Israel Matzav

Friday, August 12, 2011

September scenarios: Israeli police to be unarmed?

Haaretz is reporting that Israel's police are going to evict the tent cities sprouting up around the country by the end of the month, in order to free up resources to deal with 'Palestinian' rioters in September. It should be noted at the outset that Haaretz's report on this issue seems like pure conjecture.

Three thousand, three hundred and eighty-three tents. That was the figure national police headquarters compiled from its seven districts around the country. Well in the lead was the Tel Aviv District, with 2,300 tents - 2,000 of them on Rothschild Boulevard; then the Central District, with 410; Jerusalem District, 245; Southern District, 200; Northern District, 130; Coastal District, 98. And finally, with a big round zero - "Nothing to report" - was the Judea and Samaria District.

The authorities' patience with the refugee camp on Rothschild is quickly running out. They have been dealing with complaints of theft and even of a few sexual assaults, some violent brawls, and ongoing requests from desperate neighbors for the removal of various hazardous items and obstacles. If there are many more disturbances of this kind, it is likely that Tel Aviv's municipality will issue eviction orders (even if as of this moment they deny entertaining such a notion ). After giving the residents time to pack up, it will vacate the tent camp by force - without infringing on demands for social justice, which will either be met or not by the powers-that-be, irrespective of what's happening on the boulevard.

Maybe they can have the universities start in September this year, rather than after the holidays, and then the tent cities will take themselves apart.

As to dealing with the 'Palestinians' in September, after the Mavi Marmara, when IDF Naval commandos were sent on board with paintball guns and nearly killed, you would think that the defense ministry would learn its lesson. Sadly, that is not the case.

Israel's police force has in general made a major effort to prepare for possible unrest after the UN vote. In the past few months, 7,400 policemen have undergone special training; at present, there are 16 task headquarters and 20 companies to handle disturbances. Each of the 38 police stations will get an extra 50 policemen to serve as quick-response forces. Much equipment has been acquired to avoid contacts within stone and truncheon range. Some NIS 70 million of the NIS 200 million have been earmarked to cover the expenses of 30 days of combating disturbances. The police's mounted unit is being reinforced, and will boast 64 horses.

Meanwhile, tanks with 200,000 liters of stinky fluid await demonstrators at likely flashpoints in the West Bank. The police will not carry firearms; if they face mortal danger, special forces in the rear will protect them.

What could go wrong?

Labels: Palestinian state RIGHT NOW syndrome, September riots, Tel Aviv tent city, unilateral declaration of statehood

Thursday, August 11, 2011

A very different Tisha b'Av

Michael Eisenberg is a well-known venture capitalist who spent the night of Tisha b'Av in the tent city on Rothschild Boulevard in Tel Aviv and the end of the fast at the Kotel (Western Wall) several hours after I was there.

I spent the evening of Tisha B'av with the tent protest on Rothschild Street in Tel Aviv. I brought 3 of my children and 4 of their teenage friends to what was a very different Tisha B'av experience than any of us had before. I read Megillat Eicha on the "floor" and we followed with my good friend Hili Tropper telling over the story of Kamtza and Bar Kamtza from the Talmud. An incredible discussion and yearning for unity emerged. See the videos below (in Hebrew). I ended the day by going to the Western Wall (the Kotel for mincha). There too there was unity on display, albeit with a very different group of people than on Rothschild the night before. The singing (video below) in unison was inspiring as well. May this all be a sign of Am Yisrael coming together again as one. Amen.

Those of you who speak Hebrew should definitely click through and watch the videos. The first one is a surprisingly inclusive (okay, didn't see any Haredim in the crowd, but they're definitely in the second video) talk about unity, and gives a very different picture of what's going on in the tent city than we are getting through the 'leadership' that appears in the media. By the way, Michael is the speaker who starts around 3:55 of the first video. The second video is a cross-section of religious Jews sitting and singing at the end of the fast.

Labels: Jewish unity, Michael Eisenberg, Tel Aviv tent city