More

Amy York Rubin

Amy York Rubin

Posted April 10, 2009 | 05:46 PM (EST)

Happy Birthday Tel Aviv?


When most people talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today -- at the dinner table or in the media -- they talk about Hamas, how to deal with the security issues while not also being in a constant state of war. That is how the debate has been framed. Consequently, we tend to avert our eyes from the question of why we are in this position in the first place. The problem is that it is not enough to talk only about today when the conflict and feelings of hate rely so heavily on the past.

Trying to achieve peace in Israel without addressing the past is akin to trying to find a cure for cancer by treating the symptoms without ever considering why the cancer developed in the first place. One of the best ways we can attempt to treat the cause of the conflict, and not just the symptoms is to listen to the stories of the people who lived through the creation of Israel, the war of 1948, the founding of Tel Aviv and begin to understand where the hate, fear and violence is coming from.

This week, while most of Israel celebrates the 100th anniversary of the founding of Tel Aviv, is a particularly important time to do that -- to listen to the stories of Israel. This short video of interviews with people living in Jaffa, Jerusalem and Tel Aviv is an attempt to articulate the conflicting experiences and historical narratives in light of this week's celebrations in Tel Aviv. This video is just a sample of the conflicting historical accounts that are an integral part of the Israeli political narrative and root cause of the on-going conflict. There is of course much more that should be said, and heard, by a global audience.


When most people talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today -- at the dinner table or in the media -- they talk about Hamas, how to deal with the security issues while not also being in a const...
When most people talk about the Israeli-Palestinian conflict today -- at the dinner table or in the media -- they talk about Hamas, how to deal with the security issues while not also being in a const...
 
 
  • Comments
  • 26
  • Pending Comments
  • 0
  • View FAQ
Comments are closed for this entry
View All
Recency  | 
Popularity
11:58 AM on 04/12/2009
Why does Huffpo "get off' hosting ant-Israel venom from ...JEWS??? I guess if Arabs had anti-Hamas comments ..they'd be murdered for those comments..so they stay away!!
12:12 AM on 04/15/2009
There's always has been a contingent of self-hating Jews. Most are upper class. Just as there plenty of self-hating uppor class WASPSs who out of misguided sense of guilt trumpet tribalist non-literate societies as somehow superior to the West.
It is quite faish9onable on many college campuses nowadays.
Related phenomenon is a cool denigration of various DWG ( dead white guys) geniuses like Mozart and Shakespeare based on reverse racism.
11:51 AM on 04/12/2009
Only this anti-Israel person would change the subject!! Every blog of hers is the same "Joanne one note"...anti Israel 100%!! Then,again...at Huffpo that's what 90% of the bloggers have to say!! Anti-Israel bashers are attracted here like moths to a light bulb at midnight!! Congrtaulations!!
09:43 PM on 04/11/2009
One thing I want addressed is this: When Israel was created in 1948 and the Arabs declared war on the tiny state, over 700,000 Palestinians left their homes. Some left to join the Arab armies fighting to destroy Israel, some left out of fear and their hatred for Jews, and some were forcibly expelled by the Israelis. This should be discussed and done so in the context of the over 700,000 Jews who were expelled from Jordan, Egypt, Libya, Syria, Iraq, and E. Jerusalem for no reason. They had not declared war on anyone and had lived in their countries for centuries. Why were they expelled (usually without property and on short notice)? Both these issues must be discussed---you cant talk about one without talking about the other.
08:35 PM on 04/12/2009
How come when Palestinians are driven from their homes it's "they left" and when Jews are driven from their homes its "ethnic cleansing of the worst sort." Double standard much?
01:23 PM on 04/13/2009
BS
08:09 AM on 04/14/2009
Beyond debate:There was about equal exchange of Jews and Arabs between Muslims world and Israel.

Beyond debate: Israel absorbed the entire stream of the Jewish refugees.

Beyond debate: Muslim world keeps Palestinian Arab refugees in deplorable conditions and deny them basic human rights.
Primary Reason: Even great-grandchildren of Palestinian immigrants must be kept indigent and without hope so as not to reward Israel.
09:34 PM on 04/11/2009
What happened in Europe should have stayed in Europe.

Non indigenous peoples, en masse, don't belong in the Middle East.

As I stated before -

If non indigenous Christians had migrated en masse to the Middle East to establish a Christian nation the result would have been the same.

The Israeli, Palistinian conflict began as a clash of cultures and has increasingly become more complex.

My hope is that eventually the only option left will be living in peace.
12:42 AM on 04/12/2009
Over 50% of the citizens of Israel are decendents of people expelled from the surrounding Arab countries. Do they count as being indigenous? The problem here is the inability of the Arabs to coexist with others of different religions. Just ask the Christians of Pakistan or Egypt, or the Hindus in India, or the Jews of Israel.
10:00 AM on 04/12/2009
JerryLevy -

The 50% you speak of I do consider indigenous although I have a problem with the over 50% claim. If over 50% why do there seem to be so few in government. As I understand it. the indigenous Jews are a minority and have a lower status than European Jews.

You also mentioned that when the state of Israel was established the Arab countries declared war and expelled Jews. We can reverse that and ask the question - If not for the establishment of the state of Israel would these Jews still be living in their home countries ?

You also raised the question of property rights. I believe everyone including Jews and Palistinians have property rights and should have the right of return or reimbursment.
12:56 PM on 04/12/2009
The arabs jews of Morrocco, Syria, Iran and Iraq are indegienious to to those countries as much as ashkanazi jews are indegenious to Germany, poland, Russia etc. The palestinian arabs are indegenious to palestine. I hope this helps.
photo
Wozzeck
Pearl Bay, Australia
08:39 PM on 04/11/2009
More dialogue like this is needed, but this is a great start. The voices of victims of violence also to be heard, though.
PS: BubbaC33 looked older in the video than I expected.
BubbaC33
Jimmy Buffett is the greatest American
09:40 PM on 04/11/2009
I wasn't in any video and no, I don't look like Ron Jeremy either.