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Barghouti for Shalit?
I’ll trade you 300 Hamas activists and a Barghouti for a Shalit. The bartering now going on preceding a potential prisoner exchange between Israel and Hamas reminds one of teenagers trading baseball cards. Ynetnews and Haaretz both report negotiations in earnest to free Gilad Shalit. The word is that the lead Palestinian prisoner released will be [...]
Natasha Mozgovaya New Haaretz U.S. Correspondent
UPDATE: An earlier version of this story was in error. After congratulating him on his new appointment, Ori Nir informed me that he is not the new Haaretz correspondent in Washington. That honor goes to Natasha Mozgovaya, a “talented young reporter,” according to Nir. I apologize for my part in spreading this [...]
Benny Morris: Nuke Iran
For the past several years, Benny Morris’ views of the Israeli-Arab conflict have grown increasingly bellicose and extremist. But in his recent NY Times op-ed, he’s taken them to their apotheosis, advocating an Israeli nuclear strike against Iran. Upon the likely failure of a conventional attack against Iran, he urges Israel: to escalate and use the [...]
Lt. Colonel Implicated in Shooting of Unarmed, Blindfolded Palestinian Civilian
The Israeli military once had a storied reputation for bravery, integrity and willingness to make the ultimate sacrifice. Think of three Israeli tanks singlehandedly stopping the advance of the entire Syrian army into northern Israel during the 1973 war. Think of the heroic efforts of the Palmach to break the siege of Jerusalem in [...]
Rosner Leaving Haaretz
It’s the end of an era of sorts. And it couldn’t have happened a moment too soon. Sol Salbe, always bearer of interesing news and useful information informs me today that Shmuel Rosner, Haaretz’s Washington correspondent will be leaving. Unfortunately, I don’t yet know the why or wherefore of this move. Haaretz has a new editor, [...]
J Street Poll: American Jews Prepared for U.S. to Pressure Israelis, Arabs to Attain Peace
J Street has commissioned its first opinion survey seeking to determine the level of support among American Jews for territorial compromise and a negotiated solution to the Israeli-Arab conflict (summary). There will be those of my right-wing readers who may doubt the results given J Street’s clear political commitments. But the poll actually dovetails nicely [...]
Heroes, Villains, and the Leaders Who Use Them
Regarding the exchange of prisoners and corpses between Lebanon and Israel today, and sparked by a discussion at Josh Landis' blog: One thing I noticed about Sami Quntar is that he was seventeen years old when he took part in...
Kuntarâs Release: Whatâs to Celebrate??
I’m struck by the opposite reactions in Lebanon and Israel to the release of Samir Kuntar and the bodies of IDF soldiers Regev and Goldwasser. Lebanon has made Kuntar’s release a national holiday. Hezbollah touts their victory over Israel and treats Kuntar as a hero of the movement. People dance in the streets. In Israel, Kuntar’s [...]
Netroots Nation Ignores Israel-Palestine
Rainer Waldman Adkins just forwarded me the 64 page agenda for the Netroots Nation annual conference (formerly Yearly Kos) which begins today in Austin. It looks smashing with incredibly interesting topics and speakers including folks I’ve been reading and wanting to meet for years. Now, I admit I haven’t read the entire 64 page agenda and [...]
Good News All Over
Patrick Lang did a post last week titled Good News in the Levant. The good news just keeps on coming on the Middle East political front, so take your eyes off the stock market and the US economy and consider...
Is Anti-Zionism Anti-Semitism?
I wrote the following as a comment on a post of the same name at My Left Wing. I'm reproducing it here because it is also a suitable response to readers who email from time to time with questions along...
Lord Clarke of Hampstead: Mention has been made of OneVoice. I wonder whether the Minister is aware that these brave and courageous young people have collected 650,000 signatures from Israeli and Palestinian youth. They want the authorities to accept the need to get an understanding and to make the parallel state a reality; they want politicians to stop talking and to get on with creating a better future. Besides the 650,000 signatures, OneVoice has created 1,230 young leaders who are, "prepared to educate and mobilise all sectors of their societies behind its goals". As it said in a recent publication, "this is just the beginning".
On July 14th OneVoice Palestine-Gaza organized a town hall meeting in the Cultural Enrichment Center in the town of Bait Hanoun.
The meeting was held under the title of "2008: The year for ending the military occupation and establishing an independent Palestinian state through negotiations with the state of Israel." 60 people attended the meeting, most of them signing up to receive more information about OneVoice after the meeting's conclusion.
Ezzeldin Masri, OVP-G's Director of Outreach, was approached by numerous attendees after the meeting, saying that they liked what they heard, and requesting that more meetings be organized in their area.
This town hall meeting was part of a series that OVP-G launched earlier in the spring. They have held seven other meetings so far, at various locations throughout Gaza.
NEW YORK, New York â July 9, 2008 - The student-run organization Heal the Rift announced the lineup for its summer unity event, Heal the Rift 2008, to be held on July 19 in Washington Square Park from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m.
The event, organized to generate an atmosphere of new optimism and understanding between the Islamic World and the West, will bring together a diverse set of speakers and performers from around the globe.
Those performing include Amish Dar, the Pakistani born guitarist/vocalist from Har ik Zehr; Zerobridge, a band made up of American and Kashmiri members; and Ippazzi, a group that believes in celebrating diversity and uniting culturally distinct sounds.
Their music will be complemented by Azhar Usman, a Chicago-born Muslim Comedian of Indian origin, whose sole goal is to promote a better understanding of Islam and Muslims through comedy.
The HTR lineup also includes scholars from the academic and religious realms, including Dr. Ali Yurtsever, the President of the Rumi Forum, Arya Zarrinkelk, an Iranian-American activist and the Human Rights/Peace and Security Program Assistant at Americans for Informed Democracy, and Omar Ashmawy, a Pentagon prosecutor, U.S. Air Force officer, and outspoken critic of fundamentalist Islam. Expedition leader, Lance Trumbull will deliver a speech on his experiences organizing the first joint Palestinian-Israeli peace climb of Mount Everest. New York arts activist Robert Galisnky will emcee the event.
In the past, the peaceful majorities from both civilizations have spoken, but they have not been heard. Suspicion, polarization, and incessant fear mongering is turning the âclash of civilizationsâ myth into a self-fulfilling prophecy by exaggerating our differences, and disregarding our shared values.
Heal the Rift 2008 is an opportunity to reject the status quo and foster a new climate of understanding in which peace and coexistence are possible.
On July 19, college students from both worlds will lead the way into a better future by publicly pledging never to allow the strength of their transnational relationships to be sapped by the cynicism of global politics.
* * *
Heal the Rift was an idea thought up by four college students, two from the West and two from the Muslim World. These four friends refused to accept the status quo of increasing polarization between the West and the Islamic world, and resolved to help end the downward spiral of distrust that divides their cultures. HTR is a simple, but powerful concept: to bring representatives from both civilizations together in a public forum of truth, respect, and reconciliation.
Israel surrenders
Today Israel formally surrenders to Hezbollah. I am ashamed to be an Israeli. The very clear message from the Israeli people and it's government is that the 119 Israelis soldiers who died during the Second Lebanese War are unimportant and irrelevant. The 44 dead Israeli citizens died for nothing.
Stand With Us Plans $150,000 Campaign Against I-97
Opponents of Seattle’s anti-Occupation divestment measure, I-97, announced that they plan to spend $150,000 to fight it in court and on the ballot. Though I’m no expert in local politics, this seems an extraordinary amount of money to spend for a local Seattle measure. Of this, $80-90,000 will be spent on hiring an attorney (I’m [...]
Silly season
I love the silly season. In Israel it's known as cucumber time when silly and outrageous items appear in the media for want of anything better to fill the column inches. Never mind the wars in Iraq, Afghanistan or our own home brewed silliness.
Here's a church in the USA that thinks it's cool to give away a AR15 during a youth conference. Still, that rifle is so old it might be an antique.
The War on the New Yorker
I have mentioned several times on this blog my deep affection for the New Yorker. My mom started subscribing to it when she came to this country in 1946 and it has always been in her home. On my iPod I have several New Yorker podcasts, both fiction and non-fiction and they are truly inspiring. I love reading the magazine. So I was quite taken aback by all the controversy surrounding the Obama cartoon..
I find this cartoon pretty amusing and not the least bit tasteless, but I would be the first to admit my tastes are not quite conventional. What I do find totally tasteless is the controversy surrounding it. First, I cry hypocrisy here. Where were all the people whose panties are now in a twist about this cartoon, when the New Yorker put out this cover by the same author? In the context of fundamentalist Muslim culture, the Ahmadinejad cartoon is far, far, far more incendiary (and also a lot funnier). Of course, now if they are asked, the Offended will all say that cartoon is tasteless too (tasteless, perhaps, but it is also hilarious). However, imagine if at the time the Iranian mullahs had put out a fatwah on Barry Blitt (certainly conceivable). Those up in arms now, would surely have come to Blitt's defense, citing "free speech" and artistic liberty.
So what are these people's values? Do they truly believe in freedom of speech and artistic liberty and self-expression? Or are they, like the Republicans, wanting to win at all costs, even if that means refusing to defend someone's right to express himself in a way they find offensive or tasteless?
Arguing they didn't know about the Ahmadinejad cartoon is not a legitimate defense. We've been told that the New Yorker is also an Obama favorite, so it is legitimate to ask why he and his campaign didn't react to that cover. I must say, to his credit, Obama himself didn't seem overly upset about the cover, and he doesn't seem to be among the Offended.
As for the pragmatic argument put forth by the Offended, viz. that this cartoon is somehow "dangerous," the idea that this cartoon might actually sway the "unwashed masses" into supporting McCain is so arrogant and offensive it almost leaves me speechless. The Offended seem to believe that only Obama supporters are smart enough to understand irony or satire. The rest of Americans are obviously so stupid that they will take it at face value and run into McCain's sclerotic arms. Give me a f--ing break, folks. Also, do Obama supporters seriously believe that calling people stupid is a good way to get them to vote for their candidate?
Please remember: Bush didn't win the last election. Kerry lost it. So too for the previous clown, Gore. If the Democrats had an inspiring leader at the helm they could have won both times. Isn't that what Obama is supposed to be? Inspiring? All this taking offense is the opposite of inspiring.
Why waste all this energy on meaningless nonsense when there are more important things going on? In case people didn't notice, in today's news a U.S. base was breached by the Taliban killing nine soldiers, the banks are collapsing, etc. etc. Every day there is enough bad news to make it plain as day why the Republicans must go and voting for McCain would be a huge mistake. On the political front, Obama had an articulate piece in the NY Times op-ed, presenting a relatively intelligent analysis of Iraq and Afghanistan. Even if I don't agree with everything he says, it's still worthy of a serious Presidential candidate, and underscores what a light weight McCain is by contrast. By wasting all this energy on the New Yorker cartoon, Obama supporters are distracting people from the important events going on. More importantly, from their perspective, they are focusing the news away from Obama's NY Times piece. It seems to me the main tactic used by the Republicans to gain and stay in power is exactly this: distract people with nonsense instead of talking about things that are really important. Is this the tactic Obama supporters really want to emulate? Fortunately, as evidenced by his op-ed, Obama himself seems far more intelligent than many of his supporters, so there is still hope.
Slacker Environmentalists
Susan Straight, a novelist, describes my style exactly: It's so lazy being green - Los Angeles Times. We practice a sort of a weird Southern California transcendentalism that doesn't fit in at all with American upward mobility, increasing our equity...
the Film Festival
As is tradition with me for the past seven years now, I attended the opening of the Jerusalem Film Festival at Sultan's Pool to see movie Wall-E. For me, the summer has officially begun and with it all the fun the season has to offer.
Everyone around me is travelling here and there. Outside the country and inside the country. It's unaffordable for us right now to travel outside Israel and Hubby has his busy season during the summer. The roads, camping sites, water parks, spas, Galilee guest houses, lakes and beaches are packed full. It's not even enjoyable to be in such sardine mode. So I'll wait to travel until October/November - when the weather cools down and the crowds have gone back home, and the rates are cheaper.
So I will stick to Jerusalem this summer because there's enough happening here.
On Saturday I hitchhiked from my town to Jerusalem because there is no bus service that day - the day of rest. However, my idea of a day of rest is to sit in a beautifully renovated air-conditioned movie theater to see films from all over the world during the festival. There was no problem getting a lift. Everyone feels bad for Saturday car-less travelers. I got a ride straight to the cinemateque from someone who thought the empty roads was a speed race track, and I was stupid enough to let him go speeding off to Jerusalem instead of telling him off. I even let him smoke in his car. Disgusting.
The first movie I saw was Mongol, about the early history of Genghis Khan and the second movie I saw was Of Time and the City, a documentary about the city of Liverpool, England. I sat separately from my friend and was surprised to see the theater full. Was everyone as interested in Liverpool as I was? Were they all Beatles' fans? I had the unfortunate experience to have sat next to a "breather." This is the kind of person who exhales profusely and you feel their breath on your arms, as you watch your army hair blow in different directions each time the person exhales. I tried positioning my arms in different directions, but to no avail. Thank God it wasn't a two hour movie, that's all.
The Deal was the next movie I saw. More hilarious than I expected. The movie starred William Macy, who was brilliant in this film, and Meg Ryan. And Israeli moviegoers just love it when actors in Hollywood films - who play, well, Israelis - can say things in Hebrew like "metumtam (idiot) and only they will understand what it means.
After that was a French flick called Naissance des Pieuvres. Gotta see those French flicks about those coming-of-age movies about teens and the agonies in their lives.
Meanwhile, in between films, we saw friends we hadn't seen in years and ate good food in the cinemateque cafeteria whose hostesses always claimed there was no room, but when you swoosh past them you can get a table somewhere... Over Irish coffee and ice coffee we surmised about the men in our lives and in our friends lives, and usually about how awful they are (the men, not our friends). Were there ever any decent men around? Ever? Why don't I know any, except for the ones dating my girls. And we laughed about some of their obsessive compulsiveness and perfectionist traits, as well as coming to the realization now that those wonderfully social, "men about town" usually come with a lot of baggage and dish out a lot of heartache.
I mentioned to my friend that I had been emailing someone with Cerebral Palsey because he had made me laugh on the Jerusalem email list when he was looking for someone to help him do his emails and write for him. He described himself much this way:
"I look retarded but I'm not." Which prompted me to write him back something along the lines of "I don't look retarded but I am..."
We'll probably see a movie together one day this week. I already told him I'll be able to spot him easily in a crowd, so he need not worry about me recognizing him.
So we laughed and cried about all the funny, sad, exciting and awful stuff going on in our lives. There's nothing like having a great friend to share all the things you're going through.
Rare Double-Dipper Spotted in Prime Ministerâs Office
An extremely rare native Israeli bird, the fork-tongued double-dipper has been spotted in the Israeli prime minister’s office. It has a nasty habit of pecking at any outstretched hand it finds when it sees bright shiny coins in them. And it’s known to feed voraciously and steal from anyone foolish to leave their bounty unguarded. [...]
Al-Arian Granted Bail Over Fedsâ Objection, Judge Warns Against Improper Meddling
One of my readers, Miriam, informed me yesterday that a federal judge granted Palestinian former academic, Sami Al-Arian bail in a case brought by the federal government to compel him to testify against a pro-Palestinian think tank. The judge also warned the Justice Department prosecutors not to engage in improper conduct by scuttling Dr. Al-Arian’s [...]
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