SETTLEMENTS & APARTHEID Settlements and military bases are heavily fortified and surrounded by big buffer zones meant to separate settlements from Palestinian civile areas. These buffer zones are constantly and illegally expanded. [see "settlements areas" on the map]		In the foreground Gaza city, in the background a settlement. The "sand strip" inbetween is a so-called security zone (gained by illegally expropriating Palestinians, demolishing their houses and their fields.).		The main bypass roads reserved for settlers (to link settlements directly to Israel) are also protected by walls, fences, watchtowers, military patrols and buffer zones. The settlers in Gaza strip have no contact with the palestinian population. What we observed is an appalling situation of de facto appartheid:   - on one side wealthy settlers protected by an impressive military presence   - and on the other side palestinians humiliated and imprisonned in their own land.		On the left, the road for settlers / on the right, the road for palestinians blocked by a checkpoint.		Some Palestinian are living inside areas which are administrated by Israel, the "yellow areas", like in Mawasi for example. In those areas segregation and oppression is even stronger. Very strict rules are applied:   - only residents are allowed into those areas   - entrance is permitted only during daylight hours   - entering is allowed only by foot, and in small groups   - no ambulance is allowed inside (sick persons, corpses have to be transported by foot...) Besides, the Palestinian inhabitants of these areas are subject to discriminatory and humiliating treatments.
	texts: mirouille   -  pictures: E.B., N.K., R.B.    April 2002