Next, we went into an empty court room and our guide showed us how the room is set up. In the very front, raised off the ground, are three chairs for the Judges. In front of that is a table with computers where the stenographer and the intern sit. (It is very hard to become an intern in the supreme court and it involves a lot of hard work.) Then there is a semi-circular table where the lawyers sit. If you look around the court rooms you can also see that there are things representing different religions. The benches are said to remind people of the pews in synagogues, the arches remind people of churches and in the back of the court room you can find a muslim motif.
To become a judge in the supreme court you need to be a lawyer and an Israeli citizen. You do not have to be Jewish, Then you are appointed by the Judicial Committee There is currently one Arab-Christian and one woman. The woman is the chief justice which is chosen based on seniority. There are many differences between the American and Israeli Supreme Court. Which do you like better? Why? What do you like and dislike about the Israeli Supreme Court?
After the supreme court we went to visit the sight of a terror attack during the second intifada. At a bus station on November 21, 2002 around 7AM bus number 20 pulled up and exploded. It was a suicide bomber. It was a bus filled with school kids. 11 people were killed and over 50 others were injured. Sadly this wasn't out of the ordinary at this time. At this stop we also heard other stories about terror attacks during this time. Cafes and restaurants were being blown up all over. At the end of the second intifada 3,315 Palestinians died and 1,604 Israelis died. If you were in Israel at this time would you have changed what you did day to day? If so what? Why or why not?
Our last stop on the tiyul was to see the barrier on the West Bank. This was put up for security as a result of the second intifada. Although the wall seems to be effective in some ways it makes life a lot harder for the Palestinians. In many cases the wall separated people from their place of work and schools and in some cases it went through villages. The part of the wall that we saw was very tall and made out of cement. It looked quite harsh. In other places the wall is just a fence with cameras and sensors. The wall makes it extremely difficult for people to get to work. It can take people hours in some cases. In rare occasions a door will be put in for farmers to get to their fields or for kids to get to school. The wall is guided by the green line but doesn't follow it exactly, especially in places around Jerusalem. What do you think about the wall? Should it be left up or taken down? Why?
Later that night we met with Kids For Peace. This organization takes kids, Palestinian, Israeli, Arab, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian, from the age of 12 and mentors them to think peacefully until the age of 18. They learn about the conflict and get to discuss problems the have. The kids and advisor we met with told us about their struggle and how they view things. I personally, learned a lot and got a chance to look at things from a perspective I had never thought about before. What is something they said that shocked you? How can/will you spread the message of peace?
Both of the Supreme courts work in a generally similar way. I think the Supreme court system works really well. If I were in Israel during the Intifada, I would probably have taken similar steps as Ariella. I would have carpooled with my friends instead of taking the public transportation and I would have avoided the mainstream cafe's and hangout places. The wall should be taken down. It is demeaning to everyone who ha to go through those terrible checkpoints everyday. I believe it will be taken down one day, and that day will be as victorious as when the Berlin wall was taken down decades ago. While listening to the kids from Kids for peace I earned a lot about the other side of the conflict. Like they said, the best way to help is to spread both sides of the story.
ReplyDeleteI find that I like the Israeli court system better. I find it intriguing how it works and I like how truly democratic it is (at least compared to America’s). I think that saying you are a democratic state and acting as such is something very important and not always true in politics. I don’t entirely disagree with anything in the Israeli Supreme Court, I don’t think.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in Israel during the Second Intifada, I don’t know what I would have done. Knowing me, I probably would have avoided public transportation as much as possible, because I tend to be pessimistic and paranoid and nervous about absolutely everything. At the same time, if I had been living here, I’d probably have a less extreme reaction than that, and maybe just be a bit more careful than usual but still live my life as best I could.
I don’t like the idea of there being a literal concrete wall separating Israel and Palestine. I think that there should be a normal border with a few guards spread around it, not a high thick wall with limited checkpoints making it extremely difficult for people just trying to get to work or school on time. I believe that it should be taken down for the same reason.
I think I was mostly shocked at how similar they are to us. Unfortunately that is a stereotype that has happily been broken. I wasn’t sure what we would be experiencing, and I was happy to know that they felt much like I do, in the idea of wanting peace rather than war all the time. I am so glad that I got to hear about what they go through, because I’m hearing it from a direct source rather than biased media, and I have a better understanding from another perspective. I want to go home and tell people about the stories I heard. Tell people that no, MOST Palestinians are a certain way that we see in media. In fact, MOST Palestinians are the opposite. They are simply people that want land, much like the Jews wanted for thousands of years, and who want to live their lives without a fear of danger from anyone.
-Rachael Coleman
I think after learning about both of the government types side by side I have to say I can't say 100% that I think one is better than the other. I like certain aspect of each and there are also things about each of them that I'd be more than happy to change. I like how multiple parties can come along and as long as they reach a certain requirement run in the government. My favorite part about that too is that there's no limitation as to where the party stands in their viewpoints which means that the country has potential to be governed by people who aren't extreme right wings, or Charedis. I believe that if I were around during the time of the second entifada and more specifically these occurences, then yes, I'd change my daily routine. If I didn't deem something safe to be doing then I certainly wouldn't be doing that. On the subject of the wall I'm quite against it's being a thing. I don't enjoy how there was a wall build to separate two peoples because that only drives further and further away from peace. Neither do I think that it's in any way right from a humane point of view, it's barbaric. The thing that shocked me the most about Kids For Peace is how much support it gets and how much devotion people put into the program. Even from outside of Israel where it can take anywhere from an hour to three hours just to get to work and pass through a checkpoint. I really enjoyed the message of what they had to say and I think what they're doing is something good. After getting the chance to listen to them and discuss as a group I think I can better advocate for Palestine as well now. Given where I live, Israel isn't the most supported place ever so I think whenever the topic of the middle east comes up I now have the opportunity to speak up about this. WHether it be in regards to Israel, Palestine or both for that matter.
ReplyDeleteI think that both the American and the Israeli Supreme Court's purpose is to make just and fair decisions for the conflicts that arise. In this perspective, I think that both courts are relatively similar.
ReplyDeleteIf I was in Israel during the Second Intifada, I probably would've avoided crowded areas and public transportation as much as I could.
Even though the security fence was put up to minimize the amount of terrorist attacks, I agree with Rachael and don't like the idea of there being an actual wall separating the two areas because it isn't fair for the people that have to go through checkpoints just to get to school or work. When we listened to the representatives of Kids for Peace, I was surprised to hear how difficult it was to pass through the checkpoints along the security fence. I think that the best way to get closer to resolving the conflict is to spread both sides of the story to promote peace.
Though it definitely lies in a political gray zone, I think the wall should be taken down. Like Montasser said, if you really want to get across the wall into Israel Proper there are hundreds of ways to do it, and thousands of illegal workers come in every day from the zones that are supposedly cut off from other areas. Like Evan said, there have been no suicide bombs since the wall was erected, but can we point to the wall and the checkpoints themselves as the factor that caused that? If someone wants to get through to Israel Proper without being searched, they can, so what exactly is the point. It seems more of a symbol than anything else. If anything, it's comparable to the Great Wall of China, which did not stave off a Mongol invasion. Can we really say that it is helping?
ReplyDelete-Noah Arnold
I think both court system seem extremely similar. Without much knowledge of the Judicial process in israel, I find it a bit difficult to do a veyr in depth comparison. That being said, I like the American political system better because of the separation of church and state. It is hard to say I would continue to live life identically to how I do today because the fact of the matter is that I would need to act with caution. However, I do not think I would completely pause my way of life. I would go about my daily life, but with an extra inch of caution. The wall is absolutely embarrassing and can be construed as racist, however we do note that there has not been a single bus bombing since the wall went up. That being said, the wall is leading Israel (I hope) towards a two state solution that, if enacted, would eliminate the need for the wall and instead introduce border police instead. While nothing the kids said shocked me, I loved the stories they told and the messages they sent. hearing a genuine perspective from a Palestinian without a language barrier and getting to hear their entire perspective was extremely moving. This program reminds me a lot of a program I work with called Ultimate Peace. I will continue to spread peace through education.
ReplyDeleteThe judicial systems of Israel and America seem to be similar, but the Israeli judicial system strikes me as largely dependent on foreign precedents. Even though Israel is unique because of its label as a "Jewish state", I think that it is far too young of a country to have fully matured in its method of handling judiciary matters. Not to say that America's system is superior, but I believe that Israel needs time to establish itself in such a way that other countries refer to its legal system as guidance. The erection of the security wall seems like a measure that may have been necessary when it was built during the 2nd Intifada, but I think the only way to facilitate peace processes and work towards coexistence between the different populations in Israel is to take it down. The teens we talked to from Kids for Peace seemed to be of this opinion as well and I found our conversation with them to be fascinating and inspiring. It seems that to really achieve peace, everyone, the young and the old, have to speak up and be advocates, in Israel and abroad.
ReplyDeleteI can not imagine what it would be like being scared to do everyday task because of bombers. It is unreal how a blind eye is shown living in America and how little I know. I understand why a wall needed to be put up in most ways, but why must it be the way it is today. There is still terrorism happening, so the wall and check points does not keep it all away. I feel as if there must be a better way, and it isnt right for the Jewish state to force people into these conditions of hours of checkpoints. I don't think the discrimination and the strungles from these checkpoints are the answer.
ReplyDeleteDuring this tiyul, I marveled at the way in which we were simply allowed to walk into any case, and the fact that we heard the chief justice sitting on a custody trial. Although this would not be feasible because of America's size, I really liked this aspect of the Israeli Supreme Court. In addition, the method of appointing judges seemed more just.
ReplyDeleteNever having experienced that level of fear, I do not know how I would have responded to terror. I would hope that I would have continued to live my life as normally as possible, while at the same time taking caution.
The wall presents a huge moral quandary for me. While I believe it is racist and infringes upon many human rights issues, if it is saving civilian lives, I cannot condone taking it down. Maybe if a firmer peace is established, the wall should then be taken down.
I was shocked by just how much the wall messes up the lives of people who live on the other side. I think that to spread the message of peace, I will try to remind Jews and Palestinians and their supporters alike that it is important to look at all sides of the story.
I like both forms of supreme Court systems. Both seem to do a great job at giving fair trials to all people. However, I did not like how the Israeli supreme Court feels they have to give special treatment because of their religious affiliations. Every one should be given equal rights in the eyes of the law. If I was at the time period I would countinue to be the same person I am. I would go to work and got to school I not let the terrorists win! By not letting them change you they will fear the strength of Israel. I think it was smart to build the fence. We know from statistics that it stopped the suicide bombs and showed the power of Israel. My plan would be to tear down the doors that way we can unite the land once again. If the conflict arises again we put the doors up again
ReplyDeleteI really enjoyed visiting the supreme court, and being able to sit in on a trial that was going on. It's something we would probably never have the chance to do in America, and it was genuinely really cool. It felt like Law and Order, or something on TV. Learning about the judge system, and how everyone is appointed their job contrasting to how it works in America was interesting as well. Like Daniella, I'm not sure how I would respond to terror. I've never had to deal with anything close to that, and I can't imagine ever having to go through something so scary. When it comes to the security wall, it astounds me that it was just allowed to be built in the middle of people's lives. It cut off vital parts of some people's commutes, and made some lives a lot harder. It's unfair, and probably hurt the morality of many people. It may be saving lives, but it's a sad price to pay.
ReplyDeleteBoth the supreme courts operate in similar ways, I'm glad that there is a comittee to select Israel's supreme court members, because if the PM selected them, we would just have supporters from the same party taking all the seats of the courts. As for the Antifada, I hope that I never need to be in a situation like that. I personally would not know what I would do, because I don't have the same mindset as most Israelis. I do not like the security wall, I do not like the idea of it, and I don't like the problems that arose from it. On the other hand though, I can see why it was used, and the discomfort of the Arabs is not as important as the lives of anyone. But, if there is an arrangement made, I will loudly be cheering when the wall goes tumbling down.
ReplyDeleteI like the Israeli Supreme court much better than that of the U.S.A. because unlike ours, it teaches its judges humility which I believe anyone determining the fate of others should know.
ReplyDeleteI would like to think that I would continue my everyday life during the times of the Intifada, but I have no idea. I would most likely do what my parents would me to so as not to worry them.
I believe that the wall should be taken down for it promotes the idea of a two state solution. I am not against having two states, but I believe it would be incredibly unfair to the Palestinians to have their state be in the West Bank. There are not enough resources for their for them to stand on their own and therefore they would rely too much on the Israeli government for help and that would defeat the purpose of a two state solution. Both states would have to be able to be independent.
Nothing shocked me about what the Kids for Peace said. To me though, hearing what they been through from them, really brought everything to life for me. It never has meant much to me from hearing all the horrors and injustice on the news, but once I heard from those who have to live through it everyday, it was real.
I like the Israeli supreme court much more than the American one. I liked how at one time there were never more than 3 judges in a case and that isn't the deal in American supreme courts. I very much liked how the room are put together. Having a round table for the lawyers allows more conversation and more flow of the case. Something they said that shocked me was how the parents also go to meetings. I feel like that is very powerful that the children AND the parents are willing to learn how we can make peace and that is a big deal. I think if i was in Israel at this time I wouldn't change what I did on a daily basis because it would encourage me to make a difference. I believe the wall should be taken down because it is not necessary. I think that the wall symbolizes nothing. With the wall up to me that means that Israel doesn't want to make peace with the Palestinians.
ReplyDelete