Time Magazine: Why Israel Doesn't Care About Peace

Time Magazine cover story about Israelis not caring about peace got TV mention.

The Time Magazine article: Why Israel Doesn't Care About Peace [HERE] got a mention on the TV news yesterday. The picture of the man on the beach with the star of David tattoo got air time. Morning talk show hosts on channel 2 had fun commenting on what American reporters focus on. The idea is that for Americans the ultimate of not caring is sitting on the beach, with a tattoo, smoking a hookah. The Time magazine article came at the same time Israeli news was covering two other stories: Benyamin Netanyahu's visit with president Obama to start negotiations with Mahmud Abbas the Palestinian president and changing of the Israeli commander in chief Ashkenazi. Both stories were much more interesting to Israelis.

For decades Israelis have been frustrated about how the American and European mass media describes life here. As far back as the 1970s Israelis complained about "double standard": Israel has to behave like a good western country (i.e. high moral standard,) the Arabs can behave the way they want to: terrorism and ext ream accusations and all. After decades of frustration Israelis stopped getting so excited about what western media writes. Ignoring attacks from western media has lead to ignoring criticism from western governments. This growing gap between western opinion on what Israelis do (and think) or what Israelis SHOULD DO or THINK (according to western reporters) and the reality of what Israelis really do and think has been creeping at foreign reports for a while. Suddenly a Time magazine reporter comes to the Tel Aviv beach or a cafe and start asking opinion questions: he is in shock! What happen to peace in Israel? As a Texan would say: "it's about time". While this gap has been increasing, respect to American government officials and American values has not changed in years. It is probably in an all time high. Israelis have always respected and envied many traits which Americans hold as fundamental. The values so basic to Americans are inspirations to most Israelis. Some think of adopting the US constitution and other basic rights in Israel.

Now back to the Time magazine article about Israeli apathy towards president Obama's peace initiatives. Israelis are not as much apathetic as they are realistic. While Palestinian leaders have talked a good game, they have not shown any tangible results. Since Yasser Arafat came back to the Palestinian people from exile, there has not been any real progress regarding peace. There may be good reasons for this state of affairs. The reasons turn into excuses which Mahumd Abbas, the last of many leaders, is using not to sign, adopt and enforce as peace initiatives. But all that, does not play on the Israeli street any more. Israelis don't care that the PLO can not convince Hammas to accept 400 prisoners instead of 1,000 for Gilad Shalit. Abbas may be perfectly honest in this respect. But that does not concern most Israelis any more. This is just the latest excuse used not to sign anything between Israel and a Palestinians. It is also an excuse not to take responsibility for Palestinian extremists and the border with Israel.

Finally, more than anything else, Israelis have quietly and steadily have come to terms with the security situation. Gaza was "given up" with great fears that attacks will start as they have for many years. It turned out that shelling is the only form of hostility that the Palestinians have been able to push through the border (with the exception of kidnapping of Gilad Shalit.) Most Israelis have given up the idea of hiring Palestinian workers and certainly in cooperating with Palestinian business partners. Most Israeli have given up completely any desire to shop in and visit any Palestinian town or village. The division between Israelis and Palestinians is complete. Most Israelis, and certainly the tattooed beach goers, have given up support for settlers in all Palestinian territories. So while Israel can not choose it's Palestinians as it's enemies, the Palestinians may not be able to bring Israelis to a battle field. By default Israel is holding a functional peace. One that no-one, not even president Obama, can dispute. For over a century, Jews are not shooting at Arabs here (Tel Aviv, Haifa, Nazareth, Beer Sheba, even Jerusalem.) The only issue that is really a thorn to most Israelis is the holly Jewish sections in Jerusalem. In reality, Israelis essentially have already accepted peace. Peace crafted by the Israeli government and military, and backed by that tattooed sun bather on the beach. I wonder when the next Time magazine reporter will figure this out. Anyone out there with ideas on how to get the next article into Time magazine?