Sweet Enslavement !!

Some people believe that love is a sweet enslavement!

-“hello!” A sweet female voice came over the phone and I thought of the “sweet enslavement.”
-“hello!” and I was about to add “sweet girl”
-“Can I talk to Mr Sami?” ‘Wow’ I thought , she’s singing my name, she wants me!
-“Yes, speaking.” I said happily.
-“It’s Rana from your bank and I would like to inform you of two things.” Uh! I was disappointed and all my dreams of that sweet voice vanished.
-“yes?” I inquired coldly.
-“First let me congratulate you that your account was marked as a “premier” type. Second, We have lots of opportunities and offers for you and we would like you to visit us at the bank. Just ask for Rana and I will arrange everything.”
-“Aha.. OK.” I said that intending not to go there to their “sweet enslavement”
………………………………………….

This conversation happened the first time at the last week of 2014, ten days before we get our salaries. A week later, days before we got our salaries, the same damn Rana called again offering “great offers and opportunities” if I visit them in person. The conversation ended the same way-“Aha, OK”

The surprise was that the PA (Palestinian Authority) suddenly decided that they don’t have enough cash to pay the salaries. They paid only 60% of the salaries and that had happened for 4 consecutive months, BUT, suddenly also, they decided that they can pay ALL what they have missed late in May (I will explain)
That Damn Rana kept calling me for a whole month until finally I was obliged to see them and silence her forever.

At late January, I went to the bank and Rana was awaiting with a big smile:

-“You are welcome Mr Sami, we have been waiting for you for long, you almost missed the chance.” I knew that that smile was a lie and that she was lying that I knew that I will never miss the chance to be enslaved. She offered me an armchair and I sat.
Asking me for my work card, and then asking a couple of question and made some calculations she said smiling:
-“Congratulations! You can get up to $30,000 as an immediate loan!” and she looked at me with a shining smiling face.
-“And who told you that I want a loan? I came here to give you money not to take money!”
And suddenly her shining face went dark and gloomy:
-“But it’s your chance, you can do whatever you want with the $30,000; buy a new car, build a new house or rehabilitate your house, buy furniture for your house.. whatever you like.”
-“I don’t want! I want to give you money.. I have extra.”
-“How?”
-“I want to open a side account for my little kid and withdrew part of my salary to my kid monthly… I know that loans is not your policy, it is the World Bank to enslave the people”
-“NO! We are an independent bank and have our own policy, every bank has his own policy.”
-“Really? I believe you”
……………………………………………………….

In Palestine, the loans policy is not an innocent one at all:
During the first 4 months of 2015 the PA suddenly decided that they don’t have cash money to pay but 60% of the salaries that originally don’t cope with the financial hardship the people face here. This happened for 4 consecutive months in which people were crushed to the zero. I noticed this in my store as people started delaying the monthly pay till they get the full salary, and even some came to take some money to manage till the end of the month.

This above policy, was accompanied, even before it started, with a wave of personal calls for every and each bank account holder in Palestine, offering “opportunities and great offers” of enslavement, of course.

This also was accompanied by the Zionist withhold of the tax revenue to the PA, but later they suddenly decided that the PA is a good partner and deserve their support.

The world bank also offered a safe net umbrella for the Palestinian banks to give loans over the limit and ability of both the banks and the individuals. (sweet enslavement)

The loans don’t have a direct impact on the banks but they are profitable at the long run. However, they have a direct and immediate impact on people’s life style, a false luxury and financial enslavement. People here started to buy new and luxurious cars, build new houses and having much fun, but they already, even after a few months, started to feel the heavy and strong grip of the banks on their necks, on their daily food, on the future of their kids; they toil for the local banks and finally for the World Bank.

………………………………

Last month, I met an old friend (who was with me in the Zionist jail for years) downtown by chance while I was shopping for my store. I haven’t seen this friend for years even though we live in the same district. We hugged and kissed, and I drew him to a café to chat:

-“I believe there must be a chance and it is coming soon to get out of our enslavement. It will be the third intifada” I said reading the political map of the Palestinian street.
-“No, you are dreaming. The people are exhausted and financially enslaved for the banks, they have no power for another intifada.” He explained.
-“I believe in the people, and only hardship creates revolution; luxurious people like their enslavement.”
-“Yes! And this is exactly what they created; false luxury for the people to be enslaved in. Do you know that the World Bank has tried this “sweet enslavement” in Ireland before Palestine? And it worked, why cant it work in Occupied Palestine?”
-“Sure, but you can never suppress a whole people under occupation forever, sooner or later we will have the coming uprising, I can see it now.”