Tel Aviv is nice, lots of back backers here from all over the world. Actually there are quite a few hobos down here by the beach too. Tel Aviv at least down here by the beach reminds me an awful lot of South Beach in Miami. It really is nice.
In short as soon as I crossed the checkpoint coming into (it is still weird having guys approach your car with M-16’s) Israel I couldn’t help but notice it is so incredibly beautiful it is quite amazing. I thought we were rich in Alberta but driving through the countryside I can not recall a nicer area I have been. The country side reminds me so much of Northern California or the Okanagan. Lots of forests, massive incredibly well paved highways & I couldn’t help but think am I in the same country? It made me wonder with it being so beautiful here why the settlers would choose areas in the West Bank. It is bizarre really the West Bank is basically all desert & the standard of living obviously is far lower than here.
The weather and beaches are remarkable, it is at least as affluent as any US city I would say there is a bigger gap between the richer areas here & the poorer ones than Canada.
Today I decided to get a nicer hotel than where I have been staying since Christie arrives Tuesday morning after 30+ hours in the air. I am a bit sun burnt after walking the beach yesterday. I decided to rent a car today. I tried to rent a motorcycle for the week but that is impossible here. I did almost buy a bike but thought Christie might kill me if I did that! The car rental guy seems to think I will not be able to get into Bethlehem but we’ll see.
I took the car & went to Moshav Gan to see SAFE HAVEN FOR DONKEYS IN THE HOLY LAND a non-profit animal rescue site. I was so impressed with myself that I not only overcame bad directions, I overcame bad directions with the signs in Hebrew! I finally arrived in Moshav Gan Yoshiyya, where a British ex-patriot Lucy Fensom & her husband have taken it upon themselves to rescue these animals that have been terribly abused, beaten, neglected, tortured for fun then finally left to die. The Israeli’s would dress up donkeys like Yasser Arafat & the Palestinians would paint the Israeli flag on them & do all sorts of terrible things to these animals. One of the animals I saw, Bernie, was stray donkey and for fun, they doused him with gasoline and set fire to him. Lucy & her husband nursed Bernie back to health & when I saw him his open sore was about the size of my fist although most of his body is scarred he seems to have recovered. I never thought donkeys could be so sweet but these guys really vie for your attention & act more like cats than donkeys!
Lucy was a British Airways flight attendant who saw a donkey in horrible condition & rescued it, since that one animal it has evolved into what they have now created. She met Adi when she needed security from local villagers who were threatening her animals. Adi had a security company (and the bouncers & security guards have guns here!) showed up & the reast as they say is history. They have to rent the land since unlike Canada land is at a premium here, & like most non-profits it is a struggle to receive funding.
http://www.safehaven4donkeys.org/index.php
I had a great chat with her husband who like all Israeli nationals served in the Israeli Army. He fought in the war against Lebanon. He said that they are taught not to kill women, children or old people but he said what do you do when a 12 year old is firing an RPG at you? He said they are at war & since the Israeli’s have such a powerful military there is outcry when they win their battles & inflict heavy damage. He said he & Lucy agree to disagree on the issues between Israel & Palestine so as husband & wife they just do not talk about it. He has many Palestinian friends & they have Palestinians volunteer for their organization. It was almost word for word what my friend Castro said, most Israeli’s have nothing against the Palestinian people, why can’t we just live peacefully side by side in one nation? He said the issue is between the governments not the people. However he did say, our government gives us a better standard of living than theirs. After being in both places it is difficult to argue that one.
It reminded me of last year when I was in Africa. In Sierra Leone for instance, they gained independence from the British in 1961. After being in Sierra Leone 48 years later one has to ask ‘have they done better on their own?’ Could this be the scenario in Palestine if a 2 State Solution is reached? Would Israel ever abide by UN Resolution 194 the Right of Return? What would become of the Israeli settlers in the West Bank? These are tough questions to be sure.
I will be surfing in the Mediterranean tomorrow. Something I enjoy so much saddens me. I wish all of the Karama kids could experience this.
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