As I sit down to write this, I wonder, am I putting my life in danger?
According to an Arutz Sheva news item, "Left's Hate Campaign Gaining Momentum", MKs and left wing notables "warn" that the actions aimed at preventing the dismantling of Yesha (Judea, Samaria, & Gaza) outposts are "setting the stage for another political assassination". 'Political Assassination' those words ring out in my mind. Considering what several spokesman of the Left have said in the last few days, I too worry, that some crazed person from the 'Looney Left' will try to murder a personage from the Right (according to the Jerusalem Post, October 25 edition, Minister Effi Eitam of the National Religious Party, received death treats by phone, e-mail, and fax Thursday, and his office blamed incitement by the Labor Party).
After Monday's car bomb attack at Karkur Junction near Pardess Hanna, which killed 14 and wounded 65, unnamed officials close to Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) partially blamed the settlers at Gilad Farm for the terrorist attack. "If the soldiers are not busy removing outposts, they can be used to defend the country," one official said. The IDF (the Israeli Army) should be dealing with the crucial task of protecting the state and not wasting forces on marginal tasks it is forced into, like the outposts." (Jerusalem Post, Oct. 22). Well, who gave the order to waste the troops on a highly divisive political action? DM Ben-Eliezer seems to be pushing the issue, ahead of the November 2002 Labor party primaries. But more importantly, notice the not so subtle insinuation that the 'settlers' are to blame for terrorism against Israel. It's virtually a 'blood libel'.
Quoting from the Arutz Sheva story (Oct. 21), one of the most extreme statements came from Meretz Knesset member and opposition leader Yossi Sarid who said, "All of the settlements were created by law-breaking and violence and I hope the spread of this cancer will end quickly. The outposts are worse than suicide bomb belts." Jewish towns and villages are cancers? Well, you cut cancers out, don't you? You kill cancers. Similar to MK Sarid's remarks, Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg (Labor) called the people at Havat Gilad "Jewish Hamas." And what are we supposed to do if we see a suicide bomber about to explode himself? Shooting him might be a reasonable response. Are MK Sarid and Speaker Burg urging people to shoot settlers? ?Worse than suicide bomb belts?, ?Jewish Hamas? - really?
Ha'aretz (Oct. 21) reported that MK Yossi Sarid said the settlers' militias had started a revolt over the weekend that the government had to destroy. "If the settlers' revolt is not crushed, it will be the end of democracy and the beginning of chaos in which each man will attack the other," he said. Is he hinting that the Left will feel it necessary to attack people that don't agree with them, people who exercise their free speech and assembly rights? People who peacefully protest government policy in a democratic society (even through 'civil disobedience') don't need to be crushed or destroyed. The beginning of chaos and the end of democracy has started, but through MK Sarid's verbal assaults.
Similarly, Arutz Sheva reported (Oct. 21) that Agricultural Minister Shalom Simchon (Labor) said that the actions of the right wing "endanger the existence of the State of Israel." Really? Over 600 people killed and thousands injured from terrorist attacks in the last two-years ? that doesn't endanger the existence of the State of Israel? Arafat's war, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Syria, Iraq, Iran - they don't endanger the existence of the State of Israel? Only a bunch of idealistic kids on a barren hilltop somewhere in the middle of the historic Jewish homeland endanger the existence of the State of Israel.
In a cabinet dispute Sunday (as reported in the Jerusalem Post, Oct. 21), Environment Minister Tzahi Hanegbi (Likud) accused Industry Minister Dalia Itzik (Labor) and other Labor ministers of using the Rabin assassination as an excuse to attack the right. Hanegbi reacted to an angry outburst by Itzik about the settler violence at Gilad Farm: ??The settlers are trying to kill Israeli democracy,? I told Sharon, ?You saw what happened to Rabin, this they will do to you,?? Itzik said. ?The end of democracy,? ?endanger the existence of the State of Israel,? ?trying to kill Israeli democracy,? ? kill Israeli democracy, kill Yitzchak Rabin, kill someone else - that's the hysteria emanating from the Left today.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority and Arutz Sheva reported (Oct 21) that left wing activists on Sunday night demonstrated outside the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, demanding additional Yesha outposts be dismantled. Demonstrators called on Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, not to give in to "terrorism by the settlers." Legitimate (and I might add, legally protected, when not violent) protest is terrorism now. Arutz Sheva adds, left wing politicians are calling on legal authorities, namely the State Attorney General, to declare the Yesha Council a rebellious illegal organization following its recent role in the resistance to the dismantling of Gilad Farm in the Shomron. Yet Arutz Sheva (Oct 22) reported that Yesha Council leaders on Monday reiterated their position, calling for passive resistance only, explaining once again that the council remains opposed to any and all violence against soldiers and police. Doesn't sound like much of a rebellious illegal organization, does it? ?Terrorism,? ?rebellious illegal organization? - it sure sounds like 'Orwellian Doublespeak', meant to confuse people and stifle free speech.
Are these leftists the same people who recently, during Rabin memorials (as they do constantly), reminded us that 'words can kill', and constantly warn against incitement to violence? Is it real caution and concern for verbal violence and its side effects, or is it a methodical attempt at curbing discussion and opposition to their 'pipe dream' of peace.
The Israeli Left, having seen its 'pipe-dream' of peace with the Palestinians go up in smoke (from shootings, mortar attacks and suicide bombers, in Arafat's war against Israel), is determined to use 'Orwellian Doublespeak', false accusations and reinterpretation of events in order to fit their ideological views, their emotional needs, and to promote their false messianism. 'Soviet-style' disinformation, otherwise known as outright lies, are being used to turn one part of the Israeli population against another part. Threats of 'civil war', 'political assassination', 'rebellion' are used to frighten people from public and legal opposition to failed 'peace policies' and stifle free speech.
Are you frightened?
I'm not.
--------------------------------------------
Ariel Natan Pasko is an independent analyst and consultant.
According to an Arutz Sheva news item, "Left's Hate Campaign Gaining Momentum", MKs and left wing notables "warn" that the actions aimed at preventing the dismantling of Yesha (Judea, Samaria, & Gaza) outposts are "setting the stage for another political assassination". 'Political Assassination' those words ring out in my mind. Considering what several spokesman of the Left have said in the last few days, I too worry, that some crazed person from the 'Looney Left' will try to murder a personage from the Right (according to the Jerusalem Post, October 25 edition, Minister Effi Eitam of the National Religious Party, received death treats by phone, e-mail, and fax Thursday, and his office blamed incitement by the Labor Party).
After Monday's car bomb attack at Karkur Junction near Pardess Hanna, which killed 14 and wounded 65, unnamed officials close to Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer (Labor) partially blamed the settlers at Gilad Farm for the terrorist attack. "If the soldiers are not busy removing outposts, they can be used to defend the country," one official said. The IDF (the Israeli Army) should be dealing with the crucial task of protecting the state and not wasting forces on marginal tasks it is forced into, like the outposts." (Jerusalem Post, Oct. 22). Well, who gave the order to waste the troops on a highly divisive political action? DM Ben-Eliezer seems to be pushing the issue, ahead of the November 2002 Labor party primaries. But more importantly, notice the not so subtle insinuation that the 'settlers' are to blame for terrorism against Israel. It's virtually a 'blood libel'.
Quoting from the Arutz Sheva story (Oct. 21), one of the most extreme statements came from Meretz Knesset member and opposition leader Yossi Sarid who said, "All of the settlements were created by law-breaking and violence and I hope the spread of this cancer will end quickly. The outposts are worse than suicide bomb belts." Jewish towns and villages are cancers? Well, you cut cancers out, don't you? You kill cancers. Similar to MK Sarid's remarks, Knesset Speaker Avraham Burg (Labor) called the people at Havat Gilad "Jewish Hamas." And what are we supposed to do if we see a suicide bomber about to explode himself? Shooting him might be a reasonable response. Are MK Sarid and Speaker Burg urging people to shoot settlers? ?Worse than suicide bomb belts?, ?Jewish Hamas? - really?
Ha'aretz (Oct. 21) reported that MK Yossi Sarid said the settlers' militias had started a revolt over the weekend that the government had to destroy. "If the settlers' revolt is not crushed, it will be the end of democracy and the beginning of chaos in which each man will attack the other," he said. Is he hinting that the Left will feel it necessary to attack people that don't agree with them, people who exercise their free speech and assembly rights? People who peacefully protest government policy in a democratic society (even through 'civil disobedience') don't need to be crushed or destroyed. The beginning of chaos and the end of democracy has started, but through MK Sarid's verbal assaults.
Similarly, Arutz Sheva reported (Oct. 21) that Agricultural Minister Shalom Simchon (Labor) said that the actions of the right wing "endanger the existence of the State of Israel." Really? Over 600 people killed and thousands injured from terrorist attacks in the last two-years ? that doesn't endanger the existence of the State of Israel? Arafat's war, Hamas, Islamic Jihad, Syria, Iraq, Iran - they don't endanger the existence of the State of Israel? Only a bunch of idealistic kids on a barren hilltop somewhere in the middle of the historic Jewish homeland endanger the existence of the State of Israel.
In a cabinet dispute Sunday (as reported in the Jerusalem Post, Oct. 21), Environment Minister Tzahi Hanegbi (Likud) accused Industry Minister Dalia Itzik (Labor) and other Labor ministers of using the Rabin assassination as an excuse to attack the right. Hanegbi reacted to an angry outburst by Itzik about the settler violence at Gilad Farm: ??The settlers are trying to kill Israeli democracy,? I told Sharon, ?You saw what happened to Rabin, this they will do to you,?? Itzik said. ?The end of democracy,? ?endanger the existence of the State of Israel,? ?trying to kill Israeli democracy,? ? kill Israeli democracy, kill Yitzchak Rabin, kill someone else - that's the hysteria emanating from the Left today.
The Israeli Broadcasting Authority and Arutz Sheva reported (Oct 21) that left wing activists on Sunday night demonstrated outside the Defense Ministry in Tel Aviv, demanding additional Yesha outposts be dismantled. Demonstrators called on Defense Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer, not to give in to "terrorism by the settlers." Legitimate (and I might add, legally protected, when not violent) protest is terrorism now. Arutz Sheva adds, left wing politicians are calling on legal authorities, namely the State Attorney General, to declare the Yesha Council a rebellious illegal organization following its recent role in the resistance to the dismantling of Gilad Farm in the Shomron. Yet Arutz Sheva (Oct 22) reported that Yesha Council leaders on Monday reiterated their position, calling for passive resistance only, explaining once again that the council remains opposed to any and all violence against soldiers and police. Doesn't sound like much of a rebellious illegal organization, does it? ?Terrorism,? ?rebellious illegal organization? - it sure sounds like 'Orwellian Doublespeak', meant to confuse people and stifle free speech.
Are these leftists the same people who recently, during Rabin memorials (as they do constantly), reminded us that 'words can kill', and constantly warn against incitement to violence? Is it real caution and concern for verbal violence and its side effects, or is it a methodical attempt at curbing discussion and opposition to their 'pipe dream' of peace.
The Israeli Left, having seen its 'pipe-dream' of peace with the Palestinians go up in smoke (from shootings, mortar attacks and suicide bombers, in Arafat's war against Israel), is determined to use 'Orwellian Doublespeak', false accusations and reinterpretation of events in order to fit their ideological views, their emotional needs, and to promote their false messianism. 'Soviet-style' disinformation, otherwise known as outright lies, are being used to turn one part of the Israeli population against another part. Threats of 'civil war', 'political assassination', 'rebellion' are used to frighten people from public and legal opposition to failed 'peace policies' and stifle free speech.
Are you frightened?
I'm not.
--------------------------------------------
Ariel Natan Pasko is an independent analyst and consultant.