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| Palestinian refugees toughing it out, preferring tents to the asylum seekers center |
Faith in Norway: The difference in how life pans out for Palestinians, is easy to spot
and that in the heart of Oslo. While Jens Stoltenberg speaks the
Palestinian cause in the UN, 23 Palestinian men live in a makeshift tent
camp, 150 meters from the Norwegian Directorate of Immigration’s (UDI)
offices in Hausmannsgate 21 in Oslo. Norway’s self-imposed role as peacemaker in the Middle East has led
the Palestinians to believe that Norway will take them in with open
arms. In the West Bank and Gaza people talk about Norway as “the best
country in the world for human rights and democracy.” But here all of my dreams and hopes have been shattered, says Said
Alhilow (23). He comes from Gaza, has lived in Norway for 18 months and
has received a final rejection of the application for a residence
permit, like the others in the camp. Gaza is not safe! The West Bank is not safe! I will not be the
third brother who is killed in our family. I was stateless, now I’m also
paperless.
