We're dividing. Finally
The right wing's self-righteousness that flooded the media did not succeed in blurring the clear fact: Ariel is a settlement, not an Israeli community.
By Yitzhak LaorHere are some characteristics of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's theater and the farce called "National Unity." His government carefully respects the difference between Ariel and Kfar Sava. The winks from the stars of his comedy don't confuse anyone. This government, just like all its predecessors, has never dared to abolish the difference between Ariel and Kfar Sava. They are there and we are here.
But nobody is forbidding them to get into their cars, start the motor and come to a play in Tel Aviv, just as they come to work here. As opposed to their Palestinian neighbors, whose lands and water they took away, the settlers of Ariel at least have freedom of movement.
Netanyahu is still riding on the wave of the flotilla: Not only is the entire world against us, he tells the players - as if it were not his policies that have set the entire world against us - but now actors Yossi Pollak, Itay Tiran and Anat Gov are also coming and "dividing the nation." Anyone who reads the prologue to the cabinet meeting carefully will see that since the days when he whispered a jingle into Rabbi Kedouri's ear against "those leftists," our leader has not changed much. What has changed is the tragic dimensions of the comedy: namely, the pale supporting actors surrounding the prime minister - Defense Minister Ehud Barak and the other puppets.
And yet, the burst of self-righteousness that flooded the media (and frightened even some of the signers of the manifesto ) did not succeed in blurring the clear fact: Ariel is a settlement, not an Israeli community. Let's put aside both Israeli law and international law - which is also always against us, and never takes our special needs into account. Let's make do with this simple fact: If Ariel were not a settlement, its patrons would not have found NIS 40 million in order to build a cultural center for 18,000 settlers. What community within the borders of the State of Israel, of the same size or even larger, has found such sums in order to built a magnificent theater?
So let us sadly regard the marionettes surrounding the prime minister, and listen to the silence that has seized Labor ministers Avishay Braverman and Isaac Herzog. Let's cast a sorrowful glance at bashful Kadima leader Tzipi Livni at the back of the stage. Was this the opposition leader whom Anat Gov, one of the manifesto's signers, hoped for when she called on Meretz voters to vote for Livni and Kadima members Tzachi Hanegbi and Shaul Mofaz? In short, this is vaudeville. Maybe not for a cultural center costing NIS 40 million, but certainly a repertory for a traveling troupe.
This government, like all Israeli governments, knows how to remind cultural institutions of who they work for - though this government always does so with its characteristic extra measure of crudeness, whether we're talking about Shas leader Eli Yishai or Likud MK Limor Livnat. Artistic independence? Don't make our politicians laugh. Who knows better than they how they are courted? Who didn't see the fawning tribute to President Shimon Peres at the Cameri Theater? Who in the corridors of power doesn't know how to buy silence and how to buy consent? Who is not familiar with the ceremonies in which they give out prizes for obedience?
That's why the theater actors did well to remind the government that artists have to believe in order to act. Acting is not narration. The text of a play is not a teleprompter, and Tel Aviv and Kfar Sava, in order to be Tel Aviv and Kfar Sava, need a border - including a border against swinish behavior.
The border against such behavior is the Green Line. Thus anyone who wants to defend Hebrew culture should stay away from Ariel, in the name of securing this very border.
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Just about every country has a 'China Town' ..a place that looks alot like a Chinese community, where people speak Chinese and other Asian languages - which are little microcosms of Asian culture and community. However they are NOT Chinese - they are part of the country they are built up in. This is the same for town like Ariel - they look Israeli, the residents speak Hebrew but they are not in Israel and they are not really Israeli ..just 'Israeli "China" Towns' .
there ..as is Hebrew indeed . Are you going for a tour there ,Laor ?
Why I have to fund anti-Zionists actors Yossi Pollak, Itay Tiran and Anat Gov by my taxes? Stop support anti-Jewish theatres, increase support of the University of Ariel.
do anti-occupation Israelis have to fund the occupation?
It seems like the right wing - whether it be in Israel, the US or Mars - as the cancer that's eating humanity. Maybe, we should all get together and put our respective RW nutjobs in one ship and send them straight to the moon.
I'm not clear what Y. Laor's qualifications are for a journalist let alone someone who is able to comment on politics but he is very confused. It is the Arabs who don't distinguish between Ariel and Jaffa/Ramle/Beisan, etc. These are ALL settlements to them...oh yes, so is our Capital Jerusalem. The Green Line is an armistice line...that's it. It may become something else and if it does I hope you have a bomb shelter in your home/apt. Ariel and its environs have far more Jewish history then Kfar Sava. The two biblical spies who are partly responsible for our presence in the Holy Land are buried less than 5mins from Ariel. There is one Jewish State...we should try hard for peace but we should not give up our self determination to create another Arab/Islamic state. Oh yes, there are closer to 40,000 Israelis who live in Ariel not 18,000. Enjoy the beach on Rosh Hashanah!
Defend Hebrew culture? Since when is it under attack? I think the author should visit Ariel and see that it is as much an Israel community as Tel Aviv
There's a proverb mentioned more than once about not moving the boundries.
Is it realistic, now, or in the future, to evict all 18,000 settlers from Ariel, and similarly the hundreds of thousands of settlers in the few big communities like Ma'aleh Adumim, (but not including the hundreds of outposts which must, of course, go)? Hasn't this already been discussed and isn't it still one of the main negotiation issues (such as exchanging them for similar empty lands in Israel)? If so, is it right, at this time of starting negotiations, to boycott a subject under negotiation? To boycott, in other words, Israelis by other Israelis? NOW?
Maybe this author should visit Ariel. It sure looks like an Israeli community to me. Jews speaking hebrew and serving in the army and with this new theater will enjoy Israeli culture even more.
Thank you for being one of the few voices that talks truth to power. Unfortunately, you will be called a lot of names by people who see nothing wrong in taking land that is not theirs. While I am showing you my gratitude for bringing and pointing out the problems the settlements bring to Israel, I can't help to think that you are just stating the obvious. But good luck anyways.
The "green line" was established in 1949 as an armistice line ("a line of TEMPORARY cessation of fighting" W-M dictionary) between Jordan and Israel. Why do think that on one side of a TEMPORARY line are the "settlements" and on another "Israeli community"?
Fools! The entire nation is a settlement authorized by God Almighty for His people, Israel.
All of Israel is a settlement. History makes that obvious...to all except lefties.
I suppose the Israel Museum, the Jerusalem stadium, and countless other cultural institutions throughout Israel that easily have spent NIS 40 million are all now defined as settlements.
...the "Jewish state" is an illusion, "greater Israel" will become Palestine Israel.
All Judea and Samaria are historical Jewish lands. The fact that Jews returned to Tel Aviv area a century before is just a technical difference. The rights of Jews for Jewish land is not determined by the demarcation line set when Arab countries decided to throw Jews into the sea.
According to Wikipedia, 516,569 Jews live illegally in what the international community considers "settlements".This includes Modiin Illit, Betar, Har Choma, Giloh, the Golan and 120 settlements in Judah and Samariah. This does include those areas that the Palestinians consider illegitimate.Read the State of Israel.Over ten percent of the Jewish population is in violation of the "law".If, this exists with government approval, as the author implies, then let us call a spade a spade; Israel is a rogue state like North Korea and Iran and its current leaders are scoundrels, if not criminals and she be treated accordingly by all righteous people.
Kudos to Me Laor for making the point bright clear and to all the artists for their position ... I wonder what is the reaction to this article is in Israel (I mean among the Israeli population) Thanks for letting me know ...
Ariel, Ramat ha Golan, Hebron, Kiriat Arba, Gilo, French Hill, Talpiot Mizrach, Beitar illit, Ma'ale Adummim, Modi'in Illit,, and on and on, THEY ARE ALL SETTLEMENTS TO BE EVACUATED IN CASE PEACE BREAKS OUT! The green lin eis the internationally recognized border, anyone to the east finds himself in Palestine, anyone on the west finds himself in Israel. No demagoguery, hasbara, AIPAC, militarily censored television news report, or falsefied Israeli history school book is going to change that. When are Israelis going to understand?
Take a valium and relax. Maybe take a nice relaxing trip to some resort in Dubai? It sounds like you need a holiday. Happy New Year!
The point is taking Judea and Samaria. Yitzhak Laor understands the 4th Geneva Convention, but the Israeli right understands that the Big Lie works.
What is the difference. If you think Ariel is a settlement what gives you the right to think that Tel Aviv is not? We have just as much a right to Ariel as Tel Aviv. And if you call it a settlement, you are deligitimizing the existence of the State of Israel. Ariel is just as much part of Israel as is Tel Aviv.
I am glad you pointed out the population figures,some right wing settlers are trying to create the image of a permanant full blown city .Ariel is obviously a small settlement but the fact settlers are trying to project Ariel as huge makes one wonder how many settlements it takes to house a half million settlers and how much of the w.b is left .I hope when w.b is cleared ,european govs will put up some settlers 'till Israel can house them. All of europe should fund the settler clearances i.e money to build in israel proper. Maybe old settler homes will do for some palestinian refugees. Good luck and health to Israel and New Palestine! I cant wait till peace comes to see my good friends in Palestine
And I meant every word i wrote. Out you go..to where ever you came from and it AIN'T SCOTLAND BUT IRALAND.
Once you correct that evil, you can pretend to have a point of principle.
Blurring the issues will always create more conflict. The media circus surrounding the cultural center in the settlement of Ariel has, if at all, highlighted the green line once more. We, as a people, should invest in human capital within our country, strengthen it, and stop wasting money on an enterprise that is both immoral and doomed to fail.
Which the Palestinians claim too... So why don't you move Europe and turn over your home, business and assets to a "Palestinian Refugee" and then you can talk about Ariel.
"The border against such behavior is the Green Line" - so going to the Western Wall is also bad? and Latrun? why is ok to go to previously arab Jaffa and so many other similar places? the author is a hypocrite and so typical of the secular delusional left. go to europe where you want to be!
under the contract they agree to perform both in israel and outside. ariel is either in israel or outside- it doesn't matter from the contract point of view. would it be acceptable if some of the actors would refuse to perform in spain because they disagree with the spannish treatment of the basques. in turkey- kurdish problem, in the us - wars in iraq and afganistan, in russia - too many things to count. apparently, our actors are too selective in choosing their targets. it's not ariel to blame- it;s the state of israel that built this city/settlement. why do they still perform here...
But I guess some folk just can't let a conscience get in the way. Especially if they advocate the illegal acquisition of another people's territory.
has ever performed there .. Is it because they don't want to be Israeli in this settlement and people like you are very satisfied with it ?
Judging on the content of this article, it appears that the author has no idea about the background of the people who live in Ariel. The fact is that over 65% of them came from the former Soviet Union. They escaped the place where in 1992-1994 the inflation was 30% per month (!), the country was in factual civil war, so many of those people simply ran away for their lives. They were implicitly considered to be 2nd-class citizens in the Soviet Union. I can hardly believe that they will be embarrassed by the author's moralistic lecture. Mr. Laor, do you have any idea what "pogrom" means ?
Ariel is as much Israeli as Kfar Sava.Stop the senseless denial.Your war has been lost.
I fail to understand how Jews can accept to live out of Israel in an illegal settlement. Why not come to Israel, get a job and help build the country without relying on taxpayers' money?
It's laudable that with so many lying politicians and journalists unwilling to take an independent view that especially on this subject we can find a source that is objective and honest, disarmingly so. Thank you and keep up the good work.
"We're dividing. Finally" - Yitzhak Laor Yeah, Israel is dividing; by zero.