Sharon's real legacy - keeping the Arabs out of sight
Foreigners realize in London or Paris they see a lot more Arabs than in most Israeli cities.
By Aluf Benn Tags: Ariel Sharon Israel news Palestinians West BankLet's assume the optimistic forecast by special U.S. envoy George Mitchell comes true and in two years the establishment of an independent Palestine is declared at a ceremony. The event will be broadcast on prime time, but most Israelis will opt to view "Big Brother 6," "Survivor 7" or whatever the next television hit is. Viewers will behave this way not because they oppose a Palestinian state but because they are indifferent. Palestine-shmalestine simply does not interest them.
Most Israelis today are cut off from the conflict with the Palestinians and do not interact with them. From their point of view, the Palestinians are blurry figures during TV newscasts: Mahmoud Abbas and Ismail Haniyeh speak, women covered from head to toe mourn in a tent, men run with a stretcher after an ambulance, men concealing their faces fire Qassam rockets. Israelis have no interest in knowing anything further. Nablus and Ramallah are about 40 minutes by car from Tel Aviv, but in the eyes of Tel Avivians they are on a different planet. New York, London and Thailand are much closer.
The settlers beyond the separation fence are the only Israelis who see Palestinians, mostly through car windows on the roads they share. The settlers, like the Palestinians, are disconnected from the residents of the Tel Aviv region, Haifa or Be'er Sheva, who hardly ever cross the fence. They have no business in Elon Moreh, Yitzhar or Psagot. The big settlements like Ma'aleh Adumim and Ariel can be reached almost without having to see Palestinians.
The policy of isolation is the real legacy of Ariel Sharon, who built the fence in the West Bank, left the Gaza Strip and pushed the Palestinians out of the Israeli labor force. Sharon did not believe in peace and was not interested in links with the "Arabs." All he wanted was to protect the Jews from attacks by their "bloodthirsty" neighbors. Keeping them out of sight lets Israelis live as if there were no conflict, with only settlers on the periphery and soldiers on the firing line.
The "demographic problem" also is not frightening when it is locked up behind walls and fences.
In the past Israel's economy relied on Palestinian workers, but only older Israelis remember them at restaurants, construction sites and gas stations. Here and there one can still find friendships; waiters at Restaurant 206 in Kiryat Shaul sometimes gather their tips for a Palestinian friend who once waited tables and is now besieged in the Gaza Strip. Stories like this are almost part of folklore. The Israeli economy is geared toward Wall Street, not Shuhada Street. The stock market is hardly affected by routine security issues, and real estate prices are flying high as if this were Hong Kong, not a country under threat on a constant war alert.
The Israel Defense Forces, who sent generations of Israelis to the territories, has minimized the exposure of its soldiers to the Palestinians. Fewer and fewer people do reserve duty, and even fewer in the West Bank. The regular army has minimized the activities of its units in the territories and transferred much of the policing duties in the West Bank to the Kfir Brigade. Air force crews, who carry the burden of the fighting in the Gaza Strip, see the Palestinians as silent spots on their screens fed from drone footage.
Entertainment intensifies the gap in the way Israelis have come to regard their country, and the way it is seen in the world. The local media describes Israel as a Western high-tech superpower, an annex of Manhattan and Hollywood. The foreign media covers the conflict: terrorist attacks and assassinations, settlements and peace talks. When the Israelis who have never visited a settlement see themselves on CNN they are offended: We are not like that. This is anti-Semitic propaganda.
Foreigners visiting Israel are amazed to discover the degree to which reality here is disconnected from what they heard at home. They expect a violent apartheid state, and are surprised that the toilets and buses are not separate for Jews and Arabs. They imagine a conservative, buttoned-up society and are shocked by Tel Aviv's nightlife. They walk in the street and realize that in London or Paris they see a lot more Arabs than in most Israeli cities.
Because of the entertainment and indifference, the government doesn't face public pressure to pull out of the territories and establish a Palestinian state, and the opposition to the American peace initiative is being led by the extremists on the right. Most Israelis simply don't care; they gave up on the territories a long time ago. If Mitchell succeeds in his mission, they will hear about it and change the channel.
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If it is wrong for one not to see Jews in Moslem cities, why isn't it wrong not to see Moslems in Jewish cities. Don't the same rues apply to both groups?
Mr. Benn is giving a great deal of credence to the power of former PM Sharon who lies in a comatose deathly-life and who, unwittingly, is becoming Aluf Benn's false Idol. It is not intelligent to be so simplistic about the causes and processes that led to the building of the ugly, massive, protective fence, over which many of our Arab friends crossed that they might be safe and cared for in Ha Aretz. For shame, HaAretz, that you publish incendiary articles such as Mr. Benn's in order to sell newspapers. Better to perish than publish the likes of this!
When I was last in Israel a year and a half ago, I remember eating in a lovely, clean, "Arab" Israeli (Palestinian) whatever terms, restaurant. The food was absolutely delicious, the waiters and waitresses so friendly and accomodating. In fact, they seemed a lot more polite and warm than Jewish Israelis who always seem to be in a rush, so intense. The Arab Israelis I've met were so much more relaxed, fun, and very friendly. The ones that cause terror and violence, I will not blame on being Arab or Palestinian, just on being evil. That's the problem in our world, not what race a person is. Look at the Americans who have linked up with al quaida. Race has nothing to do with what people are in their hearts. Also, it would be better if Ariel Sharon could speak for himself. I admire his courage, and what he has done to help protect Israel, even though it may seem a little extreme, as the saying goes, "he did what he had to do."
you and your kin in the stolen land weren't stealing more land and killing more arabs everyday, while importing more jews to fill the stolen clonies in what is left of palestine...no joe it is you invading jews who are the first cause and the problem...everywhere you go
He quotes about Sharon , "All he wanted was to protect the Jews from attacks by their "bloodthirsty" neighbors". Correct , and what is wrong with it ? I fully understand Sharons farsightedness , because , unfortunately , Arabs will never except Israels existence in the ME from good will . And Sharon knew it that only separation and strong defense can assure Israels safety . The previous unabated Arab terror will not be tolerated any more . Sharon was a true leader and a hero of Israel .
Before the 1st Intifada there was definitely more social intercourse between Jews and Arabs in Israel and the Administered territories. The Oslo period saw political collaboration and increased terrorism. Sharon was elected to provide renewed security. But just because he led that effort doesn't make it Sharon's legacy. This is the legacy of Zionism as a whole and precisely why the majority of Israelis want negotiations and a two state solution. Israelis don't want this because of Ariel Sharon.Despite the strengthening of the Right in Israel, the current government is doing the bidding of the majority which is democratically in order.
No Charlie, it's not racism with Israel decides to keep out a population whose leaders maintain policies of human rights abuses and war crimes. Yes, both Fatah and Hamas still advocate attacks on Israeli civilians - a war crime. No, Fatah does not support a 2-state solution (go read their website). And Benn was wrong in his analysis. The Palestinians at every step of the way have demanded separation from Israel: their leaders don't want them working here, they don't want them buying our products, they don't want them socializing with us (loosely termed "collaboration" even if you're just working for an Israeli to feed your family). Who are the racists? Look at the Palestinian policies and statements against the Jews. Look at the Palestinian record of terrorist attacks. Of course we're shutting them out, so would you if your neighbor didn't just threaten to kill you, but repeatedly sent bombers and gunmen to do it. The palestinian supporters are the true racists.
these great indifferences, though, fall directly on the humiliated lives of those who daily face the hard realities of the suffering consequences in which they find themselves.
Wake up and stop justifying a cruel , racist treatment of a lower level gentile . Reflection and admission is the first step to liberate your guilt . The great hieghts of your tolerance is expressed in 'spitting' at Christian Clergy in Jerusalem . Arrogant !?*....WAKE UP !!!!!
Your post is supposed to be a tolerant one ? you make me laugh. Racism in our societies has become very common - and Israel is NOT an exception. Millions of Muslims have become scapegoats and Israeli society is being manipulated. "Arabs and Islam are a danger !" Now read again your post and tell me your words are not ambigueous ! In France you would be categorised as 'racist'. In Israel it's normal. A man like Lieberman wouldn't last more than 1 week, in Israel he's a Foreign Minister ! You wonder why arabs and more particularly muslims don't like you ? perhaps because your occidental mentality thinks it's superior and so moral ? or perhaps because your military force crushed thousands of innocent victims in Palestine & Lebannon ? It's very easy to say "they hate us" but, for some reason, not that easy to look at yourself in a mirror and try to understand why. You don't want to understand. Are you guilty of something ? i'm afraid you are.
Aluf Benn, surely you understand that most Arabs in our midst hate our guts, even a pandering Quisling like you. The haters who you so demand be in our midst, have 24 Arab and Muslim countries to chose from, plus an additional 10 European limp wristed countries.
In my experience,and some might jump on me disagreeing, whether you are original Londoner,Parisian or Tel Avian you inspire to interact with Arabs and other Moslems for many qualities they have and Westeners find attractive.......until you hear and see the devastating damage they cause through their terrorists, again and again and not only in London/Paris/Tel Aviv. So, what is one to conclude ? Even a child would say : "I dont' want to have anything to do with them". Only that's not politically correct! One must say , politically correctly : "Multicultural societies, succesful integrations etc...are the future..." They are, but not in the immediate future. First, there should be proper separations of peoples who cant' live together, even separated by walls such as Berlin, and with time, the new generations (just as in Berlin) will realise they can find ways to live peacefully together. Meanwhile caution is being imposed by terrorists onto Western and Israeli societies.
The comparison seems stupid. There are very good arguments against Israel, but, unfortunately, this is not serious.
nonsense...Haifa,Acco,Karmiel..just to name a few day by day living-Arabs interacting with Jews and non-Jews.
that just isn't true. I live in Tel Aviv so know this isn't true. I wish I could walk around in Bethlehem and Jericho as Palestinians walk around Tel Aviv, Jerusalem and Haifa. Even smaller places like Beer Sheva. Go to any hospital and see Muslems in bed next to Jews getting the same treatment. They make up 20% of the population or doesn't Benn know.
Aluf Benn is usually on target with his analysis, but this time he totally missed it. This has nothing to do with Sharon or any other Israeli personality. The Oslo agreement set the path for two states, and with that the end of the intermingling. The Palestinians themselves said they wanted nothing to do with Israel, wanted their workers to work in Palestine, and didn't want their people to interact with Israelis. Why does Benn think that it's some kind of Israeli conspiracy?
If you are in Tel Aviv you can avoid the real world. In Jerusalem -both sides of the city- you see plenty of Arabs. If you go to the university, the hospitals, city hall, the supermarkets, the restaurants, and on the streets there are plenty of Arabs. If the center of the world is Tel Aviv you always get a warped view of reality.
the egyptian made sure that arabs would be outed by intifadas and suicide bombings !
Gee. I wonder why Palestinians aren't allowed to walk around in Tel aviv like they did up until 2000? Do you think it might be because they started blowing themselves in restaurants nightclubs and other public areas? Don't you think that they might have a tiny bit of responsibility for the situation?
The Jews of Judea and Samaria aren't disconnected from Tel Aviv or anywhere else. Most of us work outside of our communities; many in the greater Tel Aviv area, Jerusalem, Beersheva, etc. We have daily contact with our colleagues and friends and relatives who live on the other side of the "green line". We're very connected. Aluf Benn is the one who lives in a bubble, disconnected from the nation.
Technically, I think that the description made by Aluf Benn is correct. But don't expect too much empathy or interest at all when my direct neighbours are more interested in knives and bombs than economic ties? Israelis are fed up with being murdered by people who are expected entering the country for making a living. For this reason, Israelis stopped hiring these people from the territories way before even the concept of the fence existed. Also, remember that Israelis loved to shop in Bidiya, and settlers used to shop in the neighbouring Arab villages, but ceased to do so after several terror attacks.
Obviously Aluf Benn hasn't been to Jerusalem, Haifa or Tel Aviv!! How about our hospitals? I always feel there are more Arabs there than Jews and all being equally treated. Why cdoes Aluf Benn insist on spreading hate and hateful incitement. Try for onve to write on the good things that Arabs and Jews do for eachother. There's no shortage of great & wonderful stories to draw from.
hopefully it's not as bleak as you've described. However given the duration of this conflict of decades past and the evolving younger generations who have little in common with the Palestinians or any other Arabs, it is not surprising that some apathy exists. It's unfortunate that Jews from Arab lands have not taken a greater role (especially in their voting patterns) in bringing the cultures' commonalities closer in understanding of one another. Of course there are many exceptions to which they have shown a mutual interest in coexistence, eg. the Geneva Accord individuals working to establish a peaceful agreement for both peoples, business/technological or medical partnerships, agricultural, etc. All these sectors can play a pivotal role in enhancing the atmosphere in the region. Money and economics talks more than religion - fortunately or unfortunately.
This came about because from 2000, the last person far too many Israelis saw was an Arab in a bomb vest.
"Most Israelis today are cut off from the conflict with the Palestinians and do not interact with them." 1) It was "interaction" with the Palestinians during the second Intifada that Mr. Sharon was trying to save Israelis from. Prior to the two intifadas the border was open, so let's not confuse cause and affect. 2) Mr. Benn exaggerates the difference between Israel and Europe. Israeli cities are filled with Arabs, but they hold blue ID cards. This isn't apartheid. 3) Mr. Benn should ask himself how much real interaction there is between native Europeans and the Arabs immigrants in their midst. Take a tour of the Muslim suburbs of Paris. 4) In the old days that Mr. Benn praises, the two sides were further from peace than now. Oslo got underway in an era of declining interaction. Lesson: Daily interaction in the street isn't a critical factor for peace. It certainly isn't helped if interaction consists of being blown up or shot.
I see more jews in cities around the world than I see in any arab or moslem country..... so grow up Aluf and face reality!!!
The writer means you don't see obviously non-Israeli "Arabs" which somehow means that Israeli Arab citizens aren't Arabs. If you define integration as imported manual labor by "Arabs," then who is racist? You see or notice "Arabs" on the street in London because they look foreign.