My sister-in-law, Carol, keeps asking me what surprises I am finding in Israel. I appreciate the question and each day I have a new answer. One surprise is that Jerusalem in over run with cats. Wherever we walk, we see cats and kittens of all ages, sizes and colors. They look just like pet cats in America but most of them are wild. Jerusalem has a policy against fixing cats, so instead, the city of Jerusalem is fixed with cats.

I always loved cats and I have a cat awaiting me when I return home next week. She will whine and bawl me out good for having left her. Cats are stubborn, finicky and mostly independent until they decide that they are in the mood for a little affection, kind of like me. Maybe that’s why I like the little brats.

But my fascination with cats has not turned me into an animal rights activist. Walking the streets of Jerusalem (each house built with local Jerusalem stone) thinking about cats and animals in general as they mix with the ancient city, I recalled a news event from a couple of years back. PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) was protesting a Palestinian suicide bombing that tried something new. This time, instead of strapping a bomb to a person, they used a donkey cart. The bomb exploded prematurely, sparing the lives of Israelis but killing the donkey. Now mind you, Jews have been killed by Palestinians for years. Never before had PETA protested. It took the death of an animal for them to be concerned.  When asked about it by a media person, they replied, “Animals are our sphere of interest.”

I suppose I can see where they are coming from to a point. Not every group can take on every cause. But I have to wonder: In as much as they were not protesting the death of people, are they for the equal protection of animals or the superior protection of animals?

Share this on