[Re-posted: blogspot is having technical glitches]
10th May, 2011
I'm in Tel Aviv for the first time and while my trusty guidebook had indicated Jerusalem and Tel Aviv were different worlds, I wasn't quite prepared for my first experience of TA. To make matters worse, I arrived on Israel Day / Independence Day. While its' hard to begrudge any country from celebrating their existence, it was difficult to watch people partying on the beach with their Israeli flags while less than an hours' drive away Palestinians live under a brutally harsh occupation.
10th May, 2011
I'm in Tel Aviv for the first time and while my trusty guidebook had indicated Jerusalem and Tel Aviv were different worlds, I wasn't quite prepared for my first experience of TA. To make matters worse, I arrived on Israel Day / Independence Day. While its' hard to begrudge any country from celebrating their existence, it was difficult to watch people partying on the beach with their Israeli flags while less than an hours' drive away Palestinians live under a brutally harsh occupation.
Israel is a highly developed and wealthy country, and for many who live in Tel Aviv and much of the rest of Israel, life is very comfortable and well buffered from the reality of what is happening so close by. With Jerusalem only 80 km away, I wonder how many Israelis have ventured into the West Bank or have gotten to really know any Palestinian people.
Of course many have, and it's been reassuring and inspiring to meet some Israelis who genuinely feel shame about what their country is doing to the Palestinian people, and who are speaking up or acting in some way to change things.
I just hope that enough of them join us in the international community to bring enough political pressure on the state of Israel to really work for peace.
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