Official diplomatic relations between the two countries may be at a nadir, but young citizens on both sides are finding common ground on Internet chat boards. Says a blogger: "We have tons of things in common. We come from two of the most liberal, educated countries in the Middle East...."
Also: Read the back story on that infamous picture of Israeli girls writing on rocket shells.
Here's part of the 'back story':
The little girls shown drawing with felt markers on the tank missiles are residents of Kiryat Shmona, which is right on the border with Lebanon. And when I say "on the border," I'm not kidding; there's little more space between their town and Southern Lebanon than there is between the back gardens of neighbouring houses in a wealthy American suburb.
No, how close is it really?
Well, there's a famous story in Israel, from the time when the Israeli army occupied Southern Lebanon: a group of soldiers stationed inside southern Lebanon used their mobile phones to order pizza from Kiryat Shmona and have it delivered to the fence that separates the two countries.
The internets are a fine way for people to jump around government political bullshit and talk directly to other people. Maybe that's why many governments are trying to suppress it. Ya think? After all, treating people like mushrooms* is 90% of their game plan. They haven't figured out the other 10% yet.
Of course, in Israel and Lebanon, they may try to suppress it with a Katyusha or an air strike. Look for this tactic in this country soon.
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