PROSTITUTION

Unlike many countries, prostitution in Israel is legal. To many people it is shocking to learn that in the "Holy Land" prostitution is allowed. Prostitution is legal, but what is not legal, is running a brothel or living off the earnings of a prostitute, in other words being a pimp. Prostitution in Israel is not kept on the down low. Everyone knows about it and where  to go to find a prostitute. It is a choice whether they decide to pay for sex or not. Prostitutes are known to be discrete. They do not go around talking about the men they have sex with. Some of the places where prostitution is more popular is in cities like Tel Aviv and Haifa. That could be because the population is more secular and not as religious. Prostitutes can be found on the streets, strip clubs and "massage parlors." Politicians, businessmen and even police officers are known to visit the upscale "massage parlors" and high price strip clubs. Regular citizens are more likely to just look for a prostitute on the streets. When Arab Israelis or Orthodox Jews, whether married or not, want to have sex with a prostitute, they go somewhere far from their homes. The reason for them going far is so they will not be recognized by anyone. One negative effect of the rising popularity of prostitution is that venereal diseases have rapidly increased over the years.

Many Israeli-born prostitutes do not like prostitutes that come from other countries because often, men prefer the outsiders. Israeli-born prostitutes claim that outsiders are taking their money. They say that a lot of the time men overlook them to go with the blondes. It is unfortunate to learn that most of the women that go to Israel from other countries, are taken illegally. These women are usually tricked by the mafia. They are told that they will be given jobs as models, dancers, masseurs, nannies, or domestic workers. They voluntarily go, not knowing where they will really end up. These women are trafficked into Israel with borrowed, stolen or fake passports.

The ATZUM Organization presented some facts about prostitution in Israel. The US State Department found in The 2011 Trafficking in Persons Report, that a significant amount of human trafficking takes place in Israel. It is estimated that between 500-600 women a year are trafficked illegally into Israel for sex. Israel's prostitution and sex trafficking industry makes between $500-$750 million per year. The average age of a woman who enters prostitution in Israel is between 12-13 years old. That is horrifying because they are not even women, they are still little girls. In regards to men in Israel, they make about one million visits to prostitutes every month. It is no wonder why prostitution makes so much money and venereal diseases are on the rise.

In the article Prostitution in Israel: Myth vs reality, by Rebecca Hughes, prostitution is discussed in terms of what is believed and not what the reality is. Hughes quoted Yoav Kotler, the head of the investigative branch of Tel Aviv district police as saying "99% of prostituted women in Israel willingly work." Basically he said that women are prostitutes because they want to be. She claims that Kotler's assumption is wrong because most women do not choose to be prostitutes. There is a small percentage of women who say it is their choice, but the majority are prostitutes against their will. Women forced into prostitution experience sexual, physical, and emotional abuse before entering the sex trade, so how could they possibly chose such path. Many of these women do not report what they are going through because they are alone, away from their homes and they also fear that their traffickers will retaliate against them or their families.

Another article, Government inaction, lack of data stymie efforts to combat teen prostitution in Israel by Or Kashti, presents a possible reason for the continual growth of prostitution in Israel. Kashti claims that their society does not give the attention required to teen prostitution. When society does not see it as a problem, neither will the government, and that is exactly what is happening. Children in prostitution have been abandoned because neither society, nor the government, have the interest to protect them. The few that protest against this problem want harsher punishment and increased enforcement, but the budget is too small to get anything done. To make matters worse, there is not enough data on teenage prostitution to make people aware of how bad it is. Throughout the years there have been very few cases found by police of juvenile prostitution and pimping. There are several instances where the cases were started, but then they were closed and were never finished. The problem of prostitution affect the whole country and without the support from everyone, improvements will never take place. When the problem is minimized, the victims' chances of escaping are scarce. It is crucial that Israeli society realize the problem they have in their nation and begin to try to make changes.

The articles are reliable because the authors discuss issues that are relevant to Israeli society. These articles are advocating a cause and some people could say that are making the problem of prostitution bigger than it is, but that is not the case. There is evidence provided for the claims and facts that are presented. We do see their point of view because what is happening is morally wrong and they are just trying to make people aware. We can do a little research and easily find that what these people are saying is true. For those reasons, the articles are trustworthy and accurate.

The Haredim

The Haredim are the ultra-Orthodox group of Jews. They try to preserve old East European Jewish traditions. They are highly religious and do not have much contact with the nonreligious world. They distinguish themselves from other groups by the way they dress and behave. Haredi men normally wear black coats, black pants and hats. Some of these men wear sashes over their coats. They also wear kippot and cover it with the hats. When it comes to hats, there is a variation in the way men wear their hats. Some men have peyot, which are the side curls, and they vary in length depending on the person. On the other hand, women have to wear clothes that cover most of their body. They have to wear long dresses or skirts. The shirts or dresses have to have long sleeves and the collar has to go up to the collar bone. Even little girls are expected to follow this dress code. Married women have to cover their hair because there is a law that says "women's hair is lust-provoking" (Rosenthal 185). They can cover their hair with hats, scarves or wigs, but the wigs have to be simple. In some haredi neighborhoods there are signs that tell women to dress modestly and not show too much skin.

All haredi groups believe Jewish law must be followed strictly. They believe the Torah is God's word and that is what guides them in how to behave and how to be a Jew (Rosenthal 187).  A lot of the laws focus on moral and ethical behavior. Aside from Jewish laws, there are also many rituals and rabbinical edicts they follow. Rituals are emphasized as a way to get closer to God. There are also rules regarding the food they eat. They can only eat kosher products. These products are marked with a kosher certificate, so they know what is good and what is not.  "Kashrut, the biblical dietary laws meant to add sanctity and hygiene to Jewish lives and help Jews maintain their identity living among non-Jewish neighbors" (Rosenthal 190). One very important law they follow is the Shabbat. Saturday is a holy day for them. on that day they do not work, do not touch money, phones, radios, do not turn on lights, stoves or use any electrical appliances, and they are not allowed to push elevator buttons. They are also not allowed to weave, sew, build, cook, write, plow, or reap (Rosenthal 191).

When it comes to family life, there are also laws that every man and women have to follow. As soon as a couple gets married they start having kids. Haredi couples tend to have many children because they believe it is God's will that they reproduce and expand. Rabbis prohibit the use of condoms and birth control pills, so that contributes to the high number of children. The average family has more than seven children and many live below the poverty line (Rosenthal 188). Many of these families depend on money from the government or charities to sustain themselves. Due to the high rate of poverty, families support each other and neighbors help each other. They borrow and give things amongst each other based on what they need. Most haredi families do not own a televison because it is believed to have a negative effect on their community. "Movies and television are full of temptations that poison family purity and give people yatzir ha-ra [the evil instinct]" (Rosenthal 189). They do not have televisions, but they are allowed to have radios. There are haredi stations that they could listen to. They do not allow their children to touch the radio so they do not change it to a nonharedi station.

There are distinctions made for men and women. Men normally study the Torah and women do not. Men devote most of their time to studying the Torah, while women are allowed to study other subjects. Men do not usually work because of the amount of time they have to take to study the Torah. Some women may work, but they usually have the money they get from the government or charity.  In recent times, some men have begun to work because of the need to support their numerous family. Instead of sticking to studying the Torah, they are going out to looks for jobs, which is frowned upon by some haredi people. In public spaces men and women are also separated. In pools they have different times for men and women. In beaches there are sections for men and women, and it is the same in buses. There is absolutely no displays of affection in any of these areas or any other public spaces. When it is time for marriage, a young woman's value is based on her looks, family religiosity, finances and connections. Both men and women marry at an early age, women from 17-20 and men from 20-23.

The haredim are a known community because of their distinct ways of living their lives. They are not only located in Israel as many may believe. The United States has many Jewish people and the haredim are a group of those people. New York is a place where some of these people are located. We can see it in the article Modesty in Ultra-Orthodox Brooklyn Is Enforced by Secret Squads by Joseph Berger. The article discusses how in the area of Brooklyn, New York, there are secret squads that go around checking that men and women follow Jewish laws regarding the way they dress. If they find someone that is not dressed the "right" way they take matters into their own hands. These groups are regular people and do not have the right to check up on anyone. 
New Yorks City suing ultra-Orthodox for posting modesty guidelines in stores by Debra Nussbaum Cohen is another article that discusses the haredim. The ultra-Orthodox put up signs directed toward women telling them to dress modestly if they go into their stores. These stores are being sued by New York's City Commission on Human Rights because they are discriminating. 
Through these articles we can see that ultra-Orthodox Jews do exist outside of Israel. They have the same ideas about the way Jews should dress and behave. Although some of them might seem to want to impose their beliefs on everyone, we have to understand that is the way they think and that is what is right for them. In Israel it would probably be okay to try to control people, but in the United States people's mentalities are different. The articles present good and accurate information and they are from prestigious sources, the New York Times and Haaretz. They are reliable because they present good arguments and they back up their claims by providing quotes from people involved. There are also links and they mention people who have soe sort of authority.

    

Dating and Mating in Israel

In Israel dating and mating is very different from what many would imagine. Israel being the "Holy Land," gives the impression that everyone is religious, but that is not the case. There are people in Israel who are religious, but there are also those who do not follow religion. The attitude of most Israelis is an open mentality in regards to dating and sexuality. The fact that they are taught to be independent and self-sufficient gives them the freedom to date and mate as they want. A woman named Alison told her experience in Israel. She was shocked at how different dating is in Israel. She said people care about totally different things than in America. She noticed religion is a big deal in Israel. In many cases religion was the factor that determined if someone was datable or not. She also noticed that they always ask question about the army, so that shows how the army is a major part of their world. Another difference form other countries is that in Israel if someone makes an invitation, they are expected to pay for everything. 

There are two major factors that contribute for such an open sexual attitude. The first is that at age 18 they have to serve in the army for a period of time. The second contributor would be the threat of suicide bombings or any other terrorist attacks that could happen at any given time. In the army anything could happen and they do not know if they will return. They do not know what the future will bring so they start to have fun as soon as they can. In the book by Donna Rosenthal we can see the Israeli Motto, "Life is uncertain, so eat your deserts first." That explains perfectly how Israelis live their lives. They do not wait for the "right" time to do things, they start as soon as possible and enjoy it as much as they can. Living by this motto helps Israelis forget about the troubles around them and allows them to live without fear. They do not have a long-term vision, they live for today. 

There is a lot of partying, flirting, touching and flirtatious comments about others. What would be considered sexual harassment in other places, is simply having fun in Israel. In areas like Tel Aviv there are even women who approach men because they are so open about dating. Tel Aviv has a mix of different cultures and men and women constantly interact, that is why it is more open to such attitudes. Sex is very common among young people. A lot of these young people do not want serious relationships so they find friends for casual sex. Many parents know they do it and they are fine with it. They understand that life is uncertain in Israel so they want their children to experience as much as they can. 

There are problems that come up with certain relationships because of the differences of each person. There are cases where one is rich and the other is not. Sometimes one's family does not accept a person because they have different ideologies. The most common reason for a relationship not to function is because of the ethnic and religious differences. That is a major problem that persists in Israel and it affects people's personal lives. There are young Jewish men forming vigilante groups to go around looking for Jewish women with Arab men. They are against interracial dating. They do not want Jewish women dating Arab men. Whether the woman is Jewish and the man Arab or the other way around, interracial relationships are kept secret because there are many who still oppose them.

Not everyone in Israel is so open to dating and sexuality though. There are religious groups who follow the rules of religion and do not have open sexual attitudes. For example the Orthodox Jews, they are much different in their dating habits. Men and women are kept separate so they never have the chance to date. Since they do not go to the army, they do not have the opportunity to interact with the opposite sex. Most of them do not engage in premarital-sex or even come in any physical contact prior to marriage. The main idea behind dating in the first place is strictly to find a spouse. They go out on dates to see if they are compatible with the other person, if they are, they marry after a few months. They do not date for fun and they do not have casual sex.

The article of Alison telling her experience in Israel is only a small article that does not have prestige so in that sense its reliability can be questioned. It can be reliable because it is her own personal experience about dating in Israel. The article with the vigilante groups gives a good idea about what goes on with interracial relationships. Its reliability could be questioned because there were only a few people involved and the reasons for chasing down Jewish women with Arab men were not clearly established. She could have also put things in a way so that the readers could understand it in the way she wanted. The matador network site can be reliable because it gives tips about what travelers should know about Israel. They probably give accurate information because visiting a whole different country is a big deal and those are important things one should know.  

     

The Palestinian Cause

The article, ‘Obama, don’t bring your smartphone to Ramallah’ by Khaled Abu Toameh, is about president Barack Obama's visit to the West Bank. The article mentions that there were posters protesting the absence of 3G communications technology in the West Bank. The said reason for the posters was to get Obama's attention to the fact that Palestinians in the West Bank do not have 3G internet service. The posters said, "President Obama, don’t bring your smart phone to Ramallah; you won’t have mobile access to Internet; we nave no 3G in Palestine!” They are not exactly sure who put up the posters. Some say local two local mobile phone companies might have done it for commercial purposes. Others think it could have been local youth groups. 

This has angered a lot of Palestinians because this 3G protest undermines the Palestinian cause. This problem is so insignificant compared to many other issues of the Palestinian cause. Focusing attention on the lack of 3G Internet creates the impression that everything is fine and there are only small problems, such as that, but the reality is that there are more important issues that need to be addressed.  The article also talks about how some Palestinian activists opposed Obama's visit because they believe he will not help their cause. Palestinians claim that Obama is simply going there as a tourist and will not get involved in any political issues. Palestinians want to pressure the U.S. administration to support them, but the Palestinian Authority is too weak and divided.

The book A History of the Arab-Israeli Conflict by Ian Bickerton and Carla Klausner, gives a great background on the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. It presents the Palestinian cause and what they are trying to achieve. To better understand some of the points the article brings out, it is important to know the problems in the area. 

The conflict between the two groups has been going on for many years and till this day is has not been resolved. Since the emergence of Israel as a Jewish state, it has found opposition in the Middle East. Jews achieved their goal of creating a Jewish nation, and the Palestinians were left without a nation of their own. This only added to the tensions and intensified the conflict. After so many years of fighting, in the 1990s it looked like there would finally be a settlement to bring peace. It worked for some time, but in 2000 the al-Aqsa Intifada occurred and the fighting resumed. The second intifada was a new wave of violence that was far worse than the previous. It was not only rock throwing, this time the Palestinian police joined in and the fighting was more intense. 

There were several reasons why Palestinians were so angry. They wanted a Palestinian state, they were not satisfied with self-rule. They also resented the expansion of Jewish settlements in occupied areas and Israeli control of their daily lives. Another thing they wanted was to allow Palestinian refugees to be able to go back to Israel. Israel in an attempt to defend itself, implemented strict economic sanctions against Palestinians, border closures and IDF checkpoints. With these implementations Palestinians could not get to work in Israel and with the checkpoints towns were isolated and imports and exports were blocked. All this disrupted the Palestinian economy and worsened their economic situation. Both sides retaliated against each other and the violence would get worse every time. Israel went as far as setting up targeted assassinations and bombed police stations and villages, in which civilians were killed. 

The Palestinian cause has in its agenda far greater problems than the lack of 3G internet service. That is why many Palestinians were upset that so much importance is given to such a small problem that does not affect them much. Due to the on going violence Palestinian infrastructure has been destroyed, making their economy worse as time goes by. Many do have lost their homes and hunger is rising as the war goes on. Many would say Palestinian organizations are terrorists and Israel is only responding to their attacks. Others might say Palestinians are only trying to improve their situation and that is why they do what they do. The truth is both, Israelis and Palestinians have reasons to act the way they have been acting and until they are able to understand each other point of view the fighting will not stop. in order for peace to be established, both sides have to make some concessions in regards to the other.

Khaled Abu Toameh's article has a simple main idea. He is reporting on how people are protesting about not having 3G internet service. The title  'Obama, don't bring your smartphone to Ramallah' is a great attention catcher because it uses "smartphone" and that is of much interest to many people today. The article almost sounds funny, but then it gets more serious as the more serious issues are addressed. Toameh presents people's point of views, but does not go into detail about what they are saying. The article is reliable because the issue presented is real and we can see that with the opinions from residents. The author presented the information accurately and since it is not a major article I do not think that too much research was required. The only problem I see is that people who know about the conflict could think he supports Palestinians because he shows how they are suffering, making them seem like the victims. 

Chaos in Syria

The article "Netanyahu on Syrian Options: 'Bad, bad and worse'," found in The Jerusalem Post, discussed a major issue in Syria. The article mentions the Bipartisan Congressional Delegation in which  three delegates from the United States met with the Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, to discuss problems with Syria regarding violence and chemical weapons. Before going into further discussion with this article, it is important to know how Syria got to the state in which it currently finds itself.

The New York Times presented a great article explaining the conflict in Syria. In 2011 residents of a small city began to protest the torture by the government, of students who put anti-government graffiti on walls. The President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad responded by attacking those protesters and that caused more protests to spread across the country. The government responded by sending tanks to cities and opened fire on demonstrators, which led to violent protests and with that, the government was able to justify an escalation of force. As the attacks dragged, soldiers began to turn against the government. As the opposition grew, they formed the Syrian National Council, which was an opposition government in exile. Soon after that, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces was formed. This was an organization that unified different opposition groups into one to gain international recognition and more financing and military aid. Britain, France and Turkey were a few of the countries that recognized the coalition, but there were several extremist Islamist groups involved in the conflict that rejected the coalition. The Unites States wanted to get approval from the United Nations to intervene in Syria, but other countries, like Russia, did not allow it. Countries helping opposition groups were concerned that the money and arms they sent could end up in the hands of extremist groups who could further destabilize Syria. As of 2013 more than 60,000 people are believed to be dead and more than 400,000 Syrian civilians have fled to neighboring countries.

As we know Syria finds itself in the middle of a civil war, in which nobody has control. The United States and Israel have made it clear that they have a "close relation in all matters, including Syria." The Prime Minster of Israel believes their close cooperation is good because together they can keep the stability of the region and Israel is more secure. According to the U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro, there are two dangerous possibilities regarding nuclear weapons in Syria. Many are worried that the regime will use chemical weapons against the Syrian people. The other worry is that chemical weapons will be transferred to extreme organizations. Those concerned about the nuclear weapons want to prevent both of those options by keeping a close watch on Syria. Israel is one country who is monitoring the situation to understand specifically what is happening with the chemical weapons to be able to respond if it is necessary. The disorder in Syria is only making the situation more complicated because they do not know who is in control, so there is not much they can do to improve conditions. President Barack Obama was asked about the situation in Syria and he did not have a clear answer on what was to be done. He just hopes that whatever they do works in favor of everyone. 

The authors' point of view is focused on reporting the news on Syria. They do not clearly state that they are on one side or the other. They report the news in a neutral way, they do not express if what Israel and the U.S. are doing is good or bad or if it is wrong for Syria to have nuclear weapons. Based on this article, we could say that they have an interest in the U.S.-Israel cooperation against Syrian nuclear power. Most people would agree that nuclear weapons in the hands of Syria at this time could result in a catastrophe. That is because everyone wants to gain control and they will go to any extent to do it, even if they have to use nuclear weapons.