An unclear line
"Well, I suppose you aren't pro-Israeli?"
"Sorry?"
"Are you Pro-Israel or Pro-Lebanon?"
"Oh. Uhm...I think I would have to say I'm not pro either country."
"I guess that is a good place to be."
Interesting how a conversation about being senior reporter for the London Student can take a rapid and serious turn. I attended an event sponsored by UJS (Union for Jewish Students) called "Israel: After the Conflict." It was an interesting discussion. Actually, it was an interesting atmosphere.
I was happily greeted by other students eagar to know my name, where I was studying, and what I was studying. I sat at a table next to the girl who let me into the building (for security reasons, you have to be buzzed in first). She apologised for ignoring me because she was reading for a course. I told her she shouldn't worry about it, at all. I do it all the time to other people. She then suggested that if I was bored I could read a newspaper she had with her. I asked her which newspaper it was. I think it was London Lite or something similar. I said, "Oh yeah. I wouldn't mind. I saw someone reading that on the train and I saw a bit on Irwin's daughter that I wanted to read." It was only a few paragraphs about how the little sprite would continue doing her Discovery channel show without her father.
"Actually, I have a newspaper in my backpack." I said after I finished reading the blurb. The girl said, "Oh I imagine it's probably a more serious newspaper than the Lite." I said, "I guess. It's the Guaridan." She seemed to think it was a slightly better newspaper but then she said something else that caught me a bit off.
"It's a bit liberal." I said, "I guess so." In my head I was thinking, "Good. I'm glad I picked the right paper." Then she said, "I wonder how much of what they print is really true." I thought, "What? What is she talking about?" Then I said, "Well I guess it's hard to say what is really true in any of the papers we read." She agreed.
Strange. Where did that come from? I think that about Rupert Murdoch owned papers, not papers like the Guardian! That was the start of what would become a slow realisation that my understanding of Israel within the context of English society was really off.
The talk was good. They had someone come out from the Israeli Embassy and talk about the 'government' stance. That was, of course, very strongly behind Israel's decision. He skirted the issue of cluster bombs by saying that there is no international law that makes the use illegal and therefore if there is a problem, it should be taken up internationally. Fine. Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes are both legal but also very bad for your health. Just because it is legal, it doesn't make it the best choice, does it? I didn't bring that up in the question and answer. I decided to ask a very safe question.
"Is Israel doing anything, diplomatically, in terms of working with Lebanon to remove Hezbollah from Lebanon--without the killing of people on either side, that is?" His response was that Israel had tried before and that he supposed the door for such talks was still open, should Lebanon wish to pursue such talks.
So that was last night. Today I got a phone call from the News Editor for the London Student about being a Senior Reporter for Royal Holloway (RHUL apparently does not have one at the moment). We talked about what the job would entail. I then remembered something that was mentioned last night. The wife of one of the Israeli soliders that was captured (and is still being kept away somewhere by Hezbollah) was making a visit to England to give some talks and share her story. She was looking to talk to students and I imagine that UJS will be putting something on for that to happen.
I mentioned that to the News Editor and I got an strange response which led into the quoted discussion at the start of this post. British society thinks Israel should not exist. People tend to see the Israeli army as terrorists. Was she saying that it wouldn't be a good idea to do a report on her visit? I am not sure. Apparently the media in England tends to focus mostly on the people that Israel's government attacks. They say Israel is racist and terrorists. I told her that we've never really heard anyone say that in the states before. Generally, the media is very pro-Israeli.
No wonder the vast majority of Jews out here are so pro-Israel. What a world.
"Sorry?"
"Are you Pro-Israel or Pro-Lebanon?"
"Oh. Uhm...I think I would have to say I'm not pro either country."
"I guess that is a good place to be."
Interesting how a conversation about being senior reporter for the London Student can take a rapid and serious turn. I attended an event sponsored by UJS (Union for Jewish Students) called "Israel: After the Conflict." It was an interesting discussion. Actually, it was an interesting atmosphere.
I was happily greeted by other students eagar to know my name, where I was studying, and what I was studying. I sat at a table next to the girl who let me into the building (for security reasons, you have to be buzzed in first). She apologised for ignoring me because she was reading for a course. I told her she shouldn't worry about it, at all. I do it all the time to other people. She then suggested that if I was bored I could read a newspaper she had with her. I asked her which newspaper it was. I think it was London Lite or something similar. I said, "Oh yeah. I wouldn't mind. I saw someone reading that on the train and I saw a bit on Irwin's daughter that I wanted to read." It was only a few paragraphs about how the little sprite would continue doing her Discovery channel show without her father.
"Actually, I have a newspaper in my backpack." I said after I finished reading the blurb. The girl said, "Oh I imagine it's probably a more serious newspaper than the Lite." I said, "I guess. It's the Guaridan." She seemed to think it was a slightly better newspaper but then she said something else that caught me a bit off.
"It's a bit liberal." I said, "I guess so." In my head I was thinking, "Good. I'm glad I picked the right paper." Then she said, "I wonder how much of what they print is really true." I thought, "What? What is she talking about?" Then I said, "Well I guess it's hard to say what is really true in any of the papers we read." She agreed.
Strange. Where did that come from? I think that about Rupert Murdoch owned papers, not papers like the Guardian! That was the start of what would become a slow realisation that my understanding of Israel within the context of English society was really off.
The talk was good. They had someone come out from the Israeli Embassy and talk about the 'government' stance. That was, of course, very strongly behind Israel's decision. He skirted the issue of cluster bombs by saying that there is no international law that makes the use illegal and therefore if there is a problem, it should be taken up internationally. Fine. Drinking alcohol and smoking cigarettes are both legal but also very bad for your health. Just because it is legal, it doesn't make it the best choice, does it? I didn't bring that up in the question and answer. I decided to ask a very safe question.
"Is Israel doing anything, diplomatically, in terms of working with Lebanon to remove Hezbollah from Lebanon--without the killing of people on either side, that is?" His response was that Israel had tried before and that he supposed the door for such talks was still open, should Lebanon wish to pursue such talks.
So that was last night. Today I got a phone call from the News Editor for the London Student about being a Senior Reporter for Royal Holloway (RHUL apparently does not have one at the moment). We talked about what the job would entail. I then remembered something that was mentioned last night. The wife of one of the Israeli soliders that was captured (and is still being kept away somewhere by Hezbollah) was making a visit to England to give some talks and share her story. She was looking to talk to students and I imagine that UJS will be putting something on for that to happen.
I mentioned that to the News Editor and I got an strange response which led into the quoted discussion at the start of this post. British society thinks Israel should not exist. People tend to see the Israeli army as terrorists. Was she saying that it wouldn't be a good idea to do a report on her visit? I am not sure. Apparently the media in England tends to focus mostly on the people that Israel's government attacks. They say Israel is racist and terrorists. I told her that we've never really heard anyone say that in the states before. Generally, the media is very pro-Israeli.
No wonder the vast majority of Jews out here are so pro-Israel. What a world.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home