Tales from the Land of Milk and Misery – June 202

During Shavuut Jerusalem was even more special than usual. Festive atmosphere. Tens of thousands people in the Wailing Wall. Very happy occasion.

At Jaffa Gate, snacks and drinks were offered for free to those who passed by.

***

Conversely, during the war with Iran, Jerusalem was empty as I have never seen before. It is very sad to see. I understand that the situation is the same in other cities. People, including me, remain at home, near a shelter. When the siren is heard, we have a few minutes to find a shelter.

***

During the war with Iran, my university, the Hebrew University, was closed. I fail to understand why Iran is targeting institutes of Higher Education. Are Iranian leaders intent to push Israel to attack Iranian universities?

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I returned to the wonderful David Tower Museum, this time at night, to watch the King David audio-visual show that captures some of the stories connected with King David. The show exceeded my expectations. It is a highly recommended show, invested and thoughtful. It is shown in the open air, using the museum walls to show David’s life. The breeze was light. The music was captivating. It is very much recommended.

***

I asked Aharon Barak: Looking back at your career, what are you especially proud of? Barak replied: my court judgements.

I asked: Anything specific? What is the first that comes to mind?

Barak: My judgement on torture.

Barak referred to: The 1999 Judgment (HCJ 5100/94)

Case: Public Committee Against Torture in Israel v. Government of Israel (1999)
The question was: Can Israeli security services (specifically the General Security Service, or Shin Bet) use physical pressure (torture) during interrogations of terrorism suspects?

Barak emphasized that:

1. Democracy must fight terrorism within the bounds of the law. A democracy cannot defend its existence by undermining its own legal and moral foundations.
2. There is no judicially sanctioned exception—even in the face of severe threats (like the “ticking time bomb” scenario), courts cannot authorize torture.
3. If an interrogator uses physical force in extreme situations and claims necessity (e.g., saving lives), that may be a defence at trial, but it cannot be a blanket legal authorization.

The judgment set international precedent by being one of the first high court rulings to explicitly outlaw torture in the context of counterterrorism.

It affirmed judicial oversight of national security practices.

Barak’s opinion has been widely cited in legal, philosophical, and human rights literature on the ethics of interrogation.

***

I am saddened to know that Israel has a prime minister who suffers from serious memory lapses. During his criminal investigations, Netanyahu said 1,788 times “I do not remember”. One wonders what he does remember, and whether he has similar memory problems when he has to decide on slightly more serious matters such as war, the role of the Supreme Court in a democratic society, what democracy is all about, and the return of the hostages. Does he fit to govern? I wonder.

***

I am deeply disturbed by the instrumentalisation of fallen soldiers’ images by the government. Displaying their photographs above the slogan ‘Until Victory’ constitutes a troubling appropriation of their sacrifice for narrow partisan purposes. This exploitation of their memory is not only ethically indefensible but profoundly unsettling. These individuals gave their lives in the course of a harrowing conflict, in unfamiliar terrain, against a ruthless adversary. To now see their images employed to legitimise the prolongation of a war—potentially at the expense of the remaining Israeli hostages—is both morally corrosive and politically reckless.

***

I love Eilat. The city has a lot of potential. The city is built for tourism. However, wars deter tourists from coming. Eilat is dependent on internal tourism. Many Israelis spend their vacations in Eilat, a city with a foreign taste. In Eilat, they can forget their abnormal reality for a few days. During the first few days of the Israel-Iran War, Eilat looked like a ghost town. Most of businesses did not open. Only a few restaurants were open. People were instructed to be close to shelters. They stayed in their hotels. A few dozens of people arrived at the lovely beaches. War is a killer of business.

***

My bus from Eilat to Jerusalem was cancelled. I planned to take a bus to Beer Sheva and from there to Jerusalem. Upon arrival at the Central Bus Station, I heard an announcement: The bus to Beer Sheva will depart from Platform 6. The bus to Jerusalem will depart from Platform 5. Life in Israel is chaotic and surprising in many different ways.

***

On 25 June, Jerusalem returned to normal life after the military exchange with Iran. Twelve awful and stressful days. Time will tell the consequences of this exchange. It is very good to see Jerusalem alive and busy.

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During a recent tour along the unofficial border between Israel and the Palestinian territories in the West Bank, I was struck by the stark and deeply unsettling disparities on the ground. Israeli settlements are marked by modern infrastructure and visible affluence, while adjacent Palestinian villages exhibit clear signs of neglect, deprivation, and systemic disadvantage. These contrasts are neither coincidental nor organic; they are the direct result of a protracted and deeply entrenched military occupation—an occupation that the Israeli government pointedly refuses to acknowledge by name. The resulting asymmetry in living conditions is not only morally indefensible but a visible manifestation of structural injustice that demands urgent ethical and political scrutiny.

***

Israeli media refrain from showing scenes of a hungry population and injured people in Gaza. The scenes that are commonplace in major channels abroad are absent from Israeli screens. Most of the Israeli population is not aware of what is going on in Gaza. They live in a cocoon. Allegations that Israel is committing genocide in Gaza are dismissed without a read conversation. Truth is fuzzy when facts are ignored.

***

I fail to understand why Gazans who stand in line for food are being targeted and killed.

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My year at the Israel Institute for Advanced Studies (IIAS) is coming to an end. IIAS is the best place for academics, Israelis and non-Israelis. The institute is an academic heaven, enabling research at the highest form. I thoroughly enjoyed my time at IIAS and am eternally grateful for enabling me to complete my book, Resolving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict. I have been fortunate to spend a year with elite scholars and to enjoy the support of the wonderful IIAS staff.

***

IIAS organised a farewell dinner for its fellows in beautiful Jaffa. We had six short lectures delivered by IIAS artists who spent some months at the institute. These lectures were followed by a short guided tour around Kedumim Circus and an excellent dinner in a local restaurant. I will miss IIAS.

***

In Jerusalem there are two kinds of beggars, general and targeting. The general beggars appeal to the public Good. They do not talk much, if at all, and welcome and donations.

The targeting beggars are different. They appeal only to specific people and directly ask for more generous donations. They aim fast and high. They do not have the patience to sit all day and beg for change. The targeting type are busy people. They do not have the whole day. Two examples:

I ask a guy for direction. He gladly assisted me and then ask:

Can you do me a favour in return?

RCA: OK

I need money for urgent medication.

RCA: Yes…

I can show you documents. The guy pulled from his wallet documents.

RCA: what do you need?

These are quite expensive medication. They cost 600 NIS but I welcome any donation.

Another example:

Can you give me 50 NIS to buy falafel?

Direct to the point.

***

The gem of the month was Rita concert. Rita has been my favourite female singer for more than thirty years. Her voice has changed somewhat but her energy level remains the same. Rita is very fit. Signs of time are showing on her face but she was and is a wonderful, genuine performer who appeals to old and young. In the large audience, one can see variety of people, all enjoying her music. Like Rita, I also danced 90 minutes. The only difference is that I had 50 cm to move while Rita enjoyed the entire stage.