Hi Rob, Shavit's "Athens v. Sparta" article has already become a subject of parody for a lot of Israelis, especially since he is a rather well-heeled member of the very "elite" he attacks, and I haven't noticed him changing his lifestyle. I also think there is a lot of hyperbole and populism in the article. I think Shavit's argument is fundamentally flawed. I hope you'll forgive me for ducking out of presenting a detailed counter-argument right now; it's just that I'm bone-weary (emotionally) and I am pretty sure that the responses to my argument will demand a lot of comment monitoring, which I just don't have the energy for right now. I am planning to write a post about the subject, though. I'm going to conclude with a translated excerpt (my translation) from Gal Uchovsky's weekly column in the August 17-24 issue of Time Out Tel Aviv: "Tel Aviv is actually the place for which it is is particularly worth fighting. Because one who fights in order to achieve peace and sanity, one who believes that real life is found in a place of harmony, concern for one's fellow humans and the just values upon which a society is built, must believe that Tel Aviv is one of Israel's greatest assets. Tel Aviv is the true hope for a better future. ... And yes, it is possible during a time of war to sit in a cafe and read one of David Grossman's books, or go to the cinema and see the film version of Someone to Run With... And it's possible to sit on a bench on Rothschild Boulevard and to be annoyed that the boulevard is becoming commercialized...and it's possible to discuss all those things, without embarrassment...And the tears for Uri Grossman and all the others, and the terrible fears for those who, to our joy, came back alive, we will keep to ourselves. "