Book Review: I Am Not a Spy, by Michael Bassin

As I already mentioned in a previous post, Jews in Gulf States, many in countries until a couple of years only, rabid critics of Israel, are anything surprising or new. Most of them were brought there by contracts in the oil industry or various architectural projects developed in the area, and they succeeded to keep their identity hidden while little by little creating a kind of discrete normality of celebrating Jewish holidays and various events. 

Most of those Jews are mostly for work and getting openly involved in public diplomacy initiatives is out of question, for various reasons - personal security being one of them. However, the young Michael Bassin made a different decision. As a young American Jew he decided to educate himself and then discover with his own eyes and mind the Arab world in order to eventually change the conflict in the Middle East. Obviously the conflict concerns more than the local Israeli-Palestinian conflict as third-part actors from the region are always getting involved with money and propagandistic support against Israel - which doesn't mean necessarily on behalf of the Palestinians. 

Michael Bassin started to learn Arabic and applies to scholarships in Arab countries. He is open about being Jewish even though it means that automatically he is the target of suspicions and various verbal abuses. He has to say more than once: 'My name is Michael and I am not a spy'. Which does not mean that his fellow students will really believe he is not one. Ignorance, brainwashing and the comfort of an easy mind are what convinces more than having an open mind and trying to understand the other person, be it him an 'enemy'. Those students are not better than the people from the poor countryside indoctrinated by thei religious leaders to hate the Jews. Jews are the most convenient enemy in this area and when things go awry or wrong they are the one to target, even many of them never seen any in real life. And someone apparently so nice and genuine as Michael Bassin, they are going through an existential crisis because could a Jew be trusted? A classical circle of hate and denial which is not only specific to this geographical region but I've personally encountered among middleclass Europeans as well. 

After spending more than enough time studying or travelling through the Middle East, Bassin decided to put his experience and language skills in the service of the peace. Where else can he learn better about the conflict than in Israel ? He is enrolling in the IDF, trying to grasp the conflict from inside. And there are many lessons learn from this, including the fact that sometimes, people may come along much better than the news about the conflict shows - for instance the fact that repairing your car in a Palestinian village is saving time and deliver quality to the inhabitants of Efrat. 

I've personally found the first part of the book - featuring the experiences in the Arab-speaking realm more entertaining and interesting - but it could be because I am more hungry for those experiencec than for things that I've personally experienced already in Israel.

Written partly as a travelogue, partly as a memoir, I Am Not a Spy by Michael Bassin is an useful yet easy reading for anyone curious to understand the basics of the tensions in the region and the slim although realistic chances of a certain change in the next decades. 

Rating: 3 stars

Jews in the Gulf?

A couple of years ago, a friend of mine, herself Jewish, told me that she just attended a bar mitzvah celebration in Dubai. With an American or other non-Israeli passport, is not that difficult to enter the Kingdom and I've been more than once told about Jews visiting the Kingdom and about even more who would love to experience the shopping adventures in one of the many high-end malls.

Now, the Jews in the Gulf, discretely and taking into consideration security concerns, are going out in the media light. If the media portrayed them it means also that it is much safer than a couple of years ago to do so and that there is a certain gentlemen's agreement regarding their presence. After all, in comparison with many other monoteistic religions, Judaism doesn't practice and encourage prozelytism therefore, at least from the religious point of view. However, this does not affect the decades of brainwashing of the many generations of locals living here, as well as the people from all over the Arab countries and region living, working or studying here. (More about this in a coming book review)

Is it safe, recommended, good for Jews to live in Dubai, other than for financial reasons? To visit this place, enjoying the lavish high-tech life and architecture? Curiosity is always a good incentive to start something new or completely out of common. I personally have a lot of second/third/fifth thoughts about going to a place officially preaching against Jews and Israel. I'm pretty familiar with anti-Semitism and I don't need any more examples of how far you can go in shaping and spreading a political and social/educational discourse focused on the hate against people that you hardy know. 

Things are changing, especially politically - although from the religious point of view there will be never a sincere approach to Judaism - and countries like Oman, Bahrain are becoming more clear in their tolerance towards Jews and especially Israel. There are some circumstances dictating such an approach, mainly the need to counter the overwhelming influence Iran and its cronies are trying to spread in the region. Which also means that expecting wonders - although we are in the time of Hanukka - is unrealistic. But at least it can plant the seeds of a potential change for good. One day. Not today, tomorrow or in a year.