Sunday, 12 April 2020

manikur-pedikur- yalla-uktub-sharmoutah


Sometime, around 1930, a Polish Jewish woman arrived by boat in Haifa, in British Mandate Palestine. For the interview with immigration and customs, she dressed elegantly, and ensured that she looked presentable. When asked by the immigration official for her profession, she pointed with her well-manicured hands and responded in Polish "manikur-pedikur". The official looked quizzingly at his superior officer, what profession would that be, he asked. The officer looked at the woman, and then said in Arabic “manikur-pedikur- yalla-uktub-sharmoutah”, which translates to “manicure-pedicure, come-on, just write prostitute.”



It was reported that a certain Orly Levy-Abekasis, an Israeli politician, has left the anti-Netanyahu camp to join corrupt Bibi Netanyahu’s party and support his bid to form Israel’s next government. This would be her fifth political home in 12 years.

1 comment:

  1. to equate the simple and honorable profession of sex worker as predestining political corruption of this magnitude is perhaps a bit unfair to to the sex workers, no? Not even to mention the seemingly tacit endorsement of the higher officer's reductive power. While still a novice, I clearly see that Israeli politics brings out the best in no one.

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