It's hard to concentrate on other things when the international headlines are pretty much all condemning the country you're living in for everything from "state terrorism" to stupid, damaging decisions (the latter from Ha'aretz, the main daily here).
What happened on that ship bound for Gaza was tragic on so many levels. For the people who were killed, for the soldiers sent on a problematic mission, for the Israeli state that needs no more reasons for the world to hate and blame it for everything (painful also in many ways) and for civilians in Gaza who are being screwed in the long run by everyone, including their own leadership.
I really hate to get political. I've learned a lot by living here (and since the day I wrote "I want to study anything in the Arab world except Israel/Palestine" in my grad school application). Still, I feel unqualified to be a commentator. That's the main thing I've learned. I think that only when you have spent some time immersed on both "sides" of a conflict can you have something approaching a genuinely fair view. And it's really hard to do that.
The best way I can describe what I see is that Israel is a country straddling two worlds, expected to play by two different sets of rules at the same time. It is damned no matter what it does.
I will also say that I have, by living here, developed a sincere respect and appreciation for Israeli society that could never, ever have germinated by watching or reading international news.
Anyway, our family is linked indelibly to the Israeli identity, for better or worse, since my husband and daughters are all Israeli citizens. I think about it every time we fly with three Israeli passports.
I wonder how we'll explain the many facets of their Israeli identity to the girls when they're a little older. At their age, of course, they know only the fun of holidays, the familiarity of Hebrew, the love of their family here. How can we help them retain the positives--heritage, pride, strength--while someday explaining why Israeli flags burn on TV and various world leaders want to see the country "wiped off the map"?
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