"riverman"
When I worked in Israel, despite the wonderful things about the place,

In particular. I enjoyed the food....

1) The obtuse security on El Al,

Well, they do have a good highjack record.... I rather experienced the same
thing myself, but that was in the 80's. Imagine, someone who looks like me,
and I was traveling with a black man. In particular I enjoyed the sample
glasses of Sabra that were given out at the little welcoming booth at the
airport. Nothing like being somewhat stewed as you exit the airport.

I resorted to drinking cooking sherry in the Orthodox quarter and spent a
few days in the Armenian quarter, having found a man with a pipe......



2) The endless 'shell game' that Ariel Sharon played with the media,
with the support of much of the general public.

I found the average person to be somewhat laid back....mostly getting along.
but they have this genetic thing going about the promised land... Most
Bible Thumpers don't realize that the promised land was occupied wihen the
Jews left Egypt, and don't really read the part about the God of Love
ordering the death of many cities,. . . men women and children. Slew being
the past tense of 'sacred slaughter.'

3) The reference of the participants in the Palestinian uprisings as
Terrorists (Palestinians) and Soldiers (Israelis).

Isn't that rather what we have today in Iraq? Our society (the world over)
is collapsing. More scary than any of the science fiction books I ever read.
Indeed the 'Orwell speak' has degenerated into name calling, of which we are
proud. The more derogatory names we can think of for 'others' the more votes
the politicians get....

4) How any offense committed by Palestinians (like launching a pipe
missle into a potato field and not hitting anybody) was met with a
barrage of criticism and wailing of how brutal the Palestinians are,

Chavez, Fidel, the Palestinians and indeed Islam could benefit from the
guidance a few good anti war demonstrators from the sixties... doesn't
anyone remember Ghandi?

Did anyone else notice that W's rhetoric changed drastically after
Sharon's visit to the US back in his first year of this first term?
What the hell did Sharon ('the Man of Peace') tell the young George??

Well, truth be told, I highly suspect that amongst all the gathering of
riches we used to call looting that accompanies any war, we have a select
few, in places of power, who are actually trying to bring about Armegeddon.

--riverman


....I'd love to tell you about a little thing I experienced in the basement
of a hotel on the outskirts of the old city of Jerusalem (ever wonder about
the middle letters - 'USA'?) after a bus blew up not far from an old camel
herder's tent that I happened to be visiting the previous day. The Mossad
was there. . .but I can't right now.

There are people marching in the streets of my city, wanting rights. They
want health care for free that I can't afford for my own family. Being here
illegally, they are criminals and thus have more opportunities than I can
give my own family, because I pay taxes and they don't. While marching they
are wrapped in the flag of another country....chanting in another language.

I feel like the ******* son of Abraham, who can only sit on the doorstep of
his tent saying...

Oh Lord, the Israelites!

john