Hadera used to be a town best known for being the most bombed outside of Jerusalem. With many Arab villages and towns close by – some friendly, some not – it wasn’t hard for an aspiring suicide bomber looking to make a name for himself and guarantee a $25,000 payment from Saddam Hussein to his family, to go into Hadera and cause mayhem.
That was before the wall or security fence was constructed, a wall whose construction I opposed at the time. Too many memories of the Berlin Wall made me believe that Israel’s wall was a mistake. Well, regardless of the undoubted fact that the wall has a number of moral flaws, there can be no disputing the result that since its construction, terrorist acts by Palestinians or local Arabs collaborating with Palestinian militias, have fallen by more than 90%!
The proof is very much in the pudding, or in my particular case, the cakes. So it was that last week I joined my wife Paz to man her cake stall in Hadera shopping mall, the very place that was the target of a number of bombings in the years prior to the construction of the wall. It might not surprise you to hear that I had never been to Hadera Mall before, so I was more than a little surprised to find an impressive modern shopping centre where Paz was placed as the centre of attention for their ‘Cupcake Festival’. And what a fabulous two days we had there. Not only did Paz’s cakes sell ‘like hot cakes’, but the many compliments about her sugar sculptures and confectionery from members of all communities was overwhelming.
For me, as someone who has truly hoped for so long that Jews and Arabs can live together in peace, being on the sales side of the stall and seeing Orthodox Jews and religious Muslims chatting together about cakes and deserts,( just as they would with anyone from their own community), was a delight. We all like delicious things. We are all attracted by artisan accomplishments, and we are all attracted by a bargain, as was proved when we knocked 1/3 off for the last two hours on the final day.
Hadera has such a rich mix of people, the overwhelming majority of whom just want to live a quiet life, have a few dollars in their pocket and a little extra for a treat now and then. Having a laugh and a joke with religious Jews, secular and religious Muslims, Ethiopians, Russians, South Americans, with off-duty soldiers, cleaners and shopkeepers, proved to me that the dream is achievable if the extremists on both sides can be quieted and cast aside to the very margins of all societies.
And now a round-up of news from this region from the last 10 days...
The Wikileaks revelations have shown what we have always suspected, that whilst most countries publicly slate Israel and its stance on the Middle East, many in private have been lobbying for Israel’s stance to be backed up. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and many European countries are desperately concerned about Iran and its intention to have nuclear weapons and use them against Israel. It has also been revealed that Iran has regular used Red Crescent ambulances for transporting weapons into Lebanon.
Whilst the Wikileaks revelations might compromise some US security departments, they have at least let the world know that Israel is not standing in quite the isolation that so many countries have been portraying in public.
The indispensible travellers guide, ‘Lonely Planet’ has placed Tel Aviv as No.3 on the list of the world’s most enjoyable cities, hot on the heels of New York and Tangiers (yes, Tangiers), and way ahead of London, Paris, Sydney or Rome. As a party city with amazing beaches, restaurants and night life, Tel Aviv wowed the judges who also pointed out the excellent art and music venues, the tolerance of the gay community by mainstream society, and the outstanding range of museums and university facilities.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has proved himself to be a cut above the normal politician. Even though it has been PC to slate Israel at every opportunity (at least in public, as Wikileaks proved this week), Harper has once again come out in defence of Israel and pointed the finger at other world leaders for their double standards. Here’s what he had to see last week on the subject:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUfFdhIOoQM
It appears that as a result of Canada’s pro-Israel stance they were overlooked for a temporary seat on the UN Security Council, but Harper suggested that this was a price he and his country are prepared to pay for saying what is right.
The prospect of the next James Bond movie being filmed in Israel has moved a step closer with the news that on his visit here earlier this month British Foreign Secretary William Hague signed an agreement with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman for a cinematic cooperation deal.
The deal gives major tax breaks to British movie companies when filming in Israel, and rumours abound that a major section of the forthcoming Bond movie may well be shot in the Holy Land. If they haven’t already cast the villain, might I suggest that FM Lieberman would be a perfect fit for the role, a part he won’t even have to rehearse to have off to a ‘T’!
That was before the wall or security fence was constructed, a wall whose construction I opposed at the time. Too many memories of the Berlin Wall made me believe that Israel’s wall was a mistake. Well, regardless of the undoubted fact that the wall has a number of moral flaws, there can be no disputing the result that since its construction, terrorist acts by Palestinians or local Arabs collaborating with Palestinian militias, have fallen by more than 90%!
The proof is very much in the pudding, or in my particular case, the cakes. So it was that last week I joined my wife Paz to man her cake stall in Hadera shopping mall, the very place that was the target of a number of bombings in the years prior to the construction of the wall. It might not surprise you to hear that I had never been to Hadera Mall before, so I was more than a little surprised to find an impressive modern shopping centre where Paz was placed as the centre of attention for their ‘Cupcake Festival’. And what a fabulous two days we had there. Not only did Paz’s cakes sell ‘like hot cakes’, but the many compliments about her sugar sculptures and confectionery from members of all communities was overwhelming.
For me, as someone who has truly hoped for so long that Jews and Arabs can live together in peace, being on the sales side of the stall and seeing Orthodox Jews and religious Muslims chatting together about cakes and deserts,( just as they would with anyone from their own community), was a delight. We all like delicious things. We are all attracted by artisan accomplishments, and we are all attracted by a bargain, as was proved when we knocked 1/3 off for the last two hours on the final day.
Hadera has such a rich mix of people, the overwhelming majority of whom just want to live a quiet life, have a few dollars in their pocket and a little extra for a treat now and then. Having a laugh and a joke with religious Jews, secular and religious Muslims, Ethiopians, Russians, South Americans, with off-duty soldiers, cleaners and shopkeepers, proved to me that the dream is achievable if the extremists on both sides can be quieted and cast aside to the very margins of all societies.
And now a round-up of news from this region from the last 10 days...
The Wikileaks revelations have shown what we have always suspected, that whilst most countries publicly slate Israel and its stance on the Middle East, many in private have been lobbying for Israel’s stance to be backed up. Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Jordan and many European countries are desperately concerned about Iran and its intention to have nuclear weapons and use them against Israel. It has also been revealed that Iran has regular used Red Crescent ambulances for transporting weapons into Lebanon.
Whilst the Wikileaks revelations might compromise some US security departments, they have at least let the world know that Israel is not standing in quite the isolation that so many countries have been portraying in public.
The indispensible travellers guide, ‘Lonely Planet’ has placed Tel Aviv as No.3 on the list of the world’s most enjoyable cities, hot on the heels of New York and Tangiers (yes, Tangiers), and way ahead of London, Paris, Sydney or Rome. As a party city with amazing beaches, restaurants and night life, Tel Aviv wowed the judges who also pointed out the excellent art and music venues, the tolerance of the gay community by mainstream society, and the outstanding range of museums and university facilities.
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper has proved himself to be a cut above the normal politician. Even though it has been PC to slate Israel at every opportunity (at least in public, as Wikileaks proved this week), Harper has once again come out in defence of Israel and pointed the finger at other world leaders for their double standards. Here’s what he had to see last week on the subject:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AUfFdhIOoQM
It appears that as a result of Canada’s pro-Israel stance they were overlooked for a temporary seat on the UN Security Council, but Harper suggested that this was a price he and his country are prepared to pay for saying what is right.
The prospect of the next James Bond movie being filmed in Israel has moved a step closer with the news that on his visit here earlier this month British Foreign Secretary William Hague signed an agreement with his Israeli counterpart Avigdor Lieberman for a cinematic cooperation deal.
The deal gives major tax breaks to British movie companies when filming in Israel, and rumours abound that a major section of the forthcoming Bond movie may well be shot in the Holy Land. If they haven’t already cast the villain, might I suggest that FM Lieberman would be a perfect fit for the role, a part he won’t even have to rehearse to have off to a ‘T’!
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