'When the world's boycott threats increase, it's advisable to engage in breathing exercises'
Photo: Reuters
Ziv Tidhar
Oh no, the world is angry with us
Op-ed: Israel has already learned that rushing into irresponsible agreements turns into an ongoing nightmare
The world is angry at us. Tzipi Livni and Yair Lapid say so too. We are living in a paradise of self-euphoria and refusing to notice that even our best friends are turning their backs on us. We will soon be lonely, isolated and boycotted. No one will bother visiting us either. Not even the gays at the Tel Aviv Pride Parade.
What have we done to deserve this, you ask. Many of us are actually very warm and friendly, there is high-quality human capital here, a small island of Western sanity in the heart of growing backwardness in the surroundings. Israel is a power of knowledge and technology, the fruits of which are enjoyed by the entire world's population.
Different View
Assaf Sharon
Op-ed: Israeli policy beyond Green Line is exacting a real, heavy price from us as consumer, academic boycotts gain momentum
It’s possible that we will no longer get past the Eurovision semi-final, and that the television will constantly broadcast reruns of (1980s sitcom) "Krovim Krovim" because the writers of "Eretz Nehederet" will flee to Berlin. Clearly, we must not come to terms with such a horrible situation.
So what are we waiting for? Perhaps we should simply agree to a return to the 1967 borders without any delay, give up on the security arrangements in the Jordan Valley and grant citizenship to tens of thousands of Palestinians? True, missiles will fly on Ben-Gurion Airport and on the cities of the Tel Aviv Metropolitan Area, but why be petty? The world will no longer grumble. After all, the Jewish state was founded to give the Europeans some peace and quiet from the Jews after hundreds of years of ongoing suffering. There's a name for it – it's called "being a light unto the nations."
We will already be hiding under the kitchen table when the Color Red sirens break through, and on Saturdays we'll lodge in cafés made from reinforced concrete to spare ourselves the need to run to the shelter. We'll cling to newspapers in German and French praising Israel, because the local newspaper wasn't distributed again. The print workers are on strike in protest of the days they lost while watching the children who didn't study because another missile landed next to a school in Herzliya. Luckily, it ended in a miracle once again.
In the nearby industrial zone, high-tech workers have already been fired a long time ago. With all their appreciation of the Jewish mind, foreign companies have packed up. It's too dangerous to do business here. But don't worry. As part of the new and restrained policy, the IDF no longer responds towards the sources of fire in the West Bank. Why ignite a "round of violence" which will lead to another anti-Israel wave of protests?
Only in southern Tel Aviv, all remains the same. The Africans who left at their own initiative due to lack of livelihood (the tourists preferred Cyprus' safe hotels) have been replaced by new guests: A unstoppable flow of Palestinians fleeing for lives from the horror of the Hamas government, which has recently gained control of Jenin, Ramallah and Nablus. Thousands more arrive every day. Persecuted women, homosexuals and just seculars. Clearly, they cannot be returned. After all, Israel respects the Refugee Convention.
Seasonal outbursts of anti-Semitic rage
So what is the conclusion? That we must continue pursuing political agreements with our neighbors in any way, as long as they guarantee real security and peace. Losing our senses and getting hysterical because of seasonal outbursts of good old anti-Semitic rage cannot dictate another round of political experiments on human beings.On the other hand, the Israeli government must definitely prepare for a possible temporary setback to the standard of living, and the price that the Jordan Valley's farmers are paying in the meantime will have to be paid by everyone. The other option is simply much worse.
We have already learned that hastily signing irresponsible agreements turns into a chronicle of an ongoing nightmare with no way out, which has serious economic consequences. The first to be harmed as usual will be the poor. So when the world's boycott threats increase, it's advisable to engage in breathing exercises. If the anxiety becomes annoying, one can always visit the family physician.
Ziv Tidhar is a radio broadcaster and architect
