Emma's Mixtape

*I will pray that BOTH sides get their own Obama*

I will pray the same.
 

Peace is a choice it only happens when the past is forgotten, forgiveness takes a little longer. If the people want peace they will have it.
 

***right now Israel is run by such a corrupt government, the only comparison is the Bush administration.***

I couldn't agree more, Emma, and I am glad that you see it that way, as the "state of" Israel is a tricky topic among Jews - btw equally here in Germany...a very tricky topic indeed.

***It is a tragedy that Rabin was murdered.***

The murder of Yitzhak Rabin is BEYOND tragic. I still remember the turmoil of his grand-daughter during his funeral.

It seems that there are individuals ON BOTH SIDES who simply aren't interested in peace. Whatever their intentions are, they are NOT in the best interest of the people ON EITHER SIDE of the political fence!


In light of these tragic events, I would like to bring the "West-Eastern Divan" to your attention.
The "West-Eastern Divan" is a very special symphonic orchestra that was founded by Edward Said and Daniel Barenboim in Weimar/Germany in 1999 in light of the on-going bloody conflict in the Middle East. The musicians who are between the ages of 14 and 25 are recruited in countries like Egypt, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan and Tunesia. The name 'West Eastern Divan' refers to a collection of poems by J. W. Goethe.

Daniel Barenboim:

"We don’t see ourselves as a political project, but rather as a forum where young people from Israel and all the Arab countries can express themselves freely and openly whilst at the same time hearing the narrative of the other. It is not necessarily a question of accepting the narrative of the other, let alone agreeing with it, but rather the indispensable need to accept its legitimacy. We believe in only two absolutely necessary political ideas:

- There is no military solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
- The destinies of the Israeli and Palestinian people are inextricably linked and the land that some call Greater Israel and others Palestine is a land for two people.

[...] It is my belief that although music cannot solve any problems, [...] our project is very much in opposition to the cruelty and savagery that denies so many innocent civilians the possibility to continue living, fulfilling their ideas and dreams. It also shows me that so many lessons of the past have either been forgotten or never understood. [...] How long will it take for people in the region to accept this and remember that the past is but a transition to the present and the present a transition to the future? Therefore, a violent and cruel present will inevitably lead to an even more cruel and violent future."

Here's the link:
http://west-easterndivan.artists.warner.de/

This is a fantastic project and a beacon of hope for a conflict-laden region.

I'm joining you in your prayers!

Have lovely Chanukah!!
 

"it is the ONLY country in the Middle East that actively supports gay rights and women's rights."

Are you sure about that? I read a news article recently about Orthodox Jews in Israel making women go to the back of the bus. I think it was in The New York Times.

I'm pretty sure I also read about a controversy regarding a gay rights parade in Jerusalem. I think I remember reading that the religious people from the three religions (Judaism, Islam and Christianity) were all opposed to it. That's religion for you. I'll go try to find the links.
 

Found a link to the gay parade story:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/6225444.stm
 

Thank Gd the orthodox Jews remaın a lunatıc frınge. They have so lıttle to do wıth educatedş cultured Jews of the dıaspora - the culture I and my Israelı frıends have been raısed ın. They are fundamentalısts and dısgust me just as Chrıstıans who shoot abortıon doctors and Muslıms who ınflamed vıolence over the Danısh cartoons. They have sooo much ın common wıth each other (Jon Ronsonş wonderful book THEM covers thıs really well)and so lıttle to do wıth real Judaısm.
thıs keyboard ıs fucked şee çan yöu tell ım ın turkey?
 

human nature is JUST THE SAME as it was at the beginning of time, we can only ACT, INDIVIDUALY as humans! :)
 

**yöu**

That's really CUTE :-)


**If the people want peace they will have it.**

Those who want peace are not the ones who govern the people.
I believe that MOST people in the Middle East - whatever their ethnicity and religion - want peace.
Unfortunately, those who have the power the Middle East are NOT interested in peace...and why should they...they don't do the dying after all.
These leaders are corrupt - on either side of the fence.
 

The corruption of Israel's government and the corruption of the US government are inextricably linked. If our government represented the best interests of the US people, the Middle East conflict would have been solved years ago. But our government represents the interests of weapons manufacturers, for whom aid to Israel is just a subsidy, and the interests of small groups of powerful contributors and fundraisers.
 

By the way, did you ever do a follow up on what happened to the Palestinian transvestites?
 

Palestinian Transvestites?

Gotta be Eurovision

*goes back to reading and learning*
 

**Gotta be Eurovision**

LMAO !!!!!
 

I am praying for Israel and Gaza, this situation is just horrible. I couldn't believe it when I first saw it on the news. I know Israel is better than that. I know two girls who were born and partially raised there, and from how they are and what they tell me about Israel, it is a beautiful country with sensible people.

War is insanity. War is a state of mind. It's sad that people are getting hurt and homes are getting devestated for something fictional, something that has nothing to do with the people.
 

I wouldn't say that Rabin and King Hussein are brave peace activists. They are statesmen who understood the benefits of a relative peace.
As for Arafat, he war corrupt but it is not because of this that the peace process failed. These are rough judgements.