Two Narratives; A History Part 1

Before I can really  begin to explain what I have been doing with my research project with Holy Land Trust, I feel it would behoove me to provide an overview of the problems and conflict here as I understand them.

First off, I don't think that it is constructive to play the blame game and point fingers at one party or another, all this will do is continue the cycle of mistrust and abuse that has circulated since before the second world war.

It is my goal to try and understand the view on both sides, understand that they are coming from a relevant, self-interested standpoint, and work from there to resolve outstanding issues on both sides.  These two narratives are incredibly different and require patience to identify with as they are not necessarily borne from cultures that we readily identify with.

The Israeli narrative begins in 1948 with the official creation of Israel after British forces pull out of Palestine due to lack of funding and the decline of imperialism.  Jewish people from all over Europe, after suffering through the Holocaust have been promised by the British a sovereign nation for their own in the Promised Land of Palestine.  The official wording of this promise includes mention of the native Arab peoples (Palestinians) and assures their ability to coexist in this same land.  The resulting exodus of Jews from Europe is massive. Driven by the Zionist movement, Jews in great numbers leave their homes to travel to the promised land and take up residence.

Jewish militant groups created in the aftermath of WWII such as the Stern Gang, bolster the feeling that Jewish people must be strong in order to prevent another incredible tragedy against their people.  "Never again" is the call to arms for Jewish people to defend their rights and freedoms against the perceived threat of another Holocaust.  The perpetuation of a victimized mindset and the the acceptance of violent defense for the newly formed Jewish homeland motivates much of the Israeli political landscape for decades to come.

Without a healing of this mindset, and with the incredible amount of foreign aid and military hardware coming into the country, (an overwhelming majority of which comes from the US and you, the taxpayer) Israel swiftly becomes very efficient at defending itself.  This helps to reinforce the realist international relations theory that a country must be stronger than its counterparts in order to survive and benefit.  Self-interest is understood as the sole motivator of state action.  Communal gain and the expectation that working together will bring benefit to both parties is not even considered under this realist condition.

From this perspective, it is clear to see that the Israelis have been put in a position of power while retaining this realist view of the globe and have been yet to be proven wrong.  They have the political and religious clout within US Congress (the Israel lobby) to such an extent that even the US doesn't dare attach stipulations to the massive amount of aid we pour into this country every year (in excess of  $7 million daily) even when the use of our aid goes against stated US foreign policy.

What would you do with a blank check from the US, a history of abuse and a recently acquired homeland promised by God (Yahweh)?  Would you defend your people, fight for your land tooth and nail and teach the same to your children?

"Peace cannot be kept by force. It can only be achieved by understanding."
"We can't solve problems by using the same kind of thinking we used when we created them."
~Einstein

Palestinian perspective coming soon,
 Peace & Love from Bethlehem,

~Ezra R.

Beit Sahour, Bethlehem and the Holy Land

Breakfast in Tel Aviv presented me with a cantankerous Israeli butcher, cementing my overall negative tone of the city. The trip from our beach-side accommodations in Tel Aviv, Israel, to Beit Sahour, a town in the Bethlehem district of Palestine, took just over an hour but the atmosphere could not be more different. 

Along the highway East out of Tel Aviv, the monochrome nature of the bare hills and Israeli towns is immediately striking. Buildings built entirely out of native stone seem to melt into one another as well as the surrounding muddled brownish tan hillsides.  Stark, bauhaus styling abounds, with austere facades rising incongruously from the rocky slopes, an unusual juxtaposition of organic colors rising in artificial shapes.  It makes one wonder how apartment blocks could be differentiated to a visitor. 

  if you're still with me after that sentence, congrats...

Upon crossing the Green Line, we reach our first checkpoint and officially enter the West Bank and the Palestinian territories.

Bethlehem is beautiful.
  The city and it's people immediately exude a warmth and I feel much more at ease than I ever did in Tel Aviv.  From the steep hills of the holy city I can look east into Jordan over the Dead Sea, north towards the walled city of Jerusalem, east to the sea and south over the once-sprawling olive groves of Palestine.  Occupying the surrounding hilltops, walled enclaves of Israeli settlements dominate the landscape with their sheer density of buildings.  The  visual weight is reinforced by the homogeneity of color as well as the towering concrete barriers separating them from the Palestinian farmland from which they rise. 
We will be staying in Beit Sahour throughout the next month, taking day trips on the weekends and working with various nonprofits in the area during the week.  I will be working in concert with 7 other students for Holy Land Trust .  More to come soon, I want to put a good amount of thought into these posts so they will come as regularly as possible.

This is the view from our home for the month in Beit Sahour.
The block of tan buildings visible on the far hilltop is an excellent example of an Israeli settlement. 

TEL AVIV Day 1

After nearly 20 hours of travel, we touched down in Tel Aviv in the early afternoon and jumped on a bus to tour the city.  We took in the sights of Jaffa, a nearly 4000 year old section of the city mentioned both in the bible and greek myths.  The cobblestone streets and rustic stone edifices have been rebuilt multiple times over the past millenia, but the sense of history is inescapable.  Our bus continued to drive around the tumultuous one-way boulevards of the city, tour guide at the horn, explaining much of the history of this storied city.  Unfortunately, nearly every one of us was asleep.  the long hours awake in travel mode had rendered my eyelids incapable of staying open and "just resting my eyes" soon became just resting.  to counteract this, we were dropped nearly two miles from our hotel and strolled along the promenade towards our quarters, learning the history of the cities various ports and hangars which had since been resurrected as a thriving restaurant  and outlet district similar to pier 39 in San Francisco.  We had dinner at a small falafel and shawarma joint across the street from our hotel which is around 100 yards from the beach and spent the evening struggling to stay awake.  feeling as if i would be missing out on the night scene in Tel Aviv, i wrestled myself from the comfortable clutches of my bed and, with a few friends, went for a dip in the Mediterranean Sea and a quick jaunt around the city.  Sleep, when it finally came after over 30 hours awake, was a blessing.

this is a photo of an interesting statue i found in Independence Park with a huge Jewish hotel behind.

TRAVEL DAY!

the day has finally arrived!  i"m in boston logan airport, waiting for the flight to rome with connection to tel aviv with great expectations.  Over the course of this last week, We have been challenged and pushed to make connections between the pursuits of peace and sustainability.  these two issues initially appeared to have little to do with each other, but the more we delve into the issues, the innate interconnections become apparent.  In order to live sustainably we must, as a people, work together to create a home for all on this world. 

What is our concept of home, and how does this relate to the human experience on this earth?  Does our cultural understanding of a homeland or family unit expand to encompass the world and human race?  How can we expand our consciousness to encompass these overarching ideals into our daily life?  How can I as an individual promote this growth in those around me?  What impacts do our daily choices and actions have upon our global environment? What can be done to make the hidden costs inherent to the production and distribution of goods more apparent to the consumer?  It is my belief that if a person is given a choice, that person will chose the more sustainable option.  If these choices and the realities of their true impact on our earth are apparent to the consumer, responsibility is shifted along with understanding.  encouraging ecological and socially responsible practices must come from the consumer within a capitalist society and, to me, education is the fundamental path towards consumer responsibility.    I've got a few qualms about our future, but even more questions.  This, however will not hinder me on my journey, but spur me on, I am forever optimistic of humankind's ability to learn and adapt, and ultimately, survive. 


~Ezra R.

First impressions

As the holiday season comes to a close and I ready myself for an incredible journey to the middle east,  I am reminded of the incredible importance of family and friends.  Thank you for all your love, support, and gentle tutelage.  Without you I would be hopelessly lost.  

For twelve weeks, I will be travelling in the sandbox with ten other students, Professsor Janessa Gans Wilder, her husband Forest, and his brother Nathaniel. Throughout our travels in Israel, Palestine and Jordan we will focus on the issues of peace and sustainability and what can be done to increase the stability of this misunderstood and often maligned portion of the globe.  

It is my hope that through this odyssey I will make my own positive imprint on the lives and livelihoods of those I interact with.  Just as you, my wonderful friends and family members, have brightened and enlightened my life.  

STAY TUNED!