I think it was great of you to visit Israel, we should build more bridges. The standing the Iranian regime is having towards Israel does not represent the iranian people.
- By: Iranian student on February 9, 2006

thanks hoder for being brave for all of us. I admitt I love to be more like you on doing and saying what I want but unfortunately looking back at our history I just can not convince myself if our sacrifise is really going to change anything for the better and I know so many of us Iranians are like that. So I admire you for being brave and optimistic!
- By: aram on February 8, 2006

In response to slingshot: You are partly right about certain subcultures within Islam. But Ironically a large part of their evil emanates from the same kind of thinking as you are practicing here. You represent why this world is getting a scarier and scarier place to live in. The frightening narrow-mindedness that may in the end sink the ship on all of us.
- By: Anonymous on February 7, 2006

Iranians and muslims throughout the world are reaching a point of absolute evil. Not subjective evil, but the definition of evil. Representing destruction, murder, anti-human rights, segregation, totalitarianism, corruption - all in an end unto itself. Not a means to an end. Hoder of course is the antithesis of what the muslim world is becoming. Therefore, as Faramin said - Hoder does not at all represent Iranians or muslims. And he is 100% right. I hope that you can change the world Hoder.
- By: Slingshot on February 6, 2006

Why do you think a personal trip like what you have done, is a matter of public interest? Maybe traveling to Israel was a taboo for you but not for many others? Let's be realistic, a student of university of Toronto (social science or something like that) goes and visits another students at the U of Tel Aviv. That's how most of the people see it. It is not like you were in Iran and publicy announced that you were going beyond the enemies line!
- By: Javad Ghorbati on February 6, 2006

I can't believe that I am saying this, but I agree with Faramin. Not on his totalitarian view of Israel and the world, but on the fact that Hoder accomplished little, and he absolutely does not represent Iran; or even a small percentage of Iranians on a global scale.
- By: Slingshot on February 6, 2006

I think you underestimated the public exposure you were getting. I've read about your travel to israel in 5 newspapers and internet sites in 3 languages : Hebrew, Eglish and German. Your trip was a bit drouned, however, in the mess that controls Israel right now (evacuation of settelments in Hebron), Europe (The whole Muhammed caricatures row) and actually global news (The referral of Iran to the UN Security council). Given the circumstances, i'd be happy with the media coverge, at least the non-Persian press coverege. I hope you'll get a chance to go to Israel again and enjoy the views as well as the people.
- By: Eran from Munich on February 5, 2006

Great job Hoder. We are proud of what you did. Don't listen to idiots like faramin, they don't represent the Iranian people. We should keep building more bridges.
- By: An Iranin Student (AIS) on February 5, 2006

First of all I am very glad that your travel went well and you are safe and sound in Sweden. I was quite worried for you while you were in Israel (not because Israel in scary, but because of the nature of this trip). I can think of few reasons why, not many Iranians covered your story. I guess the main reason is that in general, contrary to general belief, Iranians don’t care that much about Israel. I don’t think that an average Iranian thinks that Israelis are their enemies. Do they? On the other hand, your trip showed that Israelis have a different picture of Iran, mainly because of our beloved government’s slogans and propaganda. So, I disagree when you say: “you went there to break a taboo”. There isn’t such a taboo from Iranian part. We are basically banned from traveling there. Taboo would be if we could travel but we wouldn’t because we had prejudice. The other reason might be the sad but true fact that your fellow bloggers can not see that a guy who once was chatting with them in a BBS or was writing a small column in a newspaper about how to write emails :) is now getting more attention than they do. We are funny people. We don’t do anything ourselves but when somebody does it, we try hard to belittle it. Then another thing is that we are masters of conspiracy theory. We cannot accept that someone is doing something with no hidden agenda. So, you are called a spy a secret agent, etc. Partially you are to blame too. You react to these nonsense comments. Often you exaggerate big time your popularity. So there is always this debate whether you are more interested in your self-image or your work. And there is thin line between being frank and being disrespectful. Try not to cross that. But, by the end of the day what matters is that you are bold, with good PR, and you have a dream to follow. Good luck!
- By: pishik on February 5, 2006

Hi Hossein, Thank you so much! I think you should ignore the negative criticism here, they are probably just jealous. Thank you for being so brave and for making a stand, it makes a big difference. Love and peace to you.
- By: Raha on February 5, 2006

Hossein, Not that I have to tell you this, but God should give you strength to ignore the fools who would wound your spirit. I'm sorry about your reception in Jerusalem. As one who has lived in Jerusalem, I can guarantee you that there are many places where you would be received warmly and with great respect.
- By: Aryeh on February 5, 2006

I hope the 'next time' will be soon. Good luck hossein!
- By: iDip on February 5, 2006

First of all I want to tell my deep respect for what you did with your journey to Israel. Getting an impression is I think the best way toknow the people and the country and what they really are alike. I hope there are that much reactions on your trip in Iran like are in Israel and even in europe. For showing this to you and alle your readers I translated a report which was yesterday in a major german newspaper (www.sueddeutsche.de). So even here there are people looking at you and your trip. Go on with what you're doing and let's hope that the problems can be solved (just one hour ago I heared, the Iranian government wants to debate on the russian proposal). So here is the text in my simple english: Hossein in enemy’s country An iranian blogger on peace mission It’s afternoon at half past four and Hossein Derakhshan has sleep glued in his eyes. He dozed off at the sofa, the voice is throaty, he orders an espresso for getting awake in his favourite café “Ginzburg”. That Hossein Derakhshan, 31, lost his voice has to do with his birthplace, his religion and with Tel Aviv, where he is staying right now. The blogger, who runs an online-diary, is from Teheran, is a muslim and tarries since one week in Israel – that means in those country that the iranian president wants to erase out of the maps. Hossein Derakhshan is exotic in the multi-ethnic state Israel where in fact live iranian jews but no iranian muslims. The security officers of the israeli airline El Al, he took to get to Israel via Berlin, fired nearly one hour questions at him. In Israel Hossein moves like he has always lived here. Wearing a vintage-trainings jacket and his hightech-laptop in his hands constantly phoning with his mobile to coordinate all the requests. The israelis jump at the iranian muslim. The newspapers report of him, the departure of iran-studies of the university of Tel Aviv invited him to a colloquium, the BBC got attentive like the regional group of internet- and blog-geeks. Derakhshan self financed mission is thereby simple: He wants to take the fear of the Iran away from the Israelis and he tells them, that in his homeland not everyone is that fanatic like the president. Mahmud Ahmadinedschad is a dictator says Derakhshan. Backwards reports the godfather of iranian blogging-culture on his website (www.hoder.com) to his iranian readers in persian of his trip to the holy country. There is for example written “Israelis are very nice people”. And not like the iranian regimes claims “bloddthirstily jews who want to kill all muslims”. The iranian censors do not miss anything, neither the israel-diary at his website nor this article with the quote on israels nice people says Derakhshan. Two days ago his sister wanted to call him on his israeli mobile when she was interrupted by a voice in the line: “It’s forbidden to phone to Israel”. Derakhshan pays a high price for his journey into the jew world: “I suppose that I won’t get back to Iran”, says he. Over years now he is a thorn in the flesh of iranians security. In Teheran he founded an online-newspaper three years ago and dared to criticize the states leadership. The newspaper was closed. For his last visit to his homeland Derakhshan could indeed enter without any problems. Back then his conservative family, which keeps good contacts to the government (however supporting their son) was very helpful. But on departure some weeks later he was bared entering the plane to Toronto where he’s studying. Over seven hours he was questioned by the security’s officers and finally they claimed a written excuse and the pledge that he would never again write something against the Iran. Though he gave his signature, but he broke the promise instantly with iran-critic essays. Expeditiously a man of the ministry of informations messaged him by eMail and told him, that when he comes back to Iran he had to defend himself in front of a court. He says, the journey to Israel “doesn’t improve his chances to get away without a trial”. But the journey is worth it. He could meet his parents also outside the Iran. “And on the other hand next time I will try to enter with my canadian passport”. About Israel he is entusiastic. “The people here are cool, everyone is very nice to me. Nobody is scared.” An unfriendly welcome he got only by iranian jews at the fruit- and vegetables-market in Jerusalem. The salesmen fired questions at him that told about their pure mistrust. One even implied, that Derakhshan is spying in Israel for the Iran. Hossein hereupon recommended his website to the countryman. But the vegetables-salesman had to reject. “I do not own a computer”.
- By: Fingolas on February 5, 2006

Dear Hessein, I hope you'll be back soon. There's a lot to see and experience here. I hope your writing will bring you back and you write to Iranians about us, and tell us about Iran. Love & Light, Vadim
- By: vdz on February 5, 2006

I hope that soon enough you would realize that the reason no one took you serious - either from inside Iran or else - is not because of your superb, outstanding political and social stands or that because you are such an influential figure. Real issues lay other places, and you have managed to ruin your image almost beyond repair, so most people tend to keep a good safe distance from you. (I know you from the MAVARA BBS days, you sure don't remember me.)
- By: Bahram Farzin on February 5, 2006

If you did it for self-recognition, sorry dude! I think when “Jalal-e Al-Ahmad” visited Israel, it was a break-through for his era too and although he was so impressed by Israelis’ progress but “few of his fans were moved by the admiration he expressed for the kibbutz and the Jewish immigrants who had come together to build a utopia in the Middle East.” Roya Hakakian says in the Washington Post. So it’s not a new thing! If you want fame try to write a book like Jalal’s “Westoxification”! But if you did it to satisfy your curiosity or to bring the two nations a little bit closer or any other good cause then just enjoy it like when you taste a hot cup of tea in a wintery day!
- By: Stranger on February 5, 2006

Travelling to Israel, the occupier of millions of people, for what? What do you achieve by doing this? More publicity? You sure have dipped to a new low. and this comment of mine is absolutely independent from the hostility between Israel and Iran. It is only in support of the struggle of millions of Palestinians for whom you seem to have no care about. I wonder at what stage of becoming a puppet you are. You sure are in that direction anyway. Please, please, please, do not speak for us, Iranians. You are just not intelligent enough.
- By: Faramin on February 5, 2006

No one covered the trip for one basic reason, nobody gives a shit about a dork visiting another country. y should anyone report it from radio farda to media in iran. who cares? just bc its important to you doesnt mean its a big deal buddy. get over yourself.
- By: peter on February 5, 2006