It is now just over a month since Hamas won the Palestinian democratic elections. There is still no sign that Hamas is going to change its attitude towards Israel. Perhaps this would be a good time to examine what Hamas intends to do in the future.” Pragmatism” is not one of the pillars of Hamas policy. If it were, it would have changed its manifesto and recognized Israel’s right to exist and at the same time lay down its arms. Negotiations with Israel would be a natural desire if peace with Israel were on the Hamas agenda. This would be a positive sign that Hamas is preparing to lead the Palestinian people towards responsible statehood and away from terror attacks against Israeli citizens of all creeds. Unfortunately, what has happened is far from “Hamas pragmatism”. The idea of giving Hamas a chance to show its pragmatism is dreaming with no basis at all. Hamas is steeped in extremist Islamic doctrine which will not compromise in having a non-Muslim neighbor in their midst.
Hamas has embarked on a road that is non-compromising towards Israel’s right to exist. It has colored its statements with wild accusations using the terms “occupation and liberation of Palestinian lands” with great fervor. The end of the occupation in Hamas terms is the end of Israel – a sort of Armageddon. There is no hint of any compromising stance in Hamas language. In practical terms, the desire for peace is lacking. Many of us were euphoric with the signing of the Oslo Accords in 1993. We hoped that the end of the Palestinian-Israeli Conflict was close. Today, many of us are disillusioned. The zigzagging of Arafat and the Hamas gaining in strength during the later Intifada years including the cruel terrorist suicide bombers that they sent into Israel had left no illusions as to their aims. This led many of us to believe that achievement of peace between Israel and the Palestinians would remain unattainable.
The Hamas reality and its ideas of genocide is becoming more of a fear in the heart of Israel’s citizens. The Hamas Covenant has made it clear that it is the duty of Muslims to kill Jews at every opportunity. Nothing has come from Hamas to deny this. On the contrary, they are showing signs of developing relations with the notorious Israel-and- Jew-hater, President Mahmoud Ahmadinajad of Iran, in his desire to threaten Israel with her destruction. The relationship between these two evil entities – Hamastan Palestine and Ahmadinajad’s Iran - will grow stronger in the future.
History has a habit of repeating itself using different players under different circumstances and of course in a different era. This is true of Hamas when we compare Hamastan with Nazi Germany of the 1930s. Both regimes gained power through democratic elections. In a way, one could compare Mahmoud Abbas with Germany’s President Paul von Hindenburg before the Nazis won the general elections. Hitler’s ideas of making Germany free of Jews as outlined in his book Mein Kampf makes this very clear. Substitute the garbage that Hitler wrote; superimpose it on the Hamas Covenant when it talks about the destruction of the Jews and you have the Hamas answer to the “Jewish Problem”. We have evidence of Hamas adopting a policy of genocide when it describes what they intend to do with the Jews if given the chance, or alternatively, when they have had enough of the long term “peace treaty” or hudna that they intend to sign with Israel. Hamas when viewed in this light is the reincarnation of Nazism. This reincarnation of Nazism is disturbing in the Middle East.
It is also popular to compare Israel with Apartheid South Africa of old. If anything, Hamas has more similarities to the old Apartheid pseudo-Nazi regime of white South Africa where blacks were discriminated mercilessly. Under Hamas, Jews would be discriminated against mercilessly, if not murdered!
It looks as if there is the materialization of this with the evil axis – Syria the shelter for Hamas exiled leaders such as Khaled Mashal in Damascus, Iran who is showing support for Hamas and Al Qaeda, the latter will become more significant in Gaza and the Sinai Peninsula. This will be a threat to many of Israel’s moderate Arab neighbours such as Jordan and Egypt no less than Israel itself. Recognition of Hamas is the same as recognizing Nazi Germany because both countries elected their respective regimes democratically. Does this give both regimes the right to carry out genocide because their electorate voted for them?
The conflict between Israel and the Palestinians will become more an existentialist problem with the Muslim Brotherhood that has its origins in Egypt and Hamas as its modern offshoot as elected player. Pressure to return territory, occupied in the Six Day War of June 1967, will pale into insignificance. The conflict will become more religiously oriented seeking legitimization in the Quran for the destruction of Israel that Hamas regards as anathema because it is non-Moslem and thus has no right to exist under any conditions. The axiom that Israel is occupied Palestinian lands will gain further strength. A two state solution – Israel and Palestine is not on the agenda. A one state solution replacing Israel is on the Hamas agenda!
What can the world do? Appeasement of Hamas and invitations of Hamas to visit various countries such as Turkey, Russia and various Arab States will only strengthen Hamas and give her more legitimacy. If the world does not view Hamas as an extension of Hezbollah and Al Qaeda and will adopt a policy of appeasement, this will cause Islamist terror to increase. The former glory of Islamism when many countries were conquered under its guise and non-Moslems were forced to convert to Islam or be killed by the sword could show signs of repeating itself.
Israel has no alternative but to apply sanctions on the Palestinian Hamas leadership. After all, Hamas does not recognize Israel and has vowed to carry on the armed struggle until Israel ceases to exist. If the world by passes the sanctions they will be on the Islamist firing line as well. We witnessed many incidents of Islamist Al Qaeda terror over the past decade. These countries opened the doors to Islamist extremists from all over the world and they paid a very heavy price in blood. Let this not happen again!
Hamas is a Palestinian Nazi Movement who is far from being pragmatic and is on the verge of embarking on a policy of attempted genocide.
Saturday, February 25
Saturday, February 18
Hamas is on the Road to Acceptability
Cracks are beginning to appear in the determination not to recognize Hamas. The logic behind these cracks is the growing acceptability of many countries to come to terms with the will of the Palestinian people to change their government. This they had illustrated under international supervision of the democratic Palestinian Elections on 26 January 2006. When the results of a Hamas victory became clear, the US, which had pushed for democratic elections, began to reel as a result. Those who follow the turmoil in the Middle East were least surprised. The Palestinian electorate cast the dye clearly. The Palestinian Electorate had shown their disgust with the corruption of the Palestinian Authority under Fatah rule and also its ineptitude and insensitivity to the massive economic problems that the Palestinians face. The peace process or coming to terms with Israel was not a factor in the minds of the Palestinian People. They were more concerned about their own poor economic situation and suffering. It was a matter of new brooms sweeping clean.
Many countries who maintain good relations with Israel are following Russia’s example and inviting the Hamas leadership to visit their countries. Turkey is the latest example of such a country. This does not leave much room for optimism on the ability of the US and the Quartet to isolate Hamas. Russia is even going to discuss giving the Palestinians a present of two M17 transport helicopters and 50 armored personnel carriers. Does this mean the appeasement of Hamas is fast becoming a reality? After all, Russia does not regard them as a terrorist group. "Armored equipment is also intended for stabilizing the situation," Interfax quoted the Russian Chief of Staff Baluyevsky as saying. It is surrealistic even trying to see the logic in such a statement. We all know what Hamas has done in terror operations against Israel. Giving weapons to them as a reward is absurd and dangerous. Hamas is an Islamist Fascist group of terrorists. Their charter is similar to Hitler’s Mein Kampf according to Avi Dichter, the Kadima candidate for the Knesset and ex-head of the Israeli Security Services.
One thing is certain; Hamas will receive more invitations by many other countries in the guise of helping the peace process between Israel and the Palestinians to move forward. This is an illusion. Khaled Mashal, the exiled Hamas leader residing in Damascus and visiting Turkey is now making statements that Hamas is largely misunderstood. Hamas is now whitewashed and being presented as a legitimate group of peacemakers. Time is not on the side of the US or Israel. The US is adamant in its demand of not recognizing Hamas as a legitimate peace partner. Russia by its deeds has a different opinion. The Russian snowball effect of the appeasement and recognition of Hamas is opening the way for many countries to receive the Hamas leadership with open arms. Egypt has been courting them for some time. After all Hamas is part of the Muslim Brotherhood that is in itself a great headache for President Hosni Mubarak who also handles them carefully.
All these activities of appeasement and legitimization of Hamas will achieve nothing positive. Hamas is determined never to recognize Israel’s right to exist. Hamas is determined to continue the armed struggle against the occupation that has a very wide meaning in Hamas terms. It does not mean only relinquishing territory occupied in the Six Day War of June 1967 but also the total destruction of Israel as a Jewish State. Granting Hamas international recognition will only strengthen Hamas’s hand in carrying on terror against Israel. It will also strengthen the relationship between Iran and Hamas ruled Palestine. The consequences would be very grave indeed with further Islamist extremism becoming the order of the day in the Middle East, which means a war against non-Moslems. According to the Hamas Charter, Arab territory occupied by a non-Moslem entity (the “Zionist Entity” as they call it) is unacceptable. It is the duty of Moslems to wage war until they achieve their goal. Who is the world bluffing these days? The only concession that they are prepared to make is a long-term temporary peace treaty or hudna until they (the “Hamasniks”) have gained enough strength militarily to achieve their aim of destroying Israel.
Wednesday, February 15
The Legitimization of Hamas
Russia has done it again! The ex Soviet Union has left a legacy of placating Israel’s enemies in the past. Why should we show surprise at Russia’s President Vladimir Putin when he makes overtures to Hamas by inviting the Hamas leadership to Russia? This legacy is continuing! Surely, this is the beginning of the legitimization of Hamas! It seems as if some countries are waiting in the shadows for a power within the Quartet to make the first overture. This has occurred and it will result in cracks in the so-called determination of Europe not to recognize Hamas until it lays down its arms and recognizes Israel’s right to exist. Countries in line for recognizing Hamas as the representatives of the Palestinians are (not unexpectedly) Iran, China, Syria and Sudan. Those countries in the wings are Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar who are having talks with the Hamas leadership. This tendency of recognition will snow ball and the West will slide into the expediency of accepting Hamas despite the dangers that lurk in this strategy.
As the situation stands, the US, Great Britain and France still express opposition to Hamas and indications are that they will remain steadfast in that. France may disappoint all by finding a reason for negotiating with Hamas in the end as she had done with previous terror groups. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, speaking at the news conference with Putin, said Madrid would support Russia's peace initiatives. This surprising behaviour does not leave Israel with much hope in trusting Russia’s strategy, which appears to be rather devious. While the world accepts Hamas’s electoral victory in the Palestinian election and this in itself grants her the status of being the representatives of the Palestinian People for good or bad. A similar parallel occurred in Germany in 1933 when the German People elected the Nazi Party under Hitler. The Nazis had used the democratic institutions of Germany in order to gain power. Afterwards they abolished these institutions by oppressing the opposition and establishing a one-party state thus destroying democracy. The destruction of the small spark of democracy resulting in Hamas’s electoral victory is a strong possibility. If there are parallels between Nazi Germany and Hamas rule in Palestine, signs of the appeasement of the latter observed by Putin’s attitude towards hosting Hamas is similar to the appeasement of Hitler policy of late PM Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain in 1938 when he signed the Munich Agreement.
Russia seems to overlook the support that Hamas had given to the Moslem Chechen rebels who fought the Russian Army. Putin does not regard Hamas as a terrorist organization. The logic of Vladimir Putin’s attitude towards Hamas is odd and complex. Perhaps he does not see Hamas as a threat to Russian interests. If Russia was responsible in supplying Iran with nuclear expertise then we must see their attitude towards Hamas within that context. Russia’s economy is in the doldrums and perhaps this is their way of trying to gain influence in rogue regimes such as Iran and possibly Hamas ruled Palestine as well. Perhaps this is Russia’s way of trying to regain influence in the Middle East conflict, which serves its interests.
Those who support Hamas fail to realize that Hamas is a fascist group who wishes to destroy Israel. Hamas is a terrorist organization that will destroy the pseudo-democracy that put them into power. The Palestinian people will not benefit from the election of Hamas and its uncompromising attitude towards peace with Israel. Those countries that appease Hamas are doing a disservice towards peace between Israel and the Palestinians. It will only strengthen the resolve of Hamas to continue its terrorist activity against Israel. Hamas has not shown any signs of change in attitude towards recognizing Israel’s right to exist or giving up the “armed struggle” for Palestinian independence, which in simple terms means a Palestinian State that replaces Israel.
The lip service paid towards strengthening President Mahmoud Abbas is a non-starter. He represents nobody. His party has lost the Palestinian Elections and propping him up artificially will not achieve anything apart from further antagonism towards Israel. He did not receive a mandate from the Palestinian people to form the next Government. He had done nothing to curb terror attacks against Israel in the past and he will not disarm Hamas and its ally, Islamic Jihad, in the future.
Perhaps change can come from outside pressure by boycotting the Palestinian Authority the moment Hamas takes over from the interim period of anarchy that is present now. Israel, for her part, could take drastic measures by cutting off electricity and water supplies to Hamas ruled Palestine if Hamas continues to encourage terror against Israel. Why should Israel supply the Hamas regime with essential services when they sponsor Qassam rocket fire into Israel as well as other terrorist acts?
As the situation stands, the US, Great Britain and France still express opposition to Hamas and indications are that they will remain steadfast in that. France may disappoint all by finding a reason for negotiating with Hamas in the end as she had done with previous terror groups. Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, speaking at the news conference with Putin, said Madrid would support Russia's peace initiatives. This surprising behaviour does not leave Israel with much hope in trusting Russia’s strategy, which appears to be rather devious. While the world accepts Hamas’s electoral victory in the Palestinian election and this in itself grants her the status of being the representatives of the Palestinian People for good or bad. A similar parallel occurred in Germany in 1933 when the German People elected the Nazi Party under Hitler. The Nazis had used the democratic institutions of Germany in order to gain power. Afterwards they abolished these institutions by oppressing the opposition and establishing a one-party state thus destroying democracy. The destruction of the small spark of democracy resulting in Hamas’s electoral victory is a strong possibility. If there are parallels between Nazi Germany and Hamas rule in Palestine, signs of the appeasement of the latter observed by Putin’s attitude towards hosting Hamas is similar to the appeasement of Hitler policy of late PM Neville Chamberlain of Great Britain in 1938 when he signed the Munich Agreement.
Russia seems to overlook the support that Hamas had given to the Moslem Chechen rebels who fought the Russian Army. Putin does not regard Hamas as a terrorist organization. The logic of Vladimir Putin’s attitude towards Hamas is odd and complex. Perhaps he does not see Hamas as a threat to Russian interests. If Russia was responsible in supplying Iran with nuclear expertise then we must see their attitude towards Hamas within that context. Russia’s economy is in the doldrums and perhaps this is their way of trying to gain influence in rogue regimes such as Iran and possibly Hamas ruled Palestine as well. Perhaps this is Russia’s way of trying to regain influence in the Middle East conflict, which serves its interests.
Those who support Hamas fail to realize that Hamas is a fascist group who wishes to destroy Israel. Hamas is a terrorist organization that will destroy the pseudo-democracy that put them into power. The Palestinian people will not benefit from the election of Hamas and its uncompromising attitude towards peace with Israel. Those countries that appease Hamas are doing a disservice towards peace between Israel and the Palestinians. It will only strengthen the resolve of Hamas to continue its terrorist activity against Israel. Hamas has not shown any signs of change in attitude towards recognizing Israel’s right to exist or giving up the “armed struggle” for Palestinian independence, which in simple terms means a Palestinian State that replaces Israel.
The lip service paid towards strengthening President Mahmoud Abbas is a non-starter. He represents nobody. His party has lost the Palestinian Elections and propping him up artificially will not achieve anything apart from further antagonism towards Israel. He did not receive a mandate from the Palestinian people to form the next Government. He had done nothing to curb terror attacks against Israel in the past and he will not disarm Hamas and its ally, Islamic Jihad, in the future.
Perhaps change can come from outside pressure by boycotting the Palestinian Authority the moment Hamas takes over from the interim period of anarchy that is present now. Israel, for her part, could take drastic measures by cutting off electricity and water supplies to Hamas ruled Palestine if Hamas continues to encourage terror against Israel. Why should Israel supply the Hamas regime with essential services when they sponsor Qassam rocket fire into Israel as well as other terrorist acts?
Monday, February 6
The Cartoons of Blasphemy
On 30 September 2005, Jylands-Posten, the Danish Newspaper, had printed twelve cartoons. These cartoons did not cause much of a stir at the time, apart from peaceful protest in Copenhagen organized by the Muslim Community. What was it that caused such a widespread reaction a few days ago? Suddenly many devout Muslims all over the world took strong exception to these cartoons, regarding them as blasphemy and went on the rampage. There is hardly a country, with a sizeable Muslim Community, that did not have violent demonstrations against the Danes. This illustration of violence and the extreme reaction to these cartoons brings home the message that “something is rotten in the state of Denmark, O cursed spite that ever a leader will be born to set it right” (with apologies to William Shakespeare).
Is there really something rotten in Denmark? Probably not! Denmark, like much of Europe today has become the home of a sizeable Muslim Community. The Muslims see themselves as a persecuted minority. Their religious values are very different from western values. Perhaps there is certain insensitivity by the West in recognizing this as was demonstrated by the extreme Islamist violence that occurred all over the world. This could also be due to ignorance and lack of understanding of those who are observant Muslims. Democracy in Islam, as non-Muslims in the West view it, does not exist. Mohammed, the prophet, is seen as infallible, holy and is regarded as the supreme messenger of God. The idea of using Mohammed as a symbol for caricature is unacceptable to devout Muslims all over the world. One never sees Mohammed’s face in any Muslim art work.
Those who value democracy and feel that it is legitimate to satirize religion do not take into consideration the feelings of many religious people irrespective of their faith. Jewish people have had a bitter experience with anti-Semitic Der Steurmer cartoons against them during the rule of Hitler in Nazi Germany. Today there are cartoons depicting Jews in a derogatory manner in many Islamic newspapers. These Arab countries are not democratic at all but they give their caricaturists freedom to depict Jews in an anti-Semitic way. Jews have protested against these cartoons but there was never any wide scale violence or demonization of the nations from where the cartoons originated. Muslim fanatics have overreacted in a violent way that has crossed every red line of reason.
The chief rabbi of France, Joseph Sitruk, and many other Jewish leaders had condemned the cartoons using the Jewish experience in anti-Semitism as reason for showing sensitivity towards religious feelings not only of devout Muslims but towards all faiths. This is commendable of course.
On the other hand, the world has not been the same since that fateful day on September 11, 2001 when Al Qaeda Muslim fanatics crashed two passenger planes into the Trade Center in Manhattan, NY, resulting in the deaths of over 3000 innocent people. Since then there has been so many incidents of fanatic Islamist terror all over the world, many newspapers have adopted a cynical attitude towards Islam, which is a reflection of the average non-Muslim’s fears of Islam. Many people in Europe and the rest of the western world view Islam as a violent religion whose aim is the conversion of non-Muslims to Islam. All means of achieving this aim is legitimate as far as these Islamist fanatics are concerned. The Islamist suicide bomber and the 70 virgins in heaven waiting for him has become a symbol of Islam in the eyes of many. The frequency of violent Islamist terror had played its part in the demonization of Islam in the eyes of many. The production of satirical cartoons poking fun at Islam in the name of freedom of the press is a result of this. The western democracies had enough of imported Islamist terror in their countries!
Israel has suffered from suicide bomb attacks initiated and organized by Hamas and Islamic Jihad who to this day do not recognize Israel’s right to exist. These groups are linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon and possibly to Al Qaeda as well. Lately Iran has been threatening Israel’s destruction. It will form part of this unholy alliance of hate for anything associated with Israel and the West.
The fact that an insignificant matter like satirical cartoons directed at Islamist terror has caused such a violent reaction in the fanatic elements of Islam proves how fragile relationships are between Europe, U.S and the Muslim world.
Is there really something rotten in Denmark? Probably not! Denmark, like much of Europe today has become the home of a sizeable Muslim Community. The Muslims see themselves as a persecuted minority. Their religious values are very different from western values. Perhaps there is certain insensitivity by the West in recognizing this as was demonstrated by the extreme Islamist violence that occurred all over the world. This could also be due to ignorance and lack of understanding of those who are observant Muslims. Democracy in Islam, as non-Muslims in the West view it, does not exist. Mohammed, the prophet, is seen as infallible, holy and is regarded as the supreme messenger of God. The idea of using Mohammed as a symbol for caricature is unacceptable to devout Muslims all over the world. One never sees Mohammed’s face in any Muslim art work.
Those who value democracy and feel that it is legitimate to satirize religion do not take into consideration the feelings of many religious people irrespective of their faith. Jewish people have had a bitter experience with anti-Semitic Der Steurmer cartoons against them during the rule of Hitler in Nazi Germany. Today there are cartoons depicting Jews in a derogatory manner in many Islamic newspapers. These Arab countries are not democratic at all but they give their caricaturists freedom to depict Jews in an anti-Semitic way. Jews have protested against these cartoons but there was never any wide scale violence or demonization of the nations from where the cartoons originated. Muslim fanatics have overreacted in a violent way that has crossed every red line of reason.
The chief rabbi of France, Joseph Sitruk, and many other Jewish leaders had condemned the cartoons using the Jewish experience in anti-Semitism as reason for showing sensitivity towards religious feelings not only of devout Muslims but towards all faiths. This is commendable of course.
On the other hand, the world has not been the same since that fateful day on September 11, 2001 when Al Qaeda Muslim fanatics crashed two passenger planes into the Trade Center in Manhattan, NY, resulting in the deaths of over 3000 innocent people. Since then there has been so many incidents of fanatic Islamist terror all over the world, many newspapers have adopted a cynical attitude towards Islam, which is a reflection of the average non-Muslim’s fears of Islam. Many people in Europe and the rest of the western world view Islam as a violent religion whose aim is the conversion of non-Muslims to Islam. All means of achieving this aim is legitimate as far as these Islamist fanatics are concerned. The Islamist suicide bomber and the 70 virgins in heaven waiting for him has become a symbol of Islam in the eyes of many. The frequency of violent Islamist terror had played its part in the demonization of Islam in the eyes of many. The production of satirical cartoons poking fun at Islam in the name of freedom of the press is a result of this. The western democracies had enough of imported Islamist terror in their countries!
Israel has suffered from suicide bomb attacks initiated and organized by Hamas and Islamic Jihad who to this day do not recognize Israel’s right to exist. These groups are linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon and possibly to Al Qaeda as well. Lately Iran has been threatening Israel’s destruction. It will form part of this unholy alliance of hate for anything associated with Israel and the West.
The fact that an insignificant matter like satirical cartoons directed at Islamist terror has caused such a violent reaction in the fanatic elements of Islam proves how fragile relationships are between Europe, U.S and the Muslim world.
Saturday, February 4
The Evacuation of Amona
Amona is an illegal outpost that is an extension of Ofra in the territories. Last week we witnessed the evacuation of Amona, which left many of us in shock. The shock was not from the action of evacuation but the reaction to the evacuation. There was so much stock piling of homemade “weapons” if one could call it that. The kippa-cladded hooligans with “tsitsit” were there again in full force. The scenario was rather similar prior to the evacuation of Gush Katif in August 2005, where all kinds of rather interesting innovations were used against the Security Forces. These hooligans, many of whom were not more than 14 or 15 years of age, were sent by their parents to wage their wars against law and order in the evacuation of illegal outposts.
There does not seem to be any limit to the violence of these right wing protesters. After all these years of the intifada, it seems that many of the parents of these hooligans had learned something from the Palestinians – to send their children into the thick of the fray. This tactic was effective in Palestinian street during the intifada years. They allowed their children to demonstrate violently against the police who were carrying out their duty to evacuate the illegal outpost. The authorities must hold the parents accountable for the violence that occurred including the injuries sustained.
To add fat on the fire of hate for law and order, the right wing members of the Knesset who were present are not blameless either. Their presence is a provocation for violence taking into account their extremist right wing views and sympathy for the teenage violators of the law. It is a disgrace if members of the Knesset instigate right wing violence against authority. After all, MKs should set an example against violence. Instead, they were involved in the provocation of the violence. They are accountable for what had happened no less than the parents of these hooligans.
The violence was great. The scenario of violent hooligans tempered with determination not to cooperate with the authorities was a scene that was unacceptable. Israel had signed agreements with the US on evacuation; even if it is unilateral, it does not give the settlers and their supporters the right to behave the way they did. What is even more galling is the fact that these kids took the law into their own hands and decided who was allowed into the beleaguered outpost and who was not.
There is no doubt that what had occurred in Amona was the result of the radical right wing (could one call it Zionist?) ideology which placed more importance on occupation of greater Israel rather than decency, justice and Israel’s long term interests. Something is rotten in “Settlerstan” no less than in “Hamastan”. It seems that this right wing form of settler religious fundamentalism is just as dangerous as the fundamentalist Islam of Hamas. Both are enemies of peace! While it is true that Israel has no real partner for peace especially since the Hamas victory, this does not justify the behaviour of right wing religious zealots under the questionable guidance of their radical rabbis. What has happened to religious Zionism if it closes its eyes to these acts of violence? There is a polarization of Judaism in the territories with the anarchy of the so-called religious youth taking the helm and becoming a dangerous element running out of control. In the future, there will be further evacuations of illegal outposts and violent scenarios will accompany these evacuations.
There does not seem to be any limit to the violence of these right wing protesters. After all these years of the intifada, it seems that many of the parents of these hooligans had learned something from the Palestinians – to send their children into the thick of the fray. This tactic was effective in Palestinian street during the intifada years. They allowed their children to demonstrate violently against the police who were carrying out their duty to evacuate the illegal outpost. The authorities must hold the parents accountable for the violence that occurred including the injuries sustained.
To add fat on the fire of hate for law and order, the right wing members of the Knesset who were present are not blameless either. Their presence is a provocation for violence taking into account their extremist right wing views and sympathy for the teenage violators of the law. It is a disgrace if members of the Knesset instigate right wing violence against authority. After all, MKs should set an example against violence. Instead, they were involved in the provocation of the violence. They are accountable for what had happened no less than the parents of these hooligans.
The violence was great. The scenario of violent hooligans tempered with determination not to cooperate with the authorities was a scene that was unacceptable. Israel had signed agreements with the US on evacuation; even if it is unilateral, it does not give the settlers and their supporters the right to behave the way they did. What is even more galling is the fact that these kids took the law into their own hands and decided who was allowed into the beleaguered outpost and who was not.
There is no doubt that what had occurred in Amona was the result of the radical right wing (could one call it Zionist?) ideology which placed more importance on occupation of greater Israel rather than decency, justice and Israel’s long term interests. Something is rotten in “Settlerstan” no less than in “Hamastan”. It seems that this right wing form of settler religious fundamentalism is just as dangerous as the fundamentalist Islam of Hamas. Both are enemies of peace! While it is true that Israel has no real partner for peace especially since the Hamas victory, this does not justify the behaviour of right wing religious zealots under the questionable guidance of their radical rabbis. What has happened to religious Zionism if it closes its eyes to these acts of violence? There is a polarization of Judaism in the territories with the anarchy of the so-called religious youth taking the helm and becoming a dangerous element running out of control. In the future, there will be further evacuations of illegal outposts and violent scenarios will accompany these evacuations.
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