LIGHT UNTO THE NATIONS MOMENT!!!

While Israel does have a problem as a banana republic, there are still efforts to be a "light unto the nations" as our Zionist ideologues and founders envisioned. I went to the website www.israel21c.com and came away with a load of material. Below is an article about an international desertification conference held in conjunction with Ben Gurion University and the United Nations (yes, we actually do cooperate with them on some issues).

A couple of other quick examples of what I found:
1. An artcle about Kasamba, a website that Google, Yahoo, Adobe, Guru.com are starting to pay attention to as it is becoming one of the leading expert referal and tutorial sights on the web.
2. An article about Hossam Haick, an Israeli Arab bio chemist who is a faculty member at the Technion in Haifa. He just recieved the Madame Curie Action Excellence grant (2.2 million dollars) from the European Union in order to develop a cancer olafactory detection device which, using nano technology can "sniff" out cancer cells even before the tumor develops.
3. An article about a joint Israeli-American team of scientists who are developing a new drug to treat cystic fibrosis.

And there were many many more.




HOMEZONE

Desertification Conference Draws Calls for Resourcefulness
By Stephanie Freid November 20, 2006

When leading environmentalist Alon Tal opened the first Israel-hosted UN Conference on Deserts and Desertification, he discarded his necktie, setting a typically Israeli tone: "I did my part by wearing it; I'm getting comfortable and I encourage you all to do the same," he told the roomful of over 200 conference attendees.

They had come from thirty different countries to the Negev desert to swap knowledge, assess domestic policies and address the urgent spread of global drylands. Jointly hosted by the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD) and Israel's Jacob Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, participants sat in on lectures and visited research facilities over a period of four days.

"We need to learn from the resilience of Israel in developing drylands," Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations Convention to Combat Desertification (UNCCD), Ambassador Gregoire de Kalbermatten told attendees in opening session remarks.

Series of panels and discussions integrated some of the world's leading international desertification experts including Ghana Fisheries Minister Gladys Asmah, Jordanian Director General of Sustainable Development Dr. Khaled Nassar and India's Dr. Gurbachan Singh, Director of the country's Central Soil Salinity Research Institute. Experts and representatives from Mongolia, Uzbekistan, Uganda, Australia, Mexico and other countries were on hand at opening day sessions.

"Why are we here?" Ambassador Kalbermatten continued in his address. "Because the link between conflict in this part of the world can be viewed in the broader link between natural resources and ecology. If current climate scenarios of change, growth demographics, consumption patterns and poverty continue, the fight in the 21st century will be over water, not oil."

The United Nations General Assembly declared 2006 the International Year of Deserts and Desertification to help prevent the exacerbation of global desertification and to support public awareness activities related to desertification and land degradation.

The year's main objective is to get the message across that desertification is a major threat to humanity compounded by both climate change and loss of biological diversity.

Drylands make up over 40% of the world?s surface and are inhabited by some of the world?s lowest income populations. "Israel's knowledge of dryland agriculture could be of great value to some of the world's poorest," a UN statement issued at the conference relayed.

"I am here because I am specifically interested in issues of gender and pastoral lifestyle. I am a Massai and there are tremendous conflicts between African farmers and pastoral groups over eco-balance and land degradation. I hope to learn from the experts here," Josephine Simon, Community Conservation Officer of Tanzania's African Wildlife Foundation told ISRAEL21c.

Panel sessions during the four day conference addressed issues of Dryland biodiversity and the ecosystem, agro forestry, management of degraded lands and impact of climate change on drylands.

"One third of humanity lives in drylands," explained Israel's UNCCD Focal Point Ambassador and Ecology Professor Uriel Safriel. "So this presents challenges: Erosion, soil salinization and loss of vegetation cover. At the same time, however, there are opportunities: Agriculture can be replaced with aquaculture, eco-tourism can be promoted and urban development like in Las Vegas or Riyadh can be encouraged."

Israel has been a global leader in innovative desert technologies introducing drip irrigation, desert fish farming techniques, algae cultivation and de-salinization to the world.

Beyond academic and professional proceedings, conference goers were treated to a sundown tour of a 3rd Century BCE Nabatean desert caravan site and 6th century Byzantine community remains on conference opening day. The tour was part of a larger thematic plan to expose conference goers to ancient desert cultures, migration habits and water cistern preservation techniques. "This is simply amazing in terms of history and the water issues we face now," Kenya Development Services Executive Director Silvanus Malaho told ISRAEL21c. "The water preservation and construction systems here were elaborate."

During the 4-day conference, attendees also visited solar energy and development centers, desert eco-tourism sites, brackish water fisheries and algae growing centers.

Although Arab world delegates were mostly absent, Jordan was represented by Dr. Khaled Nasser of The Jordanian Sustainable Development Society. Palestinian Authority General Director of Water & Environmental Development Nader al_Khateeb told 21c that despite the political climate, "even politicians who can't agree on major issues agree on environment. It affects across boundaries. If there is a will, we can continue working for the environment," he told 21c.

UNCCD delegate Uriel Safriel summarized by telling ISRAEL21c that the point of the conference was to find opportunities. "The message coming from here is that desert drylands are opportunities for mankind, not curses. Following Israel's lead, we can use deserts for the betterment of mankind."





© 2001-2004 ISRAEL21c.org. All rights reserved.

Traveling to Jerusalem can either be a very mundane, everyday kind of experience with all of the traffic and parking frustrations of any big city. Or it can be a kind of surreal reminder of how Jerusalem is a focal point of the tension that exists between the ancient and modern, religious and secular; and, of course, the very heart and soul of the continuous debate of how Israel can be both a Jewish and democratic state.

Last Wednesday I went into Jerusalem with my children. I had an appointment at the Jerusalem sleep clinic to get a new c-pap machine. I have sleep apnea. The clinic happens to be located in an old stone building on Strauss Street, just a couple of blocks away from Shabbat Square, an intersection which separates Geula, an ultra orthodox neighborhood from Mea Shearim, an ultra ultra orthodox neighborhood. Needless to say, we were surrounded by men in long black coats, black hats and beards and women dressed from the neck and wrist to the ankle and, if they were married, their hair covered tightly so that not one strand could escape.

Passing through Shabbat Square we all saw smoke coming out of metal garbage dumpsters and in the square itself an overturned burned out car. This was all the result of "demonstrations" (read riots) by the ultra orthodox against the gay pride parade that was supposed to occur today. In the end the parade was cancelled, partly because of the tragedy that happened in Beit Hanoun, Gaza the day before yesterday, but partly because the police were searching for any excuse to cancel. They were planning on using 9,000 police to protect the march even though the route had been switched from the center of town to the government complex/Israel Museum area. This is an area in Jerusalem that is not busy on Fridays and wouldn't come close to any orthodox neighborhoods. The gay organizations are still having an event in Jerusalem but holding it at the stadium of Hebrew University. The ultra Orthodox are brie thing a sigh of relief also-with the compromise they hastily withdrew petitions to the Supreme Court to stop the march so that they did not take the chance of losing court battles or having legal precedents set against them.

A couple of other snippets from the visit.

I overheard a conversation between two orthodox men waiting at a street corner.
"So they threw flash grenades at us and they came riding in on their police horses swinging their batons."

And then, while I was sitting in the waiting room of the sleep clinic a couple of times a car came by with a message blaring from loud speakers: "We have to protect the Holy City of Jerusalem. What they are planning is a desecration of the holy name!!!!"
And on and on in the same vein.

In the end, the gay pride event that they held in the stadium went on without any major disturbances.

Recently my parents came to visit and we went to the Dead Sea. My Mother is the one on the right. I'm on the left with the body by couch potato. In over 25 years of either living and/or visiting Israel that was the first (and I think, last) time I ever put on the mud.

More Banana Republic Blues

I was all depressed from my post a few days ago about Israel being a banana republic and actually resolved to write something more positive by the end of the week. Perhaps this weekend's Jerusalem Post would have something. Well, I glance at the front page and what headline do I see but: Anti-corruption Czar to be Probed.
Yes, that's right the man in the State Comptrollers office in charge of spotting and weeding out corruption is being investigated for just that. And what's the allegation? Influence peddling and possible bribery to get another government post. What government post you ask? Why, that of police inspector general!!!!
This is definitely the Israel banana republic moment of the week!!!!

Israel the Banana Republic

I haven't written much about the political situation the last few weeks. I suppose I was exhausted after the summer. I am also disillusioned about the state of affairs in Israel (not to mention my continued dismay at how Israel is portrayed by the world media, academia and intellectual and cultural elites, but that's another story). However, events over the last week or two have compelled me to write. I have said this in private to a few friends and family and admitted it to myself, but never really felt the need to declare it publicly, but Israel is a banana republic. No doubt about it.
Here are a few recent examples of why this is the case:
1. Our president, Moshe Katzav, who holds the office that is supposed to be above politics and represent all that is good and decent in Israeli society, will most likely be indicted for rape and sexual harassment. This is what the police are recommending-the country is waiting for the attorney generals office to decide if they are, indeed, going to indict. President Katzav has failed to fulfill the duties of his office. Is he going to resign or suspend himself? Of course not!
2. Speaking of the president: others are already clamoring and putting their name forward to replace Katsav. We have Likud MK Reuvan Rivlan, Labor MK Colette Avital, former Chief Rabbi Lau, and of course, Kadima MK Shimon Peres.
Peres never knows when to cut his losses. He has it good. He is an MK, he has the ear of the prime minister, and he has some power. Let your megalomania rest man!!!!! Your 84 years old!!!! But no, he won't. He is already campaigning hard for the presidency. Not only that he and his allies are campaigning to change the basic law governing the election of the president.
According to basic law 3, the president is elected in a secret ballot by the Knesset. This is so that every MK can vote their conscience and so that they do not feel compelled to vote with their political party and so that they won't be penalized by their party or the public after the vote. It has worked pretty well since the law was enacted in 1964. Why does Peres want this transparency? Because during the last presidential election, he lost to Katsav in a secret ballot, so hey, let's change the law to make sure members of Knesset vote as Shimon Peres wants them to this time.
3. The Labor Party Central Committee voted to stay in the coalition with Lieberman and his Yisrael Beteinu Party (Israel Our Home – a right wing party). Power above principals!!!!
4. Lieberman joining the government after he backed down on all of his demands for joining the coalition. Power above principals!!!! And deputy prime minister in charge of strategic planning? What's up with that?
Well it brings me to my next one:
5. In the aftermath of the Lebanon War this summer, it is frightening how ad hoc and off the cuff this country engages in strategic planning. The system is not stable. Coming up with this title to salve politicians ego is a great case in point.
6. It just came out, that, even though they were subject to harsh criticism (whatever that means), the four division commanders responsible for the conduct of the ground war in Lebanon this summer have not been punished. Most of them have been promoted. Let's hear it for the good old boy network!
I guess it is the tried and true method. This week is the 50th anniversary of the 1956 Sinai War. During that war a certain brash, reckless colonel ordered an assault on Mitla Pass (after repeatedly being ordered not to do so). This operation was completely unnecessary and caused dozens of casualties. He rose to the rank of major general. And yes, he did cross the Suez Canal in 1973 (but that is another story).
The bottom line is that, we are all waiting, clamoring for change, for the complete restructuring and repair that we all know the political and governing system needs. When and how it will come is another question entirely.