I9: Israeli Politics

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"Noo?" An informal chat in one Act

Time: One Tuesday lunch time in January 1997.

Location: A table outside one of the cafés on Rechov Ben Yehuda in Jerusalem. Five old schools friends in their early thirties meet for lunch.

Background: Sharona is recently unemployed and has a lot of time on her hands. She's never been too into politics unlike her friends. Now she wants to know more. Chaim is a dentist with three kids currently living on a religious settlement east of Jerusalem. He supports the National Regilious Party (NRP). Asher is a computer programmer and is a major in the Israeli army, he supports Likud. Leor is a vet and a staunch animal rights campaigner, he supports the Citizens Rights Movement (CRM). Rinat, now living in Tel Aviv, is a high powered business woman and supports Labour. (These parties, as well as key terms, are outlined here)

Scene: Asher runs in on the other four who have just sat down. Here is a rough translation of their conversation...

Asher: Shalom. Sorry, am I late?

Sharona: No it's OK, we haven't ordered yet.

Rinat: Always the polite one aren't you Asher, did your hard-drive crash or something? I've only got half hour and then I must get back, Israel doesn't stop for especially us you know!

Chaim: She's right. I've got so much to do and I want to get back early tonight.

Leor: You can talk, I've got to make it to Haifa by seven. I'm going on a rally.

Sharona: Look, I know you're all very busy, but we hardly see each other these days and just I wanted to chat.

Chaim: What's up, 'you got a new job? Or is it a new man?

Sharona: No, don't be silly it's not that.

Chaim: What's so silly about...

Sharona: Look, it's not about a job, I still haven't tried to find one, and it's not about men either, I just wanted to talk about... the situation. (silence, the other four glance at each other in surprise)

Leor: Would you believe it! Finally, after all these years she gets interested in politics.

Rinat: Hang on, this is Shari here, she might mean something else.

Leor: Are you kidding? "The situation" is always politics. I knew she'd get hooked in the end. You can't listen to a million late night chats and not get interested eventually.

Sharona: OK, you've had your laugh. But seriously, I'm very confused right now. Is the peace agreement going ahead or not?

Rinat: That's a good question, but it depends who you ask. If you ask me, ever since Peres and Labour lost the election, the whole thing has stagnated.

Asher: You would say that and you'd love to see Netanyahu and Likud go down, but it's not going to happen. Bibi is doing the best he can after the mess you lot left the peace process in. If we'd waited any longer, you'd have given back the whole country.

Leor: He's got a point, the territories, the Golan and a Palestinian state all up for grabs! Imagine!

Chaim: Let's not start this again. Without Rabin, everything is different. Everyone's worried and I don't want to argue. Shari, be specific.

Sharona: I will if you'll all shut up for a moment. Just tell me, one at a time, very SLOWLY, what you think is happening, OK? (Sharona grins at them all and they all relax a bit.)

Continued