By Ira Sharkansky
JERUSALEM — It’s mid-summer. Lots of people in Israel and other countries are on
holiday. Leaders of most Arab countries are either dealing with domestic
problems or worrying when the unrest will land on them. The recent humor was
news that the Syrian government has joined the ranks of those recognizing
Palestine in the 1967 boundaries with its capital in Jerusalem. At the same time
were reports about the numbers killed on the same day in Syrian cities, and
western governments pulling their diplomats out of Damascus, damning Assad for
brutality, and cozying up to Syrian ex patriots claiming to represent the
opposition. All of that amounts to de-recognition of Syria with its capital in
Damascus.
There is no war on our horizon. The latest flotilla to Gaza that was
looming a month ago has crumbled to one remaining boat, called a yacht rather
than a ship. The Israeli navy took control without anything that should require
attention of the United Nations.
looming a month ago has crumbled to one remaining boat, called a yacht rather
than a ship. The Israeli navy took control without anything that should require
attention of the United Nations.
The September session of the United Nations will still demand work from
Israeli diplomats. However, they have already done enough so that a sizable
number of western governments are telling the Palestinians to cool it. Even if
Palestinians win a vote in the General Assembly, the appropriate response will
be, “So what?”
Israeli diplomats. However, they have already done enough so that a sizable
number of western governments are telling the Palestinians to cool it. Even if
Palestinians win a vote in the General Assembly, the appropriate response will
be, “So what?”
Politics must fill the vacuum. In a country where the serious politics
usually focuses on national security and the tactics of negotiating with
Palestinians and other Arabs, our summer has been filled first with
demonstrations about the price of cottage cheese and now housing. Young people
are setting up tents in several cities, and claiming they must live there due to
the high prices for buying or renting apartments. Politicians are moving from
cottage cheese to housing, and competing with expressions of concern and
detailed plans, some of which seem to have been formulated while moving from car
to microphone.
usually focuses on national security and the tactics of negotiating with
Palestinians and other Arabs, our summer has been filled first with
demonstrations about the price of cottage cheese and now housing. Young people
are setting up tents in several cities, and claiming they must live there due to
the high prices for buying or renting apartments. Politicians are moving from
cottage cheese to housing, and competing with expressions of concern and
detailed plans, some of which seem to have been formulated while moving from car
to microphone.
If one bothers to plow through the populistic verbiage of politicians and
media personalities, and looks past the well-padded students who are prominent
in the housing protests, it is possible to find some serious issues.
media personalities, and looks past the well-padded students who are prominent
in the housing protests, it is possible to find some serious issues.
Cottage cheese comes mostly from two firms, which buy their raw material
from an agricultural sector well protected from competition. Enough said.
Reports are that cottage cheese and other prepared foods are considerably more
expensive than in the United States or Western Europe. Some may feel that
Israeli cottage cheese is tastier, but not by that much.
from an agricultural sector well protected from competition. Enough said.
Reports are that cottage cheese and other prepared foods are considerably more
expensive than in the United States or Western Europe. Some may feel that
Israeli cottage cheese is tastier, but not by that much.
Housing is more complex. It reflects a sector squeezed between public land
ownership, with a government bureaucracy having its own criteria for deciding
what to lease for which purposes, three levels of planning authorities that may
object to the details of what will be built after the planners of the Lands
Authority have had their turn, plus taxes that take account of a building’s
location, its use, how many apartments are owned by each taxpayer, as well as
whether an apartment will be rented, purchased by the occupant, or used for
something other than a residence.
ownership, with a government bureaucracy having its own criteria for deciding
what to lease for which purposes, three levels of planning authorities that may
object to the details of what will be built after the planners of the Lands
Authority have had their turn, plus taxes that take account of a building’s
location, its use, how many apartments are owned by each taxpayer, as well as
whether an apartment will be rented, purchased by the occupant, or used for
something other than a residence.
Israel has been moving from socialism to free enterprise over the course of
several decades, but housing still has a way to go. There has been no great
immigration like that from the former Soviet Union that produced a significant
shortage in the supply of housing 20 years ago. However, young people continue
to leave their parents’ home, couple-up, and look for a place of their
own.
several decades, but housing still has a way to go. There has been no great
immigration like that from the former Soviet Union that produced a significant
shortage in the supply of housing 20 years ago. However, young people continue
to leave their parents’ home, couple-up, and look for a place of their
own.
Some of the professionals in the Finance Ministry who decide about these
things along with professionals in the Ministry of Housing and Construction, the
Lands Authority, and municipal governments may remember what happened in the
United States, and spilled over to other countries, when politicians did what
they could to make it easier for poor people to buy homes.
things along with professionals in the Ministry of Housing and Construction, the
Lands Authority, and municipal governments may remember what happened in the
United States, and spilled over to other countries, when politicians did what
they could to make it easier for poor people to buy homes.
Reports are that the long period of work sanctions by physicians is
approaching resolution. However, segments of the profession not happy with what
they hear from negotiators are threatening to walk of their jobs.
approaching resolution. However, segments of the profession not happy with what
they hear from negotiators are threatening to walk of their jobs.
In these relatively dull days of an Israeli summer without the immediate
threat of war, it is appropriate to reveal what appears to be one of the
country’s secrets: Jerusalem’s has world class weather. I will reproduce the
averages for temperature maximums and minimums, and monthly rainfall. I’ll even
report them in Fahrenheit and inches for my American readers.
threat of war, it is appropriate to reveal what appears to be one of the
country’s secrets: Jerusalem’s has world class weather. I will reproduce the
averages for temperature maximums and minimums, and monthly rainfall. I’ll even
report them in Fahrenheit and inches for my American readers.
| January | 53.0 °F | 39.0 °F | 5.60 in |
| February | 56.0 °F | 40.0 °F | 4.50 in |
| March | 61.0 °F | 43.0 °F | 3.90 in |
| April | 70.0 °F | 49.0 °F | 1.20 in |
| May | 77.0 °F | 54.0 °F | 0.10 in |
| June | 82.0 °F | 59.0 °F | |
| July | 84.0 °F | 63.0 °F | |
| August | 84.0 °F | 63.0 °F | |
| September | 82.0 °F | 61.0 °F | 0.00 in |
| October | 77.0 °F | 57.0 °F | 0.90 in |
| November | 66.0 °F | 49.0 °F | 2.70 in |
| December | 57.0 °F | 42.0 °F | 4.30 in |
My international searches for moderate summers and winters, low humidity,
plus modest and concentrated rain found few places as good as Jerusalem.
Northern California is a competitor, but its politics make it unattractive for
someone like me.
plus modest and concentrated rain found few places as good as Jerusalem.
Northern California is a competitor, but its politics make it unattractive for
someone like me.
Why the secret? Probably because it is limited to Jerusalem and a few other
spots in the mountains. The coast is ghastly in the summer although decent in
the winter, and the south is more like Arizona than any place inhabitable.
spots in the mountains. The coast is ghastly in the summer although decent in
the winter, and the south is more like Arizona than any place inhabitable.
Jerusalem is not perfect. Midday in its summer is one of the former
colonial places that spawned the observation that only mad dogs and Englishmen
can be found outside. The city has suffered from the out migration of Jewish
residents since records began to be assembled. A prominent reason is economic.
There are more jobs in the center of the country that attract people who place
weather lower than income in their preferences. Another reason is variously
described as aesthetic, social, or cultural. Read than as antipathy to Arabs and
the ultra-Orthodox, who together comprise a majority of the city’s
population.
colonial places that spawned the observation that only mad dogs and Englishmen
can be found outside. The city has suffered from the out migration of Jewish
residents since records began to be assembled. A prominent reason is economic.
There are more jobs in the center of the country that attract people who place
weather lower than income in their preferences. Another reason is variously
described as aesthetic, social, or cultural. Read than as antipathy to Arabs and
the ultra-Orthodox, who together comprise a majority of the city’s
population.
I have no intention of migrating, either for economic or other reasons. I
report what I hear, often from well-educated and appropriately leftist friends
and colleagues on their way to suburbs with few Arabs or ultra-Orthodox.
report what I hear, often from well-educated and appropriately leftist friends
and colleagues on their way to suburbs with few Arabs or ultra-Orthodox.
There is one population group that I find offensive, and it brings us back
to the shortage of housing. They are well off absentees, typically from France
or the United States, who aspire to own a home in Israel which they visit during
the holiday periods from Rosh Hashana through Succot, and again for Pesach. They
have the resources to attract the efforts of building contractors, and have
produced areas that are largely empty for much of the year. Locals who own
apartments in buildings along with them have the problems of deciding and
managing upkeep while the absentees do little more than complain about what was
not done, or why it wasn’t done like they do it in Paris or on Long
Island.
to the shortage of housing. They are well off absentees, typically from France
or the United States, who aspire to own a home in Israel which they visit during
the holiday periods from Rosh Hashana through Succot, and again for Pesach. They
have the resources to attract the efforts of building contractors, and have
produced areas that are largely empty for much of the year. Locals who own
apartments in buildings along with them have the problems of deciding and
managing upkeep while the absentees do little more than complain about what was
not done, or why it wasn’t done like they do it in Paris or on Long
Island.
These are grumbles of an aging political scientist who stays active by
pondering the problems of a place often at the center of controversy. As a
pensioner, he can stay inside between early morning and evening all summer long,
except when there is something he really wants to do.
pondering the problems of a place often at the center of controversy. As a
pensioner, he can stay inside between early morning and evening all summer long,
except when there is something he really wants to do.
*
Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. He may be
contacted at ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com
Sharkansky is professor emeritus of political science at Hebrew University. He may be
contacted at ira.sharkansky@sdjewishworld.com