| Levant-The Rising: Photographs of Israel-Palestine by Skip Schiel |
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©Skip Schiel, 2004 |
Iris, Haifa While in Haifa, I stayed overnight with Iris, her husband Yoab, and their two teenaged sons. She smokes constantly. She throws her hands around while talking, is easily distracted, and scratches her ankle scabs compulsively. She frequently interrupts our conversation to answer her cell phone. She teaches sociology at two local colleges and is well versed in the social history of Haifa. Iris and Yoab, I'm sad to conclude, seem significantly deranged, perhaps by the social and political condition of modern Palestine-Israel. Or it might be the late night coffee they were drinking. "How do your friends feel about living in Israel?" I inquired. A recent poll showed that the majority of Israelis believe the economic, social, and political situations are worsening, yet indicates few would leave. "And fear," I asked, "how does this affect you?" "Not at all, we don't fear, nor do our friends in places like Jerusalem. We have no plans to leave. Next year, however, one of our sons will study at a university in Cuba." |
