There is much talk – not only in Israel – about the day after the war ends. One thing is certain: Israel does not want to control Gaza, though in certain quarters there is talk of rebuilding Gush Katif, from which some 8,600 Israelis were evacuated in August 2005 during the administration of prime minister Ariel Sharon.
It has been surmised that if Hamas is eradicated, the Palestinian Authority will take control over Gaza, but not all Palestinians are happy about that.
Two thought-provoking articles by Palestinians – one in The New York Times and the other in Haaretz last Friday – indicate that some Palestinians are aware of the need to change their narrative in order to reach an accommodation with Israel and to reconstruct Gaza not only physically, but morally.
In the Times, under the headline “Palestinians deserve a new leader,” Samer Sinijlawi, who joined Fatah Youth in Jerusalem during the First Intifada in 1987, wrote that he has since realized that, 30 years after the Oslo Accords, many Palestinians feel that they have been betrayed.
Sinijlawi, who lives in east Jerusalem, is currently chairman of the Jerusalem Development Fund, in addition to being a political activist and commentator on Palestinian affairs. In a courageous opinion piece, he wrote that PA President Mahmoud Abbas has failed to deliver democracy to his people, failed to keep them safe, failed to manage a viable economy, and failed to ensure that Palestinians can live a dignified life.
Moreover, Sinijlawi believes that “the Palestinian leadership has lost its moral conviction and has grown increasingly distant from what Palestinians need and want.”
Calling for Abbas to resign and for the holding of democratic elections, Sinijlawi also insisted on fundamental changes in the PA’s structure.
As for Gaza, Sinijlawi predicted that while few Palestinians are openly criticizing Hamas during the war as casualties mount, Palestinian criticism of Hamas will almost certainly grow louder when the war ends.
In conclusion, he wrote that a change in the Palestinian political order would naturally have to be paralleled by changes in the Israeli leadership. Such changes would open the door for negotiations “that might bring this long and bitter conflict to an end.”
Amsterdam-based Palestinian journalist: my side has done wrong too
■ AMSTERDAM-BASED Palestinian journalist Rajaa Natour, who has Jewish and Israeli-Arab friends, finally admitted to herself out loud: “We Palestinians are also murderers.”
That was the headline on her opinion piece in Haaretz, and elaborated upon in the text, as she explained that she had long resisted and even denied what Palestinians were doing to Israelis. She had been raised on Palestinian loss and grief. There was no room for acknowledging what Israelis were suffering as a result of hardline Palestinian nationalism. Even after she had confessed to herself, it took time for her to do so openly. “I feared the persecution campaigns, the discourse, of betrayal, the destruction of my Palestinian narrative.”
The first sentence she said aloud in this respect was “We also kill Israelis.” In the past, she regarded Israelis as murderers. Now she says: “We, too, are murderers.” This realization came to her much before October 7, but was greatly magnified afterward. Now, with so many more dead in Gaza than in Israel, she wonders what her new narrative should be.
But we Israelis also have to change our narrative. We have to stop teaching our children that every Palestinian is a potential terrorist. We have to admit that though we aspire to morality, there is much political corruption in our midst. We talk of tikkun olam – repairing the world – as though we are the global Pollyanna, but before we find fault in others, we must look inward and repair our own flaws.
Patriarchs call for ceasefire, but not in government press release
■ THE ONLY reference to the address by His Beatitude Theophilos III Giannopoulos, Greek patriarch of Jerusalem, in the press release distributed by the president’s spokesmen and later by the Government Press Office following the traditional Christmas-cum-New Year reception that President Isaac Herzog hosted last week for patriarchs and heads of churches in Israel, was in the nature of the usual politically correct platitudes
There was no reference to Theophilos calling for a ceasefire in Gaza.
It was not the first time that Christian leaders, horrified by the death toll in Gaza, which includes members of the Eastern and Latin churches, had called for a ceasefire.
Among others attending Herzog’s reception were His Beatitude Nourhan Manougian, Armenian patriarch of Jerusalem; His Beatitude Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa, Latin patriarch of Jerusalem; His Paternity Fr. Francesco Patton – custos of the Holy Land; His Grace Archbishop Dr. Amer Yousef Matta, archbishop and head of the Greek-Catholic Church of Acre, Haifa, Nazareth and the Galilee; His Grace Archbishop Enbakom Basaznew Wondemagegnehu, archbishop of the Ethiopian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem; His Eminence Archbishop Dr. Antonius, head of the Coptic-Orthodox Church; His Eminence Archbishop Anthimos Jack Yakoub, head of the Syrian Orthodox Church in Jerusalem; His Excellency Archbishop Dr. Hosam Naoum, archbishop of the Episcopal Church in Jerusalem and the Middle East; The Right Reverend Bishop Sani Ibrahim Azar, bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Jordan and the Holy Land; His Excellency Archbishop Moussa El-Hage, archbishop of the Archdiocese of Haifa and the Holy Land and the Patriarchal Language of Jerusalem and the Land of Israel and Jordan; and His Excellency Bishop Camil Semaan, bishop of the Syrian-Catholic Church in Jerusalem. Also present Interior Minister Moshe Arbel.
Herzog, in listing the atrocities committed by Hamas, noted that there are also many people from the Christian communities who are affected by these horrors. “Nothing of this is compatible with the Gospels, with the teaching of Jesus Christ or the teachings, of course, of the Jewish faith and of moderate Islam,” he said. “Our problem – all of us – is with extreme fundamentalist Islam, which does not accommodate you or us. It’s an expression of an empire of evil that emanates from Tehran, which believes in jihadist ideology, which we all have to eradicate.”
Soon after the reception, the Christian religious leaders published their own press release, in which it was stated that Theophilos had delivered a powerful and compelling speech on behalf of the patriarchs and heads of all the churches in the Holy Land, in which he had demanded an immediate cessation of military activity in Gaza.
Addressing the critical issues facing the Holy Land, Theophilos emphasized the common moral values inherent in the great monotheistic faiths and underscored the sanctity of every human life, the imperative for dignity, and the pursuit of freedom, safety and security for all the diverse residents of the Holy Land.
At the heart of the patriarch’s address, the press release continued, was a poignant call to action – an urgent plea for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. “The leaders of the Holy Land churches, united in their commitment to peace, recognize the deepening humanitarian crisis and the suffering of innocent civilians caught in the midst of conflict. Their appeal resonates as a compassionate response to the onging violence that plagues the region.”
Rejecting the notion of a military solution, the heads of churches advocated for dialogue and reconciliation as the only sustainable paths to peace. “The call for a permanent ceasefire is not only an expression of moral values but a collective rejection of cycles of violence that have proven ineffective in bringing lasting peace. Amidst the challenges posed by the ongoing conflict, the leaders of churches in the Holy Land stress the importance of acting swiftly, urging that no more innocent lives be lost,” declared Theophilos.
The Christian community, through its charitable organizations, is working tirelessly to provide humanitarian aid to Christians in Gaza and to ensure that the civilian population receives food, shelter, and medical care to the best of the abilities of Christian residents in Israel, he said.
'Mother of the soldiers' comforts bereaved parents
■ KNOWN AS the mother of the soldiers, Israel Prize laureate Miriam Peretz, who lost two soldier sons in previous years, has another two sons currently fighting on the northern border. Peretz goes all over the country to comfort other bereaved parents and to convince them that there is still a good reason for them to get up in the morning. She has been an inspiration to many as she points out that the sun is still shining, that they have a WhatsApp support group, and that although the heart is broken, it continues to beat.
What’s important, she said in a recent radio interview, is that bereaved parents know that there are others who can understand them and empathize with them. Whenever she pays a condolence call, her own tragedy returns to her, she said. But she is living proof that even with such a loss, life goes on. Every one of these families has a story about a hero who fell in service to the state, and they need a willing ear to listen and a shoulder to cry on. You have to start living after the shiva when all the sympathizers have left, she said. “Life becomes very difficult when you’ve lost a child or a grandchild.”
Former chief Rabbi Lau: there is life after loss
■ SOMEONE ELSE who pays a lot of condolence calls, attends funerals of fallen soldiers, and visits wounded soldiers in hospitals is former Ashkenazi chief Rabbi Yisrael Meir Lau, who, having lost his own parents and other close relatives in the Holocaust, tries to convey the message that even after such tragedies, one can still lead a productive and enjoyable life and can even be happy.
Be'eri pastry chef teams up with Tel Aviv chain
■ PASTRY CHEFS Yaki Sagi of the Lalush Bakery on Kibbutz Be’eri and Uri Scheft, who owns the Tel Aviv-based Lehamim Bakery chain, have been friends for years, but did not work together until early November of this year. Following the October 7 massacre at Be’eri, Scheft invited Sagi to come to work with the Lehamim team for as long as necessary.
Sagi produced his flagship Spinkopita, which is a mix of fresh spinach and rich, top-quality cheeses encased in foil pastry. The item, which had been intended as a one-week special, proved so popular that it has become a Lehamim Bakery staple.
The spinach comes from the Gaza border area and is grown at Moshav Ein Habesor, which has been significantly harmed by the war. The moshav has lost workers and is constantly under the threat of rockets.
The Spinkopita came to the attention of Herzog, who has dedicated time and effort toward helping the recovery of Kibbutz Be’eri. Thus the two chefs were invited to prepare refreshments for 80 heads of foreign diplomatic missions who had been invited to attend a briefing at the President’s Residence last week. In addition to Spinkopita, they served other sweet and savory pastries, which were greatly appreciated.
While Scheft has enjoyed working together with Sagi, he is sad about the circumstances which brought them together.
Maccabi Playtika supports hostage families in Tel Aviv
■ LAUNCHED TWO-and-a-half months ago at the inaugural basketball game of the season, at the Yad Eliyahu Arena in Tel Aviv, Maccabi Playtika announced its support for the families of the hostages in Gaza.
Playtika, the international mobile gaming leader and main sponsor of Maccabi Playtika Tel Aviv, in an effort to have its message resonate on the court, has replaced its logo on the players’ jerseys with the demand to “BRING THEM HOME NOW,” as a sign of its support for the return of the hostages and for their families.
Shlomi Eisenberg, Playtika vice president of operations, said: “Playtika and Maccabi share the outcry of the families of the hostages for the immediate return of their loved ones, and, together with the entire nation, support them in their plight. At the opening of the season of the basketball league, we chose to dedicate our logo on the players’ jerseys to a demand to return the hostages, believing that it is the right thing to do at this time.
“We wish Maccabi a successful season and hope for quiet and safer days.”
Fashion statements
■ BACK IN 2017, when, as culture minister, she attended the Cannes Film Festival wearing a gown that made an unmistakable political statement, Miri Regev caused quite an international uproar. The year happened to mark the 50th anniversary of the reunification of Jerusalem, and the deep hemline of Regev’s gown featured a print of the skyline of united Jerusalem, including the Western Wall and the Dome of the Rock.
These days it’s the pro-Palestinians who are making waves in the global fashion industry, with propaganda prints on T-shirts and blouses, and with dresses designed in keffiyeh-style fabrics, plus hijabs for women who might otherwise not cover their hair.
There has always been an ethnic look in fashion, but it hasn’t necessarily been politically motivated. The economy has also played a role in fashion. The little black dress always reappears when money is tight. The reason is that black goes with every other color, in addition to which it can be dressed up or dressed down, depending on the accessories. Given the cost factor in rebuilding destroyed homes and other structures in kibbutzim, moshavim, and communities close to the northern borders of the country, plus compensation to farmers for their losses and compensation to soldiers in the reserve forces who have lost out on income from their places of employment, etc., we’re going to be seeing a lot of black in fashion – but unfortunately not in our bank accounts.
Solidarity missions offset cost of tourism drought
■ ALTHOUGH ISRAEL’s tourist industry has suffered a severe blow, the gravity of the situation may be offset as increasing numbers of solidarity missions arrive in the country.
Among the most recent of such missions was a delegation of B’nai B’rith International to meet with families of the hostages, soldiers, residents of the North and the South who have been evacuated from their homes, government ministers and members of Knesset.
The delegation came not only to learn firsthand from the people most affected by the war against Hamas, but also to celebrate Israel’s 75th anniversary and B’nai B’rith’s 180th anniversary.
The delegation, whose meetings were organized by Alan Schneider, director of the B’nai B’rith World Center in Jerusalem, and Ilan Shouri, a member of the B’nai B’rith Israel board of directors, responsible for international relations, was joined by representatives of B’nai B’rith Israel. The group was hosted by Innovation, Science, and Technology Minister Ofir Akunis and Knesset Speaker Amir Ohana.
Heading the delegation was Washington-based Daniel Mariaschin, B’nai B’rith International’s longtime CEO. Among the other delegation members were board member Charles Kaufman from Austin, Texas; Paolo Foa from Milan, senior vice president for Europe; David Dagmel from Panama, vice president for Latin America; George Steinfeld from Uruguay, member of the international governors of B’nai B’rith; Prof. Andrzej Friedman from Poland, president of the B’nai B’rith office in Warsaw.
At the “Allies Wrapped in Love” volunteer center, established during the war by attorney Yifat Ben David-Amit and B’nai B’rith Israel, the delegation learned that since the beginning of Operation Swords of Iron, B’nai B’rith has raised more than NIS 1 million for a fund intended for the purchase of military equipment for commando units, IDF uniforms, thermal clothing, helmets, and military vests.
In a hands-on volunteer effort, the delegation helped to pack packages for the soldiers that also included items of warm clothing.
There was also a meaningful meeting with Yaakov Hagoel, chairman of the World Zionist Organization, and with some of the families of the hostages kidnapped on October 7. Other visits included cities such as Kiryat Shmona in the North and Sderot in the South, from which thousands of Israelis have been evacuated. The delegation also met with wounded soldiers and with evacuees.
Jared and Ivanka Kushner visit Kfar Azza
■ SOME OF the people who come on solidarity visits stay for several days, while others pay lightning visits, simply to see for themselves what has been reported in the international media. Among the latter were Jared Kushner, former senior adviser to former US president Donald Trump, and his wife, Ivanka, who is Trump’s daughter. Kushner later tweeted: “It’s important to see with one’s own eyes the lingering effects of the barbaric and unspeakable acts of October 7. We met with families of those who were kidnapped, including some still in Gaza.”
France and Germany compete in solidarity demonstrations
■ THERE ARE many diplomats, politicians, and members of professional institutions who have come to see for themselves different aspects of the post-October 7 situation. Among them were representatives of BBK, Germany’s Federal Office of Civil Protection and Disaster Assistance, and President of the French Senate Gerard Larcher.
Over the past two or three months, there seems to be some competition between France and Germany in fighting antisemitism and demonstrating solidarity with Israel, with visits by top statesmen and politicians from each of the two countries, though Germany is far less critical of Israel than France.
German Embassy volunteers pick oranges
■ ON THE local scene, members of the German Embassy were among volunteers helping Israeli farmers who have lost many of their foreign employees. The Germans went to pick oranges. “Who knew that orange trees are so thorny?” asked German Ambassador Steffen Seibert.
Argentinian TV personality reunites with abducted 77-year old aunt
■ ALMOST EVERYONE in Israel, including the hostages in Gaza, has relatives abroad who were naturally anxious about their fate.
Some of these relatives are in influential positions, and therefore have greater access to the general public when advocating for the release of the hostages and their return to Israel.
One such person is Hernan Feler, a famous Argentinian television personality who is a soccer broadcaster. His 77-year-old aunt, Ofelia Roitman, was in Hamas captivity for 53 days prior to her release on November 28. His aunt had been abducted from Kibbutz Nir Oz, and, while broadcasting soccer matches, Feler used every opportunity to talk about the hostages.
He has since been reunited with his aunt, and last week met with some 120 Spanish-speaking students at Reichman University’s Raphael Recanati International School.
The meeting was also attended by Jonathan Davis, the university’s vice president for external relations and head of the international school, and Prof. Rafi Melnick, former president of the university.
During his stay in Israel, Feler met with Herzog, delivered a powerful speech during a soccer game in Bloomfield Stadium, where he advocated for the return of the hostages; and met the Knesset Sports Committee.
Feler, who is deeply connected to Israel, has a strong foundation in Jewish values and identity.
Even after his aunt had been released, Feler continued talking about the hostages during his TV broadcasts, and has chosen to maintain this practice until all the hostages return home. He also mentions them constantly in posts on social media platforms.
“Hernan Feler is a true hero for the Jews of the Diaspora. He demonstrates ingenuity, courage, and unwavering devotion to the cause,” said Davis. “Since October 7, Hernan has not ceased raising awareness about the hostages during major sports broadcasts in Argentina. Today, 120 Spanish-speaking students, from Spain, Mexico, Peru, Colombia, Venezuela, Argentina, and Paraguay listened fervently to his impactful words. They rallied behind one of the most prominent fighters against antisemitism and pledged to support him on social media. As the head of the school, I am proud to see students who understand the gravity of the situation and are ready to fight for the Zionist cause. They bring pride to Reichman University.”
In an emotional address, Feler said: “Even after the return of my aunt Ofelia, our commitment to everyone’s safe return remains steadfast. Before my being a broadcaster and journalist, I am first and foremost a Jew, and I grew up on Jewish values. Despite the fears, I will continue my efforts. If someone were to do something to me, I would prefer it to be because I took a stand and took action, not because I sat idle in my home.”
Like Davis, Melnick was full of praise for Feler. “His courage is noteworthy – he is not afraid to continue his noble mission and stand before a hostile audience with significant antisemitic elements. In my eyes, he exemplifies the response one should exhibit to the world in the face of antisemitism.”
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