Letter: a terrible week in Israel

"The people are fed up here and around the world, and a change must be in the offing." From Mordachai Peargut, Israel.

Certain things that I have been noticing are starting to give me hope. I think I have mentioned before that I found it hard to understand the optimism of you guys. I would read the articles on Israel and Palestine by comrades like A. Kramer and could not understand how they could be so confident about the future. But now things are becoming clearer. The people are fed up here and around the world, and a change must be in the offing.

I'll tell you a little anecdotal incident. The banks here are robbers, like everywhere, but now they have a new rule that makes them even worse. If you withdraw 10,000 Shekels or more you now have to pay 0.15% commission. Last week I bought a new PC, and on Wednesday my son held the celebration of the birth of my new grandchild so I needed that amount. The cashier jokingly told me that next time I withdraw 10,000 Shekels I should write the cheque for 9,990, and give him 10 Shekels, that way I won't have to pay the 0.15%! You see that branch is being shut and merged with another branch and there will be layoffs, so the loyalty of the workers to the bank is no longer guaranteed. So if the bank workers are revolting, I know that things are beginning to move in this country.

It's been a terrible week, and words can't express how I feel, I went to the celebration with a very heavy heart. There we were dancing, stuffing ourselves with food, and a three-hour drive away [in Gaza] people were being murdered. Then yesterday Marwan Barghouti was found guilty of murder, by the arch-murderer Sharon. I've decided that for me Mr. Barghouti is the Palestinian Nelson Mandela.

By the way, I like the new layout on the site. We both have come a long way since I first found your site nearly two years ago.

All the best comrades,
Mordachai Peargut,