I'm all for modern expressions of friendship. But I can't help but wonder who approved this man-on-man interpretive dance tribute to the convivial relationship between Israel and America. Bear in mind, Israel has a very traditional (read: religious) population, and there were several world leaders (including notably conservative George Bush) in the audience.
This is only a small (and fairly benign) part of the dance. View it for yourself, and feel free to indulge in the following questions for group discussion:
1) Which dancer is Israel and which is America?
2) What is the point of the dance, that we're flitting past each other, always in each other's lives but almost never actually connecting?
3) The name of the song is "You've Got a Friend." Based on the dance, should it be "You've Got a Friend (With Benefits)"?
4) Was the person who approved this dance component a) fired, b) reprimanded, c) executed, or d) forced to flee to a city of refuge?
Well, I would like to think that it was Olmert himself who requested this dance to make sure we (the audience) was too busy discussing the dance as not to notice that the Prime Minister is once again accused of breaking the laws of the country. Or at least we would be flabbergasted enough not to 'buuh' when Olmert went to the stage to deliver his speach (calling Bush "a very unusual friend")
Posted by: Karoline | May 18, 2008 at 06:42 AM
I can't believe you got this on film! I was twittering like mad while this dance was going on, just out of plain shock. I keep telling people about it, but now I can SHOW them what our country felt demonstrated to Bush the depth of our two countries' relationship.
If Karoline's theory is right, then this dance was also meant to distract us from the fact that on the opening evening, Olmert was caught on camera WINKING while we were singing the anthem. WINKING! How's that for a good example for our children?
Posted by: Miriam Schwab | May 18, 2008 at 06:50 AM