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Methinks Israel is in for a big surprise on it’s 66th birthday….. no one is in ‘celebration mode’… or mood. The failed ‘Peace Talks’, the economic situation, the recent scandals among high government officials could be part of the reason. The ongoing crisis between Israel and Palestine is probably the main factor, people on both sides of the wall are sick and tired of the needless killing.

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In years gone by blue and white flags were visible everywhere…. on private cars, on windows and terraces….everywhere. I always thought of it as an ‘in your face’ demonstration against the people of Palestine that did NOT have a national day (or nation) to fly their flag. This year, hardly a flag is flying. Yesterday, while strolling through my neighbourhood, I counted three cars that had flags attached to their windows. In the past everyone that purchased an Israeli newspaper on Friday received a large Israeli flag as a gift, compliments of one of the major banks here….. this year this was not to be.

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THIS article from the New York Times articulates a bit on the mood in Israel and the possible reasons for it. It is dated, but still valid. The attitude of many Jews living outside of Israel is “We will celebrate when Arab and Jew live as equals in a peaceful Middle East.” That quote is taken from a letter that appeared in The Guardian a few years ago.

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Hopefully, very soon, the flags will once again fly, two of them side by side, as our two nations celebrate their independence TOGETHER .