urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:efratti efratti efratti 2008-07-27T12:24:53Z urn:lj:livejournal.com:atom1:efratti:38277 2038-01-19T03:14:07Z 2008-07-27T12:24:53Z In anticipation of the upcoming US elections, journalists are bemoaning the underinvolvement of Americans in the political process.&nbsp; In contrast, one can argue that Israelis are overly engaged in politics.&nbsp; This is somewhat logical, given the stakes of the issues and the exposure and vulnerability regular citizens feel toward the outcomes.&nbsp; However, I really never expected a car rental company to have their own Land for Peace platform.&nbsp; On second thought, it&nbsp;makes sense that a car rental place would care where their car is being driven.<br /><br />Last week I had the need to rent a car, the first such opportunity while I am ~7 weeks shy of my three-year aliyah anniversary.&nbsp; I did some comparison shopping via rental car websites, soclitied a recommendation from a friend, and placed a reservation via phone with Eldan&nbsp;car rental.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Need for car: My younger sister is in Israel on a study abroad program and wanted to visit Masada, something she has not managed to do on her previous visits to Israel.&nbsp; Given the limited bus service and our job/summer school schedules, renting a car was the only viable option.&nbsp; The hike up Masada was planned for post-sunrise Fri am, with the expectation that we would return to J-m after the car rental place closes at 13:00&nbsp;and would miss&nbsp;the last buses to our shabbat destination, <em>Beitar Illit</em>, a settlement due South of Jerusalem.&nbsp; Alas, the car would take us where we needed to go.<br /><br />When retrieving the car, I had to fill out&nbsp;forms and sign a waiver that I would not drive on Highway 6, the toll road that photographs the car's license plates and&nbsp;mail's&nbsp;a bill to the car owner's home.&nbsp; Rental cars are charged&nbsp;a higher toll and the rental company adds&nbsp;a 50 NIS fee (~$14.33) in exchange for the nuisance of tracking down the car driver&nbsp;two months after returning the rented car.<br /><br />I then recalled that in addition to indicating whether I would be driving on Highway 6,&nbsp;the website wanted to me to check a box if I planned to cross the Green Line (i.e., post-1967 Israeli borders).&nbsp; I asked the attendant about crossing the Green Line.&nbsp;&nbsp;<br /><br />Lady Attendant: No, not in this car.<br /><br />Me: But that's so restrictive and ridiculous.&nbsp; And, I need the car to reach my shabbat destination.<br /><br />Lady: I'm sorry, but this car does not have the extra level of insurance need to cross the line.&nbsp; Arabs will see that you're driving a rental and they might stone you.&nbsp; We can't protect you.<br /><br />Man Attendant: Where do you want to go to?<br /><br />Me: Beitar Illit.<br /><br />MA: Oh, that's not a real settlement.&nbsp; That's a well-populated, well-established city [that is very close to the J-m city limits].&nbsp; Beitar doesn't count.<br /><br />LA: I thought you wanted to travel to Arab cities, like Bethlehem or Ramallah.&nbsp; No one will stone you if you drive to Beitar (on the Jewish road that is protected by the separation fence).<br /><br />Me: Phew, what a relief.&nbsp; So, when you refer to "crossing the Green Line" [a well-defined border], you are really referring to entering Area A, land controlled by the Palestinian Authority.<br /><br />Moral: One can debate the future of the settlements, whether they are really "inside" or "outside" of Israel, but the Green Line itself is pretty straightforward.&nbsp; It is an identifiable border and you know when you have or have not crossed it.&nbsp; For Eldan to tell me that driving outside of Israel's '67 borders to a well-established settlement does not constitute crossing the Green Line is a revisionist-nationalist policy towards Israel's borders.<br /><br />Who ever thought that&nbsp;a rental car company would take such a bold stance on politics?&nbsp; I bet the mayor of Beitar would love to hear that he is now inside the Green Line.&nbsp; I think the US Foreign Service would be less pleased.