Editorial note:
This blogpost is made from Lisa Aronow's reply thread to my blogpost "Haaretz Yisrael." To read that blogpost use this link! When you are done reading, you can see my reply in blogpost form, "Shalom Aleichem." (*).
As an American Jew (attending a reform shul for services but going to Hebrew and Sunday school at a conservative shul) I’ve struggled with this issue for years. Even after traveling all over Israel on a UJA/Jewish Federation trip I still maintained sympathy for the Arab-Palestinian plight. In order for any solution to be viable it must address the needs of both sides. Also let me say that I’m heartbroken over Bibi’s legislation and can’t understand the Haredi community’s insinuation of itself over all of Judaism.
I find it very upsetting when Israel is called an apartheid state and when the media portrays Israelis as child murderers and terrorists. Arabs enjoy the exact same protections, civil rights, and governmental representation as Jewish Israelis. Arabs have been MKs since the Knesset was formed in 1949. They are also Supreme Court judges and serve in the IDF.
Anyhow, there has to be some kind of way for Israel to *ethically*, and I strongly stress ethically, defend itself against suicide bombers, IEDs, car rammings, and other forms of terror attacks. Still, having said that, it feels to me that there’s little difference between Bibi and the Haredi in Israel, and Donald Trump and the Christian fascists in the United States.
There is, however, one utterly striking difference about Israel that gives me hope: despite all the protests, there is still a sense of community and respect between both sides. (Maybe because Israel is a tiny state and surrounded by enemies?) Here in the U.S. we have so much hatred and mean-spiritedness between the right and left. (Perhaps a symptom of America’s arrogance?)
It would be a cold fucking day in hell before anything like this (see video below)* would ever happen here. So to wrap up, I say Am Yisrael Chai and Ahavat Yisrael.
Lisa Aronow
Note:The video shows “Israelis representing two sides of the new “reasonableness” law pass each other on the escalator”, exchanging greetings, smiles, and shaking hands.
* Editorial note: See my reply in blogpost form, "Shalom Aleichem." (HERE!).
** The original version (still found on threads) was reviewed and edited for precision by the author, Lisa Aronow, on December 1, 2013.
By Lisa Aronow, for Achoti pages.
See Lisa Aronow on Threads following THIS LINK!
