USA buys 300 movie tickets for Nablus youth

Ma'an
[Palestinian] Youth involved with the US-funded English Access Microscholarship and Camp Discovery summer programs were invited to attend viewings of the Disney/Pixar movie Wall-E next week.

The initiative is an effort to bolster the [West Bank city] Nablus economy... Since the scaling down of Israeli security measures at the infamous Huwwara checkpoint south of Nablus, the international community has made much of the slow return of life to the city.

The film, which touches on important themes related to environmental protection and the importance of friendship, is showing at Nablus’ recently opened Cinema City. It is the only operating theatre in the city, and one of three in the entire West Bank.

According to a Monday statement from Assistant Country Director... "this will be the first experience for kids to be exposed to American-style cinema, which will give them greater exposure to American culture and the wider world.” While most homes have satellite television offering dozens of American movies each day, most Nablus-area youth will never have seen the films on a cinema screen.

While Nablus residents are happy over the revitalization of their city, the increased traffic from Palestinian residents of Israel and the ease of travel in and out of the northern sector, many are concerned that the economic success cannot be sustained. For shops to remain open, some say, Palestinians will have to generate income from exports and sale of local products abroad; a process made difficult with no control over customs or borders and an inefficient and secondary road system that eats up agricultural land and keeps Palestinian traffic away from Israeli settlements. Full story