I went on a hike today through the fields and hillsides that surround the town with my cousin’s father-in-law and some of his students at the yeshiva. We passed Roman milestones and an ancient mikva with express lanes that was used by Jews on their way to Jerusalem. But the most interesting thing we saw was Khalid.
As we walked on a path alongside vineyards and almond trees, we met a local Arab named Khalid who let us try the figs from his tree. He explained to us, in his heavily accented Hebrew, that he used to work at yeshivas in Jerusalem, but ever since the peace process started he has been unable to enter the city. He even has signed letters from the roshei yeshiva confirming his identity and commending his character that he keeps in his wallet and shows to anyone who cares to look, but to no avail. Since the start of the peace process in Oslo, the left has been pushing for more separation between Israel and the Territories as a move toward eventual separation of the two when the Palestinians achieve statehood. The Wall was a step in this regard. But the effect on Khalid and his family was devastating, costing him his job and hampering his ability to provide for his family.
Khalid hates Fatah, and has no kind words for Arafat or Abbas. He sees the rampant corruption in the Palestinian Authority and decries how the government officials take foreign money and drive around in Mercedes cars and tell him that they have no money while Khalid’s children go hungry. He was much better under Israeli rule and misses the days when he could work in Jerusalem and the Jews shopped in Arab towns.
Which is why Khalid supports Bibi Netanyahu for prime minister. Bibi is the leader of the conservative Likud party and was prime minister in the late ’90s. With a member of the right in control of Israel, Khalid hopes that the PA will not be given as much power and that Palestinian statehood will remain in the distant future. Khalid says to support the right and elect Bibi as the new prime minister of Israel. He would do it himself, except he can’t vote because he’s not an Israeli citizen.
The yeshiva students already had their share of politics that day. They left the yeshiva to see leftist activists standing by as Arabs in the neighboring grove picked olives. One of the activists had an accordion and was singing songs like “Heveinu Shalom Aleichem,” “bring peace upon us.” The irony being that “Heveinu Shalom Aleichem” was a song of the early Israeli pioneers who kicked the Arabs out to begin with. This was likely lost on the activists, who were also more interested in taking photos of the yeshiva students than helping with the harvest. In this area, the Arabs and the Jews live in segregated towns on hilltops opposite each other, and everyone minds their own business and generally gets along. One of the yeshiva students remarked that had the Arab olive pickers asked the yeshiva for help picking olives they would have gotten at least as many volunteers as there were protesters. And who plays the accordion anyway?
As we walked on a path alongside vineyards and almond trees, we met a local Arab named Khalid who let us try the figs from his tree. He explained to us, in his heavily accented Hebrew, that he used to work at yeshivas in Jerusalem, but ever since the peace process started he has been unable to enter the city. He even has signed letters from the roshei yeshiva confirming his identity and commending his character that he keeps in his wallet and shows to anyone who cares to look, but to no avail. Since the start of the peace process in Oslo, the left has been pushing for more separation between Israel and the Territories as a move toward eventual separation of the two when the Palestinians achieve statehood. The Wall was a step in this regard. But the effect on Khalid and his family was devastating, costing him his job and hampering his ability to provide for his family.
Khalid hates Fatah, and has no kind words for Arafat or Abbas. He sees the rampant corruption in the Palestinian Authority and decries how the government officials take foreign money and drive around in Mercedes cars and tell him that they have no money while Khalid’s children go hungry. He was much better under Israeli rule and misses the days when he could work in Jerusalem and the Jews shopped in Arab towns.
Which is why Khalid supports Bibi Netanyahu for prime minister. Bibi is the leader of the conservative Likud party and was prime minister in the late ’90s. With a member of the right in control of Israel, Khalid hopes that the PA will not be given as much power and that Palestinian statehood will remain in the distant future. Khalid says to support the right and elect Bibi as the new prime minister of Israel. He would do it himself, except he can’t vote because he’s not an Israeli citizen.
The yeshiva students already had their share of politics that day. They left the yeshiva to see leftist activists standing by as Arabs in the neighboring grove picked olives. One of the activists had an accordion and was singing songs like “Heveinu Shalom Aleichem,” “bring peace upon us.” The irony being that “Heveinu Shalom Aleichem” was a song of the early Israeli pioneers who kicked the Arabs out to begin with. This was likely lost on the activists, who were also more interested in taking photos of the yeshiva students than helping with the harvest. In this area, the Arabs and the Jews live in segregated towns on hilltops opposite each other, and everyone minds their own business and generally gets along. One of the yeshiva students remarked that had the Arab olive pickers asked the yeshiva for help picking olives they would have gotten at least as many volunteers as there were protesters. And who plays the accordion anyway?
Alon Shvut on the hilltop on the left, the Arab villiage on the hilltop on the right.
1 comment:
indeed. who does play the accordion?
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