israeli politics

Can we afford not to try?

why not vote and see if your opinion on judicial reform makes a difference? Here

There is an overwhelming majority opposed to the reform.  What troubles me even more than the arguments about judicial reform is the attention that is being taken from the most important and humane issue – the relationship between the Arabs and the Jews in this land.   Right now there are 15 Supreme Court judges – only one is Arab.  There are 10 Arab members of the 120 members of the Knesset.   Since the population of Israel is 20% Arab, it is clear that were Arabs to vote, the representation would be different and we wouldn’t be in this situation.  But they didn’t vote.  

Had they voted in proportion to the percentage of the population we would have a different situation to deal with, and perhaps a two-state solution would have been a reality today.

 

 

can protests work? – feb 17, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

Just Kidding.

Okay, two good things happened today.

  1.  after 2 years of the threat of an ablation and treatment for Myloma, I seem to have found myself with no symptoms except maybe my old sinus conditions for which inhalations are now working.  2. Rafi, my primary publisher, got me to work on my selected poems again, after a poetic depression in Hebrew made me give up all interest. So when all my friends called to kvetch about how sick and depressed they were, I almost withstood their kvetching. But it is pretty clear that we’re at a critical place in our post-coronal/political/military crisis.  We’re going to have to lift ourselves up by our bootstraps.
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feb 16, 2023 – good News Read Post »

israeli politics

I really need your help.  The book of my selected poems is being held up by the title.    I don’t mean the book is ready and all we need is the title, but only with the title can I begin to conceive of the book. 

The press is ready.  Even the funding is on the way.  The problem is that the poems still need to be weeded out.  And I can only conceive of a complete book once I have the title.  My publisher is an intellectual – I am not.

Or at least not today.  But maybe tomorrow – for a few hours – It is not only that I am a changeable person.  History changes daily.  Age-old trees are torn down and we have no way of knowing what if anything will be planted.  How can I give a firm title to anything?  

title: feb 16, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

I was thrilled to read Anthony Julius’ interview today in Haaretz: ‘Destructive, Degrading, Irrational’: Top U.K. Jewish Lawyer Anthony Julius Slams Netanyahu Gov’t Assault on Israel’s Judiciary.’  and recommend that all of you read it as well.  Tucked away on page 4, the interview with Julius reflects what we are all thinking “ “One feels it almost necessary to have recourse to psychoanalytic language and wonder what else is driving the extraordinary intensity of energy in this destructive campaign and particularly the [government’s] threat that this is only the first round” of changes to the balance of powers and judicial independence in Israel.”   

This is unlike other arguments I have heard and read from Julius because it is unmediated, unmitigated, and rational.

  

 

 

unite – feb 14, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

I’ve been looking for a restaurant that we rely on for basic good food.  When the family eats out, when we have guests from abroad, when we just want to get out of the kitchen, we want a comfortable unpretentious place to eat.   Ever since Nona closed years ago we’ve been testing.  The last few times we’ve been to Serafina it seemed almost good.  But today the staff seemed more interested in preparing for the evening than listening to our complaints.  And I had many.  My first course of soup was brought long before our friends got their cold salad (which had no taste), the main course looked sloppy to me, and, even though I asked for some kind of birthday acknowledgment (like a sparkler on the cake) for my friend, dessert was undecorated and unfinished by all of us.   There were no apologies or discounts.

I was pretty devastated because I was the one who suggested the restaurant for our luncheon party, and we really were in need of a good experience.

 

 

pretty mediocre Restaurant – Feb 14, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

with all the young teenagers who are attacking Israelis with knives, and rockets falling in the south, it is pretty amazing that a hundred thousand people marched today for the preservation of the Supreme Court.  I know, I know, I wasn’t there but still from my sickbed, I was with them.  And all my friends were there!  Old ladies like me, and young people and children as well.  And with what spirit and involvement – patriotism at its finest!  

And if the politicians don’t screw it up, it will make this country a better place.

involvement – feb 23, 2023 Read Post »

israeli politics

After the president’s heartfelt plea to the politicians to have a discussion about the reform of the high court so there would be some consensus, they went ahead blindly.  Hundreds of thousands of residents protested but no one was listening.  

I have to admit I wasn’t there.  Can’t breathe – only nice place for me to be is bed.  But I bless everyone who is active politically.

not that it does any good.  The first law passed, even though the opposition protested (they got thrown out)

But now there’s an offer on the table to discuss things, and maybe the fear of the collapse of the country will bring the politicians together – with their dignity intact.

d Read Post »

israeli politics

The Lisbon earthquake of Nov 1, 1755.  somewhere between 30,000-50,000 people were swallowed up then.  As the numbers of victims in Turkey and Syria grow, I am reminded of the fact that disasters of today are not only the result of global warming, and with the aid of the miracles of modern technology they are continuing to rescue survivors a week after the disaster.  I imagine the fire and the tsunami and the earthquake together made for a much more shocking event than the one just witnessed, but they didn’t have smartphones to document it.

lisbon earthquake – feb 12, 2023 Read Post »