Politics – May-June 2023 - In Memory: Robert (Bob) O’Neill (5 November 1936 - 19 April 2023)
Bob was a wonderful person, one of the kindest, most charming and wisest people I have ever known. I feel blessed to have him as part of my life for many years.
I arrived in Oxford in 1987 and relished the opportunity to study with great scholars. I took more courses in Oxford than I did in my BA studies. One of the first MA seminars I attended was with Bob O’Neill, Adam Roberts and Peter Gellman. Bob was the Chichele Professor of the History of War and Fellow, All Souls College, Oxford. I greatly enjoyed the seminar. Bob appreciated my participation as any other student in class although as a DPhil student I did not have to write papers. Thereafter, I took further courses with Bob on the history of war. Bob was thoughtful, industrious, and perceptive. He was a very dedicated teacher who took a keen interest in his students. Bob supervised many doctoral students, kept in touch with them and supported their careers.
Our relationship deepened. Bob invited me to meals at All Souls and to his home, where I met his wife, Sally. He took an interest in my studies and welcomed me to his beautiful office, overlooking the Radcliffe Camera. Bob loved his office, and the view from his office, thinking quite rightly that not many offices in the world would match the view he saw every day from his window. We had long conversations about timely world political affairs. Each conversation was always opened with his inquiry about my family.
After Oxford, I returned to Israel. Bob retired from Oxford and returned to Australia. We continued to be in touch via extensive correspondence, first by letters and later by emails. We informed each other of our travels and arranged to meet if our had travels coincided. We met at Oxford, Washington, Tel Aviv, Sydney, and other places. Bob was involved in the work of the INSS in Tel Aviv and served on many international boards, including IISS, the Imperial War Museum, Australia National University, and the Centre for Defence Studies at King’s College. For years, he commented on my monthly Blog and some of my articles. Our correspondence has been very important to me. I kept many of his reflective and thoughtful letters. Bob supported my career, writing references and providing advice. He was always interested, warm, kind and simply wonderful. All the adjectives that describe his character are positive: Kind, wise, warm, considerate, engaged, supportive, knowledgeable, thoughtful, nice, beautiful, charming, always with a smile on his face.
In 2006, I was invited to a lecture tour in Australia. I spent a weekend with Bob and Sally at their home in the Blue Mountains. From time to time, we met via Skype and zoom. Our last communication was in January 2023. Bob was very interested in Israel and followed the news closely. He followed the news from many countries. His interests and knowledge were broad and extensive.
Bob O’Neill (2006)
Bob was a great scholar but far more than that, he was a true Mensch. A great person. I feel blessed for having him as part of my life for thirty-five years. When I received Sally’s sad news about his passing, I was shocked. Bob was not the healthiest person and I, of course, was aware of it. Each of my emails to him in recent years opened with an inquiry about his health. Notwithstanding, when the news came, they hit me straight at heart. Tears filled my eyes. Bob is no longer with us.
Oxford has been an integral part of my life because of the friendships with great people who became personal friends with whom I had extensive, regular correspondence that continued for years and decades. Isaiah Berlin passed away in 1997. Geoffrey Marshall died prematurely in 2003. Jack Pole left in 2010. Wilfrid Knapp succumbed to his disease in 2011, and now Bob left another hole in my soul.
Bob will continue to live with my heart. He left so many good memories with me. He did so much good in this world for so many people. His kindness, wisdom, warm heart and beautiful personality will live forever. My deep condolences to Sally and to their daughters Kate and Jenny.
Israel should do whatever it can to bring home Avraham Mengistu and Hisham al-Sayed as well as the remains of Hadar Golden and Shaul Aaron.
It is no less than state duty and, of course, the just and decent thing to do.
Reflections on Last Newsletter
Trump
Boris Johnson
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen Visit to Sweden
Israel Aims To Be 'AI Superpower'
The banking industry in 2023 across the GCC and Israel
Ben-Gvir Abuse of Power
The Abraham Accord Report May 2023
Israeli Soldiers Participate in Military Exercise with Soldiers from Moroccan, Ghanaian, and US
New article: “Google and Corporate Social Responsibility: YouTube in the Service of Terrorism”, Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol. 16(5) (2022): 46-61, https://www-jstor-org.hull.idm.oclc.org/stable/pdf/27168616.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Aae95cb3decbc8e65241b434fde499b4a&ab_segments=&origin=
Holocaust Denial
New book Chapter: “Holocaust Denial and the Abuse of Education”
Short Article: Academic freedom and the anti-Israeli BDS movement
Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom
Robert Satloff, The Holocaust’s Long Reach into Arab Lands
MESC book Celebration
New Books
Did You Know?
Gem of the Month – Lund
Monthly Poem
Reflections on Last Newsletter
Thank you to all of you who commented on my last Blog, mostly favourably. It seems most of my readers agree with my critical analysis of the constitutional revolution that the Israeli government is attempting to impose on Israel. I once asked Misha Arens whether he was happy for bringing Netanyahu to Israel, all the way from Boston. Arens’ replied: Of course.
I am unsure what would have been his response now. Arens was a decent man.
DEAR RAFI,
You are invited to read with the link my posts and articles in English and Hebrew on culture, economy, ethics and regime. Especially the ones I published since last November after the elections that brought to power the most reactionary government in Israel.
https://www.facebook.com/jacques.cory?mibextid=LQQJ4d
BEST REGARDS,
Dr. Jacques Cory
49, Disraeli Street, Haifa 3433331, Israel
tel. 972-4-8256608 or 972-4-8246316
fax. 972-4-8343848, mob. 972-544-589518
email: coryj@zahav.net.il or coryj2@gmail.com
website: businessethicscory.com or businessethics.co.il
Trump
No one, but NO ONE, is above the law: Donald Trump, the worse president in American history, is indicted for illegal retention of classified documents. His legacy is contempt for the law and attempt to undermine and destroy the Great American Democracy.
Read the Full Trump Indictment Here: Federal Indictment of Donald J. Trump by the Justice Department
https://www.theinternetpatrol.com/trump-indictment/
THE INTERNET PATROL 6/9/2023 | 6/9/2023 | LEAVE A COMMENT
CATEGORY: LAW
Narcist, arrogant, irresponsible, liar, stupid.
Boris Johnson
#BorisJohnson showed us time and again the ugliness of populist, unthoughtful, ugly and irresponsible politics. His departure is a good day for the United Kingdom.
#BorisJohnson's statements are twin like #Trump. Lie. Harm. Take no responsibility. Blame others. Evil politics.
The Days post #BorisJohnson, #Trump, #Netanyahu and #Orban will be good days for democracies and the world.
Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen Visit to Sweden
In a visit to Stockholm, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen discussed with his Swedish counterpart Tobias Billstrom Iranian militant activity in the Middle East and in Europe. Their meeting came five days after the Swedish Parliament called on the EU to blacklist the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization.
A statement issued by the Israeli Foreign Ministry noted this was a first visit of an Israeli foreign minister to Stockholm in 22 years, marking a new page in bilateral relations. An Israeli diplomatic source noted that Sweden, currently holding the presidency of the EU, is central to efforts to change attitudes in Europe toward the Iranian nuclear threats and what Israel sees as Iranian destabilizing activities. For several years, Israel considered Sweden one of the leading EU countries in pro-Palestinian policies alongside Ireland, Belgium, and to a lesser extent France. In 2014, Sweden was the first EU member to recognize the state of Palestine. But on September 2021, after the establishment of the Israeli government under Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Foreign Minister Yair Lapid spoke on the phone with his Swedish counterpart Ann Linde, ending the long diplomatic rift between the two countries. Sweden's policies on the Palestinian issue, the main point of disagreement between the two countries for many years, appear to stay consistent.
Source: Al-Monitor
Source: Reuters
The banking industry in 2023 across the GCC and Israel
The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2023 advises that banking sectors in the region’s key business and finance hubs located in The Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Gulf (GCC) and Israel— especially Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Tel Aviv, Doha, Bahrain, Riyadh and Kuwait City—appear well positioned to withstand the shocks emerging from financial markets in Europe and North America. These hubs hold the region’s key financial institutions and most developed banking industries and have started 2023 on a strong financial footing. For instance, total assets, customer deposits, net loans and net interest income—the difference between interest earned from lending activities and interest paid to depositors—for GCC listed banks have been on an upwards trajectory since the start of 2021 and these performance measures reached record highs in the fourth quarter of 2022. The outlook for the banking industry in 2023 across the GCC and Israel looks reasonably bright given the expectation of strong international energy demand and associated investment and exports, recovering tourism industries, buoyant non-energy business activity, major public and private investment programmes, and a continued boom in initial public offerings (IPOs), which had a bumper year in 2022. Moreover, the GCC banking sector is likely to benefit from stable exchange rates and relatively low inflation, as well as the prospect of further consolidation across the industry amid the push to create lenders with larger revenue streams and operating efficiencies capable of supporting ambitious diversification agendas.
Source: The Economist Intelligence Unit Limited 2023
Ben-Gvir Abuse of Power
A controversial bill set for introduction in the Israeli parliament, the Knesset, could give National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir the power to expand the use of administrative detention beyond terror suspects, for the purpose of general crime fighting. If the bill is passed, Ben-Gvir will have the authority to approve renewable detention orders lasting up to six months and impose movement restrictions on the accused, as well as limiting their internet access, purchasing ability, employment, and international travel.
Administrative detentions, traditionally used against Arab, and occasionally Jewish, terror suspects, have been a contentious issue for years. Ben-Gvir, who previously worked as a defense attorney for Jewish terror suspects, has long opposed the application of administrative detention on Jewish suspects. Under the proposed legislation, the mechanism could be used against anyone, provided “the minister is convinced there will be harm to the public if they are not in detention.”
Unlike Ben-Gvir, I remain in strong opposition to administrative detention, thinking it is abusive, unfair and unjust. It has no place in democracy. See R. Cohen-Almagor, “Administrative Detention in Israel and its Employment as a Means of Combating Political Extremism”, New York International Law Review, Vol. 9, No. 2 (1996): 1-25.
Source: Media Line, https://themedialine.org/headlines/israeli-lawmaker-to-propose-expanding-administrative-detentions-beyond-terror-suspects/?utm_source=S.+Daniel+Abraham+Center+for+Middle+East+Peace+List&utm_campaign=ddea3bb1e6-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2020_07_22_12_06_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_929d521884-ddea3bb1e6-138680861
The Abraham Accord Report May 2023
Israeli Soldiers Participate in Military Exercise with Soldiers from Moroccan, Ghanaian, and US
For the first time ever, Israeli soldiers will participate in the “African Lion” international military exercise in Morocco over the next two weeks alongside the Moroccan, Ghanaian, and US armies. A delegation of 12 soldiers and the commander of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) left for the exercise, which will see about 18 countries and some 8,000 soldiers participate in the exercise. It will be the first time that the IDF will join. Participants will focus on practicing various combat challenges that combine urban infantry warfare and underground warfare – in which the Israeli unit specializes – and will conclude with a common exercise for all armies. The purpose of the exercise is to strengthen the relationship between the countries and mutual learning between foreign armies, an IDF spokesperson said.
Source: I24 News
New article: “Google and Corporate Social Responsibility: YouTube in the Service of Terrorism”, Perspectives on Terrorism, Vol. 16(5) (2022): 46-61, https://www-jstor-org.hull.idm.oclc.org/stable/pdf/27168616.pdf?refreqid=excelsior%3Aae95cb3decbc8e65241b434fde499b4a&ab_segments=&origin=
Abstract
This article is concerned with the boundaries of freedom of expression on the Internet and, more specifically, with manifestations of terrorism on YouTube. The article opens with two definitions of terrorism. Section II discusses various responsibilities that businesses have: economic, legal, moral, social and discretionary. Section III addresses the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). Unfortunately, not all companies adhere to the principles of Corporate Social Responsibility. Therefore, ethical standards should be anchored in appropriate laws and enforced by responsible governments. Section IV clarifies that incitement to violence is in the focus of attention. The philosophy of John Stuart Mill is instrumental for explaining the difference between advocacy (or preaching) and incitement (or instigation). Sections V and VI examine the influences of Anwar al-Awlaki, the American-Muslim jihadi preacher, and of Anjem Choudary, the British-Muslim jihadi preacher, on their followers. The words of al-Awlaki and of Choudary instigated many of the terrorist activities that the West had seen in recent years. There are direct links between their incitement and extreme violent incidents. Both of them were able to spread their instigation to terror on platforms provided by Google and specifically its subsidiary YouTube. Finally, Section VII probes YouTube and CSR. It is argued that the Internet is international in character, but it cannot be abused to override law. There is not one law for people and another for the Internet. It is further argued that power without responsibility is dangerous and corrosive.
Keywords: al-Qaeda; Anjem Choudary; Anwar al-Awlaki; Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR); freedom of expression; Google; incitement; Internet; Islamic State; jihad; terror; YouTube
Holocaust Denial
I am writing a series of articles on Holocaust denial. “Holocaust Denial and the Abuse of Education”, in Joanna Długosz-Jóźwiak et al (eds.), Festschrift Joerden (Frankfurt Oder: Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt Oder, 2023). It is available at https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=4332669
The next article shows that the roots of Holocaust denial are rooted in the Holocaust. I’d be happy to send it to you for comments, if interested.
The third article shows the similarity between liberal arguments for free speech and the arguments made by Holocaust deniers.
The fourth is concerned with the hate in Holocaust denial, in John Steel and Julian Petley (eds.), Freedom of Expression and Censorship (London: Routledge, 2024).
The fifth is “Hate Speech Bans Promote Democratic Values”, in Tom Herrenberg et al (eds.), Oxford Handbook on Hate Speech (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2024).
Up until a few years ago, I was of the opinion that legislation to ban Holocaust denial is not necessary in places like Britain. It is necessary in Israel and Germany, for obvious reasons; it is understandable in countries that were subject to Nazi occupation and horrors, but there was no need for specific legislation in other countries. Recently I changed my mind.
I changed my mind because of a few reasons. First, denying the Holocaust became an important instrument in promoting hatred against Jews and propagating antisemitism. Second, the level of ignorance among youth is such that we need to deny Holocaust deniers any legitimacy. We need to undermine their ability to spread lies. Third, the way people read news today facilitates the promotion of conspiracy theories, including Holocaust denial. Many people, especially young people, do not read newspapers and do not watch BBC news or any other major news channel. They are fed by social media, and the algorithms tailor the news for them, feeding them with news they like and want to hear. Their world becomes narrow and focused. It is much easier now to spread lies on a mass scale to those who are interested or open to hear lies. Fourth, many schools in the world do not teach the Holocaust. Fifth, non-Jews are less likely to be interested in the subject. The Holocaust is perceived as a “Jewish thing”, to the extent that some believe it was Jewish fault to experience their genocide. Sixth, the number of survivors is decreasing rapidly. Not many survivors remain to tell their stories. Seventh, technology facilitates advanced means to doctor documents and photos, falsify genuine documents and photos, and create alternative historical reality. Eight, antisemitism does not go away. In some places, it is on the rise. Haters connect between Israeli policies in the Palestinian Occupied Territories and the Holocaust, depicting Israelis as Nazis and blaming the Jews for every bad thing that is happening in the world, including spreading the biggest hoax of all time: The Holocaust. And finally, hate speech is directly related to hate crimes. Some people act upon their hatred. Holocaust denial is part of global antisemitism that moves bigots to take weapons into their hands and murder Jews.
New book Chapter: “Holocaust Denial and the Abuse of Education”, in Joanna Długosz-Jóźwiak et al (eds.), Festschrift Joerden (Frankfurt Oder: Europa-Universität Viadrina Frankfurt Oder, 2023).
Abstract
This article is opened by explaining a specific type of hate speech: Holocaust denial. I will establish that Holocaust denial is a form of hate speech. The article is concerned with the expression of this idea by educators. I make some constructive distinctions that will help in crystallizing our treatment of teachers who are Holocaust deniers. Should we allow Holocaust deniers to teach in schools? I will attempt to answer this question through a close look at the Canadian experience in dealing with such educators. In this context, the article probes the leading case of James Keegstra. I will argue that hate mongers cannot assume the role of educators. Educating and preaching hate come one at the expense of the other. You can either educate or preach hate. You cannot do both.
Short Article: Academic freedom and the anti-Israeli BDS movement
Raphael Cohen-Almagor I look at the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign to boycott Israeli academics and ban Israel tout court. I argue that there is no justification for any academic organisation to do this. Any such decision would be unjust, unfair, and counterproductive
The Loop, ECPR
https://theloop.ecpr.eu/academic-freedom-and-the-anti-israeli-bds-movement/
Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom
Listen to “Freedom of Expression and Academic Freedom”, Middle East Study Centre Research Seminar with Noam Chomsky, Raphael Cohen-Almagor and Glenn Burgess (18 April 2023).
https://attendee.gotowebinar.com/recording/7865036901984512349
The Holocaust’s Long Reach into Arab Lands
Listen to Dr Robert Satloff
Executive Director, The Washington Institute
Chair: Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh (MESC)
Discussant: Professor Anthony Julius (University College London (UCL)
Link to watch:
https://www.gotostage.com/channel/923cb85986064f9bb7f9be592abf994d/recording/5f96357b95584539acd3f855c851883a/watch
Robert Satloff, The Holocaust’s Long Reach into Arab Lands
Listen to Dr Robert Satloff
Executive Director, The Washington Institute
Chair: Professor Lord Bhikhu Parekh (MESC)
Discussant: Professor Anthony Julius (University College London (UCL)
https://www.gotostage.com/channel/923cb85986064f9bb7f9be592abf994d/recording/5f96357b95584539acd3f855c851883a/watch
MESC Books’ Celebration
Listen to the recent Book Celebration. The books include the writings of:
Professor Lester L. Grabbe
Professor Hall Gardner
Professor Glenn Burgess
Dr Bhumitra Chakma
Professor Raphael Cohen-Almagor
Chair: Professor Giuliana Mazzoni
New Books
Hall Gardner, Year of the Earth Serpent Changing Colors
An Anti-Marco Polo Voyage to Cathay
![Year of the Earth Serpent Changing Colors. A Novel.: An Anti-Marco Polo Voyage to Cathay by [Hall Gardner]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/qExgDdnKJCv5JBLyMlgQg_PmxmABZ6KlA8hE5xvbGYbCOsU3XzI5QwWWOQ4jblBPFKxQLakv6_9fQPSOtWMUdADQe_Ubea-2NuSHP2OmVyD_9q82MFrFKYLIQLmLYaCfJEmr0RAsMPar9L9edS67ZQ)
Genesis of the Novel | Hall Gardner | Un poem by Hall Gardner
https://www.meer.com/en/73593-apocalypse-or-tai-ping-dao
Published by Edition Noema https://edition-noema.de/noema_en/erzaehlungen-romane/year-of-the-earth-serpent-changing-colors-a-novel-9783838202426.html
Distributed by Columbia University Press https://cup.columbia.edu/book/year-of-the-earth-serpent-changing-colors-a-novel/9783838202426
Barnes and Noble https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/year-of-the-earth-serpent-changing-colors-a-novel-hall-gardner/1143196479
A work of historical and literary fiction, the story is based upon Gardner’s experiences in China in 1988-89 and represents over 30 years of reflection upon the events led to the brutal June 4th 1989 repression on Tiananmen Square. The novel explores differences in cultural outlook, understanding of human rights, religious views and interpersonal relations that profoundly impact East-West relations, while depicting individuals who engaged in the risky struggle for democracy and freedom in China.
In essence, Year of the Earth Serpent Changing Colors seeks to describe the social and political “changing colors” that were taking place in societies throughout the world at the presumed end of the Cold War as seen through the eyes of American, German, Russian and African expats living in China at that time when the Soviet Union ostensibly began to democratize, and before China opted for a nationwide crackdown on the pro-democratic movement and the US deluded itself into believing that the world was at the "End of History."
On the ideological level, the book critiques Maoism and Chinese "New Authoritarianism" as well as the American neo-con and neo-liberal forms of democracy and warns against an Apocalyptic US-China "clash of civilizations" in the quest to follow the Daoist path of Tao Ping Dao or the Way of the Global Equilibrium.
From a literary framework, novel develops themes from classic American, European and Chinese literature while concurrently seeking to find new meaning in Chinese fables, such as Tale of the White Serpent.
The synopsis:
The whole Communist world is in the middle of a democratic revolution. The novel depicts the protests taking place prior to the June 1989 Tiananmen Square repression—a subject still taboo in China.
Hired to teach English, Mylex H. Galvin records his experience in his “Anti-Marco Polo” journal after he meets expats from around the world, while trying to come to grips with the Chinese language, history, and politics. Galvin becomes disillusioned with the poverty and environmental destruction that he finds in China; his barefoot doctor heroes are not capable of treating AIDS; Chinese and African students clash in Nanjing—with no sense of international solidarity.
As the democracy movement heats up, he is torn between the love of Tao Baiqing, a Daoist, and Mo Li, a student of English Lit, and unwittingly betrays the ties between the journalist, Hayford, and the democracy activist, Chia Pao-yu—who is accused of leaking “top secrets” to Hayford.
As Galvin studies China’s relations with the Western world since Marco Polo, with emphasis on the “hundred years of humiliation,” he becomes haunted by nightmares of a “clash of civilizations” and warns against a coming Apocalyptic Color War between the Balding Eagle and the Chinese Dragon— as the latter transmogrifies from Red into shades of Red-Brown-Black and as Homo Geopoliticus appears unable to follow the Tao Ping Dao or the Way of the Global Equilibrium.
Ofer Feldman (ed.), Political Debasement: Incivility, Contempt, and Humiliation in Parliamentary and Public Discourse (Springer, 2023).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0467-9
And
Ofer Feldman (ed.), Debasing Political Rhetoric Dissing Opponents, Journalists, and Minorities in Populist Leadership Communication (Springer, 2023).
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-99-0894-3
This project (two books) examines and details debasement language, its forms, functions, and effects, within the broad context of political behavior and communication in different societies. It focuses specifically on the verbal rather than the non-verbal communication of decision-makers in selected countries around the world.
In assembling the contributions for these books, contributors were invited to describe and analyze in their respective countries, for the first time in an edited project, features of political debasement, an unexplored aspect of political discourse. As such, the two books are innovative as theyspecifically aim (1) To define, identify, and assess the nature, characteristics, role, and usage of debasement language of politicians, especially national level decision-makers, in different societies; (2) To determine the targets (e.g., fellow politicians, government officials, media journalists, any other individuals or members of domestic or international groups), at the center of such rhetoric; (3) To examine the venues and circumstances in which debasement language is often used (e.g., live appearances in the national parliament, during election campaigns, televised interviews, or in the social media); (4) To consider the social, political, and psychological rationale behind the use of such discourse in politics; (5) To analyze the effect of this language usage within the culture and political culture of a given country; and, (6) To offer ideas to further advance the scholarly research and debate on the functions of debasement discourse in the conduct of politics.
Did You Know?
Roddie Edmonds was a Master Sergeant in the United States Army. In late 1944, Edmonds was captured in the Battle of the Bulge and held at a German POW camp. In January 1945, the Nazis ordered all Jewish-American POWs to step forward. Edmonds, the highest-ranking noncommissioned officer at the camp, ordered all 1,000 US soldiers to step forward, regardless of their religion. A German commander demanded that Edmonds identify the Jewish soldiers. Edmonds replied, "We are all Jews here." The commander threatened to shoot him if he did not comply. Edmonds refused, saying, "If you shoot, you'll have to shoot us all." The commander backed down. Edmonds' actions are credited with saving the lives of 200 Jewish soldiers.
In 2015, he was posthumously named Righteous Among the Nations by Yad Vashem and was the first American soldier to receive the honor. Edmonds' story is a reminder of the courage and compassion of those who stood up to the Nazis during World War II. If only all were to behave like him.
Gem of the Month – Lund
Lund is stunning in this period of the year. All in bloom. The weather has been lovely. The city has been full of end of the year celebrations, as students have graduated and bid farewell to the city and to the university. The city is calm, festive and sunny. I love it. May this continue until January (-:
Monthly Poem
Simultaneously, I have been writing two books of poetry: one in Hebrew; the other in English. The book in Hebrew is titled Old News and now has 60 pages. The book in English is titled Between Love and Death and is now 92 pages long. I wish to publish both books and would very much appreciate pertinent constructive ideas.
Here is my weekly poem.
Doing
27 July 2012
Albufeira, Portugal
Break through the clouds
Wash away shadow of doubt
Make the great opening
Be Prince Charming
Create the perfect photo
The immaculate whole
Rekindle the passion
Make the impossible possible
Surface the magical
Turn the imperfect into perfect
Work for peace and tranquillity between people
The Messiah won’t come.
Raphael Almagor
Peace and Good Health to you all
Rafi
My last communications with all the photos and illustrations are available on Israel: Democracy, Human Rights, Politics and Society, http://almagor.blogspot.com
People wishing to subscribe to this Monthly Newsletter are welcome to e-mail me at r.cohen-almagor@hull.ac.uk
Twitter at @almagor35
