israeli politics

ambulance - 5.27.24

My friend from Metula once described an ambulance ride to the hospital .  The bumps were unbelievable and she arrived in much worse shape than she left her sickbed.  

And I laughed.  In Tel Aviv, I said, it wasn’t possible.  We have good ambulances and good roads,  But at 5 a.m. when I woke Ezi up to call the emergency doctors, and they stuck me in an ambulance, I felt every bump in the road as if I was being beat up.  I kept looking at the back door that had the pictures of two kidnapped ambulance drivers and I kept saying – their situation, if they are alive, is much worse.  I have nothing to complain about.  

By the time we got to the hospital, nothing hurt me.

So – I got diagnosed with a UTI, got some intravenous antibiotics, and went home.

It was my first time in an ambulance, and I would have believed that it was only Israel that has bumpy rides like that had not a friend in Boston told me of his heart attack rush the week before.  

 

ambulance – 5.27.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

planning parties, launches - 5.25.24

And while we’re all burning, I’m planning parties.  Really.  First is the conference on Whitman at the University on the 4th of June, then Ezi’s birthday on the 5th.  On the 6th is the party – for me a farewell to the Writers’House on 6 Kaplan St, then on the 9th a big family party for Ezi.  That’s enough for the moment.  I have to make some invitations.

 

planning parties, launches – 5.25.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

silences - 5.25.24

So much of what goes on here isn’t mentioned anywhere else.  I think we are ashamed of what was done to us – like rape victims who remain silent unless they are prodded to do more.  For example, there’s a Hamas handbook for the invasion of October 7 that specifically instructs Hamasniks to rape, mutilate and murder citizens.  There are even  translations for important phrases like “pull down your pants.”  How did that never come up in the international courts?

 

silences – 5.25.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

No sleep - 5.25.24

it’s not just the jet lag.  i’m overwhelmed – even though i thought i’d see only the people i love, everyone was here.  Including the crazy neighbor whose brother is trying to evict her.  The international court got me so riled up, I can’t sleep.  

I imagine Julia Sebutinde can’t sleep as well.   The only one, against her own country’s will, to see that the others on the court have other motivations than justice, I cam see her tossing in her bed – more and more convinced she is right and the others are evil, but unable to convince the others with facts,

 

no sleep – 5.25.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

what no one hears - 5.24.24

As soon as we arrived, we realized the situation is so much more complex and difficult than the tents on college campuses imagine.  The news of more  rockets every day from the very people considered mere victims, the decision of the high court that Israel is not complying with the order to stop the war in Rafiah, and a hundred other points, makes our situation more and more impossible. How the world ignores the hostages, the bombing of israel, the situation of 150000 displaced Israeli citizens.  I wonder who listens to Julia Sebutinde, vice president of the ICJ, who once again voted against the courst’s decision.

 

what no one hears – 5.24.24 Read Post »

israeli politics

Air-Mess - may 23, 2024

When we arrived at Ben Gurion Airport today, it took forever for our luggage, and then there were no taxis because there is a war between the companies, and then a traffic jam all the way home.  I kept thinking of how I was taught to pronounce “Hermes” – air-mess.  But then I remembered yesterday’s Newark experience – when after hours of delay from traffic jams from Boston we finally got to the Marriot, dropped off our luggage, and returned the rented car. 

That’s when the trouble began.  From the rental returns to the shuttle for the bus stop was a long undesignated way, and when we got to the stop, there were lots of shuttles but not one for us, so I started calling the number we were given.  Eventually a ratty looking car came for us, and brought us to the hotel – but even though we hadn’t eaten I was ready to give up for the night.  But Ezi discovered an app to order dinner. 

But the app wasn’t working and I was persuaded to try to speak with the administration about it. 

But the administration knew nothing about the app.  Neither did the dining room.  So I gave up and we had dinner in the restaurant, and ran back to our room to get ready to fly in the morning.

I needed a wheelchair because my sciatica was acting up, and a lovely lady took me to a lounge to wait for our flight, reminding me that tipping is encouraged.

She promised to return to get me to the plane, but when the time grew near and she didn’t appear, we raced to the gate ourselves.

Once aboard the flight I began to realize that we were not going to have the same glorious food we had on the way to the US, nor would the other services be of the same quality. 

So by the time we arrived at Ben Gurion, I was a plucked chicken, with no patience for any more.  Newark was worse.  

Air-Mess – may 23, 2024 Read Post »