<!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.herzliyaconference.org/Eng/_Articles/Article.asp?ArticleID=1515&CategoryID=215">www.herzliyaconference.or...goryID=215</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br>The outrage<br><br>a couple of days ago Allan Darshowitz, the US lawyer, spoke in the annual herzlia conference (the privatized, US sponsored alternative to the parliament). Mr. Dershowitz warned the SIraelis that we are losing the battle of propaganda (hasbara - hebrew for "explaining") in the USA, and in less than 2 decades the USA is going to let go of its support of Israel. He said that the failure lies in Israel sending bad emissaries, all of the same profile (right wing, ashkenazi nationalists), and instead should be sending much younger (early 20's) israelis of all walks of life - homosexuals, ethopians, lefties, women etc. <br><br>The outrage - is Dershowitz' (et al) do not propose to REALLY trasnform the nature of Israeli society (male chauvinist, intoletant, nationalist ass holes) , but "TO MAKE THE APPEARANCE" of normalcy, by sending people who are in fact disempowered and marginalized here in ISrael for all practical matters. Same kind of argument popped up in Prof. Dror (nobel prize loreate) who said it is urgent to bring in at least 25% women to the leadership of political/security matters. Again, his claim was not to make Israel egalitarian and hospitable to women, but to schlepp some of them "idiot cows" and present them to the wide world AS if they are leading.<br><br>0--<br>I have long had a suspicion that Israeli PTB are becoming worried of their image (ruthless, obtuse know all generals) which led them to a HUGE campain starting this year to do the following<br>1, place Mizrahi Jews in key visible positions but NOT really giving them power.<br>2. launching a huge "ministry of foreign affairs" campaign to present the "humane" face of Israel. namely, sponsor literary publications and artists presenting abroad, helping writers translate to foreign languages, even blogs (
www.ayouni.blogspot.com), putting more "progressive" face, but all of this with a big "As if" and keeping tight controls on the reigns of power lest the puppets think they are really there for who they are.<br><br><br>This has led me to change my mind on the recent uprise in the Mizrahi issue, I now think it is blown up a bit, to present a more Mizrahi face, to counter the claims by Iran that this is just colonial jews from Europe. Secondly, to address western concerns, and mainly the USA, to put up a facade of normalcy in matters of gender, sexual orientation, and political margins. <br><br>the out rate of Mr. Dershowitz to stand up in a conference which has 99% male speakers traditionally ! all rich, white capitalist generals - and propose to send puppets to cheat the american public into thinking israel is NOT the hell it is for its own citizens.<br>-------<br><br><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK START--><a href="http://www.herzliyaconference.org/Eng/_Articles/Article.asp?ArticleID=1515&CategoryID=215">www.herzliyaconference.or...goryID=215</a><!--EZCODE AUTOLINK END--><br><br><br>if you want to know how bush is ruling israel, check the sponsors' list. <br><br> <p></p><i></i>
by havanagila » Thu Jan 26, 2006 11:17 am