I google-searched to see who has covered the new controversy over the Al Midan theatre outside of the Levant...and predictably it only appears in papers focused on Jewry like The Time of Israel. I can't say I'm surprised. Although it does make a nice story about how the state of Israel is evil, which leftists can never get enough of, it also makes exactly the opposite story. The fact that it exists flies in the face of the crude uninformed narratives of Western Leftists, not unlike it's and my home Haifa. Haifa has been an "Arab-Jewish" coexistance city since for over a hundred years, although really calling it a Muslim-Christian-Jewish-Druze co-existance city would be more accurate. Even during the 1948 war a lot of the LOCAL Jewish population tried to convince their Muslim and Christian neighbors to just stay put in contrast with national leadership of either Arabs or Jews. I was surprised recently to see even a Palestinian author, the grandchild of a family that fled in spite of the neighbor's advice, writing about this phenomenon.
Haifa almost never features in ANY story about Israel in spite of being the third largest city in the country. I suspect it is never on the news outside of Israel because it breaks open and contradicts just about every single narrative anyone on the political right or left wants to spin about Israel. Haifa did finally start making the news recently over the Ethiopian protests....a story I definitely think has more edge in the center of the country. In the center of the country is frankly where all the action on this happened. Parts of the center of the country are also the whitest places I've ever been in Israel. I actually find it quite creepy having lived most of my Israeli life in Haifa. One train, plus one bus, and boom- where did all the Arabs go? Why is everyone Ashkenazi? I don't see many Russians....these people look like they have lots of money. I think I want to go back to Haifa. I feel like a dirty peasant because everyone around me is wearing new clothes, and seems, well, rich. This feeling highlights another reality no one wants to talk about in regards to Haifa. In spite of being home to Tech giants and one of the world's greatest universities, it is somehow resolutely blue collar. And actually a blue collar co-existance is even more of an accomplishment than a white collar one or one of the destitute in my opinion.
So I expect few in the Anglo media to cover the Al-Midan Theatre Culture War. The attempt by a right wing government to crush Arab theatre because it puts on shows not to the liking of the regime. I'll try and cover events as I support them. I have the day off, and I'll be meeting with who I can at Al-Midan. I have taken a job in a hospital outside of Haifa; but I won't give up on my city. Al Midan is an important institution not just for Haifa, but for all of Israel and the whole Levant. Haifa is the shining example, and hope for all of us, that some kind of fragile, if imperfect coexistance is possible.
Live updates on Al Midan: I'm just back from part of the meeting. I ran into a friend of mine who is a Palestinian/Israeli Arab film-maker. He warned me the whole meeting would be in Arabic. No more simultaneous translation headphone like at the communist party meeting. Bummer. If it isn't about pain, disease or dizziness, I can't really follow... what a shame. This is something I feel is important...but language has locked me out of understanding the whole story. But what the excuse for news outlets is, where they should have Arabic speakers, I don't know. I saw Ynetnews...but what can one expect from them in terms of coverage? More stories on the inexplicably important issue of fatty bourekas, as recently graced their cover? I have no hope of good media coverage...oh well.
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