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Last update - 09:51 27/02/2007 Meet me on the corner of Ze'evi and Kahane By Shahar Ilan What were the members of Or Akiva's Names Committee thinking when, 15 years ago, they approved naming a street after Meir Kahane, founder of the extreme right-wing party Kach? And why did it take a decade and a half for the matter to become a bone of public contention? It is hard to say what prompted these decisions. It is also difficult to understand why another advocate of implementing a population transfer policy for Arabs who was also assassinated, Rehavam (Gandhi) Ze'evi, was given the honor of having a boulevard in Rishon Letzion, a bridge above Tel Aviv's Ayalon Expressway and the Jordan Valley highway named after him. The moral of the story is that if you are a racist who has become the victim of an assassination, it is better if you are also a major general (reserves) and a cabinet minister. In 1986, Jerusalem's Municipal Names Committee decided to name a street after the victims of the Deir Yassin massacre - not the Arab victims - but the five Jewish ones, who were members of the two underground Jewish armies operating during the British Mandate in Palestine, the Irgun and the Lehi. It took then Jerusalem mayor Teddy Kollek two months to rescind the decision. Advertisement Fringe benefit Jerusalem has a thoroughfare called The Politician Street (Rehov Haaskan). Many of the streets in Israel commemorate long-forgotten politicians. Haim Handwerker once wrote in Haaretz that the names committee granted the last possible fringe benefit a municipality could offer. Former Haaretz television critic Hedda Bosches asserted that obviously you have to know how to influence matters even after you pass away. According to Tel Aviv's late deputy mayor Yitzhak Artzi, street-naming is particularly complicated in Israel because Jews are very sensitive to the issue of commemoration. Perhaps this is one reason why in Israel, contrary to common practice in many Western countries, roads and highway interchanges commemorate people - so there will be enough names to go around. One problem, however, is that, barring intervention, the Government Names Committee tends to name interurban highways after geographic places. Generally, street names commemorate the ruling elite. A survey conducted two years ago by Tel Aviv-Jaffa municipal council member Itai Pincas revealed that, of the city's 940 streets commemorating people, 896 honored Jewish males and only 40 (4 percent) honored women. Although 6 percent of Tel Avivians are Arab, only four streets are named after Arab public figures. In 2006, in a desperate attempt to correct the imbalance, Tel Aviv's Names Committee decided to name eight streets after women. However, since Tel Aviv has no room for new streets, the chances for change are slim. In 2005, 114 names were on the waiting list for a street to honor them. A week and a half after prime minister Yitzhak Rabin's assassination, the Israel Electric Corporation decided to name its Hadera power station Orot Rabin. But the station was already named Orot David, honoring David Shiffman, the corporation's chairman for 13 years. Shiffman's family sued and a compromise was reached: The station itself would be named after Shiffman while the entire site would bear Rabin's name. Similarly, the decision to rename Petah Tikva's Beilinson Hospital in Rabin's memory aroused opposition. A compromise solution meant that the medical center uniting Beilinson with HaSharon Hospital would bear Rabin's name. Writing in Haaretz, Amnon Dankner noted that present-day Israel is not a nation of conquerors, in which names are erased. He argued that there will always be new places and that you do not have to march backward with a giant eraser. At the corner of Rabin and Rabin In 2005, Ran Shapira, writing in Haaretz, published the following list of places in Israel commemorating Rabin: 14 neighborhoods; 24 streets, boulevards and roads; two bridges; 36 schools and educational campuses; 11 gardens and groves; 7 parks; 13 memorials; a youth hostel in Jerusalem; a promenade in Binyamina; two complexes of government offices; three community centers; but only two synagogues. These figures suggest the existence of a personality cult. The numbers also raise the question of whether there are some cities and towns in Israel that have not commemorated Rabin in any form whatsoever. In practice, Israel is actually a nation that does march backward with a giant eraser in its hand. During the British Mandate period in Palestine, many streets in this country commemorated important British figures, including members of the royal family, high commissioners and governors. In Jerusalem, while Royal Jordanian Legionnaire snipers fired shots in Princess Mary Street, the city's municipal names committee renamed it Queen Shlomzion Street. Only King George Street survived the great purge. When Israel became a state in 1948, Haifa's Coastal Road was renamed United Nations Boulevard - in appreciation of the UN General Assembly vote on the partition of Palestine. However, in 1975, when the General Assembly passed a resolution equating Zionism with racism, the street was again renamed, becoming Zionism Boulevard. "Dear Editor, I live on Warsaw Ghetto Street, corner Olei Hagardom Street. [Olei Hagardom = literally, those who were sent to the gallows - that is, the Jewish underground fighters hanged by the British authorities in Mandatory Palestine.] From the window of my kitchen, I can see the Ten Martyrs of the Roman Empire Garden ... and from my bedroom, on a clear day, you can see Holocaust Street and Victims Boulevard. Dear Editor ... Ever since moving here, I have stopped smiling" (from Yehonatan Gefen's skit, "Letters to the Editor"). Olei Hagardom Street is the main thoroughfare of Jerusalem's East Talpiot neighborhood, which also includes streets like The Martyrs of Babylon, The Marranos of Meshad and Dov Gruner (an Irgun member hanged by the British in 1947). The plans to name Ayalon Park, which includes Hiriya Hill, in honor of former prime minister Ariel Sharon raise the issue of naming places after living people. Generally, such naming practices are viewed as a form of megalomania. Persons commemorated during their lifetime include such legendary mayors as Teddy Kollek (Jerusalem's Teddy Stadium), former Tel Aviv mayor Shlomo Lahat (a promenade) and current Rishon Letzion Mayor Meir Nitzan (a concert hall). Rishon Letzion's inhabitants believe in commemorating people during their lifetime and the city has a Shimon Per es Street, named after the vice prime minister. In Sharon's case, the problem is the opposite: Could the plans for naming South Tel Aviv's giant park in his honor be considered a form of burying him alive? Bookmark to del.icio.us   Nothing to fear Nasrallah says power of IDF exaggerated, Zionist entity can be wiped out. Sharing the blame Al-Qaida deputy calls on Muslims to strike Jews 'everywhere' over Gaza raids.   1.   Oh Boy 08:53  |  Colin Wright 27/02/07   2.   KAHANE, BEGIN, MLADIC, POLPOT ARE THE SAME SPECIES 08:58  |  indrajaya 27/02/07   3.   This Is The Way It Ought To Work 09:11  |  Yosemite 27/02/07   4.   israel needs a larger core of professional soldiers 09:16  |  flashman 27/02/07   5.   Why not "Via Del Arafat" He was 09:20  |  Racon-tour 27/02/07   6.   KAHANEs Party was banned.Hamas was elected to rule the Pals. 09:24  |  PETER. S.M 27/02/07   7.   I admire Haaretz for it`s uncorrupted journalism..... 09:35  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/02/07   8.   KA on Jews and Judaism 09:39  |  DB 27/02/07   9.   If Rabin, Who Murdered Jews On The Altalena... 10:20  |  Yishai Kohen 27/02/07   10.   "K.A." Any comments on Sadaam Hussein street in Palestine? 10:45  |  PETER SM 27/02/07   11.   #2 Indrajaya: More of your racist Muslim bigotry 10:48  |  Yacov 27/02/07   12.   Arabs name streets, building, parks after serial killers 10:53  |  Yacov 27/02/07   13.   JEWS: If you listened Rav Kahane, there would be no Intifadah. 10:56  |  Vittorio 27/02/07   14.   The greatest Jew since the Rebirth of Israel 11:04  |  Choni Davidowitz 27/02/07   15.   Good article 11:06  |  Luabnani Yehudi 27/02/07   16.   Honoring the outlaws. 11:15  |  M. Franks-Lhermann 27/02/07   17.   Who cares? 11:57  |  Maureen Ann 27/02/07   18.   How about the naming football teams after suicide bombers? 11:59  |  PETER SM 27/02/07   19.   # 11, YACOV 12:15  |  indrajaya 27/02/07   20.   Wake up, Maureen Ann, and come to realize that 12:18  |  Petra 27/02/07   21.   How far can you Go? 12:26  |  Khaled Yakkoiub 27/02/07   22.   To #12, Yakov in Ashkelon. 12:26  |  M. Franks-Lhermann 27/02/07   23.   # 18 PETER SM The problem with high demands and the reality 12:38  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/02/07   24.   #20Petra So, who said a bad dream is not... 12:39  |  Maureen Ann 27/02/07   25.   Everything Kahane said, is true ... History is on his side 13:02  |  Steven 27/02/07   26.   jakarta 13:07  |  truth sayer 27/02/07   27.   Hundreds of Squares in PA area`s named after suicide bombers 13:11  |  Steven 27/02/07   28.   If Kahane was PM, Arab children would not be killed by the IDF 13:15  |  Steven 27/02/07   29.   If there is an airport called Ben Gurion, what is the problem? 13:28  |  George Khoury 27/02/07   30.   Deir Yassin = Arab lie just like Jenin 13:32  |  Steven 27/02/07   31.   What`s in a name 13:35  |  Baruch Nili 27/02/07   32.   And why are things named after Rabin? 13:37  |  Ilan 27/02/07   33.   Why not the country? "Eretz Kahane". 13:37  |  Elizabeth 27/02/07   34.   SWISS .Just illustrating what the Pals do while crying innocent. 13:47  |  PETER SM 27/02/07   35.   Aren`t there any honourable Jews left.... 13:57  |  Edith 27/02/07   36.   Why not name... 14:00  |  Edith 27/02/07   37.   Kahane was RIGHT!!!! 14:01  |  Timothy 27/02/07   38.   # 34 PETER SM 14:07  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/02/07   39.   EDITH How about renaming Belgium the "Rapists of Congo" 14:11  |  PETER SM 27/02/07   40.   Look on the bright side.... 14:11  |  Ronnie Wolman 27/02/07   41.   ELIZABETH Why name it after a party that was officially banned.? 14:17  |  PETER SM 27/02/07   42.   Edith on "no" honorable Jews left 14:23  |  DB 27/02/07   43.   What About Sderot Baruch Goldstein?? 14:26  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   44.   Shahar Ilan 14:41  |  Gene 27/02/07   45.   Regarding the British street names: Slight correction 14:44  |  zmogus 27/02/07   46.   # 40 / # 41 PETER SM and DB Maybe you both read again...... 14:47  |  Swiss (Dino) 27/02/07   47.   Steven..You need help 14:47  |  Yossi Mahran 27/02/07   48.   Yossi Mahran and moronic drivel 15:09  |  Steven 27/02/07   49.   Maureen`s Bad Dream # 17 15:12  |  albert amato 27/02/07   50.   # 36, EDITH 15:16  |  indrajaya 27/02/07   51.   Baruch Goldstein stopped a Massacre in Hebron 15:19  |  Steven 27/02/07   52.   edith in Belgium and Sept. 11 15:19  |  bev 27/02/07   53.   # 42 DB: I care about both 15:24  |  Edith 27/02/07   54.   #25.Steven. I already started believing posters saying K was dead 15:24  |  zmogus 27/02/07   55.   Prove me wrong about kahane and I will say I am wrong 15:27  |  Steven 27/02/07   56.   Rehov Kahane 15:28  |  Sammy 27/02/07   57.   Yaakov Sullivan who refuses to recognize Israel`s 15:39  |  Nirah Greenberg 27/02/07   58.   History has proven that Kahane was right. 15:41  |  Yacov 27/02/07   59.   Street Names 15:52  |  Johnny Weintraub 27/02/07   60.   Thinking? Rather a honest action 15:57  |  Mark Lincoln 27/02/07   61.   100`s of streets parks universities named in HONOR OF TERRORISTS 15:58  |  B 27/02/07   62.   a professional unit of soldiers 16:13  |  flashman 27/02/07   63.   History has proven that Kahane was right. 16:25  |  Yacov 27/02/07   64.   Nirah, let`s get with the programme! #51 16:39  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   65.   Yacov, I think all public bathrooms throughout Israel...#61 16:47  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   66.   Kahane`s plea for Israel... 16:48  |  Edith 27/02/07   67.   End of the memory. With a little help of obtuse officials 16:49  |  zmogus 27/02/07   68.   Yaakov Sullivan do you? 16:52  |  Steven 27/02/07   69.   Steven, well, good luck to you and your wish list #68 17:12  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   70.   Praise for Rabbi Kahane 17:21  |  Choni Davidowitz 27/02/07   71.   yaakov sullivan can you answer a question? 17:23  |  Steven 27/02/07   72.   Steven, I really don`t mean to be rude, but it must be said #71 17:27  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   73.   Choni Davidovitz on the dead one 17:30  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   74.   Kahanes ideology was no murder, just 17:51  |  TOMY 27/02/07   75.   TOMY kahane only stated what the torah says 17:58  |  Steven 27/02/07   76.   Street-naming semantics playing curious jokes 18:02  |  zmogus 27/02/07   77.   #17 Agein, Maureen Ann from Bathurstan 18:13  |  TOMY 27/02/07   78.   # Steven. You too can become a prophet!!! 18:29  |  zmogus 27/02/07   79.   Steven #71 18:50  |  Chaval 27/02/07   80.   #79, Chaval to Steven. Who knows, who knows... 19:05  |  zmogus 27/02/07   81.   STEVEN AND INNOCENT CHILDREN 19:12  |  StephenConnor 27/02/07   82.   Zmogus #80 19:16  |  Chaval 27/02/07   83.   Don`t forget Zionism Boulevard! 19:22  |  zvi 27/02/07   84.   Edith and Godfrey of Bouillon 19:53  |  Polybios 27/02/07   85.   Steven They Killed A Jewish Woman In New York City 20:15  |  Yosemite 27/02/07   86.   I met the guy and he was a lunatic 20:34  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 27/02/07   87.   The US calls for a Palestinian state thus... 20:34  |  Steven 27/02/07   88.   Here`s a spectacular anecdote. On the subject, I promisse. 20:35  |  zmogus 27/02/07   89.   83 innocent children? 20:39  |  Steven 27/02/07   90.   Nothing wrong with naming streets after Kahane or Zeevi 20:44  |  Dr. L. Brnd 27/02/07   91.   Israel has more than enough room to house all Jews 20:44  |  Steven 27/02/07   92.   All Jews have been thrown out and will be 20:48  |  Steven 27/02/07   93.   IF the vatican can be Christian Israel can be Jewish 20:48  |  Steven 27/02/07   94.   Yosemite you did not prove anything 20:54  |  Steven 27/02/07   95.   Abu Firas Al Qudsi 20:57  |  Steven 27/02/07   96.   #89, Steven. You made my evening 21:16  |  zmogus 27/02/07   97.   #95 Kahane was a loser 21:21  |  Abu Firas Al Qudsi 27/02/07   98.   Yaakov sullivan the arrogant/ignorant 21:36  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   99.   Yaakov sullivan...in full support of arab terrorist names only 21:39  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   100.   countless streets in arab areas named for murderers 21:40  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   101.   Yaakov can bash jews but forgets to say anything about.... 21:42  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   102.   Would you like some cheese... 21:42  |  Nachash Tsefah 27/02/07   103.   Yaakov, no comment about arab streets named for terrorists??????? 21:43  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   104.   Abu Firas Al Qudsi discraces dead while speaks well of terrorists 21:45  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   105.   SHIMON, you mean Rabbi Pruzansky doesnt have??? 21:48  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   106.   SHIMON, could you show me pleae? #99 21:53  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   107.   Kahane was a terrorist thug...good riddance! 21:55  |  Goldstein 27/02/07   108.   Street Names 22:10  |  ER 27/02/07   109.   yaakov..dont be so disgusting to happily say arab terrorist names 22:13  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   110.   Yaakov....talking about lashon hara just proves your hypocircy 22:15  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   111.   how revealiing! 22:22  |  margaret 27/02/07   112.   Shimon, now lets get back on track 22:33  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   113.   pruzansky and land deals Simon#110 22:38  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   114.   Abu Firas Al Qudsi HAHAHAHA 22:39  |  Steven 27/02/07   115.   No, Margaret, it should be on the privy #111 22:43  |  Yaakov Sullivan 27/02/07   116.   not one person was able to prove kahane was bad 22:46  |  Steven 27/02/07   117.   I am not racist to anybody 22:48  |  Steven 27/02/07   118.   #97 Abu Firas Al Qudsi, I hope you using your intelect to 23:16  |  TOMY 27/02/07   119.   Yaakov....coulda sword u just mentioned somethin bout Lashon Hara 23:19  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   120.   #98 SHIMON, SULLIVAN (NETURA KARTA) 23:19  |  TOMY 27/02/07   121.   Yaakov...the Lashon Hara king 23:24  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   122.   Yaakov, facts are you enemy, eh? 23:24  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   123.   Yaakov wont be happy till streets are named for arab terrorists 23:28  |  SHIMON 27/02/07   124.   Yosemite to Steven #85 23:46  |  Chaval 27/02/07   125.   Kahane Z" L was right 23:49  |  Debbie 27/02/07   126.   #49albert amato, Israel is the world`s... 00:08  |  Maureen Ann 28/02/07   127.   An example 00:16  |  Schtarker Yid 28/02/07   128.   Meir Kahane: We wish you were here today 00:18  |  Stayin Alive 28/02/07   129.   #107 Goldstein (we know that`s not your name) 00:34  |  * BEN JABO 28/02/07   130.   Kahane 01:10  |  Oleg 28/02/07   131.   #126 Maureen Ann - None is so blind as yourself 01:12  |  * BEN JABO 28/02/07   132.   Maureen Ann 02:46  |  Connie 28/02/07   133.   al quadsi 02:58  |  Connie 28/02/07   134.   #2 indrajaya - You left a few out 03:12  |  * BEN JABO 28/02/07   135.   #107 Let`s get something straight 07:39  |  Sam 28/02/07   136.   Yeah, call it DESOLATION ROAD 10:02  |  Ralph is back 28/02/07   137.   The name that dare not be mentioned 10:03  |  Joe 28/02/07   138.   @97, abu firas 10:07  |  vladimir 28/02/07   139.   Kahana and ethnic cleansing 10:10  |  Sherlock Holmes 28/02/07   140.   #107 using the name of GOLDSTEIN 23:24  |  * BEN JABO 28/02/07   141.   #24 Maureen Ann 23:26  |  * BEN JABO 28/02/07   142.   Sderot Herzl now Rechov HaRav Shach 20:58  |  Jack 24/03/08

Today Online Al-Qaida No. 2: Strike Jews 'everywhere' over Gaza raids Responses: 101 Nasrallah: The Zionist entity can be wiped out of existence Responses: 80 Barak: We must take Hezbollah's latest threats seriously Responses: 53 Loving Jesus but fearing the neighbors in Ariel Responses: 61 Shahar Ilan: The dangerous vision of an Arab-free Knesset Responses: 38 Rosner's Domain Guest, Kurtzer: US needs to be a 'honest broker' A ceasefire must be clear on the point of rocket fire (WTR) Govt. to appeal ruling on classified material in AIPAC trial There's no need for American pressure on Israel Poll: Mideast summit in Moscow, a good idea? More Headlines 23:09 Nasrallah: The Zionist entity can be wiped out of existence 21:57 IDF soldier suspected of handing intel over to Hezbollah 17:26 Barak: We'll ease W. Bank plight, but checkpoints to stay for now 19:22 Arab MKs storm out of Knesset when Lieberman speaks 18:14 Qureia: Fatah signed reconciliation draft with Hamas due to mixup 21:40 Bank of Israel cuts interest rate to lowest level in history 19:10 Rosner's Guest: Daniel Kurtzer 15:22 Palestinians: Civilian dead, another hurt as IDF troops enter Gaza 14:02 Al-Qaida No. 2: Muslims must strike Jews 'everywhere' over Gaza raids 22:41 Knesset okays for first time 2 laws governing organ transplants 19:42 Israel hands over remains of Jordanian soldier killed in 1967 war 22:04 Welfare Min. data shows 10,000 children at risk of parental abuse Previous Editions Select Day 23 mar 21 mar 20 mar 19 mar 18 mar 17 mar 16 mar 14 mar 13 mar 12 mar 11 mar 10 mar

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