The other day I challenged the Times to cover the visit of City Councilman Dov Hikind to the West Bank colonies, and to its credit, the Times has now done a story. Though Isabel Kershner’s explanation of how the two-state-solution depends on segregating Arabs and Jews gave this American pause: "mingling the two populations will destroy the prospects for a two-state solution." Huh.
And the piece has, near the bottom, a section reported by the inspiring Rina Castelnuovo, from another house demolition in East Jerusalem. Kershner (who hasn’t responded to a note I sent her asking if she’s Israeli; I heard that she is) surely rewrote whatever Castelnuovo filed. Note how she underplays the ethnic cleansing and holds the microphone for the Israelis. Emphasis mine:
Across town, in the Arab East Jerusalem neighborhood of Issawiya, the Israeli authorities on Wednesday demolished a Palestinian home that had been built without a permit. The security forces accompanying the bulldozers were pelted with stones. Several other unauthorized structures were taken down in other Arab areas, including Silwan. [Excuse me, but what in heaven's name does this mean?]
When it comes to demolitions, Jerusalem’s City Hall says it applies the law equally in all parts of the city, regardless of religion or race. But officials acknowledge that the process of obtaining a building permit is costly and complicated. Most Palestinian residents do not qualify.
Many of them feel that the Israelis are trying to push them out.
Weiss says:
“I stopped at Isabel Kershner’s explanation of how the two-state-solution depends on segregating Arabs and Jews; ‘mingling the two populations will destroy the prospects for a two-state solution.’ Huh. ”
But Kershner is right, from a Zionist point of view. To see why, all one need do is understand the axiom, “Zionism equals racism.” Zionism has always been based on racist ideology, and the NYT has for decades been Zionist through and through.
Good catch on the home demolition report. The formula employed would seem to be: “neutral” report (demolition, permit, unauthorized) + propaganda explanation (blatant unchallenged lie) = balance.
Is there any viable analogy here with what’s known in the USA as “gentrification?”
Interesting question, Citizen. I should probably ask my sister – an urban planner who once wrote a thesis on gentrification and now lives on a West Bank settlement, but I doubt I’d get an honest answer. We once had an endless argument about systemic discrimination against the Beduin in the Negev (her bailiwick at the Israeli Housing Ministry).
In some areas of Jerusalem, similar processes have certainly occurred and are still going on, but these have probably affected low-income Mizrahi Jews (often living in Palestinian homes, expropriated by the state) more than Palestinians. The driving force with regard to Palestinians is the “Judaization” of Jerusalem. It involves discriminatory zoning (eg. refusing to rezone former rural villages that have become urban neighbourhoods – affecting height of construction, maintenance of agricultural land, etc.), that often changes as soon as Jewish ownership is established, by legal or illegal means. It also involves discrimination in the allocation of resources and provision of municipal services, use of public land, and of course blatantly discriminatory application of zoning, planning and construction laws.
It is a system intended not to remove the poor (although that also goes on) in order to benefit the rich (builders and property-owners) and fill municipal coffers, but to ethnically cleanse Jerusalem of its Palestinian inhabitants. Gentrification can be pretty sleazy and certainly uses some of the same dirty tricks, but I don’t believe any US city could get away with the methods – “legal” and illegal – employed by the Jerusalem municipality (with full government support and encouragement) on a regular basis for the past 40 years; not even “shock-doctrined” post-Katrina New Orleans.
Here ia an interesting “phenomena” Shmuel, the building of the wall when land is annexed to Israel. Note the insidious nature of it – cut deep into Palestinian land with the wall, those who own houses or businesses left on the Israeli side because of the wall suddenly cannot stay, why? Because they do not have a permit to stay in Israel – they are cleansed losing their homes and businesses. You really have to think very hard to be so thoroughly rotten.
Once again, Shmuel shows why he is such a valuable contributor to Mondoweiss.
Thanks, James. Jerusalem was my town for over 20 years, and I happen to know a thing or two about what really goes on there.
Shmuel, out of curiosity – how does that work out with your sister – you with the opinions you have, and her on a settlement (which by itself is not a full indication of anything in an israeli context, but still..)? I mean there are elephants in rooms and then there are wooly mammoths. Obviously I have some situations myself and I can tell you that by the time we finished cordoning off all the no-go zones – red lights, blinking red and now – even yellow, there’s so little green left that the traffic of conversation is kind of at a stand-still. Rather the “rooms’ have the feel of of the inside of a down pillow, including a few lone feathers floating about. Basically family gossip, “other” gossip, the idle reciting of recipes and the latest on idol episodes which i religiously avoid (gotta have religion, no?).
Don’t mean to be too personal, but in this bad business we are all in, the personal and political often cannot be easily separated. As Phil can attest to. Answer if you want, ignore if you wish….
PS Liked your comment in another thread about the Israeli secular zionists knowledge and/or respect for the Talmud. A combination of “what’s that”,”who cares” and “whatever”.
Danaa,
The mixture of the political and the personal is why I haven’t been back to Israel in two years. Maybe this summer, but I am not looking forward to it, to say the least. I’ve got all kinds in my immediate family: haredim, ideological settlers and liberal Zionists. In smaller gatherings, everyone tries to steer clear of the elephant dung in the room, and conversation is indeed limited. On rare occasions, a little honesty shines through and causes a lot of pain on all sides. In larger gatherings, the tone is generally right-wing Zionist and religious, and I try to drink a lot and sit in the corner (I’m a quiet drunk). On the few occasions where I have decided to speak a fraction of my mind (more than a fraction would cause mass fainting and cardiac arrest), it has not been pleasant. At least one of my sisters is extremely wary of exposing her kids to their dangerous uncle.
I’m glad you liked my comment on Talmud. It’s actually one of the few topics I can discuss with some of my religious relatives (those who aren’t ignorant of religious texts that is), despite my somewhat “heretical” approach.
Thanks for the answer, Shmuel. An interesting (if distressing) conundrum you got there. I am almost envious of that talmud business – it’s true that with religious people there can be a bridge. I find that to be true even with some evangelists here, strange as it may sound – but even the simplest of them have a seemingly deep affinity for all things biblical, and I have an advantage in that I get credit for knowing the original language (a priviledge i abuse – with relish…..).
Where things are worse for is that coming from America and all, it takes but a few seconds before all conversation steers to Obama, who seems to stir incredible and strange vitriol, something I can’t quite figure (except for flashes of insight on those rare occasions I fall to discourse with conservatives here. Why I let that happen is another story). I find it all a weird dynamic – whereas on the progressive side over here (some of my best friends are progressives, one could say) we debate (and fight over) Obama’s bait-and-switch, now-you-see-it-now-you-don’t “positions” on issues that matter (health care reform, financial reform, accountability, transparency, what not….), go to a place like israel and I find myself vigorously defending Obama the person (not really anti-jew etc etc).
I think italy, unlike America, has a certain charm for israelis which probably softens the edge for you. I mean, who doesn’t like Italy as a tourist? to some, having a relative with an address in Italy is like hitting the jackpot – even if he happens to be an arab-lover. plus you can all enjoy a good laugh at berlusconi’s expense – everyone’s favorite clown (though – like rigoletto – clowns can be dangerous in unexpected ways).
In my case everyone I know is ultra-secular. So we can at least beat up on the haredi, which takes 10 minutes. Another 10 minutes can be spent dissing politicians everywhere. Those are good solid green light areas. Unfortunately, lately talk of haredi leads to talk of islamists and that makes a bee line to obama (I’m describing a recent event). But there’s a way out – since ultimately most say they’d rather get out if they could – that leaves me an easy rider pontificating about jobs, life-styles,schools, national parks , cats, dogs, wolves and a favorite – alaska. I know, it doesn’t sound so bad, except that it’s hard not to make a mis-step (eg, take “jobs”, or “parks”), and i almost always make one – and there goes the evening.
Drunk sounds good to me – may be I’ll try some time. Anyways, look on the bright side – seems like you got quite the fan club here – at Mondo-cyber-world.
Shmuel,
I met an Israeli ex-pat, son of a former high ranking Likud minister (you’d recognize the name if I mentioned it) when I first got involved with groups opposing the occupation. I asked him how he ended up having a humanist viewpoint so different from his father’s attitude. He said he had, to use your term, a “dangerous uncle”. Perhaps he would have come to his conclusions on his own, but he said he was indebted to his uncle for helping lead the way. Don’t give up on the thought of positively influencing your nephew.
Danaa,
I can just imagine that Obama talk. I’ve managed to scare most of them off sending me political emails, and I haven’t been back since Obama’s candidacy, not to mention presidency. I’m guessing Obama will be a pretty safe topic for us, because we can all just agree that he’s full of it (I think he’s a Zionist sell-out and they think he’s a Muslim terrorist) and leave it at that – as we have done with Bibi, Sharon, etc. We even agreed that the withdrawal from Gaza was a bad idea! But that kind of agreement always feels a little weird, kind of like cheating. Of course, as you pointed out, Obama is your fault, not mine :-)
For those of my relatives who travel (barring financial and/or religous constraints), a home in Rome is worth its weight in gold, and Mr. B is always good for a laugh. The disturbing stuff starts when they get to “Eurabia” and how the Muslims are taking over, and how Europe is so anti-Semitic.
Drunk is definitely good. As for my “fan club” at Mondo, I can’t say that it’s not gratifying to be appreciated, but I know they’ll all leave me for a younger poster some day.
It’s Arens’ “kid”, isn’t it? located somewhere in the Seattle area, last I heard.
Good suggestion for Shmuel – one must never give up on the younger generation – never know when a small seed may just take. Seeds need though a fertile soil, ie, a questioning soul
Arens was my guess too – not too many Likud ministers have “dangerous” brothers and sons. “Corrupting” the young is a little tricky, both because there’s some necessary trust involved between the parents (hey, they get to spend time with my daughter too!) , and because it’s often really not fair to the kids to mess with their heads. I do try to open their minds a little whenever I can – especially to the fact that there are other legitimate points of view out there. Hopefully, just the fact that they actually know a “self-hater” and he’s not such a bad guy, will lead to bigger and better things.
Regarding the fickle fans, I reckon that you got a point there (ask any celebrity rocker?). Maybe, on a bad day, with too much witty all around, we’ll do an experiment and get Anna Baltzer in here, and I’ll activate my measurement meters…..
Thanks again for your considered replies. It’s nice to commiserate, now and then…especially as I may need to go on one of “those” visits myself again one of these days (if I do, I’ll be asking for some good talmudic sayings to arm myself with. Given the situation, I expect to need at least 10 wise sounding quotes to go with the 10 new outfits I’ll have to get to keep the spirits up (and the pockets empty…). Not to worry, given who I’m likely to hang out with, they don’t have to be too accurate)
The advertising lies could come right out of a US real estate ad – “upscale, luxury”, etc. Particularly the ads targeted to wealthy US Jews. The “Jews only” is coded but evident to those who know how to read it.
I believe that African-Americans would be very quick to spot the same process that has primarily targeted their own neighborhoods in US cities.
I think your theme, “the mass media is PRIMARILY biased”, is biased.
Its information. One has to sift through your prejudices to find the element of truth in it. One has to be skeptical, not gullible. Similarly with the mass media.
The gotcha “are you Israeli?” is likely isolating. Ironically, the behavior of likud is similarly isolating. And, there is a common thread of provocativeness pretending to be rationality or common knowledge.
Rather than data collection, data interpretation, and proposal.
The news cycles are daily and weekly is considered long-term. Mondoweiss is in the news cycle.
The interpretation and proposal cycle is longer term. In policy formation, including actually constructive dissent, the week is short-term. Months, years, decades, history are the studied setting.
The short-term news cycle is fashion. Long-term policy formation though is substantive.
Phil and Adam have to choose. What can they deliver, so as to determine what market promises they can keep.
Witty, your post sounds like it was written by committee or, rather, the sort of “composition” style that a middle school teacher gets when he/she writes one sentence on a piece of paper, then passes it around the class so each student might add a sentence to the ongoing story. The result is usually wordy nonsense. Sometimes fun, but senseless with no coherent point.
Well, I think your post saying that Mr.Weiss’ theme, “the mass media is PRIMARILY biased” is biased, is itself biased.
I mean, why not? That’s all the substance there is to your post.
Its up to you what you take in, and then address, or not.
One of my points is of the SIMILARITY of Phil’s and dissenters’ mode of presentation, to what they criticize.
There are two possible interpretations, both possible. One is to think that I am calling Phil and dissenters, hypocrites, permanent sinners, demons.
Another, is to take in that I am criticizing policy, application, with some degree of truth and reminder.
From that place,Phil and dissenters are still entirely free, as am I, to take whatever political and personal positions they consider reasonable.
I personally don’t consider the agenda of mutual humanization, optimizing of self-governance, and perpetual importance of respect for others’ intellect, to be dismissable .
Movements that regard ends justifying means do though.
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