So why am i writing this blog in english anyway? I already have a hebrew blog with enough readers to satisfy my needs for accreditation and to cure my grafomania. I guess that i started this blog since there is a war outside.
There is a war between the rich and poor,
a war between the man and the woman.
There is a war between the ones who say there is a war
and the ones who say there isn’t.
Why don’t you come on back to the war, that’s right, get in it,
why don’t you come on back to the war, it’s just beginning.
(Leonard Cohen, There is a war).
Today i had one of the strangest phone calls i’ve had in ages. Samir, one of my good friends lives in Tamra, which is a small town next to Haifa (which was bombed today). You can tell by his name that Samir is an Israeli born Arab. He is a citizen and a political activist for Peace and Equality. I called him today to see how is he doing, and he was ok. He was happy that i called and I invited him to Tel-Aviv, should he feel safer here. I also felt strange.
The Israeli army does not recruit Arabs as a default, unlike Jews and Druze, both the Muslims and the Arab Christians (though not the Russian Immigrants Christians) are not defaulted to draft. That is because they are unjustly considered sometimes as cooperatives with the nearby Arab states. We are currently fighting in order to allow them to serve their country both in the military and by civil service (which is yet to be available in Israel).
So, this call with Samir was so counterintuitive, An Arab sitting on the Border and taking the bullet for me? Why is he against them? Aren’t all Arabs supposed to be bad? That call broke all possible myths and gave me the reassurance that i do have still some prejudices, but that i can take care of them. I’m doing my best during the last few days to go through the usual Israeli and Arab blogs i used to visit and do what the Israeli government neglected to do;
This war is personal to me. It is my war as well. It is my war since i am fighting the media, i am fighting the disinformation on TV. I read and see the voices of people. Though i hear all around that everyone are anti-semitic and wish to kill me, i meet some people who don’t. Actually most of them don’t. And as much as i want to persuade my friends and peers that there are people in Lebanon which wish for us to help them, we must do it in a honorable fashion. We mustn’t kill civilian targets and we mustn’t go against ourselves.
We should not wage war against Islam, as it is a wonderful religion which was harmed by a few deviants in the extreme fundamentalist section, Like Judaism, which also has its extremists who try to set us back to darker ages. I know that i will find my peers on the net. I hope to do it quicker than possible.
Unlike my Hebrew blog, I don’t expect to update more than once or twice a week and i don’t expect many people to discuss issues here. If you want to discuss, you always know where to find me and how to argue with me. I am here, always, and i tend to listen.
If you want to rant, babble, or anything, you have my mail, you have my phone, and you can contact me.
[email protected]
I think you misunderstood and linked me as anti-semitic. I am not anti-semitic and if you have read anything on my blog you would have understood that.
We are both on the same side. I believe that you, just like myself simply want peace in your country.
Didn’t say you were antisemetic, but that the picture is.
I’ve been reading your blog for a long time and i like your views. it’s just strange to see it that way.
I am impressed by your effort to explain the nicer Israeli side in this conflict, and communicate with people on the other side.
I haven’t read too many of your posts, but as I understand, you aren’t fully supportive of the Israeli’s government’s policy. This makes your task even harder.
As an Israeli that has some crticism against my government and especially against the minister of defense (whom I voted for), I admire your effort.
If course i have my criticism towards the israeli government, that’s why my “task” is not hard, but obtainable. i come open minded, to hear the other side, while i do know what’s going on here and what has to be done.
But thanks for commenting. I’ll start seeing whether i do make a difference or not.
Jonathan, I wish you success and your sentiment should be heard not only in your country but mine. I’ll add a link to it from an earlier post of mine that I feel it fits with well.
Hi Jonathan, I try to do the same in German on my blog. Each of us, no matter on which side, adds a little piece of glass to this mosaic. I’ll continue to read and hope, many readers find you.
just a quick note: I found your blog via Lila’s blog – and I’m quiet happy. I wish I could turn time back to get my ivrit lessons back to read your ivrit blog. anyway: can’t wait for your next news and words (in english). thank you!