tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-314880072024-03-07T23:31:49.549+02:00Thoughts from IsraelThis blog has become a discussion between myself and several honest, talented young Muslim Arabs. They are not afraid to speak their minds - and I am not afraid to listen. I have learned much from this process.
<br><br>
The comments are an inseperable part of the discussion.Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.comBlogger56125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-60930100039416297932009-02-07T21:55:00.001+02:002009-02-07T21:58:57.342+02:00To the author of http://ingaza.wordpress.comTo the author of http://ingaza.wordpress.com/2009/02/04/next-time-it-will-hurt-more/: you mistranslated the writing in the first two pictures that have writing in them, and you obviously misunderstood what the soldiers who wrote them meant. Perhaps I can give you a better understanding of why the soldiers left this specific writing on the wall. Maybe it will also explain to you a little of Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-40658423597585012862009-01-17T01:38:00.006+02:002009-01-17T02:49:47.696+02:00To SumaiyaSumaiya left a very emotional comment on a previous post of mine. The comment was phrased as a series of questions.Sumaiya - I understand your pain. I feel much of it too. Nevertheless, I wish to give you my point of view by answering some of your questions.Why are the Palestinians border closed? => because Hamas, which has basically declared a war on Israel, took over Gaza, and the Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-63861891358758366312009-01-17T01:16:00.004+02:002009-01-17T01:36:53.584+02:00Doctor from Gaza who works in Israel lost 3 childrenFirst part is in Hebrew. English translation below.קראתי חלק מהתגובות של גולשים לכתבה ב-ynet, והוספתי בעצמי תגובה.הנה היא.האסון הנורא של ד"ר עז א-דין אבו אל-עייש הוא אחד מתוך כמעט 1000 אסונות כאלו בעזה, שלא לדבר על מאות אלפי ילדים תמימים שבשארית חייהם ישאו את הצלקות הנפשיות של הטראומה של שלושת השבועות האחרונים. אין לי מושג לכמה עשרות אלפים מהם יש הלם קרב.לכל מי שהגיב כאן והרגיש צורך להאשים את Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-30808366328623872322008-12-30T22:07:00.012+02:002008-12-31T08:47:48.239+02:00GazaFor the last 8 years, several thousand regular Israelis were living in constant fear. Every few days they were shocked by a siren and had to run to the shelter. The other 6 million Israelis were angry and somewhat afraid, but mostly in the background of their lives. With the exception of the Lebanon war, which disrupted things for a while and hurt the national pride, life went on as usual. But Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-5972937558113263572008-05-29T23:53:00.003+03:002008-05-29T23:59:21.793+03:00Next week - a non-political meeting of Israelis, Palestinians and InternationalsIf you understand Hebrew, read this link: http://thehub.cafe.themarker.com/view.php?t=449802If you don't: http://www.emergingfutures.org/files/GVS%20invitation%20June%202008.pdfHighly recommended.-IBIsraeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-77536297952826003042008-05-15T12:41:00.006+03:002008-05-15T19:56:07.109+03:00Rockets, casualties, Gaza, Lebanon: two points of viewThe common Israeli point of view:The latest killings and woundings of Israeli civilians by Hamas rockets are making the situation intolerable. The Hezbollah takeover of Lebanon is more proof that Iran is becoming a real threat to Israel. If we don't do something quickly, we'll be trapped between two Iranian entities: one in Lebanon and one in Gaza. We Israelis have to do something.What can we do?Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-13803325493064709202008-05-10T23:21:00.002+03:002008-05-10T23:22:12.862+03:00And another joint blogI don't know the people behind this one, but it looks promising: http://gnblog.com/Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-14854881874609275132008-01-27T18:23:00.000+02:002008-01-27T19:00:33.614+02:00A joint blog: from blockaded Gaza and bombarded SderotTwo friends of mine have started a joint blog. It's called Life must go on in Gaza and Sderot. Usually there's nothing special about joint blogs. But this blog is being written by two people who live on opposite sides of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, and their lives have been directly impacted by the violence. Peace Man lives in Gaza. The Israeli blockade on Gaza made Peace Man walk 30 Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-16655862396342784272007-12-02T00:40:00.000+02:002007-12-02T01:08:20.305+02:00Islam - the most easily offended religion?"...Then one of my favourite students - a lovely, charming girl with a great sense of humour - said in a low, warning voice: “Teacher, we can’t joke about the Prophet Mohammed.” This was the experience of Blake Evans-Pritchard in Khartoum. Not of Gillian Gibbons, who is now in a Sudanese jail awaiting deportation. Her students didn't warn her that Islam is easily offended, and now hundreds ofIsraeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-70626193729628385702007-07-24T12:12:00.000+03:002007-07-24T12:14:56.187+03:00Haven't posted for a while... and it's probably not going to improve soon.At least I'm in good company!Truth is I've got a writer's block. A few weeks ago I started writing a post about my visit to Khaled's Holocaust Museum, but I can't get myself to finish it.Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-35465940575050413132007-06-20T08:37:00.000+03:002007-06-20T09:20:45.456+03:00ConflictBlotter: Personal impressions from GazaCharles Levinson brought more amazing impressions from Gaza.Here's an excerpt from a post he wrote 2 days ago:... At the Erez crossing today we met a Palestinian looter who made us look at some of the looters at least in a slightly different light. He was tearing out copper wiring from under the pavement at the Erez border tunnel. He was working his way down the walk, and at every spot where an Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-57836691362301410722007-06-17T01:57:00.000+03:002007-06-17T08:34:53.180+03:00WhoaI ran across this video today and just had to share it. If there are any Palestinian women who undergo this kind of treatment and do not become active supporters of violence against Israelis: you have my personal admiration. [(update): I'm adding the following clarification because of Stefanella's comment below] I'm not suggesting that the Arab women should turn to violence. On the contrary. Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-11402948073752571842007-06-14T21:32:00.000+03:002007-06-14T23:30:05.059+03:00If you're wondering what's happenning in GazaConflict Blotter is an amazing blog by Charles Levinson, the Mideast Correspondent for the Sunday Telegraph. He is currently in Gaza, and reporting from there.From his latest post:Hamas TV broadcast disturbing and gruesome footage of Fatah commander Samih al Madhoun, famed for ruthlessly confronting Hamas in northern Gaza, being dragged into the streets, shot repeatedly and the stomped by a Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-62775082074322413142007-04-28T20:45:00.000+03:002007-04-29T00:50:09.342+03:00I take it backYet again, I find myself learning a lot by trying to listen to the people behind the comments posted on my blog.A few days ago I tried to answer a question raised by Nizo: "What do Israeli Arabs need to do in order for them not to be perceived as a threat?"I thought that Israeli Arabs understand the fears of the Israeli Jews, and can become a bridge between Israel and the Arab world. I thought Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-81825436546529445052007-04-25T01:33:00.000+03:002007-06-17T01:41:53.104+03:00What do Israeli Arabs need to do in order for them not to be perceived as a threat?UPDATE 28/4/07 - Everything I suggested here: I take it back. It can't happen - at least not in the foreseeable future. But I'm glad I wrote this post. I learned much from the Arab response to it. [end of update]The Azmi Bishara videos inspired Nizo to raise several very interesting questions regarding the pervasiveness of the perception that Arabs are a demographic time bomb.His 8th questionIsraeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com20tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-58774513741147091382007-04-18T10:51:00.000+03:002007-04-18T21:29:09.540+03:00Israel: evil or moral?I read an interesting article an Ha'aretz today. Here's the Hebrew version, and here's the English translation. - didn't find an English version yet (anyone who finds it - please let me know).(Thanks Lisa)The article says that the IDF has appointed an officer to investigate why the a major Hebron street (the Shuhada street) is closed to Palestinian pedestrians since 2000. It is open to JewishIsraeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-90461930384507567422007-04-13T00:15:00.000+03:002007-04-13T01:11:24.570+03:00Azmi Bishara videosDr. Azmi Bishara is an Arab Israeli member of the Israeli parliament (Knesset).The Israeli media has lately been publishing very incoherent and non-informative articles about Dr. Bishara's intentions (or non-intentions) to resign (or not resign) from the Israeli Knesset, due to his being persecuted (or not being persecuted) by various government security agencies (or not). It seems there is a Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-85183969898529492762007-03-24T16:44:00.000+02:002007-03-24T17:15:08.903+02:00MIT announces Just Jerusalem competitionA group of people at MIT "hope to encourage new ways of thinking about the many difficult issues and hardships faced by Jerusalemites, regardless of their faith or ethnicity". So as part of their "Jerusalem 2050 project", they recently launched a competition for visionary ideas for the city called Just Jerusalem. The submissions to the competition must be "Well Specified Projects" that support "Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-12324021986108276902007-03-18T22:59:00.000+02:002007-03-21T00:13:22.607+02:00The channel 1 film on Sayeret Shaked will (correction: NOT) be shown again this WednesdayThe film which had enraged the Egyptians will be shown again this Wednesday at 21:40, on Israeli Channel 1.Having written about it, I guess I should make an effort and actually see it, shouldn't I?Update (March 21, 2007):Nominally.Challanged has commented here that the rescreening has been cancelled. Shame indeed - I too wanted to see what all the fuss was about.Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-61674293149090761512007-03-11T08:42:00.000+02:002007-03-11T10:50:33.501+02:00The Egyptian rage about the Israeli channel 1 filmAs usual, the Israeli media and the Arab media have two completely different descriptions of the same event.A few days ago, Mohamed Maher said: there is some news which was spread in all the egyptian newspapers , two days ago.it says that, the israeli "channel one", released a new documentry film, which says that in the war of 1967 , a troop had a leader called " benjamen aleaazer" (who is an Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-35356177689193216562007-02-26T23:38:00.000+02:002007-02-26T23:41:15.088+02:00I've added a link to "Track co.mments"I hope this will make it easier to follow up on the discussions that emerge in the comments section of many posts.I've never used this service before, so I'll be happy to hear from you if it is indeed useful...-I.B.Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-53198563954682383232007-02-22T21:33:00.000+02:002007-02-22T21:43:03.550+02:00It's not our existence - it's the way our existence is perceived by the other sideTo answer Abe's question:you also wrote: "..it's not our existence - it's the way our existence is perceived by the other side..."i don't understand the differenceWhen I say "how our existence is percieved", I am talking about how Arabs interpret our actions. The problem is usually not the actions themselves, but the perceived intent of those actions. This is perfectly human. Imagine your own Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-29601447128890436312007-02-22T00:03:00.000+02:002007-02-22T22:12:44.228+02:00The Al-Aqsa events: a very predictable misunderstandingI'm not surprized by the Al-Aqsa events. Not by the stupidity displayed by the Israeli government, not by the Arab hysteria, and not by the dismissal of these riots by most Israelis as "a bunch of fanatics spreading ridiculous antisemitic propaganda".Many Israeli governmental institutions see themselves as the responsible protectors of civilization and Jewish heritage.In the eyes of the Arab Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-74364074263498191552007-02-21T00:36:00.000+02:002007-02-21T00:51:23.183+02:00The right-wing paradoxThe Isreali right wing thinks Arabs hate Israel and want to destroy us. The left wing would rather ignore this.What the right wing doesn't understand, though, is that we should not only defend ourselves from those who hate us: we must also fight the hatered itself.הטעות של מדינת ישראל היא שאנחנו נלחמים רק בשונאינו - במקום להילחם גם בשינאה עצמהThe paradox is that by fighting those who hate us, Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31488007.post-60682050772831542612007-02-20T23:32:00.000+02:002007-02-20T23:43:44.541+02:0093.6 RAM FM - Joint Israeli Palestinian RadioI heard about this in the news on the radio today, and then found an article in Ha'aretz (english: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/828233.html, hebrew: http://www.haaretz.co.il/hasite/spages/828291.html).The Hebrew article is a bit more informative than the English one, and explains the neutral wording that the station's news department is planning on using. So, for example, instead of Israeli Bloggerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11510331752624241336noreply@blogger.com4