Two types of poison are at present stirring trouble here in Israel.
One is our old nemesis, Jimmy Carter, who should have stuck with peanuts instead of the United States Presidency. He and Obama read the same script, both loving the P.A.’s Abbas and hating Israel. Carter was bad enough as president, but the minute he didn’t have to please anyone but his true supporters, the faux smile was erased when he dealt with any Israeli who had the gumption to support our precious country.
The former US president urged European countries to take a more constructive role in pushing for a two-state solution. “The end of occupation and settlement expansion that a two-state outcome implies is, in our view, the best guarantee of Israel’s future security and acceptance by its neighbors,” he said. “To help achieve this goal, we feel it is high time that the countries of Europe take a more proactive role, underpinned by a serious financial commitment to assist in Gaza’s reconstruction.” The Elders issued a statement saying that “the situation in Gaza is unsustainable and intolerable.” “A complete paradigm shift is essential,” the statement said. “The shift demands the lifting of the siege. It also requires an end to Israel’s policy of separating the West Bank and Gaza.” (Jerusalem Post)
If only Carter was correct in his claims that Netanyahu opposes a Palestinian State. Besides that one line, taken out of context just before the recent elections, Bibi has been saying for years that he is in favor of the “two state solution.” What he said before the elections was that there wouldn’t be a Palestinian state unless the Arabs agree to certain conditions, such as recognizing Israel’s rights as a Jewish state. That proviso is/was ignored by the headline writers and simplistic antisemites like Carter. Unfortunately too many Israelis never read past the headlines and gave the Likud their votes.
Two is the instigators of the very violent demonstrations by Ethiopian Jews here in Israel. My gut tells me that the NIF New Israel Fund is behind it. The tension is definitely caused by the NIF which mentors the NGOs that lobby/pressure Israel to allow all of the illegal Africans to stay here as if we’re supposed to be refuge (dumping ground) for any foreigner who wants a good safe life. The United States Government jails and deports anyone who tries to get in, though Obama has now loosened the gates for illegals but not for those who are trying to do it all legally and have gotten messed up by the system.
(Reuters) – A demonstration by Israeli Jews of Ethiopian origin against police brutality turned violent on Thursday, with police using water canon to keep angry crowds away from the prime minister’s residence. At least 13 people were injured and two police officers and five protesters were taken to hospital, the Magen David Adom ambulance service said. Police fired bursts of foul smelling water from a water canon and used stun grenades to disperse the demonstrators, who threw stones and bottles at scores of police officers on hand.
In my neck of the woods, Benjamin-Samaria, the Jewish immigrants olim from Ethiopia are gradually integrating into Israeli society just like any new group as their Hebrew language and education improve. Personally I think things would speed up if they’d officially adopt standard Hebrew names which would make it easier for people to relate to them. My husband and I legally changed our names within a few years of making aliyah, moving to Israel. It doesn’t matter what family and old friends call me, but I think that having an easy to pronounce very Israeli name, Batya Medad, is a plus, rather than the difficult for Israelis to pronounce “Beth Winkelman.”