From Mondoweiss – In the summer of 1998, I became a Bar Mitzvah at the Western Wall in occupied east Jerusalem. Sixteen years later, during Israel’s latest assault on the Gaza Strip, I attended an event billed as a prayer vigil for the well-being of Israeli soldiers in Gaza.
The Western Wall is a favorite for tourists and setting for countless photo-ops for politicians seeking the political blessing of Israel’s right-wing leadership. Part of a highly secured plaza, the Wall sits where the old city’s Moroccan Quarter once existed before Israeli forces demolished it shortly after its capture in 1967.
At the prayer vigil, I expected a somber mood. However, I found a tense atmosphere in which every Israeli I spoke to spouted some amount of racist and hyper-violent rhetoric.
The content I gathered portrays something of the besieged mentality and anti-Arab racism that is foundational in Israeli society. Though there is no shortage of horrifying moments, perhaps most mind-boggling is the claim to desire peace while being openly racist and inciting violence against Arabs on camera. more
Uprooted Palestinian 
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