Assassins in the Wings?
Long article in this weekend's JPost magazine, on the 10th anniversary of the assassination of Yitzchak Rabin, about the rising anti-government sentiment in Israel, especially among the settler youth. The article makes the case that present conditions have created a ripe breeding ground for the kind of violent rhetoric that created Yigal Amir and his ilk a decade ago.
And most Israelis view this behavior as a harbinger of worse things to come.
Has anything changed in the decade since the Rabin assassination? According to settler leaders, ultra-rightists and analysts, the real fight has just begun. While those both willing and able to sacrifice their lives to kill their fellow Jews remain a marginalized and closely watched few, support for the State of Israel and its symbols, among a larger portion of the Jewish public, is crumbling.One example of the results of this attitude is a 17-year old evacuee from the Gaza settlement of Atzmona, who has openly hung members of the Israeli government, including Ariel and Omri Sharon, in effigy. The site is dedicated to the memory of Eden Natan Zadeh, the 19 year-old gunman who opened fire on a bus a few months back, killing 4 Arabs before being lynched. When asked about the effigy site, fellow settlers in the boy's community just shrug, saying "boys will be boys".
...West Bank settlers now bitterly debate whether to fly the flag of Israel in their synagogues, and an increasing number of young men and women no longer include the appeal for the security of the State of Israel in their prayers.
Settlers are just as devoted to the state as ever, leaders say. But one must ask: Would the people of Atzmona, prior to their eviction, have tolerated seeing an effigy of their prime minister dangling from a noose?Last week, youths who were trying to prevent the IDF from dismantling an illegal hilltop settlement started to throw punches, injuring one paratrooper. The violence is becoming more more prevalent since the disengagement has riled so many.
And most Israelis view this behavior as a harbinger of worse things to come.
More than two-thirds of Israelis believe that the next political assassin is on his way, according to a Yediot Aharonot poll last weekend. That poll also showed that the vast majority of Israelis (83 percent) believe that Amir was not a "wild weed," but that "there are more like him."Unfortunately, the article seems to support the possibilty of that terrifying prediction.
posted by orthomom at 9:44 AM
10 Comments:
Unfortunately, many Rabbonim tolerate seditious type talk of Manhigut Yahadut of Feiglin and his US aids.
Look nothing new-how many Rabbonim tolerated the hate talk of a M. Kahane-or even thought he represented the best of Yahadut. This type of behavior leads to the Amirs and Baruch Goldstein. Not necessarily accusing the above of advocating such behavior-but their loose talk certainly encourages such behavior.
Sick, scary stuff.
As usual, there is much more hype than fact in this story. Living a lot closer to the "action", let me assure you and your readers that there were no thoughts of assassinations then nor now among the most dedicated and selfless youth this country has. Instead of
closely analyzing what some leaders have led this country and its population into in terms of death and mayhem and what is the alternative that the self-defeating left suggests and what social destruction the disengagement has done to 8000 Jews, it is so much more "exciting" to bring up the "violence" the nationalist-religious camp is supposed to be full of. Please take care especially when reading the JPost. But if you must, stick to Sarah Honig and Caroline Glick.
If anything, in 1995 it was Zo Artzeinu that probably gave Rabin a few more months on life. When the government squashes dissent, classifies its citizens into 2 groups; one which deserves protection and one which is a bunch of propellors/crybabies/bloodsuckers, then its not surprising that Amir acted the way he did. Zo Artzeinu gave a legitamate outlet for expressing anti-government furor, which acted as a pressure valve to release pent up anger and despair. For reader Mycroft above to call Feiglin's behaviour "seditious" puts him in the same category as those who gave guns to our enemies which killed and wounded thousands of Jews. (under the guise of "Oslo")
When a government pushes communities against a wall, gives guns to the terrorists that are shooting at them, denegrates them, and deligitimizes them -- you'll find a Yigal Amir sooner or later.
In light of Israel's behavior (again) this past summer, nothing surprises me anymore.
Its all part of the DreamClash
I join YMedad and Jameel. The post article is part of the annual Rabinfest here in Israel. The main goal of Rabinfest is to "squash dissent" as Jameel put it by branding any opposition to government policies (from the right only!) as incitement to murder.
"For reader Mycroft above to call Feiglin's behaviour "seditious" puts him in the same category as those who gave guns to our enemies which killed and wounded thousands of Jews. (under the guise of "Oslo")"
As one who less than a year ago visited the grave of an ex-roommate of mine in Hebron-I find the attack strange. Having said that I read Feiglin in a paper that my wife subscribes too and I think his language of replacing the State of Israel is seditious.
Whether or not Oslo was a good policy ex-post-and I personally believe it has been disastorous is not the issue. But ex-ante some reasonable people believed that was the best way for Israel to go by having a "responsible " government in the West Bank and Gaza-sadly it appears it hasn't worked out. On the other hand Israeli consensus of all major parties is that Israel can't rule millions of Arabs-since Likud has taken that position contrary to Feiglin et al-it has made Feiglin et al more and more outside of the mainstream. I do not mean to imply that Feiglin et al-mean harm to Jews-they may believe-I am not bochen kliyot vlev-that their behavior is the only thing that can save Jews-but I still believe their calls at least border on seditious to the State of Israel.
ymedad, jameel, and cosmicx:
I am relieved to hear that your assessment of the situation is different than that of the JPost's. I hope and pray that you are correct.
MyCroft: What's your point in using words like "seditious" to describe Feiglin's policies? Should he be hung for crimes of treason against the State?
Jameel:
I don't believe in capital punishment. But I think people have to recognize what Feiglin is advocating-he may genuinely believe that he is trying to save Jews-but I believe his activites amount to activities that border on your straw men.
One of the scandals of the Jewish community is that they tolerate Feiglin type behavior.
Mycroft: What is "Feiglin-type" behaviour that you find so odious? Free Speech? Freedom of the press? What exactly bothers you? If you have a legitimate complaint which you feel is a scandal and dangerous to the State of Israel, I suggest you file a complaint with the Israeli Police. (Phone number within Israel, 100, here is the website link on how to file complains of sedition")
Otherwise, you are either just as much a scandal as the "Jewish communities" you blame, or you are speaking Lashon Hara and Libel. Take your pick.
Post a Comment
<< Home