No preparation for a trip to Israel is complete without a general understanding of the political environment in which Israel participates. Prior to the classroom session, we were asked to read a few articles by Richard Baehr, who writes for the American Thinker. Although many of the ideas seemed a bit fundamentalist in nature, it was important for us to understand the way many Israelis see the middle east, the United States, and Obama.
Once we entered the classroom Monday evening, Professor Alvin Rosenfeld (Professor of English) offered his perspectives. Here are a few of the topics he touched on:
- Differences between the two Arab populations
- Importance of military service to creating a level of discipline and work ethic
- Changes in US-Israeli relations now that the Obama administration has taken over. Example: Obama has visited 20 countries including many in the Middle East, but not Israel
- Americans are embraced in Israel even if the government is not
- Viewpoints of the Likud and Labour parties, including who their allies are within the US
- Connections or lack there of between Isreal building settlements and Iran becoming nuclear
- Relationships with other countries in the world, including India, China, and Europe
Only 4 more week until we head off. I can't wait to hear firsthand accounts regarding many, if not all, of these items.
