DEUTSCHLAND! In two days. I am so excited. My first trip to Germany was when I was sixteen, for an exchange trip, and then since I have kept the contact with many friends. In two days, my friend Lior and I will meet our friends Johanna and  Bettina in Hamburg. The four of us will go around the country, and have fun. I am so excited!

People I think not from Israel think is maybe strange, to be Jewish and Israeli and have good German friends. But I have always had good times in Germany with German people. You know, we do not excuse history, or forget it, but we keep friendship and peace to prevent history to be repeated. So is important.

I am not so much a beer drinker, but of course the parties and dances are GREAT! Tschuss, Yisrael! Hallo, Deutschland!

I have a friend named Soraya, and she is a Palestinian who has lived most of her life in Yafo. Soraya and I have a class on global political ideologies together at TAU, and often we go to lunch or to the beach.

I look more Arab than Soraya, I think! So people think she is Jewish. They think nothing is unique when we get falafel. She speaks Hebrew perfectly. But she is not Jewish. She is Muslim. She is Palestinian. And she is my friend.

Soraya is open for mind, wishes for peace, has lost one brother and two cousins in the war. She loves cooking, swimming, and playing piano. We have much in common. 

So when I hear people, mostly non-Israelis, talk about how “evil scum” are the Palestinians, how all Muslims deserve to die, how all Muslims are terrorists, I am hurt. If someone says, “All Jews are evil!” we all get so angry. Anti-Semtisim! Naziism! But when people say, “All Muslims are evil!” this is all okay?

It is not okay. How dare people say this. G-d did not create us so we could hate. He created us for love and humanity, and generalizing a group of people is wrong. It was wrong in 1939, and it is wrong in 2010. No conflicts will end by us hating.

And you know what, why should the Palestinians care about Jewish history in Israel? This means nothing to a 14 year old Palestinian boy whose family has nothing because their only representation is a radical government feeding off of corruption. Of course he is angry at the Israelis! The Palestinians were driven off the land. Most live still in refugee camps. They are represented by Hamas, which is run by bullies, and Fatah, which is incompetant. Do you think they care about Jewish “right” to the land? Of course not. Why should they?

I love Israel. I love being a Jewish Israeli. But we need a new strategy. We cannot keep thinking of Palestinians as savage animals that annoy us. They are people, they are impovershed, and it is partly our fault. There are some horrible Palestinians terrorists, they have done some horrible things, but by villianizing the entire Palestinian people we are just as bad.

Today I had classes. In my European Political Theory class we discussed communism. Is interesting, because I identify on paper much more with communism than I do with freemarket capitalism, even if is not so obvious. Like always I have grown up with socialism, and socialst ideas, and is making more sense to me now that I am older. I do not think for myself I am a communist, but is logical. Is very logical. 

The Soviet Union fell not because it was communist, but after it started turning more towards capitalism. Is worth the thoughts, at least. 

Is so late here. I went out with some friends. We went to the beach, then to a party on west end. Was craaaaaaaazy! As always, yes? )) I had maybe a little much. I am trying lately to not be so much for drinking. Is not so healthy. But is fun. And I do like vodka. 

Life is happiness, now )). I am happy with life. This is what is important. Happiness.

My sister, Shira, is having a baby boy! All of my family is so excited! And Shira and her husband are so happy, also. They have a new house by Haifa and are decorating and choosing names! I hope the name they are choose is not something terrible or very old. 

Also WORLD CUP 2010!!! GO ITALIA! Normally, I am rooting for Russia or Germany, but no Russia and I will be in Germany for much of it, so this is no fun )). Brasil always wins! Is not interesting!

More political controversy. Always controversy. I am worried for Bibi’s government. Is so conservative. We are not making friends, and we are making the situation in Jerusalem worse. I am not sure why people are thinking that with more force we will make peace. Has never worked.

 

The Palestians are angry with Obama sitting on a fence, and they have every right to be. In Europe, yes, is possible to be neutral and still get things done, but not here in Israel. Obama needs to decide if he is in support of Israel or not, and then make a decision from there. Is unfortunate–so many of us are always waiting for what he will do because his policies, from an Israeli standpoint, are exceedingly inconsistant. Meanwhile Netanyahu is too conservative to get anything progressive done…

Aside from that, I am looking forward to classes ending. I have one last paper on American-Chinese relations, than examinations, than summer. 

It is time for long days at the beach again!

Independance Day

INDEPENDANCE DAY!!!!!! Happy 62nd birthday, Yis’rael!!

The theme is If you will it, it is not a dream. The speakers speak of unifying Jerusalem, of repairing a damaged reputation, and of bringing all Israelis together.

I love my country. I love being Israeli. It is not an easy thing to be, but I am proud to be it. Like my Iranian, Syrian, and Polish grandparents, I have seen struggle and war and death, but also I have seen love and peace and hope.

We are a nation. We are people. We are beautiful, and funny, and flawed, but we are good people. We are chosen. We are one.

Am Yis’rael chai!!

Limbo

I think “limbo” is the best way to describe Israeli foreign policy right now. We are on as always the defensive, but now especially. Barack Obama has been both friendly and unhelpful to us, and America’s FM is less than cooperative. We are tentatively trying to emancipate ourselves, but is of course rather impossible. We need assistance when it comes to the Iranian threat, but we seem to be the most paranoid in analyzing its severity. So, then, we wait. For either us to be attacked (G-d forbid), or someone else to take the lead. People do not appreciate Israeli pre-emptive strikes.

Is, like much of life here, a matter of waiting and then seeing.

I have had too much luck with romance lately. I have several guys that I am interested in, and are maybe interested in me, and I am not good for narrowing down choices! 

The weather is much improved. Today, I had a frozen fruit juice and some tabouli and spent time on the boardwalk, enjoying the sunshine. Is nice to relax!

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