such a convoluted title?
These guys remind me of the people that buy houses cheap and the end of an airport runway. Then they complain to no end about the noise and demand the airport close. Well No shit Sherlock... the fact that the house was under the flight path is why it was so cheap.
And for these guys.... the reason the house was so cheap is because you built it on land you don't own, in an area that does not fall under the jurisdiction of government protection, and the locals want to kill you. Perhaps you failed to look around when you moved in? The guys shooting at you should have been a clue that all was not good there.
As a US citizen, I wish our government would demand that the Israeli government put an end to this nonsense. Either take the damn land or don't. This half-ass acre-by-acre sneaky theft is just making them, and us, look dishonest.
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