Israel: Cigarette-pack-Warning

Israel voted yet again: fourth general elections within two years. Of the parties represented in the Israel’s parliament, the Knesset, only three oppose Israeli occupation of the West-Bank: two Arab parties and Meretz, the one small remnant of Israel’s “left-wing”. Together they amount to 13.3% (16 members) of the Knesset.

 

Cigarette-pack-Warning: Boycotting Israel because of this shameful reality is considered by many to be antisemitic.  

Israel – An Apartheid State ?

A few days ago, the Israeli NGO B'tzelem published a report on apartheid in areas under Israeli control. In clear and straightforward language, the well-founded document states: "The entire area between the Mediterranean Sea and the Jordan River is organised under a single principle: advancing and cementing the supremacy of one group - Jews - over another - Palestinians. [...] A regime that uses laws, practices and organised violence to cement the supremacy of one group over another is an apartheid regime. Further, B'tzelem explains, "Israeli apartheid [...] was not born in one day or of a single speech. It is a process that has gradually grown more institutionalised and explicit."

 

It could not be clearer.

 

Attempts to portray the reality in Israel/Palestine as apartheid have been around for some time. Often – under Israeli and Jewish lobby pressure – politicians rowed back after "careless" statements. For example, in 2014, US Secretary of State John Kerry, after commenting that Israel risks becoming an "apartheid state" if US-sponsored efforts to reach an Israeli-Palestinian peace settlement fail, had to quickly declare "I do not believe, nor have I ever stated publicly or privately, that Israel is an apartheid state or intends to become one." In 2017, a document was removed from the UN's website that stated, "Israel has established an apartheid regime that dominates the Palestinian people as a whole."

 

These Israeli and Jewish lobby attempts, while successful, are frankly ridiculous, considering that as early as 1976, Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin had already warned against sliding into an apartheid situation and that in 2010, Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak said "as long as in this territory west of the Jordan river there is only one political entity called Israel it is going to be either non-Jewish or non-democratic. [...] If this bloc of millions of Palestinians cannot vote, that will be an apartheid state."

 

Israelis as well as Diaspora Jews, who remember the anti-apartheid movement of the 1970s-80s find the idea of Israel being called an apartheid state difficult. International anti-apartheid efforts, at the time, led to the boycott and pariah status of South Africa and we do not want to end up as pariahs. And yet, even vehement opponents of the occupation and settlements in Israel, would much rather see Israeli society itself come to what they see as the "right" decision, than to be shamed by others. The end of Israeli occupation of the West Bank should not be brought on by foreigners. But the reality is that this is not happening - Israelis are not bringing about change.

 

Admitting to yourself that you are responsible for an apartheid system is not pleasant. B'tzelem even closes the loophole that made it easy for many to argue that apartheid exists in the Occupied Territories, but that Israel itself is a democratic country. Quite clearly, the report shows - what we have known all along - that the non-Jewish population of Israel, 17% of its citizenry, Palestinians living on land defined as Israeli territory in 1948, are Israeli citizens but "do not enjoy the same rights as Jewish citizens, either in law or in practice."

 

It is in front of this mirror that B'tzelem places us that every Israeli now stands. Most prefer to look the other way. Even non-Israelis who identify with Israel cannot escape this question. But when talking of responsibility, we need to confront the fact that the international community too bears a responsibility for this apartheid reality. Only because the world tolerated it, Israel was able to build its apartheid system for years with impunity.      

 

Let not accusations of “antisemitism” and fears of such accusations prevent an honest discussion of the reality in the areas between the Jordan river and the Mediterranean.

Zeev Sternhell

Professor Zeev Sternhell, who died last week at the age of 85, one of the world’s foremost authorities on fascism, was an Israeli historian and political scientist. Zeev Sternhell was also a vociferous opponent of Israeli right-wing politics and of the settlement and annexation policies of Israeli governments.

Sternhell did not mince his words and spoke of “growing Israeli fascism and racism akin to Nazism in its early stages.” 

Sternhell warned: “Like every ideology, the Nazi race theory developed over the years. At first it only deprived Jews of their civil and human rights. It’s possible that without World War II the ‘Jewish problem’ would have ended only with the ‘voluntary’ expulsion of Jews from Reich lands. After all, most of Austria and Germany’s Jews made it out in time. It’s possible that this is the future facing Palestinians.”

   

Sternhell’s voice will be sorely missed.  

Heiko Maas – Incompetence

A few days ago, Heiko Maas, Germany’s Minister for Foreign Affairs, travelled to meet his Israeli counterpart Major General Ashkenazi, to inform him of Europe’s discomfort with Israeli plans to annex even more Palestinian land. 

Such words are like water off a duck’s back. Unless, important countries such as Germany read the riot act to Israel, and show willingness to follow their words with action, Israel will totally disregard them.

And it gets worse: Israel wanted Maas’ visit to produce even more mileage and concocted a ploy to humiliate both the Palestinians and Germany. This was achieved by preventing Maas from visiting Ramallah. Maas had planned a trip to meet the Palestinian leadership, before travelling on to Amman to see King Abdullah of Jordan. To prevent this meeting, Israel – which controls the Palestinian territories – informed Maas, that were he take the 20km. trip to Ramallah, and then back to the Tel-Aviv airport he would be quarantined for 14 days on his way back, before being allowed to leave. Shamefully, Maas gave in.  

Israel’s quarantine enforcement seems flexible: it conveniently forgot that according to its own quarantine regulations, Maas should have been quarantined upon arrival in Israel, before meeting with Israeli ministers. Moreover, thousands of Palestinians travel back and forth every day to work in Israel, without needing to quarantine. Quarantine was just a ploy.   

 

Two years ago, in his inaugural speech, Maas explained «I entered politics because of Auschwitz«. Does Auschwitz incapacitate him and renders him incapable of handling Israel/Palestine issues?    

manikur-pedikur- yalla-uktub-sharmoutah

Sometime, around 1930, a Polish Jewish woman arrived by boat in Haifa, in British Mandate Palestine. For the interview with immigration and customs, she dressed elegantly, and ensured that she looked presentable. When asked by the immigration official for her profession, she pointed with her well-manicured hands and responded in Polish "manikur-pedikur". The official looked quizzingly at his superior officer, what profession would that be, he asked. The officer looked at the woman, and then said in Arabic “manikur-pedikur- yalla-uktub-sharmoutah”, which translates to “manicure-pedicure, come-on, just write prostitute.”

It was reported that a certain Orly Levy-Abekasis, an Israeli politician, has left the anti-Netanyahu camp to join corrupt Bibi Netanyahu’s party and support his bid to form Israel’s next government. This would be her fifth political home in 12 years.

Solidarity I

It began with rumours in various countries that the health system would very soon have to prioritise life-saving treatment. Priority was said to be given to the under 70s, or some said under 60s. 

Some American voices could be heard saying that the older generation would gladly die to save the economy for the younger one. Does anyone, anyone at all, believe that these disgusting Republicans do not have personal arrangements to ensure that when push comes to shove, they would be given access to the treatment? That they personally would not have to pay the price, which they suggest the rest of the old population should?

A few days ago, the 80-year-old Israeli philosopher, Asa Kasher, whose claim to fame was writing the ethical code for the Israeli army (sounds like a contradiction-in-terms), wrote an article, all up-in-arms about this suggestion that a 50-year-old should have priority over a 90-year-old. 

It is wonderful what the eye of the beholder can do. With that understanding, Kasher, if he is up to it, may wish to spend his remaining days to ponder, how a Palestinian would write the ethical code for the Israeli army.

The sad story of Israel

Netanyahu’s Israel is the first country to exploit COVID in order to dismantle democracy. A day before the first hearing of Benjamin Netanyahu’s corruption trial, his appointee as minister of justice conveniently issued a decree closing the courts. 

Then, by stealth, behind the parliament’s back, the government instructed the internal security service to use its technological  surveillance appartus to follow anyone suspected of having been in touch with infected persons. 

And now, Netanyahu and the coterie of scoundrels, who he has painstakingly appointed over the last few years, are trying to close parliament.  

I can understand that Netanyahu wants to avoid going to jail. But why do all those Israeli politicians help him? This is after all the country, that likes to constantly tell the world that it is “the only democracy in the middle east”. What despicable imps they all are. Despicable collaborators.

Collaborators are not forgotten. We will not forget, just as we have not forgotten those who collaborated with other so well-known dictators.

Racism in the Jewish State

Israel’s population has once again demonstrated how widespread racism and hatred are in the country, 20 per cent the population of which is Arab. A few days ago – in response to the demand by the Arab party’s demand for civic equality – Israel’s Transport Minister, a religious Jew aptly named Smutrich (spelled Smotrich, I believe), quoted from Numbers 33:55 (the bible is always a useful source for whatever needs one may have): “If you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides.”   

Since Netanyahu came to power, incitement against Arab citizens, by his own party and by most other political parties, has reached unbelievable lows. Legally Arabs have the same rights as Jews, but the attitude has always been that whereas Arab citizens might be tolerated, they should not have a say in the running of the state. Some, and they are not a few, come up with land-swap and population-swap ideas that would in effect eject certain areas with a predominantly Arab population to become part of a Palestinian territory.

Establishing and embedding the outrageous perception of an ethnic minority as an enemy within, as disloyal, as a fifth column, is not an Israeli invention. Our Jewish history bears witness to it. Israeli Arabs are in an unenviable situation and the onus is upon the Jewish majority not to do to others what they do not want done to themselves.

It is high time that, Diaspora Jewry, which regularly raises alarm about Antisemitism, acts to disassociate itself from the racist reality of the Jewish State.

The woman who married Rabin’s assassin

Israel’s political system has over the years produced some politically truly unattractive parties. Some even disgusting. Occasionally you get ridiculous constructs, such as was the case of M. Flatto Sharon, a French embezzler, who took advantage of Israel’s Law of Return (that gives any Jew the right to move to Israel and get Israeli citizenship). In 1977, he established his own party and became a member of the Knesset, to avoid extradition to France, which had issued an international arrest warrant for him. Surprise, surprise, Flatto Sharon was later found guilt by an Israeli court of having bribed voters, in order to get their votes.

The latest “I wouldn’t touch with a barge-pole” is Ms. Larissa Trimbobler. I have no idea what caused this divorcee with four children, to marry the prisoner Ygal Amir, Yitzhak Rabin’s murderer. Amir was allowed to impregnate Trimbobler and in 2007, she gave birth to a son. 

There is no accounting for what makes people fall in love. And yet, wanting to marry that man, is quite something. Giving birth, producing a child with him – is at best irresponsible. The son of the murderer and the woman who chose to devote herself to him, will forever be known as the murderer’s son. 

There is, of course, the possibility that she is in it for the money, that she is being funded by Amir supporters.Taking her exciting life one step further, Trimbobler has established a political party, which demands Amir’s retrial. The next elections in Israel will take place on 2 March. 

The Assassination

The civilised world, that is Trump & Cie. just assassinated Qasem Suleimani, an Iranian general. Because of Suleimani’s track record and position in Iran, this killing enjoyed much more media attention than most targeted killings, which are, after all, all in the day’s work for us ‘civilised’.

There are various criteria by which one can assess this killing: moral, legal, strategic and the tactical. Can one build a moral case for killing? Some feel that they can, others not. Most will agree that Suleimani had it coming. The legality of the act may be intellectually interesting but of no practical significance. Iraq, since it was invaded by the USA, like Syria, Libya and several other countries, is a playground, where anyone seems to be able to do what they wish.

Whilst it is hard to believe that Trump even knows how to spell the word strategic, let alone act strategically, it may be that the killing of Suleimani, will trigger the opening of a new channel of negotiations between the US and Iran, which will lead to some or other agreement. Both sides are actually interested in one. The accidental shooting down of the Ukrainian plane, and the Iranian mea culpa, in a bizarre way, may serve the same purpose.

Israel is likely to be worried by any rapprochement between Iran and the USA. In a speech, which Israel’s chief-of-staff, General Kochavi, gave on Christmas day, (before the assassination) he complained about the fact that Israel had to do all the anti-Iran work on its own. He would prefer – he explained – a reality in which “we weren’t the only ones acting against them offensively.” Kochavi asked and Trump delivered.

Our Boys vs. Stray Weeds

If you have the opportunity to watch the Israeli 10-part-series Our Boys, do so. Netflix(?) HBO(?) It is worth watching.

It is a docu-drama that revisits the revenge killing of a 16-year-old Palestinian by three orthodox Jews. A real story that happened in Jerusalem in July 2014. The series gives insight into remote – perhaps even alien – societal groups, unknown to most of us: Palestinians, Ultra-orthodox Jews, and... Israeli secret service. You get to understand them all better. Even the warped world and world-view that produced the killers.

I recently asked one of the writers and directors of the series, to what extent, they may have been instrumentalised by the shabaq, Israel’s internal security service. After all, the film’s portrayal of the shabaq is sympathetic and it was a fact, that the film’s directors had been granted access to the interrogation files – surely an unusual occurrence. The only explanation, that I can think of for shabaq’s decision to cooperate with the makers of this series, is the hope that it would benefit their PR.

My interlocutor believed that not to be the case. Indeed, those who are willing to think beyond the excitement of the show, may be asking themselves, why the Israeli secret service treats Jewish suspects of hate crimes with kid gloves, whereas it shows no such reservations when it comes to its dealing with Arabs.

Interestingly, the original name for the series was to be “Stray Weeds”. At some point, they must have concluded that Our Boys better portrays the state of affairs in Israel.  

Here’s an official HBO trailer.

France II – Macron and Antisemitism

In February of this year, France’s President Macron, at an annual dinner of CRIF, the representative body of French Jews, came out with a statement equating anti-Zionism with Antisemitism: "L'antisionisme est l'une des formes modernes de l'antisémitisme" Whichever of his assistants had written that text, is either an idiot or under the thumb of a pro-Israel lobby. 

 

That was ten months ago. Now the French parliament has passed a resolution repeating Macron’s idiocy. The Israeli government confirmed that “The adoption of the resolution came after many months of diplomatic efforts by the Israeli embassy in Paris.”

Whereas I believe that establishing a Jewish state in Palestine was morally justified, I do not expect everyone to share my view. I definitely do not expect Palestinians to do so: For Palestinians, Zionism means dispossession, displacement, occupation and structural inequality. It is cynical and insensitive to stigmatize them as anti-Semites for opposing Zionism. They oppose Zionism not because they hate Jews, but because they experience Zionism as an oppressive political movement.  

The fact that some Antisemites are also anti-Zionists, does not mean that all anti-Zionists are Antisemites. Antisemitism is way too serious a problem to handle it superficially, only because the Israeli government takes advantage of European guilt over the Holocaust.  

Products from Israeli settlements must be labelled, EU court rules

The European Court of Justice has ruled that “Foodstuffs originating in the territories occupied by the state of Israel must bear the indication of their territory of origin.”

This ruling is welcome. If enforced, it should enable those, who do not wish to support the illegal Israeli settlements in the West Bank, to avoid buying their products. The alternative would be to boycott all goods manufactured in Israel. Is that what Israel wants?

Prof Kontorovich, the director of international law at the Jerusalem-based Kohelet Policy Forum, said the European court was “approving putting a new kind of yellow star on Jewish-made products”. Pfui Kontorovich, professor or no professor. This relativism is disgusting.

Pfui also to those voices who speak of Antisemitism in the court’s ruling. (In Germany, it’s the usual suspects, whose philosemitism includes the support of Israel and its politics, such as Die Welt or BILD)

On the timing of a killing

A couple of days ago, the Israeli air force assassinated a senior leader of the militant Palestinian group, Islamic Jihad. 

Col. (res.) Omer Bar-Lev, member of Parliament (Labour) and son of a former Chief of Staff, Haim Bar-Lev, came out with a statement that this assassination was carried out for internal political reasons. For his opinion, Bar-Lev was immediately ticked off by his own party leader as well as by Israel’s President Rivlin. 

Bar-Lev, who did not speak out against targeted assassinations, nor against the killing of this specific Palestinian, simply said what is blatantly obvious, that Netanyahu – who is fighting for his political life and perhaps even his freedom from jail – has timed his decision to assassinate now in order to further his personal needs.

A statement such as Bar-Lev’s is extremely unusual in Israel, a country in which, military activity regularly freezes any critical thinking. Uttering such criticism is considered as near treason. Most other Israeli politicians either agree with the killing or don’t have the balls to speak out.

Israel Criticism – The trap of anti-Semitism allegations

A paper of mine “Israel criticism – The trap of anti-Semitism allegations” appeared in the autumn edition of conflict & communication online.  

Discussions about Israel, and Israeli politics, pertaining to the Israel-Palestine question, often lead to the critic – especially if the language used is harsh – being accused of Antisemitism. The purpose of introducing accusations of antisemitism is the derailment of the argument. Such discussions frequently follow a regular pattern, in which critics find themselves on the defensive and the debate turns from one about Israel to one about the critic’s alleged Antisemitism. In the interest of honesty and to facilitate factuality and sobriety in debates about Israel, the paper suggests that any personal prejudice or motivation, which a critic may or may not harbour for their arguments, be disregarded.

The paper, albeit in German, can be read HERE.

Netanyahu and his Electorate

Israel’s election last week appears to offer more of the same: Half of the country voted for Netanyahu and/or for parties that have declared that they would not join a coalition without Netanyahu.

Half of the country voted for Netanyahu, despite the fact that his main motivation now to hold on to power, is to ensure some deal that would grant him immunity from trial on various very serious corruption charges that are awaiting him.  

Netanyahu’s main opponent, a party that is headed by three former chiefs of staff, is not an opponent in policy, only in personality. They are not offering a new policy on settlements or on peace, indeed, they speak the one language that seems to be a prerequisite for almost any Jewish politician in Israel: being tough with Arabs.

Israel has no constituency for peace, none for a departure from the occupied West Bank, none for a dismantling of its illegal settlements, none for a compromise and fair deal with the Arabs.

21% of Israel’s population are Arabs, yet their only political party, a sectorial Arab party, which got 11% of the votes, is not considered to be a worthy coalition partner by the majority of the country’s Jewish population.

Full stop.

Perhaps, a charismatic post-Netanyahu politician will appear one day, able to convince the Israeli electorate to take a new course. Currently, there is no one.

Full stop.  

Smot not Smut

The right-wing deterioration of Israel has been producing an ever-viler brand of politicians in that country. A recent addition to Netanyahu’s government, and a member of the Israeli government’s defence cabinet is the despicable and racist religious politician, Bezalel Smotrich. I had always thought that his name was Smutrich (the Hebrew spelling for both smut and smot is the same) and found rich in smut quite appropriate. It turns out that his name is Smot not Smut. 

This disgusting fundamentalist, who hates Arabs and hates homosexuals, has explained what he wants: "The State of Israel, the country of the Jewish people, with God willing, will go back to operating as it did in the days of King David and King Solomon… I want the State of Israel to operate according to the Torah in the long run. That’s how it should be, it’s a Jewish state." And he says it all and does it all with a smile:

Travelling in the Ukraine, last week, the guide mentioned Smotrich as the name of the river we had just crossed. 

Evidently, the Israeli politician’s family is from the Ukraine. Legend has it that Ukrainian politician Yuri Chmelnitzki, who was strangled by the Turks in 1685, had his corpse thrown into the Smotrich.

Mounting the Temple

In 1947, the United Nations voted for the partition of British Mandate Palestine into three separate entities: a Jewish state, an Arab state and Jerusalem as a separate legal entity, a corpus separatum. That was the plan.

Tish’a Beav, is a day of mourning, on which religious Jews fast and remember the destruction of the Temple in Jerusalem. Eid El-Ad’ha is the Feast of Sacrifice, the Muslim feast ending the annual pilgrimage to Mecca.  Such days are always an opportunity for extremists on both sides to stir trouble. This year is no exception. Moreover, this year, both holidays fall during the same period. And so the Muslim religious authority has closed all other mosques in Jerusalem to force those Muslims who wish to pray to come in droves to the El-Aksah mosque, and right-wing Israeli politicians and activists are pushing and cajoling the government and the police to open the area for Jews to celebrate. The Chief Rabbi meanwhile opined that according to Jewish law it is forbidden for Jews to enter the area.

What a miserable lot they are – whatever god they maintain they believe in. And all those that follow, hollow and shallow, “believers” that care more for real estate than for human values of peace, love and mercy. Worst of all, are those cold-blooded politicians, secular and religious, who manipulate those primitive feelings of “their people”.

And how right the UN was in 1947, to suggest a corpus separatum. Instead – borrowing from Shakespeare – we have

Who are Friedman & Greenblatt Working for?

Last week, David Friedman, US ambassador to Israel and Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s Special Envoy to the Middle East, attended a tunnel-opening ceremony in Arab Jerusalem. The tunnel has been dug over the last six years under Palestinian houses and against their wishes. The instigator of this atrocity is a right-wing Israeli group that is taking over Arab East Jerusalem, stone-by-stone, house-after-house. They are backed by the Israeli government and funded by rich American Jewish donors. US casino-mogul Sheldon Adelson and his wife Miriam were also among those present at the event. The mascot in the picture is Mrs. Netanyahu.

The US civil servants did more than just attend the ceremony, they actively participated by wielding sledgehammers to break through a wall and open up a tunnel.

Friedman, Greenblatt and Trump’s son-in-law, Kushner, head Trump’s team dealing with the Israel-Palestine issue. Greenblatt recently said in an interview "there is no such thing as an honest mediator." No more veneer of impartiality. The US Ambassador and the Special Envoy, long-time supporters of the settlers, are now evidently working for this most right-wing part of Israeli society, one which many Israelis disassociate from.

So, are Jews likely to be more loyal to Israel than to their countries? Do Jews have too much control over global affairs? Do they have too much control over the United States government?

CAREFUL!!!! Think before you answer these questions. These are three out of eleven statements, that pollsters regularly use as indicators of Antisemitism. Hence, if you answer these truthfully, these will be considered indications that you are an anti-Semite. Take your pick: lie, or be falsely labelled an Antisemite. What a choice.

David Ranan: Israelkritik und Antisemitismus

For German speakers: Here's a link to a podcast made with me during the recent Körber History Forum in Berlin.

koerber-stiftung.de/koerber-history-forum/podcasts