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There is no question that the ground reality for Palestinians in the Occupied Territories is desperate. With a peace process being off-track and a continuation of Israel's belligerence, hope for a peaceful settlement remains out of sight. Israel adopts a policy that is conducive to violence and not peace.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has recently found that the roadblocks in the Occupied Territories have not been removed, as initially promised by Israel. In fact, the few that have been taken down were of little or no significance, according to OCHA.
But being deceptive in "abiding" by its commitments or carrying out its promises should not come as a surprise, as Israel has consistently been following such a policy. This is a known reality for the Palestinians as they are still choked by hundreds of checkpoints and roadblocks and an endless nightmare of collective punishment.
It was only a few months ago that Israel sealed off Gaza's crossings, leading to an unprecedented humanitarian crisis for the thousands entrapped inside.
Yet the issue at hand is not merely about the number of roadblocks being removed, dismantled or re-located. They are only one small part of a larger issue concerning the Occupied Territories.
The question instead should be about the peace process in general and the steps taken to bring about a sovereign and independent Palestinian state. For the vast majority of the Palestinian people, suffering is woven into their daily living.
The blockades, curfews, air strikes, incursions, arrests and sealing-off of crossings are all part of the daily misery. Israel's pursuit of peace is invalid when it is facilitating a life constructed around despair and agony.
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