Politics – June 2017
This has been another successful year for of the Middle East Study Group (MESG).
Support is sought to facilitate the work of the MESG.
If more information is required, simply Google “Hull MESG”.
All help, great and small, is appreciated.
It isn't enough to talk about peace. One must believe in it. And it isn't enough to believe in it. One must work at it.
~Eleanor Roosevelt
Israelis and Palestinians need to create spaces of living together to replace places where they die together.
~Raphael Cohen-Almagor
Reflections on May Newsletter
England under the Threat of Terror
7 Concrete Steps to Fight Terror
ISIS Sells Priceless Antiquities to Fund Terror
Qatar
British Elections
Prime Minister Modi’s Visit to Israel
Netanyahu Holds Third Summit With Leaders of Greece, Cyprus Over Gas Pipeline
33rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Israel Studies
The Israel Reform Movement
David Grossman Won the Man Booker International Prize
Israeli Scientists Discover Key to Repairing Damaged Heart Tissue
New Israeli Therapy for Lou Gehrig's Disease Hailed as Breakthrough
My New Article
New Books
My Visit to Israel
Gem of the Month – Cardiff
Gem of the Month – Boston
Gem of the Month – Harvard
Passim
American Efficiency
Land of Opportunity
Jewish Lawyer
The Trump Obsession
Spurs
English Football
Monthly Poems
Light Side
Reflections on May Newsletter
Ambassador Fean published Israeli-Palestinian relations on the anniversary of the Six-Day War, June 7, 2017, http://www.thecourant.org/single-post/2017/06/07/Israeli-Palestinian-relations-on-the-anniversary-of-the-Six-Day-War
England under the Threat of Terror
Recent events in England remind me of Israel during the 1990s. The government is slowly accommodating to the new abnormal reality of terror attacks that disrupt life, cost life, and inflict fear. On June 3, 2017, seven people were murdered by three terrorists. This was the third terror attack in a span of a few weeks: London Westminster; Manchester Arena and London Bridge.
It took the police 8 minutes to kill the terrorists. This length of time is unacceptable in the eyes of Israeli security.
Imagine what would have happened if the terrorists were to have guns instead of knives.
USA and Israel have Ministry of Homeland Security. Perhaps the UK should consider establishing a similar ministry.
7 Concrete Steps to Fight Terror
Increased resources for intelligence;
Increased cooperation with national security agencies;
Follow the money;
Increased cooperation between governments and ISPs;
Increased presence of security on the streets;
Increased cooperation with relevant communities;
Increased cooperation between terrorism experts and government security agencies.
ISIS Sells Priceless Antiquities to Fund Terror
Follow the money is a good advice when fighting terror. ISIS sells priceless antiquities to fund terror. While ISIS destroys religious articles as part of its war against non-Muslim culture, it sells other relics, including priceless antiquities and an 1800-year-old bible, through intermediaries to art traders in Europe and the US, in order to fund terror.
See
Qatar
Qatar has been playing a dangerous game for a long time: open to the west while supporting terrorism against the west; speaking peace but undermining stability; maintaining close ties with Iran and the USA.
On June 4, 2017, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Egypt, Bahrain and Yemen broke diplomatic ties with Qatar over its support of terrorism. Qatar has long faced criticism from its Arab neighbors over its support of Islamists. The chief worry among them is the Muslim Brotherhood, a Sunni Islamist political group outlawed by both Saudi Arabia and the UAE as it challenges the nations’ hereditary rule. Similarly, Egypt cut ties with Qatar, accusing the Gulf Arab state of supporting terrorist organisations including the Muslim Brotherhood.
Qatar reportedly allowed and encouraged funding of Sunni extremists like al-Qaida’s branch in Syria, also known as the Nusra Front.
Qatar is the key financial patron of the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip and has been the home of exiled Hamas official Khaled Mashaal since 2012.
At the same time, Qatar is home to the sprawling al-Udeid air base, which is home to the US military’s central command and some 10,000 American troops. It was not clear if the decision would affect American military operations.
The 2022 FIFA World Cup is scheduled to be in Qatar.
Source:
British Elections
Election results in Britain reflect referendum results. Very soft Brexit is the right call reflecting small majority and significant minority.
Theresa May wanted direct mandate from the public. She received it (318 seats) with significant qualifications following horrendous campaign. May leadership is being questioned for very good reasons. Her style is behind-the-scene rather than in front of the camera. In the media age, this is a great handicap. Her campaign was full of twists, u-turns, inconsistencies, lies and she was clearly uncomfortable standing before the camera answering questions. Her refusal to debate Corbyn was a mistake. Calling early election was a mistake. May has wasted the significant she received from the media and from the public when she succeeded Cameron.
There are a few winners in this election. The Conservatives won the elections, but not Theresa May. Israeli Labour would have loved to enjoy the same results in Israel.
Jeremy Corbyn sees himself as a winner (262 seats). From the depth of tremendous unpopularity in his own party and in the public at large, Corbyn ran a very effective campaign. Unlike May, he does not shy meeting the public, travelling from one city to another, shake hands and stand in front of the camera. He does what a political leader needs to do. In many ways, Corbyn resurrected himself and showed qualities of a leader that many have doubted. For many British Jews, Corbyn is a problematic and polarizing figure. His views on Israel and of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict stem from the far left British ideology that has never been kind to Israel, ideology that tends to be simplistic, painting reality in black and white, perceiving Israel as the aggressor and the Palestinians as unlucky underdog. Terrorism is a just resistance and Israel is an apartheid state.
The former Lib-Dem leader Nick Clegg who sold his principles to become Deputy Prime Minister under David Cameron was not re-elected. I won’t miss him. The Lib-Dem is the fourth largest party in parliament with 12 seats, after the Scottish National Party with 35 seats.
UKIP's Paul Nuttall has stood down as leader of the party after it failed to win any seats in the general election.
The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), with 10 seats, is a clear winner in this election. May needs this party to form a government. Most people do not know much about this party. Indeed, the party’s website crashed after the elections as many sought some information about this new kid in government. The DUP is pro-union (not Europe but UK), pro-Brexit and socially conservative.
Soft Brexit is a likely outcome of this election. If this is the case, it is good news for Britain and for Europe.
Prime Minister Modi’s Visit to Israel
Indian Prime Minister Narenda Modi is due to arrive in Israel for his first-ever visit on July 4. During his three-day stay, He is scheduled to meet with senior Israeli officials, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Reuven Rivlin, hold a rally for Israelis of Indian descent, and tour agricultural and technological sites.
Since PM Modi came to power, India has changed its policies regarding Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Traditionally, because of its significant Muslim minority, India had supported the Palestinian cause. PM Modi has emphasised the common, indeed overlapping interests of India and Israel. Under his leadership, relationships between the two countries have become tight, the best in history. Trade and economic relations between the two countries have developed and diversified rapidly. In 1992, bilateral trade between Israel and India was worth $200 million. Today, it stands in excess of $5 billion, excluding defense contracts.
Indo-Israeli collaboration in the defense sector is particularly strong and established. Israel now ranks number three among India’s top arms suppliers after Russia and the United States with annual contracts worth $1 billion. Besides cooperation in the defense and agricultural sectors, Israel has become India’s leading partner in clean technologies and water management.
It is reported that Air India is planning to announce the inauguration of a Tel Aviv-Mumbai route at the time of Modi's visit. It is also reported that Modi does not intend to meet President Abbas during his visit. This is going to be a purely bilateral visit.
Indo-Israeli collaboration in the defense sector is particularly strong and established. Israel now ranks number three among India’s top arms suppliers after Russia and the United States with annual contracts worth $1 billion. Besides cooperation in the defense and agricultural sectors, Israel has become India’s leading partner in clean technologies and water management.
It is reported that Air India is planning to announce the inauguration of a Tel Aviv-Mumbai route at the time of Modi's visit. It is also reported that Modi does not intend to meet President Abbas during his visit. This is going to be a purely bilateral visit.
Source: The Israeli Project
Netanyahu Holds Third Summit With Leaders of Greece, Cyprus Over Gas Pipeline
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met with his Greek and Cypriot counterparts to discuss speeding up construction of a gas pipeline from the eastern Mediterranean to Europe.
The summit with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades took place in the Greek city of Thessaloniki. It was the third between the three leaders in the past two years.
Israel, Greece, Cyprus, and other European nations signed agreements in April to build a 2,000 kilometer (1,250 mile) pipeline that would carry natural gas from Israel to Europe. The project is slated to be completed by 2025 and cost $6.7 billion.
Europe is eager to diversify its sources of natural gas and Greece is interested in being the transit point for the gas on its way to Italy and the rest of the continent.
"We agreed to expedite our joint actions concerning our agreement on the construction of a large project which will offer new prospects of economic cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean," Tsipras explained a press conference with the two other leaders.
Tsipras, Anastasiades, and Netanyahu also discussed the construction of a cable to carry electricity generated in Israel to Europe, by way of Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete. They also spoke of regional issues including Syria, tensions between Cyprus and Turkey, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In his remarks at the joint press conference, Netanyahu hailed the ties between Israel, Greece and Cyprus. He noted that relations between the three nations had once been cool, but "I thought that it had to change because there’s a simple fact about Cyprus, Greece and Israel that brings us very close together. We’re all democracies, real democracies. And when you look in the present in our region, especially looking eastward and some other directions as well, that’s not a very common commodity."
Source: The Israel project
The summit with Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras and Cypriot President Nicos Anastasiades took place in the Greek city of Thessaloniki. It was the third between the three leaders in the past two years.
Israel, Greece, Cyprus, and other European nations signed agreements in April to build a 2,000 kilometer (1,250 mile) pipeline that would carry natural gas from Israel to Europe. The project is slated to be completed by 2025 and cost $6.7 billion.
Europe is eager to diversify its sources of natural gas and Greece is interested in being the transit point for the gas on its way to Italy and the rest of the continent.
"We agreed to expedite our joint actions concerning our agreement on the construction of a large project which will offer new prospects of economic cooperation in the eastern Mediterranean," Tsipras explained a press conference with the two other leaders.
Tsipras, Anastasiades, and Netanyahu also discussed the construction of a cable to carry electricity generated in Israel to Europe, by way of Cyprus and the Greek island of Crete. They also spoke of regional issues including Syria, tensions between Cyprus and Turkey, and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In his remarks at the joint press conference, Netanyahu hailed the ties between Israel, Greece and Cyprus. He noted that relations between the three nations had once been cool, but "I thought that it had to change because there’s a simple fact about Cyprus, Greece and Israel that brings us very close together. We’re all democracies, real democracies. And when you look in the present in our region, especially looking eastward and some other directions as well, that’s not a very common commodity."
Source: The Israel project
33rd Annual Meeting of the Association for Israel Studies
At Brandeis I presented two papers: “Arafat, Barak and Clinton at Camp David: Clashes of Characters and Conduct”, and “The Monopoly of Jewish Orthodoxy in Israel and Its Effects on the Governance of Religious Diversity”. The latter will be published soon.
I attended an interesting session on 50 years since 1967. Hussein Yusuf Kamal Ibish, a Senior Resident Scholar at the Arab Gulf States Institute in Washington and former Fellow at the former American Task Force on Palestine said: The impasse is here to stay. I don't see a solution in the horizon. The occupation is intolerable. Resistance is unavoidable. What is needed is a concerted international campaign in support of Palestine, of civic equality, of justice.
Ambassador Dan Kurtzer said: Israel needs to decide its borders. Violence is not the answer. Both sides need to explore all possible solutions.
Anita Shapira spoke about the effects of 1967 on Israeli society. Until 1967, no Israeli prime minister visited the White House. Until 1967, France supplied arms to Israel. As a lesson from 1956, Israel sought American acceptance before embarking war in 1967. Consequently, USA did not demand Israel withdrawal from the conquered territories.
After 1967, Israel became a sensation. The small state received appreciation and even admiration of many. Israeli economy boomed.
Husam Zomlot, Chief Representative of the Palestinian General Delegation to the United States, succinctly summarised his life story. Born in 1973 in Rafah refugee camp. He lived his entire life under occupation. His father was born in Ashkelon and fled to Rafah as a result of the Nakba. In the past, Zomlot had made some questionable statements about the Holocaust. This time he recognised the tragedy of the Holocaust inflicted on the Jewish people.
Since his arrival to Washington, Zomlot said that people speak to him constantly about the PA support of prisoners, and about Palestinian incitement. This tells you the extent to which Israel is able to influence Washington. Zomlot does not think that the PA should overhaul its education curriculum and clean it from incitement because the Palestinians are not in the post-conflict stage.
Zomlot then said that the occupation robs the Palestinian economic ability. The majority of Israeli water come from the West Bank. He said that the PLO believes that the 1967 borders is the end game. The two state solution is a legitimate formula. Trump might be a unique opportunity because we don't know what does he support. The Palestinians need to create a sense of urgency among Israelis to resolve conflict. He asked: How can create this urgency?
Peter Krause of Boston College asked: Why Israel and Algiers have states and Palestine, the Kurds, the Irish do not? According to him, to have a successful independence movement, the main actor is required to consolidate, to have hegemonic authority. Divisions within the independence movement weaken it and disserve the cause.
We saw David Ben-Gurion: Epilogue. A documentary with the legendary Israeli George Washington, conducted two years prior to his death. Fascinating.
I was happy to join the Board of the International Association of Israel Studies and work for its success.
The Israel Reform Movement
The keys for the success of the Reform Movement in Israel are its appeal to the secular 40% minority, and gaining political power to be reckoned with.
Israel is a highly politicized society. If you wish to change and to grow in influence, you must enter the muddy waters of politics and compete for power.
David Grossman Won the Man Booker International Prize
David Grossman is my favourite Israeli author. 
Israel is blessed with quite a few talented novelists. Grossman is on a different level altogether. I said in the past and reiterate it here that Grossman should win the Nobel Prize for literature, especially for To the End of the Land. David Grossman is an extraordinary author who deserves every recognition. His pen is sensitive, sharp and original. I trust the folks in Stockholm know his name.
Grossman is the first Israeli writer to receive the prestigious Man Booker International Prize. The Prize Judges defined Grossman's writing as remarkable. Out of six books, from five different countries, on the prize's short list, two were by Israeli writers: Grossman's "A Horse walks into a Bar" and "Judas" by Amos Oz.
Israeli Scientists Discover Key to Repairing Damaged Heart Tissue
Researchers in Israel report they have discovered a molecule in newborn hearts that appears to control the process of renewing heart muscle.
When injected into adult mouse hearts injured by heart attacks, this molecule, called Agrin, seems to “unlock” that renewal process and enable heart muscle repair – something never seen in human heart tissue outside of the womb.
These findings, published June 5 in Nature, point to new directions for research on restoring the function of damaged hearts. Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.
The healing process following a human heart attack is long and inefficient, explained Prof. Eldad Tzahor of the Weizmann Institute of Science, who led the study together with doctoral student Elad Bassat, research student Alex Genzelinakh and other Weizmann molecular cell biologists.
Once damaged, muscle cells called cardiomyocytes are replaced by scar tissue, which cannot pump blood and therefore place a burden on the remaining cardiomyocytes.
Heart regeneration can happen in utero for humans, but some vertebrates retain this ability after they’re born. Mice hearts can regenerate only for the first week of life. Those seven days gave the Israelis an opportunity to explore the cues that promote heart regeneration.
Tzahor and Bassat zeroed in on the surrounding supportive tissue known as the extracellular matrix (ECM) through which cell-to-cell messages are passed or stored. When bits of ECM from newborn and week-old mice were added to cardiac cells in culture, the younger ECM caused cardiomyocytes to proliferate.
Agrin, a protein present in ECM, already was known to help regulate the signals passed from nerves to muscles. In mouse hearts, levels of this molecule drop over the first seven days of life, suggesting a possible role in heart regeneration. When the researchers added Agrin to cell cultures, they noted that it caused the cells to divide.
Next, they found that mouse hearts were almost completely healed and fully functional following a single injection of Agrin. Although this recovery process took more than a month, the scar tissue was dramatically reduced, replaced by living heart tissue that restored the heart’s pumping function.
The team then proved that Agrin has a similar effect on human heart cells grown in culture.
Members of Tzahor’s team have started pre-clinical studies in larger animals in Germany in collaboration with Dr. Christian Kupatt of the Technical University of Munich to determine the effect of Agrin on cardiac repair.
(via Israel21c)
When injected into adult mouse hearts injured by heart attacks, this molecule, called Agrin, seems to “unlock” that renewal process and enable heart muscle repair – something never seen in human heart tissue outside of the womb.
These findings, published June 5 in Nature, point to new directions for research on restoring the function of damaged hearts. Heart disease is the leading cause of death worldwide.
The healing process following a human heart attack is long and inefficient, explained Prof. Eldad Tzahor of the Weizmann Institute of Science, who led the study together with doctoral student Elad Bassat, research student Alex Genzelinakh and other Weizmann molecular cell biologists.
Once damaged, muscle cells called cardiomyocytes are replaced by scar tissue, which cannot pump blood and therefore place a burden on the remaining cardiomyocytes.
Heart regeneration can happen in utero for humans, but some vertebrates retain this ability after they’re born. Mice hearts can regenerate only for the first week of life. Those seven days gave the Israelis an opportunity to explore the cues that promote heart regeneration.
Tzahor and Bassat zeroed in on the surrounding supportive tissue known as the extracellular matrix (ECM) through which cell-to-cell messages are passed or stored. When bits of ECM from newborn and week-old mice were added to cardiac cells in culture, the younger ECM caused cardiomyocytes to proliferate.
Agrin, a protein present in ECM, already was known to help regulate the signals passed from nerves to muscles. In mouse hearts, levels of this molecule drop over the first seven days of life, suggesting a possible role in heart regeneration. When the researchers added Agrin to cell cultures, they noted that it caused the cells to divide.
Next, they found that mouse hearts were almost completely healed and fully functional following a single injection of Agrin. Although this recovery process took more than a month, the scar tissue was dramatically reduced, replaced by living heart tissue that restored the heart’s pumping function.
The team then proved that Agrin has a similar effect on human heart cells grown in culture.
Members of Tzahor’s team have started pre-clinical studies in larger animals in Germany in collaboration with Dr. Christian Kupatt of the Technical University of Munich to determine the effect of Agrin on cardiac repair.
(via Israel21c)
New Israeli Therapy for Lou Gehrig's Disease Hailed as Breakthrough
It’s not a cure, but a new therapy for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is being hailed as a breakthrough that can extend the life expectancy of those suffering from ALS.
Developed by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), the therapy may come to market much faster than typical treatments because it is based on an existing FDA-approved drug called MabThera, which is used to treat certain autoimmune diseases and cancers.
The drug has been tested so far with mice, which “showed a significant increase in life expectancy.”
Part of the progression of ALS results from increased activity of glial cells, a type of immune cell that damages and kills the body’s motor neuron cells and decreases their ability to cleanse the central nervous system (CNS). MabThera restores the immune defenses of the central nervous system.
The researchers are seeking a pharmaceutical company partner and recently participated in the 16th National Life Sciences & Technology Week in Tel Aviv.
ALS, a lethal, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leads to atrophy, paralysis and eventually death due to failure of the respiratory muscles. The only drugs available currently are Reluzole, which helps extend life by only three to six months, and Edaravone, which has demonstrated relatively modest success.
(via Israel21c)
Developed by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU), the therapy may come to market much faster than typical treatments because it is based on an existing FDA-approved drug called MabThera, which is used to treat certain autoimmune diseases and cancers.
The drug has been tested so far with mice, which “showed a significant increase in life expectancy.”
Part of the progression of ALS results from increased activity of glial cells, a type of immune cell that damages and kills the body’s motor neuron cells and decreases their ability to cleanse the central nervous system (CNS). MabThera restores the immune defenses of the central nervous system.
The researchers are seeking a pharmaceutical company partner and recently participated in the 16th National Life Sciences & Technology Week in Tel Aviv.
ALS, a lethal, progressive neurodegenerative disorder that affects the motor nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord, leads to atrophy, paralysis and eventually death due to failure of the respiratory muscles. The only drugs available currently are Reluzole, which helps extend life by only three to six months, and Edaravone, which has demonstrated relatively modest success.
(via Israel21c)
My New Article
“Jihad Online: How Do Terrorists Use the Internet?”, in Francisco Campos Freire, Xosé Rúas Araújo, ValentÃn Alejandro MartÃnez Fernández, and Xosé López GarcÃa (eds.), Media and Metamedia Management (Dordrecht: Springer, 2017), pp. 55-66.
Abstract:
Terrorism is designed to attract attention to the terrorist’s cause and to spread fear and anxiety among wide circles of the targeted population. This paper provides information about the ways terrorists are using the Internet. The threat of terrorism is real and significant. As the Internet became a major arena for modern terrorists, we need to understand how modern terrorism operates and devise appropriate methods to forestall such activities.
Keywords: al-Qaeda, terror, ISIS, jihad, encryption, social responsibility
The article is available at http://www.hull.ac.uk/rca/articles.html
New Books
Paul Beckett, Tax Havens and International Human Rights (London: Routledge, 2018).
Paul Beckett explains: “I am on the inside, looking out. I am an international human rights and commercial lawyer in what others call a tax haven. That, I’m told, is an unusual combination. Urged on by friends and colleagues, I have written the book they said had to be written. Using my technical skills as an offshore commercial lawyer, and overlaying these with my passion for international human rights, I have analysed not only the negative effect the tax havens have on the human rights of others, but just how they achieve this in terms of the companies, trusts, foundations and increasingly weird variations of these which they tout to the international business community. I turn the spotlight on those who benefit. I answer the question “what sustains a tax haven?”. I propose a future strategy. This book is a field manual for any academic, human rights defender or practitioner who interacts with the offshore world. It lifts the hood on the engine of abuse.”
Congratulations and Mazal Tov Paul!!!
My Visit to Israel
I plan to be in Israel between 20 and 31 July and will be happy to meet friends and colleagues.
Gem of the Month - Cardiff
I was invited to present my book Confronting the Internet's Dark Side: Moral and Social Responsibility on the Free Highway (NY and Washington DC.: Cambridge University Press and Woodrow Wilson Center Press, 2015), http://www.cambridge.org/us/academic/subjects/law/e-commerce-law/confronting-internets-dark-side-moral-and-social-responsibility-free-highway?format=HB ;
at Cardiff University. This was my second visit to Cardiff after many years, and the city looked very different, for the better. I enjoyed strolling its streets and along the river. The city leaders should put Cardiff for the next round of City of Culture. It will do the city much good.
I thank Matteo Bonotti and Andrea Calderaro for their kind hospitality.
Gem of the Month - Boston
Boston is rich with music and quite adequate in the theatre scene. I love the arts and of them my greatest passion is theatre. I did not expect Boston to have the richness and quality of London but I thought it will offer no less than Tel Aviv. I discovered that Boston does not compare even to Tel Aviv, a testimony of the theatre scene in Israel's cultural hub, and realization that Boston has much room to improve. I saw one play, Blood on the Snow at the Old State House (http://www.bostonhistory.org/about-the-show/), which was historical, short (one hour) and OK at best. It is shown at the historical site of the events following the Boston massacre. In that respect, the play has an excellent point of departure. But it is clear that theatre is not the strongest suit of the museum in which the play is shown.
Gem of the Month – Harvard
I enjoy visiting university campuses and this trip I visited four. Brandeis has a nice campus and I also visited three Harvard campuses: the social sciences and humanities, the medical, and for the first time I visited the Harvard Faculty of Business campus. The Business campus is by far the prettier. These people know how to take care of themselves. This lush campus worth a visit.
I also enjoy universities art galleries. Thus when John suggested taking me to the Harvard Art Gallery I was delighted. Haifa has a good archeological museum. Hull has a nice, small art gallery. So does Brandeis. Harvard is another opera altogether. When John told me that the worth of the collection is 2 billion dollars, I thought he was exaggerating. Then we started the tour. Boy, what a collection! Three floors full of gems, including a significant collection of one of my favourite artists, Renoir. Many cities would pride themselves having such a collection. I never seen anything like it in any university I have visited until now, and I have visited some.
I love this painting. Do you know who the artist is? (John: I know you know thus you are exempted).
Harvard has a small, special exhibit on one of the most beloved presidents, JFK, ranked high on the list of successful presidents together with Washington and Lincoln. Washington for me is first among equals. Lincoln was great too.
I learned that JFK was an average student who excelled in social life. Later one, the connections he made at Harvard were instrumental to the success of his presidential campaign.
I thank Becca, Bob, Dan, Irving, John and Urs for their kind hospitality.
Passim
Near Harvard, there is a folk club called Passim. I wonder whether they know that passim means stripes in Hebrew.
American Efficiency
My host took me to the Harvard Library to issue a library card for me. He showed his card, saying he is a research director here and that he has a guest who wishes to use the library during the duration of his visit. John mentioned that I published nineteen books. The librarian said OK, may I see you photo ID? I produced my passport. He issued a card. The entire process took four minutes.
My host asked me: how many of your books we have? I answered: I expect Harvard nothing less than having all of them. Indeed, this was the result, including my Hebrew poetry books published under the name Raphael Almagor. They made the connection.
At Brandeis I went for lunch with the former government secretary Professor Arye Naor. I wanted to interview him about the 1982 war. Thus I asked for a remote table, away from the noise. The faculty club manager did not ask any questions. He said, come with me, and showed me a meeting room. It was in a mess, with a lot of equipment. Clearly it was not in use for a while. The manager said, do not worry. Go have your lunch in the club. Come here in half an hour.
We had a pleasant lunch. After half hour we returned to the meeting room. It was all tidy. A note was on the door, “Do not disturb. Recording in session”. Later I asked for water. He gave us two large bottles, saying “This is on me”.
The manager had a previous career. He was an army officer, fighting terrorism aiming to destroy the Land of the Free.
Land of Opportunity
Discussion with a taxi driver who told me the story of his life. Joseph was born in Haiti, where he grew up and established a family. He became a school teacher and as he was facing hardships of poverty and corruption, he asked asylum in the USA. The request was granted. He first sent his wife and two children to the USA. His wife continued her work as a nurse. For three years he travelled between Haiti and Boston. Then he immigrated as well and joined his family.
Joseph started as a taxi driver with $20 in his pocket. Ten years later, he has a business of six cabs and annual income of $100,000. He said: when you are smart and willing to work hard, the USA is a true land of opportunities.
Jewish Lawyer
Joseph said: in order to immigrate to the USA, one needs a job and a Jewish lawyer. I asked why Jewish? The answer: they are smart. They were immigrants. They know immigration laws better than anybody. They are reliable.
I told him I am from Israel. His reaction was: Ohh. I am blessed to drive you. You are the blessed of all nations. People of the Bible. Smart and innovative. Do you know, he asked me, that a third of every computer and cell phone was invented in Israel?
The Trump Obsession
This was my third visit to Trumpland this year, and the media obsession with The Donald is un abetted. World affairs do not matter. The news channels repeat the same content time and again throughout the days. It is enough for The Donald to tweet, and the media would jump to analyse, dissect, probe and repeatedly ask is it good for The Donald to tweet or not. As you can guess, opinions are divided on this question. Republican supporters think the tweeting habit serves the president while Democratic supporters think tweeting dis serves The Donald. Trump sucks all airwaves and the media happily let him control the agenda. The obsession is sickening. I felt this is poisoning as the discussion is almost always terribly negative.
Spurs
This has been the best Spurs I have seen during the past decade. Mauricio Pochotino is the best manager Tottenham has had during the past decade. Poch identified Spurs’ weaknesses and addressed them. He made Spurs from a good top 7 team in the league into a very good top 2 team in the league. Most of the players he bought integrated into the team and fulfilled important roles. Moreover, the quality of football has improved greatly. It was not always a joy to watch Spurs playing. This year, they played beautiful football. Unsurprisingly, most of the games were broadcasted on TV. I trust Spurs has made many new supporters, especially in the young generations. COYS!
English Football
This is my 11.
My team, Spurs, had the best year since I can remember.
Goal Keeper:
David de Gea (Man. Utd. and Spain)
The most consistent goalkeeper in the league
Defenders:
Kyle Walker (Spurs and England)
I will be sad to see him leave Spurs
Gary Cahill (Chelsea and England)
A leader
Toby Alderweireld (Spurs and Belgium)
The best central defender in this tough league
Marcos Alonso (Chelsea and Spain)
A classic defender
Midfield:
Sadio Mané (Liverpool and Senegal)
Quick and efficient. Liverpool missed him when he was injured
Eden Hazard (Chelsea and Belgium)
A player with rare qualities
N’Golo Kante (Chelsea and France)
A tireless turbo
Strikers:
Alexis Sánchez (Arsenal and Chile)
Joy to watch
24 goals, 10 assists
Romelu Lukaku (Everton and Belgium)
A towering figure
25 goals, 6 assists
Harry Kane (Spurs and England)
Spurs pride, “One of our own”
29 goals, 7 assists
Footballer of the Year
Eden Hazard (Chelsea and Belgium)
Indeed, Eden lived by his name. What a hazard to his opponents.
Monthly Poems
Hope
Each day passes and I miss you more
Each day passes and I love you more,
Each day passes and I wonder if what we share can withstand the distance, the time,
the separation and the loss.
Will we grow doubtful of our passion,
Will we hide in our own walls to protect ourselves from the pain,
Will we withstand the long winter.
In summer our love shone
Our love sparkled with every movement between us,
Our smiles joined our hearts through our eyes.
We face the autumn my love when things die,
We face the winter my love when things wait.
I wonder if we will follow the seasons
I wonder if we can withstand the cold.
Each day passes and winter comes close,
But each day passes and we come closer to spring.
And each day passes and my hope grows stronger that spring will bring a new life for us.
written September 2010
Susan Cook
Each day passes and I miss you more
Each day passes and I love you more,
Each day passes and I wonder if what we share can withstand the distance, the time,
the separation and the loss.
Will we grow doubtful of our passion,
Will we hide in our own walls to protect ourselves from the pain,
Will we withstand the long winter.
In summer our love shone
Our love sparkled with every movement between us,
Our smiles joined our hearts through our eyes.
We face the autumn my love when things die,
We face the winter my love when things wait.
I wonder if we will follow the seasons
I wonder if we can withstand the cold.
Each day passes and winter comes close,
But each day passes and we come closer to spring.
And each day passes and my hope grows stronger that spring will bring a new life for us.
written September 2010
Susan Cook
A Calendar of Sonnets: June
O month whose promise and fulfilment blend,
And burst in one! it seems the earth can store
In all her roomy house no treasure more;
Of all her wealth no farthing have to spend
On fruit, when once this stintless flowering end.
And yet no tiniest flower shall fall before
It hath made ready at its hidden core
Its tithe of seed, which we may count and tend
Till harvest. Joy of blossomed love, for thee
Seems it no fairer thing can yet have birth?
No room is left for deeper ecstacy?
Watch well if seeds grow strong, to scatter free
Germs for thy future summers on the earth.
A joy which is but joy soon comes to dearth.
Helen Hunt Jackson
And burst in one! it seems the earth can store
In all her roomy house no treasure more;
Of all her wealth no farthing have to spend
On fruit, when once this stintless flowering end.
And yet no tiniest flower shall fall before
It hath made ready at its hidden core
Its tithe of seed, which we may count and tend
Till harvest. Joy of blossomed love, for thee
Seems it no fairer thing can yet have birth?
No room is left for deeper ecstacy?
Watch well if seeds grow strong, to scatter free
Germs for thy future summers on the earth.
A joy which is but joy soon comes to dearth.
Helen Hunt Jackson
Light Side
Penny.
Make the Great State of Nebraska proud!
Peace and love. I wish us a tranquil, peaceful and enjoyable summer.
Yours as ever,
Rafi
My last communications are available on http://almagor.blogspot.com/
Earlier posts at my home page: http://hcc.haifa.ac.il/~rca/
People wishing to subscribe to this Monthly Newsletter are welcome to e-mail me at r.cohen-almagor@hull.ac.uk
Earlier posts at my home page: http://hcc.haifa.ac.il/~rca/
People wishing to subscribe to this Monthly Newsletter are welcome to e-mail me at r.cohen-almagor@hull.ac.uk
Follow me on Twitter at @almagor35
