Seperate and unequal

Back to the office today and still nothing much to do. We contacted all of the various embassies but received few responses and a few fax numbers but have been unable to send anything because Yaela never comes to work and Sulliman is gone as well. Its hard to get together something to send to these various embassies when the two English speaking supervisors are not present. I understand that they all have other important duties and things to do, but it seems like bringing us to work here was a waste of time because they really didn’t have much in mind for us, and because they have been so busy with so many other things. It’s actually quite infuriating to feel utterly useless. I know this is a part of life I will have to learn for future work, but its still difficult.

 

Yaela has been going through a lot from what I have garnered though. She just sent her son of the army. I can’t even begin to imagine how difficult it must be to send of someone you raised from infancy to possibly die for things you can only feel ambivalent about.

 

Had a couple of very interesting conversations tonight with individuals in Lakiya about this topic. I asked if they feel Israeli and what they would do if Israel were in a war tomorrow with an Arab country such as potentially Syria. The responses were quite mixed. One cousin said he would rush to join the army because he feels Israeli in his blood, most others were much more ambivalent and generally said they would sit on the sidelines and not fight one way or the other. Someone else said that if the government would begin treating them correctly, he would do anything for the state including join the army.

 

It seemed very pronounced to me that these are individuals that would love to feel a belonging to the state, and that many would like to feel it cared about them as well. I heard stories of discrimination and bias on the part of fellow employees and police officers. One brother told me that one day his office got a new guard at the parking lot gate and this guard contemptuously glanced at him and questioned his place there. This was after several years of working with this company. He also told me how he had met a woman there who thought all Arabs were vile and disgusting, and only changed her opinion when he brought her to visit his family. He would also go to lecture at schools, and while doing so would often be asked by little Jewish students, “Where are your horns”.

 

I could not help but keep thinking back to European stereotypes about Jews throughout the years of the disapora, and wonder if this is an invariable part of being a minority in a nation, or if this fear and othering can truly be stopped..

 

I really feel that what happens in Israel in terms of education is a travesty. Students do not integrate and do not interact with each other. Jews may never meet Arabs outside of military service and then will be in a position of authority and superiority. I heard today about a failed kindergarden in Beer Sheva which would have integrated Bedouin, Arabs and Jews. Unfortunately, only a few Jewish parents were willing to send their children and it disbanded after a year or two due to fear and prejudice.  It is clear that the state must find a way to integrate its various constituents and to disband the stereotypes laden on both sides. 

~ by symphonyofdissent on July 31, 2007.