Don't Stop?
Two days ago, I was sitting next to an Israeli at a bank of computers when I heard a noise coming from his computer. I recognized the song and hoped that it was the fantastic Simpsons opening set to Ke$ha (source) that made me giggle so much from this past season that I’m sharing it below for you to adore as well:
I glanced over the Israeli’s shoulder and saw that he was watching something with soldiers (clearly in Israel) and assumed that the music was coming from somewhere else. Then I happened upon this gem on Jezebel.com when sifting through my reader today.
I’m not sure how I feel about armed soldiers who look like they’re on duty (and I really hope that they were off duty when they shot this), bustin’ a move, in one of the most hotly contested areas in the Middle East, particularly on the tails of the recent Birthright foray into Hebron. I wonder what is really going on over there?
I applaud the Birthright Staff for trying to show their participants the full picture of Israel, even thought I always felt too uncomfortable with what a trip over the Green Line represented. I don’t really know what the Birthright participants did while they were in Hebron, and everyone returned unscathed so that’s good. The Haaretz piece points out that Birthright doesn’t allow their participants to go to areas that are deemed unsafe by both the State and Birthright CEO Gideon Mark (not to mention authorities such as my mother). These include such unsafe areas as the West Bank and Gaza. Unless, and I quote the article, “Changes are [made] possible when permitted by the security authorities.”
If the soldiers that are guarding Hebron are too busy shaking their tails in the streets, guns flapping wildly, I wouldn’t necessarily see this as the safest side trip. Presenting this video without comment is jarring, and frankly, a little scary, as it makes one realize that the children (yes, children) that are guarding Hebron might not be up to the task 100% of the time.
From what I hear, most of the people that need guarding in Hebron ain’t Jewish…
Well, if they’re children, then what’s your problem with them dancing? And would you call these soldiers children also?
But Israel is different! It always is.