Hebron Locals "Want Quiet Already"

                                                                                                                  Roman Lozovsky photo

Activists arrived in Hebron last week bringing Palestinian flags, cameras, and apparently, the intention of creating news of a confrontational demonstration. Their focus was the Israeli Supreme Court ruling that the “Peace House” building in Hebron does, in fact, legally belong to the Jewish owners who purchased it years ago.  

But, shortly after the protesters showed up, they were confronted by a number of Palestinian Arabs who, unlike the activists, actually live in Hebron.  Said one of the Palestinian residents of Hebron:

 "For a relatively long period there's been quiet and co-existence here between the Jewish and Palestinian residents, and this protest only damages the neighbors living nearby who want quiet already…"

 

“We want quiet already” is not yet the brilliant slogan of a new moderate coalition; one can hope it will be. Meanwhile, these Palestinian locals not only prevented the protesters from making news, they “kicked them out of the city.”

Seems newsworthy to me. And it’s not hard to imagine the plentitude of headlines had the outsiders been escorted from the city by Jewish residents.

Will mainstream media pick up this story?

Afraid to Visit Israel?

                                                                                                        photo by Framing Israel

(published at Times of Israel)

In California, I interact with many people who have never been to Israel and many who imagine it is a place they would never visit.   Their questions have become predictable, enough so that I’ve developed a kind of routine for shifting a previously uncomfortable dynamic. Now, I almost enjoy these conversations (maybe it’s a perverse kind of enjoyment) and sometimes, the person with whom I’m speaking actually pauses to reconsider his or her assumptions, at least momentarily.

“You were in Israel? What was THAT like?” sometimes followed by “I bet you’re glad to be back!”  

“It was so much fun!” I watch their faces for the familiar quizzical look and, before I’m interrupted with question 2, I crowd in a whirlwind of typical tourist Israel:

“The beaches are beautiful. And there is so much going on, music festivals, art fairs, gorgeous places for hiking and being in nature. And the food! It’s amazing. There are great cafes, especially in Tel Aviv. And of course, there are all the historical sites.  In Jerusalem…” by which time, question 2 will certainly be interjected:

“But weren’t you afraid?”

“Well, yes.  It’s scary driving there. Sometimes I do rent a car but Israelis tend to drive really fast and there are people honking at you if you slow down at all. The roads are pretty good but I usually get around just on the trains and the busses...” About now, or sooner, question 3 shows up in an attempt to clarify:

“I mean, isn’t it dangerous?”

“It’s true they’re surrounded by countries who are run by terrorists or who harbor terrorists or who even tell children it’s a good idea to kill other children. It’s a very weird part of the world. So, Israel’s pretty much the expert country on safety.  And honestly, I feel safer there than I do here, certainly, safer than in any big city in America. I can walk around by myself at night, which I never do here.  There isn’t anything like the kind of crime we have in American cities.  And there’s a lot more care about safety; when you go into a public building or event there’s almost always a guard or security check….” Now, having raised the issue of security, question 4 appears, posing usually as the “gotcha” question:

“So I guess it’s pretty grim and militaristic?’

That’s the question that makes me laugh no matter how often or in how many forms I’ve heard it. I pull out my phone to show a few photos, of a Tel Aviv beach, or a shuk or shopping mall, or kids playing at a park. Or my favorite, the light rail in Jerusalem crowded with every demographic of the country, a picture confounding what they’ve heard about the “evils” of Israel and sometimes even leading to an actual conversation, one in which I get to ask questions, too:

“It’s really the most relaxed yet intense place I’ve ever been. Pretty much the opposite of ‘grim.’ You know that Israel is one of the happiest countries in the world, right?”

Cruise Ship Restricts Israeli Passengers at Request of Tunisia

                                                                              photo by Wikimedia Commons

Israeli passengers on the Norwegian Jade cruise ship were told at the last minute that they would not be allowed to disembark for the day stop in Tunis. After they had already filled out the forms to disembark, the cruise staff quietly told the 20 Israelis on board that they were "not welcomed by the Tunisian government" and that they could not leave the ship.

The staff "kept it a secret" from the other passengers but a Canadian passenger who had talked with the Israelis heard what had happened; he tried to reason with the ship's captain and then notified Jewish human rights organization, B'nai Brith.

The cruise line did not advise the passengers in advance that Israeli tourists would be confined to the ship for the stop. Other Jewish passengers were unaware that their coreligionists were being detained, since no public announcements were made. They were outraged when it became known, B’nai Brith Canada said.

The group’s CEO, Frank Dimant, said the Norwegian Cruise Line has “a responsibility to its passengers” to “advise them of this discriminatory policy in advance.”

“Better still the cruise line should avoid ports that have such policies,” he added.

Apparently still trying to keep the incident quiet, Norwegian Cruise Line, which is headquartered in Miami, issued a statement citing "a last minute decision by the Tunisian government" that kept "a small number of passengers with Israeli passports from going ashore" and condescendingly offering to "refund the port taxes to these guests."

Why would the cruise line enforce discrimination against Israelis?  Would they have so calmly and quietly kept tourists from another country confined to the ship while the rest of the passengers visited a port of call?

Under what flag does the Norwegian Jade sail?

UPDATE:  Norweigian Cruise Line has cancelled stops in Tunisia!

Israelis Saving Syrian Lives

                                              Israeli Field Hospital, Golan Heights  (Reuters )

Syria’s civil war has claimed the lives of around 130,000 people; it’s estimated that about one and a half million people have been displaced.  For the many needing medical attention, the best care comes from an “unlikely source”: Israel.  

The two countries have no diplomatic relations and Israel is considered an “enemy” by the Syrian government.  Meanwhile, Israel has set up three field hospitals in the Golan Heights and has been treating Syrians -- fighters as well as civilians -- in Israeli hospitals.  Upon returning to Syria, the patients could be harassed or killed as “collaborators with Israel,” so care is taken to keep their identity completely secret.

For Israeli medical staff, national or political identity is irrelevant. “We treat who ever comes in the door,” says the clinical director of Israel’s Western Galilee Medical Center, Masad Barhoum. Most of the patients are very badly hurt and receive “lifesaving medical treatment” in Israel.

Since Israel has kept their whole program of assistance as quiet as possible it’s not entirely easy to find out details, how many people have been treated, how many are fighters and how many civilians, and so on. It was only a month ago that any cameras were allowed into a field hospital and then only with the patients’ faces fully obscured so that they could not be identified.  

One of the most informative articles I’ve read, itself comes from an unlikely source, the United Arab Emirates' National Post. Neither the UAE or Syria allow Israelis into their countries. Yet, real life (and death) seem to intrude on these fixed positions. The National article begins:

When a rebel was shot and severely wounded during a new offensive on Syria’s southern front, his colleagues knew the only hope of saving his life was to get him to Israel. (continue here)

Israeli Natural Gas First Customer: Palestinian Power Company

Back in the everyday world, the "intractable" sides of an elusive peace settlement are engaged in mutually beneficial business agreements; Israel's first natural gas contract goes to the Palestinian Authority. 

Leviathan, Israel's largest natural gas offshore reserve, will supply the Palestinian Power Generation Company with fuel for a new power plant near Jenin. And not just in the short term; the agreement assures natural gas from Leviathan to the Jenin site for the next 20 years.

Also in the works is a plan to fill Jordan's energy needs. Of course, Jordan does have a peace agreement with Israel, but the advantages of Israeli supplied natural gas are notable: According to Bloomberg news, "For Jordan, which has seen fuel imports from Egypt disrupted by pipeline bombings in Sinai, deliveries from Israel would help to boost security of supply." 

It is also notable that business reporting, because it cheers for business and not for conflict news, often does not frame Israel negatively. Here, the International Business Times even includes, as an aside, the fact that the PA rather than Israel has governmental authority in the West Bank: 

Currently, the Palestinian Authority, which governs most of the Palestinian population of the West Bank, accounts for around 8 percent of Israel’s total electricity demand – and the Palestinian portion of that demand is increasing by approximately 6 percent annually, reported the Jerusalem Post.
Not only will the construction of the $300 million power plant help spur the local economy in Jenin, the new energy resource will help continue the recent economic growth in the West Bank.

The headline does have spin:  "Forget John Kerry's Shuttle Diplomacy: Israel and Palestinians Sign Historic Energy Deal."  

Against Israel Boycott: Ninety-Nine University Presidents So Far

Ninety-nine university presidents have come out against academic boycott of Israel and the number is growing every day. This is remarkable.

Perhaps, the small number (three) and small size of the professional organizations endorsing boycott, along with the enormous media coverage given to the recent boycott vote by the Association of American Studies, has prompted university administrators to get out in front of the issue before more divisive academic calls for boycott occur. Perhaps a real concern for academic freedom and fairness prompting major university presidents to speak out encourages the rest to join in.  Included so far are the University of California, Davis, San Diego, Irvine, and Berkeley, the City University of New York, Stanford, Harvard, Cornell, Yale, Johns Hopkins, University of Chicago, Princeton, MIT and a long list of other schools; the list is impressive.

Will this impact the amount of attention given to singling out Israel, among all the countries of the world, for condemnation by professors?  Or will some feel emboldened to "speak truth to power" across the faculty/administration divide?

Encouraging, however, is that the largest professional organization of faculty: the American Association of University Professors, which took a position condemning academic boycotts in 2005, issued a new statement specifically addressed to the ASA opposing boycotts of Israel. (Is any other country boycotted by academics?)

Whatever happens next, the groundswell of response against boycott from university leaders across the US speaks loudly and reasonably for the university as a center for the "free exchange of ideas."  Boycotts accomplish only the shutting down of any possible discussion.

Now, if the media will give as much space to the many against, as they do to the few for boycott, we'll really be getting somewhere.


UPDATE -- More than 200 University presidents now have opposed the boycott.

Reasons for ASA Boycott of Israel

                                                         Ben-Gurion University of the Negev


1. Otherwise, how would most people ever hear of the Association of American Studies?
2. Words like "human rights violations" are not scary to direct toward democratic countries with academic freedom.
3. Who would boycott China, Zimbabwe, Iran or Russia?
4. The boycott is "symbolic" and symbolic is cool on so many levels.
5. Singling out Israel and no other country does not indicate bias; how could you suggest that?
6. The ASA is not aware of the diversity of Israeli universities.
7. The ASA is not impressed that even Mahmoud Abbas opposes boycotting Israel.
8. The American Association of University Professors opposes academic boycotts but who cares? (Membership of AAUP: 47,000, of ASA: under 5000; 1252 voted with two-thirds for boycott.)
9. No one at a university in the Middle East actually benefits from this resolution.
10.There is no downside to the resolution for the lives of its promoters.

Jerusalem of Snow

It's the biggest storm in decades; the roads are closed in and out of Jerusalem and there is snow or rain falling over most of the country. There are power outages and there are many people who had to be rescued from their cars. It's also beautiful and magical.

Meanwhile,  John Kerry is here again this time thanking his Israeli and Palestinian hosts for the warm welcome and for (literally) clearing his pathway traveling the (literally) treacherous road between Ramallah and Jerusalem. The NYTimes reported on the snow's snarling of diplomacy.

Snow is nice the way it quiets everything. Time to sit back and watch the bigger-than-words forces of nature.

What Boycott? Major Musicians Rock Israel

(published at Honest Reporting )

Yet another star ignores widely publicized demands to cancel and performs in Israel. Tom Jones even adds a second show. Like Alicia Keys this summer and Rhianna in October, Jones joins the vast majority of musicians in standing up to the pressure of boycotters.

In spite of boycott hype, only rare exceptions like Jello Biafra and Elvis Costello have counted themselves supporters. Costello nixed his show in June 2010 although his wife, singer Diana Krall, performed later that summer. Biafra flew to Israel anyway, watched Israeli punk band Useless ID play without him, and published his mixed feelings about Boycott, Divestment, and Sanction (BDS).

In fact, even among the few musicians who have canceled, giving into pressure or postponing a show does not mean supporting boycott.

When Marc Almond cancelled, his management announced, “Marc would like to make it absolutely clear that this is not for any political reason. We are very sorry for any inconvenience to fans who have bought tickets.”

Carlos Santana’s management said, “We are sorry that our schedule has forced the postponement of certain dates previously scheduled. We look forward to performing in the many historic places that Santana has long wanted to return to.”

Yet, these names appear in publicity about BDS as if they protested against Israel. Even included are some--like Jon Bon Jovi--who simply have never played in the Jewish state. When asked earlier this year by BBC’s, Jo Whiley, “Is there anywhere in the world you’d like to play but haven’t yet?” Bon Jovi immediately answered: “Israel.”

In recent years, many major musicians have played in Israel, legends like Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney, Paul Simon, Elton John, and Leonard Cohen, and performers that are big draws in every genre, including:  

Punk--Marky Ramone, New York Dolls, Buzzcocks, Gogol Bordello; NOFX;

Metal--Anthrax, Judas Priest, Ozzie Ozbourne, Megadeth;

Pop--Lady Gaga, Madonna, Justin Bieber, Alanis Morissette;

Rock-- Red Hot Chili Peppers, Aerosmith, Linkin Park, Jethro Tull, Guns N’Roses, Rod Stewart, 30 Seconds to Mars;

Blues—-KM Williams, Lucky Peterson, Robert Belfour;

Indie--Yo La Tengo, Deerhoof, Silver Jews, Why?;

Reggae--Ziggy Marley, Steel Pulse, Easy Star All-Stars;

Grunge--The Jesus and Mary Chain; Jane’s Addiction, Faith No More;

New Wave—-Depeche Mode, Peter Murphy;

Electronica—-Pet Shop Boys, VNV Nation;

R&B--Rhianna, The Black Eyed Peas, Pitbull, and Alicia Keys.

Responding to boycotters, Keys told the press, “Music is a universal language that is meant to unify audiences in peace and love, and that is the spirit of our show.”

Elton John, on stage in Tel Aviv, raised a clenched fist and shouted, “Shalom! We’re so happy to be back here! Ain’t nothing gonna stop us from coming, baby!”

Rather than boycott Israel, well-known musicians especially appreciate the country. Tablet Magazine’s Liel Leibovitz writes that Israel’s top security offers the famous a brief holiday in which to see the sites, and the closely connected, relaxed Israeli music scene creates opportunity for A List artists to enjoy night life in Tel Aviv, where locals usually just “see celebrities as people.”

Speculation about whether or not stars will cancel, or the latest commentary from Roger Waters (formerly of Pink Floyd and now a boycott spokesman) can give the impression that musicians teeter on the verge of agreeing with BDS. But BDS does not argue particular policies; they advocate for the elimination of the Jewish state, demanding all of Israel for Palestine.

Some with this view send death threats, like Islamist cleric Omar Bakri who broadcasted before Paul McCartney’s concert, "If he values his life, Mr. McCartney must not come to Israel."

In Tel Aviv, Sir Paul told the press, “My little bit is to try to bring people together through music…It seems to me that most of the people are quite moderate and would like a solution…They want the governments to decide quite quickly on two states, on two nations rather than this conflict.”

After all, how likely is it for musicians, who include Israel on a world tour, suddenly to align themselves against a goal of peace for two nations and boycott their own show?

Arik Einstein and the Israeli Soundtrack

On the day Arik Einstein dies I understand what my students and my son’s friends mean when they say, wistfully, as if they had experienced it, that they wish they’d been there for the sixties. Many things happened in the sixties, meaning the whole era, that might prompt the next generations to imagine going back in time. But I think the biggest is the music.

Were I able to time travel, yes, I’d do a number of things differently. But I would not change the soundtrack.

Our soundtrack played around the world. It played in Israel too, though here there was a parallel, wonderful soundtrack playing that, like most things about Israel, I learned of only when I first visited a dozen years ago.

I particularly loved Arik Einstein not only for his rich, soulful voice, but also for the fact that he enunciated so clearly, allowing me, with very limited Hebrew, to understand a lot of words. I looked up the lyrics in English for my favorites. I know some songs by heart.

But I’ll never know the words to the Israeli soundtrack; it can never sing like the soundtrack that defined my growing up.

Arik Einstein’s songs are playing nonstop on the TV and radio and in the cafes of Tel Aviv; before the funeral a huge gathering took place at Rabin Square and then at night, along with the first candle on the giant chanukiah, there were candles on the ground arranged in the shape of a heart and spelling out Arik, and Israelis of all ages singing his songs.

Like the young people who know about the sixties but who have a different soundtrack playing in their heads, I have a different kind of sadness along with sharing this loss, a different absence to have not shared that defining music live.

What Kind of Deal with Iran?

Three days after the Supreme Leader of Iran called Israel a “rabid dog” and said that Israelis are “not human,” a deal was signed that makes the President of Iran very happy:

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani said on Sunday the deal reached with six world powers in Geneva ‘recognized Iran's nuclear rights’ by allowing it to continue to enrich uranium and that Tehran's enrichment activities would proceed similar to before… The president also said the success of the talks so far was due to the "guidelines offered" by Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

In the USA, John Kerry said “We will stand by Israel 100%.”

But in Israel, Deputy Defense Minister Danny Danon denounced the agreement as an ‘excellent deal for Iran and a dangerous one for the world, neutralizing the sanctions instead of the centrifuges. The agreement does not dismantle even a single centrifuge or reactor, but is a critical blow to sanctions.’

Back in the USA, analysis of the actual text of the "interim agreement" confirms that the deal does not ask Iran to give up anything significant and yet provides it with more money to continue whatever their leaders want to continue doing – like funding Assad and Hezbollah and building the nuclear program.

It wasn’t an open mic that caught the Ayatollah’s words -- he was voicing official state policy (and speaking before cheering crowds chanting "death to America; death to Israel"). 

When state sponsored genocidal rhetoric is no big deal – we have a bad deal.