And I thought we had legal loopholes...

Given that my best friend lives in Norway, I have, over the years, developed something of an affinity for various aspects of life in this bastion of blondness (labor unions that boycott Israel and Jostein Gaarder not withstanding, of course). I am rather fond of Norwegian brown cheese, otherwise known as Gjetost (which I can indeed pronounce, thank you very much), Norwegian salmon makes my mouth water, I enjoy lefse, and would love to try lutefisk, if for no other reason than to be able to tell people that I've eaten fish that's been treated with lye. The Husband and I both have beautiful Norwegian sweaters that keep us toasty warm in winter, and the coffee mug I keep at work has pictures of the Norwegian flag on it.

I've been to visit twice, and can even still remember a few words in Norwegian, which is nothing short of a miracle given that it is one of the more difficult languages that I've come across, sounding at times like a cross between words that almost sound like they're in English, and words that sound like the speaker is making them up. Three of the bloggers on my blogroll are Norwegian (blogging in English, obviously), and I had the pleasure of meeting one of them when he came to Israel during the summer.

And of course, because I am a news junkie, I also keep up with the goings on in Norway by periodically reading the English online version of the Norwegian newspaper Aftenposten. Though many of the headlines do not catch my fancy (quite a few of the stories seem somewhat mundane and – for me at least – irrelevant when compared to current events in Israel), I occasionally come across stories that scream for attention, stories that make one realize what passes for headline news in "normal" countries. Like the story I came across today, for example. While skimming the headlines, I was immediately drawn to one in particular...

"Bestiality ban proposed

Minister of Agriculture and Food Terje Riis-Johansen wants Norway's Animal Protection Act updated to expressly forbid sex with animals.

The existing act only specifies the kicking and beating of animals as abuse, and the agriculture minister now wants to close loopholes.

"This is a punishable offense that shall not occur," Riis-Johansen told NRK (Norwegian Broadcasting).

The ban will come into effect with the new Animal Protection Act, which will also prevent violence against animals and the use of live animals as feed or bait.

"It will still be legal to use a riding crop on a horse that must be trained. But beating a dog will be illegal," the minister said.

According to a 2006 survey of 650 veterinarians last year, bestiality - sex with animals - occurs far more often than people think.

"Every fifth veterinarian has either established or strongly suspected the sexual abuse of one of its animal patients. The extent of sexual abuse of animals is far greater than we had reason to believe at the beginning," said Live Kleveland of the Norwegian Animal Welfare Alliance.

She said that bestiality was first and foremost a problem with farming animals like cows, pigs, and sheep but also extended to domestic pets like cats and dogs, as well as sporting animals like horses."

Kind of makes you think, doesn't it? And I thought we had legal loopholes...

Once Upon a Prostate

Approximately eleven years ago, my father was diagnosed with prostate cancer. Unnerving to be sure, but given that Dad is a "cup is half full" kind of guy, he approached the situation with his usual happy go lucky optimism. My mother, on the other hand, while not exactly a "cup is half empty" sort (more of a "cup is half full, but lets keep an eye open for cracks and chips just in case" gal), refused to accept this upheaval with my father's typical blasé attitude. She was the one responsible for researching the complexities of the disease and the different options; she was the one who researched various treatment centers.

In my dad's case, we were lucky in that the cancer was caught early, making it possible for him to undergo a course of treatment that was, relatively speaking, not too invasive. As I recall, his treatment, known as "brachytherapy", included a combination of mild course of radiation and the placement of radioactive seeds directly on the tumor, which had already been shrunken by the radiation. All treatment was managed by a very capable medical team at Sloan-Kettering in New York City, and lasted for approximately six weeks, during which time, my father stayed alternatively with friends in the City or family on Long Island, often accompanied by my mother.

Despite their reasons for being there, they enjoyed their extended stay in NYC, taking advantage of the situation by going to the theater, hitting the museums, and making the rounds of the restaurants. They spent time with friends and family, and generally made the very best of these somewhat unfortunate circumstances.

The success rates for prostate cancer are quite high, and Dad's prognosis was excellent. Indeed, he has been cancer-free ever since (tfu tfu tfu). Being far away, I was, of course, concerned, but given what I knew of this particular type of cancer, I wasn't overly worried. And, not to belittle the seriousness of the disease, but if you can imagine that my father and I have a similar sense of humor (as some of you can verify), you can also imagine that we managed to have fun with his illness. At gatherings of family or friends, he would say something to the effect that, "isn't it wonderful that my cancer is bringing us all together like this". When people gave him books to read during treatment, he would often ask, "if I survive, do I have to return the book?" As a result of such outbursts, I used to say that if the cancer didn't kill him, Mom would.

In the years since my father was sick, many of his friends have battled and beat prostate cancer. Colin Powell has beaten the disease as well (not to mention a host of other celebrities). While cancer is cancer, having witnessed both my father's battle with prostate cancer and my mother-in-law's battle with colon cancer (a battle she lost painfully just under ten years ago), when caught early, I'd have to say that prostate cancer doesn't make my heart skip a beat as some of the more lethal forms do.

Which is probably why I didn't go beyond the eyebrow-raising stage yesterday upon hearing that Prime Minister Olmert has been diagnosed with the Big C. Unlike former Prime Minister (and currently comatose) Ariel Sharon, Ehud Olmert is in good physical condition. He exercises and goes for regular medical check-ups, and his prostate cancer was caught early. Chances are excellent that he will be fine, though his choice of treatment – surgery – may result in both incontinence and impotence (of course, there are those of us who already believe he is rather impotent, albeit from a political standpoint...), neither of which must be terribly welcome prospects.

Though having cancer certainly isn't a lot of fun (my father's bout not withstanding...), prostate cancer is usually (though unfortunately not always) far less lethal than many other cancer types. And, while I can certainly understand how a sick Prime Minister is a hot news item, especially following the drama of the Sharon affair, I shudder to think that for the next few months, the media will be force-feeding us sound bytes related to the prime ministerial prostate. It's one thing to know that the man is sick, but quite frankly, viewing diagrams of a diseased prostate during dinner and hearing intimate details about the upcoming surgical procedure is just a tad more information than I need to know...

Amazing how far the guy will go for the sympathy vote, though, innit?

It's not easy being blue and white

Sorry for the silence lately. Life has been hectic, and I haven't really had the time or energy to concentrate on blogging. I've also realized that the focus has changed around here, and I'm not packing quite the punch that I used to. I've been feeling rather frustrated and dissatisfied, and generally too annoyed with the state of the world to actually write about it. It's hard to write passionately about politics and current events when global affairs has taken on a "same shit different day" quality, and I can't seem to write myself into a frenzy about events that have become all too predictable, not to mention overwhelmingly pathetic.

I suppose the biggest story these days is Iranian President Ahmadinejad's visit to New York and speech at Columbia University. Too say that I'm simply bowled over by people's naivete as far as this man is concerned would be an understatement. I almost felt sorry for the Columbia student interviewed on Fox News (I was channel surfing, lest you think that I actually watch Fox – the channel once referred to by the Husband as a pretend news channel) who believed that having Ahmadinejad speak would perhaps create an opportunity for dialog and understanding, as people would have a chance to hear what he had to say and to ask him "tough" questions. Frankly, I can't see myself developing understanding or wanting to dialog with a head of state who openly questions whether or not the Holocaust took place, calls for the country I call home to be "wiped off the map", and claims that there are no homosexuals in his country, but hey, that's just me.

Tales of Mahmoud in the big city weren't the only saga to get my knickers in a twist yesterday. As you all know, I decided several months ago that comment moderation would be required. I was tired of providing a voice for people who seemed to believe that my blog could be used as a platform for some rather serious venom spewing, like the individual who periodically pops up to inform me that I'm spreading ideological AIDS and should be locked up or to astound me with incredibly racist, hate-filled comments about Germans (in response to this post) and Arabs. While this individual drops by for a visit only once every few months or so, the visits are rather long-winded, and the number of comments awaiting moderation skyrockets, as he or she sends comment after comment after comment, with barely enough time for a bathroom break in between.

There are those who would say that I'm deserving of such comments, given the nature of my politics. There are many who believe that I am too accommodating and too naive/ignorant/stupid when it comes to Palestinian/Arab issues, and these people don't hesitate to share their opinions with me – sometimes respectfully, but often, not so much. For those of you, however, who might choose to believe that I go too far, there are others who believe that I don't go far enough. Yesterday morning, I had the pleasure of discovering four comments awaiting moderation, all from someone named Liza. I have a cousin named Liza, and given that I'd sent her a birthday message the day before, I assumed the comments were from her. Suffice it to say that I was wrong. Very wrong. This woman had googled her own name, and thus found my blog. From the comments she left, I gather she wasn't terribly impressed by what she had read.

Comment #1 reads as follows:

"Hi, Liza,
How would you like to be living in Gaza?

Or how would you like to have been living in Lebanon during the summer of 2006.

Ah, yes, the message is slow. But people will eventaully (sic) get it. In fact, most of
the world gets it. "

Comment #2:

"Oh, blog approval is needed.
Ha Ha
Bet you get a lot of hate mail."

And in case you weren't getting the full gist of her feelings, here's comment number three:

"You're full of it, Liza. I'm so sick and tired of people who find the foreign policy of the state of Israel to be despicable accused of being anti-Semitic. No, you do not know the difference and don't claim that you do.

I do not know a Jewish person when I see one and I know nothing about your religion. That is true of almost everyone.

It is Israel that I have a problem with.

Anyhow, I have to stop reading your blog. It just infuriates me.

I have an idea for Israel that they haven't thought of yet.

STOP KILLING INNOCENT PEOPLE. Stop saying that you were looking for such and such a "terrorist" and using that as an excuse for genocide.

God, please let me live to see the day when the US does not pay for Israel's wars against the Arabs. "

And the utterly charming comment number four:

"A human face on the monster known as Israel?

Good luck.

The monster remains a monster. Stop killing Palestinians and maybe in a few
generations you might look different.

The victim becomes the aggressor. It happens all the time. In this case, the victim turned aggressor is more brutal than could ever be imagined. And my tax dollars support it, against my will, of course.

Go ahead and moderate me, Liza. I'm kind of sorry we have the same name. That's how I happened to find your little blog.

I thought I would share this little message with you. The truth will eventually
spread in the US. Truth does that. And one day Americans will realize they do
not have to shoulder the blame for the Holocaust. Has there ever been a more
complete and total guilt transfer?

Maybe one day Americans will realize that Muslims are not all terrorists and that what is taking place in Gaza is genocide.

Good bye, Liza, lady with my name. I won't be back to your little propaganda filled world. Just wanted to leave you a message."

Kermit the Frog thought it wasn't easy being green. I bet it's a picnic compared to being blue and white...

A state for all its citizens?

Despite what some would have you believe, it is a sad truth that the Israeli Arab sector of our society is often marginalized and discriminated against, whether it be the poor quality infrastructure of the Arab towns and villages (not to mention the bureaucratic obstacles involved in making improvements, receiving permits to build new homes and meet the needs of natural growth in existing areas) inferior schools, greater difficulty in finding jobs, and so on. Arab families such as the Kaadan family have had to go to court in order to fight for the right to live in a better neighborhood, simply because the town they wanted to live in was Jewish.

There are those who might say that these Arabs are simply getting what they deserve as a result of their divided loyalties, without accepting the possibility that this issue may stem from the fact that this minority in Israeli society has consistently been treated as second-class citizens. Had Israel taken the time to invest in these communities, to improve infrastructure, to ensure that Arab Israelis felt equal to their Jewish counterparts, perhaps the loyalties would not have been so divided. That's not to say, of course, that everything would be perfect, but maybe the situation would have been far less problematic than it is today had attempts at least been made at ensuring equality vis a vis quality of life issues. Instead, successive Israeli governments and quasi-governmental organizations have continued to discriminate at every turn, and have created an environment where such discrimination is the accepted norm.

In an attempt to narrow the gap between the two cultures, Education Minister Yuli Tamir announced yesterday that lessons about the Naqba (the Catastrophe) - the Palestinian narrative of the events that took place at the time of Israel's independence in 1948 will be in books used in Arab-Israeli schools, in addition to the already taught Jewish narrative. I'm only sorry that Jewish school children will not be given the same opportunity as well, to give them some insight into the Arab sector. Providing these students with a window to a fuller picture will enable them to better understand the complexities of Israeli society, and by not doing so, these students are being done a disservice. It is akin to the creationism vs. evolutionism debates going on in many American school systems, where only one theory is favored over the other, or the teaching of abstinence instead of actually educating students about sex.

Politicians on the right are predictably incensed by Tamir's move (I'm just waiting for someone to call Tamir a Nazi...) and have called for her dismissal. It is a shame that these politicians feel so threatened by an act that allows the narrative of a significant number of Israeli citizens to enter the realm of acceptable public discourse; an act that shows that the society in which they live is willing to officially accept that the independence celebrated by Israeli Jews is not necessarily celebrated by everyone who lives here. The inability of these people to even be open to the possibility of allowing Israeli Arabs to explore their roots; to force them to accept an historical narrative with which they cannot identify while negating the existence of another narrative is nothing short of a travesty, and I daresay a racist one at that.

While I suspect that neither narrative is completely accurate from a factual point of view, it is important for our future as a state, for us as members of the Jewish majority to recognize that our Arab citizens have a different historical reference, one that is just as important to them as ours is to us. By the same token, if Arab Israeli citizens wish to be treated just like Jewish Israeli citizens, then they must be prepared to help bear the burdens carried by their Jewish counterparts, such as performing some form of national service (not necessarily the military, but something), and preferably not voice outspoken opinions supporting Israel's enemies (as was the case during the war last summer, when many Israeli Arabs sided with Hezbollah, and continued to blame Israel even as their own communities sustained damage and casualties inflicted by the other side).

Israel cannot claim to be a state for all its citizens as long as it continues its discriminatory practices against the minority groups that live here, and to that end, Minister Tamir's decision is a step in the right direction.

An open letter to the head of the Histadrut

Dear Mr Eini,

First of all, I would like to say that I can, perhaps, understand why you feel the need to launch a public sector strike. It is indeed unfortunate that workers in the public sector are once again getting screwed by the government, and while these strikes drastically affect the daily lives of all citizens, I understand your frustration, not to mention your desire to show the powers-that-be and those who fall under your responsibility that you mean business, and that you must take serious action. I don't have a problem with working from home should the Israel Railways Authority join the strike, and on occasion, even enjoy pecking away at my computer while sitting on my porch.

I would, however, be terribly grateful if you could postpone the strike for about a week or so, in order to ensure that the arrival of my new Harry Potter book, which should be shipped on Saturday from the UK, is not delayed due to workers striking at the airport and the post office.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Best regards,

Liza

War! What was it good for? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

Life in Israel and Lebanon was irrevocably altered exactly one year ago. Illusions of calm were shattered and dreams lay torn, ripped apart by powers beyond our control. Physical recovery from the war has been difficult, harder in some places than in others. Emotional recovery has been equally fraught, as people attempt to gather the shards of broken lives and broken relationships, with some attempts being more successful than others.

A big deal is being made of this one-year anniversary in Israel. Special news reports abound (including several from intrepid fellow bloggers Lisa and Rinat, who are taking the Hebrew language news media by storm these days, following their recent trips to Beirut, as well as Rinat's harrowing journey into South Lebanon), and the Prime Minister toured the north yesterday, stopping along the way to make such unremarkable comments as, "I'm convinced as I was on July 12 last year that we took the right decision (by going to war) that this threat should once and for all be driven away from our border." Major Israeli websites replaced their main pages for five minutes yesterday morning with messages showing solidarity with the missing soldiers, and several local bloggers are also taking note.

Whether we want to or not, we cannot escape these images of the war last summer, and the big question on everybody's minds these days seems to be whether or not we'll have another one this summer, and indeed, it has been a popular survey question in the both the mainstream media and in the local blogosphere. I cannot help but remember how our world turned upside down, how the relative normality of our lives was blown apart. I remember the haunting sounds of the sirens signaling an incoming rocket (which fortunately, I didn't hear too frequently in my own area, as we were "only" in long-range missile range); I remember sitting on the train heading home in the evenings, wondering what would happen if the train were hit by one of these rockets, waiting to be picked up at the train station after hearing that a rocket had fallen in the vicinity. Rumors abounded as we all did what we could to find out where rockets had landed, and I remember how fascinating it was to observe how easily the collective national lexicon was transformed in order to include the words of our war; how every citizen became a military analyst.

To be sure, it was a frightening, tense time, and sadly, while I do not believe that we will have another war this summer, I'm rather inclined to believe that the regional situation is at least as bad as it was one year ago, and that important lessons have not yet been learned. Israeli society no longer believes or trusts its politicians to follow the right path, and Lebanon has not been this unstable since its civil war. Our soldiers are still missing, and we do not know whether they are alive or dead. Hizbullah is still entrenched in Southern Lebanon, and it is as though nothing has changed. Innocence is lost, replaced by cynicism and suspicion. There are no winners. We are all losers in this game, no matter which side of the border we live on.

And with that, I share with you the post that I wrote one year ago today - my first post about the war.

The Game of Life

“Due to the security situation, all trains heading north will terminate in Acco. No trains will travel to Nahariya under orders from the Israel Police. The Nahariya train station has been closed. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause.”

Granted, this announcement doesn’t affect me, as I am traveling south to Tel Aviv. That is, it doesn’t directly affect me. In a greater sense, it affects all of us here in Israel, a sign the times, so to speak. The situation is spiraling out of control at a frightening pace, and I feel like I just don’t know what to do with myself right now. Yesterday it was a series of attacks on the Northern border that left seven Israeli soldiers dead and two kidnapped into Lebanon. This morning a katyusha rocket slammed into Nahariya, killing one woman in her home and injuring tens of other people. Katyushas also hit near Mt. Meron. Israel has retaliated by hitting the international airport in Beirut and Hezbollah’s television station. Who knows what will happen next. Life is suddenly worse than it was a few days ago, and my pacifist persona has been abruptly shunted aside as I decide that nothing would delight me more than to see that arrogant smirk wiped off the face of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah, preferably by an IDF explosives expert.

I think of the bloggers across the Arab blogosphere who have afforded me the privilege of making their acquaintance, exchanging comments and emails as we work together to break down barriers, barriers put in place by those whose greatest fear is the discovery that we are all merely people and not the monsters they make us out to be. We may not always agree, but there is both a mutual respect and curiosity that we have chosen to embrace. Despite the actions of governments and organizations in our countries, we are trying hard to make our neighborhood a better place. Now, as I sit here on this train heading south, I can’t help but wonder, is it all for naught? It is so easy to forget the big picture as we focus on the relationships, the bridges being built. We share the same interests, the same tastes in food (who would have thought that sushi is so popular throughout the Middle East?), similar musical tastes. Thanks to these bloggers, I have learned about life in Jordan, in Lebanon, in Egypt, and so on. Never before have I been in a position to see a trip to Damascus as something normal, or to discover the excitement and beauty of Beirut.

Fantasy trips between Tel Aviv and Beirut have been planned (*and one year later, some have even fulfilled the fantasy), and we eagerly drink in each others’ words as we enjoy getting to know one another. It’s almost like a drug, and it’s so easy to become addicted, as we get sucked into a virtual world where disagreements still exist, yet borders are there to be traversed and not fortified. Then suddenly, reality comes crashing down as those with the real power make their presence felt through violence and destruction, and you wonder if your dreams of normalcy are only childish visions that will never come to pass. Are we being foolish? Is our bridge-building mere folly, a way to pass the time while allowing ourselves to think that we can somehow make a difference? I have no doubt that for the most part, we are all quite sincere in our quest, but while the perfect sunny skies of summer in the Middle East are tainted with falling rockets and fresh graves are dug in the cracked, brown earth, I cannot help but feel that we are all very small and insignificant as the Nasrallahs of the world show us who is really controlling the game of life.

* Added today.

The Messenger Strikes Back

Tuesday afternoon, my officemate mentioned that she'd just read about a minor altercation in the Knesset, where one individual had struck another one. "Interesting", I thought. I had always wondered when our politicians would cross the line from verbal blows to physical ones, and clearly it had happened. My officemate wasn't sure which individuals had been involved, and I really didn't give much more thought to the matter. On Tuesday evening, as usual, I put on the news. Not really paying attention to what was being said, I looked up and saw an individual I'd worked with in the past being interviewed. Musing out loud to the Husband, I remarked, "Hey, I remember him from my time at the Justice Ministry. He was a really nice guy." As I'd tuned in during the middle of the interview, I didn't realize what they were talking about at that point.

Shortly thereafter, we changed channels to one of the other news shows, and there he was again. This time, though, I quickly learned why my former colleague was being interviewed on all the news shows. Apparently, he's the one who struck another person in the Knesset. To say that I was shocked would be putting it mildly. I'd worked in the Justice Ministry approximately ten years ago, and remembered only a few faces, with Attorney General Menachem Mazuz being one of them. Amnon De Hartog was another. I vaguely remember working on different tasks for him (I was responsible for all English-language-related tasks, including translations, editing various documents and speeches, letter writing and so on), chatting with him during lunch on occasion. Amnon was one of the good guys – pleasant and interesting to talk to, and easy to work with (which was not always the case in a government office filled with lawyers – no disrespect to any lawyers who might be reading this, of course...).

It seems that Amnon and his family have been hounded by politicians from the Haredi party United Torah Judaism (UTJ) for some time now. Amnon is responsible for government grants involving the Haredi sector. He doesn't set policy, but is responsible for carrying it out, which he does fairly and transparently. According to the law, independent school systems receive money from the budget only if they adhere to certain core curricular subjects. Apparently, the ultra-Orthodox school system was not teaching these core subjects, and as such, Amnon denied them budget funding. Needless to say, the politicians from UTJ were less than thrilled with the decision. One of them went so far as to tell Mr. De Hartog that he was "worse than the Nazis". Under even the most optimal circumstances, invoking Godwin's Law by telling someone that they are worse than the Nazis is hardly complementary. When a rabbi says it to another Jew, one who lost many members of his family in the Holocaust, well, one can understand why Mr. De Hartog might lose his temper. Not that I condone his use of violence, because I don't (and I imagine the De Hartog also regrets his actions as well – indeed, he has even apologized). I can, however, understand what drove him to it.

It is telling that not only does UTJ see themselves as being above the law, but that they are also prepared to fight dirty in order to maintain their status, harassing the man and his family whenever and wherever possible, simply because he was doing his job properly. It is shocking, though not surprising, that they are willing to do whatever they deem necessary to do so, whether it be slander, defamation of character, or going so far as to call someone a Nazi, a deed that is both offensive in its own right and acts to trivialize the Holocaust. In short, scandalous. Of course, the ease with and frequency at which this term is bandied about in Israeli society, whether it be against the police, members of the military, or politicians, is nothing short of frightening, but that is the topic for another post.

I will be following the story of Amnon de Hartog very closely, and hope that his career won't suffer too much as a result of his response to an atrocious provocation. Sadly, I fear that de Hartog will be the one to suffer here, while the politicians from United Torah Judaism (and the irony certainly isn't lost that these individuals who purport to be the defenders of torah, Judaism, and so on can be such "bad" Jews when it comes to their dealings with those who don't toe their line) will continue to provoke others and flout the rules, stomping on all who get in their way.

Israel battling corruption?

If the following news flash is true, then it's no wonder our region is in such bad shape...

09:19
World Bank: Israel first in Middle East in battling corruption (Haaretz)

Read the full story here.

Insulting our intelligence

It can often be said that the fragments of Israeli society come together in times of great joy or great sorrow. These days, Israelis are coming together in disbelief, utter disbelief over the plea bargain agreement presented to the public by Attorney General Menahem Mazuz. I'm not going to rehash the gory details (which can be found here), but I will mention some of the more salient bits. All charges involving rape have been dropped (indeed, all charges involving the central complainant known only as A have been dropped). Katzav will serve no jail time and will perform no community service, but he will pay compensation to his victims. Katzav also agreed to resign as president, which seems rather trivial at this point, given that there are less than two weeks left until Shimon Peres will be inaugurated as the new president. He is also supposed to admit in court to all charges appearing in the indictment, and Mazuz and others have threatened that should he fail to do so, the plea bargain will be thrown out. Until now, all Katzav has said is that he has agreed to accept the plea bargain for his family's sake, and that he admits to touching these women out of affection, which is rather pathetic and more than a little frightening.

When one looks at cases like that of Haim Ramon, Israel's former justice minister who was found guilty of sexual harassment and given a sentence of community service (and recently offered the position of vice-premier in Olmert's government), or Ofer Glazer, the husband of multimillionaire Shari Arison, who served time in jail for similar charges, it is an incomprehensible travesty of justice to watch as our former president is essentially being given a twitch of the pinky (as opposed to the harsher slap on the wrist) for far more serious crimes, with a blind eye having been turned to the most serious charges of all. Mazuz's claims that the charges listed in the plea bargain agreement are very grave and should not be taken lightly, not to mention his concern over not wanting to inflict even greater damage on the office of the president in the eyes of Israelis, wanting to spare us the pain and global humiliation of a trial, and so on are nothing more than outrageous attempts to insult the collective intelligence of our society.

As a civilized society, we must ask ourselves what kind of message this episode sends out, when an individual can assault and harass multiple women over a period of years, using his position of power to coerce and frighten in order to satisfy his own needs, and then getting off virtually scot-free while his victims continue to pay the price for his actions. What Mazuz chooses not to acknowledge is that in order for society to be able to heal from this ordeal, it is imperative that justice be served. To watch Katzav walk away from this saga does far greater damage to the Israeli psyche than any trial possibly could. A regular citizen would be made to pay for committing such heinous crimes. Instead, it is society who is paying. It is the victims who are paying, paying for their misfortune of having been assaulted or worse by a public figure instead of a nobody. This plea bargain sends out a message to sex crime victims that complaints will not necessarily be taken seriously, and that if a public figure is involved, better not to complain at all, better to deal with it quietly on your own. Just ask A.

And lest you think that only Katzav's victims are living a nightmare these days, think again. An acquaintance of mine was raped nearly a year ago. She's a strong, outgoing young woman, and you'd never have guessed by looking at her or spending time with her that she'd undergone such a traumatic experience. Until this week. Until I found her in the throes of a breakdown, and she told me what had happened to her all those months ago. She'd been doing fine, living life, dating and having fun. Hearing about the plea bargain sent her spiraling into her own private hell, and that's where I found her. Her therapist had even warned her that such a thing might happen, that the outcome might act as a trigger, bringing back a devastating event that she'd worked so hard to put behind her. And, if an expert in the field has enough experience to predict such a reaction, it is safe to say that my acquaintance is not the only victim to react in such a way.

It is simply unconscionable that our justice system enables a situation where the gravity of rape can be minimized, and that anyone in positions of power can essentially make a mockery of the most fundamental guidelines of what purports to be a civilized society, turning perpetrators into victims whose acts are easily excused and forgotten (as in the case of our new vice premier), while turning their victims into marginalized, troubled individuals who cannot be trusted to tell the truth.

80s Music Video Sunday #28

As you have probably gathered by now, I'm a news junkie. It started in my teenage years, when a young Israeli woman (with whom I am still friends) from the town of Arad came to stay with our family for three weeks in the framework of a student exchange. I'll never forget how impressed I was that this 15 year-old Israeli was discussing politics and current events with my father, in English no less. At the same time, I was ashamed of myself for not being able to join in. Her visit was a turning point for me, as it was the catalyst that led me to start reading the newspaper and follow the news. I made the conscious decision to make myself aware of what was going on in the world, and it was a decision that had a great impact on my day-to-day life. I became more intense and found that I wasn't really interested in shallow small talk, and as much as it may have guided me towards certain friendships, I'm quite certain that there were people who were turned off by it, people who weren't interested in maintaining a friendship with someone who was so focused on such issues.

During my freshman year in university, I found myself going to various fraternity parties and other keg parties, as the early friends I'd made had been keen to attend, and frankly, I was curious. I discovered pretty quickly that it wasn't for me. In fact, I was pretty miserable during my first semester in school, until I found my niche. It took me a while to realize that I probably wasn't ever going to meet people who interested me at those parties, as the people who shared my interests weren't actually going to those parties. In the end, most of my friends turned out to be international students (or those with a keen interest in international students or issues), campus activists, and student government types, and once I'd begun to find these people, my life took a turn for the better. I much preferred sitting around discussing politics and current events to loud keg parties, and drinking coffee with friends was much more attractive to me than going to a bar and having to chat up strangers.

I tremendously enjoyed being a campus activist, enjoyed promoting various issues and taking a stand against others. I was proud of the fact that I was doing my part to make a difference; that I was taking an active roll in trying to shape campus life. I enjoyed supporting my student government friends (and also enjoyed going out to salsa clubs with them in the evenings, despite the fact that I have no rhythm and was a hopeless case, even though one of the Colombians showed extreme amounts of patience as he tried to teach me basic steps). I look back on my activist years fondly, and I suppose I'd have to say, judging by the contents of this blog, that I really miss those years, given how much I've written about various issues here, how frequently I've taken a stand. I feel lucky that I can use my writing skills as a tool to make people think about important and often controversial topics, that I can use my writing to promote various causes. I have a great deal of respect for a number of musical artists who also use their talents or their fame to help raise awareness for certain issues, whether it be Bob Geldof and Band Aid, or Midnight Oil, the Australian band particularly active in promoting environmental and indigenous causes.

Today's 80s Music Video Sunday song is Midnight Oil's "Beds are Burning". According to its Wikipedia entry, this song is "a plea for the land rights of indigenous Australians", a term that includes both the Torres Strait Islanders and the Aboriginal people, who together comprise approximately 2.5% of Australia's population. An amazing song on its own, but even more so because it has a message.



Beds are Burning
Midnight Oil

Out where the river broke
The bloodwood and the desert oak
Holden wrecks and boiling diesels
Steam in forty five degrees

The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent
To pay our share
The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
Let's give it back

How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning
How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning

The time has come to say fairs fair
To pay the rent, now to pay our share

Four wheels scare the cockatoos
From Kintore East to Yuendemu
The western desert lives and breathes
In forty five degrees

The time has come
To say fair's fair
To pay the rent
To pay our share
The time has come
A fact's a fact
It belongs to them
Let's give it back

How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning
How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning

The time has come to say fair's fair
To pay the rent, now to pay our share
The time has come, a fact's a fact
It belongs to them, let's give it back

How can we dance when our earth is turning
How do we sleep while our beds are burning

Caught between Barak and a Hard Place

Well, it's now official. Amir Peretz, aka "The Mustache" is gone. Following nineteen painful months as Labor party leader, Amir Peretz has been voted out. The winner of yesterday's Labor primaries is military man turned politician turned businessman turned politician Ehud Barak, who, quite frankly, does not make my socks roll up and down. I think I would have preferred Ami Ayalon, but as is often the case in Israeli politics, it would have been a matter of choosing the less disappointing candidate.

Barak's political history is not terribly impressive, and his brief run as prime minister left much to be desired. As I remember it, the most exciting revelation to come out of his previous incarnation as a government minister was that he was an accomplished penis pianist. He was also notorious for running his government as though it were an extension of the military, maintaining a small, tight group of advisors and militaristic secrecy, keeping odd hours and doing his best to keep his fellow players on their toes at all times.

Barak not only left the prime minister's office behind following the outbreak of the second intifada, he also left his former wife behind (who was, quite honestly the best thing he had going for him), removed an unsightly mole from his face, and successfully made his way in the world of business and the global lecture circuit, easily catapulting himself into the upper echelons of Israeli society. Not much was heard from him during his absence, and since his return to the world of Israeli politics, he was often criticized for remaining silent in the media. In fact, the only sound byte I can actually remember during the campaign period prior to the Labor primaries is that he is the only Labor personality who can beat out Bibi Netanyahu in nationwide elections, which, whether or not it is actually true, is a rather scant platform on which to base one's campaign for leadership.

We are still far enough away from nationwide elections that I don't feel the need to worry about the outcome. As it stands today, none of the potential candidates terribly excite me – not Barak and certainly not Olmert or Netanyahu. Barring the unexpected appearance of a knight in shining armor who will somehow miraculously be able to lead the country out of its current quagmire, I suspect that come election time, I will feel as though I don't have anyone to vote for. Indeed, the State of Israel is once again caught between Barak and a hard place.

And I thought it was all about the constituents...

Once again, Prime Minister Olmert has proven that he cares more about himself and his own PR than about Israeli citizens. As qassam rockets continue to fall in Sderot and Israelis continue to get killed (yesterday's innocent victim was the father of a young girl, and husband of a woman in her sixth month of pregnancy), Olmert has stated that he sees no reason why citizens should leave town, despite "understanding" that life there is "difficult" these days. As prime minister, Olmert should be more concerned with the wellbeing of his constituents than with how it will look if there is a massive evacuation of the town and the surrounding areas. No one should be forced to stay in a bad neighborhood just to make someone else look good.

During the past few weeks, the prime minister has made numerous requests and demands that have repeatedly caused Israeli citizens to question his motives and loyalties, which, if said requests and demands are anything to go by, are to himself above all others. In a replay of last summer's actions, the government's inaction with regard to the beleaguered citizens of Sderot has resulted in a war of words with wealthy businessman (and political newcomer, which comes as no surprise, given the transparent nature of his generosity as he successfully buys respectability and entrance into the hearts and minds of so many Israelis) Arkady Gaydamak, who has once again managed to one-up the government and provide relief for the people of Sderot, despite the government's attempts to thwart him at every turn. Gaydamak has erected a tent camp in Tel Aviv's Hayarkon Park, after officials in Jerusalem denied his request to the erect the camp in the city's Sacher Park, apparently at the behest of officials in the Prime Minister's Office. Attempts to persuade officials in Tel Aviv to act in a similar manner were fortunately rebuffed. As a result, Gaydamak has traded barbs with various government officials, who clearly do not like the idea of the government being upstaged by a private individual, especially one who is perceived as a political threat.

It's almost frightening to witness the way the government is handling the Sderot crisis, allowing the citizens to be innocent pawns in their PR game. Prime Minister Olmert and his ilk have no right whatsoever to demand that these individuals remain on the front lines, while at the same time doing nothing to alleviate the situation on the ground. Most if not all of the public bomb shelters in the city are unusable, especially for extended periods of time, and the government has not followed through on promises to make the necessary repairs and modifications. An organization from the US has made a substantial donation earmarked especially for the shelters, but for some reason, the prime minister has asked that the money go only towards fixing private shelters. Despite the fact that rockets have been slamming into Sderot and the surrounding areas for several years now, the government has chosen the path of lip-service over actual activity. They are hardly in a position to cry foul when Mr. Gaydamak steps in and offers to finance the repairs and the building of new shelters himself, though this is indeed what they have done. Frankly, until the government proves that it's capable of making the necessary changes on the ground, they are hardly in a position to dictate how the citizens of Sderot should live their lives under fire. Unless the prime minister is willing to move to an unprotected home in Sderot and spend his days and nights there, his calls to stay ring hollow. Clearly, it is more important for him to look good and save face rather than to go the humane route and address the needs of the citizens. Clearly, he would rather see nothing done to help these individuals than see a private citizen step up and do what the government will not. The pattern was established last summer, when Olmert admonished the citizens of the north for wanting to leave when rockets were falling, and the same is true today in the south. The prime minister has proved once again that his government is incapable of meeting the needs of its constituents, especially in times of crisis. The majority of Israelis anxiously await its demise, and though we want to believe that the next government has to be better than the current one, which will surely go down as one of the worst in history, the current political situation leaves little room for optimism, and the best we can hope for is a government that will not be as bad as that of Olmert and company. Personally, I would like to think that there is nowhere to go but up.

Boycotts, Double Standards, and Plain Old Israel-Bashing

I'm having trouble organizing my thoughts these days. I am alternatively feeling rage and frustration, and often, exhaustion. I am sick to death of the ignorance and the double standards when it comes to Israel, no matter what the platform. Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas has called for international intervention to stop Israel from attacking Hamas targets in Gaza (and also called for an end to the rocket attacks on Israel, but strangely, this call came only after Israel began to respond...). The world is up in arms because Israel has finally opted to pull their hands out of their asses, remove the covers from the binoculars and start responding to the never-ending volley of qassam rockets slamming into Sderot and the surrounding areas.

I have always shown sympathy for the Palestinian plight (and have been repeatedly condemned for my views by a charming array of individuals), and while I still support a two-state solution, at the moment, I simply cannot bother to muster up sympathy for a people whose government is more interested in perpetuating both internecine and cross-border violence than in trying to improve the lives of its people – people whose lives desperately need improving. It is absolutely pathetic that the most effective tool the Palestinian government has to unite its people is to increase the frequency of rockets fired into Israel, pushing and pushing until we are forced to respond, then crying foul when we follow the utterly predictable script. Despite what the world believes (and grossly incompetent Israeli government aside), there is nothing that regular Israelis want more than to lead a peaceful existence. We do not want to be goaded into battle; we do not want to be forced to respond. Clearly, we are not afraid to do so, and unfortunately for the other side (or perhaps fortunately, depending on one's opinion), we are better equipped, which means that we will most certainly inflict greater damage. Perhaps the world would be happier if we were also to fire crudely made rockets in order to level the playing field. Somehow, I don't think so. We have always been, and will undoubtedly always be considered the bad guys here, as long as Israel lifts a finger to protect its citizens, as long as Israel does anything other than meekly sit back and do nothing, taking hit after hit and being expected to accept it all because the Palestinians are oppressed and therefore not responsible for the violent actions of their militants and extremists, who are supported by their government.

No matter what happens, no matter who starts it, it is somehow always Israel's fault. Rockets are raining down on Sderot and British unions are practically lining up to boycott Israel. Palestinians killing each other in the streets of Gaza? It's because of the occupation, of course. I've even heard that people are claiming it's the Israelis who are pushing the spotlight on Darfur in order to shift attention away from its own problems, and frankly, I don't know if that makes me want to laugh or cry.

When the double standards exist in an organization that purports to be a platform for voices from around the world, you can't help but reach the conclusion that perhaps there really is no hope. When such an organization allows its writers and editors to shift the focus from events in their own countries to spotlight condemnations of Israel, when it prefers to ignore serious issues raised by Israeli members of its community, when they demonstrate time and time again that they are apparently uninterested in ensuring that Israel doesn't become the resident whipping boy, when they make mistakes regarding Israeli contributions, and then try to rectify the mistakes in the most absurd way imaginable… I wait with anxious anticipation whenever I pay a visit to the website, wondering how the latest attack on Israel will manifest itself (today's was a comment that referred to "Zionuts", which somehow made it through comment moderation; I won't even summarize the entry that generated such a comment, as I found it too unbelievable that it was actually given the spotlight). Clearly, they just don't get it, nor do they even really want to. As with the rest of the world, they only like us when we accept our beatings quietly, without a fuss. If we so much as raise our voices, it is we who become the problem, we who become the troublemakers, simply by standing up for ourselves.

Apparently, it would seem that I'm not too impressed by the world these days, either real or virtual. I have no patience for childish boycotts and double standards, no energy to deal with the intentionally ignorant. My mouth is agape as I witness anti-Semitism masked as anti-Israel sentiment enter the realm of acceptable discourse, or read about individuals who profess to be pro-Palestinian peace activists, whose ideas of peace involve dismantling the state of Israel while magnanimously harboring no ill will against Jews. The world has gone utterly mad, and I can't help but wonder what kind of earth-shattering catastrophe will be required to wake people up. And then I wonder if they even want to.

Time to get the terrible twosome out of Dodge

With so much going on here, you'd think I'd have a lot to say. I suppose I do, especially with regard to the juvenile antics of certain Israeli politicians who seem so hell-bent on saving themselves that they are willing to ignore the loud cries all around them calling for change. The behavior of these individuals has reached a new low, and frankly, given the gravity of the situation, it is rather pathetic. Just when you thought you'd seen it all (and given the frequently disturbing activities of a great many of our politicians, "all" covers an impressive variety of misdeeds), just when you thought that the egomaniacal self-centeredness couldn't get any worse (the President's apoplectic attack on the media in light of the veritable plethora of charges he's facing not withstanding), it somehow manages to become even more frightening and depressing. We are left with the knowledge that the priorities of our leaders take precedence over that which is right or honorable, and the will of the people is of no importance.

With support for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Defense Minister Amir Peretz at an all-time low, with most polls showing that Israeli citizens believe this incorrigible terrible twosome should follow the route taken by former Chief of Staff Dan Halutz and get out of Dodge pronto, you'd think that at least one of them would blink. You'd think that at least one of them would pull their heads out of the sand and realize that they are no longer truly representing our nation and step down gracefully. Instead, we are forced to listen to the babblings of two individuals who prefer to follow the path of denial, who believe that by staying in office they can somehow change the legacy that they are both destined to leave behind.

And what is that legacy, exactly? For Peretz, it is woefully simple. Despite an obviously great lack of military experience, the man let his ego get the better of him, foregoing more aptly suited ministries such as something welfare or finance-related in favor of the more meaty position of Defense Minister, a decision that will surely haunt him until the end of his days (and if it doesn't, it should). He might have even gotten away with it, were it not for that pesky little Second Lebanon War last summer, placing his utterly inadequate level of military knowledge squarely in the spotlight, and immediately dooming him to go down as one of the worst defense ministers in our history. If he weren't so obstinately claiming repeatedly that his lack of knowledge actually made him a better defense minister than those with more knowledge because it allowed him to think outside the box, I might even feel sorry for him and the mess in which he found himself with the outbreak of the war. But alas, no. The man has proved on more than one occasion that he simply doesn't know when to keep his mouth closed, and thus leaves a legacy of bumbling, ineffective management of the war, combined with an inability to lay low and perhaps humbly admit defeat.

The legacy of Olmert is a bit more complex, for in addition to his disastrous handling of the war, the man is a serious scandal magnet, especially with regard to various financial and real estate dealings. In need of a serious attitude adjustment, not to mention a harness for reining in that massive ego, Olmert clearly doesn't care that he has made a mockery of our political system and of his position as our nation's leader – an arena in which it's not so easy to stand out in Israel, given the spectacular prevalence of wrongdoing and questionable ethical hijinks in our hallowed halls of politics. But indeed, Olmert will surely be remembered in the history books as the leader responsible for the mismanagement the Second Lebanon War, the leader who has spent more time running from scandal than actually running the country. He leaves a legacy as the prime minister who dealt the death blows to the nation's already eroded faith in its government, the prime minister who chose to go down kicking and screaming, sadly opting to fling any remaining shreds of decency out the window, willing to do anything to hold onto his seat, even when those who elected him so obviously no longer want him around.

It is more than a little disturbing to discover with such utter finality, without any question of doubt, the true colors of our leaders. There is no way to ignore their smarmy ridicule of the system, their "can't-touch-me" attitudes. Is there anyone out there who honestly believes that the grave mistakes and charges listed in the Winograd Report can somehow be fixed by the current government? Is there any citizen prepared to forgive our leaders (especially our Prime Minister) for such sickening abuses of power?

I would never presume to be able to do these jobs, nor would I want to. I recognize my own shortcomings, and I'd like to think that I'd know better than to step into an important job that I knew was so clearly beyond my abilities. I'd like to think that I would have the integrity to put the needs of the greater good above my own desires, and I'd like to believe that I'd have the good sense to step down honorably if I'd made an irrevocable, colossal blunder. And clearly, this is too much to ask of our current leadership.

Travels, trials and tribulations, and why there's no 80s Music Video Sunday today

As you have probably noticed, there was no 80s Music Video Sunday today, and I'm guessing that some of you are a bit disappointed. We were away for the weekend and only returned a few hours ago, and though I could probably cobble something together, I've decided not to post, given that Memorial Day for Fallen Soldiers and Victims of Terror begins Sunday evening in Israel, and it just seems wrong to post a peppy little 80s song on such a solemn occasion. This is the first year since I moved to Israel more than 15 years ago that I've not been there to commemorate Memorial Day or to celebrate Israel's Independence Day, which begins Monday evening at sundown, and it feels strange. We will, however, be going to an Israeli Independence Day celebration tomorrow at the local Jewish community center, and Memorial Day will be noted as well.

We've generally been having a good trip, and as usual, there's a part of me that doesn't want to return to Israel later this week. The Little One (who has tried my patience on almost a daily basis) is speaking mostly in English these days, albeit with an Israeli accent. We spent the weekend visiting with my brother and his family, and the Little One managed to utterly charm his young cousins, one of whom could not stop talking about how cute he was (she called him "cutie buns") and how all she wanted to do was to hold him and squeeze him. It was all rather adorable, and he kept crying her name for a good part of the trip back home to Grandma and Grandpa's house.

We've seen lots of animals and reptiles (mostly in various aquariums and other such establishments), played in the majority of playgrounds around the city, eaten rather well (the Little One immensely enjoyed the boneless spareribs after we told him that it was chicken), and done a fair amount of shopping (though of course, there's more to be done).

Oh, and I'm very, very tired. I've also developed an even greater respect for stay-at-home- and single parents. I don't know how you do it folks. I love my son to bits, but if I had to do this all the time, I think I'd lose it. I'm absolutely full of admiration for people who can do this, and a bit frustrated because I know I can't. As much as I'd like to stay here, I'm really looking forward to getting back to my husband and allowing him to spend some quality time with the Little One, while allowing me to spend some quality time with myself.

In any event, it is now nearly 9pm, and I've got phone calls to make and a small child to bathe. This week will be hectic, but normal blogging will resume next week.

80s Music Video Sunday #16

During the past few days, Tel Aviv was transformed into a spotty patchwork of red and white as a seemingly endless number of soccer/football fans from England could be found wandering the streets, strolling along the promenade, and, probably more than anything else, drying up the local beer reserves. Thousands of English fans streamed into Israel last week ahead of yesterday evening's Euro qualifier against Israel (and I fell asleep shortly after the game started, which I'm sure will make Anglosaxy lose any respect for me that he might have had). Every newscast has spent an inconceivable amount of time following the goings-on of these fans, and if I had to hazard a guess as to what the most frequently asked interview question was among this crowd, I'd be willing to bet that it had to do with the number of beers they'd had so far that day (with mind-boggling answers such as "10" and "14", which would probably put me in a coma for several days, while these fellows seemed to be fine).

It was also noted on more than one occasion (and often with sloshy, beer-goggled pride) that a number of the fans partook of the services offered by a number of "after-hours" establishments in the vicinity of my office. There was even an interview with one young man as he was, umm, being serviced. He seemed to be having a rather difficult time answering the questions, and when asked which team he thought might win the game, he responded with something like, "ummm.... yeah... I don't... ummm... really know..." Now that, my friends, is entertainment. Overall though, they seemed like a rather cheerful bunch, and as we crawled through the traffic on the road running parallel to the promenade, we couldn't help but get caught up in the atmosphere, especially when we heard the boisterous singing coming from The Buzz Stop and Mike's Place (which made the news in 2003 as the scene of a suicide bombing) as onlookers lined the streets as though the Macy's Parade was about to come through.

It was recently announced that another "fine dining" establishment will soon be reaching our shores from the US, and I couldn't help but think that had this restaurant been here this week, they would have done very well. The eatery in question is Hooters, and if you were to ask me what slogan might be appropriate for the Israeli branch, I'd say something like, "Hooters... Because life in Israel isn't wacko enough...", or "Hooters... Can Israeli society sink any lower?" As I said, though, I think it would have been quite a hit with our English friends this week, given the excitement they displayed about meeting Israeli women (one fan said during yet another televised interview that as long as he got our beer and our women, he didn't care who won the game).

But what does all of this have to do with 80s Music Video Sunday, you ask? Well, all this talk about Hooters has reminded me of a time when Hooters meant something else. When it referred to a band out of Philadelphia that had a number of hits in the 80s, and not a derogatory name for female body parts. I've always really liked the song "And We Danced". I love the upbeat tune, and there's something about the video that has always put me in a good mood. I wonder if it's because the video showed a bunch of kids just having a good time, instead of the usual, recurring rock music video theme of far too many hooters...



And We Danced
The Hooters

She was a be-bop baby on a hard day's night
She was hangin' on Johnny, he was holdin' on tight
I could feel her coming from a mile away
There was no use talking, there was nothing to say
When the band began to play and play

And we danced like a wave on the ocean, romanced
We were liars in love and we danced
Swept away for a moment by chance
And we danced and danced danced

I met my be-bop baby at the Union Hall
She could dance all night and shake the paint off the walls
But when I saw her smile across a crowded room
Well I knew we'd have to leave the party soon
As the band began to play out of tune

And we danced like a wave on the ocean, romanced
We were liars in love and we danced
Swept away for a moment by chance
And we danced and danced danced

The endless beat, she's walkin' my way
Hear the music fade when she says
Are we getting too close, do we care to get closer
The room is spinning as she whispers my name

And we danced like a wave on the ocean, romanced
We were liars in love and we danced
Swept away for a moment by chance
And we danced and danced danced

And we danced like a wave on the ocean, romanced
We were liars in love and we danced
Swept away for a moment by chance
And we danced and danced danced

And we danced...
And we danced...
And we danced...
And we danced...

Calling a Crime a Crime

Given the fact that European Jewry was nearly decimated in the last century, and noting that anti-Semitism has been on the rise for some years now, it is nothing short of scandalous that our government has, at the request of the prime minister, opted not to discuss the genocide carried out by the Ottoman Empire against the Armenians from 1915 to 1917. I am usually one of those individuals who argues mightily against those who believe that the Jewish people should be held to higher moral standards than others, but in this case, we should indeed be ashamed of the stance taken by our government. Who are we – living in a state created from the ashes of our own Holocaust – to deny the Holocaust of another nation? And indeed, it was nothing short of a Holocaust, as anywhere from hundreds of thousands – perhaps even one-and-a-half million – Armenians perished.

What is it about Turkey that makes all other nations feel the need to bend over backwards and turn a blind eye, whether it involves the Armenian genocide, Cyprus, or even the law according to which an individual can be convicted of the vague crime of "insulting Turkishness"? It occurs to me as I write this, that if I were writing as a Turk, I could be convicted of such a crime, which is simply mind-boggling. It seems to me that if the Turks were truly as keen as they say they are with regard to joining the European Union, that they would be prepared to come to terms with certain aspects of their past, instead of refusing to acknowledge these events and insisting that other nations do the same. It is disappointing that they have managed to stifle criticism of their past and present actions, and nothing short of criminal that they expect their trading partners to do the same. How can Turkey successfully join and integrate into the EU without truly coming to terms with its history, without addressing and rectifying its mistakes?

It is shameful that the Israeli government prefers to avoid hurting the sensibilities of a government that seems to have no problem when it comes to criticizing ours, especially when dealing with the topic of the Armenian genocide. By doing so, we are conveniently ignoring historical lessons learned, and setting the stage for those who choose to conveniently ignore the Holocaust against the Jews. Our government, by its actions, is essentially lending a hand to Holocaust denial. The lengths that we will go to in order to obtain acceptance as a nation have grown very scary indeed.

Israeli diplomacy at its most creative...

Like many of my like-minded friends, I find myself becoming tired - overwhelmed, even - by the way that Israel is always being portrayed in the news. It is exhausting to see the constant stream of bad press because of our actions in the Territories, our behavior at checkpoints, targeted assassinations etc. It is frustrating, because I know that we are capable of so much more than these acts of violence and humiliation, and that there are so many other faces that we can be showing to the world, which is why it was so refreshing to come across this article in Haaretz today, proving once again all that Israel is so much more than just an oppressor of Palestinians.

Envoy to El Salvador recalled, reportedly found naked, drunk
By Haaretz Service

The Foreign Ministry recalled Israel's ambassador to El Salvador,
Tzuriel Refael, after he was reportedly found on the street naked, drunk, bound and gagged, Israel Radio reported on Monday.

According to reports, two weeks ago San Salvador police approached a man that seemed to be in need of help. Upon reaching the man, they discovered that he was inebriated, his hands were tied, his mouth was gagged with a rubber ball and he was carrying accessories that implied he had been involved in sexual activity.

In spite of his inebriated state, the naked man identified himself by his full name and explained that he is Israel's ambassador to the country.

An eggstra special conviction

In an entry that I wrote back in September 2005, I briefly described the long, painful journey we took in order to bring our son into the world. I won't rehash it all now, but I will tell you that one of the paths we chose involved three failed rounds of egg donation treatment. Legislation in Israel regarding egg donation is changing, and to be honest, I'm not sure where things stand these days. When we elected to go down that road several years ago, however, the laws stated that only women who were undergoing fertility treatment could donate eggs. There were no donor banks like those that exist for sperm donation, and women who were not undergoing fertility treatment themselves could not volunteer to donate eggs. As a result of these policies, there was a shortage of donated eggs. Understandably, many women undergoing treatment found it difficult to give up something that had taken so much to obtain, and I didn't blame them for wanting to do the maximum ensure success, for not wanting to sacrifice the few chances they had.

There were other issues as well. I wondered about the quality of the eggs being donated, given that they were coming from women who were themselves having trouble conceiving, a problem that can stem from a multitude of factors, whether they be age-related, genetic, or simply a question of the woman's ability to produce good-quality ova. I also wondered how donors and recipients were matched, as I naively wanted a donor who had similar physical features to ours. We continued to make the rounds of various specialists to discuss our options, and while I don't remember much of what was said, the one thing I do remember is that the waiting list for receiving donated eggs was very long, and it could take more than a year until we reached the top of the list.

And then in 2000, the scandal broke. A senior gynecologist and fertility specialist was accused of giving several of his patients who were undergoing fertility treatment dangerously high doses of hormones so that they would produce very large amounts of eggs. Each of the women had previously agreed to donate some of their eggs, and the doctor was accused of harvesting the eggs in order to sell them to other infertile women. Needless to say, the (already low) number of women who were prepared to donate eggs plummeted, while demand for such eggs did not. Many Israeli fertility clinics halted egg donation procedures in the wake of the scandal, and any remaining thoughts we had of having the procedure performed in Israel via our health maintenance fund disappeared. There were almost no eggs available, nor would there be any available in the foreseeable future. This one doctor and his cohorts had single-handedly destroyed the egg donation option in Israel. Women had previously considered donating their eggs were no longer interested, terrified by the knowledge that an unscrupulous doctor had endangered the health and the lives of his patients undergoing the same procedure.

We went through two egg donation cycles abroad – one in London and one in Madrid. We considered cycling in the US, but the costs and the logistics were prohibitive, and we discovered that we could work with top-rated European clinics for much less than the cost of average US clinics. Each treatment cycle required two trips to Europe, not to mention the incredible amount of work that was necessary to coordinate schedules, reproductive cycles, flights (including one flight to Madrid on three days' notice) and accommodations. Research of the various medications was also required, in order to ensure that I would be able to purchase in Israel the drugs that were being prescribed in Europe. Time off had to be arranged from work – sometimes on very short notice.

And in the end, both cycles failed. We managed to do a third cycle in Israel that involved sending sperm to Romania to fertilize eggs provided by an anonymous Romanian donor, then having the fertilized eggs frozen and flown back to Israel for transfer. While legal, it was still rather murky, and involved quite a bit of hassle with our HMO, as we would have to pay out of our own pockets, but they might be willing to reimburse for part of the amount. The Romanian option came as a solution for women who for one reason or another could not seek out private treatment abroad as we had done. There were several similar options involving Romania, Poland, and Greece (and probably other countries where legislation is vague and treatment is inexpensive), and many of them involved some level of partnership and cooperation between fertility specialists in Israel and the foreign clinics. Some involved one or both partners flying abroad, others involved only the transfer of frozen sperm and fertilized ova between the two countries (as we had done). An entire industry was cropping up to fill the great hole that was created primarily as a result of the scandal in 2000.

I believe that Israeli legislation is being changed in order to allow any woman to donate eggs. Passing such a law would be a positive step that will allow great numbers of Israeli women to pursue dreams of creating a family, filling a painful void that cannot possibly be fully understood by someone who has never been in that situation. In the meantime, I felt great satisfaction this morning when I read this article. Seven years after the scandal first broke, Dr. Zion Ben-Raphael has been convicted by a Health Ministry disciplinary panel of "conduct unbecoming a doctor and violating patients rights laws", and will hopefully be appropriately punished for his actions. I'm not sure what punishment would be considered sufficient in light of all the damage he caused – damage to the credibility of an entire industry, and damage to the hopes of thousands of Israeli women in need of donor eggs, but punishment for the guilty parties coupled with an increased level of public awareness and changes to existing legislation will hopefully create an environment where the obstacles along the often painful journey to parenthood can be minimized as much as possible, no matter what kind of treatment is needed in order to complete the journey.

What kind of republic are we?

Until recently, I was under the impression that Israel was something of a banana republic, but it appears I was off the mark. Sure, the term that comes to mind these days can potentially resemble a banana (if one stretches their imagination just a little...) in shape, but that's where the similarity ends, I'm afraid. With all the excitement generated by our temporarily incapacitated president and our former justice minister, it would seem that Israel has turned into something far more sinister than a banana republic – we are now officially a penile republic.

Following the news these days is like passing a car accident on the highway – you don't want to look, you know it's going to be horrible, but you just can't help yourself. Between the president's frightening display of emotion during his press conference last week to Haim Ramon being found guilty of indecent behavior yesterday, the usual disregard and contempt for the law that many of our politicians show on a regular basis has taken on a far more disgusting quality. Seriously, what is it with these men in power? Given the increasing levels of public awareness regarding sexual harassment issues, it is utterly shocking that these individuals and others of their ilk have the audacity to behave as they do. I'm not even going to address the alleged "misdeeds" of the president – I wouldn't know where to begin, and they have been covered ad nauseum everywhere else. I will say that I was disappointed that he resorted to the race card, insinuating that one of the primary reasons that he was being "targeted" was due to his background as a Persian immigrant, which was a pathetic attempt to downplay the incredibly grave charges made against him.

And then there is the case of Haim Ramon, Israel's former Justice Minister. I was never a big fan of his before this whole episode came to light, and needless to say, I now find him revolting. I still haven't decided what I think about this whole trial, but words escape me when I hear what he has to say about the incident at hand. The only thing that keeps running through my mind is, "he should know better". He should know better than to perpetrate such an act. He should know enough to control himself. He should know better than to make lecherous advances on a young woman less than half his age, especially given his position as a politician (justice minister, no less!) and hers as a soldier. He should know better, given that he appears to be in a committed relationship with another woman (why she's chosen to stay with him is beyond me). And now let's play devil's advocate for a second. Let's say that there is a tiny kernel of truth in his version, and that the young woman in question was, as he put it, "flirting", or that she was the instigator. He should have stopped it dead. He should have known that allowing it to continue was wrong. No matter what the circumstances surrounding the kiss, the point is that it should never have happened. It should never have been allowed to happen.

It is more than a little disturbing when a former justice minister opts for the "she wanted it" defense, when he allows his desires to cloud his judgment, and deludes himself into thinking that what he is doing is acceptable, when in fact nothing can be farther from the truth. With power comes responsibility, and as justice minister, it was Ramon's responsibility to ensure that he did not use the powers given to him to act inappropriately. He failed in that responsibility. He failed as a public figure and as a man. And for that, his deeds should not go unnoticed or unpunished. Precisely because of who he is and what he symbolizes, his case should be used an example. People must be made to realize that actions have consequences and that responsibility supersedes desire. Oh, and it doesn't matter what she's wearing, it doesn't matter if she's flirting. If she doesn't say yes, that means the answer is no. You'd think that in this day and age, that would already be understood, but clearly, if an Israeli justice minister, a president, various politicians, military personnel and other public figures here don't get it, we've still got a long way to go in getting the message out.