There seems to be an absurdly large amount of people who either genuinely believe, or genuinely want to believe Iran's claims that their quest for nuclear energy is entirely peaceful. Given their rhetoric against the west and Israel and the 'misunderstandings' that seem to be surrounding the interim agreement from November, I'm not sure why all of a sudden Iran has become trustworthy to so many when they have a reputation of saying one thing and doing another.
In the face of current talks to negotiate a final agreement, why doesn't it seem like more efforts are being done to unveil their true intentions? The claims that the nuclear energy is to generate electric power seem pretty far fetched to me given one fact and one piece of intelligence I've been told. The fact being that Iran sits on what is currently the fourth largest oil reserve in the world. Why would developing nuclear energy be such a priority when they have access to this much oil?
The piece of intelligence I have not only read about from various sources, but have heard first-hand from credible sources that Iran has been attempting to alter some of their weapons stockpile to enable them to carry nuclear material. Why, if the nuclear energy is for peaceful purposes, do their missiles need to be able to carry it?
(There's also the fact that post-interim agreement Iran supposedly completed a successful ballistic missile test and Iranian State Television has played a computer-simulated video of them bombing Tel Aviv...is that peace I smell?)
So why isn't more being done to expose their true intentions? Why are we playing along with their rhetoric? If they are genuinely concerned about future energy needs, why doesn't the west offer up helping to build alternative, renewable energy sources? Geographically speaking, Iran is a great location for renewable energy sources. They have sun radiation intensity, on average, 280 days per year. There have also been multiple areas of Iran deemed to have some serious wind power potential.
True, there are currently plans to develop more of these technologies in Iran but sanctions are currently limiting them and the plans Iran currently has on the table tackle only a very small portion of their energy needs.
I think if the west put the option of lifting sanctions that are prohibiting the investment and construction of renewable energy and even offered to help with the advancement in turn for an end to nuclear development, we would see the Iranian government's true intentions.
Considering Iran sits atop an area where multiple tectonic plates collide, they experience a large number of earthquakes. My understanding of nuclear energy is limited but I feel comfortable making the claim that one of the worst places to have nuclear energy plants is somewhere that has a lot of earthquakes. By doing so, they are putting their own population at risk. Just last year an earthquake hit 60 kilometers from the Bushehr nuclear power plant. This city also has a population of over 160,000. If another earthquake hits nearby, and damages the plant, there is no telling the harm that could be done to civilians.
If offered help and aid in building renewable energy resources, options that are safer for their own population, Iran would be forced to choose. If they opted for the renewable options, we would know their intentions for electric power were genuine and we could develop more genuine relations that benefit everybody. If they opted to keep their own population at risk to continue their nuclear power development, we would know their intentions are not completely innocent and end this charade.
Wednesday, February 19, 2014
Wednesday, November 20, 2013
Reflections Two Months In
Sometimes when it's dark in my room I lean over to put something on my bookshelf. That's in my parent's house. In Seattle. (Redmond, if we're being picky.)
For that one brief moment I think I'm in the room I grew up in. Surrounded in darkness (or in more likelihood when my laptop screen is surrounded by darkness) my brain plays a trick on me and I expect to be surrounded by walls and furniture that is over 6,000 miles away.
When I snap out of it a little bit, I remember I'm in a very different room, in a very different building, in a very different city, in a very different country. My head feels fuzzy and I can't comprehend that I'm not in a big house with carpeted hallways, off a road without streetlights and surrounded by woods. Instead am in a city of cement that often feels like a college town and has far too many people blasting terrible music from their cars at all hours of the night.
For this brief moment I can't comprehend that this is my life. It feels like I am looking in on someone else wondering how this girl made such a huge decision without being paralyzed by fear.
Moving to Israel seemed (and is) a natural decision to me. From my the first moment I ever landed here I felt a connection I had never felt so the decision didn't quite feel momentous. I was present for all of the steps and thought processes along the way, after all. Those steps made the move seem smaller.
But when I become capable of taking a step back in these moments of weird surrealism, all of a sudden I realize what a huge, insane, unexpected life move it was for me.
When I had my interview with the Jewish Agency, the man I spoke with laughed at one point and said what an atypical case I was. He told me how most of the people he interviews before they make aliyah are from Five Points or somewhere else in New York. They stayed in Sunday school their whole lives, went to Hebrew U or Yeshiva, had gone back and forth between Israel and the U.S. multiple times and then decided to make the move to Israel official, frequently for religious reasons.
Then there was me. A tall blonde girl brought up in a Sephardic family, with multiple Hawaiian tattoos who spent more time playing volleyball growing up than at Jew camp or in Sunday school. I've never really fit into any molds anywhere but this mold of who typically makes aliyah was probably the one I fit into the least.
But from the people I have met here so far, there are more and more of me's making aliyah. Kids who didn't grow up religious, from parents of interfaith marriages, in areas with lower Jewish populations where we always felt not Jewish enough in the Jewish community but too Jewish around our friends who weren't from the tribe.
In Israel we can be unquestionably Jewish whether we keep Shabbat or not. Whether we go to temple or not. Whether we fast on Yom Kippur or not. Whether we 'look Jewish' or not. We don't fit into the Jewish molds at home but in Israel we can comfortably make our own.
While my height and blonde hair means you can always spot me in a room here and more often than not people immediately speak English with me as my American-ness is obvious from far away, I feel more comfortable in my own skin here than I ever have and that is what I realize not only in these moments when I miss my room at home, but daily when I catch myself smiling for no reason other than how happy I feel.
These random moments of insight can also be terrifying when I think of what this move has meant for my future. Then I also remember that I don't think I've ever pictured my future with all of its possible successes and possible failures without feeling at least mildly panicked.
But the difference between having that fear here and having that fear at home is that here, I don't feel that panic simmering within me every single day. Something tells me that despite everything there is still to overcome, that it will all work out. Because this is where my heart is at home, where my soul is at home, and where I'm supposed to be.
For that one brief moment I think I'm in the room I grew up in. Surrounded in darkness (or in more likelihood when my laptop screen is surrounded by darkness) my brain plays a trick on me and I expect to be surrounded by walls and furniture that is over 6,000 miles away.
When I snap out of it a little bit, I remember I'm in a very different room, in a very different building, in a very different city, in a very different country. My head feels fuzzy and I can't comprehend that I'm not in a big house with carpeted hallways, off a road without streetlights and surrounded by woods. Instead am in a city of cement that often feels like a college town and has far too many people blasting terrible music from their cars at all hours of the night.
For this brief moment I can't comprehend that this is my life. It feels like I am looking in on someone else wondering how this girl made such a huge decision without being paralyzed by fear.
Moving to Israel seemed (and is) a natural decision to me. From my the first moment I ever landed here I felt a connection I had never felt so the decision didn't quite feel momentous. I was present for all of the steps and thought processes along the way, after all. Those steps made the move seem smaller.
But when I become capable of taking a step back in these moments of weird surrealism, all of a sudden I realize what a huge, insane, unexpected life move it was for me.
When I had my interview with the Jewish Agency, the man I spoke with laughed at one point and said what an atypical case I was. He told me how most of the people he interviews before they make aliyah are from Five Points or somewhere else in New York. They stayed in Sunday school their whole lives, went to Hebrew U or Yeshiva, had gone back and forth between Israel and the U.S. multiple times and then decided to make the move to Israel official, frequently for religious reasons.
Then there was me. A tall blonde girl brought up in a Sephardic family, with multiple Hawaiian tattoos who spent more time playing volleyball growing up than at Jew camp or in Sunday school. I've never really fit into any molds anywhere but this mold of who typically makes aliyah was probably the one I fit into the least.
But from the people I have met here so far, there are more and more of me's making aliyah. Kids who didn't grow up religious, from parents of interfaith marriages, in areas with lower Jewish populations where we always felt not Jewish enough in the Jewish community but too Jewish around our friends who weren't from the tribe.
In Israel we can be unquestionably Jewish whether we keep Shabbat or not. Whether we go to temple or not. Whether we fast on Yom Kippur or not. Whether we 'look Jewish' or not. We don't fit into the Jewish molds at home but in Israel we can comfortably make our own.
While my height and blonde hair means you can always spot me in a room here and more often than not people immediately speak English with me as my American-ness is obvious from far away, I feel more comfortable in my own skin here than I ever have and that is what I realize not only in these moments when I miss my room at home, but daily when I catch myself smiling for no reason other than how happy I feel.
These random moments of insight can also be terrifying when I think of what this move has meant for my future. Then I also remember that I don't think I've ever pictured my future with all of its possible successes and possible failures without feeling at least mildly panicked.
But the difference between having that fear here and having that fear at home is that here, I don't feel that panic simmering within me every single day. Something tells me that despite everything there is still to overcome, that it will all work out. Because this is where my heart is at home, where my soul is at home, and where I'm supposed to be.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
Hey Kerry, you can't make peace when you're infuriating one side....
I wanted to blog about this the other day but thought I'd take a few days to stew it over rather than write out in the midst of my heated reaction. It's still getting a lot of coverage so I don't feel late to the game here.
John Kerry has made some (infuriating) comments about the importance of the current peace talks to succeed. The transcript can be found here. I will be responding to some specific comments as he said them.
Kerry: "We, the United States, say the same thing. We do not believe the settlements are legitimate. We think they’re illegitimate. And we believe that the entire peace process would, in fact, be easier if these settlements were not taking place...but we knew that there was not going to be a freeze. We didn’t negotiate a freeze. So there’s a difference here between knowing something may happen and objecting to it."
Couple of problems:
1) The peace process has been nonexistent/on-going/delayed since Israel became a state over 65 years ago. Settlements only became a topic that the Palestinians made any demands about once the U.S. started demanding settlement freezes around 2008. So how, when Americans made a fuss about freezes before the Palestinian Authority ever did, are they one of the biggest problems?
2) While I agree that in theory they block the peace process, (mostly because of people's confusion over their history and realities) it is mostly just another excuse used to blame Israel. There was no peace or peace process when Jordan occupied the West Bank from 1948-1967, when Jordan had kicked all of the Jews out of the area. How can they blame no peace on the existence of settlements when the lack of peace preceded settlements?
3) The white-washing over the Palestinian reaction to the announcement of settlement building is telling-Palestinians are now threatening to leave peace talks. Talks the other day turned into a screaming match when the Israelis said the Palestinians knew such an announcement would be made and Palestinians called the Israelis liars and threatened to leave talks. They are using Kerry's comments to make more pre-conditions, when all sources say no compromises have even been made yet, and if those conditions aren't met, they will leave talks-yet somehow Kerry says such an outcome would be Israel's fault.
Kerry: "Let me ask you something: How – if you say you’re working for peace and you want peace and a Palestine that is a whole Palestinian that belongs to the people who live there, how can you say we’re planning to build in the place that will eventually be Palestine?"
1) Kerry can't possibly be unaware that Israel is not announcing new settlements, can he? The "settlements" Israel has been announcing are merely to allow for natural growth within settlement blocks-mostly in areas that are largely thought to be included in any land swaps. So, how is allowing new homes, in a Jewish community that will in all likelihood be annexed by Israel (according to offers made and accepted in prior peace talks) taking over a future Palestinian state?
2) You would also think that as Secretary of freaking State, Kerry would know that the announcements have thus far been largely symbolic-all reports on the ground of anyone trying to build in those communities haven't been able to get building permits and nothing is actually being built. He seems to hint that he is aware of this with the line "the planning will not translate into building and construction" but wouldn't it ease tensions over settlements a little bit, and thus make talks a tad easier, if he actually focused on that fact rather than rush over it, merely in response to another question?
(Interviewer) MR. SEGAL: "Mr. Secretary, you spoke about what signaling does those things sent. So let me ask you that. How do you think a picture of Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, hugging murderers that killed children 20 or 30 years ago and say that they’re heroes of the Palestinian people – what kind of message do you think this is sent about peace process or peace atmosphere to the Israeli people?"
SECRETARY KERRY: "It’s very difficult. I have no illusions. I know that the vast majority of the people in Israel are opposed. I understand that. Prime Minister Netanyahu understands that, and it is a sign of his seriousness that he was willing to make this decision. The alternative to getting back to the talks is the potential of chaos. I mean, does Israel want a third intifada?"
There is just so much wrong here.
1) Anyone else notice how Kerry doesn't actually answer the question about the culture and intentions of Palestinians who have such values? He merely talks about how hard it is on us in Israel and how many disagree with it but it is proof Bibi is serious (so he's not serious because he announces planning for more Jewish homes in Jewish neighborhoods, but he is serious because he agreed to appease the PA by releasing cold-blooded murders...your logic confuses me, Mr. Kerry.)
2) Then, THEN (deep breaths here) he threatens Israel with a third intifada if Israel doesn't blindly agree to whatever the Palestinians demand in peace negotiations. So the logic is: Israel releases murderers to get the Palestinians to talk, if the two sides fail to agree on things (and they won't because Abbas has backed himself into a corner and wouldn't want to give up the millions in foreign aid he shuffles into his Swiss bank accounts) it is acceptable and understood that the Palestinians could then justify targeting the brutal murders of civilians?!
3) Kerry is aware that Arafat launched the second intifada while he was in the middle of peace talks, right?! RIGHT?! Arafat, like Abbas now, was backed into a corner with his rhetoric, he knew that he could never agree to peace without being considered a traitor and he was making literal billions by skimming off all the foreign aid people blindly feed the Palestinians with no accountability. So no, Mr. Secretary of State, a third intifada could not be launched because peace talks fail. They could be launched if they are successful, while peace talks are still on-going, or really at any point. Because an intifada is about inflicting violence fueled by hatred, not about gaining a state.
"I believe that if we do not resolve the issues between Palestinians and Israelis, if we do not find a way to find peace, there will be an increasing isolation of Israel, there will be an increasing campaign of de-legitimization of Israel that’s been taking place in an international basis, that if we don’t not resolve the question of settlements... then there will be an increasing feeling that if we cannot get peace with a leadership that is committed to nonviolence, you may wind up with leadership that is committed to violence."
Sooo ISRAEL is the side that has to have a leadership committed to nonviolence...not the guy kissing a child-murderer and calling him a Palestinian hero...? Or how about assessing the fact that most of the so-called isolation of Israel is fueled by hatred and misinformation, that Kerry himself is now fueling, rather than standing up for Israel's legitimacy and expecting the Palestinians to accept it as well? I could probably rant about this long enough for it's own blog post.
"The Arab Peace Initiative, which has been restated by the entire Arab community, says that the day that Israel makes peace with Palestine, the day they sign that peace, all of the Arab communities – the 19, 20 that have not made peace with Israel – will make peace immediately."
There's a lot to criticize here but I'll focus on these: that initiative also involves terms that Israel cannot safely agree to (in terms of the Golan Heights) and requires a right of return to those who wish to return and compensation for those who don't- both of which have been rejected by Israel and the Palestinians previously. Kerry also ignores the hypocrisy of these countries as some who signed it, violate Palestinian rights daily. Bombing campaigns against Palestinian refugee camps in Syria, denial of citizenship, right to higher education and representative government in Lebanon and Jordan, etc. etc. etc. I strongly encourage you to read-up on this "Peace Initiative" and the arguments Arab leaders had against it, and judge whether this is something John Kerry should be using to strong-arm Israel.
"Today’s status quo will not be tomorrow’s or next year’s. Because if we don’t resolve this issue, the Arab world, the Palestinians, neighbors, others are going to begin again to push in a different way. And the last thing Israel wants to see is a return to violence."
A total ignorance of history-there has been violence against Jews here since before Israel was a state, when it became a state, before it occupied the West Bank and Gaza, while Israel was giving (commonly considered) generous offers to the Palestinians, and there has been an increase lately.
To his benefit, Kerry then proceeds to explain how the Palestinians need to understand that the West Bank cannot be turned into another Gaza, another Lebanon, another country that is ready to go to war with Israel and that that is why security is Israel's top concern but then he says this gem:
"Not one Israeli in 2012 was killed in the West Bank. And that’s a huge step forward. And the reason I’m so urgent about this is because the Palestinians and President Abbas have committed themselves to nonviolence. So it is important for Israel to strengthen them, to help provide this peace so that the nonviolence is rewarded. Because if nonviolence is not rewarded, the alternative will be that people go back to the other."
Maybe not in 2012 but some Israelis have been killed in 2013, that is obviously washed over though. Claiming that Abbas has committed to nonviolence would be laughable if it wasn't so false and hurtful. When a Palestinian recently shot a 9 year old girl for going to tell their parents an unknown man was in their yard, the Fatah facebook page (the political party Abbas is a part of) praised the shooting. They also sent out praise when a soldier, guarding a holy site for both Jews and Muslims, was killed by a Palestinian sniper. Can someone explain to me how that is a commitment to nonviolence when his own political party is praising violence? Then there's the whole, I don't know, kissing murderers thing....
"And the people of both places, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, need to start to think about peace. We have to stop the incitement, stop the language that attacks one or the other, stop the old rhetoric about driving people into the sea or pushing people out of their cities"
Call me nit-picky for this one, but this statement implies that you will see incitement on Israeli TV and comments from Israelis about wiping out Palestinians. While Israelis are not perfect and there are some among us with opinions I find appalling (even in Knesset), our government is not funding that spewing of hatred through various media outlets and school books like the PA is. To make a statement that equates the level of incitement from the PA with that of the Israeli government is false and misleading.
The rest of the interview goes on to outline some of Kerry's economic ideas for the Palestinians (short-term construction jobs for access to tourism sites) and I can't help but wonder if the Palestinians will have to be more accountable with that money than they have been about the missing 2.5 billion euros from the Europeans...? Also discussed is a plan for the Iranians and this gem that made me laugh out loud from one of the reporters:
MR. SEGAL: "So in the next spring, according to your schedule, Syria will be stripped of its chemical weapons, Iran will have an agreement to stop its nuclear program, and we will have a final status agreement between Israelis and Palestinian. Could it be that you guys maybe are slightly too optimistic?"
Can we all come back to this next spring and see how Kerry's words haunt him?
John Kerry has made some (infuriating) comments about the importance of the current peace talks to succeed. The transcript can be found here. I will be responding to some specific comments as he said them.
Kerry: "We, the United States, say the same thing. We do not believe the settlements are legitimate. We think they’re illegitimate. And we believe that the entire peace process would, in fact, be easier if these settlements were not taking place...but we knew that there was not going to be a freeze. We didn’t negotiate a freeze. So there’s a difference here between knowing something may happen and objecting to it."
Couple of problems:
1) The peace process has been nonexistent/on-going/delayed since Israel became a state over 65 years ago. Settlements only became a topic that the Palestinians made any demands about once the U.S. started demanding settlement freezes around 2008. So how, when Americans made a fuss about freezes before the Palestinian Authority ever did, are they one of the biggest problems?
2) While I agree that in theory they block the peace process, (mostly because of people's confusion over their history and realities) it is mostly just another excuse used to blame Israel. There was no peace or peace process when Jordan occupied the West Bank from 1948-1967, when Jordan had kicked all of the Jews out of the area. How can they blame no peace on the existence of settlements when the lack of peace preceded settlements?
3) The white-washing over the Palestinian reaction to the announcement of settlement building is telling-Palestinians are now threatening to leave peace talks. Talks the other day turned into a screaming match when the Israelis said the Palestinians knew such an announcement would be made and Palestinians called the Israelis liars and threatened to leave talks. They are using Kerry's comments to make more pre-conditions, when all sources say no compromises have even been made yet, and if those conditions aren't met, they will leave talks-yet somehow Kerry says such an outcome would be Israel's fault.
Kerry: "Let me ask you something: How – if you say you’re working for peace and you want peace and a Palestine that is a whole Palestinian that belongs to the people who live there, how can you say we’re planning to build in the place that will eventually be Palestine?"
1) Kerry can't possibly be unaware that Israel is not announcing new settlements, can he? The "settlements" Israel has been announcing are merely to allow for natural growth within settlement blocks-mostly in areas that are largely thought to be included in any land swaps. So, how is allowing new homes, in a Jewish community that will in all likelihood be annexed by Israel (according to offers made and accepted in prior peace talks) taking over a future Palestinian state?
2) You would also think that as Secretary of freaking State, Kerry would know that the announcements have thus far been largely symbolic-all reports on the ground of anyone trying to build in those communities haven't been able to get building permits and nothing is actually being built. He seems to hint that he is aware of this with the line "the planning will not translate into building and construction" but wouldn't it ease tensions over settlements a little bit, and thus make talks a tad easier, if he actually focused on that fact rather than rush over it, merely in response to another question?
(Interviewer) MR. SEGAL: "Mr. Secretary, you spoke about what signaling does those things sent. So let me ask you that. How do you think a picture of Mahmoud Abbas, the President of the Palestinian Authority, hugging murderers that killed children 20 or 30 years ago and say that they’re heroes of the Palestinian people – what kind of message do you think this is sent about peace process or peace atmosphere to the Israeli people?"
SECRETARY KERRY: "It’s very difficult. I have no illusions. I know that the vast majority of the people in Israel are opposed. I understand that. Prime Minister Netanyahu understands that, and it is a sign of his seriousness that he was willing to make this decision. The alternative to getting back to the talks is the potential of chaos. I mean, does Israel want a third intifada?"
There is just so much wrong here.
1) Anyone else notice how Kerry doesn't actually answer the question about the culture and intentions of Palestinians who have such values? He merely talks about how hard it is on us in Israel and how many disagree with it but it is proof Bibi is serious (so he's not serious because he announces planning for more Jewish homes in Jewish neighborhoods, but he is serious because he agreed to appease the PA by releasing cold-blooded murders...your logic confuses me, Mr. Kerry.)
2) Then, THEN (deep breaths here) he threatens Israel with a third intifada if Israel doesn't blindly agree to whatever the Palestinians demand in peace negotiations. So the logic is: Israel releases murderers to get the Palestinians to talk, if the two sides fail to agree on things (and they won't because Abbas has backed himself into a corner and wouldn't want to give up the millions in foreign aid he shuffles into his Swiss bank accounts) it is acceptable and understood that the Palestinians could then justify targeting the brutal murders of civilians?!
3) Kerry is aware that Arafat launched the second intifada while he was in the middle of peace talks, right?! RIGHT?! Arafat, like Abbas now, was backed into a corner with his rhetoric, he knew that he could never agree to peace without being considered a traitor and he was making literal billions by skimming off all the foreign aid people blindly feed the Palestinians with no accountability. So no, Mr. Secretary of State, a third intifada could not be launched because peace talks fail. They could be launched if they are successful, while peace talks are still on-going, or really at any point. Because an intifada is about inflicting violence fueled by hatred, not about gaining a state.
"I believe that if we do not resolve the issues between Palestinians and Israelis, if we do not find a way to find peace, there will be an increasing isolation of Israel, there will be an increasing campaign of de-legitimization of Israel that’s been taking place in an international basis, that if we don’t not resolve the question of settlements... then there will be an increasing feeling that if we cannot get peace with a leadership that is committed to nonviolence, you may wind up with leadership that is committed to violence."
Sooo ISRAEL is the side that has to have a leadership committed to nonviolence...not the guy kissing a child-murderer and calling him a Palestinian hero...? Or how about assessing the fact that most of the so-called isolation of Israel is fueled by hatred and misinformation, that Kerry himself is now fueling, rather than standing up for Israel's legitimacy and expecting the Palestinians to accept it as well? I could probably rant about this long enough for it's own blog post.
"The Arab Peace Initiative, which has been restated by the entire Arab community, says that the day that Israel makes peace with Palestine, the day they sign that peace, all of the Arab communities – the 19, 20 that have not made peace with Israel – will make peace immediately."
There's a lot to criticize here but I'll focus on these: that initiative also involves terms that Israel cannot safely agree to (in terms of the Golan Heights) and requires a right of return to those who wish to return and compensation for those who don't- both of which have been rejected by Israel and the Palestinians previously. Kerry also ignores the hypocrisy of these countries as some who signed it, violate Palestinian rights daily. Bombing campaigns against Palestinian refugee camps in Syria, denial of citizenship, right to higher education and representative government in Lebanon and Jordan, etc. etc. etc. I strongly encourage you to read-up on this "Peace Initiative" and the arguments Arab leaders had against it, and judge whether this is something John Kerry should be using to strong-arm Israel.
"Today’s status quo will not be tomorrow’s or next year’s. Because if we don’t resolve this issue, the Arab world, the Palestinians, neighbors, others are going to begin again to push in a different way. And the last thing Israel wants to see is a return to violence."
A total ignorance of history-there has been violence against Jews here since before Israel was a state, when it became a state, before it occupied the West Bank and Gaza, while Israel was giving (commonly considered) generous offers to the Palestinians, and there has been an increase lately.
To his benefit, Kerry then proceeds to explain how the Palestinians need to understand that the West Bank cannot be turned into another Gaza, another Lebanon, another country that is ready to go to war with Israel and that that is why security is Israel's top concern but then he says this gem:
"Not one Israeli in 2012 was killed in the West Bank. And that’s a huge step forward. And the reason I’m so urgent about this is because the Palestinians and President Abbas have committed themselves to nonviolence. So it is important for Israel to strengthen them, to help provide this peace so that the nonviolence is rewarded. Because if nonviolence is not rewarded, the alternative will be that people go back to the other."
Maybe not in 2012 but some Israelis have been killed in 2013, that is obviously washed over though. Claiming that Abbas has committed to nonviolence would be laughable if it wasn't so false and hurtful. When a Palestinian recently shot a 9 year old girl for going to tell their parents an unknown man was in their yard, the Fatah facebook page (the political party Abbas is a part of) praised the shooting. They also sent out praise when a soldier, guarding a holy site for both Jews and Muslims, was killed by a Palestinian sniper. Can someone explain to me how that is a commitment to nonviolence when his own political party is praising violence? Then there's the whole, I don't know, kissing murderers thing....
"And the people of both places, Israel and the Palestinian Authority, need to start to think about peace. We have to stop the incitement, stop the language that attacks one or the other, stop the old rhetoric about driving people into the sea or pushing people out of their cities"
Call me nit-picky for this one, but this statement implies that you will see incitement on Israeli TV and comments from Israelis about wiping out Palestinians. While Israelis are not perfect and there are some among us with opinions I find appalling (even in Knesset), our government is not funding that spewing of hatred through various media outlets and school books like the PA is. To make a statement that equates the level of incitement from the PA with that of the Israeli government is false and misleading.
The rest of the interview goes on to outline some of Kerry's economic ideas for the Palestinians (short-term construction jobs for access to tourism sites) and I can't help but wonder if the Palestinians will have to be more accountable with that money than they have been about the missing 2.5 billion euros from the Europeans...? Also discussed is a plan for the Iranians and this gem that made me laugh out loud from one of the reporters:
MR. SEGAL: "So in the next spring, according to your schedule, Syria will be stripped of its chemical weapons, Iran will have an agreement to stop its nuclear program, and we will have a final status agreement between Israelis and Palestinian. Could it be that you guys maybe are slightly too optimistic?"
Can we all come back to this next spring and see how Kerry's words haunt him?
Monday, October 14, 2013
Things That Drive Me Insane In Israel
My blogging has generally been dedicated to things I love about Israel and aimed at trying to help others see Israel through my eyes. This is not that blog. This is a blog about all the little, illogical things that have given me the life motto of "just stop trying to make sense of it all."
1) Dear bikers, when you are approaching me from behind, ringing your little bell does nothing to help the flow of transportation other than making me tense up and not stray from the path I am currently on. In America, we have this whole "on your left" process where an approaching biker informs the person they are trying to go around of their intended route. By you telling me you're passing me on my left, I can move further to my right and you can go around me without even having to slow down. Ringing your bell does nothing but tell me you might still hit me if I move an inch.
Side note: Bikers it is also your job to go around a pedestrian if you're on a route that's going to bring a collision between the two of you. Really, I thought this was common knowledge.
2) Taxi drivers you are not exempt here either. If I am walking, whether alone or with friends, at night or during the day, you do not need to honk at me to alert me of your presence. If I wanted a cab, I know how to call for one and I also am capable of flagging you down. Your erratic driving and tell-tale yellow sign on top of your car make it pretty easy to find you if I need you. Honking at me does not increase the chances of me all of a sudden deciding I need your services. In fact, it usually makes me jump and all you have gained is the dirtiest look in my arsenal.
3) Banks, doctors offices, government offices, etc. - closing your doors for lunch for three hours is absolutely unnecessary. Obviously your employees need to eat lunch but it's definitely do-able to stagger schedules in a way so that people can take their lunches while your business still functions. If you can't figure out how to make that work, three hours is SO LONG for a lunch break. Does this mean your full time employees really only work 25 hours a week? Are they getting paid to take that break? If yes, BULL SHIT-no one should get paid for 3 hours of no work. If no, maybe that's another aspect of why people struggle to make a decent income here if they're only getting paid for 5 hours out of an 8 hour work day....?
Side note: Stop charging me an ATM fee at my own bank and stop taking "commission" off of checks I deposit. You did nothing to make that money nor did you do anything to get me to put it in your bank, thus you did nothing to earn a commission. At least call it what it is and tell me you're stealing my money.
4) Call centers, you are probably the most ridiculous. If I need to call and make a doctor's appointment, ask an easy question at the bank, change something for my phone service, etc. I am always told just to call. Their initial prompts usually have an option to hear the prompts in English as well as other languages. However, once you've followed the prompt through you'll likely be switched to another prompt in Hebrew that has no English option or once you've made it through the prompt it is 99% likely that the person you get through to will have the worst English in the office and all of the English speakers will be busy. They'll promise to have the English speaker call you back...but they won't. And next thing you know you've had to hear the same prompts 10 times because you just call and press random numbers until you finally, a week later, get ahold of an English speaker.
5) Why do you have things in this country that frequently include .99 in their price when you don't have currency for that extra .01? Call me stingy but it's pretty annoying when I go to pay for something that's 9.99 shekels, I give them 10 and then get nothing back. Everyone hates pennies in America and we usually just leave them places but anyone who keeps a change jar at home knows those babies add up.
6) WHY IS EVERYTHING IN MY APARTMENT ALWAYS SO DUSTY?!
7) Warning: I'm gonna get catty for this one. Girls and blatant underwear in this country are out of control. Girls, when you're wearing leggings, DO NOT wear regular underwear. Not only are the lines all over the place but they will also likely bunch up and it's really just not a good look for anyone. Nor is underwear that can be seen through your too-tight or too-shear dresses. I'd say less is more here but I honestly think it's because no one bothers to check a mirror. You all have them, do yourselves a favor and use them.
8) We all hate small talk, it's awkward and annoying and I frequently rally against it but it really is needed sometimes. Lady in the library who told my friend her whole life story about her mother dying on the day of her daughter's wedding when she asked you where to find a book, you need to work on your small talk. To the boy who works at the store across the street from me who always only asks me if I have a boyfriend, you need to work on your small talk. Any boys talking to me and my friends and assuming after 20 minutes of screaming over bar music and drinking that you can come home with us, you really need to work on your small talk.
9) All those streets where the light to cross will be green...until you get to the middle of the road and have to pile onto a median to wait for the other side to turn green...yeah you all just need to go.
10) Middle-aged to old men dropping trou at the beach to change into your bathing suit, you are the most unnecessary on this list. Really, NO ONE wants to see that.
11) Any office that tells me I have an appointment at three and then I show up just to find out that the office re-opened from a 3 hour lunch break at 3 and I actually just need to stand in line with 5 other people who had "appointments at 3" your system needs to be changed. Immediately.
12) The post office. I wish you could all hear the tone of doom in my head when I write those words. My mom sent me three packages a few weeks ago. One I picked up from one post office, the second I got a week later from another post office. The third one is still MIA. Really? THIS is your system?! That's not even factoring in the fact that your hours are different every single day and almost always at inconvenient times and then it will take someone 15+ minutes to locate the box. It's actually infuriating. It blows my mind how a country that has done so much and made such strides hasn't yet figured out how to properly handle mail. Also, I'm American so please just drop my packages off at my doorstep.
13) The next person who stops right in the middle of the sidewalk or just before getting on an escalator to look at their phone or look around the mall to make sure they really want to go up a floor, you are going to get yelled at. There are too many of you and I have taken it too calmly thus far. Maybe someone yelling at you about how annoying and inconsiderate you are will make you aware of your surroundings again. And if another one of you does it while I'm grumpily attempting to find my way through the central bus station, I will literally walk right through you. I don't care if that means you end up face first on the escalator, you brought this on yourself.
14) My roommate would also really like me to add in the question of why only a few grocery stores have proper (orange) cheddar cheese. It's a great question that baffles us regularly.
There you have it, 14 things that drive me absolutely insane in this country and make no sense to me. All of which you can see are pretty minor in the grand scheme of things or at least are part of the raging bureaucracy I was warned of.
Beyond the random moments of fury when I encounter these situations, overall I'm insanely happy to be here and enjoying myself and my new life thoroughly. My life in Israel was summed up nicely in Ulpan today when someone complained about something not making sense logically. The responses she got were "that would make it too easy" followed by "welcome to Israel."
1) Dear bikers, when you are approaching me from behind, ringing your little bell does nothing to help the flow of transportation other than making me tense up and not stray from the path I am currently on. In America, we have this whole "on your left" process where an approaching biker informs the person they are trying to go around of their intended route. By you telling me you're passing me on my left, I can move further to my right and you can go around me without even having to slow down. Ringing your bell does nothing but tell me you might still hit me if I move an inch.
Side note: Bikers it is also your job to go around a pedestrian if you're on a route that's going to bring a collision between the two of you. Really, I thought this was common knowledge.
2) Taxi drivers you are not exempt here either. If I am walking, whether alone or with friends, at night or during the day, you do not need to honk at me to alert me of your presence. If I wanted a cab, I know how to call for one and I also am capable of flagging you down. Your erratic driving and tell-tale yellow sign on top of your car make it pretty easy to find you if I need you. Honking at me does not increase the chances of me all of a sudden deciding I need your services. In fact, it usually makes me jump and all you have gained is the dirtiest look in my arsenal.
3) Banks, doctors offices, government offices, etc. - closing your doors for lunch for three hours is absolutely unnecessary. Obviously your employees need to eat lunch but it's definitely do-able to stagger schedules in a way so that people can take their lunches while your business still functions. If you can't figure out how to make that work, three hours is SO LONG for a lunch break. Does this mean your full time employees really only work 25 hours a week? Are they getting paid to take that break? If yes, BULL SHIT-no one should get paid for 3 hours of no work. If no, maybe that's another aspect of why people struggle to make a decent income here if they're only getting paid for 5 hours out of an 8 hour work day....?
Side note: Stop charging me an ATM fee at my own bank and stop taking "commission" off of checks I deposit. You did nothing to make that money nor did you do anything to get me to put it in your bank, thus you did nothing to earn a commission. At least call it what it is and tell me you're stealing my money.
4) Call centers, you are probably the most ridiculous. If I need to call and make a doctor's appointment, ask an easy question at the bank, change something for my phone service, etc. I am always told just to call. Their initial prompts usually have an option to hear the prompts in English as well as other languages. However, once you've followed the prompt through you'll likely be switched to another prompt in Hebrew that has no English option or once you've made it through the prompt it is 99% likely that the person you get through to will have the worst English in the office and all of the English speakers will be busy. They'll promise to have the English speaker call you back...but they won't. And next thing you know you've had to hear the same prompts 10 times because you just call and press random numbers until you finally, a week later, get ahold of an English speaker.
5) Why do you have things in this country that frequently include .99 in their price when you don't have currency for that extra .01? Call me stingy but it's pretty annoying when I go to pay for something that's 9.99 shekels, I give them 10 and then get nothing back. Everyone hates pennies in America and we usually just leave them places but anyone who keeps a change jar at home knows those babies add up.
6) WHY IS EVERYTHING IN MY APARTMENT ALWAYS SO DUSTY?!
7) Warning: I'm gonna get catty for this one. Girls and blatant underwear in this country are out of control. Girls, when you're wearing leggings, DO NOT wear regular underwear. Not only are the lines all over the place but they will also likely bunch up and it's really just not a good look for anyone. Nor is underwear that can be seen through your too-tight or too-shear dresses. I'd say less is more here but I honestly think it's because no one bothers to check a mirror. You all have them, do yourselves a favor and use them.
8) We all hate small talk, it's awkward and annoying and I frequently rally against it but it really is needed sometimes. Lady in the library who told my friend her whole life story about her mother dying on the day of her daughter's wedding when she asked you where to find a book, you need to work on your small talk. To the boy who works at the store across the street from me who always only asks me if I have a boyfriend, you need to work on your small talk. Any boys talking to me and my friends and assuming after 20 minutes of screaming over bar music and drinking that you can come home with us, you really need to work on your small talk.
9) All those streets where the light to cross will be green...until you get to the middle of the road and have to pile onto a median to wait for the other side to turn green...yeah you all just need to go.
10) Middle-aged to old men dropping trou at the beach to change into your bathing suit, you are the most unnecessary on this list. Really, NO ONE wants to see that.
11) Any office that tells me I have an appointment at three and then I show up just to find out that the office re-opened from a 3 hour lunch break at 3 and I actually just need to stand in line with 5 other people who had "appointments at 3" your system needs to be changed. Immediately.
12) The post office. I wish you could all hear the tone of doom in my head when I write those words. My mom sent me three packages a few weeks ago. One I picked up from one post office, the second I got a week later from another post office. The third one is still MIA. Really? THIS is your system?! That's not even factoring in the fact that your hours are different every single day and almost always at inconvenient times and then it will take someone 15+ minutes to locate the box. It's actually infuriating. It blows my mind how a country that has done so much and made such strides hasn't yet figured out how to properly handle mail. Also, I'm American so please just drop my packages off at my doorstep.
13) The next person who stops right in the middle of the sidewalk or just before getting on an escalator to look at their phone or look around the mall to make sure they really want to go up a floor, you are going to get yelled at. There are too many of you and I have taken it too calmly thus far. Maybe someone yelling at you about how annoying and inconsiderate you are will make you aware of your surroundings again. And if another one of you does it while I'm grumpily attempting to find my way through the central bus station, I will literally walk right through you. I don't care if that means you end up face first on the escalator, you brought this on yourself.
14) My roommate would also really like me to add in the question of why only a few grocery stores have proper (orange) cheddar cheese. It's a great question that baffles us regularly.
There you have it, 14 things that drive me absolutely insane in this country and make no sense to me. All of which you can see are pretty minor in the grand scheme of things or at least are part of the raging bureaucracy I was warned of.
Beyond the random moments of fury when I encounter these situations, overall I'm insanely happy to be here and enjoying myself and my new life thoroughly. My life in Israel was summed up nicely in Ulpan today when someone complained about something not making sense logically. The responses she got were "that would make it too easy" followed by "welcome to Israel."
Sunday, September 22, 2013
Making Peace With Aliyah
I've been meaning to write this blog post for easily over a month now. Every time I sit down to write it, my brain goes in so many directions. I have scattered notes all over my room and multiple electronic devices and I'll likely re-write this ten times before I actually post it.
I guess a good place to start is the crazy looks I get from Americans and Israelis alike when informing them of the decision I've made. Americans respond with "you're moving to Israel?! But it's so dangerous there right now." I can't help but laugh that they think 1) what's going on in Syria is a recent development 2) that Syria is the only problem Israel has right now 3) that this region is usually more peaceful than it is right now and 4) the lack of understanding that Israel overall is much safer than the U.S.
Israel has some of the, if not the best intelligence in the world, a missile defense system that has proven very efficient and is soon to be further upgraded, a well-trained populace that handles itself well in times of emergency, and safe rooms/re-enforced structures in every building, among many other features that make me feel confident Israel can withstand any threat that comes her way.
I was home for three months this summer and actually felt anxious being away from Israel. Partially because my heart and soul genuinely feel at rest and at home here but also because when you're away from Israel, the only news you get about it feels like doomsday. You don't get the feeling that exists on the streets; streets I feel completely safe walking alone at all hours of the night-a feeling that has been confirmed as valid by my Israeli friends. Streets that are constantly full of people at cafes, walking with friends, pushing their kids in strollers, or taking their pets for a walk. There's just an unexplainable vibe you get when you are actually here.
People will push past you in those streets or accidentally bump into you without even considering an apology but if you need help or hit a language barrier, there is always someone within arms reach who will stop and help you without you even asking for it. Can you say any of the above things about America?
The truth is, I believe in Israel and what it stands for. I believe in the forward (or as some people call it: rude) nature of it's people because political correctness gets in the way of living our lives genuinely. I don't think Israelis are rude, I think they'd rather get to the point than play games to prevent someone's feelings from being hurt over minor things.
I think it's funny the way lines don't exist because honestly, if we all have a limited amount of time on this earth and only a small portion of that is free time we have to do what we enjoy, I don't want to waste any of that time standing in line. An Israeli may cut me in the line my American side still automatically makes from time-to-time, but that same Israeli would likely be late to wherever they're going to stop and help me if I need it. They won't even seem annoyed or come off as doing it because they're obligated, they do it because Israel is like a giant family that only functions if we all take care of each other.
I also love having my Jewishness built in to where I live rather than having to pick and choose like I always did in America. I grew up feeling not Jewish enough in the Jewish community but 'too Jewish' in the secular community and that is not an experience I feel comfortable forcing my future children to go through.
I believe in the safe haven Israel provides for Jews-a fact the rest of the world seems to think isn't necessary anymore which is insane since Antisemitism is up 40% worldwide. Do I feel unsafe as a Jew in America? Not at all. But anyone who knows me knows how PR minded I am and the best thing I can do for Israel's image and to bring people here who would never consider it otherwise, is to move here myself and demonstrate in the strongest way possible my faith in this country and it's importance.
I'm not blind to the issues that are ahead of me. Adjusting to the lower wages and the general expensiveness of living here, the seemingly illogical things that happen constantly here, the infuriating bureaucracy, coping with my future children one day serving in the army. I'm aware of all of it and I'm sure I'll become aware of even more obstacles in the future.
The crazy looks I get from Israelis is because they wonder how on earth I can sacrifice so much to be here. But other than the distance I've now put between my family and myself, what exactly am I sacrificing? Will my house be significantly smaller here than my house in America? Yes. Will I have a shittier car here one day than I would in America? Yes. Will I make less money here than I would in America? Yes. But Israel is not about any of those things. Israel is about overcoming all of those things. Those things aren't important to me. What's important to me is to have close-knit family values and happiness, that of my own and my future family.
And you know what? Israelis are happier than Americans. Despite everything it deals with, Israel was just ranked 11th in happiness while America is 17th. Look at the list (Here: http://www.businessinsider.com/new-world-happiness-report-2013-2013-9) and consider what Israel deals with and goes through compared to the countries that surround her on that list. That for me is the obvious sign that people are doing something right here.
And that is how I have made peace with making aliyah.
I guess a good place to start is the crazy looks I get from Americans and Israelis alike when informing them of the decision I've made. Americans respond with "you're moving to Israel?! But it's so dangerous there right now." I can't help but laugh that they think 1) what's going on in Syria is a recent development 2) that Syria is the only problem Israel has right now 3) that this region is usually more peaceful than it is right now and 4) the lack of understanding that Israel overall is much safer than the U.S.
Israel has some of the, if not the best intelligence in the world, a missile defense system that has proven very efficient and is soon to be further upgraded, a well-trained populace that handles itself well in times of emergency, and safe rooms/re-enforced structures in every building, among many other features that make me feel confident Israel can withstand any threat that comes her way.
I was home for three months this summer and actually felt anxious being away from Israel. Partially because my heart and soul genuinely feel at rest and at home here but also because when you're away from Israel, the only news you get about it feels like doomsday. You don't get the feeling that exists on the streets; streets I feel completely safe walking alone at all hours of the night-a feeling that has been confirmed as valid by my Israeli friends. Streets that are constantly full of people at cafes, walking with friends, pushing their kids in strollers, or taking their pets for a walk. There's just an unexplainable vibe you get when you are actually here.
People will push past you in those streets or accidentally bump into you without even considering an apology but if you need help or hit a language barrier, there is always someone within arms reach who will stop and help you without you even asking for it. Can you say any of the above things about America?
The truth is, I believe in Israel and what it stands for. I believe in the forward (or as some people call it: rude) nature of it's people because political correctness gets in the way of living our lives genuinely. I don't think Israelis are rude, I think they'd rather get to the point than play games to prevent someone's feelings from being hurt over minor things.
I think it's funny the way lines don't exist because honestly, if we all have a limited amount of time on this earth and only a small portion of that is free time we have to do what we enjoy, I don't want to waste any of that time standing in line. An Israeli may cut me in the line my American side still automatically makes from time-to-time, but that same Israeli would likely be late to wherever they're going to stop and help me if I need it. They won't even seem annoyed or come off as doing it because they're obligated, they do it because Israel is like a giant family that only functions if we all take care of each other.
I also love having my Jewishness built in to where I live rather than having to pick and choose like I always did in America. I grew up feeling not Jewish enough in the Jewish community but 'too Jewish' in the secular community and that is not an experience I feel comfortable forcing my future children to go through.
I believe in the safe haven Israel provides for Jews-a fact the rest of the world seems to think isn't necessary anymore which is insane since Antisemitism is up 40% worldwide. Do I feel unsafe as a Jew in America? Not at all. But anyone who knows me knows how PR minded I am and the best thing I can do for Israel's image and to bring people here who would never consider it otherwise, is to move here myself and demonstrate in the strongest way possible my faith in this country and it's importance.
I'm not blind to the issues that are ahead of me. Adjusting to the lower wages and the general expensiveness of living here, the seemingly illogical things that happen constantly here, the infuriating bureaucracy, coping with my future children one day serving in the army. I'm aware of all of it and I'm sure I'll become aware of even more obstacles in the future.
The crazy looks I get from Israelis is because they wonder how on earth I can sacrifice so much to be here. But other than the distance I've now put between my family and myself, what exactly am I sacrificing? Will my house be significantly smaller here than my house in America? Yes. Will I have a shittier car here one day than I would in America? Yes. Will I make less money here than I would in America? Yes. But Israel is not about any of those things. Israel is about overcoming all of those things. Those things aren't important to me. What's important to me is to have close-knit family values and happiness, that of my own and my future family.
And you know what? Israelis are happier than Americans. Despite everything it deals with, Israel was just ranked 11th in happiness while America is 17th. Look at the list (Here: http://www.businessinsider.com/new-world-happiness-report-2013-2013-9) and consider what Israel deals with and goes through compared to the countries that surround her on that list. That for me is the obvious sign that people are doing something right here.
And that is how I have made peace with making aliyah.
Time For A New Blog
The blog that I started last year was named and framed around the program I was on at the time. It slowly branched into some pro-Israel ramblings and call outs of the bias against Israel but now that I am officially an Israeli citizen, I felt it was time for a new blog.
This new blog will have posts about making Aliyah, the ups and the downs involved with such a decision,my experiences in Israel, as well as the type of posts that had become the norm on my old blog. However, I am making it a stated goal to work much harder at being more consistent when it comes to posting.
We'll see how it evolves over time but currently the goal is to sit down and write once a week or so, likely picking a theme or big story going around that week to focus on.
I currently have a post in the works about what making Aliyah means to me, it's just been tougher to write than I expected as I can't quite nail down which direction I'd like to take it. My goal is to have it finished and posted by tonight.
Wish me luck!
This new blog will have posts about making Aliyah, the ups and the downs involved with such a decision,my experiences in Israel, as well as the type of posts that had become the norm on my old blog. However, I am making it a stated goal to work much harder at being more consistent when it comes to posting.
We'll see how it evolves over time but currently the goal is to sit down and write once a week or so, likely picking a theme or big story going around that week to focus on.
I currently have a post in the works about what making Aliyah means to me, it's just been tougher to write than I expected as I can't quite nail down which direction I'd like to take it. My goal is to have it finished and posted by tonight.
Wish me luck!
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