Israel Public Diplomacy 101

I've realized that doing laundry is a good time to reflect on my recent experiences. So here I am at the laundromat again. Anyway, a number of weeks ago, I signed up for this non-academic class at Tel Aviv University (not through Oranim) to learn more about the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict because I am less than informed. The class is called Israel Public Diplomacy 101. When I get into a discussion in the future with someone about the Conflict, I want to have the ability to present to the other party the right facts about Israel, and correct them on anything not true. This is because what we see in the media often portrays Israel in a very negative light.

This past Sunday was the second class, which takes place every 2-3 weeks, but it was the first time that my friends and I could attend (we couldn't go to the first one because we were in Eilat). So Simon, Shoshana, Anna, Nicole, and I hailed a couple cabs to TAU. We got to Beit Ha'Kvutzot, or the Diaspora Museum. We eventually found the room and settled in.

The teacher, Ari Applebaum, started off by having all of us introduce ourselves and say what place in Israel we would be. I said, "Hi, I'm Josh and I would be the Kotel (the Western Wall)." Lots of people chose Tel Aviv. Ari then got into the class, discussing the physical aspects of Israeli diplomacy. He mentioned that there is a difference in perception when people see a map of Israel in the center versus a map of Israel off to the side. When in the center, Israel looks bigger and is therefore viewed as a national power. If seen off to the side, the country is viewed as an underdog because it's surrounded by big countries like Jordan, Syria, and Egypt. However, Ari pointed out that Israel shouldn't be viewed as an underdog given its strong military, history of superb strategy, and being known that Jews are really smart and run things.

I also took away a few other things from the class. People say that when officials come to visit Israel, one place they have to visit is Yad Vashem, the Israel Holocaust Museum. It's important to understand what the Jews have gone through in their long history, especially something as damaging to a people as the Holocaust, but the teacher said that officials, and visitors, should not just take into account that Israel was founded in response to the Holocaust, so Jews could have a place to call home. I am not sure whether I agree or disagree with that point yet.

In 1975, there were a number of Communist countries who hated the U.S. and a bunch of Arab countries who wanted to get back at Israel. They joined forces in the United Nations and passed a resolution stating that Zionism (which protects Jews for desiring a Jewish state) equals racism. RACISM? Really? The Arab League is THAT dumb? Either way, the resolution wasn't repealed until 1991. The fact that the U.N. was founded on the belief that everyone and every country deserves an equal say in their desires and also BASIC FREEDOMS is key. That resolution should never have passed, but it's good that it was repealed.

In order to understand the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict in broader terms, it seems like you can't just view it locally. You have to view it as more of an Israeli-Arab Conflict, given that Hamas, Hezbollah, and Arab countries support the Palestinians and want Israel not to exist. I'll be learning more in this class, and I'm looking forward to it.

My laundry is almost done, so I will leave you with some Hebrew that I have learned, thanks to Ulpan. Here is the Hebrew, transliteration, and translation into English. Enjoy!

.אני יהושע. אני גר ברחב צידון בתל-אביב. אני גר על יד הנמל ולמלה רחב דיזנגוף וקרוב בתל-אביב אוניברסיטה

Ani Josh (or Yehoshua). Ani gar b'rehov Tsidon b'Tel Aviv. Ani gar al yad ha'namal v'lemalah rehov Dizengoff v'karov b'Tel Aviv Universita.

I'm Josh. I live on Tsidon Street in Tel Aviv. I live next to the port and the top of Dizengoff Street, and near Tel Aviv University.