Haifa - en my politieke neus loop

Nog steeds die blou lyn / Follow the blue line from Tel Aviv north

Haifa: Die ander kant van die waarheid.

Ek was vroeg in Haifa en het die admin by die haweagent afgehandel. Die vragskip is nou al vier dae laat.

Ek was gelukkig om 'n Arabier, "Andrew", te ontmoet. Hy was op pad Galilea toe en het gevra of ek wil saamry. Ek het die kans met albei hande aangegryp.

Dit was interessant om van die lewe van 'n Palestyn in Israel te hoor.

Hulle mag nie weermag toe gaan nie.
Hulle maak nog net 11 persent van die bevolking uit.
Hulle kla baie oor dienslewering wat vir die Arabiese inwoners van Israel maar skraps is in vergelyking met die Joodse deel van die bevolking.
Hulle glimlag oor die bewering dat Israel 'n demokratiese staat is.
Op papier is die Palestyne in Israel gelykwaardig met die Jode, in die praktyk egter nie.

Andrew het my baie gewys: Arabiese dorpe wat afgeskeep lyk in vergelyking met Joodse dorpe (sien die foto's hier bo); Huise wat platgestoot is. Terwyl ons gepraat het, het Israeliese vegvliegtuie die hemelruim bo ons patrolleer. Ons was, soos die kraai vlieg, slegs 5 km van die grens met Lebanon.

My toer deur Israel is besig om vir my 'n lewenservaring te word. Ek het soveel begrip vir die Joodse standpunt. As self deel van 'n minderheid in SA het ek net so baie begrip vir die Palestynse standpunt. Laat ons op ons gemeenskaplikhede en nie verskille nie, konsentreer.

Haifa is 'n pragtige stad! Ek sal julle more meer van die stad wys. Twee jaar gelede tydens die kort oorlog met Lebanon was die stad byna 'n spookstad nadat meer as 400 vuurpyle vanuit Lebanon teikens in die stad getref het.

Mag elke vuurpyl in 'n duisend rooi rose verander!



Haifa: The other side of the truth.

I arrived in Haifa early and completed the admin at the harbour. The cargo ship is now 4 days late.

I met an Arab gent, "Andrew". He invited me to come with to the Galilea region. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

After meeting many Jews it was fascinating hearing from a Palestine about their life in Israel.

They may not go to the army.
They make out only 11% of the Israeli population.
Services rendered to Arab villages are inferior to those rendered to Jewish villages.
They only smile when they hear that Israel is a democratic state.
According to the law the Palestines and Jews in Israel are equal, in reality not.

Andrew showed me a lot: Neglected Arab villages in comparison to Jewish villages (see the photographs above); Palestine houses destroyed by bulldozers. And while we were speaking fighter aircraft patrolled the skies above us. We were only 5 km from the border to Lebanon, as the crow flies.

My tour through Israel is slowly turning into a life experience. I have so much empathy with the Jews in Israel. As part of a minority in South Africa I have as much empathy with the viewpoint of the Palestines in Israel. Let us concentrate on the common ground between us and not on the differences.

Haifa is a wonderful and beautiful city! I will show you more from the city tomorrow. Less than two years ago the city was nearly a ghost city during the short war with Lebanon. More than 400 rockets from Lebanon hit targets in the city.

May each rocket change into a thousand red roses!