July 10, 2012 | 6:00 am

The uninteresting legality of settlements

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Follow JewishJournal.com on

My co-blogger, Shmuel Rosner, mentioned in one of his latest posts, that the Israeli settlements are legal. “A judiciary committee has concluded that Israeli settlements in the West Bank are in ‎fact legal. The West Bank, the committee believes, is not occupied territory and ‎therefore Israel has the legal right to settle it.”

On the surface, it seems like a great deal, since the matter of the legality of the settlements has been occupying Israeli and non-Israeli minds. The settlements are one of the subjects which divide Israelis since the early days of Israel, and are also a winning argument for our haters, who enjoy calling us “conquerors”.  Now, so it seems, no one can claim “occupation”- we won! Unfortunately, this legal victory will cause no change in those “occupation” conversations. The simple reason is, just like Rosner claimed, that the discussion about settlements and occupation is not legal, but rather political. I read the paper every day, and it seems like a headline- worthy announcement. However, in got almost zero recognition and the reason is that no one cares. It may cause a withdrawal of several lawsuits by Arabs claiming the territories, but when it comes to what really matters, and it is the people’s agenda, the argument involving the settlements is not going anywhere.

I study Communication and Political Science, which means I get to take part in conversations/arguments/violent arguments on a daily basis, and on every subject which concerns Israel. Since 1948, the matter of the settlements has been one of the few causes for the rift between left-wing and right-wing in Israel. Settlements, the treatment for the Palestinians, and the Ultra-Orthodox’s status are the three major conflicts which concern Israeli governments for 64 years, in one way or another. The first two also help fuel the fires of Israel’s haters, as they were used for claims against Israel’s policy as a “violator of Human Rights”, “a conqueror”, and so on. While the arguments considering the settlements (both in and out of Israel) were legal-based, mentioning Israel’s “violent and illegal conquest” or “theft”, the meaning was always political.

The proof for the real intentions behind this argument is the simple fact the announcement of the legality of the settlements failed to attract anyone’s attention, and the arguments remained the same, and will continue to remain the same. Left-wingers will continue to call for clearing the settlements, and right-wingers will continue to struggle for their spread. Bottom line is, the conversation regarding settlements, like any other political topic, relies on the heart, not on the mind. It relies on beliefs and traditions, not on legal documents. The legality of the settlements will not change the minds of those who believe they should be cleared, as has never been the issue.

July 8, 2012 | 11:20 am

Israel and the world Pt. 11 - weekly news from Israel

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

•The Israel native and Hollywood’s sensational star, Sacha Baron Cohen, arrived in Israel last Wednesday. The Dictator star stayed in a hotel in Tel-Aviv, along with his wife, actress Isla Fisher, and two daughters. This is not his first visit in Israel. Noam (his Hebrew name), comes here every once in a while to visit his 89 year old Grandmother.  This was an unofficial visit, and the actor did his best trying to avoid the paparazzi, which managed to track him down, in spite of his very Israeli look.

•Conflict? What conflict? This Friday, a small delegation of teenage girls from the Hebrew settlement: Kfar Etzion, arrived in a Palestinian village Khirbet Zechariah. The girls, along with the head of the settlement’s council, came to thank Asharf Sadat, who saved their lives in a fire that broke in the settlement a while back. The members of the delegation handed Sadat a lovely bouquet of flowers, and expressed their deepest appreciation. During the fire, Dadat inhaled a great amount of smoke, and risked his life while fighting the flames.

•The Israeli Tirosh Shapira is the Israeli Avatar. No, this is not a Hebrew version of James Cameron’s movie, this is the real deal. Israeli and French scientists have succeeded in making a robot in France move according to the thoughts of a researcher staying in Israel. The Israeli researcher sat inside a fMRI (Functional magnetic resonance imaging),thought of a movement to the left or to the right, and a small robot in France received these orders and moved accordingly. When Shapira thought of legs, the robot moves forward; when he thought of the left hand, the robot moved to the left; when he thought of the right hand, the robot moved to the right. This was enabled without any mediation: from the researcher’s mind straight to the robot’s “legs”.

•For the tenth year, a special flight of American-Jews will land in Israel. No less than 60 singles in the search for love will land in Ben- Gurion Airport this Thursday, in the first round of the “singles flight”. During this summer, 450 single American-Jews are expected to make Aliya while searching for their Israeli soul-mate as a part of this unique and self-proven, Jewish matchmaking service. The “singles flights” are a shared project of “Nefesh be Nefesh” organization, together with the Jewish Agency and the Ministry of Immigrant Absorption. Thanks to this project, many American Jews shared their Aliya process with a native “special someone”. Since the project started ten years ago, 640 American singles and native Israelis got to stand under the Hupah.

•After failing to pass the Israeli Olympic criteria to join the delegation to London, high jumper Dima Kroyter, judoka Tommy Arshansky and archer Guy Matzkin appealed to the Israel Olympic Committee, requesting to include the three young athletes who have recorded very impressive achievements in their fields, in the Israeli delegation to London. The three passed the International criteria, yet failed to pass the Israeli one. The committee accepted two of the three appeals, and both Kroyter and Arshansky will try and conquer London this summer. Matzkin’s appeal was denied, in spite of a massive Facebook campaign calling the IOC to allow the talented archer to compete.

0 Comments — Leave your comment

July 6, 2012 | 7:40 am

One Israeli Creation for the Weekend

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Shotei Ha’nevua (“The Fools of Prophecy”) was an Israeli band, who broke up in 2007, but their music still have a major part in Israel’s music scene. Their music is a fusion of Dub-Raggae with Hip-Hop and Dance music, with an addition of a Mediterranean flavor.

Shotei Ha’nevua even had a short international career when they toured the U.S in 2005. After their separation, their lead singer, Avraham Tal, went on a solo career and nowadays performs with the band’s songs as well as with original songs of his own. 

What makes them one of my favorite bands is the fact I can enjoy their music when I am looking for relaxation and also when I want to party and have a good time, thanks to their variety of songs. Here are two of my favorite songs of Shotei Ha’nevua:

Kol Galgal (“The voice of a wheel”)

Hoo (“Him”)

0 Comments — Leave your comment

July 4, 2012 | 1:12 pm

Protests Spring

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Last year, the world entered a new phase of protests calling for social justice. It probably existed earlier, that longing for equality in the society, but last summer, the entire world felt it simultaneously. Israel, of course, took a meaningful part in the summer of protests. I am all in favor of the freedom of speech. This is one of the most significant human rights and is an essential component of Democracy. But the thing about freedom of speech is that it should be done right, and by “right” I mean with putting our minds into it. Lately, it seems like people in Israel protest just to protest. Like this is some sort of a fashion trend- everybody do it! Equal rights for the Gay community, recruitment for Haredi, lower real estate prices- they are all very important issues we currently have in Israel, but there is a point when fighting for justice turns to fighting just for a fight. When a country reaches this point- everything worth fighting for loses its value.

Last year’s protest was the biggest Israel’s ever seen. The streets were filled with tents, as people of the middle class gathered to demand social justice. This protest swirled everybody’s heads and got us all carried away. It took a governmental committee that accomplish nothing to realize this protest was unfocused and demanded too big of a change. Ever since, it seemed like the idea of protest really turned on people here. Soon, every subject concerning anyone was accompanied by a protest: subjects such as the prices of chocolate bars. Every struggle seemed to have a need for a protest for decoration. The outcome, I’m afraid, was a really bad Sukkah- too much decoration and no space to breathe.

Now it is summer again, and my Facebook wall is starting to fill with invitations for protests. People are calling me to place a tent in the streets of Tel Aviv and shout important phrases, such as “the people demand social justice.” “Going out to the streets” became a common phrase that no one knows what it means. Is there a concrete plan with an outcome the protests arrangers wish to accomplish? Because let’s face it- social justice is something we all wish to get, but none of us really knows how to get it. This takes deep thought and right usage of freedom of speech.

A couple of weeks ago I found out I was not alone with my thoughts. Protest leaders worldwide landed in Israel for a special convention, where they dealt with issues regarding social protests, and discussed the right way to throw a protest. Stav Shaffir, one of the notable figures during the protests last summer, took part in that convention, along with protest leaders from Russia, Greece, Spain and many more. Some made a difference, some are still waiting, and some saw in the Israeli protest a great inspiration. On one thing they all agreed: the outcomes of a true revolution take time. A meaningful change can be accomplished only by hard, consistent work, guided by a clear agenda. The issues which lead to all those protests were major, profound issues (at least most of them). And this kind of change is important for every democracy. Last week, some protestors started to use violence, as well as some policemen. A protestor was quoted saying: “We learned that setting tents accomplished nothing, so the police better watch out this summer.” Is this how we want to use our freedom of speech? Is violence really the way to make a difference? Some may believe it is, but not me.

This is exactly why we shouldn’t let the true solutions be replaced by a fog of signs and shouts. The struggle for social justice cannot be reached by simply stepping outside. It is an important part of the making of a change, but fighting with the government until one side starts to bleed will get us nowhere. I really hope this summer will be the true “worldwide spring.” I hope lessons from previous mistakes, along with the conclusions from the convention, will show our fierce protest leaders, as well as our governments, the right way. Governments worldwide should try and listen to the voice of the people instead of ignoring their voters, but the people should be willing to sit and talk, instead of shouting. History has proven to us all that great minds think alike, and that leaders work best together. This is our chance. Our time is now.

0 Comments — Leave your comment

July 1, 2012 | 11:57 am

Israel and the world Pt. 10 - weekly news from Israel

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

• A German court has ruled that circumcising male infants for religious reasons is a crime. A long debate regarding the subject has ended when a regional court in Cologne said last week that circumcision, which is common both in Judaism and in Islam, inflicts serious bodily harm on those who had not consented to it. “A child’s body is irreparably and permanently changed by a circumcision,” German media quoted the ruling as saying. “This change contravenes the interests of the child to decide later about his own religious affiliation.”

• Anti-Semitism refuses to rest in Europe. After the killing in France, and the violence in Ukraine, Austrian authorities are investigating the desecration of 43 Jewish graves at Vienna’s main cemetery. A police statement on Friday said that tomb stones and slabs were found vandalized and damaged. The police are still investigating.

• Thousands of immigrant students may face cuts in scholarships given to them by Israel’s Student Authority. Due to financial difficulty and many cutbacks faced by the Treasury as well as the Jewish Agency, the Absorption Ministry stated that there is no choice, but to freeze Olim students’ funding of preparatory courses, Hebrew Ulpan and all academic studies. The freeze will take effect starting in July. Later this week, students from the Hebrew University in Jerusalem plan to protest outside of the Knesset building in Jerusalem.

 

• Now it’s official! After cancelling their concert in Israel at the last minute ten years ago, the Red Hot Chili Peppers are ready to make amends. On September 10th they will land in Israel and rock Tel Aviv for the first time. In their recent official announcement, the band members couldn’t hold their excitement from their upcoming show. They invited their Israeli fans of all ages to come to the concert. They also mentioned their first guitarist, Hilel Slovack, who was an Israeli.

 

 

0 Comments — Leave your comment

June 29, 2012 | 2:26 pm

The sting and the honey, the bitter and the sweet

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

Neomi Shemer was Israel’s greatest poet and composer, and this Tuesday was eight years since she passed away from cancer, at 74. But even though she can no longer walk among us and spread her grace wherever she goes, her spirit still lives through her songs. Many poets have come and gone, some left a couple of memorable creations behind. This is right where Neomi Shemer stands out, and what I believe makes her so special- Her songs accompany Israelis for many years, and will continue to do so. To me, Shemer’s songs are my childhood, my adolescence, and my future.  There’s not a day that goes by without me listening to one of her brilliant songs. What I feel about her creation, I believe every single Israeli feels as well, because Shemer’s songs are all of us. They are Israel.

Shemer sang Israel. There’s no other way to put it. She simply sang Israel, but not in the way most people see it. When you live somewhere, there’s no way to avoid thinking about all the bad things. We all tend to get cynical and critical when talking about the place we live in, but not Shemer. She took everything that’s beautiful in our Israel and got it to rhyme in a beautiful melody. She painted everything in bright colors- the scenery, the people, and even the world. When she wrote a song about Israelis, she named it: “Anashim Tovim” (“Good People”- free translation from Hebrew). The song about thr relationship between the nations of the world got the name:  “Etzlenoo Bechatzer” (“in our yard”), and told the story of children of the world dancing and singing together. In “Al Kol Ele” (“All of this”), Shemer thanks the lord for all that was granted to her: The honey and the sting, the bitter and the sweet.  Her most beautiful song, to my opinion, is “Hakol Patuach” (“Everything is Still Open”/ “Anything Can Happen”), and I believe it should be Israel’s new anthem. This songs is one big trip in Israel, from the northern Mount. Hermon, to the southern Eilat. This song describes all of Israel’s finest features in just four minutes, and also reveals Shemer’s attitude towards life in its glory.

Shemer’s contribution to Israel and to Israelis cannot be described with words. To understand, you just have to listen- both to the music and to the lyrics. Shemer captured Israel’s essence and released it for every Israeli- young and old- to enjoy.  Her always optimistic songs make me smile, and sometimes even dance, but mainly to be happy.  Her songs accompany us for many years, and will continue to do so, because they remind us why we chose to live here. Moreover, they show us that the world can be a bright place, where people are good- if we just open our eyes and look around .

0 Comments — Leave your comment

June 26, 2012 | 10:13 am

Haredi Free-Pass

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

My recruitment for the army was simple.  When I was 17, I received a letter, calling me for a day of tests, which will help the army find the best type of service for me. After that, I went for several more interviews and tests. Then I received a letter with my recruitment date in it. When that day came, I reported, and after a month-long boot-camp, I served for two years with the best people at the best place, and had a really good time. I was lucky, no doubt, but along the way, no one asked me if I’m having a good time, if I am interested in getting a bigger salary, if I like the people I’m working with, or if I prefer a change of environment. No one asked, and I didn’t expect anyone to ask. It was obvious that when you serve your country, that’s all you do, and you put yourself entirely to it. It wasn’t until I finished my service that the army helped my figuring out my next step by offering a number of conferences and job fairs, providing me tax discounts and giving me a nice grant to help me get started.

It was as obvious as the sunrise to me and my friends that we must serve for the entire period of time required by the IDF, even if it is not to our liking (obviously, I preferred lying on the beach for two years). Just as it was obvious to me, it is obvious most Israeli 18 year old. My question, then, is how come it’s anything but obvious to 18 year old Haredi? How come after 64 years, the government is still trying to figure out a way to recruit them? Are they not as Israeli as I am? It they are, and they are, I don’t understand why should there even be a question regarding their recruitment. If you ask them, they will tell you they can’t serve because they need to learn the Torah/Talmud/ whatever. Others will say they can’t serve in the army because this is an environment not suitable for them and not modest enough. The more extreme answer is that they do not support Israel and don’t want to fight for it. Good thing I found an answer to all of their excuses:  want to study? Me, too. Wish I could start university at the early age of 18, but I had to serve my country. Unsuitable environment? Last time I checked, the army keeps kosher like no place else. Other than that, each and every base has a temple, and every task can be delayed in case a soldier wants to join a service. Finally, we all wear uniform, so nothing un-modest here, and the army also has very specific rules regarding any public touching between male and female soldiers. If anyone will ask for a proof, I will present them with the Haredi who do join the army. I had an entire Haredi section at my base, and from what I heard, they felt pretty good serving there. For the last excuse, I have the best solution of them all- don’t want to live here? You are free to leave.

It took my about two seconds to come up with those answers. For some reason, it takes the government forever, and even then, the solutions are merely partial. Earlier this week, the government laid out the 8000 plan to recruit 80% of the Haredi population (the 20% who will be excused are “biblical prodigies”).  This program is supposed to either recruit the Haredi to the army or make them do “civil service” (volunteer in hospitals, work with kids, etc.). This plan, like its previous, seems acceptable. The problem is that it’s just a plan, and like the many times before, it probably will remain that way. Why? Because for some reason, their recruitment became Mission Impossible 5. If their lack of recruitment was the only problem, I would probably let it go at some point, knowing they will be punished in some way. The thing is it doesn’t end there. The Haredi receive all the possible financial benefits from the government, which allows them to spend their lives doing nothing for the country, as the country does everything for them. This is fundamentally wrong, and way over “lazy”. This is sitting aside as a way of life, letting everyone else do the job.

The Israeli IDF protects the country and its citizens. Every single day I thank my brother the soldier and his friends for helping me sleep peacefully at night. I grew up knowing that by the age of 18, I will serve. Pay my due to my home. There are many people who, from physical or mental reasons, can’t serve in the IDF. The Heredi who choose to “skip” the army see themselves as a part of that group, the “incapables”, but they are not. They are just as capable as I. The only problem is I was educated to join the army. They were educated to let others do it. Before I finish, I just want to state that this doesn’t go to all Haredi. Only to the group of Haredi who feel like not giving back to their country. The army never asked me about my beliefs, simply because it didn’t matter. I am an Israeli living in Israel, and that’s enough to make me serve in the IDF. No excuses.

0 Comments — Leave your comment

June 24, 2012 | 1:27 pm

Israel and the world Pt. 9- weekly news from Israel

Posted by Noga Gur-Arieh

• Recently, the World Zionist Organization founded a special communication center, in order to fight worldwide anti-Semitism which spreads through the internet. The advanced communication center will track anti-Semitic expressions, video clips, articles and other propaganda that have become pretty common online lately. Then, the WZO will address the various publicists in request to remove the drastic expressions. So far, the WZO has recruited tenths of volunteers which speak several languages, to help tracking down the new age of Anti-Semitism.

• More than 1000 Israeli elders participated in the “Israeli Golden Olympics” which took place in a small town called Nordia, next to Netaniya. For two days, the athletic elders competed in various Olympic sports such as swimming, running, and triathlon along with more “easygoing” sports such as bowling and dancing.

• After an Algerian kayaker withdrew from a World Cup last month because of an Israeli participation, the International Olympic Committee decided they wish to prevent similar scenario during the Olympic games, and announced that refusing to compete against a fellow athlete because of nationality or religion would be a ” serious breach” of the Olympic code of ethics. The IOC also said that an athlete or a team unwilling to play in the ” spirit of friendship and fair play”, should “stay at home”.

• Last week, Professor Alean al-Krenawi, a resident of the Bedouin town Rahat, was officially appointed the new president of the Achva Academic College of Education. This is a double honor for Al-Krenawi, for this makes him the very first Bedouin president of an Israeli high-education academy.

• Apparently, Turkey and Israel can still cooperate: A special delegation of Turkish teachers visited Yad Vashem along with 370 educators from 53 different countries for the 8th International Conference for Holocaust Education. Turns out when it comes to education, all disagreements seem minor.

• Guma Aguiar, a Brazilian-born philanthropist who has donated millions of the fortune he amassed in the oil and gas industry to Israeli and Jewish causes, was announced missing last week, after his motorboat washed ashore in Fort Launder, Florida.  Aguiar is also known for being the main sponsor of the Israeli soccer team, Beitar- Jerusalem. The Coast Guard searched Aguiar for 70 hours from the sky and on the sea, and eventually decided to call off the searches. The investigation is still going.

 

 

1 Comments — Leave your comment