What It's Like Being Israeli

MiddleEasternGirl01
What It's Like Being Israeli

So I'd like to begin with saying that I respect opinions that are differnt than mine. What I don't respect are people that are hateful of Israeli people because they are racist or antisemitic. I won't bother answering opinions of this sort. Except of this, please ask questions, add opinions and I'll answer them honestly.


So I'm an Israeli teenage girl. I go to high- school, I drive a car (and not a camel like many think), and I'm going to join the military next year.

Religion

What It's Like Being Israeli

I am a Jew, because my parents are jewish. I don't go to the synagogue, I don't dress very modest, and holidays for me are a reason to meet my family and nothing more. Our country is becoming more and more religious with bigger percentages of the jewish population being religious than 20 years ago (more than 50% are now religious of some sort). One fifth of Israel are Arabs (most don't consider themselves palestinians, but Israeli-arabs). And the populations rarely mix. Most of us aren't racist, at least in my eyes, though most people are against mixing the two groups from a fear of losing our culture. Most schools are a one religion school, same with villages and neighborhoods. I am against adding religious rules to the country, but most of the population doesn't agree with me.

Politics

What It's Like Being Israeli

Politics in Israel is special. When most countries define the political parties by economical views, we divide them by their military views- if they are pro palestenian country (meaning pro giving land back to the palestines) or not. Our right wing is against giving land back, more religious, mostly chauvinistic, and many times racist. Our left wing is small and weak, anti-religious, sometimes pro palestenian country and feministic. None are socialist or very capitalistic, they are all both of them mixed up (pretty much like American democrats). Our right wings propaganda is that the left wing are traitors. Because of that the people are afraid to vote for the left wing.


One time I talked to a Netanyahu supporter on the bus. He had absolutely no knowledge in politics. He didn't know what the palestinian refugee problem is, he didn't know how corrupt our government is, the only thing he knew was "the lefties are traitors." I do not believe that our prime minister represents our country well. I believe that most people vote for him because they are afraid of trying something different.

Army

What It's Like Being Israeli

No, not all of the soldiers are bad people. There are many people in the army, that like me, think that the army should be the last solution to every problem. Yes, some soldiers do very bad things but I really don't think we can see the whole truth in every 10 second video of a soldier hitting an arab person. I think we can't create justice by judging people or the army on these short videos. Sometimes all we see is a soldier hitting a palestinian person, but what we don't see is that that person threw rocks at the soldier and tried to kill him. This isn't always the case of course, but we always need to remmember that the news reports are sometimes biased. I want to join the army. I think the army really needs people that won't shoot people for no reason, that have a moral compass. I think I can do good for the army.

Gal Gadot

What It's Like Being Israeli

Best person ever and a really good representation for our country.

Please write comments and ask questions. I think I can shed some light on opinions of Israeli's. Thanks for reading. Sorry for my very imperfect English.

What It's Like Being Israeli
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