The Israeli Paradox
Did Nasrallah target Wadi Nisnas in bid to reverse name of street to its original Arab name?
Following the battle of Tel Hai, Yosef Haim wrote: "Blessed is he who falls at Tel Hai." This week 12 reserve soldiers were killed not far from there on their way to the war in Lebanon. Haifa was shelled that same day. The building that collapsed in Wadi Nisnas used to house the communist newspaper Al-ittihad. Its editor was my deceased friend, the writer Emile Habibi.
The neighborhood, primarily populated by Arabs, was neglected. The Israeli novelist Sami Michael adeptly described it in one of the most important books ever written in Israel "A Trumpet in the Wadi."
Today the house stands on Zionism Boulevard. The name of the street has been changed twice. Before the War of Independence the Arabs called it the Mountain Path, it was later changed to Kaf Tet B'November (November 29th). When Israel was offended by the United Nation's resolution calling Zionism racist, the street name was once again changed to Zionism Boulevard.
The best hummus in Jamusin
I had sat in the building that collapsed this week on several occasions. I would meet with Emile and the wonderful poet Siham Daud, in charge of the newspaper. Occasionally we would have lunch together. Emile would take pleasure in saying that the best hummus in Haifa was served on Zionism Boulevard.
Years later I moved to Zionism Boulevard in Tel Aviv. This street also used to be called Kaf Tet B'November. When Emile came to meet me at my home, he asked me whether we could find the best hummus in Jamusin in the area.
Jamusin used to be a beautiful Arab village, on whose ruins now stand Zionism Boulevard, Kikar Hamedina and the Tzameret neighborhood. The ugly buildings on Pinkas Street were recently built on what remained of the Jamusin ruins. There reside in absolute luxury the well-to-do, including Ehud Barak, who probably thinks the building is beautiful.
History makes an about turn
Now history has made an about turn. On the day on which I still feel that "blessed is he who falls at Tel Hai," Hizbullah's small army manages to strike at the Israel Defense Forces, who confused the cabinet by persuading it to embark on a war it believed it could win.
That's how Nasrallah shot an arrow at Zionism Boulevard, so that it would once again become The Mountain Path, and those who are paying the price for "being blessed at falling in Haifa's Tel Hai", are the Arabs living in Israel on Zionism Boulevard
