July, 2003
So for the moment i am an israeli abroad - and have nothing to say through this journal. For the fact is - Israel does not exist in London. It is not only that the news - even the BBC - is highly localized and even provincial. It is not only that - thankfully - not much seems to be going on in the Middle East. But it is also that the presence of Israel is as minimal as I have ever experienced.
No news, no Jews, no sound of Hebrew on the street.
The internet cafe experience limits my eloquence on this matter at the moment. But I promise to return to it. Soon.
July 7, 2003
That is not to say that there are no Jews in England, or in English society, but their nationality seems to be ignored -except when they are vilified. A case in point is Dame Shirley Porter, who years ago, as mayor of Westminster, was convicted of gerrymandering to get more votes for her party. This apparently was a common practice, and Porter checked first with her lawyers and accountants, as well as those of the party, but she was convicted - recently her appeal was overturned and now again she is making headlines because they are talking about stripping her Dame status.
Every time I come to London I see her picture on TV - even though this trial has been on for over 10 years and as far as I know she hasn't been in England since.
It's pretty clear she's jewish, and her name is associated with Tesco. And I strongly suspect it is her jewishness that keeps her in the news, and maybe even convicted her.
July 8, 2003
I'm telling london not as a tourist, or a scholar. but as a politically oriented israeli. the other stuff is exciting as usual, friends, galleries. museums. shush - don't speak hebrew, my friend says - we're in the minority here. paranoid and probably not true, still - tv programs thqt begin with - 'well you know the israeli side, so we're going to give you the other side' abound. Blair's furor with the BBC is understandable - it's always the 'other side' in an attempt to be 'objective' - but the idea of the other side is extremely politically 'correct' - in general there is a naivete about the idea of political correctness that is laughable. almost all the foods in the supermarket are tooted as 'organic' but that may be the only thing 'organic' about a londoner's life - there is something inorganic about everything. there isn't an animal around to say good morning - even the pigeons have been discouraged from visiting trafalgar square.
enough of that - i see i need to find a good newspaper.
JULY 11
CAN'T DO THIS IN LONDON
I HAVE NO AUTHORITY AND NO DESIRE TO WRITE ABOUT LONDON AND NO KNOWLEDGE AND IMMEDIACY TO WRITE ABOUT ISRAEL. PLEASE CHECK BACK ON JULY 16.