Bish and I drove to Mitzpe Ramon today. With a heavy heart we packed up the meager belongings we had collected in our little apartment there and loaded them into our little van. Then we returned the keys to the landlord. We went for a last look over the edge of the Crater and headed back home.

The landlord is quite fond of us. He suggested we come down to one of his holiday villas as his guests. We will. We still love Mitzpe Ramon, even if we can’t get down on a regular basis.

On the way back we stopped at a little place for a bite to eat. It was set out Bedouin-style with cushions on the floor. We had pita, laban’e, yoghurt, salad, olives and herbal tea. I love these places because you sit comfortably and you don’t feel obliged to leave in a hurry. In Sinai you can sit in a Bedouin cafe all day reading a book, and order just a glass of sweet tea.

This was a new place. We’d often driven past that spot and had never seen it before. The proprietor seemed uncomfortable to be serving people. He was a bit gruff, but in a vulnerable, endearing sort of way. It crossed my mind that he might have been a retired army officer, more used to giving orders than receiving them.

Now we have to figure out where to put all the stuff we brought home.

posted by Imshin 17:56

No evidence of WMD in Iraq? Well, there’s no evidence of Saddam Hussein either, and he certainly did exist before the US invaded Iraq, and quite a lot indicates that he still does, IN IRAQ.
[This in reaction to some idiot on Sky News, which I never watch, but R.T. was here]

Oh, and Salam has the reaction of G in Baghdad to yesterday’s demonstration in London:

tell your friends in London that G in Baghdad would have appreciated them much more if they had demonstrated against the atrocities of saddam.
And if you could ask them when will be the next demonstration to support the people of north Korea, the democratic republic of Congo and Iran?

posted by Imshin 14:45

Reading Havdala and Anne makes me want to write something nice myself, but I can’t manage to organize my thoughts into anything coherent. I’ll go fold some laundry instead.

posted by Imshin 21:14

Ah
Shai of Sha! is a new dad. Go see photos.

Thank you Allison. No she didn't deliver the baby, but she did point out her existence to her readers.

Welcome Lia.
posted by Imshin 18:49

Jewsylvania? I like it.
Meryl explains Zionism to an Egyptian reader.
posted by Imshin 18:28

Stefan Sharkansky would like to know what the reaction in Israel is to the Friday interview of four former Shabak heads who warn of imminent doom as a result of the actions of the current government and support the initiative of one of them, Ami Ayalon, with Palestinian Sari Nusaiba.

So reactions? Erm, well, Haaretz editorial yesterday fully supports (duh). In today’s Yediot Aharonot op-ed page (the newspaper in which the original interview appeared) (Hebrew link), Yaron London was in favor and Arye Eldad was opposed. Interestingly, they both ask why these people are only saying these things now, and why, when in office, they didn’t refuse to implement the same sorts of policies they are now opposing.

Eldad even goes further to remind us that one of the four, Avraham Shalom, was forced to resign his post as head of the Shabak following the # 300 bus fiasco, in which Shabak operatives killed terrorists who had hijacked an intercity bus in 1984. It came to light that the terrorists had been apprehended, and were tied up, when killed, making this an illegal execution. Shalom then sent his people to lie to the Commission of Inquiry and blame the killings on then IDF Southern Command General, Yitzhak Mordechai. He also reminds us that Carmi Gillon resigned his post after his operatives failed to prevent the murder of Yitzhak Rabin.

Yaron London says that it’s better late than never. He contends that the opposition to Sharon and his policies is growing. He has a point. People are starting to feel a bit uneasy about Sharon. But considering the majority the right got just under a year ago in the elections, and that the left still doesn’t really look like a serious alternative, it’s far too early to start burying him.

So that’s a bit of media reaction for you, from those guys who get paid to have an opinion. But what are people on the street saying?

Nothing. They’re not interested.

posted by Imshin 20:45

Local Jewish stuff
Haaretz article about Judaism as a culture: in recent years, there has been much interest, among secular Jews in Israel, in their Jewish roots. Study groups are popular. This is not a return to religion thing. It’s about what I would call secular empowerment. There is a popular feeling that our Jewish heritage does not belong just to the religious. The belief is that it belongs just as much to secular Jews, who wish to study it in a secular manner, without attempts being made to make them religious in the process.

And there’s more from Haaretz on civil weddings: a Knesset committee has begun to function to work out a solution. In the meantime, Shinui party says the state may pay for nuptial trips to Cyprus.

posted by Imshin 16:59

Ooh, what’s this Haaretz is gloating about? Conrad Black forced to resign his position of CEO of Hollinger International?

By the way, no one has heard of Conrad Black in Israel, except maybe newspaper people. I’m joking about the gloating bit. In the print version of Haaretz, it was on the second page of the business part of the paper. I know this because someone had found this part of the paper so negligible that they had discarded it on the refrigerator at work (to be salvaged by yours truly). Haaretz and Jerusalem Post are not competitors. Even among the English speakers, the right wing ones read Jerusalem Post, while the left wing ones read Haaretz English version, which comes as part of the International Herald Tribune (what else?).

Anyway, I can’t stop to discuss the Conrad Black thing. Got to run to get dressed for an all-girl Hevr’e-from-the-past meeting. See, even anti-social me has them.

But before I go, I'll just send you over to An Unsealed Room. Black used to be Allison's boss, so her opinion on the subject is probably worth far more than mine. I hadn't even heard of him before I started blogging.

posted by Imshin 18:55

Nothing new
For those who haven’t seen it, here’s a film about Palestinian TV promotion of suicide bombings amongst children.

posted by Imshin 18:53

Civil marriages in Israel under the auspices of the Orthodox Rabbinate? or Is that the Messiah I see at the gates of Jerusalem?
Israel’s Channel 1 Evening News had some very interesting news this evening (Hebrew link). It was reported that the Chief Rabbis have agreed that rabbis will register civil marriages for couples that are not Jewish according to the Rabbinate. Up till now it has been impossible to have a civil wedding ceremony in Israel, although civil weddings performed abroad are recognized. The reason this situation developed is mainly a political one. But the ultra-religious parties, which have always been opposed to civil marriages, were weakened in the last elections, while the secular Shinui party was strengthened.

There has been a lot of pressure to solve the civil marriage issue, mainly because many Israelis of Russian descent find it difficult to prove to the strict Orthodox Rabbinate (the only stream of Judaism that is recognized for marriage purposes in Israel, also for political reasons) that they are Jewish (Proof is usually the mother’s Ketuba, her traditional wedding contract. Jews from former Soviet Union countries have no such documents, of course, because the Soviet Union wasn’t very tolerant of religion), and therefore have to go abroad to marry in civil ceremonies. The Orthodox Rabbinate obviously fears a loss of power, should a secular “revolution” take place, allowing civil weddings, or, even worse, Reform or Conservative weddings (Gevald!). Reform and Conservative weddings do actually take place in Israel. I’ve been to a few. But they are not officially recognized.

By offering this compromise, the rabbis probably reckon they can keep some measure of control, while solving the problem at hand.

It sounds like we haven’t heard the last of this. We’ll have to see how it develops. Just wanted to be the first to tell you.

Note: I know this is all probably very difficult to understand for people who are not Jewish, or for those who are not acquainted with the rather strange way the State of Israel has dealt, up till now, with the question of separation of religion and state in Israel (or rather the lack of it). I should really explain further, but it’s so late, and I’ve had a long day. I think I’ll just go to bed instead.

Update: John Williams points out: “Marriage, civil? A contradiction in terms my dear.”

posted by Imshin 22:16

E-mails
I haven't been receiving any e-mails since Sunday morning Israel time (that's Eastern Time +7). I was so happy not to be getting any spam that it took me a while to realize I wasn't getting any nice mail either. So if you sent me anything, please send again.
posted by Imshin 19:56

MT musings
Israellycool has moved to Moveable Type. Adjust your links. The pressure is on again for me to move too. It seems like far too much hard work. Besides I’m fond of my little puppies, which sadly belong to Pyra/Google/whatever.

Another excuse is that it’s hard enough for me to find time to blog as it is. I don’t want to be sidetracked with a big project.

And, of course, being the Contrary Mary that I am, if everyone thinks I should move, I just have to do the opposite.
Davka ;-)

If I hang on long enough, Blogger will become retro and I will be cool, at last.
posted by Imshin 17:41

It has come!
Yes sir! It was right there in my letterbox when I got home from a funeral up north, this afternoon. And I fully intend to read it, all 47 pages of small print of it, eventually, sometime or other. You can count on it. I have no intention of returning it to sender, as Naomi Ragen suggests. Why on earth would I do that? No no, I will add it right up there on the top of that pile of things I really want to read. Occasionally, I will wipe the dust off. When I move apartment, it will move with me, along with the rest of the stuff I can’t bear to be parted with, but am not sure why. Who knows? In about sixty years it might even be worth something.

So thank you, kind Geneva Initiative promoters, for sending me my very own copy of the full suggestion. I’m very flattered that you should see me worthy and that my opinion matters enough for you to try to influence it. Thank you for taking the time and spending all that money. It makes me feel like an important person.

Just one request – couldn’t you please send me a more concise version? There is a synopsis on pages 7 and 8, you say? Oh, well I might just read that later on today then, after I have had my coffee; and washed the dishes; and scrubbed the toilets (Stop snickering, Our Sis!); and gone to pick up Youngest; and made the supper; and…

No, really.

After word: I’m not being cynical. I mean it. Well, maybe only a little bit cynical.

After after word: Okay, so I'm reading it with my coffee. So I'm a pushover. So sue me.

posted by Imshin 17:19

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