Ronen.Dvarim — Deuteronomy – projects, pictures and words

If you are in Amsterdam please come, and tell friends that you think will be interested. The video can been viewed on http://www.visualcorrespondents.com from the 15.04.08. Their will also be a nice small interview with me. check it out!

For those of you who read dutch, the video and texts: volkskrant.nl/oog

Visual Foreign Correspondents hereby invites you to come to the launch of the sixth issue during the Globalised Crystal Ball, the international debating program in de Balie Amsterdam On the 15th April 2008

In the old town of Weimar, Ronen Eidelman built an armoured jeep, commonly used by the Israeli border police (magav). A closer look betrays that it is a two-dimensional model, a fake, similar to the historic buildings of Weimar, which through historical manipulations try to recreate the town as the romantic Disneyland of the East, devoid of its questionable World War II past. Like the touristy postcard perfection of Weimar, the ubiquity of security and control mechanisms works as a façade. Both function as cover-ups for what is really underneath….

Ronen is an artist, writer and activist. He has participated in many self-organized exhibitions and festivals, founded and edited over five cultural, art and political journals/magazines and produced many events linking art, culture and grassroots politics. For the past ten years Ronen has been active in anti-occupation and anti-capitalist direct action groups.

The Globalised Crystal Ball #6
The Military-Strategic Future Predicted

In 2004 the United Nations published A more secure world: Our shared responsibility, which advised the international community how to tackle common threats. The report suggests that it is time for a new security consensus, one in which “we all share responsibility for each other’s security. And the test of that consensus will be action”.

Speakers are:
Thomas P.M. Barnett is senior Managing Director at Enterra Solutions.
Andrew Small works for the German Marshall Fund in Brussels since 2006 as the co-ordinator of work on China and transatlantic relations.
Awil Mohamoud is a political scientist and the founding director of SAHAN research & advice bureau.

http://www.debalie.nl/

Location
De Balie
Klein Gartmanplantsoen 10
Amsterdam
Tuesday the 15th of April at 20.00

All the photos from the project The Israeli Border police (Magav) in Weimar can be viewed (also in high-rez) with descriptions at my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maarav/sets/72157603830651117

The videos can be seen at on youtube: http://www.youtube.com/user/amhaaretz

Magav in front of the salon (my house)

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hey, hello…
these are the comments made by the woman from the LandesverwaltungsAmt (Gauforum) made in regard to the jeep being parked on their property:
First, that all the property is theirs and public art is great, but you should ask for permission…
Then, that the Gauforum has such an ugly history in itself that they need to watch out about what messages are being sent and that she didn’t understand what this Russian military jeep is supposed to mean.
also, that recently the public access to the building, which was always permitted has been removed and quite a few people were upset about it. in these regards this symbol of military protection might be seen within that context…and could cause further reactions from the public.

oh, she also was warning about a possible problem with the police in case your shopping cart was ’stolen’ from a supermarket….
i think that was roughly it.
see u
Catherine

Magav in front of the German National Theatre

The photos from the project The Israeli Border police (Magav) in Weimar can be viewed (also in high-rez) with descriptions at my Flickr account: http://www.flickr.com/photos/maarav/sets/72157603830651117/

Original photo of jeep: Activestills.org
Photos: Anna Gierster, Catherine Grau, Laura Straßer, Nicolas Vionnet and Mike Young.
Videos: Kristina Draskovic and Catherine Grau.
Thanks!

I wanted to bring The Israeli border police in Weimar, the standard armored jeep that the border police uses to patrol would escort me in my daily life in town. I examine what such an action brings, how the presence of a militarized police force from Israel in a small quiet East German place would be perceived. Would it produce fear, antagonism, discomfort or maybe understanding and sympathy? The site of the Star of David is never neutral on the streets of Germany, all the more so when it is painted on an armored jeep.
Not surprisingly, I could not bring a real jeep to Weimar. Instead, I built a two- dimensional life size cut out (like the fake police cars that deter driver from speeding). The cutout can do the same job that a real jeep can do and invoke the discussion I would like to create. Some people might recognize the jeep as an Israeli border police; others, who are less familiar with the situation in Israel/Palestine might not have any reference and not know the origin of the jeep. But all will recognize that it is a militarized jeep. This fake militarized jeep, I feel, will also bring another useful element to the discussion. The fake jeep, the two-dimensional façade barley standing on its wooden frame, is very much like the fake façades of Weimar’s historic building. The façades, historical manipulations, and the cultural cloning wish to suggest authenticity, but they do have to be really convincing to fulfill their purpose and to create in Weimar the romantic Disneyland of the east. In the same way, security can work as a façade. It does not really have to be convincing, you don’t need expensive systems, trained personnel, intelligence, and expertise. What is needed is a pretense of security, feeling of security, the knowing of its being and the statement that it is present.
Background information:
Many times, I’ve been asked if I’m scared to live in Weimar. This question is usually asked by people who don’t live in Weimar; people from West Germany, around Europe and also at home, in Israel. The “wild east” has a reputation for being dangerous for foreigners; East Germany is perceived as being xenophobic and not welcoming to non-Germans. There have been many cases of fascist hooligans attacking non-ethnic Germans in the former GDR, but I personally feel very safe. I have no fear walking the streets alone at night and I’m very comfortable in my environment. So, I find myself many times having to explain my situation, share my perception of safety, but then also have to rethink how safe I really am.
Not being dark skinned is a major factor in my sense of security; people of dark skin and non-European looking people (Asians, Arabs) are more likely to be attacked. So as long as I keep my mouth shut, and conceal my identity I’m pretty safe. But, what if I want to be public? What if I don’t want to hide my identity?
The German state provides twenty-four-hour police protection at synagogues and many other Jewish institutions; even dead Jews need protections with some Jewish cemeteries patrolled by police regularly against Desecration. This protection is to provide security both from far right wing neo-Nazi groups and from extreme Islamic groups. This protection is provided because there is a reason; there have been many attacks in the past on Jewish institutions. Also, individuals have been attacked and Jewish kids in Germany today hide their identity by not wearing Kippas (skullcaps), concealing Star of David chains and not speaking Hebrew publicly. So, do I need to be provided with security if I want to be publicly Jewish? Should I ask the German police to protect me?
The problem is that I don’t trust the German police. Unquestionably, the German police has a very poor record of protecting foreigners and Jews historically. But also currently, they have not been doing a very good job. Last year, in August, for example, a brutal mob attacked eight Indians in eastern German town of Muegelna and the police still have made no arrests . But even worse, there have been cases where police officers themselves acted murderously violent against foreigners, like in the cases of Oury Jalloh in Dessau, or Layé Konde in Bremen who were murdered by the German police while in police custody.
So if I need protection, to be defended, maybe it should be provided by my own country. The state of Israel claims that its mandate is not only to provide security to the citizens of Israel but to Jews in danger anywhere in the world. The security forces of the state will fight anti-Semitism anywhere and help Jews in danger anywhere anyplace. The border police is part of the states security forces and one of its main missions is providing internal security, “The operational arm of the Israel Police for combating terrorism and public disturbances and for providing ongoing security.” Bringing the border police to Weimar to do their task would be a good solution for my fear. But the border police in Israel also have a very vicious side. They have a well deserved reputation for violent treatment of minorities and underprivileged people both in Israel and the Palestinian territories. In addition to the daily harassments on the streets, during demonstrations and direct actions, while exercising their democratic rights, demonstrators get beaten, tear gassed, shot with live and rubber bullets and arrested by these forces, whose mission should be to protect citizens not to attack them. I myself was in many of these confrontations with the border police, and when I see them now patrolling the streets I don’t feel safe for myself or for my neighbors. Still, I decided to bring the Israeli border police to Weimar. Because of the unusual situation, the unique relationship between Israel and Germany and of course the catastrophic past, because of the place Israel’s security forces plays in the discourse about security and militarism, and because of my uncertain and confused feelings I have as a foreigner and Jew living in Weimar, I’m intrigued to find out what such an action would bring.