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Nir
Registered Users Posts: 1,400 Major grins
INTRODUCTION
Israeli politics are pretty complicated. Roots of the present conflict were implanted about 4000 years ago. Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar, Sarah's slave. Sarah 'gave' Hagar to Abraham thinking she (Sarah) was infertile - Ishmael was born. Then a miracle happened - the barren Sarah gave birth to Isaac. On Sarah's initiative, wishing for her own son's inheritance, Hagar and Ishmael were driven out of the camp (Genesis 21). Thus two half-brothers, Isaac and Ishmael became the forefathers of two great nations, but they never got over their mothers' inheritance conflict. Two conflicting nations are today destined to live in the middle east, side by side, in harmony.
But harmony still has not been attained.
In 1947, following the end of the British mandate in Palestine, UN Resolution GA181 called for partition of Palestine based on the following map:
Descendants of Ishmael were unhappy with the resolution; Syria, Jordan and Egypt attacked the descendants of Isaac, and lost. Descendants of Isaac established the State of Israel on the yellow area of the following map:
In the 1960s pressure began to build. In May 1967 Egyptian President Gamal Nasser began building up pro-war rhetoric in the media and then closed the Strait of Tiran to Israeli shipping. The Fatah group, headed by Yasser Arafat (recently deceased), began calling for war to eliminate Israel. Jordan signed a defense pact with Egypt, readying itself for war. King Hussein stated: "The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are poised on the borders of Israel...to face the challenge, while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan and the whole Arab nation. This act will astound the world. Today they will know that the Arabs are arranged for battle, the critical hour has arrived. We have reached the stage of serious action and not declarations." On June 4, Iraq likewise joined a military alliance with Egypt and committed itself to war stating "This is our opportunity to wipe out the ignominy which has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear--to wipe Israel off the map."
Israel could not maintain total military mobilization indefinitely. When it became apparent that Egypt would not stand down, Israel attacked the Egyptians beginning on June 5, 1967. In the first hours of the war, Israel destroyed over 400 enemy aircraft to achieve total air superiority. Israeli troops quickly conquered the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza. Jordanian artillery began firing at Jerusalem on the first day of the war, despite a warning by Israeli PM Levi Eshkol to stay out of the war, and then the Jordan Legion advanced and took over the headquarters of the UN (Governor's house - Armon Hanatziv ) in Jerusalem. After warning King Hussein repeatedly to cease fire and withdraw, Israel conquered the West Bank and Jerusalem. During the first days of the war, Syrian artillery based in the Golan Heights pounded civilian targets in northern Israel. After dealing with Egypt, Israel decided to conquer the Golan heights. After just six days of fighting, Israeli forces broke through the enemy lines and were in a position to march on Cairo, Damascus and Amman. Along with the territories conquered, Israel now had close to a million Palestinians under it's rule.
How does all this relate to the subject "Current Affairs"? The point of the intro is understanding the Gaza Strip. The 360 square kilometers of the Gaza Strip today house almost 1.5 million Palestinians and about 6,000 Israeli settlers.
In February 2005 the Israeli government voted to withdraw Israel's presence from the Gaza strip during the summer of 2005, including dismantling all the Israeli settlements and removing all Israeli settlers from the strip. The government still faces significant opposition to the plan.
A ribbon war has broken out in Israel. On the orange side are Jewish settlers and their supporters objecting to the dismantling of Jewish settlements in Gaza. On the blue side are Gaza pullout supporters. The orange side claims the Israeli Government does not have a moral right to withdraw from biblical lands. The blues say Israel cannot continue to occupy and rule Palestinians.
So what has all this got to do with photography? Bear with me just a little longer.
A few years ago I read on the net about someone who claimed ownership to the moon. After making his declarations public he waited seven years as supposedly required by international law. Since no one took him seriously nor disputed his claims, after seven years he began selling deeds to plots on the moon.
I too am now making a declaration (maybe in seven years it will come true). I
declare the intersection of Herzl Boulevard, Itzchak Rabin Boulevard and Kiryat Moshe Street, in Jerusalem, mine. This is a central intersection located about 1 Km from the main entrance to Jerusalem from the West, about 1 Km from the Israeli Parliament and about 1 Km from my home. This intersection serves a battleground for oranges and blues. Activists stand on corners and tie their ribbons to passing cars before the lights change green, they carry signs with slogans supporting their cause and sometimes semi-violently try to stop traffic here, at my intersection, and elsewhere around the country.
Israelis are facing a few very intense months as the Gaza pullout is planned for August 15th. I plan to follow the ribbon war at my intersection, and, if you guys are interested, update you on current affairs.
APRIL 2005
Anti-Gaza-pullout protesters have been recruiting the younger generation for their cause. In a sense, they are desperate, as they are opposing a government decision soon to be implemented.
27-June-2005
Anti-Gaza-pullout activists have called for a nationwide traffic standstill at exactly 6pm. They urge drivers to stop for 15 minutes and contemplate on the upcoming events, thus paralyzing traffic all over the country. My intersection, located near the religious neighborhood of Kiryat Moshe, is totally orange territory. Police forces are spread out in advance and a police helicopter hovers above as the orange protesters spread out around my intersection.
Children have a big part in this protest
This guy seems like he doesn't really understand why he was brought here and what all the commotion is about:
Here is something to worry about - the ribbon war may deteriorate to something more violent as active security personnel are also involved in the politics:
News headlines today report of an active IDF soldier who this week refused to take part in preparations for dismantling Jewish settlements in Gaza. His court martial began today.
Some are still hopeful, some turn to prayer
My intersection was definitely orange yesterday, not one blue ribbon to be seen. But, police were very assertive and orange plans to disrupt traffic at my intersection were unsuccessful.
Israeli politics are pretty complicated. Roots of the present conflict were implanted about 4000 years ago. Ishmael was the son of Abraham and Hagar, Sarah's slave. Sarah 'gave' Hagar to Abraham thinking she (Sarah) was infertile - Ishmael was born. Then a miracle happened - the barren Sarah gave birth to Isaac. On Sarah's initiative, wishing for her own son's inheritance, Hagar and Ishmael were driven out of the camp (Genesis 21). Thus two half-brothers, Isaac and Ishmael became the forefathers of two great nations, but they never got over their mothers' inheritance conflict. Two conflicting nations are today destined to live in the middle east, side by side, in harmony.
But harmony still has not been attained.
In 1947, following the end of the British mandate in Palestine, UN Resolution GA181 called for partition of Palestine based on the following map:
Descendants of Ishmael were unhappy with the resolution; Syria, Jordan and Egypt attacked the descendants of Isaac, and lost. Descendants of Isaac established the State of Israel on the yellow area of the following map:
In the 1960s pressure began to build. In May 1967 Egyptian President Gamal Nasser began building up pro-war rhetoric in the media and then closed the Strait of Tiran to Israeli shipping. The Fatah group, headed by Yasser Arafat (recently deceased), began calling for war to eliminate Israel. Jordan signed a defense pact with Egypt, readying itself for war. King Hussein stated: "The armies of Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon are poised on the borders of Israel...to face the challenge, while standing behind us are the armies of Iraq, Algeria, Kuwait, Sudan and the whole Arab nation. This act will astound the world. Today they will know that the Arabs are arranged for battle, the critical hour has arrived. We have reached the stage of serious action and not declarations." On June 4, Iraq likewise joined a military alliance with Egypt and committed itself to war stating "This is our opportunity to wipe out the ignominy which has been with us since 1948. Our goal is clear--to wipe Israel off the map."
Israel could not maintain total military mobilization indefinitely. When it became apparent that Egypt would not stand down, Israel attacked the Egyptians beginning on June 5, 1967. In the first hours of the war, Israel destroyed over 400 enemy aircraft to achieve total air superiority. Israeli troops quickly conquered the Sinai Peninsula and Gaza. Jordanian artillery began firing at Jerusalem on the first day of the war, despite a warning by Israeli PM Levi Eshkol to stay out of the war, and then the Jordan Legion advanced and took over the headquarters of the UN (Governor's house - Armon Hanatziv ) in Jerusalem. After warning King Hussein repeatedly to cease fire and withdraw, Israel conquered the West Bank and Jerusalem. During the first days of the war, Syrian artillery based in the Golan Heights pounded civilian targets in northern Israel. After dealing with Egypt, Israel decided to conquer the Golan heights. After just six days of fighting, Israeli forces broke through the enemy lines and were in a position to march on Cairo, Damascus and Amman. Along with the territories conquered, Israel now had close to a million Palestinians under it's rule.
How does all this relate to the subject "Current Affairs"? The point of the intro is understanding the Gaza Strip. The 360 square kilometers of the Gaza Strip today house almost 1.5 million Palestinians and about 6,000 Israeli settlers.
In February 2005 the Israeli government voted to withdraw Israel's presence from the Gaza strip during the summer of 2005, including dismantling all the Israeli settlements and removing all Israeli settlers from the strip. The government still faces significant opposition to the plan.
A ribbon war has broken out in Israel. On the orange side are Jewish settlers and their supporters objecting to the dismantling of Jewish settlements in Gaza. On the blue side are Gaza pullout supporters. The orange side claims the Israeli Government does not have a moral right to withdraw from biblical lands. The blues say Israel cannot continue to occupy and rule Palestinians.
So what has all this got to do with photography? Bear with me just a little longer.
A few years ago I read on the net about someone who claimed ownership to the moon. After making his declarations public he waited seven years as supposedly required by international law. Since no one took him seriously nor disputed his claims, after seven years he began selling deeds to plots on the moon.
I too am now making a declaration (maybe in seven years it will come true). I
declare the intersection of Herzl Boulevard, Itzchak Rabin Boulevard and Kiryat Moshe Street, in Jerusalem, mine. This is a central intersection located about 1 Km from the main entrance to Jerusalem from the West, about 1 Km from the Israeli Parliament and about 1 Km from my home. This intersection serves a battleground for oranges and blues. Activists stand on corners and tie their ribbons to passing cars before the lights change green, they carry signs with slogans supporting their cause and sometimes semi-violently try to stop traffic here, at my intersection, and elsewhere around the country.
Israelis are facing a few very intense months as the Gaza pullout is planned for August 15th. I plan to follow the ribbon war at my intersection, and, if you guys are interested, update you on current affairs.
APRIL 2005
Anti-Gaza-pullout protesters have been recruiting the younger generation for their cause. In a sense, they are desperate, as they are opposing a government decision soon to be implemented.
27-June-2005
Anti-Gaza-pullout activists have called for a nationwide traffic standstill at exactly 6pm. They urge drivers to stop for 15 minutes and contemplate on the upcoming events, thus paralyzing traffic all over the country. My intersection, located near the religious neighborhood of Kiryat Moshe, is totally orange territory. Police forces are spread out in advance and a police helicopter hovers above as the orange protesters spread out around my intersection.
Children have a big part in this protest
This guy seems like he doesn't really understand why he was brought here and what all the commotion is about:
Here is something to worry about - the ribbon war may deteriorate to something more violent as active security personnel are also involved in the politics:
News headlines today report of an active IDF soldier who this week refused to take part in preparations for dismantling Jewish settlements in Gaza. His court martial began today.
Some are still hopeful, some turn to prayer
My intersection was definitely orange yesterday, not one blue ribbon to be seen. But, police were very assertive and orange plans to disrupt traffic at my intersection were unsuccessful.
0
Comments
Excellent history lesson and update on current events in your area... Please keep us updated.
Thanks,
Lee
ann
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Thnxs for the excellent way you presented the situation for us and please keep us updated..
peace to you and your family.
johno~
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I am too young to have personal experience with any of this, having been born in 1966. Does anyone know the justification for taking land from one country and creating another? It seems to be the cause of the hostilities.
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
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Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
I won't defend the humorous and personal nature of it, but think about the size and numbers that he's talking about. I really do believe that the Palestinians are disingenuous about having their own country. What they can't stand is that Israel is there. And it is a tiny country in a sea of Arab States.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
After WWI control of Palestine became a League of Nations Mandate "entrusted" to Great Britain. Prior to WW I it was controlled by the Ottoman Empire. The Mandate's terms recognized the "historical connection of the Jewish people with Palestine," and called upon the mandatory power to "secure establishment of the Jewish National Home".
After WWII Britain's position in Palestine became untenable as hundreds of thousand of displaced Jews entered Palestine. Great Britain presented the Palestine problem to the United Nations in 1947. The UN determined to partition Palestine between the Arabs and the Jews. This lead to the creation of the state of Israel in 1948.
Most of the nations that currently comprise the Middle East are artificial creations arising out of occupation and control by non-local entities including but not limited to the Ottoman Empire and the European colonial powers. They were created by the conquest and the sublimnation of their respective native populations.
http://behret.smugmug.com/ NANPA member
How many photographers does it take to change a light bulb? 50. One to change the bulb, and forty-nine to say, "I could have done that better!"
That much I already knew, just not in any details. And I have a vague understanding that that is a source of much of the problems over there as well.
A former sports shooter
Follow me at: https://www.flickr.com/photos/bjurasz/
My Etsy store: https://www.etsy.com/shop/mercphoto?ref=hdr_shop_menu
Orange anti-Gaza-withdrawl leaders have declared a nation wide demonstration to begin at 17:00 with an aim to block traffic all over the country and bring it to a standstill. The Israel Police has deployed 6,000 officers around the country to deal with this threat, 1,500 of them in Jerusalem. Instructions from the Ministry of Internal Security are clear but troubling; roads WILL NOT BE BLOCKED, police will not use batons or other 'violent' tools.
16:30 - My intersection is very quiet. About 10 police officers demonstrate their presence to a handful of orange activists at the intersection.
17:15 - Still quiet. A patrol of motorcycle cops passes through my intersection.
Three minutes later it begins. A group of about 30 youths appear from no where and spread out around my intersection and begin to block traffic.
The youth's enthusiasm is used to mutually fuel each others courage. Working as a group each individual looses judgment and must keep up with the group's inertia. Drivers are angry and impatient.
Police officers react quickly and use reasonable force to get the kids off the street. I'm thinking to myself "where are their parents?" One or two of the most provocative youths are arrested.
Ninja police bikers I wrote about in a separate thread, drive through my intersection with a threatening appearance.
More and more orange activists are gathering and they are difficult to disperse.
The cavalry is called in. Just the appearance of two huge horses is enough to disperse the crowd for the time being.
More arrests are made. A young girl is separated from her mother as the mother is arrested. I didn't see exactly what she did or why she was arrested but what business does she have bringing her daughter to a violent demonstration? The crowd tries to intervene on her behalf, physically blocking arresting officers and then shouting and cursing.
I notice one youth sticking out of the crowd. He's planning something he must think is extraordinary; scattering rocks on the road to block traffic. He was dealt with pretty quickly by police.
There was an incident I did not photo - I was too astounded. Three girls, about 15 years old, sat on the road to block traffic. From the first car being blocked the driver got out. His wife remained in the passenger's seat. He was about 70 years old, well dressed, well groomed - someone I would normally respect. The driver carried a container of green liquid, probably radiator coolant, and sprayed some on the demonstrating girls. "You are dirty!" he said, "you need to be cleaned!". The girls jumped to their feet and one of them replied to the driver "but there is nothing else I can do!"
This incident left me with very deep emotions. Currant affairs have brought these youths to a state of hopelessness. A government decision has been made and the parliament voted and accepted it. This young girl is out in the streets because she sincerely feels despair and helplessness. In her mind there is nothing else she can do. And on the other hand, a respectable gentleman in any other situation, out of anger and hate that has built up, gets out of his car and moderately attacks the 15 year old girl.
An abyss of hatred is tearing apart the Israeli society, and it's happening at my intersection.
Yesterday afternoon was a photographic paradise and an Israeli's hell. Three things I have learned in regard to photography; I need a wider lens and the photos that work in such situations are those from up front and up close. You need to show faces and emotion. Backgrounds and wide shots are less important and you can't do it standing apart from the crowd.
Nir Alon
images of my thoughts
I thank all of you for your comments!
I really have no intention of creating a political debate. I'm trying to objectively describe our "Current Affairs" at my intersection and my feelings with words and photos. The introduction was meant to give you some idea of where all of this comes from.
My objectivity obviously cannot be 100% pure - I am involved. I apologize if my own political thoughts slip out into the text. I will do my best for that not to happen.
Nir Alon
images of my thoughts
Hey Nir
You are showing us things that we Americans never get to see and hope you will continue this documentation. No need to apologize if you slip your own views in, it is only natural.People will have their opinions right or wrong I don't think anyone can truly understand unless they are living through it like you are.
Thnxs again...
from the bottom of my heart for your education.... I hope you will continue to keep us aware...
Michiel de Brieder
http://www.digital-eye.nl
160 arrests were made yesterday bringing the number to over 1,000 orange activist arrests in the last few months.
From 27-June-2005:
"News headlines today report of an active IDF soldier who this week refused to take part in preparations for dismantling Jewish settlements in Gaza. His court martial began today."
IDF soldier was sentenced yesterday to 56 days military imprisonment.
Nir Alon
images of my thoughts
Stay safe, hope for peace.
Stay safe and peace be with you.
Terrible situation.
ginger
1948 - Company Commander Ariel Sharon fought in Israel's War of Independence.
1953 - Ariel Sharon founded and headed the "101" Special Commando Unit.
1956 - Ariel Sharon was appointed head of the Paratroopers Corps.
1957 - Ariel Sharon attended the Camberley Staff College in Great Britain.
1958 - Ariel Sharon became an Infantry Brigade Commander and subsequently became commander of the IDF infantry training school.
1964 - Ariel Sharon became Chief of Staff of the Northern Command.
1967 - Armored division commander Ariel Sharon fought in the Six Day War.
1969 - Ariel Sharon was appointed Head of the Southern Command Staff.
1973 - Armored division commander Ariel Sharon fought in the October War.
1973 - Ariel Sharon was elected as a parliament member.
1975 - Ariel Sharon served as a security adviser to Prime Minister Yitzchak Rabin.
1977 - Ariel Sharon was appointed Minister of Agriculture.
1981 - Ariel Sharon was appointed Minister of Defense.
1982 - Defense Minister Ariel Sharon was the architect of the Lebanon War.
1984 - Ariel Sharon was appointed Minister of Industry and Trade.
1990 - Ariel Sharon was appointed Minister of Constructions and Housing.
1992 - Ariel Sharon became a member of the Parliament's Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.
1996 - Ariel Sharon was appointed Minister of National Infrastructure.
1998 - Ariel Sharon was appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs.
2001 - Ariel Sharon was elected Prime Minister.
2003 - Ariel Sharon was re-elected Prime Minister.
Sharon and 101 were responsible for an infamous bloody raid in Qibieh, in October 1953, in which 69 civilians were killed. In the 1973 October War Sharon led the crossing of the Suez Canal. According to accepted histories of the war, Sharon's action allowed the IDF to surround the Egyptian Third Army and end the war in a superior tactical position. The 1982 war in Lebanon brought about the destruction of the PLO terrorist infrastructure in Lebanon and forced the PLO and Yasser Arafat into exile in Tunis. Sharon was indicted by the Kahan commission for failing to foresee the possibility of the disastrous massacre of at least 700 Palestinians in the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps by Christian militia, and failing to intervene after the massacre was underway. Sharon insisted on visiting the Temple Mount Haram al-Sharif compound in September of 2001. His visit triggered or served as the excuse for a wave of violence that put an end, in practical terms, to the Oslo peace process. Sharon's military record and active participation in many of the regional wars and conflicts gave him the reputation of a hated super-hawk in much of the Arab world.
In all his political posts Ariel Sharon found ways to support settlement activities in the West Bank and Gaza. For many years this was his major priority, often circumventing legal channels to found and support new settlements. Sharon was opposed to the Oslo peace accords with the Palestinians and sought ways to undermine them.
By the 2003 elections, Ariel Sharon was considered super right-winged. He had a reputation for militarism, decisiveness, and unorthodox and incisive strategic vision. Many of today's orange activists' votes brought Sharon to the Prime Ministers Office.
In December 2003, Ariel Sharon seemed to do an abrupt about face, adopting major portions of the plan developed by his political adversaries and announcing his own disengagement plan, which eventually won the support of the Bush administration. The plan faced enormous opposition from Sharon's own Likud party and threatened to dissolve the political unity of the Israeli right. Nonetheless, on October 26, 2004, the Parliament passed the plan in what was viewed as a major political triumph for Sharon.
Sharon's plan was a slap in the face of many of his supporters. Shortly afterward the streets began being painted orange.
I too was offered an orange ribbon at my intersection today.
In a previous post I wrote about a "ribbon war". I told you there were blue ribbons decorating supporters of the Gaza disengagement. Yet I have not yet showed a single blue ribbon. The truth is that they are terribly difficult to spot. No doubt that orange is victorious in the ribbon war over blue. But contrary to what you might think viewing the ribbon war, public opinion polls show 80% support of the Gaza disengagement plan and less than 20% opposition. The minority of oranges must have very good PR while blues, the majority, have very intense desires for peace.
Just to maintain my credibility, today I found a car decorated in blue -
Nir Alon
images of my thoughts
Peace
AJ
Prime Minister Ariel Sharon gave the green light today to close the Gaza Strip immediately until the end of this summer's disengagement out of concern that right-wing extremists were entering settlements to beef up resistance. Only residents of Gaza settlements who are listed as such in the Interior Ministry are allowed to enter.
Orange activists' reaction: "This is the first time that a Jewish prime minister declares a siege on Jewish communities!"
A new wave of violent road blocking at my intersection erupts but is quickly put down by police.
Now this one was shot 15-July-2005, yesterday. In a way, it conveys the essence of the situation.
Nir Alon
images of my thoughts
Nir,
This is a great perspective that I would never have seen without this thread. Thanks for the update! Keep safe and take care...
Lee