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For Israelis and Palestinians, Another Divide to Contend With: Time For Israelis and Palestinians, Another Divide to Contend With: Time
(about 14 hours later)
JERUSALEM — The commute from Mousa Qous’s home in the Old City of Jerusalem to the office of Al Quds newspaper near the West Bank city of Ramallah can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on backups at Israel’s military checkpoint. On Friday, he left at 6:25 a.m. and arrived at 6:10 a.m.JERUSALEM — The commute from Mousa Qous’s home in the Old City of Jerusalem to the office of Al Quds newspaper near the West Bank city of Ramallah can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour, depending on backups at Israel’s military checkpoint. On Friday, he left at 6:25 a.m. and arrived at 6:10 a.m.
Mr. Qous rode a public bus, not a time machine. But the Palestinian Authority had ended daylight saving time at midnight, while Israel had not yet changed its clocks, a disconnect that has plagued the people who straddle both worlds for years.Mr. Qous rode a public bus, not a time machine. But the Palestinian Authority had ended daylight saving time at midnight, while Israel had not yet changed its clocks, a disconnect that has plagued the people who straddle both worlds for years.
“It’s just a war of wills, and a failed one at that,” said Mr. Qous’s wife, Joharah Barker. “We all know we want to be independent, which is fine and dandy, if it was translated into reality. Let’s not play games with the clock.” “It’s just a war of wills, and a failed one at that,” said Mr. Qous’s wife, Joharah Baker. “We all know we want to be independent, which is fine and dandy, if it was translated into reality. Let’s not play games with the clock.”
After decades of fighting over borders and refugees, Israelis and Palestinians cannot even agree on what time it is. This season’s time warp lasted only two days, since Israel, along with most of Europe, fell back an hour Sunday morning. In other years, the confusion stretched for weeks, as Israel’s daylight saving calendar was dictated by the demands of observant Jews, leaving it out of sync not only with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but also the Western world.After decades of fighting over borders and refugees, Israelis and Palestinians cannot even agree on what time it is. This season’s time warp lasted only two days, since Israel, along with most of Europe, fell back an hour Sunday morning. In other years, the confusion stretched for weeks, as Israel’s daylight saving calendar was dictated by the demands of observant Jews, leaving it out of sync not only with the West Bank and Gaza Strip, but also the Western world.
A brief history of (daylight saving) time in the (modern) Middle East:A brief history of (daylight saving) time in the (modern) Middle East:
During the British mandate, the people between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea started changing their clocks in 1940 and stopped in 1947. Israel reinstated daylight saving time when it was established in 1948, but Jordan, which occupied the West Bank, and Egypt, which governed Gaza, did not.During the British mandate, the people between the Jordan River and the Mediterranean Sea started changing their clocks in 1940 and stopped in 1947. Israel reinstated daylight saving time when it was established in 1948, but Jordan, which occupied the West Bank, and Egypt, which governed Gaza, did not.
Israel abandoned daylight saving time from 1958 until the energy crisis of the mid-1970s. At that point Israel also controlled the clocks in the Palestinian territories it had seized in 1967, but when the Palestinian Authority was created in 1994, time was one of the things it had authority over.Israel abandoned daylight saving time from 1958 until the energy crisis of the mid-1970s. At that point Israel also controlled the clocks in the Palestinian territories it had seized in 1967, but when the Palestinian Authority was created in 1994, time was one of the things it had authority over.
The website timeanddate.com shows that over the past 15 years, Israelis and Palestinians have changed clocks simultaneously seven times (always when springing forward) and have thrice spent at least a month an hour apart (30 days last fall, 32 in 2010 and 34 in 2008). Gaza and the West Bank have also twice been unsynchronized.The website timeanddate.com shows that over the past 15 years, Israelis and Palestinians have changed clocks simultaneously seven times (always when springing forward) and have thrice spent at least a month an hour apart (30 days last fall, 32 in 2010 and 34 in 2008). Gaza and the West Bank have also twice been unsynchronized.
In Europe, what is called “summer time” runs from the first Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. In the United States, daylight saving time has since 2007 started on the second Sunday in March and ended on the first Sunday in November.In Europe, what is called “summer time” runs from the first Sunday in March to the last Sunday in October. In the United States, daylight saving time has since 2007 started on the second Sunday in March and ended on the first Sunday in November.
But in Israel, the dates jumped around, especially in autumn, from Sept. 12 (2010) to Oct. 27 (2013), as the authorities manipulated the clock-time of sunrise and sunset to accommodate holidays that follow the cycles of the moon.But in Israel, the dates jumped around, especially in autumn, from Sept. 12 (2010) to Oct. 27 (2013), as the authorities manipulated the clock-time of sunrise and sunset to accommodate holidays that follow the cycles of the moon.
Essentially, observant Jews preferred to have the Passover Seder (which begins after sunset) start earlier, so children might stay awake for it, and the Yom Kippur fast (also timed by sunset) end earlier, to ease hunger pangs. Last year, with ultra-Orthodox political parties outside the coalition government, Israel abandoned that approach.Essentially, observant Jews preferred to have the Passover Seder (which begins after sunset) start earlier, so children might stay awake for it, and the Yom Kippur fast (also timed by sunset) end earlier, to ease hunger pangs. Last year, with ultra-Orthodox political parties outside the coalition government, Israel abandoned that approach.
Economists said standardizing the calendar would save the state $80 million a year. Outdoor-lovers celebrated evening hikes. For many Israelis, it was simply a yearning for normalcy in a struggle to balance Jewish and democratic values.Economists said standardizing the calendar would save the state $80 million a year. Outdoor-lovers celebrated evening hikes. For many Israelis, it was simply a yearning for normalcy in a struggle to balance Jewish and democratic values.
“Until this, Israel was outside, outstanding,” said Shmuel Aboav, who led a government committee that studied the change. “The secular people thought the ultra-Orthodox forced us to pay a price without a smart reason.”“Until this, Israel was outside, outstanding,” said Shmuel Aboav, who led a government committee that studied the change. “The secular people thought the ultra-Orthodox forced us to pay a price without a smart reason.”
The Palestinians, too, have tried making religious adjustments, sometimes shortening the days of the Ramadan fast. According to timeanddate.com, in 2011, the Palestinian Authority changed clocks on Aug. 1, as the Muslim holy month began, then returned to summer time on Aug. 30, only to fall back again on Sept. 30, two days before Israel.The Palestinians, too, have tried making religious adjustments, sometimes shortening the days of the Ramadan fast. According to timeanddate.com, in 2011, the Palestinian Authority changed clocks on Aug. 1, as the Muslim holy month began, then returned to summer time on Aug. 30, only to fall back again on Sept. 30, two days before Israel.
Ms. Barker, who has homes in Jerusalem and her family’s West Bank village, said that over the years she has shown up spectacularly late or early for work meetings, missed her daughter’s dance classes and her favorite television shows, and struggled to make travel plans. Ms. Baker, who has homes in Jerusalem and her family’s West Bank village, said that over the years she has shown up spectacularly late or early for work meetings, missed her daughter’s dance classes and her favorite television shows, and struggled to make travel plans.
Early Friday, as she left the village to get to her Jerusalem office by 7, she was surprised to find that the corner store where she always stops for gum was closed.Early Friday, as she left the village to get to her Jerusalem office by 7, she was surprised to find that the corner store where she always stops for gum was closed.
“It is never closed at 6:30 a.m.,” she said. Of course, in the West Bank, it was only 5:30.“It is never closed at 6:30 a.m.,” she said. Of course, in the West Bank, it was only 5:30.