Israel has invaded Gaza...

[Pio1980]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Maybe, but my impressions aren't exactly built upon a short visit there. I've spent about 5 weeks there in total over several trips and my son has now lived there for nearly 2 years. In my life and travels overseas in over 60 countries, I've actually never run into a people as rude and inhospitable as the Israelis. Conversely, I've never experienced hospitality and friendliness that exceeded what I've experienced in the "moderate" Islamic countries such as Turkey, Jordan and Morocco (other than Ireland, FWIW).

In-your-face arguing seems to be SOP for lots of people there, even in the hospitality industries. It's a bit off-putting to have a hotel clerk or waiter who wants to criticize or argue with you about your selection of room or meal, among the other daily insults you put up with there. I still strongly recommend going there (and Jordan as well if you do), but be prepared for a certain surliness far beyond your expectations.

Like Parisians with yamulkes instead of berets?

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[finnbow]

Originally Posted by Pio1980

Like Parisians with yamulkes instead of berets?

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Far worse than Parisians. I've actually never experienced exceptional and routine rudeness anywhere in France, including Paris. They do tend to react with a bit of an eyeroll to the prototypical "ugly American," but that's about it.

Israelis are often more like Long Islanders or Staten Islanders in the midst of steroid rage.

[Pio1980]

So I gather, apparently a long-standing tradition.

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[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by MikeG22

Finn is it possible overly cautious is perceived as not being hospitable in Israel? I've heard going through their airport security you feel like a criminal and any touristy area is heavily guarded by military with no regard for respect. Maybe repeated attempts to wipe your religion off the planet make you a bit more edgy?

Y'know Mike...as you can see from his comments in response to this post from you...the guy has spent 5 weeks wandering aimlessly around the holy land and now he's an expert. So anything anybody has to say about any of their firsthand experience with anybody or anything from that miserable corner of the world is automatically trumped by his terminally unique insight. Apparently none of your insight means anything. Apparently none of my insight with the years of counseling services I provided to refugees from the middle east means anything. He's the fucking expert on all things Palestinian and all things Israeli. And I'm learning it's not the only realm in which he has some unique expertise that nullifies anything else anybody else might have to say about anything. "Reformed" know-nothing, my ass.

As far as the behavior of Israelis...personally or as a representative of government, an opinion is an opinion. My niece has participated in two archaeological digs up in the Haifa area, spending a total of six weeks in Israel. Maybe her experience and her love for Israelis has a week of trump over Finn's experience, eh?

Interestingly enough...on her last visit, on departure from Ben Gurion, she made the mistake of giving the immigration people different information as to the purpose of her visit from what she gave them on her arrival. That was it for making her flight out. They had her stuck in an interview room for over 4 hours, grilling her with the same list of 25 questions over and over, until they were convinced she was legit and let her go ahead and arrange for a flight out. Why? Because that's how they keep pacifistic Palestinian be-headers from blowing El-Al jetliners out of the sky. If there's an inconsistency they grill you over and over...the more inconsistencies you present with, the more trouble you're going to have being cut loose and on your way.

And that's just the way it oughta be when, as you say, repeated attempts to wipe your religion off the planet has a tendency to make you a bit more edgy. My niece understood this and did not let it color her impressions of a lovely people who have been under the threat of genocide for 5 decades in Israel, and another 35 centuries or so before that, all over the world.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by finnbow

Far worse than Parisians. I've actually never experienced exceptional and routine rudeness anywhere in France, including Paris. They do tend to react with a bit of an eyeroll to the prototypical "ugly American," but that's about it.

Israelis are often more like Long Islanders or Staten Islanders in the midst of steroid rage.

Based on my experience of two week visits at my brother's summer rental cottage in the Hamptons for eight consecutive summers, I found Long Islanders to be quite pleasant.

[nailer]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

... "Reformed" know-nothing, my ass...

Think antonymly.

[Zeke]

Originally Posted by Ike Bana

...repeated attempts to wipe your religion off the planet has a tendency to make you a bit more edgy.

Which is why Israelis should cease doing that Palestinians.

[finnbow]

Originally Posted by nailer

Based on my experience of two week visits at my brother's summer rental cottage in the Hamptons for eight consecutive summers, I found Long Islanders to be quite pleasant.

Folks who vacation in the Hamptons aren't Lawn-Guylanders.

That said, my impressions as to the rudeness and lack of hospitality in Israel aren't contrived and have no bearing, on way or the other, on the righteousness of their cause.

My contention throughout this thread is that there are two sides to every story and we, as Americans, receive a very one-sided story about Israel and their struggles with Palestinians (just as residents of Islamic countries receive a one-sided story from the other perspective). You can be sure if Ike's adoptive parents had been immigrants to the USA from Ramallah he'd be singing a very different tune.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by finnbow

You can be sure if Ike's adoptive parents had been immigrants to the USA from Ramallah he'd be singing a very different tune.

Of course I would. And it would be off-key because I would be tone deaf.

[Ike Bana]

Originally Posted by nailer

Based on my experience of two week visits at my brother's summer rental cottage in the Hamptons for eight consecutive summers, I found Long Islanders to be quite pleasant.

They was obviously the goyim Long Islanders.