Laaste dag in Tel Aviv

More word kaartname weer realiteit vir my. Ek is gereed om die KLR se neus noord te draai na nuwe en onbekende horisonne.

Twee ontmoetings wat ek hier in Tel Aviv gehad het, bly in my kop draai.

Die een dame werk hier in die hotel. Sy was twee jaar lank in die weermag. Sy verwag nou hul eersteling. By haar is geen twyfel dat Israel en net Israel hul tuiste gaan bly nie. Vir hulle is dit die eerste en laaste tuiste vir Jode. Ek kon nie anders as om te glimlag toe sy na die Arabiere in Israel as die "good Arabs" verwys nie. (En die buite die grense van Israel?)

Die ander dame werk by 'n motorfietsbesigheid hier in die stad. Ook sy was in die weermag. Haar enigste wens is om weg te kom uit Israel. Sy wil nie hier bly nie. Die geweld maak die mense siek, en sy draai haar vingers teen haar kop. Sy wil nie so word nie. Sy het familie in Los Angeles, en as sy net 'n visum kan kry, is sy weg soontoe.

In hierdie twee mense vind ek myself, en jou daar in Suid-Afrika. Twee vroue verpersoonlik dit wat baie (wit) Suid-Afrikaners die laaste 15 - 20 jaar deurgemaak het. Die einde van 'n (onregverdige) politieke stelsel, die begin van 'n nuwe (meer regverdige?) stelsel het vir baie die mat onder die voete uitgepluk. Baie glo nog steeds in die toekoms, ander wil of kan nie meer glo nie, en baie wil net weg, weg van geweld en misdaad.

Gaan Israel ook eendag 'n '94 Rubicon soos ons moet oorsteek? Gaan die Arabiere ook vergewensgesind genoeg wees? En hulle wat hierdie land Israel opgebou het met hul sweet en bloed (ook op ander se bloed), gaan ook hulle dan as die booswigte uitgekryt word?

'n Alleenreis laat mens soms te veel dink en wonder.


Tomorrow map names become again reality to me. I am ready to point the nose of the KLR to new and unknown horizons.

Two people that I've met keep coming back to me in my thoughts.

The one lady is receptionist here at the hotel. She served in the Israeli army for two years and is pregnant with their first child. In her heart there is no doubt that they are going to stay in Israel. To them that is the last stand for the Jews. I had to smile as she mentioned the Arabs in Israel the "good Arabs". And those on the other side of the border?

The other lady works at a motorcycle shop here in town. Also she served her time in the army, but she is disillusioned. She wants to get away, away from Israel. The violence makes the people sick, and she turns her fingers at her head, showing what her words perhaps couldn't express. She doesn't want to become like that. She has relatives in Los Angeles, and if she only could get a visa she would be gone, forever.

In these two ladies I find myself, and perhaps something of you in South Africa. Two women personifying my dreams and your dreams of long ago. The end of one (oppressive) system, the beginning of another (better?) system. What was correct yesterday is political incorrect today. Many of us still believe in the future, others cannot and want not to believe anymore. Their dream of a life in their own country shattered. They just want to get away, away from crime and violence.

Will also Israel have to cross our '94 Rubicon one day? Will the Arabs as be forgiving? And will they who have built up this country with blood and sweat (on the blood of others?) also be portrayed as the bad ones?

When one travels alone one often has too much time to think.