Tuesday, March 30, 2010

Between Egypt and Israel

"Israel has an increasing problem with foreigners. Many enter legally but outstay their permits and settle there. But also growing in numbers are asylum seekers from Africa, mostly refugees from Sudan and Eritrea. And nearly all come in through Sinai. Israel doesn't want them. It's planning a fence between Israel and Egypt, but hasn't gotten it together with a clear policy on this. Egypt has -- and it's often a lethal one. Human rights organizations say Egyptian border guards have killed at least 17 migrants in recent months. Feldman intended to shed light on a dark corner of life. Accompanying desperate people making heroic efforts against the odds to live a decent life and documenting what happens at the Egyptian border "right under our eyes" is a journalist's mission, he said. His photographs were gone, confiscated in Egypt. He became part of the story -- which could have ended very differently -- and this is how he told it. That of the others remains half-told." (thanks Dina)