Depends on What the Definition of "Is" Is

After the run/shower in Tel Aviv, we posed for group pictures in a park overlooking the Mediterranean Sea. Then we hopped on the bus, and drove to the West Bank Settlement of Alfei Menashe, for an overlook that encompasses a view of approximately 75-80% of Israel’s population.

A couple of observations:

1. It’s a bit strange when you realize that you are no longer on the right side of the security fence.
2. Sort of like the feeling when you realize the towns you are driving by have minarets, which are attached to mosques, which means there are Arabs (not that there is anything wrong with that, but if you’ve been any attention to the news for the last 60 years or so, the region known as the Middle East can be quite volatile. Further, the area known as Israel can be volatile. To further educate those who have avoided Middle Eastern news for the last six decades (or six millennium, you choose), the West Bank has been pretty volatile.
3. Image standing on a hill and having a view from which 75%-80% of America’s population lives. Odds are high that we as Americans would want to control that hill.

The settlement was not as I expected. Frankly, I was expecting a besieged desert area with cramped housing and constant patrols. Instead, it looked like a beautiful housing development in Scottsdale. Alfei Menashe was started in 1983, when a number of settlers built on a barren hill. They moved out not for ideological reasons, but because land is more plentiful and cheaper (think Loundon County, Virginia in 1983). The homes and buildings are quite nice, with red tile roofs (I still think they are paying a fee to Scottsdale for copying the look), and green all around.

It turns out there are two words in Hebrew for “settlers” – one is matter of fact, and the other is much more ideologically charged. Because Alfei Menashe began so long ago as a commuter suburb (it’s only twelve miles to the Sea, and just a few to major Israeli towns – and jobs), the benign use of “settlers” is applied – which is not so everywhere.

Retired Colonel Miri Eisin is a former Special Assistant to the Director of Military Intelligence. She joined us at the overlook to brief us on the complexities of the West Bank settlement issues, as well provide a demographic briefing on Israel. Her main message was to talk about the complexities.

She pointed out on the hill next door was a Palestinian town. Below it was an Israeli Arab town (replete with mosques/minarets). Down below us was a Palestinian Arab town (Kalkilye – Google map it) that was dingy and dirty. Apparently they have open sewage and other problems that neither the PLO nor the other Arab nations will help fix – because of corruption issues. The town is run by a Hamas mayor, and contributed 27 suicide bombers back before the Security Fence went up.

(By the way, after 20 years in the Army, she became a Spokesperson for the Government, and then worked for the Prime Minister. She’s now working on her doctoral dissertation on “Political Narratives in the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict” – should be easy.)

Interesting demo note – she pointed out that 75% of the Israeli-Americans who have dual citizenship voted for John McCain. Rob Stutzman quipped – “we’re in a Red State!” A good laugh was had by the GOP consultants on the trip. The Dems? They didn’t laugh.