# 81 – Who is our President?

July 7, 2007

“So”, I blurted out to those sitting around me on the roof last night. “Who’s currently the President of Israel?”.

Well, it’s not Katsav – he stepped down in the face of the sex scandals. It’s not (my neighbour) Peres. He only takes over on the 15th. It must be Dalia Itzik, current Speaker of the House. Nope – she’s spending a week in London. So who’s her deputy? Majalie Whbee. Who?

Majalie Whbee…He’s a Druze, which, for those of you who don’t check Wikipedia, is an offshoot of Islam; a very special people who usually blend in peacefully to the society in which they find themselves. (In Israel, many serve in the army – and many have ended up fighting theit Syrian Druze brothers….).

Imagine Abraham Cohen being President of Syria….., albeit temporarily.

So why hasn’t Stephen written about the Allan Johnson affair? they ask. Because there is so much hypocrisy, lying diplomacy, ignorance and apathy involved, I get quite frustrated just thinking about it.

So I won’t write about

* Allan Johnson being the ONLY foreign journalist in recent months known to have actually lived in Gaza. All others abided in Israel and drove the average 1-2 hours to get there, usually using local photographers. That’s right, most photos taken in Gaza are by Palestinian locals.

* Allan donning the Palestinian flag, but shredding it at the first opportunity.

* An argument as to why he also went to Ramallah and thanked the Palestinianan President Abbas for helping to free him.

* An organisation who, for 3 of the 4 months, did little to free Allan, then claim all the credit.

* An organisation that claims that Gaza is now united and safe – (Oh, she quietly asked, where have all the flowers gone – the Christian community, members of Fatah – ANYbody who claims not to be Hamas?….It’s like being a Nazi in Berlin in 1938).

An American Arab recently spoke about the invite he received from an organisation that was sponsoring co-operation between Arabs and Christians. When he admitted he was Christian, they said thanks but no thanks. They wanted a Muslem. But I am an Arab Christian, he said. No use…

So to whom should (we Israelis) talk..?

Maybe the current President of this Jewish States has the answer….

I won’t write about it. Nor the fact that today is 07.07.07. 2 years…

Stephen