I wonder if I am the only Mudcatter actually living in Israel.
I feel that I may be one of the few who actually knows what it is like here. I don't post much , because of the blind ignorance and thinly veiled, or even blatant hatred of some who do.
I left my homecountry many years ago and came to live in Israel, partly to escape the incidents of antisemitism as I met as boy there.Isolated incidents, but nonetheless enough to cause me to want to escape them
I am proud of the many achievements of Israel in fields beneficial to humankind- too numerous to mention.
I am proud of the multicultural and multiethnic facets of Israel.
I am proud of the fact that when walking the streets of Tel Aviv I see white, brown, yellow and all shades and hues of people walking, working an living side by side. Israel was the first and one of the only countries to accept a boatload of Vietnamese refugees adrift on the ocean- and give them citizenship. I am proud of Israel's airlifts of poverty stricken , sick and starving communities,to Israel, giving them new lives and hope.I am proud of schools such as the one in which I teach, accepting Muslims, Christians, Arabs and Jews, no questions asked, treating them equally and giving to each whatever he/she needs. Apartheit- pshaw! Utter rot- nonsense.
I am proud of the fact that I can demonstrate- speak out- publish write- sing what I like- about whomsoever I like- or about whatever I dislike.
I deplore what religious fanatics do in the name of God- or in the name of what they believe to be their God given right- yet I will defend their and my own right to live here. Hopefully soon , in peace with our Palestinian neighbours-. I will do whatever it takes to bring that peace about- and hope that our "enemies" too will arrive at that realisation.
Israel will live , peace will come and no amount of antisemitism or anti-Israelism will move me or the hundreds of thousands of others who share my views from working towards those shared goals.
I think it is sad and sick for Mudcat that no subject seems to provoke so many threads at once or so much animosity, so many snide little digs,or open hatred, as anything or anyone who mentions Israel, antisemitism or Jews. I dislike the trolling - on whatever side , which goes on, causing inhabitants of the pond to rise to the bait,swallowing all sorts of nonsense, hook line and sinker.
Jack The Lad