A Peek into Others' mind » East Med Sea Peace

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East Med Sea Peace (12 unread)

July 01, 2008
1:32
peace camp for youth in israel..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

sorry folks but details are in hebrew

אנא הפיצו ברשימות התפוצה שלכם _*מחנה נוער יהודי-ערבי - הסתכלות אלטרנטיבית על 60 שנה *_ שלום לכולם!השנה כבכל שנה, אנו מקיימים את מחנה הקיץ שלנו ביפו. במחנה יפגשו בני נוער ערבים ויהודים מכלהארץ כדי להשמיע קול לשינוי.נושא המחנה השנה יהיה הסתכלות אלטרנטיבית, יהודית-ערבית, על 60 שנה למדינה, 60 שנה לנכבה.ננסה יחד לערוך בחינה של העבר וההווה בהקשר הזה ולראות איזה עתיד אנחנו רוצים שיהיה לנו כאן ביחד.המחנה מיועד לנוער בגילאי 14-18ויערך בין ה-16 ל-21 ביולי , ויכלול מסלולי פעילות שונים כגון : מוסיקה, אומנות, תיאטרון, הסברה ומחאה ושפה במרחב. נשמח מאוד אם תוכלו להפיץ את השמועה אל בני נוער שיהיו מעוניינים להשתתף באירוע מסוג זה תודה מראש לפרטים נוספים והרשמת חניכים-משרד סדאקה רעות- 036821271 ליבה- 0544630685סמא- 0528916611

i would love to hear more from people that attend..
June 28, 2008
18:33
two years later and this is all we have..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

after a war and two years of something or other that you may call negotiations with the enemy we finally seem to be approaching a deal to return our boys that were captured.. there has been no sign of life to date so im not sure what the national conscience is foreseeing if this tenative deal goes ahead but i dont think anyone doubts that we will be facing an emotional time for our state..

i would like to take this opportunity to offer support to the families connected to the soldiers - who must be going through a very complicated form of hell.. even over here on holiday you sit at the forefront of my mind.. you are a part of us and a national symbol of dignity and perseverance.. your pain and your hope exists in all of us and it doesnt take facebook to figure that out..

secondly as much as the hizbulla is likely to play this up if and when it eventuates - i would like to remind my country of its greatness.. i know the world has troubles understanding us a lot of the time and applies a fierce black and white measure to everything that goes on.. but while the world theorises about our conduct and course we battle morally on a minute by minute basis with every move we make endeavouring to be as clean and fair as we can and its not easy.. and as much as the hizbulla may work the media in the coming weeks to diminish us - and i would be surprised if they didnt try - i would like to say that i am proud to be israeli and proud to be jewish notwithstanding our painful imperfections and the challenges ahead of us..

yesterday i needed to get to san jose from santa teresa.. was supposed to be leaving SJ last night for a remote beach break down south but when i got to SJ i discovered that my friend's van had broken down in jaco two hours away.. in the meantime i had ditched the regular shuttle scheduled to arrive at 1230 am for a four taxis a ferry and a bumby long bus ride.. was hilarious.. an israeli guy waiting at the station was persuaded to join me - he's a legend and made my ride much more pleasant.. surfed with me a few times in ST.. anyway as the bus ride rolled into the darkness we suddenly realised that shabbat had arrived..

wishing you all shabbat shalom..
June 27, 2008
19:51
the wave..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

bewildered by the papers again i turn to local experience..

im in a small beach town in costa rica that i stumbled upon sort of by chance.. i knew i wanted to come here but i wasnt so fussed and yet somehow ended up here on my 3rd day..

i came with so much stress and pressure and somehow so much has dissipated leaving me in a state of serenity and relaxation.. i have been sleeping for over 10 hours a day and eating healthy fresh food and surfing (of course) everyday - possibly the most amazing waves of my life.. i have met wonderful people and somehow over the course of the week this place has become like a home to me..

people that i have met and befriended wave as they cycle down the street with their surf boards and last night i spent the whole evening in a pizza place watching surf videos with my korean roommate (whos never there because he´s dating some yemenite israeli girl) and with some others i have met..

in the meantime i have become famous not so much for my surfing but for my chilli eating abilities.. ther german waiter at the burger bar watched in awe as i dumped a whole bowl of fresh green chilli on my meal - middle east man - representin.. haha

pura vida has finally attained meaning in my world.. and with that in mind im off to have breakfast and pack before my long departure.. i have roughly 25 hours of driving over the next few days.. as i seek out the ultimate left hand surf break in the south..

the one object i lack is a guitar but other than that i am aflush with blessings.. thank you universe.. i love you.. this is not to say mind you that i dont miss everyone at home..

so for now - no politics for today - just pura vida..
June 26, 2008
19:39
g.ho.st..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

i cant tell you what else i believe or doubt in the news today.. so ill stick to the positive.. an israeli-palestinian start up that pushes through our regional crap has made headlines..

interestingly at the last IPCRI conference i met heaps of software engineers from the westbank.. maybe the key to our problems lies with our geeks.. hey.. dont make that face! i belong to that industry too..

had a funny epiphany yesterday (spelling).. saw a bunch of shell crabs on the beach having a gang fight.. yes folks a gang fight.. was right after a surf so i couldnt take a video of it unfortunately.. it was hilarious.. it really did look like two gangs.. and they were pushing and pulling eachother like nuts..

to me they all looked the same and then i thought - your average non middle eastern thinks the same of israelis and palestinians and i laughed to myself..
0:14
not rocket science..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

sorry but i have no other way to put it.. a pack of liars..

u sweep up gaza and terrorise your own people.. you control every single inch of that land.. and now you broker a deal for a cease-fire with us yet continue to dig tunnels to bring in weapons and tell us you wont be our policeforce as islamic jihad now do your dirty work?

what is it.. either you control gaza and run the strip or you dont! and if you do then do what you promised and if you dont then dont pretend to represent the people in negotiations and forget telling the world how you are a legitimate government! this is insanity.. it cant be both way..

this is the heart of our stalemate and hamas has just corroded our ability to reach peace with gaza that one extra mile..

i call on the palestinian people to wake up to this farce.. interesting to watch what their split may achieve..
June 25, 2008
21:05
the media swamp..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

read this.. an article my friend emailed me.. i dont know how i missed it..

the basic idea is that recent studies show that coexistence in israel is in better shape than the media is keen for you to think and this is based on recent studies and surveys..

on a totally separate note we also discover that islamic jihad is the new hamas.. and that hang on.. hamas/2 * 2 is actually the new hamas with the outfit splitting into two.. but more on that later..

off to surf..

pura vida..
June 24, 2008
19:31
2 years..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

we´ve been waiting for gilad shalit to come home.. two years too many.. the kidnappings started an aweful new era in our region.. one that has pushed all sides up tall trees of shame and ego at the expense of others..

the campaign for his release spans the media and has now hit facebook as well.. with people changing their moods to messages that call for his release and now also changing their profile photos to images like the one above..

i too have joined in on these efforts..

may he come home soon..

also check out this video clip:

read the comments as well.. controversial.. maybe..

anyway the cease fire is barely standing.. im not convinced that things will remain quiet for long.. 4 qassams landing in the negev.. you cant get a beer in gaza city without being shot but somehow rocket launchers can be set up and a vital agreement torn apart? where do the lies end..
5:27
rain rain rain..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

while i am drenched to the core here in costa rica from terential rains.. i read this and feel like a part of our culture has just been self mutilated.. i need a bucket..
June 22, 2008
19:20
pura vida..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

this is a map of the world with this blogs readership for the past 11 months.. what can i tell you.. the archives dont store the images from last year for cheap-ass free subscribers like me so i thought id save it myself by sharing it with you.. last year's spread is not included here.. the major change from the previous year.. is that india and the middle east and indonesia have provided many more readers.. and the north america and europe and trailing off.. special welcome to the readers of iran.. philipines.. japan.. indonesia.. brazil.. scandinavia and the carribean.. egypt - turkey - libya and morocco too.. fuck it thank all of you!!! :)

pura vida is what the lady at the san jose airport immigration desk said to me when i told her i had come here for a month of central american surfing.. "pure life" in spanish.. what an awesome greeting.. sorry guys but ahalan and shalom are so weak in comparison..

so from over here.. trying to cast a fresh perspective on whats going on i see hamas expect us to ignore them smuggling in weapons.. hmm.. would bet my bottom dollar on that one.. and syria.. oh syria.. when will you get it together.. you guys soo need peace.. i mean we obviously all do but joining an arms race wont feed your starving kids or your refugees or develop your crumbling economy..

anyway.. in the meantime.. costa rica is amazing me.. so many adventures.. would love to share them all.. so much fun to be had in this world.. so many friends to make.. waves to be surfed.. i dont know how to capture it.. photo seem boring.. what good are the pic of the crocodiles i saw yesterday or the tropical birds.. or the iguanas.. or the stunning crabs.. :)

wishing us all an amazing week.. may our leaders sober up to our realities and deliver some much needed positive change..
June 21, 2008
9:20
noticed..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

proof that your voices can impact the way people think..

An olive branch that may bear fruit
Will Israel's attempts to achieve peace with Syria, Hamas and Lebanon bring lasting peace or short-term respite?
June 19, 2008 9:26 AM by Haroon Siddique
A precious commodity rarely seen in the Middle East seems to be showing its face - hope.

After news of Israel's indirect talks with Syria and the Egyptian-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire, comes an offer by Israel to start direct peace talks with Lebanon.

Israel has said "all issues would be negotiable, including a tiny piece of Israeli-held land on the countries' border that Israel has long argued does not belong to Lebanon but that the Lebanese say is theirs," reports the New York Times.

In the Times, the paper's foreign editor, Richard Beeston, praises Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert for pursuing peace with Hamas, Syria and Lebanon while corruption charges hang over his head.

"Some suspect that making peace is the only way that the prime minister can cling on to power," he writes.

"Whatever his motivation, he has demonstrated that peace can be forged from a position of weakness as easily as from a position of strength."

Israeli blogger, Lirun, a lawyer who lists "peace" among his interests, writes touchingly on East Med Sea Peace: "today the newspaper is weird..sooo much good news..(a) imminent ease of gaza blockade..(b) an invitation by israel to lebanon to talk peace.."

But the optimism does not seem to be shared by the analysts canvassed by the Lebanese paper, the Daily Star.

Typical is the reaction of Simon Haddad. "Olmert is in a difficult situation. He's trying to cover for his failure by having [peace talks] with Syria and Lebanon, knowing in advance that nothing will result from these talks," he says. "It has to do with the reputation and image of Bush. It's convenient for both of them - the Bush team and Olmert." So much for hope...

This is an extended extract from the Wrap, our digest of the daily papers.

by the way costa rica is costa frican me out.. met some amazing people already and need to wake up at 3 am to go to a beach with them and surf.. apparently we have some serious swell cookin for tomorrow..
June 20, 2008
8:35
the journey commences..
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

leaving israel heavy hearted.. my family is facing tough times and i have chosen to travel nonetheless.. the mantra is that "every day is a gift" ;).. sometimes if you dont look after yourself its harder to lookout for others as well..

true for my life as well as the conflict..

the tahdiye (cease fire) in gaza seems to be holding..
June 18, 2008
16:40
someOne had to get pissed off!
» ‎ East Med Sea Peace

today the newspaper is weird..

sooo much good news..

(a) imminent ease of gaza blockade..

(b) an invitation by israel to lebanon to talk peace..

(c) europe is tickling us in our private parts.. cant complain ;)

(d) the syrians have started to dream of peace..

ok so its all cute.. and what tomorrow.. i mean nothing here is ground breaking but yet the papers have filled with optimism.. why.. what changed last night.. anything?

i reckon not much..

BUT someone is angry.. very angry.. guess who? the UN! haha yes folks.. the UN.. the UN is mad that we are talking peace.. which is why i attached the picture.. the sticker has two little statements and the bottom says that fixing the world (is through) "loving for free".. a play on the ancient jewish phrase of "hating for free" ie for no reason.. maybe the UN needs to introduce some hassidut lessons or even some kabala..