I remember the years 1993-1995. I was in high school in my hometown Haifa. We felt the beginning of a new era. Fast food brands were opening branches, we learned about the democtatization of capitalism, how no two coutnries with mcdonalds would fight each other. As liberal secular Israeli jews, for the first time, we felt as a legitimate equal members of the modern world. Clouded by hope, we didn't see the conflict from within. Yes, there were bus bombing suicides in busses, it was the second intifada. But Haifa, as I felt it, was a pillar of co-living together, jews, muslims, christians, bahai. The devistation over Rabin assasination was double - it was the ideological tear we missed - we never would have expected a prime minister to be murdered by "one of ours". And this inner conflicts, between religion and democracy, has been escalating ever since. Liberal secular Israeli's are no longer a majority, no longer leading the country, and being suppressed as minority.
Seems like they always kill the visionaries and would-be peacemakers in that corner of the world. Thanks for reminding us of what might have been, Ethan.
I first visited in Amman in 2010, which must have been worlds apart from what it was like when you were there on a Fulbright in the 1990s. Rabin surviving really is one of those tempting counterfactuals. I was surprised to learn how serious he was about also forging peace with Saddam's Iraq, even viewing King Hussein and Jordan as the bridge to that ultimate goal.
I remember the years 1993-1995. I was in high school in my hometown Haifa. We felt the beginning of a new era. Fast food brands were opening branches, we learned about the democtatization of capitalism, how no two coutnries with mcdonalds would fight each other. As liberal secular Israeli jews, for the first time, we felt as a legitimate equal members of the modern world. Clouded by hope, we didn't see the conflict from within. Yes, there were bus bombing suicides in busses, it was the second intifada. But Haifa, as I felt it, was a pillar of co-living together, jews, muslims, christians, bahai. The devistation over Rabin assasination was double - it was the ideological tear we missed - we never would have expected a prime minister to be murdered by "one of ours". And this inner conflicts, between religion and democracy, has been escalating ever since. Liberal secular Israeli's are no longer a majority, no longer leading the country, and being suppressed as minority.
Very astute observations thank you! I also had the impression Haifa was exceptional - for the interactions of the groups you mention
Yitzhak Rabin. There was a man.
Seems like they always kill the visionaries and would-be peacemakers in that corner of the world. Thanks for reminding us of what might have been, Ethan.
I first visited in Amman in 2010, which must have been worlds apart from what it was like when you were there on a Fulbright in the 1990s. Rabin surviving really is one of those tempting counterfactuals. I was surprised to learn how serious he was about also forging peace with Saddam's Iraq, even viewing King Hussein and Jordan as the bridge to that ultimate goal.
Hi Michael — Amman was such a calm sleepy place then … idyllic. I was last there in 2016, I think, and it was just expansive …