Gaza-War on Facebook

Since the beginning of the attacks on Gaza my facebook wall is flooded with comments on the Israeli-Gaza-conflict.

Some are funny, some are thoughtful, some are grotesque, some are simply shocking.

For my friends who don’t have the chance to take part in this I collected the posts, pictures, videos that in my opinion reflect the best the actual discourse.

Have fun reading it and let me know what you think about it.

(Some of the posts might be in a weird english since i google-translated them from hebrew…)

 

Hahaha .. How do you have time for Facebook? You kill terrorists .. For firing missiles at me here . No time to enjoy nature .. You have to go to reserve duty!

 

That’s war, baby!

 

at least we get an alarm that tells us when the bombs will hit. people in gaza and the west bank don’t get that (privilege).

 

“It is not only is the security threat in the air. Well as other areas of life, such as health, education and welfare are not functioning so well. Somehow it seems that everything makes complete failure. No sense of security, no health system is functioning well, social services courses clutter and budgets stop somewhere along the way.
When the cannons and shells were falling, then we are quietly sitting on the side of democracy. “

 

fell asleep. would someone please surprise me and say: no one died because of bombings in Palestine today?

 

 

Over 60 years of occupation Palestine land by israelis. over 60 years of ethnic cleansing by israelis. over 60 years of killing palestinians by israelis. since 2000 over 1500 children killed by israeli forces (Amnesty International). this is not defence, this is holocaust. use your savvy! Palestinians didnt start the fire

 

Reminder to myself for the following reserves: bring earplugs …

 

In the early days of the war in the south was very hard for me to write. I have three children in the army (regular and reserve), many relatives and friends with orders eight separate them these days prayer box
Sprinkle safely and quickly and so many of our citizens are under fire it’s just impossible. So I have full solidarity with IDF operations to eliminate the terrorist infrastructure rocket for close to 13 years embittered the lives of residents of the South, especially when trying to do so while minimizing harm to the innocent.
However I turns with an inner feeling is so deep and painful that despite what we are doing is justified, is no long-term strategy and has no chance to solve the problem of the residents of the South and of the State of Israel. Perhaps even the contrary it gives a sense of action and results in a momentary satisfaction but actually is only deepens the problem and eliminates the possibility of a real solution and includes complicated and complex situation we are.
If our assumption that there is no alternative, we are taking the curse of Esau and the world will live by the sword, so we walk the right way, but then must also know and accept that will never horizon and hope for a different future. I believe there is another way.
Some years the experts have told us that Arabs can never be peace? Today we celebrate the anniversary of Sadat’s visit to Jerusalem, it Sat memorable and exciting by announcing “No more war” with all the upheavals and changes his declaration remains valid for 35 years.
Some years the experts have told us that if the Muslim Brotherhood (assassins that Sadat) come to power in Egypt, they are religious can never accept the existence of any Jewish entity in the Muslim region. And is president-elect by the brothers, now in the negotiations with the state of the Jewish people and the branch of the Muslim Brotherhood in Gaza.
So I believe that what we need to do now is get a hudna with Hamas for several years and in that time to enter negotiations accelerated for a comprehensive and just peace based on two states for two peoples with the Palestinian leadership team. But this time, unlike the past, with the support and involvement of the space Islamic for all factions. time to share your leaders Muslim community in the Middle East in general and in the Holy Land in particular, who are willing on the basis of religion, religious thought dialectically, to a just solution for both peoples, who believe the duty to respect the will of God that we were created in His image and trampling and destroying Take bloodshed the other end only violating his name in the world.
So close your eyes for a moment, imagine how such a world might look like. Now open them, the truth is that eighty percent of Israelis and Palestinians support peace and aspire to that.
God will give strength to His people God will bless his people with peace

 

 

Just made it into the bunker before the interception. The warning does not really give you much time. All day seemed like the silence of the lambs…

 

 

• Dear Omar, a member who appreciates you personally and your activity on the social humanist, I urge you to refuse to serve in the war of Bibi and Barak. Srovc will tenfold safety of your fellow citizens of Israel. Refusal nice, do not shoot and then cry!

• Lior, from posts earlier you fully understand that I opposed this war and I did not agree to participate. What I do (or should do, now I’m not doing anything …) these reserves is to help and save my town citizens in the event of a missile attack, an act of humanitarian completely before the event belongs to the IDF … I refuse to fight in Gaza.

 

Bibi (Nickname for Israel’s Prime minister Netanyahu) speaks, sick bag ready.

 

 

After seeing numerous posts on FB that incite violence against either civilians in Gaza or in Israel, I just want to say that you are testing my nerves and I am about a moment away from taking a sh** on your wall with a nasty comment, and the proceeding to delete you. Oh and report you comments.

For the record:

#1. The missiles falling on Israel ARE REAL! It is not an invention or a figment of imagination. Unless a few million Israelis and foreigners alike are having a collective “bad trip”, it is real. The only positive thing about it – if one can find positives about missiles flying overhead – is that people are staying low and running to shelter and therefore managing not to get injured or to lose their lives. And yes, there were Israeli children injured in the attacks too, and no, I have not seen much footage about it in the media, or anyone posting and sharing photos of them on FB. And despite missiles flying overhead, groups of Israelis came out to protest war on Gaza. Do you get it? People’s lives are being threatened and they refuse to stoop down to the filthy level of some of you warmongers. No matter which way you turn this around, it is wrong that missiles are being shot at Israeli civilians because no one deserves to be killed indiscriminately. Missiles do not target “bad people” or policy makers, nor do they target “killers”… Please, you must be capable of understanding the rest without me needing to spell it out; otherwise I am not sure why I befriended you at first place.

#2. More than half of Gazan population are children! MORE THAN HALF! It is a densely populated area that even if everyone put their best effort into hiding out, there would be grave casualties. Furthermore, in such a densely populated area, it is hard to perform a so-called “surgical strike” and therefore to avoid killing innocent people. You should not boast and scream bloody murder of “them” because the “them” you are referring to appears obscure, and without realizing you are including innocent people (or perhaps you realize it, in which case you should do some soul searching). Be an intellectual that you are and be capable of distinguishing between extremists and the rest of the 1.5 mil of people there. Can you only imagine how many people will be killed if Israel has a ground invasion of Gaza? This is nothing to be excited about, one should only cry! There is nothing victorious about war and you should stop getting off on it. Pick another fetish such as porn, it is equally stimulating. Oh, and yes, believe it or not, the current tensions probably do have something to do with occupation or the depressing status of Gaza. I know it’s shocking, but there it goes, it’s out there now, for all of you to know, so that you are no longer confused. There will be no peace without the end of the occupations. Seriously, who still has doubts about this? I thought it obvious.

#3. For you expats, you should be more conscious of yourself. Not only are you an ambassador for your country but you come here as a guest. When it all goes to sh**, you will catch a bus to Jordan or fly home and watch the rest of this from a television set. It is people here that will be left to their faiths. This is why you should get of your righteous horse and do what you were supposed to do here, which is to promote peace and development, not to create a further rift between people. If you cannot do that, perhaps you should reevaluate your motives, and if they are no longer what they were when you arrived here, then I believe it’s time to return home or go travel through Southeast Asia. Your presence is important only because you can remain untainted by group politics. If you can no longer do that, then you are useless here.

On a final note, try to think before you speak. At least for a day, like I did before writing this comment. I’m not saying that it is perfect, but slightly improved from the casual “ass-think” that I’ve witnessed on here. These are difficult issues, and if you are capable of determining your CLEAR stance on it in no time, then you probably are wrong. If you feel anything other than sadness, fear and anger that people here (Israel & Palestine) might be experiencing yet another escalation in violence, an especially if you feel a loathing of a particular group, then I suggest you meditate and try to bring yourself to a more rational emotional state. If meditation does not work for you, try a psychologist, God, or gods, or whatever else floats your boat. That is what I will do. But stop, for f*** sake, creating more tension and promoting hatred and violence.

 

I wonder if some of the rockets that are fired towards #Israel come from undercover israeli agents. The government has the abilities to do that and fear keeps them in power. So, why should they not do that?

 

 

In a rapid successions of tweets, Noam Chomsky expressed his thoughts about what is happening in Gaza right now: “It hardly takes more than a day in Gaza to begin to appreciate what it must be like to try to survive in the world’s largest open-air prison where a million and a half people, in the most densely populated area of the world, are constantly subjected to random and often savage terror and arbitrary punishment, with no purpose other than to humiliate and degrade, and with the further goal of ensuring that Palestinian hopes for a decent future will be crushed and that the overwhelming global support for a diplomatic settlement that will grant these rights will be nullified.
Gazans have been selected for particularly cruel punishment. It is almost miraculous that people can sustain such an existence.
The pattern of bombing under Cast Lead was…concentrated in the north, targeting defenseless civilians in the most densely populated areas.
Sitting in a hotel near the shore, one can hear the machine gun fire of Israeli gunboats driving fishermen out of Gaza’s territorial waters and towards shore, so that they are compelled to fish in waters that are heavily polluted because of US-Israeli refusal to allow reconstruction of the sewage and power systems that they destroyed.”

 

I hate to say but this war becomes simply boring. Missiles – missiles – missiles, bombs and horrific images, bodies of children, cliches commentators, Roni Daniel and Ehud Yaari rubbing cock front of a camera and a powerful call to enter Gaza and behind, what is this? What is this retro? What is “Accountability” here? “Grapes of Wrath”? “Defensive Shield”? Is after 2000 years of exile did not come to us more interesting wars? Where’s the creativity? Except Sirens Tel Aviv there is nothing new, and frankly – construction – it has exhausted itself. You do not move me the foam of espresso.

I warn, and I think I’m not alone on this: or invent something new, or I switch channels.

 

 

this is Gaza…

United Nations???
Humanity???
Muslims???
Arabs???
Aman ki Asha???

 

There is no cease-fire without destroying Tel Aviv

 

I’ve never done a facebook status update before (apart from one night when I was once drunkenly searching for a girl I met in a bar and accidentally put her name in my status)… but I feel compelled to now.

 I just don’t see the point in people sharing the Israeli Defence Force’s photos and status’s such as ‘This operation will bring a better tomorrow’. I just don’t believe it will… Won’t it only serve to perpetuate the ever ending cycle of terror and suffering in the Middle East? Won’t it just create even more terrorists?

 Of course Israel has the right to defend itself against the hundreds of missiles aimed at innocent civilians. Any sovereign nation in the world would do the same. But unflinching support of the government and policies of Israel misses the point…

 Rather than taking part in a Facebook/twitter propaganda war, can’t people just acknowledge how depressing this situation is?

 I say this because I love Israel! I’ve seen how the vast majority of people want peace. But in my mind, the only real route to an everlasting peace is through dialogue!

My thoughts go out to all those, on both sides of the divide, who will be sleeping in shelters tonight.

 

Another interview with Yuval Steinitz (finance minister) and I go to Berlin

 

It amazes me that most citizens accept without question any decision of the military bodies, except one: the military censor.

 

I am frightend.

 

 

“Dear Friends the people in Gaza need our voices! Tell the world what’s really happening in Gaza. Words and actions can make a difference! Let’s go:

* EYE WITNESSSE direct reports from Gaza:
– @harryfear’s live broadcast in #gaza on @Ustre
am. The sound of planes is horrible! http://ustre.am/QLL5 !
– http://todayingaza.wordpress.com/
– http://asecondglance.wordpress.com/
– Follow @AnonymousPress for updates on the #Gaza.

* Let’s make #ProtestForGaza to trend more on twitter!

* Find your Local Emergency Action here: http://www.peoplesassemblies.org/2012/11/emergency-global-actions-for-gaza-gazaunderattack/

* Five ways to effectively support #Gaza through Boycotts, Divestment and Sanctions #StopIsrael #Israel #Palestine http://www.bdsmovement.net/2012/five-ways-to-effectively-support-gaza-through-boycotts-divestment-and-sanctions-10051 …”

 

 

 

Do not misunderstand: This is absolutely a war of choice, and this war of freedom. Important and critical article on attention deficit indicate the point -” In a situation where both prime minister and defense minister on the eve of elections, and are more interested than ever to create a security agenda, so changing one or more military concept shares
R provides an easy about the real aims of the operation.”
Political leaders of Israel and Hamas games with the lives of millions of people to achieve political goals and for diverting attention from serious problems citizens on the agenda.
This game is a political game, playing dirty, cruel game and play more: not eroded. Not play the game, and ignore the facts, and not believe the lies, nor forget the sacrifices of those killed and the Palestinians and the Israelis, and we will raise flags malicious governments.

Join us and thousands of residents / s and other organizations throughout the country and territories! Get out against the war of choice and choices

 

More comments after the attack on a bus in Tel Aviv:

 

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid fucking ultra right wing extremist government!

 

Explosion in Tel Aviv. Happy right now probably agree ceasefire

 

Sure Bibi is also related to 39 thousand killed in Syria last year and half or attack twins or make thousands of victims who were killed in Iraq in recent years kidnapping of Gilad Shalit, I could go on and knock the Facebook servers with the amount of information on those you are dreaming that one day peace with them.

 

Bibi … you are guilty ..

 

Enough, really enough! Not because I want to go home … Ceasefire Now!

 

bus explodes in Tel Aviv. Life’s peachy, thanks for asking

 

There is no solution. It will be like this forever

 

My dear Tel Avivis,

I hope you and your beloved ones are all well and that you are not getting intimidated by those palestinian savage dogs. Sanity and civilization WILL prevail for us as they always have!

Please continue going to the beach to play matkot, the restaurants, concerts, raves – all those things that make TLV the most interesting and vibrant hotspot in the Mediterranean.

My heart cries out for you and I would do anything to be in my old midnadvut right now to help Aaretz Israel and its people.

 

!!!can’t believe that you just said that!!!!yes yes please everyone continue going to the beach while the army is killing those dogs and taking care of everything!!!!!!!

 

I guess this is the model of democracy for teh whole mid east, everyoen should look up to and learn

 

If Israel can do this to a young Jewish American, imagine what Palestinians face every day
The true face of the supposed “only democracy in the Middle East”. A young Ameri…Mehr anzeigen
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Konstantin L. Kasakov Okay Mana…

…normally I would erase those posts but I fuckin detest censorship.

As for your comment: yes! TLV needs to stay TLV, no matter how many of those animals blow themselves up. My people has survived thousands of pogroms and the Holocaust, we are being hated and chased forever. So those bombs will not stop us on our eternal quest for repose.

As for the American kid: this is kinda what happens when you go uninvited to demonstrations. I could show you clips from about any country in the world where protestors who belong to a minority are being taken away from the demonstrating majority. Plus, wearing an Arafat scarf is outrageously provocative in Jerusalem’s Jewish neighbourhoods and the kid probably knew that. Not knowing Hebrew whilst claiming to be a legitimate part of the world Jewry doesnt exactly help either.
vor etwa einer Stunde · Bearbeitet · Gefällt mir
Konstantin L. Kasakov Here’s a good idea for any Muslim country, like your beloved Iran, to express their democratic ambitions:

Tel Aviv Gay Pride Parade 2012 – Tel Aviv, Israel hosts 14th Gay Pride Parade
Tens of thousands of people are expected to take part on Friday in Tel Aviv’s 14…Mehr anzeigen
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Konstantin L. Kasakov Secular, young and free Israel is this:

Israeli Rave Lifestyle (parties and raves in Tel Aviv, Eilat and Herzliya, Israel)
Israeli disco-rave lifestyle at: Summer 2011 events at Eilat; Acadia beach at He…

 

Of course TLV should stay TLV, like any other city! Do you think anyone is happy about this situation!Do you even hear yourself though talking about palestinians like that!Yes your ppl have survived Holocaust and have many great contribution to the world. No doubt about that. Why do you always have to play the Holocaust card. This is now. 21st century!stop this hatred.

 

You know what? delete the posts. I’m just sad to see that there is no difference between ppl growing up in my country with absolutely no access to free media and to teh rets of teh world, yet ppl like you who have traveled and live in “free and civilized” countries have teh same opinion! so sad to see.

 

Maybe you and any other Non-Jew has forgotten about the Holocaust, but for me and 98% of the other Jews in the world it still plays a significant role because we have to listen to the eradication fantasies of Mr Ahmadinejad and many other world leaders every day.

Plus, Palestinians were directly involved in the Holocaust and Hamas ideology is directly linked to Nazi ideology. There is no denying that. That being said, our enemy has not changed too much, his ideas have not changed too much, his methods have not changed too much.

All we want is to live in peace and go about our lives, together with about 1,7 million Arabs who are Israeli citizens. People in the Westbank are a good example that prosperity and wealth can come as soon as they lay down their weapons.

Unfortunately the people of Gaza are being held hostage by Hamas, an organization whose sole purpose is the eradication of Jews and Israel. We wont let that happen.

After the cease-fire:

 

After this shit is over, I throw the smartphone. Do not want more and Vision, Facebook, Twitter, Ainstgrm and shit. Who has Nokia with Snake delivery?

 

You may try, but you will never succeed! from Gaza Youth Breaks Out

Israel-Iran: War or no War?

Two weeks ago, my roommate received the letter.

He is expected for his reserve duty on mid  September for 5 days in the north of Israel.
In Israel, men  until the age of 42, and women until 24, have to complete up to one month of reserve duty for the military.

My roommate is worried. Normally, he is called to military reserve in spring. “Now they call me up in September, at the time it is supposed to start.”

He refers to the war with Iran. A lot is said about it lately, rumors say it will start in mid September.”

I can understand he is mad. He still has several papers for university to write, after that he wanted to take a couple days of vacations.

I do not think there is going to be a war or better, I do not know. I grew up in a country that hasn’t seen war for 67 years  and no war is expected any time soon. My friends and I, we never talk about war, war is happening somewhere else.

But here it is omnipresent. Last weekend it was worse than ever.

On Thursday a reporter of the TV- Channel tweeted that they will launch a special broadcast on the war on the following Saturday.

Rumors started to circulate: Apparently, Prime Minister Netanyahu has invited key media representatives to an unofficial press conference on Saturday night.

“This means war,” some shouted, “Here we go!”

“You don’t start a war like this”, others say.

But all of them are worried.

My roommate is mad. He has an important exam on Sunday.

“How am I supposed to focus on my studies like this?  Who knows if the exam on Sunday is even taking place? Maybe tonight I get the SMS with the secret code. Then I have to pack my things and go to this certain place where they pick up me up for the military. Then the war has started! ”

We do not know… He decides to study anyway.

On Saturday, he sits grumbling at his desk while I travel to the Dead Sea, although with no good feeling. I check my Haaretz App almost every hour.

On Saturday evening we have dinner together, Trina with pita.

“False alarm, wasn’t it?”

We are relieved.

Nevertheless, my roommate decides that we should start making thoughts about finding the closest bomb shelter to our home.

I know bomb shelters from Germany, left-overs from the 2nd World War. They are usually grey, big and made out of concrete. There is a big one in Hamburg, it hosts cool parties.

“The bomb shelter has to protect us from the rockets,” my roommate says. That is why it should be beyond the earth.

We walk past cafes where young people with retro clothes sit in front of their Apple computer.

They don’t seem so worried about finding bomb shelters.

Finally, we find a solution. The underground parking lot under Habima Square.

During normal days designed for thousand of cars of the theater visitors. It is perfect. Spacious and with several exits,  only 2 minutes from us.

Then we forget about the war for a while.

And so does the media, it seems.
The daily newspaper Israel Hayom, known as the voice of prime minister Natanyahus, which printed topics related on Iran’s nuclear program on their front page during the past weeks, now seems to find interest in other topics not related to the upcoming war. (haaretz)

Is Netanyahu trying to back out?
To reassure Israel, President Obama announced a few days ago open and covert actions against Iran, including a new  anti-missile-system in Qatar. (NY Times)

Reassuring news, but the best news reached me today.

A text message from my roommate:  “They have cancelled my reserve duty. No explanation.”
Maybe just a coincident in which one shouldn’t put too much interpretation. Both of us, we are very happy!

Krieg oder kein Krieg?

Vor zwei Wochen erhielt mein Mitbewohner den Brief.

Er wird zum 10. September für 5 Tage zu seinem Reservedienst im Norden Israels erwartet.

In Israel müssen Männer bis zu ihrem 42. Lebensjahr, Frauen bis zum 24. Lebensjahr, jährlich bis zu einem Monat Reservedienst für das Militär leisten.

Mein Mitbewohner ist besorgt. Normalerweise erwischt es ihn im Frühling. „Nun werde ich Mitte September eingezogen, genau dann, wann es losgehen soll, wie alle sagen.“ Er bezieht sich auf den Krieg mit Iran. Vieles wird darüber gesagt, man munkelt, dass es Mitte September losgehen soll.

Ich verstehe seinen Unmut, er muss noch diverse Hausarbeiten für die Universität schreiben, danach wollte er eigentlich ein paar Wochen Urlaub machen.

Ich glaube nicht, dass es einen Krieg gibt, d.h. ich weiß es nicht. Ich bin in einem Land groß geworden, dass seit 67 Jahren keinen Krieg mehr erlebt hat und auch sobald keinen erleben wird. Meine Freunde und ich, wir reden nie über Krieg, das passiert ja anderswo. Also ehrlich gesagt, ich habe keine Ahnung von Krieg.

Doch hier ist er omnipräsent. Seinen Höhepunkt fand das Kriegsgerede letztes Wochenende.

Am Donnerstag twittert eine Reporterin des Fernsehkanals Channel 10, dass es am Samstag eine Extra-Sendung zum Irankrieg geben soll.

Gerüchte schlugen um sich. Premierminister Netanyahu hat wichtige Medienvertreter zu einer inoffiziellen Pressekonferenz am Samstagabend eingeladen, hieß es.

„Das bedeutet Krieg“, schrien die einen, „jetzt geht es los.“

„So beginnt man keinen Krieg!“ ,rufen die anders.

Besorgt sind sie alle.

Mein Mitbewohner ist sauer. Er hat am Sonntag eine wichtige Klausur. „Wie soll mich so konzentrieren? Soll ich überhaupt noch dafür lernen? Wer weiß, ob sie stattfindet? Vielleicht kriege ich gleich schon eine SMS mit dem geheimen Code. Dann muss ich meine Sachen packen und mich an einem bestimmten Ort begeben, wo mich das Militär abholt. Dann ist Krieg!“

Wir wissen es nicht. Er beschließt trotzdem zu lernen. Er verbringt den Samstag grummelnd an seinem Schreibtisch. Ich fahre mit Herzklopfen zum Toten Meer, wo ich jede Stunde die Haaretz App auf Kriegsmeldungen prüfe.

Abends kochen wir zusammen, Trina mit Pita. „Falscher Alarm, was?“, grinsen wir. Wir sind ziemlich erleichtert.

Trotzdem findet mein Mitbewohner wir sollten uns langsam mal überlegen, wo der nächste Bunker ist. Unser Haus hat keinen Luftschutzraum. Bunker kenne ich aus Deutschland, sie sind groß und aus Beton. In dem Bunker in Hamburg gibt es meist coole Partys.

„Der Bunker muss uns gegen die Raketen schützen.“, sagt mein Mitbewohner. Er sollte möglichst unter der Erde sein. Wir laufen an Cafés vorbei, in denen junge Leute mit ausgefallenen Klamotten und großen Nickelbrillen vor ihren Apple sitzen. Sie machen sich keine Sorge über Bunker.

Schließlich finden wir eine Lösung. Die Tiefgarage unter dem Habima Platz. Eigentlich für die Autos eifriger Theaterbesucher gedacht, eignet sie sich perfekt. Großräumig und mit mehreren Aufgängen, nur 2 Minuten von uns. Ich muss ein bisschen Lachen: Bunkersuche, das klingt wie ein Kinderspiel.

Dann vergessen wir das Thema wieder. Und auch in den Medien wird es ruhiger.

Die Tageszeitung Israel Hayom, bekannt als Sprachrohr Natanyahus, welche in den vergangenen Wochen mit Vorliebe Artikel über die iranische Bedrohung auf ihrer Titelseite druckte, scheint seit letztem Freitag auf andere Themen, fern dem Krieg, auszuweichen. (Siehe Haaretz)

Versucht Netanyahu einen leisen Rückzieher?

Um Israel zu beruhigen hat Präsident Obama vor wenigen Tagen offene und verdeckte Maßnahmen gegen den Iran angekündigt, darunter ein neues Radarsystem in Katar zur Raketenabwehr. (Siehe NY Times)

Beruhigende Nachrichten, doch die beste Nachricht erreicht mich heute.

Eine SMS meines Mitbewohners: Sie haben meine Reservedienst gestrichen. Keine Begründung.

Vielleicht ein dummer Zufall, in den man nicht zu viel hinein interpretieren sollte. Vielleicht nur ein Strohhalm nachdem man greift, doch wir beide freuen uns sehr!

“Was wollen Sie in Israel?” -“Why are you going to Israel?”

„Was wollen Sie in Israel?“

Die Beantwortung dieser Frage ist ziemlich komplex, ich müsste weit ausholen, doch das Umfeld lädt nicht zu großen Ausschweifungen ein.  Ich stehe vor einem schwarzen Pult, unweit des Check-In-Schalters, an dem ich gerne meinen Koffer aufgeben würde. Hinter dem Pult steht ein junger Mann mit pausbäckigem Gesicht und schaut mir streng in die Augen. Er heißt Ariel. Den Nachnamen habe ich nicht verstanden als er sich mir vorstellte und mir gleichzeitig meinen Reisepaß abnahm.

Ich halte mich an die Fakten, fange an zu erklären, doch weit komme ich nicht. „Was haben Sie studiert?“, unterbricht er mich. Verdutzt antworte ich. Aber wenn man Wirtschaft studiert wird man doch nicht Journalist! Warum haben sie nicht Journalismus studiert? Die Frage habe ich mir selbst schon oft gestellt, aber ich fühle mich jetzt nicht danach, das mit ihm hier auszudiskutieren.  Er lächelt höflich, aber er lässt nicht locker. Journalist kann man auch in Deutschland sein, warum will ich gerade nach Israel?

Je mehr ich erkläre umso mehr hakt er nach. Das Pult und die penetrante Fragerei geben mir das Gefühl, ich befände mich in einer Mädchenschule zur wilhelminischen Zeit. Anstatt mit dem Rohrstock pocht Ariel mit meinen Reisepass leicht auf das Pult, während ich nach Antworten suche. Das Gespräch dauert jetzt schon eine Weile an, 10-15 Minuten. Sehnsüchtig schaue ich auf die Leute an den Pulten neben uns. Die meisten, die mit mir angestanden haben, durften schon längst zum Check-In-Schalter weiterziehen.

Ariel ist ungefähr so alt wie ich. Er lächelt ununterbrochen, um seine Mundwinkel krauseln sich drollige Fältchen. Doch sobald ich zu einer Antwort ansetze, durchdringt er mich mit seinen prüfenden Blicken. Ich würde gerne wissen, was er über meine holprigen Erklärungen denkt, seine Mine ist unergründlich. Habe ich denn nicht endlich alles gesagt, was er hören will?

„Glauben Sie denn Haaretz ist eine bedeutende Zeitung?“, fragt er, nachdem er mich zuvor schon eine Weile zu meinem Praktikum ausgefragt hat. „Ja kennen Sie sie denn nicht?“, platz es wütend aus mir heraus. Er lächelt freundlich, „Aber natürlich!“

Dann schiebt er meinen Reisepass ein wenig in meine Richtung und sagt mit seiner sanfter Stimme und dem leichten Akzent: „Ich habe nicht genau verstanden. Warum genau wollen Sie nach Israel?“

Hätte ich vorher meinen Reiseführer gelesen, oder mich im Internet informiert, wäre mir bewusst gewesen, dass diese Art von Sicherheitsvorkehrungen bei Flügen nach Israel gang und gäbe ist. Von Reisen in die USA ist man ja schon einiges gewöhnt, doch bei den israelischen Sicherheitsvorkehrungen geht es nicht nur darum, eine Bombe, sondern auch den Bomber ausfindig zu machen.

Besonders ausgefragt werden arabische Fluggäste, Menschen mit nicht eindeutig definierten Berufen wie Künstler oder Journalisten und allein reisende Frauen, da  diese von Terroristen verführt und zu Selbstmordattentaten getrieben worden sein könnten. Die Sicherheitsbeamten versuchen durch gezielte Fragerei Widersprüchlichkeiten zu finden und so einen Attentäter zu entlarven.

Bei der von mir gewählten israelischen Fluglinie El Al sind die Sicherheitsvorkehrungen besonders streng. Auf Flugzeuge dieser Linie sind schon mehrfach Terroranschläge versucht worden. Die Flugzeuge fliegen mit bewaffnetem Personal, auf dem Rollfeld wird die Maschine von Sicherheitsfahrzeugen geschützt, die Star- und Landebahn wird kurzfristig abgeändert. Die Fluglinie besitzt eine abgetrennte Sektion im Terminal, wo sie eigene, von israelischen Sicherheitsbeamten durchgeführten, Security-Checks betreibt. (Siehe Focus, N-TV)

Im Nachhinein bin ich froh, das vorher nicht gewusst zu haben.Man kann sich anscheinend daran gewöhnen, die mitreisenden Israelis und Araber ließen die Prozedur mit stoischer Ruhe über sich ergehen. Die Sicherheitsbeamten sind dabei äußerst zuvorkommend. Während ich in einem kleinen, neonbeleuchteten Raum meine Schuhe durchleuchtet bekomme, kriege ich ein Glas Wasser und ein Prospekt über Israel. Eine Beamtin plaudert mit mir über meine Hose und Vero Moda. Da ist es fast gar nicht mehr so schlimm, dass sie gerade den gesamten Inhalt meines Handgepäcks auf einen Metalltisch ausschüttet.

“Why are you going to Israel?”

The answer to this question is quite complex, I would have to go far afield, but the environment does not invite too much excess. I stand in front of a black panel, near the check-in. Behind the desk stands a young man with chubby-cheeked face who gives me a stern look . His name is Ariel, I did not understand the last name, when he introduced himself to me while he took my passport.

Why are you going to Israel? I stick to the facts, try to explain, but he doesn’t let me go very far. “What didn’t you study?”, he interrupts. I reply. “But if you studied business you cannot work as a journalist! Why did not study journalism? That is a good question, I have asked myself many times, but I don’t feel like discussing this with him now. He smiles politely, but he won’t give up. “You could also be a journalist in Germany?”

The more I try to explain the more he keeps on asking. The desk and the insistent questioning make me feel as if I were in some girls’ school during the Wilhelmine period. Instead of using the cane Ariel throbs with my passport on the desk while I search for answers. The interview has already lasted for a while, 10-15 minutes maybe. Wistfully I look at the people at the desks next to us. Most of those who stood with me moved on to the check-in desk long ago.

Ariel is about as old as me. He smiles constantly, showing funny wrinkles around his mouth. But once I start to answer one of his questions, he looks as me with this critical looks and the raised eyebrow. I would like to know what he thinks about my clumsy explanation, his face is unfathomable. Haven’t I said everything already, when will this be over?

“So do you think Haaretz is an important newspaper?” he asks after he had already questioned me a a lot about my internship. I start loosing my patience: “Don’t you know it?” He smiles his gently smile: “But of course!”

Then he shifts my passport a little towards my direction, and with his gentle voice and this slight accent he says: “I still don’t understand. Why are you going to Israel? ”

If I had read my guide or informe myself on the internet, I would have known that these type of security procedures are very common on flights to Israel. Travelling to the United States makes you get used to high security standards, but Israeli security measures are not just about finding a bomb, they try to find the bomber.

In particular they question Arab passengers, people with no clearly defined professions such as artists or journalists and women traveling by themselves, as they may have been seduced by terrorists. Through well-directed questioning the security officers try to find inconsistencies in the story you tell them about going to Israel and by this try to detect potential terrorists.

The security procedures of the Israeli airline company El Al  which I chosed are especially strict. There have been attempts of terrorist attacks on El Al airplanes several times. Every plane travels with armed personnel, once the machine is on the runway it is protected by special security vehicles. The airline has a separate section in each terminal where they have their own security officials operating.

Looking back, I’m glad I didn’t know about all this before. I believe you get used to it. The Israelis and Arabs who were traveling with me took the procedure with stoical calmness. And I have to admit, the security personnel is extremely courteous. While I got my shoes screened in a small, neon-lit room, I got a glass of water and a brochure about Israel. An officer aked me about where I bought my pants, we started a conversation on Vero Moda. That helped to feel less concerned about her pouring the entire contents of my hand luggage on a metal table.