Eric Orner is a cartoonist and animation artist. A recent graphic short story of his about life in Tel Aviv, “Weekends Abroad” is featured in Houghton Mifflin’s
Best American Comics 2011. Eric’s work also appears in the recently released book from Scholastic,
The Letter Q.
14 responses
As a resident of the same neighbourhood as Eric, this is spot on. Very sharp.
How sad.
Finally someone deals directly and honestly with the human costs of settlements on a neighborhood level. Orner’s piece is not only funny and sad, but it also by literally exposing the facades created by developers and settlers, it shows us – graphically – the truth…Glitzy Old Testament Land! Here’s hoping that we see more of Eric Orner’s work on the Rumpus. We need more fearlessness like this.
Thanks! Please help us get the word out. We need more links to this article.
Strong piece, great art. But let’s not forget that this sort of thing, sad as it may be, happens all over the world. Urban universities in the U.S., for instance, kick lower income families out of their homes to put up glitzy new labs, studios, and classrooms for their students. Which isn’t to say it’s right. But if Israel’s takes heat for this, so can Columbia, Yale, etc. Eric, I see you’re from Chicago: what about a strip about the University of Chicago’s “urban renewal” efforts (okay, kind of old example, but you get the point…)?
Great grasp of the web’s capacity for political cartooning. Now exploit its capacity for exposure.
Thank you very much to the few people who’ve commented. Really appreciate it.
James, I appreciate your note as well, and I agree with you that’s what’s really at issue here is the appetite of a large institution like a city or a university for greater commercial development. However I think you’ll agree that there’s a geopolitical dimension in this case that’s lacking in the U of C example.
Although sponsored and encouraged by Israeli jurisdictions like the city of Jerusalem and Israeli corporations like “City of David”—the development I’m talking about is occurring in East Jerusalem, on the other—non Israeli—designated side of the United Nations proposed national boundary.
James G, Comparing the University of Chicago’s expansion to Israeli settlements. Here we go…The whole point, it seems to me, of this piece was to talk about these people at this particular time in this particular neighborhood in this particular country. How about sticking to the issue at hand instead of constantly changing the subject? Orner’s piece, like any good story, forces us to look and see.
James G. – You’re absolutely right that this kind of relocation happens around the world and within our own cities. There’s a book that came out last year about what happens to cities that host the Olympics, particularly its low income components, that I’d link to if I could remember the name. And of course, the examples you also gave.
“But let’s not forget that this sort of thing, sad as it may be, happens all over the world.”
While you go on to say that doesn’t make it right, the language quoted above marks your intention to validate Israeli occupation and settlements merely because other countries, including ours, do similar harm. How does depicting one specific case, one that the author knows first hand because he lives there, denigrate or mask the other examples?
Is there a victim contest I’m missing out on? Who wins? I’d say its those in power who always win when different groups of people who experience different forms of power struggle – blacks, gays, Palestinians, Israeli’s, poor, women, etc. – focus their energy on fighting each other for the Greatest Victim Ever prize. Millions, probably closer to billions, of people are subjugated on a daily basis, and the small minority that hold the power don’t really care how they hold onto it.
Ultimately, Israel should “take the heat,” and so should Columbia, and Yale, and…
Eric, thanks for your response. I couldn’t agree more — there’s clearly a geopolitical dimension here. And, while I don’t necessarily believe that makes Israel’s activities in Silwan more or less moral/immoral than what happens when universities (or, as Kristina points out, cities/states/countries hosting the Olympics) evict low-income families, it certainly complicates matters.
That being said, my point was not (again, as per Kristina’s suggestion) to win Israel points in the “Greatest Victim Ever contest,” but, rather, to point out that Israel tends to come in for a disproportionate share of criticism on human-rights issues — some, certainly, deserved. That’s true both in the media and, for example, at the United Nations, which passes some 20 anti-Israel resolutions each year, far more than it passes against any other nation (this includes China, Cuba, North Korea, Sudan, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, etc.) I’m not blaming you for the U.N.’s shortcomings, of course, only saying that I see the focus on Israel’s settlement activity as part of a larger tendency to blame Israel for actions the U.N. and parts of the media allow others to get away with. That doesn’t excuse Israel’s misdeeds, but it does A. make it at least legitimate to point out this discrepancy and B. make it at least understandable when Israel’s supporters question the motives of those who single it out disproportionally for opprobrium (I’m certain you were well-meaning in creating this piece and I wouldn’t claim that you’re one of those who singles Israel out disproportionately — for all I know your last strip pointed out Hamas’ many human-rights violations).
Eric, Thanks for sharing these images and stories and painting them with humor and humanity. Otherwise we just hear one side or another.
This is fantastic. Thanks for exposing me to something new in such a graceful, deft manner. Please do more!
I just returned from a ten day trip to Israel and love this piece; the graphics give an element of humanity that just words in an essay can’t convey. The simple image of a family sitting on a couch with their mattress piled on is far more evocative than just describing people being evicted or becoming homeless. I wonder if Eric’s insightful blending of pictures and narrative isn’t just the thing to help move our thinking past the dualism that seems to descend so quickly when talking about the realities of life in this part of the world. I’m eager to see more.
I thought this was beautifully drawn and wonderfully written, and it stayed with me for days after I finished reading. I hope you’ll be doing more for the Rumpus —
Click here to subscribe today and leave your comment.