An unexpected twist. A search for Jerusalem lodging. Friend of a friend points to… The Casa Nova Monastery. Ten steps from Chabad of Ein Kerem! Made phone calls, sent texts. Didn't know it was a monastery (was just hunting for an address). And there is the host... a good looking, buff, 40-ish Monk with a tattoo around his arm.
The cats in the courtyard are dependent, happy and vocal.
Pleasantly unexpected.
After shabbat in Jerusalem, the train to Tel Aviv was uneventful. At most 20% full (usually at least 80%). An electric bus with all of four passengers took me from the train station to my place. Where something sad met me: The tattoo shop is closed. (That is a For Rent sign in the window.)
Read
Background
When I worked in the Soviet Union, I observed how language was a tool of political power and influence. In those years, few in the USSR spoke English. How the regime handled foreign institutions telegraphed what the regime wanted you to feel. For example: The U.N. was (and is) properly translated into Russian: OON (Организация Объединенных Наций). But NATO was (and is) not translated. In Russian it is the same N-A-T-O, but in Cryllic. The effect renders it foreign and ominous: нато
Across wars and decades, I observe that the Arabic speaking world regularly hides behind false and manipulated language. Regimes in this part of the world lie to everyone, often their own populace (Syria misrepresenting progress on the Golan heights, even to its own military leadership, during the 1973 war comes to mind). The paucity of Arabic speakers in the West facilitates propaganda (often amplified by Western media). Examples from the past week include:
Announcing that a hospital's generators are out of fuel and there is no power. But social media posts from patients and visitors at that very hospital continue to show all the lights on and everything working. From the feeds Raf watches, this stunt has been pulled at two different Gaza hospitals just in the past 72 hours.
Claiming in English that Israel is using Phosphor weapons on the Shati Refugee camp: The footage presented for this event by Palestinian press agencies is from Syria in 2022.
On multiple occasions, including today, when the Israeli military advises and/or opens safe routes for residents of Northern Gaza to move south, Hamas has actively stymied the movement. Today, Hamas attacked the Israeli Army positions that were maintaining an open safe road south.
Video footage showing tunnels under a hospital. From the Israeli Army spokesman:
In addition to the Indonesian hospital in the north of the Gaza Strip, the IDF spokesman incriminated the Hamad Hospital close to the coast in Gaza City. The Hamad hospital was built with Qatari funding (and is named after the previous ruler of Qatar). In the video released by the IDF spokesman tunnels are clearly visible under it. -- 1 minute
(Thanks to Abu Ali's tracking of Arabic language social media)
Gaza Clip 1: A Beach
Posted within the last 48 hours to Arabic language social media from Central Gaza (90 seconds)
Gaza Clip 2: Lunch w side of Hamas
Posted within the last 72 hours to Arabic language social media. What Gazans see when Hamas launches rockets (which they have been doing many, even hundreds of, times a day for four weeks now). This footage from within Gaza. 20 seconds, 14+ rockets.
Speaking of rockets: The IDF forces in the Gaza Strip uncovered a Hamas rocket launch complex in the north of the Gaza Strip that was set up inside a children's playground and small amusement park. (30 seconds)
Heard and Read
Some people say "there is no Left in Israel any more." The implication: Racial division is the only answer, and enemies are always enemies and must be killed.
A post-October 7 peace movement perspective: An interview in Haaretz (in English - long) (PDF here if access is constrained.)
Seen
Alef
On the road between Ein Kerem and central Jerusalem
Bet
להכריע את עזה עכשיו Conquer Gaza Now
Gimmel
Wrist band from the desert music festival I was at on October 5. Found it in the car. Feels like years ago:
Raf Thoughts
Israel entered this crisis in a weak state. "Society is divided:" A misleading fragment. Society has been actively and deliberately divided by the words and deeds of Netanyahu and the Likud. This has been his strategy for years and has been most acute during the last twelve months (since the elections of late 2022).
Raf's refrain for all of 2023 (until October 7):
"The folks in the Iranian Secret Service (the Vaja aka Vevak) love Bibi Netanyahu. They have a huge poster of him on the office wall. The Ayatollah has secretly awarded Bibi Iran's highest medal. Why? Because Bibi has damaged Israeli society more than the Vaja ever did. Bibi is our hero."[1]
Hamas is a real enemy. Also an enemy: Inadequate leadership, and the collaboration of the entire Likud. The willingness of Likud membership and leadership to enable venal leaders materially damages Israel. The myth that "don't change leaders during a war" is ... a myth. (When you hear it, call it out.)
When Raf arrived in Israel in 2022, it was just after elections. Friends across the political board were saying, then, "This government doesn't care if they wreck the country." (Raf has been giving a parallel lesson to Israelis recently about the state of affairs in the U.S. House of Representatives.)
Relief Area
Alef
Dog poop rules
Bet
Gimmmel
Grab an ice cream on your way to the bomb shelter... Ein Kerem, Jerusalem
My ass was thoroughly kicked at a yoga class this evening. My but hurts and I want to sit down.
Stay well,
Raf
(Thanks to A.K., _ and Abu Ali Express for material and to A.K. for assistance and adventures.)
[1]
Note that Raf is making this up. Raf has no idea what is thought at the Vaja or what they have on the wall. The point: Any enemy of Israel would look at events of 2023 prior to October 7 (massive demonstrations every week for several months, walkouts in the Knesset, rampant internecine hostility) and say: “That place is in trouble, our job is easier.” There were speeches by Hezbollah and other leaders saying this. (And yes, the same can be said by enemies of the U.S. looking at the fiasco that is the House of Representatives over the past month.)