[Opinion: The politics of waste in Lynn Canal]<\/a><\/ins><\/p>\nAnd during a Christmas visit with the family in Juneau, Amanda’s sister Melissa developed a strong bond with Mahmoud. She’d been planning to see the brothers in Egypt this month. It was while discussing her trip with them a few weeks ago that she learned their father had suffered a major a heart attack in January.<\/p>\n
Mahmoud and Ahmed’s parents had already taken out a loan for tuition and rent. With their father unable to work, the family can’t qualify to borrow more or afford the expenses themselves. Being foreign students in a country with high unemployment makes finding jobs unrealistic. It was almost certain they’d be returning to Gaza before Melissa arrived.<\/p>\n
“They didn’t want us to know,” Amanda told me, explaining the brothers were embarrassed about their family situation. “They cried when I said we’d do whatever was necessary for them to stay in school.”<\/p>\n
The relationship between the two families is certainly unique. But the predicament faced by the brothers is not.<\/p>\n
Gaza is the most densely populated place in the world. Unemployment hovers near 40 percent. But it’s the lack of freedom and security that makes parents hope their children never return from their studies abroad.<\/p>\n
Israel has occupied the Palestinian territories since 1967. In 2005, it withdrew the military and civilian settlements from Gaza but retained control of the borders. Restrictions increased in 2006 after Hamas, which the U.S. formally designates a terrorist organization, won the Palestinian elections. Wars in 2009, 2012 and 2014 killed between 1,100 and 2,600 Palestinian civilians.<\/p>\n
One can question that oversimplified history of the conflict.<\/p>\n
But the humanity of Mahmoud and his Gazan family is real. As is the heart of the Juneau couple who grew to love him like a son.<\/p>\n
\n\u2022 Rich Moniak is a Juneau resident and retired civil engineer with more than 25 years of experience working in the public sector. He contributes a weekly \u201cMy Turn\u201d to the Juneau Empire. My Turns and Letters to the Editor represent the view of the author, not the view of the Juneau Empire.<\/b><\/p>\n
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