Image via Wikipedia

As a busy internet entrepreneur I rarely take the opportunity to be where the news is happening — and in Israel there’s a news story on almost every corner. However, when I heard Vice President Joe Biden was coming to Tel Aviv Unviersity, I couldn’t resist catching a glimpse of the Obama administration in action.

Cross-Posted at Sababi Blog:

Unfortunately, Vice President Joe Biden’s speech at Tel Aviv University today was anything but ground breaking. In an effort to smooth the ruffled feathers of Jews in both Israel and the United States, Biden filled his speech with old school Zionist rhetoric and Jewish centric mantras playing right into Netanyahu’s hands. If the United Stated intends to be the “true friends,” as Biden called the two states today, then the Obama administration is going to have to do a lot more than simply condemn the Israeli government’s plans–the United States must also part with the old Zionist rhetoric that degrades the Israeli democracy by alienating the Arab-Israeli population, weakens the Israeli left and rots out any chance of a truly sustainable peace.

The Demographic Dilemma

If you’ve ever been to a pro-Israel lecture, you’ve probably heard about the demographic dilemma.  The premises is simple: the Arab population is growing faster than the Jewish population in the State of Israel — creating a threat to the Jewish identity of the State of Israel.

While this 1950s rhetoric has continued to be popular amongst right-wing Jewish leaders, I was shocked that Biden used the demographic dilemma to make a case for a two-state solution. And I quote: “It’s no secret the demographic realities make it increasingly difficult for Israel to remain both a Jewish homeland and a democratic country in the absence of the Palestinian state.”

As Biden mentioned, Israel’s democracy deserves praise. In addition to being comprised of people from vastly different cultures–as Biden mentioned–over 20% of Israel’s population are Israeli-Arabs, or Palestinians.  Surely a large portion of these residents want nothing more than a Palestinian state, however many Arab-Israelis have come to embrace Israel not just as a democratic state, but as a Jewish one as well.

Exhibit A: A recent poll published by the Maagar Mochot research institution revealed that nearly half of Jewish-Israeli high school students do not believe Israeli Arabs are entitled to the same rights as Israelis, and more than half feel Arabs should not be allowed to run for the Knesset. On the other hand, “half of Arab-Israeli youth see themselves as Israelis and 72% of Arab youth feel part of the state, a similar proportion of “accept Israel’s right to exist as a Jewish and democratic state” (only available in Hebrew).

Exhibit B: The Arab-Israeli woman sitting next to me, who upon hearing Biden’s remarks about the demographic dilemma, scoffed at the idea that an increasing Arab population will mean the end to the Jewish state.

Shortly after his remarks about the demographic dilemma, Biden proceeded to tell a personal story about his experience with Zionism:

I had said in a speech in the United States some years ago for which I got some criticism, I said were I a Jew, I would be a Zionist. And it got a lot of national publicity, how could I say that, until I was reminded by my father you need not be a Jew to be a Zionist.

While this story illustrates Biden’s wholehearted intentions to support the Jewish people, coupled with his statements about the demographic dilemma Biden’s remarks ended up alienating one of the most important populations for the peace process — Israeli-Arabs. If the United States intends to be “the friends that delivers the hardest truth,” the Obama Administration must also publicly acknowledge the strategic role Israeli-Arabs play in the peace process and deliver speeches for the entire population of Israel–not just the Jewish one.

While the core of Biden’s visit has been focused on Netanyahu’s latest plan to build 1,600 new apartments in a Jewish neighborhood in disputed east Jerusalem, Biden failed to acknowledge the current demolition of Arab homes in Sheikh Jarrah and bolster the efforts of thousands of Israelis who have been protesting the demolition in East Jerusalem for the past month, many of which are Tel Aviv Unvierstiy students.

Definitely disappointed, and even a little suprised, I felt a sense dejavu ascending and the memory of the Bush administration’s policy towards Israel coming to haunt me. As an Israeli-American citizen and Zionist, I truly hope that the Obama administration won’t stop at publicly condemning Israel, but will use more powerful tactics to provoke Israel to make the big changes that a prospective peace depends on.

In honor of Change.org’s Blog Action Day, I combed social networks and blogs for the Top 10 Climate Change Videos. The response was astounding and I’ve highlighted here the Top 10. Please let me know which videos you liked and share them with your friends! Thanks to everyone who made and helped me find these great videos.

Top 10 Climate Change Videos

1. “A New Sound – Green For All”

Who: Green for All – “Green For All is a national organization working to build an inclusive green economy strong enough to lift people out of poverty.”

Where: Found thanks to Tova Ramer on the Compassionate Action Network (Ning).

Why: This in-your-face video starts off rather jarring, grabbing your attention with effective sound and cinematography–but that’s just the beginning. The best part about this Top 10 Climate Change Video is that it provides a solution, the green economy, and makes a connection between climate change and lifting people out of poverty, Green for All’s mission.

2.”Face the Music”

Who: Oxfam -”A confederation of 14 organizations working with over 3,000 partners in more than 70 countries to find lasting solutions to poverty and injustice.”

Where: Found by searching viddler, a video hosting alternative to YouTube.

Why: Using colorful animation and sounds, this video is effectively communicates the difference between developing and developed countries’ contribution to climate change. I especially love this video because you don’t need to know English to get the message. This video reaches across many boundaries in a fun and straight forward way making it a Top 10 Climate Change Video.

3. “David Keith’s unusual climate change idea”

Who: David Keith – Environmental Scientist at the University of Calgary and Canadian Geographic’s Environmental Scientist of the Year in 2006.

Where: TED.com

Why: Of course, who doesn’t love a TED talk — especially one about creating a huge ash cloud to deflect the sun’s rays. Out of this world.

4. “The Big Ask“

Who: The Big Ask is a campaign started by Friends of the Earth Europe that brings together people from 18 countries, all with the goal of getting their countries to reduce carbon emissions 40% by 2020.

Where: I found this heart wrenching video via Max Gladwell.

Why: Big real and virtual impact. When this video was created on August 10, 2009, more than 6,000 people took part in the recording of video clip in Ostende on the Belgian coast, making it the largest climate change event ever organized in Belgium.

5. “Stop Global War-Ming”

Who: A group of hopeful youngsters who want the world to divert massive defense resources into a world-wide joint effort to restore the planet.

Where: 1minutetosavetheworld.com – A short film competition on climate change inviting entrants and viewers from all over the world.

Why: This video shows how entering online contests can help virally spread a good video and a great message. By joining the 1minutetosavetheworld.com video contest, these kids were able to virally share their climate change cause and engage people around the globe. Way to go!

6. Al Gore’s Introductory Tour of Google Earth’s climate change tour

Who: Google Earth – An amazing 3D program that lets you travel anywhere on earth and view satellite images, maps, and 3D street views.

Where: YouTube.

Why: Just released three days ago, Google Earth’s climate change tour helps drive home the need to act now by helping people visualize the effects of climate change now and in coming years. A must download and share.

7. “Flat”

Who: Nitsana Bellehesen – Breast Fest Film Festival

Where: Nitsana Bellehesen showed this video at the Hub Tel Aviv, an incubator for social entrepreneurs in Israel (and my office).

Why: I love this futuristic view of how pollution is affecting our bodies. As a part of the Brest Fest Film Festival, this video is a call to action! Today is the LAST DAY to vote for your favorite film (I hope you’ll vote for FLAT) — so be a part of Blog Action Day and help spread the word about the effects of pollution on humanity’s future by voting now!

8. Sir David Attenborough: The Truth About Climate Change

Who: The legendary broadcaster and naturalist Sir David Attenborough.

Where: Television and the YouTube via ToughLoveforX.

Why: I love David Attenborough. Something so soothing about his approach, even when the subject is nothing less than alarming.

9. “The Most Terrifying Video You’ll Ever See”

Who: Greg Craven

Where: YouTube

Why: Over 7.5 million views. This brilliant viral marketing campaign  led to over 7 million views and a book deal for the creator. While the content is well thought out, logical and unique ( l like the homemade quirky feel), the title itself is enough to generate big traffic. Keep this kind of title copy in mind if you’re trying to mass market a video or article and you’re sure to see results.

10.  Neglected SkyAward: Winner in the 5th Annual Media That Matters Film Festival

Who: John Cooney and Citizens for Global Solutions

Where: Media That Matters Film Festival

What: Fast paced animation, simple and effective.

Since I’ve decided to take my blogging skills to a new level and join the league of video bloggers in January 2010, I’ve been combing the web for socially responsible videos and caring online communities.

Today I came across the Alliance of Youth Movements, an organiztion that seeks to “positively empower leaders to affect nonviolent change in the world by creating and promoting use of technological tools to advance freedom, human rights, democracy, and development around the world.” In addition to hosting AOYM summits, they have over 100 how to videos for virtual community organizers.

Here is a sample and my favorite of the day:

I’m gearing up for Change.org’s Blog Action Day on October 15th 2009. These kind of group blogging events are a great way to increase traffic to your site, connect with new people and of course, support a worthy cause (more than worthy, necessary–life threatening). Of course, you do need a blog to participate, but beyond that it’s simple to end global warming.

Check out change.org’s promotional video here and join in:

Today, I tweet, stumble, subscribe, blog, share, link and do the web 2.0 boogie as a profession and as a hobby. But, I don’t just do it for any reason–I do it to create and contribute to a community of social change agents and I invite you to  join me.

As a communications consultant for non-profit organizations and socially responsible businesses, my work involves creating communities around great ideas. Every day I come across valuable tools for people and organizations working for social change and I plan on sharing them with you here, on my blog. I hope that through my writings you will be able to find constructive commentary, information and connections that will help you create a community around your social change ventures.

Please contribute to this blog, as this is a place for community–so join in. I’m not just writing for myself–even though I often think so–I’m writing to help others on their path and to learn something as well.

Please share your social ventures or social change tools with me by contacting me at: alisonramer@gmail.com. If they’re any good, I’d be glad to feature them here.

About the Author

Alison Ramer is a communications consultant, writer and social entrepreneur based in Tel Aviv, Israel.

Since the project aims to help build a vision for the future, “the main protagonists of the project [were] young people, those most defenseless builders of the future and, perhaps, those least intoxicated by the poisonous fumes of reciprocal acts of war and terrorism.”

Together the students of two schools, Aviv Secondary School in Raanana, Israel and Al Sadia Secondary School in Qalqilia, Palestine, created the animated film “Pace of Peace”, “which portray their thoughts, hopes and expectations for the future and the cohabitation of their two nations.” The film had also the artistic supervision of the most prestigious Italian authors, Giulio Gianini and Emanuele Luzzati, twice Oscar nominees.

Enjoy their vision for peace. It’s sure to put a smile on your face : ) .

This beautiful piece was created by Alice Mason.

It is based on the writer Carol Drinkwater, who wrote all the Olive books and in her book the Olive Route, she writes about olive trees and the issues in Israel and Palestine.

Launched in 2005, Ma’an News Agency (MNA) … is among the most browsed websites in the Palestinian territories, with over 3 million visits per month. Considered the main source of independent news from Palestine, MNA has become the first choice for online information for many Palestinians, and is also attracting a growing international readership and interest from prominent international news organizations and agencies.

Ma’an News Agency is an integral part of Ma’an Network, a non-profit media organization founded in 2002 to strengthen professional independent media in Palestine, build links between local, regional and international media, and consolidate freedom of expression and media pluralism as keys to promoting democracy and human rights.

Unfortunately MNA doesn’t have an RSS feed and I have to make a little added effort to go to their site. However, they do regularly update their facebook page and tweet on twitter. The content is written well and covers unique stories that I haven’t found any where else on the web.

Today I was especially surprised to find that only MNA was covering the opening of the Gaza Strip’s commercial crossings. The story is especially important since the crossings haven’t been opened all at once since June 2007 and signals a change in the relationship between Israel and Hamas.

And that’s where Sascha Baron Cohen comes in. In his much anticipated film, Bruno, he travels to Israel as a gay Austrian journalist and interviews unknowing political officials and passers by. As usual, he has a way of asking just the right questions and poking fun in just the right places.

In my favorite clip so far, Bruno interviews Yossi Alpher, former Mossad Cheif, and Ghassan Khatib, a former Palestinian Minister. He asks the former Mossad Chief, “Vy are you so anti-Hamas? Isn’t pita bread the real enemy?”.

And if you really get going, and want to enjoy more Bruno, you should check out the Digg interview below. Here Bruno tackles tough questions like, “What’s a better accessory for a lady in today’s modern world? A gay best friend or an African baby?” and my favorite “What do you think was Hitler’s impact on military fashion?” Take a look, you must–it’s priceless.

In Israel, even though Israel and Jordan have “cold peace” (as international relations buffs call it), Israelis and Jordanians rarely cross cultures. However “Risalat Insan,” produced by “Al Amal,” a Jordanian foundation, strengthens my hope that a real peace is beginning to be established.

“Risalat Insan”
Written by Karim Al Iraqi
Composed and arranged by Ayman Abdallah
Performed Diana Karazon