A Non-Exactly moment of wondering: Being Palestinian

Being Palestinian … Not Exactly. Being Jerusalemite. And it goes to another Not Exactly!

Being a Non-Exactly means, you travel with a Non-Exactly Jordanian passport and a Non-Exactly Israeli document. You are marked with a special non-religious, probably ethnic 6 number, which makes you Non Exactly special.

A certain treatment starts with exclusive harassment and violations of what it means to be a normal human being.

Stares and gazes are mixed with suspicion and criminalizing looks. Sympathizing and guilty gestures. Both are from the same people … No matter how you try to behave like a normal being … You still remain Not Exactly normal…

A Non-Exactly Striptease that takes a form of a Non Exactly taking off your clothes until you buzz in Non Exactly censored areas. Otherwise, you are as well privileged to a Non-Exactly massage service, which includes touching every single piece of skin that covers your suspicious figure … All in all, Non-Exactly any of the above-mentioned services that you like to offer or to receive under the given conditions.

The journey of being Non-Exactly doesn’t start or end with the journey itself. With the preparation to leave this “heavenly” engraved space. Unless for very limited places … You are Not Exactly capable of going anywhere without a definite, Not Exactly defined status for your Non Exactly defined status.

You are a Palestinian but without a Palestinian Passport, which you would say maybe is not exactly bad. A Jordanian passport with a ” T” mark makes it Not Exactly special. With a place of birth indicated as Jerusalem. And Israeli red (anything but diplomatic) traveling document that indicates you are Jordanian next to the nationality slot.

So how to apply for a visa anywhere ???? It is Not Exactly an easy job or answer. Especially that many, if not most, are unaware of our Non Exactly existing status. Even when checked in Israeli borders, those young inspectors may ask you if it’s your first time in Israel.

You travel with one Non-Exactly document in hand and one in the pocket on each different passing border depending on the severity of the Non-Exactly document you hold to the country of destination .. and you come back and receive a seriously Non Exactly special welcome.No matter how long or short the flight was. How convenient or tiring. If it was at noon or midnight. You always receive the very same Non Exactly, non exactly special service of another round of Non Exactly meaningful questions and inspections that always takes you to a special room with another series of inspecting machines that, according to your lucky stars, could go as are inspecting every single item you carry, or a minimum of all luggage inspection through x-ray machines only.

In the meantime, a boyfriend or a partner who might not be privileged to be Palestinian may wonder about your non exactly normal or not normal life and give you the stigma of being a complaining creature when you are non exactly even a Jew.

Each time you wonder … isn’t it better to just stay there in the non-exactly luxury of just passing checkpoints?

A non- exactly moment of wondering