tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-54553832024-03-07T21:02:21.593+02:00E-man and the Masters of the UniversityWhat is this blog about? Whatever I feel like talking about at the moment - politics, Israel, student life, my autistic nephew or anything else.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.comBlogger763125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-69721160715126495852014-11-11T17:39:00.000+02:002014-11-11T17:39:27.509+02:00Marwan Barghouti's True ColorsOver the last decade or so, many left wing Israelis have called for the release of Marwan Barghouti, who is serving five life sentences for launching deadly terrorist attacks during the Al-Aqsa Intifadah. These well meaning Israelis think this terrorist-turned-peacenik-turned-terrorist has turned back to peace, since he has made conciliatory statements, declaring he was wrong to turn to violence. As one of the most popular Palestinian leaders, they believe he can bring peace more than Mahmoud Abbas can. The problem is that they ignore history and the likelihood that he will return to terror. Now it is no longer just likelihood.<br />
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Two years ago, Barghouti called for "popular resistance", which could be interpreted as nonviolent action. Today, in a <a href="http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/jailed-palestinian-leader-marwan-barghouti-calls-third-intifada-against-israel-1474273">letter</a> marking the tenth anniversary of Yasser Arafat's death, he stopped pretending. He called for a third Intifada, including armed resistance.<br />
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Marwan Barghouti is, and always has been, a terrorist. He must not be released from jail. I hope his naive Israeli supporters realize this now.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-44232192545567152742014-07-05T23:59:00.001+03:002014-07-06T00:12:47.476+03:00October 2000/Cast Lead All Over Again?It started with the heinous murders of three Israeli teenagers by Hamas-affiliated terrorists and the equally heinous suspected revenge killing of a Palestinian teenager by Israeli extremists. Now it seems to be escalating into a combination of the October 2000 Israeli-Arab riots which took place at the beginning of the Second Intifadah and the December 2008-January 2009 Cast Lead Operation in Gaza, Israel's response to Palestinian missile strikes inside Israel.<br />
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Let's start with Gaza. Israel has been very restrained, responding to the barrage of rockets on border communities with a proportional response - attacking missile launchers and a bunch of symbolic, yet empty, buildings. Rockets haven't stopped, though. Today, rockets were fired on Be'er-Sheva, 40 kilometers from Gaza, the largest city attacked so far this round. This is undoubtedly an escalation. I believe it would be hypocritical of anyone in the world to criticize Israel for going on a large scale operation (one which I hope will not be necessary, but might be if attacks continue on Sunday) after giving Hamas the opportunity to stop the missiles it and other groups have launched.</div>
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Now, to the other front of this round of the conflict. Palestinians have rioted in East Jerusalem and inside the green line, while barely anything has happened in the West Bank. Anger over the murder of Muhammad Abu Khdeir is understandable, especially in East Jerusalem, where he lived and died. However, violent riots, including the destruction of property and attacking civilians, are beyond the pale. Within Israel, Palestinian citizens of the state have blocked roads, pulled Jews out of their cars and burned the vehicles and laid siege to the village of Mei Ami. This is unacceptable. </div>
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The Palestinians of Israel cannot join their brethren, the Palestinians of the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, in their war against the state. This will not be tolerated. The police's harsh response in October 2000 resulted in the fact that the rest of the Second Intifadah did not include Palestinian citizens of Israel. Unfortunately, 14 Palestinian rioters (13 citizens, one non-citizen) were killed, as was one Jewish citizen who was killed by rocks thrown at his car. This time around, better riot dispersal equipment should be used so there will not be civilian casualties (Arab or Jewish) while still quickly crushing this insurrection. </div>
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Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-37139695286106897472014-02-16T00:21:00.000+02:002014-02-16T01:19:41.444+02:00Israel Doesn't Need a PresidentThe end of Shimon Peres's term in July would be an excellent opportunity to abolish the Israeli presidency. It's a largely ceremonial position that costs taxpayers a lot of money. Sure, almost all parliamentary democracies have a separate head of state, either a monarch (e.g., the UK and the Netherlands) or a president (e.g., Ireland and Italy), but just because it's a common practice doesn't mean every country has to follow the same model.<br />
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If it were up to me, I would have a three-member presidency. The prime minister, speaker of the Knesset, and the Chief Justice, the heads of the three branches of government, would be co-Heads of State. Some presidential duties would be shared by all three, like signing bills into law, while other duties would be divided between them. The prime minister would be in charge of the more executive aspects of the presidency, such as signing the credentials of Israeli diplomats and receiving the credentials of foreign ambassadors. The speaker of the Knesset would officially appoint the prime minister, comptroller and other positions elected by parliament. The Chief Justice could be in charge of pardons and commutations.<br />
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Of course, none of this will happen. Politicians like the idea of the presidency too much. Some of them dream of being elected to the position. For even more of them, having another office they have the power to elect, especially when it is the most prestigious one in the country, makes them feel all the more important.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-24648014818053456032014-02-11T11:50:00.000+02:002014-02-11T11:50:00.829+02:00Roger Cohen Sees the Real Goals of BDSIn an op-ed in the New York Times, Roger Cohen says what I've been saying all along about the <a href="http://nyti.ms/1f98bP1">Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions</a> movement:<br />
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<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: georgia, 'times new roman', times, serif; font-size: 16px; line-height: 23px;">"I do not trust the B.D.S. movement. Its stated aim is to end the occupation, secure “full equality” for Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel, and fight for the right of return of all Palestinian refugees. The first objective is essential to Israel’s future. The second is laudable. The third, combined with the second, equals the end of Israel as a Jewish state. This is the hidden agenda of B.D.S., its unacceptable subterfuge: beguile, disguise and suffocate."</span></blockquote>
<br />Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-8783755561442159022014-01-03T08:03:00.000+02:002014-01-03T08:03:00.575+02:00Ariel Sharon Has Been Dead For 8 YearsOn January 4, 2006, the almost 78 year old prime minister of Israel, Ariel Sharon, suffered a debilitating stroke. He has been in a minimally conscious state ever since. Technically, it's better than being brain dead or in a permanent vegetative state, but for all intents and purposes, he has been dead for eight years. He now has gone into kidney failure and other bodily systems will shut down soon. One report on TV said he has no more than four days left.<br />
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Just like eight years ago, news crews are waiting outside his hospital room. Eight years ago, when he was still prime minister and it wasn't clear whether he would recover or not, the coverage was warranted, even if it suffered from the usual problems of having to fill airtime without having any new information. Now, however, the media vigil is odd. Reporting on his condition once a day would be more than enough.<br />
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It might be horrible to say, but once Sharon dies, it will be a great relief to his family. His sons lost their father in 2006, but got stuck in the limbo of minimal consciousness with him. Now they'll be able to bury him and move on.<br />
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Ariel Sharon would turn 86 in February. That's a ripe old age for anyone, let alone someone who has been kept alive artificially for so long.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-81109388795874201292013-12-31T19:33:00.000+02:002013-12-31T19:33:02.595+02:00Blogging New Years Resolution, 2014I barely wrote anything on this blog this year. I used to post at least five times a month, and 2013 is ending with just five posts for the entire year. My resolution for 2014, which I can't promise to keep, is that I will blog much more often, maybe not as much as I used to, but still more than the last two years.<br />
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Happy New Year!Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-87468348940978290962013-12-30T08:56:00.000+02:002013-12-30T08:56:00.037+02:00Bold 2014 Predictions It's that time of the year when people make predictions about the coming year. I'll join in the fun, foreseeing the future on matters serious and silly alike.<br />
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<li>As the roll-out of Obamacare progresses, most people will see that its positive aspects far outweigh its shortcomings. Despite this, Republicans will make gains in the election in November, strengthening their hold on the House of Representatives and gaining 2-3 Senate seats, which is not enough for a majority.</li>
<li>In the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, violence will increase, but will not amount to a third Intifadah. </li>
<li>In Israeli politics, Justice Minister Tzipi Livni and her HaTnuah party will leave the coalition due to a lack of progress in negotiations with Palestinians and Netanyahu's evident disinterest in reaching any deal. Finance Minister Yair Lapid will threaten to do the same with his Yesh Atid party, but a lack of backbone coupled with the fear of losing half of their seats if an early election were to be called will lead to Lapid staying in the government. "Without us, the government would be even more extreme," would be their excuse.</li>
<li>The Syrian Civil War, which has already started spilling over to Lebanon, will lead to a new civil war in the small country. Both conflicts will have no end in sight by the end of the year.</li>
<li>At the Winter Olympics in Sochi, sports will be overshadowed by protests against the autocratic regime of Vladimir Putin, including, but not limited to, his persecution of gays. Russia will win the medal race, but who cares. Most people only consider Summer Games as "real Olympics".</li>
<li>The Soccer World Cup in Brazil will be won by the host country. It will be a South American final after Brazil defeats Germany in one semi-final and Argentina defeats the Netherlands in the other.</li>
<li>At the Oscars, Tom Hanks and Matthew <span style="background-color: white; line-height: 17.77777862548828px;"><span style="font-family: inherit;">McConaughey will compete against each other in two different categories: Supporting Actor ("Saving Mr. Banks" vs. "The Wolf of Wall Street") and Lead Actor ("Captain Phillips" vs. "Dallas Buyers Club"). However, they will lose to actors from "12 Years a Slave" - Best Supporting Actor Michael Fassbender and Best Lead Actor Chiwetel Ejiofor.</span></span></li>
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Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-71219607680181782542013-12-24T23:49:00.000+02:002013-12-24T23:49:05.021+02:00Why Boycotting Israeli Universities Is Wrong<div class="tr_bq">
Three small academic associations, the American Studies Association being the most prominent of them, have endorsed a call for academic boycott of Israeli institutions. They claim they will not target individuals, but rather Israeli universities, colleges and research centers, and people representing those institutions as deans, presidents, etc. That's bullshit, for several reasons:</div>
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<li>Had the boycott been enforceable, American scholars wishing to go to conferences in Israel or publish in journals published by Israeli universities would not be able to do so, because it would constitute cooperation with the institutions themselves.</li>
<li>University administrators would not be able to present their academic work, unrelated to their positions as administrators.</li>
<li>There is a chilling effect on all Israeli scholars. As someone who is not a university official, I am not technically the target of this boycott, but I would never go to a conference organized by the ASA or any other organization that supports the boycott of Israel. It would be a hostile environment for me as an Israeli. I would not feel welcomed there, perhaps unless I was a far left-wing anti-Zionist.</li>
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Other than that, the academic boycott, just like all other forms of BDS against Israel, is extremely simple-minded. In effect, it puts all the blame for the conflict on Israel. It does not recognize the fact that it takes both sides to solve this problem. </div>
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And how do you solve the problem? The original Palestinian Civil Society Call for BDS takes the most anti-Israel stance possible:</div>
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<i>"These non-violent punitive measures should be maintained until Israel meets its obligation to recognize the Palestinian people’s inalienable right to self-determination and fully complies with the precepts of international law by: </i></blockquote>
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<i>1. Ending its occupation and colonization of all Arab lands and dismantling the Wall<br />2. Recognizing the fundamental rights of the Arab-Palestinian citizens of Israel to full equality; and<br />3. Respecting, protecting and promoting the rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties as stipulated in UN resolution 194."</i></blockquote>
I agree with Point 2, but 1 and 3 are problematic, to say the least. In Point 1, what constitutes "all Arab lands" - the West Bank, Gaza, East Jerusalem and Golan Heights or Israel proper as well? Point 3 is something Israelis in their right minds can never agree to.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-45549437685898767202013-09-30T19:56:00.000+03:002013-09-30T19:56:22.693+03:00J Street and the Right of ReturnAccording to Tablet Magazine, delegates to the J Street Conference<a href="http://www.tabletmag.com/scroll/147016/j-street-attendees-show-support-for-right-of-return"> showed support for recognition of the Nakba and the Right of Return</a>. J Street is a lobbying group that calls itself "Pro-Israel, Pro-Peace", and it officially says that the issue of return should be negotiated between Israel and the Palestinians, with the preferred solution being that the vast majority of refugees would not be resettled in Israel. This is also the line Jeremy Ben-Ami and other leaders of the group have been promoting.<br />
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It seems that many of J Street's members have different views. The delegates applauded when Fatah member Husam Zomlot called for the full recognition of the Nakba and giving all Palestinian refugees the option to settle in Israel. I'm fine with the first part of that, but I'm troubled by J Street members' support for return.<br />
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We should recognize the Nakba. It's a historical fact that the creation of Israel was a tragedy for Palestinians. It doesn't mean that Israelis should be ashamed or sorry that we exist, or that we are the only ones responsible for the Nakba.<br />
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Israelis should recognize the Nakba happened. Palestinians should recognize it cannot be undone. The so-called Right of Return is exactly that - an attempt to undo the Nakba. Despite the Zochrot conference in Tel-Aviv over the last two days, a vast majority of Israelis would never, in their right minds, welcome hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of hostile Palestinians.<br />
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I'm used to hearing Palestinians, Arabs and far-left groups calling for a Right of Return. The fact that this happened at the supposedly moderate left J Street conference is troubling. Is the Right of Return seeping into mainstream liberal groups in the United States or does J Street attract more extreme left-wingers than its founders would have liked? I'm guessing that the latter is true, but not ruling out the former.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-11950182025534497002013-09-08T18:38:00.000+03:002013-09-08T18:40:22.247+03:00The Stupidity of Attacking SyriaIt seems like there are two main camps who oppose President Obama's proposed retaliatory strikes against the Assad regime. One is the liberal anti-war camp, which opposes any military action anywhere. The other is the isolationist camp, which wants the United States to butt out of other countries' affairs, diplomatically as well as militarily. But what about people like me who think the particular circumstances in Syria are what makes a strike inadvisable, rather than any general pacifist or anti-interventionist principles?<br />
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I don't see how a strike against Assad would make matters any better. The best scenario would be an end to the use of chemical weapons, but the regime would definitely continue massacring its own people with conventional weapons. At worst, what begins as a limited strike will spread the violence to neighboring Israel, Jordan and Turkey, in addition to Lebanon, where this has already started to happen. Assad may be replaced by Sunni Jihadists who would take over his chemical weapon stockpiles.</div>
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As an Israeli, what is most important to me is how any action in Syria would effect Israel. The Israeli government and the Israeli public, according to polls, back a strike on Syria. Again, I find myself in the minority. There is too great a danger that a strike would pull Israel into a war with Syria, without any clear objectives or any likely positive outcomes. </div>
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When evil fights evil, stay the hell out of the way. Sure, innocent Syrians are caught in the middle, but we're not going to help them. If anything, we'll just be adding innocent Israelis, Jordanians, Turks and Lebanese to the list of people suffering from Assad's regime.</div>
Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-58490054755979360502012-11-18T04:33:00.000+02:002012-11-18T04:33:00.493+02:00Pillar of CloudNothing like a new war between Hamas and Israel to wake me from my blumber (blogging slumber).<br />
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Like a majority of people, I want the violence between Hamas and Israel to end. However, a ceasefire now won't necessarily achieve that goal. I don't know what will. If the current operation ends with a return to the previous status quo, where Israeli towns near Gaza would regularly be attacked without Israel doing anything about it, we might as well reach a so-called ceasefire immediately, so at least less people will be at risk in the short run.<br />
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However, if the operation can cripple Hamas and other terrorist organizations badly enough that their ability to fire at Israel is greatly reduced, and if Hamas's ability to import weapons is also crippled, the operation should continue until those goals are met. After that, a ceasefire should be reached, and every single violation of it - every shelling of a kibbutz on the border, every Qassam on Sderot, etc. - should result in significant response by Israel, and not just shooting back at the specific squad responsible. However, together with that stick, Israel should offer a carrot of restricting the blockade on Gaza to weaponry and things that are likely to be used to manufacture weapons, letting everything else in.<br />
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Operation Cast Lead in 2008-2009 was a failure because it ended with a return to the situation that existed before. We should not let Operation Pillar of Defense (or as it is called in Hebrew, Operation Pillar of Cloud) end the same way.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-32313688717567780572012-04-13T21:57:00.000+03:002012-04-13T21:57:25.385+03:00Threatening OpinionsLadies and gentlemen, look at the calendar. It is Friday the 13th. Now that the sun is down, Passover is also over (at least in Israel - in other countries it continues for an 8th day). It is time to take out the bread and cakes, and think about all the things we find scary. The first thing that comes to mind is people's views on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This isn't just a difference of opinions. Opinions that are very different from our own would become existential threats if implemented - that's how we see it.<br />
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Take me, for example. I'm a moderate left-winger who supports the two state solution. People to the far right and far left of me support things that I believe will destroy my country. Right-wingers who oppose the establishment the of the State of Palestine will lead to a country in constant war with its neighbors, and quite possibly one that is no longer democratic. Far left-wingers who support a one-state solution would destroy the Jewish State, bring in our enemies into our country, and create a state united in name only, and which would erupt into civil war in no time.<br />
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These two groups, on the other hand, see my own views as a threat. The right wing thinks a free State of Palestine would be able to fight Israel and try to take over the rest of what they lost in 1948. I can't blame them. I worry about that myself sometimes. Some of them even think my solution threatens religious salvation (a concern to which I am much less sympathetic). The far left is afraid that the two-state solution would just be another step in the subjugation of Arabs, both inside Israel and in the new state (not a baseless concern, but one that can be alleviated with certain measures to guarantee minority rights, true Palestinian independence, etc). <br />
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So, what does this tell us? Well, nothing positive. It just tells us that internal Israeli negotiations are just as difficult as negotiations between Israelis and Palestinians, and perhaps just as fruitless. I assume that internal Palestinian negotiations are the same.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-25853183735296007642012-04-11T21:30:00.000+03:002012-04-11T21:30:55.463+03:00Flightilla 2012Apparently, pro-Palestinian activists are planning to arrive in droves at Ben-Gurion Airport on April 15 (to celebrate US tax day?). They say they want to go from there to the West Bank, where they plan on protesting against the occupation. I'm no supporter of the occupation, but neither am I a fan of the idea of hundreds of anti-Israel protesters making a scene at the airport, marching inside Israel and clashing with soldiers in the West Bank.<br />
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Israel was quite successful in dealing with last year's "flightilla". Most of the activists couldn't even board their flights, so they didn't reach Israel at all. That should be the strategy again this year.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-80041854675001328522012-02-06T19:42:00.001+02:002012-02-06T21:22:36.821+02:00PennBDS Bans Yet Another JournalistAfter banning Martin Himel, whose removal might have been justified due to alleged misrepresentation, PennBDS also <a href="http://thedp.com/index.php/article/2012/02/boycott_divestment_and_sanctions_conference_proceeds_without_incident">revoked Philadelphia's Jewish Exponent's press pass</a>. The crime? Writing stuff they didn't like, such as <a href="http://www.jewishexponent.com/article/25232/BDS_Reveals_Its_Real_Agenda/">this article here</a>.<br />
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Not surprising. After all, at least in part, BDS is about revoking the rights of Israelis and Zionists, including freedom of speech. If you don't support all Palestinian demands, you will not have a right to be heard anywhere (academic and cultural boycott) or to make a living (economic boycott).<br />
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PennBDS organizers claimed they welcome dissenting voices to their conference. Yeah, just don't dissent too much or you'll be kicked out.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-44213184051646837792012-02-05T15:18:00.000+02:002012-02-05T15:18:32.371+02:00PennBDS Bans JournalistAccording to Mondoweiss, journalist and documentary filmmaker Martin Himel has been banned from interviewing participants at the Pro-BDS conference at the University of Pennsylvania. They used a technicality, saying he did not register as a journalist and was interviewing participants under false pretenses. Really? I think the problem is the fact that he's pro-Israel.<br />
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I've never heard of Martin Himel before, but from what I've read, it seems the PennBDS organizers are afraid he'll interview people who don't know who he is, will then edit his footage to pick the worst things people say and then portray the BDS conference-goers as anti-Semites. Indeed, despicable tactics that I do not endorse. However, these are tactics the pro-Palestinian side has endorsed in the form of faux journalist Max Blumenthal's propaganda pieces against Israel.<br />
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Blumenthal's usual MO is to go to all kinds of places, stick a camera and microphone in the faces of people who don't know who he is, ask questions, take only the worst quotes to make Israelis/Jewish Americans/whatever look bad and give no context (for instance, one of his videos was from the right-wing group "Im Tirtzu"'s demonstration, but he didn't mention that fact). When Blumenthal or any other anti-Israel filmmaker does this to make Israelis look bad, then it is okay, but when it is done to your side it isn't?Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-60707718563097522092012-02-05T14:57:00.000+02:002012-02-05T14:57:45.768+02:00Jewish State: Who DecidesAt a pro-BDS conference at the University of Pennsylvania yesterday, the founder of Electronic Intifiada (a word which most Israelis and many Americans associate with terrorism) Ali Abunimah had a whole lecture about what it means for Israel to be a Jewish State. "Let's ask that question", he said. Well, it isn't his question to ask.<br />
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The biggest problem I have with Israeli demands that Palestinians recognize Israel as a Jewish state is that it invites the Palestinians into the debate over what a Jewish state, or Jewish and democratic state, means. They have a point when they say that they need to know the definition of the term before agreeing to it. But the thing is that this is an internal Israeli issue, an issue only Israelis - Jews, Arabs and others - can debate. The Jewish State is a very general concept, in constant flux. Some Israelis see it as a state for the Jewish people, others see it as a state based on Jewish law - and those are just two of the various possible definitions. It is a vital discussion for Israeli citizens to have, but it isn't the business of Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza and the diaspora.<br />
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Of course, Abunimah might have discussed the Jewish State concept anyway, even without the wrongheaded Israeli demands. After all, he is a one-stater, right of return activist who would like to see Israel vanish in favor of a State of Palestine with a Jewish minority. He has also defended terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. But then again, Israel's demand to be recognized as Jewish legitimizes his intervention in this domestic issue.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-36962142760621067222012-02-05T14:25:00.000+02:002012-02-05T14:25:54.581+02:00Paul Auster and TurkeyPaul Auster recently decided to cancel a trip to Turkey in protest of the plight of Turkish journalists and writers. This prompted an angry response from Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who accused him of a double standard regarding Israel and Turkey. Auster's criticism of Turkey is accurate, as is his response to Erdogan regarding Israeli freedom of the press. However, his decision to boycott the country is not the answer.<br />
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Just like I oppose the BDS movement against Israel, I believe that other countries should not be boycotted. Action can be taken against the government and military, but civil society should not be targeted. Paul Auster would have done much more for Turkish writers had he voiced his criticism while in the country. I'm sure he would have gotten a lot more Turks to listen. Right now, they're probably to angry to hear what he says, just as I don't have patience for whatever someone who boycotts me and my country has to say.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-67739166748561533902012-02-03T17:52:00.001+02:002012-02-03T17:54:15.920+02:00Joseph Cedar Returns to the Acaedemy AwardsI'm a bit late with this news, but it's worth noting on my blog anyway: "Footnote", an Israeli film directed by Joseph Cedar, is nominated for a Best Foreign Film Award at the upcoming Oscar ceremony. This is an excellent film, which tells a universal tale of father-son rivalry and workplace politics. It's nice to have an Israeli film about something other than the conflict get recognized for its excellence.<br />
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The press tended to focus on the fact that one of the other four films in this category is an Iranian film, "A Separation". They call it the Israeli-Iranian war by proxy, or a cultural battle. Bullshit. Israelis know to separate between politics and culture, between leaders and artists. In fact, "A Separation" is being shown in theaters in Israel. Israeli authorities have no problem with that. Iranian authorities, however, allowed the film to be distributed in Israel only after European countries pressured them into it. You'd never see "Footnote" in an Iranian theater.<br />
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I'm rooting for "Footnote", because it is an excellent Israeli film (and the only one in the category that I've seen), not because of some hatred for Iran or any other country in the running. I also hope that the second time's a charm for Cedar, who was nominated in 2008 with <a href="http://es1982.blogspot.com/2008/01/beaufort-castle-meets-kodak-theatre.html">"Beaufort"</a>.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-75670559616563908102012-01-31T14:24:00.000+02:002012-01-31T14:24:09.743+02:00Oskar Schell Goes to the MoviesI read Jonathan Safran Foer's novel "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close" four and a half years ago. I absolutely loved it. I even posted a <a href="http://es1982.blogspot.com/2007/08/extremely-loud-incredibly-close.html">review</a> on this blog (which I don't remember ever doing with other books), and discussed the question of <a href="http://es1982.blogspot.com/2007/08/is-oskar-schell-autistic.html">whether or not Oskar is autistic</a> (I said no, most commenters said yes). For some reason, the latter post is the most popular one on my blog, with people reaching it through Google searches every day. Apparently, the question is on the minds of many (though it seems like often it has been assigned to them for a school paper).<br />
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Now there's a movie adaptation out, which is even nominated for a Best Film Oscar. I have only seen a couple of trailers, since the movie itself hasn't opened in Israel yet. The reviews are mixed, with some critics saying it is a manipulative weepy.<br />
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From the trailer and other things I've read, the movie has done away with any ambiguity about autism/Asperger's, and even mentions that Oskar was assessed for Asperger's but the diagnosis was inconclusive. I'm not too happy about that. I think it would have been better to let moviegoers decide for themselves, just like the novels lets readers decide for themselves. Of course, I have no way of knowing whether or not that hurts the film.<br />
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I'll certainly write about the movie again after I see it.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-78971658885493948082012-01-24T19:57:00.000+02:002012-01-24T19:57:13.570+02:00Newt Gingrich: America's NetanyahuConventional wisdom about the presidential elections looks like it may be wrong again, just like it was wrong in 2008. Newt Gingrich just might end up being the Republican nominee, rather than Mitt Romney. Even scarier, the guy might get himself elected president.<br />
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If this happens, my two countries, Israel and the United States, will have chief executives who are each other's clones. Politically, they're both on the extremely conservative side (though in Netanyahu's case, that's mainly true about economics and hawkishness, and less about social issues). That's probably why both of them are backed by Las Vegas casino magnate Sheldon Adelson: Adelson has given millions to a pro-Gingrich SuperPAC and owns a free Israeli daily, "Yisrael Hayom", which many consider Netanyahu's unofficial spokesman.<br />
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The differences don't stop there. Netanyahu and Gingrich are both married to their third wives. Gingrich cheated on Wife No. 1 with Wife No. 2, and then on Wife No. 2 with Wife No. 3. As far as I know, Netanyahu was already divorced when he met Wife No. 3, Sarah, but in the early 90's he admitted to cheating on her when he thought a sex tape was about to be made public (in an interview with Sarah, which everybody compared to Bill and Hillary Clinton's famous interview). <br />
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In today's New York Times, Frank Bruni writes about many of <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/01/24/opinion/bruni-the-gusts-of-gingrich.html">Gingrich's negative character traits</a>. When I read the article, all I could think of was the fact that it almost sounded like Bruni was talking about Netanyahu. Gingrich and Netanyahu like to falsely insert themselves into important events of the late 20th century (for example, Netanyahu once reminisced about Rehavam Ze'evi's time in his cabinet, even though Ze'evi never joined Bibi's government; other times, he claimed his first government proposed all kinds of initiatives that were actually started under other prime ministers). Also, Netanyahu and Gingrich regularly attack the elites, and just as Bruni can't find a definition of "elite" where Gingrich isn't part of it, I can't find a definition of the word that doesn't include Netanyahu.<br />
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As Bruni notes, Gingrich trumpets his Roman Catholicism and attacks secularists, despite having had a six-year affair with his current wife. Netanyahu, too, has whispered in the ears of rabbis that the left has "forgotten how to be Jewish", although he himself is far from being a righteous religious Jew.<br />
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I could go on: their animosity toward the media, except when it helps them; their love of deregulation; their de-facto opposition to the two-state solution, and much much more.<br />
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Oh, and there's one more similarity: I really would like neither one to be in government.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-31840518269725008362012-01-24T00:12:00.000+02:002012-01-24T00:12:48.895+02:00Hacker WarsIn today's Haaretz (Hebrew edition only), <a href="http://www.haaretz.co.il/opinions/1.1623590">Assaf Ronel criticizes</a> the Israeli hackers who published the credit card details of innocent Saudi civilians in retaliation for a Saudi hacker revealing innocent Israelis' credit card information. He also argues that Israeli police should investigate the Israeli hackers.<br />
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Ronel is absolutely right. Responding to criminal acts with criminal acts of our own should not be our way. The police should arrest and prosecute those who hacked into Saudi websites and stole credit card numbers.<br />
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There is a lot of idiocy in this whole affair. Calling hacking Cyberterrorism, as our genius Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon has, is just stupid. It's a nuisance, a crime and might cost credit card companies money, but it isn't terrorism. You don't fear for your life, and there are very easy ways to avoid falling prey to hackers (like using PayPal, for instance, or only very trustworthy Israeli websites). So chill, Ayalon.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-86849866836932704622012-01-22T21:20:00.000+02:002012-01-22T21:20:03.895+02:00"The West Wing" Holy Land Map<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/JnEASSEd0aQ" width="560"></iframe><br />
A Palestinian friend of mine linked to the clip above on Facebook, and I later saw it pop up on various anti-Israel sites. In case the video disappears due to copyright infringement, here's a description: The clip shows the fictional President Bartlett of "The West Wing" receiving a 1709 map of what is now Israel, which is titled "Palestine/Canaan/Holy Land", but does not mention Israel. The president loves the gift and wants to put it up on the wall, but his staff members are afraid of the political and diplomatic fall-out.<br />
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The anti-Israel crowd seems to love this clip. I love this clip, too, but not for the same reason. Anti-Zionists might see this clip as suggesting that the area doesn't belong to the Jews, because Israel didn't exist before 1948, but the geographical designation "Palestine" did. Also, they might see it as suggesting that the Israel Lobby is so powerful that the president can't put up such a benign map.<br />
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I don't think the clip is necessarily suggesting any of that. It's brilliant because it shows how politically charged history and geography can be. The way you teach history and the way you draw maps (both in how you label them and the boundaries you mark) is bound to piss someone off. It could have been a map of the UK, showing all of Ireland as part of it, or a map labeling present-day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh as one united India, or any other explosive situation. Perhaps they chose Israel as the best-known example, or because it would make sense for a Christian to want to put up a map of the Holy Land, but not of another foreign region of the world.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-20481247456325643942012-01-15T20:06:00.000+02:002012-01-15T20:06:22.951+02:001948 vs. 1967Prof. Asher Susser of Tel-Aviv University was interviewed on the news show "London and Kirschenbaum" last week. He said interesting things that are worth repeating. The gist of it was that there are two "cases" in the Palestinian-Israeli conflict: the Case of 1948 and the Case of 1967. The latter is easier to resolve, and indeed, the two sides have come closer on '67-related issues over the years: the two-state solution, borders, and even the question of Jerusalem. The Case of 1948, however, seems harder to resolve, if it is even possible at all. Over the last few years the gaps have even widened over the issues stemming from the very birth of the State of Israel: Palestinian refugees, the Jewish character of Israel, the question of Israeli responsibility for the Nakba, etc.<br />
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So if we realize that this is the reality, what is to be done? Susser suggested in the interview that Israel should withdraw unilaterally from most of the West Bank, except for the large settlement blocs just on the green line. I strongly disagree with this solution. I opposed the unilateral withdrawal from Gaza, and in hindsight, I was absolutely right. Unilateralism is a disaster that awards and encourages terrorism like the rocket fire from the Strip.<br />
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It is exactly this inability to resolve the Case of 1948 that makes unilateralism dangerous. If we leave the West Bank and semi-solve some of the 1967 problems without any agreement, the Palestinians will be encouraged to keep fighting for 1948. We need an agreement - not because it will absolutely prevent Palestinians from reigniting the flames of conflict, but because it will be our insurance in case they do. If Palestinians violate the agreement, the world will hold them responsible.<br />
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So what's the solution? That's the million dollar question and I don't have an answer.<br />
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Since the interview was in Hebrew, I looked for a similar link in English. Here is <a href="http://youtu.be/FAtmAqYyyTI?t=50m42s">a lecture</a> Prof. Susser gave at a conference at Tel-Aviv University a few months ago, where he pretty much discusses the same issue. It's almost 20 minutes long, but it is worth it. He talks more specifically about 1948 vs. 1967 near the end, at the 1 hour 7 minute mark, if you don't want to hear the whole thing.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-44985018467815343882012-01-11T10:19:00.000+02:002012-01-11T10:19:56.277+02:00Tel-Aviv: Gay Capital of the WorldThose who like to scream "pinkwashing" (i.e., using gay rights to cover up Israel's human rights violations) are going to blow a gasket. Tel-Aviv has won a competition for <a href="http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4174087,00.html">best gay city in the world</a>. The contest was run by American Airlines. Congrats Tel-Aviv!<br />
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Is it the most homosexual-friendly place in the world? Probably not, but it is one of the top, and though I am neither gay or live in Tel-Aviv, I assume it is the best, most accepting place in Israel and in the Middle East in general.<br />
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Those who claim this is pinkwashing don't seem to understand that Israel is a complicated country. We have both positive and negative sides, and talking about the positive doesn't excuse the negative.Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5455383.post-47457053310956076792012-01-06T18:32:00.000+02:002012-01-06T18:32:36.959+02:00Predicting 2012The first week of January is almost over, and I haven't done the futile annual ritual of trying to predict the future. Let me guess what might happen, some of it wishful thinking, some of it I hope won't come true (you figure out which is which):<br />
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<ul><li>Israel's Attorney General will make a final decision to indict Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman. Lieberman will resign from the cabinet, but will stay chairman of Yisrael Beitenu and will not resign from the Knesset. Faina Kirschenbaum will become Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister in his place. Lieberman will decide to stay in the coalition instead of bringing about early elections.</li>
<li>It will be Ehud Barak's last full year as a member of the government. That will be the case for all ministers from his Atzmaut (Independence) Party.</li>
<li>Benjamin Netanyahu will win the Likud leadership elections, since he won't have any serious opposition. In Kadima, Tzippi Livni will be forced to have leadership elections, which she will lose to Shaul Mofaz. Livni will leave Kadima with a few other MKs and form a new party. And here's a prediction for 2013: this split will lead to neither Kadima or Livni's new party winning any seats in the 19th Knesset.</li>
<li>In the United States, Mitt Romney will be the Republican presidential nominee. He will pick Mike Huckabee as his running-mate (Romney-Huckabee was also my erroneous prediction in 2008). They will lose to the Obama-Biden ticket, but Republicans will gain control of the Senate and retain a majority in the House of Representatives.</li>
<li>Iran will develop a nuclear warhead. Nobody attacks them before or after this happens.</li>
<li>The new elected president of Egypt will put the peace treaty with Israel to a referendum, scheduled for around the same time as Mubarak's execution. The people will decide to declare the treaty null and void. The United States will halt all aid to Egypt, while Avigdor Lieberman, now the former Foreign Minister, will threaten that Israel will conquer the Sinai Peninsula for a third time in history.</li>
<li>Syria's civil war will drag on all year with no foreign intervention and no end in sight.</li>
</ul>Emmanuelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02270751138155111328noreply@blogger.com0