Not responsible for their own actions?
Not responsible for their own actions?Abed Rahem Khatib/Flash 90

Gadi Algazi, an associate professor for Medieval History at Tel Aviv University and a member of the Hadash Communist Party, spoke at a rally in the northern city of Sakhnin yesterday (Tuesday). During his speech, he railed against Israel's efforts to defend itself, Jews entering the Temple Mount, and Zionism as a whole.

Algazi began by claiming that "October 2015 reminds us of October 2000," referring to the start of the Second Intifada. He further drew connections between the two years by saying that Israel is trying to "conquer al-Aqsa" as it did in 2000, the same claim that Yassir Arafat used to spark the Intifada.

Throughout the talk he frequently repeated that the only reason for the murders and attacks against Jews is because of the "occupation." Notably, the history professor chose not to mention the Arab massacres of Jews prior to 1967 or even 1948, including the 1929 Arab riots in which the Jewish community in Hevron was massacred, were also sparked by false charges of Jews trying to take over al-Aqsa.

Focusing on the present, Algazi never suggested that the people actively stabbing civilians are responsible for their own actions. Instead he insisted that "the responsible ones sit in the government in Jerusalem," and specifically called out Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yisrael Beytenu head Avigdor Liberman, and even left-wing opposition leader Isaac Herzog.

Algazi finished by giving his suggestions on how to end the attacks: Israel should end the "occupation," stop allowing Jews to enter the Temple Mount, release all Palestinian prisoners, kick all Jews out of Judea and Samaria, give citizenship to all Palestinians, and ultimately cease being a Jewish State.