Back to School in Tel Aviv – of Sorts!

Tel Aviv to open classrooms in city’s leading public institutions

By David E. Kaplan

Parents in Israel are in Corona virus panic mode with their kids returning to shool on the 1 September.

“Are the schools ready?” “Does the government know what it’s doing?” “Will schools close again?”

There are far more sensible questions than credible answers and being a Jewish state, grandparents feel obliged to share in the panic. After all, when the domestic alarm bells sounds, Saba and Safta (grandfather and grandmother) are the ‘First Responders’!

Floating an Idea. Israel’s famed beach city which is fueled by ideas has come up with some new ideas to get kids safely back to school during the Covid-19 pandemic.

However, Israel’s “City of big ideas”, Tel Aviv-Yafo, has come up with some innovative ideas on meeting this challenge. Mayor, Ron Huldai, says “We have prepared for every scenario that we are expected to confront.”

What this means is that while it may be back to school, it might not be exactly the same school or the school as it once was.

What does this mean?

New and intriguing surroundings will welcome the schoolchildren, after the city’s education system adopted a series of creative solutions to enable in-class learning. To this end, the Tel Aviv-Yafo municipality has prepared for the return of almost 75,000 pupils to schools amid strict Health Ministry COVID-19 guidelines, including the opening of classrooms in a range of public buildings and spaces across the city.

It is a case of “and now for something completely different!”

Toasting Tel Aviv. Light at the end of the tunnel, Mayor Ron Huldai drinking at a bar in Tel Aviv (photo credit: AVSHALOM SASSONI/MAARIV)
 

To enable classes to be split into smaller “capsules for safer and socially distanced learning”, additional spaces have been secured at sites including Tel Aviv’s Cameri Theater, the Charles Bronfman Auditorium (Heichal HaTarbut), the Israel Music Conservatory and Tel Aviv University. One ‘sure thing’ during these “unsure times” is the certainty of no rain. So, taking advantage of Israel’s guaranteed sunshine this time of year, classes will also be taught in parks and other green spaces located adjacent to schools.

Taking Centre Stage. The Cameri Theater Tel Aviv which will provide unique space to provide social distancing education for schoolkids.

Work of Art

Smaller classes means requiring more teachers, so the Municipality came up the idea of utilising local artists and performers who have been impacted by the coronavirus to provide the additional teaching staff for the supplementary classes. Not sitting idle in the sweltering summer vacations, they have been undergoing training as educational support workers and are ready for the big day.

Sounding like gearing up for a Normandy landing, Ron Huldai, Mayor of Tel Aviv-Yafo said in a press release:

 “The coronavirus outbreak hurled the entire world into a new reality and presented us with a challenge of an unprecedented nature. Given the experience of recent months, we have made special preparations for the opening of the new school year.

The schools of September 2020 will be unlike the schools that we have known to date. The coming year will bring new challenges, but there are also opportunities: to implement upgrades; to accelerate pedagogical and structural processes for which the time is now ripe; and to reexamine our educational premises. We have prepared for every scenario that we are expected to confront this year in the shadow of the coronavirus, and we are all hopeful that this year will advance us to unprecedented and different levels of ability.”

Inspiring stuff!!

Ready to Begin. All quite at present at an elementary school in the neighborhood of Kohav Hatsafon in Tel Aviv.

Such inspirational rhetoric during a global war against a disease, gives credence to the rumours that Tel Aviv Mayor, Ron Huldai, is mulling a run for Prime Minister. In a July 19 article in The Jerusalem Post, it was  reported that he was facing increasing calls to enter national politics after 22 years as the Mayor of Tel Aviv and earlier careers as an IAF combat pilot and high school principal.

 As a former “high school principal”, Mayor Huldai understands education at a grassroots level, which has helped him respond to the current pandemic crisis.

Sounds Sensible. The illustrious home of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) – the Charles Bronfman Auditorium – will now provide a venue for school kids during Corona.

Out in the Open

In addition to opening classrooms in public buildings  and institutions – all impressive landmark structures on the Tel Aviv landscape – infrastructure work has been carried out in 137 schoolyards across the city to enable or enhance outdoor learning, including greater provision of shade and artificial grass.

Tel Aviv has proved from its inception in 1909 to be a city that adjusts to change. Understanding that students returning to school might not be quite the same they were before the pandemic,  has led to finding new methodologies to navigate the uncertain road ahead.

According to the press release, “All educational institutions in the city will dedicate the first days of the school year to personal and group conversations with pupils, placing an emphasis on enhancing their emotional and social skills.”

Explains Shirley Rimon-Bracha, Head of Tel Aviv-Yafo’s Education Administration:

The past six months have presented educational teams in kindergartens and schools with management and educational challenges. We have translated all the lessons learnt and insights into optimal preparations for September.

Education in the city has undergone significant reform in recent years, and school principals are therefore relatively prepared to acclimatize to change, to adjust educational frameworks and to work with flexibility and creatively. I expect an interesting and educational year for us all, and I pay tribute to school and kindergarten heads for their exceptional effort to open the new school year.”

Orchestrating Creativity. The Israel Conservatory of Music, Tel Aviv founded in 1943 by musicians who had immigrated to Israel during this dark period  is today providing light as a center of creativity for future musicians.  It will further provide an added venue for general schooling practicing social distancing.

Warm Welcome

In addition to using public spaces, pupils arriving at over 70 elementary and middle schools on September 1, will be greeted by approximately 200 street performers at the school gates and adjacent public spaces.

The performances will fulfil two key municipal objectives: boosting the income of street performers and raising the morale of schoolchildren as they start an unfamiliar academic year.

That does not mean parents will still not worry.

Its embedded in Jewish DNA. As one writer once noted:

 “Forget Murphy’s Law. Chances are his real name was Murphosky and his family taught him: “If anything can go wrong, it will.”

On the other hand it might not – Tel Aviv is ready.

Green Light. The huge campus of Tel Aviv University will provide plenty of aesthetic space for schools to function adhering to Covid-19 guidelines.





While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 27 August 2020

Unveiling the contours and contrasts of an ever-changing Middle East landscape

Reliable reportage and insightful commentary on the Middle East by seasoned journalists from the region and beyond

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(1)

Read All About It!

The Israel-UAE deal is a “Big Deal’ – an Arab perspective

By Lay of the Land founders David E. Kaplan, Rolene Marks & Yair Chelouche

Hot Off The Press!  Israel-UAE deal was the leading news item in most papers throughout the Middle East.
 

Neglected in the global media coverage on the groundbreaking Israel-UAE deal was the positive and warm response across much of the Arab world. So accustomed to a daily news’ diet of war and terrorism, it was a breath of fresh air to read in the Arab press that “the hearts of both Israelis and Emiratis are filled with joy after news of the historic agreement”. Are finally “The Times Are A- Changin”?

Read All About It!

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(2)

“Beverly Hills, 90210” in 2020

Women building businesses while building Israel

By Gina Raphael

Building for Tomorrow by Catering to the Needs Today. A WIZO Day Care Center in Israel.

In the spirit of the WIZO mantra of “empowering women at home as we work to empower women in Israel”, the Los Angeles branch of the Women’s Zionist international Organization have come up with a resourceful “win-win” business concept that helps local businesses in LA during the economic slowdown caused by the pandemic, while also benefiting Israel.

“Beverly Hills, 90210” in 2020

(click on the blue article title)

(3)

From Peace with the Gulf to a Gulf with his People

Reflections on leadership from a past interview with former security chief, Carmi Gillon

By David. E. Kaplan

Calm Carmi. Police remove former head of the Shin Bet Carmi Gillon at protest outside the PM’s Residence.

Staring at a photo front-paging Israel’s August newspapers of former security chief with his hands raised defiantly above his head being ‘escorted’ by the police from a protest outside the PM’s residence in Jerusalem, the writer reflects on a 2003 interview with Carmi Gillon, whose life’s journey has taken him from the world of espionage to strong advocate for peace with the Palestinians.

From Peace with the Gulf to a Gulf with his People

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Lay of the Land cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

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While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

Read All About It!

The Israel-UAE deal is a “Big Deal’ – an Arab perspective

By Lay of the Land founders  David E. Kaplan, Rolene Marks & Yair Chelouche

Whatever the motivations and machinations of those that  brought about the historic agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) that has animated some sectors of the media, what has been patently neglected  – particularly in the Western media – has been coverage of Arab commentary on this ‘game-changer’ issue.

Hot Off The Press!  Newspapers featuring headlines from Israel’s deal to normalise relations with the United Arab Emirates. The deal marks the third such accord the Jewish state has struck with an Arab nation. (Giuseppe Cacace/AFP/Getty Images)

Hasan Saleh Al Mujaini, a senior executive at the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company and an activist for peace and regional reconciliation, titled his August 14 article for the Arabic international newspaper Al-Sharq Al-Awsat headquartered in London:

The Warm Peace between Israel and the UAE is a Victory for Us All

Reaching Arab Readership. A front page of Al-Sharq Al-Awsat, the Arabic international newspaper headquartered in Londonwhich has praised the Israel-UAE deal.

His subhead was no less telling of his enthusiasm:

 “Real and lasting victories are the victories of peace, not the victories of war.”

Al Mujaini chategorises the deal as being:

 “…. at the gates of a historic era of peace between the State of Israel and the United Arab Emirates. This will be a warm peace because unlike Jordan or Egypt, the UAE has never fought a war with Israel.

Peace and coexistence are the pillars of Judaism, Islam and Christianity. It is no wonder that the hearts of both Israelis and Emiratis are filled with joy after news of the historic agreement between our two countries!”

Reassuring to Al Mujaini was the reception of the news of the deal in the UAE:

There is a great sense of optimism in the UAE today and a real desire to get to know Israelis better, on a personal and human level.

Most residents of the UAE are excited to visit Israel, to see your beautiful country and to meet Israelis. Likewise, let me assure you that whenever you visit the UAE you will be warmly welcomed in our country.”

No doubt, Israelis who are perennial travelers, will look forward to the end of the Corona and setting their sights on the Gulf!

Al Mujaini counsels to view the deal as a building block to even wider ties in the region and beyond:

 “A forward-looking attitude and a real commitment to change are always necessary in order to overcome past conflicts and to break down barriers. This peace accord between our two nations provides precisely this kind of opportunity, which we must grasp and use as a foundation not only for peace between Israel and the Emirates, but a broader peace between Israel and the Arab world.”

Operation Outreach

Most important, asserts Al Mujaini, is the hyped publicity of the deal on Arab social media. There is nothing secret; the news is out there to share:

The atmosphere in support of peace and the interaction we are witnessing through social media platforms in the UAE and Israel, and increasingly in more Arab countries, give us a great sense of hope that such lasting peace is indeed possible.”

What is more, the news has not only been welcomed by the general populace but by the leadership in all strata of UAE society:

 “Many prominent people in the UAE have praised and congratulated this agreement ……. We must let the past be the past and look forward to the opportunities of tomorrow, full of sincere cooperation and synergy.”

Al Mujaini does however lament – hardly unexpected – that:

 “Although we also have empathy for the Palestinian people, it is regrettable that instead of grasping this opportunity to advance their own situation, their leadership has yet again dismissed an outstretched hand for real and meaningful change.”

Most encouraging is Al Mujaini’s vision for the future:

The peace agreement between Israel and the UAE is intended to put an end to conflicts  in the region and to spread the values of peace among the peoples…….

After the historic peace agreement last week, we feel a real mutual sense of excitement and hope for a better future. It is our dream that others, especially in the Arab world, will see it also and join us!”

Breaking Barriers

Also writing in Al-Sharq Al-Awsat was Mishary Al-Dayidi, whose article on the Emirati-Israel agreement, said it all succinctly and simply in the title:

BREAKING THE BARRIERS OF ILLUSION

For this writer, the UAE “achieved a major political, psychological and security breakthrough in the Middle East with the announcement of its historic agreement to normalize ties with Israel. This agreement not only protected the Palestinians’ right to establish their own independent and sovereign state, but also preserved the sanctity of all Muslim sites in Israel.”

Changing Mindsets. A man holds the daily Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper at a coffee shop in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia covering the issues of the Israel-UAE deal.Credit: Amr Nabil,AP

According to Al-Dayidi,the deal:

 “strengthened the moderate Arab world and united it against the Muslim Brotherhood, the Mullahs and the Arab nationalists who have been rearing their heads in the Middle East,”

while at the same time:

  “The UAE reaped a tangible gain for the Palestinian cause, not by words but by deeds: It brought to an immediate and unequivocal end to the Israeli encroachment of West Bank territory, an achievement explicitly outlined in the tripartite statement released by the UAE, the US and Israel.”

Under no illusions, Al-Dayidi warns what to expect next with the “well-oiled propaganda machines in Turkey, Iran and Qatar, alongside radical groups like al-Qaeda, Islamic State and the Houthis,” all rushing “to attack the Emirates. They will describe the UAE as a “traitor” and as “weak.” But the truth is far from that. Egyptian president Anwar Sadat was vehemently attacked after signing a peace treaty with Israel. But the fact of the matter remains that in historic perspective, he liberated Egyptian lands and prevented a bleak future for his country. He was a true hero of war and peace, and Egypt is still reaping the fruits of the peace he created.”

Al-Dayidi notes that the King of Jordan, Hussein bin Talal, “was also attacked after reaching an agreement with the Israelis, but he refused to submit to these accusations. This led his country to the great Wadi Araba Treaty, which ensured Jordan’s territorial integrity and water rights with Israel. Therefore – and because he is a realistic and responsible Arab leader – Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi took the initiative to commend this development.”

Exposing hypocrisy and advocating pragmatism, the Al-Sharq Al-Awsat writer continues”

Most ironically, those very countries that responded with criticism – Turkey and Qatar – are also those maintaining the most extensive covert trade and tourism ties with Israel. Whether one supports it or not, the Emirati-Israeli agreement will not come at the expense of the Palestinians, but rather in their favor. Like it or not, Israel is one of the countries of the region.”

As far as Al-Dayidi is concerned, “this historic diplomatic achievement will enhance peace in the Middle East and preserve the two-state solution on the ground, not in the imagination. This is a historic agreement that brings back memories of great leaders who dared take risks to bring about peace.”

Headline News. A man reads a copy of UAE-based The National newspaper, with a headline about the UAE-Israel agreement and Israel’s suspension of annexation moves in Dubai on August 14, 2020. (Photo by Giuseppe Cacace/AFP)

Thoughts of an Arab Student

We felt it instructive and illuminating to conclude with a perspective from a young Emirati writer, Maryam Al Zaabi, a 19-year-old student at Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi.

Majoring in history and international relations, Al Zaabi reveals that that she also learned “how Israel is very multicultural, multi-ethnic and very diverse, which is what I love, coming from a country that has more than 200 nationalities living in it.”

She reveals that she only started hearing about Israel at the age of eleven and had “no misconceptions regarding the Jewish state that Israelis and Jews might think an Arab would have. I was even ignorant about it, because the Israeli-Palestinian conflict was not an interest of my parents or my school, so the topic barely came up.”

Failure of Leadership. Following the Israel-UAE deal, the Palestinian Authority refused to accept a shipment of life-saving medical aid, including ventilators and the shipment is still undelivered. It is the latest example of the Palestinian leadership’s hatred of Israel being stronger than their desire to ensure the health and well being of their own people.

She then started learning “by myself about the history of Jewish people and Judaism. I learned that being Jewish is also a peoplehood and that they have a connection to the land (Israel).”

With no inherited baggage and acknowledging that she has made many Jewish and Israeli friends –  she writes:

I do not have a reason to hate the country, and I don’t look for one. Every country has its flaws, including Israel, but its existence is not one of them.”

What was so amazing for her was having “this dream” for her country – the UAE – and Israel to work together,  when “All of a sudden, after a busy day,” she reads a tweet announcing the deal. She responds by tweeting herself:  

I’m so shocked, happy and honored.”

In an article published in JNS, Al Zaabi writes that:

As an Emirati, what I truly hope for after establishing bilateral relations between our countries is for us to have real and warm relations. Not only between governments, but very much between the people as well. I don’t wish for merely a “cold peace,” which is only for preventing war. I would love for people on both sides to learn from each other, exchange ideas, become the best of friends, and most certainly break stereotypes.

Warm Embrace. Welcoming close ties between the people of the UAE and Israel is Maryam AlZaabi, a 19-year-old student at Sorbonne University in Abu Dhabi. You can follow her Twitter at: @MaryamAvia

It only makes sense for us to be the closest of allies in this region. After all, we are cousins.”

How uplifting!

The wise counsel from much of the Arab world to the Palestinians is that it is time to get over their shock at the deal; to not categorise it as a “betrayal” and begin to see the Israeli-Emirati breakthrough as a potential bridge to restart talks with Israel. The time may be ripe  to turn a “crisis” into an “opportunity”.

Increasingly, more and more countries in the region and beyond will hopefully see the value in peace and mutual cooperation. A “Winds of Change” once having blown across the African continent is blowing through the Middle East, hopefully starting to sweep away ancient hatreds and bring about a new season of brotherhood.

______________________________________________

*Lay of the Land thanks Asaf Zilberhof for some of the translation from the Arabic.

While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

The Israel Brief- 24-27 August 2020

The Israel Brief -24 August 2020 – US Secretary of State in Israel. Election averted? Update on Eilat rape case.




The Israel Brief -25 August 2020 – IDF attack Hamas targets in response to ongoing arson balloon terror. UAE and Israel begin health cooperation. Gaza Covid numbers increase.




The Israel Brief -26 August 2020 – Terror attack. IDF strikes Hizbollah targets. Direct flight to UAE Monday. Speaker pulled from RNC for supporting anti-Semitic posts.



The Israel Brief -27August 2020 – Israel lays Rabbi Shai Ohayon to rest. Gaza Corona cases increase. Israel and German Foreign Ministers meet. Lebanese assassin of Rafiq Al Hariri a member of Hizbollah hit squad?










While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

“Beverly Hills, 90210” in 2020

Women Building businesses while building Israel

By Gina Raphael

The economic impact of the global pandemic has been felt all around the world, including in one of the most famous retail mecca’s in the world – Beverly Hills. Thanks to a resourceful solution that improves business with an altruistic twist, many will benefit.

As Chair of the Women’s International Zionist Organization (WIZO) for Los Angeles, my focus during this most difficult time of COVID 19 has been raising funds to help WIZO projects in Israel, benefitting women and children. While our goals are fundraising for Israel, we have felt a commitment to our “Chaverot” (friends) at home, as we work on behalf of the State of Israel.

Mrs. Rebecca Sieff
Dr. Vera Weizmann

In 1920, WIZO was founded. Two of the founders included Dr. Vera Weizmann, whose husband Dr. Chaim Weizmann was the first President of Israel and Rebecca Sieff, who served as WIZO’s first President and whose family owned Marks & Spencer.  They held the belief that to enable women to realize their full potential and take part in the building of a national homeland, they must be taught to use modern technologies. A framework for women’s vocational training had to be established. An independent women’s organization would enable women to develop their organizational talents and professional skills. They believed that a separate organization would further this aim.

For a century, WIZO has been helping to raise a nation as the largest social services provider outside of the government with day care centers, youth villages, shelters for battered women, girl’s leadership programs, vocational training, senior centers and so much more. WIZO USA has also assumed responsibility for the Eli & Marion Wiesel Beit Tziporah Centers in Israel, primarily focused on assisting youth of Ethiopian descent with after school and summer programmes to progress academically.

Paving the way for Tomorrow by Catering to the Needs Today. A WIZO Day Care Center in Israel (WIZO archives)

Today, WIZO has 250,000 volunteers across the globe, with over 54 Federations committed to each other and to projects in Israel. In Los Angeles, we have “committed ourselves to empowering women at home as we work to empower women in Israel.”

Under the leadership of Lauren Cohen, a Career and Executive Coach, WIZO launched this Summer, our Women for Israel Forum this Summer. The Forum serves as a community of women who network with each other to build their businesses while committing to a minimum gift to Israel. The price is nominal $18 a month or $180 a year and includes a range of marketing opportunities. The Forum has almost 50 members that include art dealers, attorneys, medical professionals, and chefs. Women are at various stages of their careers and have agreed to mentor and connect, bringing forward a new generation while ensuring new avenues for all.

While the Forum is a significant priority for WIZO Los Angeles, we felt the imperative to take our efforts to the next level. With most famous retail zip code in the world, 90210 is faced with empty storefronts.  WIZO Los Angeles is seeking a higher level of commitment from our Beverly Hills community while helping Israel.

Popular shopping destination Rodeo Drive is all but deserted as retail shops are shuttered in Beverly Hills on March 20, 2020. (Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)

“Beverly Hills is a magical place where dreams come true. WIZO wants to create spaces where glamour, talent, friendship, inspiration, and business all intersect. Let us shine more light on our already amazing City, while empowering women locally and in Israel. Our value is not just who you know but also how we give and share” explains Lauren Cohen, also the WIZO Los Angeles Leadership Chair.

Our vision this Fall is to partner with property owners and entrepreneurs to create pop up group shops and incubator centers to help women foster their businesses while providing additional vibrancy to the community with a percentage of all sales or corporate gifts benefiting the work of WIZO in Israel. We are taking the legacy of Vera Weizmann and Rebecca Sieff to a new century, helping women fulfill their potential and working on behalf of Israel.

To join our work, please contact Gina Raphael, Chair WIZO Los Angeles gina@wizousa.org. Visit us at www.wizola.org.


About the writer:

Gina Raphael is as an entrepreneur and business owner in Beverly Hills, CA. A graduate of Wellesley College and the University of Chicago Booth School of Business Gina is Chair of  WIZO Los Angeles (Women’s International Zionist Organization), and  Chair Israel Bonds Western Region. She is the mother of three daughters – Danielle Gross (21), Sydney Gross (19) and Mia Gross (10).




While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

From Peace with the Gulf – to a Gulf with his People

Reflections on leadership from a past interview with former security chief, Carmi Gillon

By David. E. Kaplan

While overtures of peace were reverberating around the Middle East last week with the announcement of the Israel-UAE normalisation deal, closer to home – literally the Prime Minister’s home – it was quite the opposite. Contrast the positive sentiments expressed in the statements of the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, who at a press conference in Berlin said “Any efforts that promote peace in the region and that result in the holding back the threat of annexation could be viewed as positive”; and that of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-SisiI appreciate the efforts of the architects of this agreement for the prosperity and stability of our region,” to the anger of Israelis congregating in their thousands, outside the PM’s residence in Jerusalem. Rather than upbeat by the Israel-UAE deal they were beating down on the Prime Minister to resign over corruption charges and his government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic and its economic fallout.

No wonder the Prime Minister’s neighbours too are protesting! They want his residence moved to another area in Jerusalem – ASAP! They are demanding peace not in the region but in their street!

A far cry from the visual spectacle of the Hollywood Oscars, Balfour Street, Jerusalem is nevertheless proving entertaining to see the list of esteemed folk pitching up on the ‘proverbial red carpet’ to protest. Last Thursday’s celebrities included MK Yorai Lahav from the Yesh Atid party, and MK Moshe Ya’alon, a former Chief of Staff of the Israel Defense Forces and Defense Minister under Netanyahu who said:

The protests on Balfour and across the country are just, legal and democratic. No one will prevent the protests from taking place. On the contrary – they will only get bigger.

The name that most caught my attention  was Carmi Gillon  – a man whose job once included protecting the Prime Minister. Gilon was Director of Israel’s Security Agency, the Shin Bet also known as the Shabak at the time of the assassination of Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin in 1995.

Gilon’s participation in the protest was not without highly-publicized drama with the former security chief handcuffed and reportedly injured by police when he was dragged away from the protest tent. 

On seeing his photograph on the weekend edition of The Jerusalem Post defiantly holding his handcuffed arms above his head, my thoughts went back to my interviewing Carmi in his office in 2004 following his election as Mayor of Mevaseret Zion, a town on a mountain ridge 750 metres above sea level, 10 kilometres  from Jerusalem.

Calm Carmi. Police remove Carmi Gillon, a former head of the Shin Bet security service from a protest encampment outside the Prime Minister’s Residence in Jerusalem on August 20, 2020. Gillon’s hands and arms were scratched and bloodied in the confrontation. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)

Why the interview back in 2004 was as interesting yesterday as it was now in 2020 because here was a principled man taking a stand on issues he believed of critical importance to the security and soul of the country. My further interest was his South African pedigree, a country I emigrated from in 1986.

Carmi’s  father, Colin Gluckman, immigrated  to Palestine in 1936, armed with little more than a degree in law an imbued with Zionist ideology. He was one of the founders of the youth movement  – my youth movement too – Habonim in South Africa. After his service in Europe during WWII, Colin was sent back to Europe by the Jewish Agency to track down displaced Jews and bring them to Israel. As a major in a British uniform, he could travel freely throughout British controlled Italy. In this way, Colin found many Jewish refugees sheltered in monasteries throughout Italy.

Family Achievers. Father of Carmi, Colin Gillon (Gluckman) who became Israel’s first governor of Abu Gosh and Israel’s third State Attorney. His brother, Philip Gillon, an esteemed Jerusalem Post columnist for many years was the author of the Telfed publication “Seventy Years of Southern African Aliyah – A Story of Achievement”.

In 1946, he returned to Palestine and joined the Haganah, serving as an officer. He was appointed the first Governor of the Israeli-Arab town of Abu Ghosh ( أبو غوش‎) Abu Ghosh. “In my book, says son Carmi, “I have a photograph of him as governor taken together with the Muslim Mukhtar as well as a monk from the local monastery. The picture was printed by the Israeli government in 1949 as a Christmas card and showed how the three religions can live together.” Colin became Israel’s third State Attorney and at Ben Gurion’s insistence, changed his surname from Gluckman to Gillon.

In 2017, Abu Gosh was described as a “model of coexistence.”

Abu Ghosh in the 1940s.

Earthquakes and Aftershocks

Recently elected Mayor in 2004, I interviewed Gillon in his modest municipal office on the foothills of the Kastel, where a decisive battle took place during the 1948 War of Independence that determined the fate of Jerusalem. Fifty-six years later, it was no less the fate of his nation that brought back Gillon again into the public eye with his stand in 2003 joining three former colleagues – all past directors of Israel’s security service – Yaacov Perry, Ami Ayalon and Avraham Shalom – in a stinging attack of government policy. In an interview at the time with the Israeli daily, Yedioth Ahronot, they forewarned Prime Minister Ariel Sharon that “he was leading the country to a catastrophe by failing to pursue peace with the Palestinians.” Such outspokenness by Israel’s former security chiefs was totally unprecedented and was covered by all major international TV news networks. Gillon expressed his concern that “the government was dealing solely with the question of how to prevent the next terrorist attack, ignoring the more fundamental issue of how to extricate the country from the mess it was in.”

It was like an earthquake at the time,” he said.

Political aftershocks inevitably followed.

The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Front page  of Israel’s leading daily newspaper, Yehiot Achronot  of the four Israeli Ex-Security Chiefs denouncing government’s policy in its approach for reaching a deal with the Palestinians.  (l-r)Yaacov Perry, Avraham Shalom Ami Ayalon and Carmi Gillon

While criticism of their action was not unexpected, Carmi was proud of his public stand and felt vindicated by the events that had subsequently unfolded . “We were locked into a stalemate where there was no positive movement on any front.”

Capitalising on their high-profile status with respected security credentials, “We realized our ideas could not be ignored.”  This was born out when “our action was soon followed by other extra-parliamentary initiatives such as the highly publicized and no less controversial, Geneva Accord. The government was put in a position to come up with their own initiative or appear to be left behind.

Cloak & Dagger

For most of his professional life prior to becoming Mayor of Mevaseret Zion in 2004, Carmi operated in the furtive world of espionage and security starting from the time of the Munich Massacre in 1972. He ran through a chronology  of terrorist activity that gripped the world of the seventies – skyjackings, an assault on an Israeli embassy in Bangkok, the attack on Israeli passengers at Paris’ Orly Airport, the murder of a Mossad agent in Paris and other attacks in Brussels and Rome.

Those days were full of action. Very different to today where Israel’s vulnerability is internal.” He concluded that chapter in his life through the heady days of Oslo, “where I used to frequently make trips after midnight to meet Arafat in Gaza.”

Pressed to comment on the character of Arafat, Gillon replied:

Wonderful host, but an incorrigible liar!”

As to predicting back in 2004 on a future political landscape, Gillon said:

 “Over the years, I have dealt with many of the top people in the Palestinian political echelon and there are many moderate and pragmatic people under Arafat whose turn will come in the post-Arafat era.”

This has not happened – yet!

Instead, following the death of Yasser Arafat in 2004, Mahmoud Abbas was elected President of the Palestinian Authority  and has clung on to power despite telling the Palestinian media after his first year in power, that he would NOT seek reelection at the end of his four year term:

I will just complete my remaining three years in office; I will not run again. That is absolute.”

Absolute?  If ever a misnomer!

It seems that in the words of Carmi Gillon, Arafat’s successor is also “an incorrigible liar.”

As today in 2020 – with Israelis protesting over their economic situation as a result of the Corona pandemic – Gillon in 2004, newly ensconced as Mayor, lamented that a third of his city residents of of 23,000 were over the age of fifty living in economically unfavourble circumstances. “We have far too much unemployment and not having our own industrial area, exacerbates the problem. Sixty percent of our workforce  communities to Tel Aviv, the balance to Jerusalem.”

Tempestuous Times. The writer, David E. Kaplan with Carmi Gillon (right) in his mayoral office, Mevaseret Zion, in 2004.

Reflecting back to that interview all these years later, it was his next line that was so ironic.

 “If you hang around a little longer after the interview, there will be a demonstration taking place outside my office!”

And today, it is Carmi Gillon who is protesting outside the Prime Minister’s residence, also over mostly economic issues.

I recall when concluding the interview noticing that surprisingly there was only one photograph in his office. It was of himself taken with Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin.

 “He was not only my boss; he was my friend.”

While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

Lay of the Land Weekly Newsletter – 20 August 2020

Unveiling the contours and contrasts of an ever-changing Middle East landscape

Reliable reportage and insightful commentary on the Middle East by seasoned journalists from the region and beyond

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What’s happening in Israel today?  See this week’s daily ‘The Israel Brief’ broadcasts on LOTL  YouTube by seasoned TV & radio broadcaster, Rolene Marks familiar to Chai FM listeners in South Africaand millions of American listeners to the News/Talk/Sports radio station WINA broadcasting out of Charlottesville, Virginia. You can subscribe to LOTL news from Israel and enjoy at a time of your convenience.

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Articles

(1)

Grow More – with Less!

Israel is leading the way with precision irrigation by getting to the ‘root’ of the problem

By David E. Kaplan

Leading the Way. From South America, to Asia to Africa, Israel’s Netafim providing Smart Irrigation Solutions

August has been a monumental month. From Israeli company signing a deal to provide Smart irrigation solutions to Indian famers – a country

once not too friendly with Israel – to Israel’s highly publicised breakthrough into the Arab world with its normalization deal  

with the UAE, it leaves South Africa to get in step and support a path to peace and prosperity.

https://layoftheland.online/2020/08/20/grow-more-with-less

(2)

Fortune Favours the Bold

The historical peace agreement between Israel and the UAE ushers in new era

By  Rolene Marks

Israel De’light’ed. From foe to friend, Tel Aviv City Hall is lit up with the flag of the United Arab Emirates.

The “Abraham Accords” or normalization agreement between Israel and the UAE is a “game changer”, not only bringing together the descendants of Abraham but a signal to other regional countries and the world that the time has come to transcend ancient divisions and hatred and work together towards a better future for the Middle East.

Fortune Favours the Bold

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(3)

Fabulous Phyllis

Lifetime volunteer for Israel and WIZO turns 100

By Martine Maron Alperstein

Movers & Shakers. Team WIZO (l-r) Rolene Marks, ‘Driver’ Phyllis and Martine.

Belying her 100 years, sprightly WIZO stalwart Phyllis Lader arrives at top speed on her scooter for her interview atProtea Village with a message to the younger generation “get involved, give of yourself and of your time.  Charity is not only about money, it is about doing.” Both Phyllis and her beloved WIZO are all revved up  – at 100!

Fabulous Phyllis

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(4)

In this week’s media roundup of the Arab world, writers from Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, opine on the story dominating international news – The Blast in Beirut.

The Arab Voice

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LOTL Cofounders David E. Kaplan (Editor), Rolene Marks and Yair Chelouche

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While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

Grow More – with Less!

As India discovered, Israel is leading the way with precision irrigation by getting to the ‘root’ of the problem

By David E. Kaplan

The UAE’s historic deal with Israel made the news like an earthquake broadcasting to the world and the people of the region that Israel is not an enemy but a friend and potential partner.

Its intentions are not to invade but trade.

And proving that the agreement has the potential to foster real co-existence between the peoples of both countries, Israeli pop star Omer Adam has reportedly been invited to perform in the UAE. Adam is one of Israel’s most popular singers, with his single  -“Shnei Meshugaim” – viewed over 61 million times on YouTube.

Shifting Sands. How the political landscape is changing with Israeli pop star Omer Adam set to perform in UAE.

Cultural encounters are always the proverbial “hechsher” – the absolute approval.

Even if there are those who refuse to recognise a transforming Middle East landscape, the UAE-Israel deal is a call to look to the future rather than the past.  Only earlier this month, it was seen how to be a prisoner of the past can prove existentially devasting as Lebanon has so tragically discovered.

India, which publicly kept a distance from Israel until the late 1980’s, has long changed its position and is benefiting enormously from Israel’s expertise in so many diverse fields.

In fact, quite literally – in the “field”!

Innovative Irrigation. Manufacturer of irrigation equipment, the Netafim factory at kibbutz Magal in northern Israel. The kibbutz was founded in 1953.

Israeli company Netafim signed this August, a $85 million deal to provide irrigation solution to 35,000 farmers in India. Founded in 1965, today the company specialises in end-to-end solutions from the water source to the plant root and offers a variety of irrigation and greenhouse projects. One of the world’s largest irrigation companies, Netafim produces drippers, dripperlines, sprinklers and micro-emitters. 

Back to the Roots

Precision irrigation feeds the plant, not the soil. That is a big deal  because delivering water and nutrients straight to the roots, the farmer not only reduces costs but also cultivates higher yields of healthier crops.  This is why famers in India are turned onto the deal.

The agreement involves the construction of Netafim’s irrigation systems for three large projects that cover 66 villages on 123,500 acres (50,000 hectares area) in the state of Karnataka in southwest India. The two-year project will include technical and agronomic support for five years. 

Netafim will also train the Indian farmers to operate the advanced systems.

Man on a Mission. Providing water solutions to those in the most challenging terrains and climates, President and CEO of Netafim, Gaby Miodownik (Dror Sithakol)

Field of Dreams

The impact of this deal will lead to a wider range of crops being cultivated to include  – onion, chili pepper, corn, peanuts, beans and sunflowers.

The name of the game is partnership, and to arrive at this deal, Netafim joined forces with the Indian Infrastructure company, MEIL (Megha Engineering and Infrastructure Limited), which together will execute these projects to fruit’ion.

Improving Yield from the Field. A Netafim training session in India.

This is the way to do business and help people regionally.

Especially in these days of global crisis,” said President and CEO of Netafim Gaby Miodownik. “The uniqueness of these projects is in their community model, which along with local government involvement, enables a huge number of farmers and villages to improve their livelihoods. The Indian government has always been extremely supportive of the agricultural sector, and now more than ever this support is important for securing the economic stability of local farmers and food security in the country.”

Israel to India. Netafim, through its Indian subsidiary, Netafim JV, was chosen in 2015 to participate in the world’s largest integrated micro-irrigation project in the country. The value of the deal for Netafim JV was $60 Million, which covered nearly 30, 000 acres of farmland and about 6, 700 farmers located in the South Indian state of Karnataka.

Deploying NetBeatTM systems for digital farming, enables real-time control of the irrigation systems using cloud technologies and allows access from any mobile device. “We intends to expand the community irrigation project model to other countries characterized by a large number of small farmers,” says Miodownik.

230 million Indians go hungry every day. One of the biggest problems is providing water for crop irrigation. One company stands out in providing the solution – Israel’s Netafim

Changing Climate

Interestingly, despite my native South Africa distancing itself diplomatically from Israel, it paradoxically remains commercially engaged, notably in agriculture and hydrology.

To this point, Netafim is in the vanguard!

If there are some in the ruling ANC government proving cerebrally sluggish,  not so the country’s president Cyril Ramaphosa who in October 2019, lauded Israel’s entrepreneurship at the Women in Business Conference saying:

Israel is leading by leaps and bounds, and they are actually innovative in a number of sectors of the economy, in agriculture, in maritime, and a number of other areas. They have shown that they can lead, and we can learn a lot from what they do. I find this very interesting and would like to know more.”

High Praise for Israel Hi-Tech. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa praises Israel’s hi-tech sector during an economic conference in Johannesburg in November 2019.
 

Only a few months before Ramaphosa’s praise of Israel admitting that South Africa would benefit by closer cooperation, Netafim South Africa in June was the platinum sponsor of the 2019 SABI (South African Irrigation Institute) congress where the theme was ‘Climate of Change and Opportunity’. Addressing the Congress, Michael Esmeraldo of Netafim South Africa said:

Modern farming is not always only about new technology, high-tech machines and computers. A modern approach is also about making more efficient use of the resources that we have available. We have to use water, fertilizer and other inputs efficiently to get optimal benefit per unit of input.”

More specifically:

 “a tree does not know how it receives water, it merely requires a certain amount of water daily depending on the phenological stage, age of the tree and the climate.”

What is important:

 “is to find the right fit for each specific situation, in other words choosing the correct irrigation system that will work in synergy with the resources you have available.”

This is Israel’s expertise!

Yet again, South African commerce and diplomacy travel in opposite directions. The ANC government response to the Israel-UAE normalisation deal  – whose main state opponents were predictably Iran and Turkey, both a threat to regional peace- was “one of concern”.

In a SAZF (South African Zionist Federation) press release, its national chairman, Rowan Polovin, exposed the absurdity of South Africa’s position on the deal following it being well received by respected Arab countries Egypt, Oman, and Bahrain as well as South Africa’s major BRICS partners, India and China.

Proving once again how his country is characteristically out of step on the world stage, Polovin wrote:

“We encourage the South African government, to show leadership through positive re-engagement with Israel in ways that would by no means diminish her support for the Palestinians.”

Noting that further normalisation deals are likely to emerge over the coming months between Israel and other Arab and Muslim states, he concluded: “South Africa should be ready to welcome and encourage these positive developments in the interests of peace and stability in the region.”

Rather than “a stab in the back” as described by some detractors of the deal, it is more like “a shot in the arm” in the pursuit of changing the landscape to improves the lives of all in the region.

More Growth Less Water. Netafim’s office and warehouse in Nelspruit, South Africa servicing Mpumalanga, Gauteng, Limpopo, North West, Swaziland and the Southern parts of Mozambique.

Ask the Indian farmers using Israeli technology!

To take a page from Netafim’s history of success:

We’re farmers first and innovators second. We started in 1965, in the Negev desert in Israel, trying to grow crops in desert soil. So we know what it’s like to farm in extreme conditions. That struggle taught us how to combine precision irrigation, agronomic expertise and relentless innovation to help farmers grow more of any crop, in any climate, with less.”

Learn from the experts.

While South Africa advocates a “pullback”,  most of the world will be following India and the United Arab Emirates to “partner”.




While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

The Israel Brief- 17-20 August 2020

The Israel Brief -17 August 2020 – The Abraham Accords between UAE and Israel. IDF strike Hamas targets in Gaza strip in response to arson terror. Israel begins to open civil aviation.



The Israel Brief -18 August 2020 – UAE agreement updates. Egypt tries to broker calm in South. IAF and Luftwaffe fly over Dachau in salute to victims of Holocaust.



The Israel Brief -19 August 2020 – Sudan next to normalize? IDF responds to rockets fired. Will Israel have a vaccine soon?



The Israel Brief -20 August 2020 – SA calls historic agreement a “regrettable peace”. Democrats reiterate support for Israel. Will there be lockdown for High Holy Days?




Rolene Marks speaks to the Schilling Show about the historic peace agreement between Israel and UAE (18/8/2020)




While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs

Fortune Favours the Bold

The historical peace agreement between Israel and the UAE ushers in new era

By  Rolene Marks

Blessed are the peacemakers. Mabruk and Mazal Tov”. Many can agree with this sentiment expressed by US Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo that describes a truly momentous occasion – the signing of a peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.

The Deal Makers. Israel, UAE reach historic peace deal (left-right): Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed, US President Donald Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
(photo credit: REUTERS)

The Abraham Accords, which is what this historical agreement is called, is a game changer for the region. This is not just a bringing together of the descendants of Abraham but is a signal to other regional countries and the world that the time has come to transcend the divisions and ancient hatred and work together towards a better future for the Middle East.

Any country that is willing to hold its hand out in peace to Israel will find a willing partner. The Abraham Accord is not necessarily a peace agreement because the two countries have not regarded each other as enemy entities, but rather a recognition of normalisation. This word is very important at a time when various entities that include the BDS (Boycott Divestment and Sanctions) movement’s rally call against normalisation.

Read All About It! A man reads a copy of the United Arab Emirates-based The National newspaper near the Burj Khalifa in the Gulf emirate of Dubai on Aug 14, 2020. (Photo by GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images.)

The Middle East is a region facing not just the impact that the Corona Virus pandemic has caused on our economies; but we face a collective threat in the form of hegemonic regime, Iran and their proxies, Hezbollah, Hamas and other terror groups. This agreement sends a clear message that the people of the region grow weary of terror sponsors and tyranny – we want change in the form of recognition, economic cooperation and a better future for us and the generations to come.

Sign of the Times. Tel Aviv City Hall is lit up with the flag of the United Arab Emirates on Aug. 13, 2020, as the UAE and Israel announced they would be establishing full diplomatic ties. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty, File)

The gains for both countries will be tremendous. Apart from diplomatic, economic, innovative and other forms of cooperation, the Abraham Accords paves the way for other Arab states to follow. In another historical first, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Gabi Ashkenazi, spoke to his Omani counterpart who reiterated support for peace with the Palestinians and also hailed the agreement with the UAE. US officials have said that Oman, Bahrain and likely Morocco and even Saudi Arabia could normalize relations with the Jewish state. The real surprise was Lebanese President, Michel Aou, who  in an interview with French BFM TV news, claimed he didn’t rule out the possibility of peace with Israel. When asked if Lebanon would consider peace with Israel, Aoun stated, “That depends. We have problems with Israel, and we have to resolve them first.”

Streetwise. Israeli and United Arab Emirates flags line a road in the Israeli coastal city of Netanya after the two countries agreed to normalise ties. ( JACK GUEZ AFP)

There are those who are naysayers. Iran as expected has expressed its predictable rage, claiming that the UAE will be “consumed by the fires of Zionism”.

Oh dear! They do seem a bit put out!

Kuwait has claimed to be the last to normalize and sadly the Palestinians never miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. The Palestinian Authority immediately withdrew their ambassador and recently announced that they will be boycotting the Global World Expo that will be held in Dubai in 2021. Hamas have expressed their fury and umbrage. Obstinacy and belligerence has doing nothing to further the Palestinian cause in the last 70 years. Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, infamous for his propensity to engage in sabre rattling rhetoric against Israel, has threatened to suspend ties with the UAE. This is what millennials would call an epic face palm moment as Turkey and Israel have bilateral relations.

There are those among the Israeli right who are disappointed that any plans of application of sovereignty or annexation as some prefer to call it, are suspended. Was normalisation the carrot dangled by the UAE the reason for this? One thing is for sure, well over 80% of Israelis are thrilled with the result, happily embracing the opportunities on offer.

In the past, normalisation with Arab states was contingent on peace with the Palestinians. Today, Arab states grow increasingly frustrated with their lack of willingness to come to the party and negotiate. The ever looming threat of Iran means that alliances have to be found elsewhere and a strong partner has been found in Israel.

Predictable Paranoia. Palestinians burn cutouts depicting US President Donald Trump, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu during a protest against the United Arab Emirates’ deal with Israel to normalise relations, in Nablus in the West Bank August 14, 2020. (photo credit: REUTERS/RANEEN SAWAFTA)

If the Palestinians are sincere about peace, they would see the positives of normalisation and the role that Arab countries can play in helping to negotiate. In a region where the rules of engagement, culture and honour are different to Western countries, perhaps the opportunity for regional powers to play more of a diplomatic role in helping to bring about peace and a state for the Palestinians may be more successful.

Flying High. Post Corona, Israelis will be flocking to the UAE as Israel look forward to welcome tourists from the Gulf.

A famous Latin proverb once intoned that “fortune favours the bold”. The winds of change are blowing in the Middle East, sweeping away historic divisions and barriers and bringing with it a bright future, filled with opportunity. The bold will find favour and fortune, the naysayers and rejectionists will flounder on the garbage pile of bitterness and hatred.









While the mission of Lay of the Land (LotL) is to provide a wide and diverse perspective of affairs in Israel, the Middle East and the Jewish world, the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by its various writers are not necessarily ones of the owners and management of LOTL but of the writers themselves.  LotL endeavours to the best of its ability to credit the use of all known photographs to the photographer and/or owner of such photographs