Hebrew press reports revealed the decision by the Minister of Transportation in the occupation government, Miri Regev, to choose Rabbi Avraham Zerbiv to participate in the main torch-lighting ceremony as part of the so-called 'Independence Day' celebrations. This choice comes despite the controversial record of the rabbi, who serves as a reserve officer in the army, having openly boasted about systematic destruction operations in the Gaza Strip.
Haaretz newspaper, in its editorial, considered this decision further evidence of the internal collapse Israel is experiencing and its loss of moral compass. The newspaper pointed out that honoring a figure who adopts genocidal rhetoric reflects the current government's tendency to normalize violence and mass destruction as an official state policy.
Published photos of Rabbi Zerbiv documented blatant violations, with one showing him occupying a school classroom in the Gaza Strip, placing his military weapon on a Muslim prayer rug. The photos also showed writings on the school walls indicating the establishment of a 'rabbinical court' in the heart of Khan Yunis city, signaling the extreme religious dimension in military operations.
The matter did not stop at photos; Zerbiv also posted a video clip on social media platforms showing him driving a military bulldozer to demolish a residential building in Gaza. This video gained widespread circulation, with the rabbi considering it a source of pride, which prompted Minister Regev to nominate him for this official honor in government celebrations.
In subsequent statements to the media, Zerbiv affirmed his extremist vision towards the Strip, saying that the solution lies in completely leveling Gaza to the ground. These statements were met with sharp criticism from left-wing and liberal circles within Israeli society, who saw them as an embodiment of war crimes committed under political cover.
Haaretz strongly criticized Minister Miri Regev's stance, describing her as indifferent to how the outside world views these actions. The newspaper added that the current government believes it lives in isolation from international values and the Western civilization it claims to belong to, while it is immersed in glorifying war and destruction.
Reports noted the transformation of the rabbi's family name 'Zerbiv' into a new linguistic verb in colloquial Hebrew, where the term 'to zerbiv' now means erasure and mass destruction. This term is currently used to describe what Gaza has suffered from the complete obliteration of residential neighborhoods, reflecting the deep penetration of the idea of annihilation into the Israeli collective consciousness.
Journalistic circles believe that using a person's name as a verb to express destruction is a powerful indictment of current Israeli policy, which has adopted this rabbi's behavior as a general approach. The phrase 'Israel zerbived Gaza' has come to embody the grim image the state presents to the international community, far from any humanitarian or legal standards.
For her part, Yedioth Ahronoth writer Einav Schiff launched a scathing attack on the decision to honor, asserting that the right-wing government is destroying all attempts to beautify its image abroad. Schiff said that choosing a person who represents 'ethnic cleansing' to light the torch is a clear message that extremists are leading the official scene.
Schiff added that the Minister of Transportation, and the government behind her, are directly contributing to confirming the international accusations directed at Israel, instead of trying to deny them. She considered that this behavior reinforces Israel's international isolation and places it in the category of countries that celebrate human rights violators and war criminals.
This controversy reflects a sharp division within Israeli society regarding the ethics of the war in Gaza, where the far-right sees Zerbiv as a national hero worthy of honor. In contrast, his critics see his honoring as an 'indelible stain' and confirmation that Israel has lost its conscience in the rubble of destroyed homes in the Strip.
Choosing Zerbiv to light the torch is not just a procedural measure, but a political declaration of Israel's new identity that prides itself on destruction. The rabbi who turned a prayer rug into a platform for his weapon has today become the symbol the government has chosen to represent its values in its most important national celebrations.
Reports concluded that Israel's standing in the world has become closely linked to the images of destruction proudly promoted by its soldiers and rabbis. With the continuation of these policies, it seems that the gap between Israel and universal human values is widening, under a government that finds no shame in celebrating extremism and devastation.
We simply need to level the Strip to the ground.
شارك برأيك
Honoring a Rabbi Who Boasted of Gaza's Annihilation: Israel Chooses a 'Symbol of Destruction' to Light Its Celebration Torch