The Present Israeli Government is an affront to Human Rights

The present Netanyahu Government is filled with right-wing sycophants that are racist, divisive as well as some being potential felons under police investigation.

Some are even suspected of felonies such as PM Netanyahu (Case 1000, 2000) and MK David Bitan 1 (both under police investigation) and a few on the “waiting list” (Minister of Welfare and Social Services, Chaim Katz 2 as an example) as well as being surrounded by a plethora of extra-parliamentary tycoons, businessmen and even lawyers David Shimron, (Netanyahu’s cousin) 3, and Yitzchak Molcho 4 are suspected of involvement in an illegal submarine deal (Case 3000).

(L-R) Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's personal lawyer David Shimron, his former diplomatic envoy Yitzhak Molcho, his former bureau chief David Sharan, former deputy national security adviser Avriel Bar-Yosef and former commander of the Israeli Navy Eliezer Marom (Flash90)

Even in culture, the foul-mouthed, screaming Netanyahu sycophant, Miri Regev, Minister of Culture and Sport 5 is punting and funding what she views as culture and threatens to withhold state funding of cultural projects that do not conform to her Moroccan ancestry and Likud agenda. She doesn't know what culture is, especially western culture. This definitely does threaten Israel's once-vibrant democracy. Having grown up in apartheid South Africa, I remember the censorship or banning of cultural projects that did not conform to white government agendas outright.

Surely there is a certain feeling of déjà vu! Israel is a very different Israel to what it was 40 plus years ago. It is becoming less tolerant of those, who are different (non-Jews). The treatment of refugees is appalling. We have forgotten that we were once refugees as well. The settlements in the occupied territories are viewed as holy creations, including the settlers, most of whom are embedded with an extremist religious Zionist ideology. They appear above the law. Many of the settler offspring and their ilk are involved in the destruction of Palestinian property and go unpunished.

The present government is passing laws weakening the law courts and the police force in order to protect the potential felons in their midst. They pander to the ultra-Orthodox coalition partner religious coercion by passing laws such as the Minimarket Law making it illegal to open businesses on Shabbat.

There is also the Darfur in South Sudan and Eritrean refugee issue. The treatment of refugees from South Sudan and Eritrea is appalling and cruel.These refugees are being deported with some pocket money to countries in Africa where their lives are endangered. This is done because of the fear of Israel’s Jewish citizens being assimilated. It is as if Israel is deporting them to their deaths. Does this not remind us of a very evil power in Germany from 1933 to 1945? Nazi Germany had death camps to exterminate Jews that were not deported. In Israel, those who cooperate with the deportation authorities to send the refugees to their fate are also guilty of being accessories to murder. The Minister of the Interior, Arye Deri, is responsible for signing the orders of the expulsion of asylum seekers from Israel. He, himself, is an ex-convict as well as Shas Party chairman and his wife are under investigation for money laundering, fraud, breach of trust and tax offences. He views himself as a “Shomer Mitzvot” 6 (שומר מצוות) and part of that is “purity” of the Jewish People in his view.

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri (l) and his wife Yaffa seen leaving their home in Jerusalem, on May 29, 2017. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

This is an unforgivable tragedy. Israel has lost its Jewish heart and soul. The deportation of refugees (the racist right-wing regime refers to them as “infiltrators”) is cruel and heartless. We have lost our humanity preserving it for Jews only. Many of us had family who suffered the devastation and cruelties of the Nazi Holocaust and has forgotten what it is to be a refugee. These people are no threat to Israel’s security and if the government could allow a budget for their rehabilitation and absorption into Israel and its workforce this problem would be solved. Instead of the massive monthly salaries - 5000 shekels or $1452.82 - increase for Israel’s boorish cabinet ministers this money could be used for rehab and absorption.

Inspectors, who are responsible for sniffing out refugees for deportation are just “carrying out orders”. Sounds familiar? Many offspring of these refugees were born in Israel, speak Hebrew and are Israeli no less than the “Chosen People”. Israel is a signatory to Geneva Convention to the receiving of refugees - now they are squirming. They are no threat to Israel’s security. Israel is squandering lots of money today to give their boorish cabinet ministers a 5000 shekel raise in their monthly salary as well as the monies that go to sectarian ultra-Orthodox yeshiva projects for maintaining their putrid coalition. There is money to absorb these refugees and turn them into productive citizens by allowing them to work as well as being sent to other parts of Israel and not crowding them in south Tel Aviv under disgraceful living conditions as well as not being allowed to work legally.

The Holocaust survivors, handicapped, aged and the inadequate health system are under subsidized by the state. The government gave themselves an exorbitant rise in monthly salary, as mentioned earlier in this article, that they do not deserve.

The Netanyahu dynasty is ruling Israel. Yair Netanyahu, Bibi’s son has bodyguards and a luxury car at his disposal even when he frequents strip clubs of ill repute for his urges at the taxpayers' expense 7 as if we do not pay enough taxes already.

While I never agreed with Likud ideology, the previous generation of Likud members such as Late PM Menachem Begin, his mentor Ze'ev Jabotinsky and their associates (they would turn in their graves if they knew what had become of their Revisionist ideology), who cared more for Israel than the present lot of shenanigans that care for their Knesset seats and making a quick buck. They also get their support from many Israelis, who are racist.

References:

1. "Coalition chair MK David Bitan suspected of ... - The Times of Israel." 3 Dec. 2017, https://www.timesofisrael.com/coalition-chair-mk-david-bitan-suspected-of-receiving-bribes-money-laundering/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
2. "Haim Katz - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haim_Katz. Accessed 15 Jan. 2018.
3. "Legal Affairs: Who is Netanyahu's right-hand man, David Shimron ...." 20 Jul. 2017, http://www.jpost.com/Israel-News/Legal-Affairs-Who-is-Netanyahus-right-hand-man-David-Shimron-anyway-500274. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
4. "David Shimron | The Times of Israel." https://www.timesofisrael.com/topic/david-shimron/. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
5. "Miri Regev's Culture War - The New York Times." 20 Oct. 2016, https://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/23/magazine/miri-regevs-culture-war.html. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
6. "Mitzvah - Wikipedia." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mitzvah. Accessed 19 Jan. 2018.
7. https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/the-full-transcript-of-yair-netanyahu-s-wild-tel-aviv-night-1.5730342