Israelis criticize their state

By Majid Kayali

Recently, before the Gaza War, opinions of influential Jewish figures in Israel and outside it have increased, regarding Israel as an “apartheid” state, and even a fascist state, in addition to being a colonial state, occupying the lands of the Palestinian people, as appeared in the reports of the Israeli human rights organization “B’Tselem.” This was confirmed by reports issued by international organizations such as Human Rights Watch, Amnesty, and the United Nations.

This is Abraham Burg (Speaker of the Knesset and one of the former leaders of the Labor Party), who believes that “disaster, power, and the rule of another people and the land... have become the essence of Judaism,” likening this to the rise of Nazism in Germany, where “a political movement took place... at the hands of Adolf Hitler.” ..Its foundations were Nazism, German nationalism, racism, anti-Semitism, and anti-liberalism, anti-democracy, and anti-communism.”

He continues: “Find the difference between it and an extreme right-wing movement in Israel in the first quarter of the 21st century, led all these years by Benjamin Netanyahu... and whose foundations are extremist and racist Jewish nationalism... anti-Arab... and anti-liberalism... and anti-democracy.” ...and economic and social equality... in the government, in the Knesset, in the media, on hilltops and in the streets of cities... We are already acting in the areas we occupied in the West Bank and Gaza... as the Nazis acted in the areas they occupied in the West... We have not By establishing extermination camps as they did... But how terrible it is that we are forced to present this fact as distinguishing us from the Nazis.” (“Haaretz”, 9/5/2023).

It is clear that the point here is to pay attention to the fact that racial discrimination against the Palestinians, from the river to the sea, is no longer related to partial policies, but rather has become a state policy in its legal, political, economic, social and cultural complex, as it was demarcated by the Knesset (2018) enacting a basic (constitutional) law. ) Israel is considered a national state for the Jewish people, which makes the Palestinians of 1948, citizens of Israel, at a lower level, as only the Jews of Israel have the right to self-determination in it as it is their state! Yossi Klein exposes the emptiness, or contradiction, of the claim that Israel is Jewish and democratic. In his opinion: “Jewishness and democracy” is an imaginary goal... a Jewish state... a Sharia state, not a democracy... a gap between secular and liberal Jews and a handful of religious fascists... Control and occupation are not a means but an end... Jewish fascism places the state above the individual.” (“Haaretz,” 9/28/2023).

Perhaps the current government of Benjamin Netanyahu, which includes the extreme right-wing nationalist and religious parties, is the greatest expression of this, especially with many racist statements by National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir, saying that his movement with his wife and children is “more important than the freedom of movement of Arabs in the West Bank,” and by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich. , who called for the erasure of the Palestinian village of Huwwara (near Nablus), and when he presented the “Map of Israel” including Jordanian lands, and to Israeli Defense Minister Olaf Galant, who compared the Palestinians to animals, for example.

It is clear that this shift, or that clarity, in Israel’s racism, combined and coincided with the attempts of the Netanyahu government to bring about changes in the Israeli political system, by weakening the judicial authority (the title of which is the Supreme Court), giving priority to its character as a Jewish state over its character as a democratic state, and giving priority to religious laws over Secularism, meaning that the increased dose of racism against the Palestinians, has spread its infection to the relationship of the Jewish parties and movements with each other in Israel.

The above explains the rise of voices of Jewish figures who associate their opposition to any change in the political system in Israel with exposing its racist policies against the Palestinians. For example, Ehud Barak (former Prime Minister) says: “This is an alliance of corrupt people... with racists... It is the duty of every citizen... to fight for the homeland... and equality, and for the sake of human brotherhood, dignity, rights, and freedom.” (“Yedioth Ahronoth,” 1/13/2023).

The division among Israelis has reached the point that significant sectors of Israeli society have begun to oppose the Netanyahu government and its policies against the Palestinians, which has reflected itself even in the White House administration’s refusal to receive Netanyahu in Washington.

Tamir Pardo (former head of the Mossad) believes that “Israel is implementing an apartheid regime in the West Bank.” Pardo says: “Every passing day brings us closer to the end of the Zionist dream. Messianic and fascist groups linked an anti-Zionist Haredi bloc to a prime minister who changed his skin and transformed his party from a right-wing democrat into a racist Orthodox dictatorship... The fascist racists are looking forward to reaching the end of the Gog and Magog war, with God’s help.” Defeat the remaining Jews.

The former deputy head of the Mossad, Amiram Levin, said, “What the West Bank is witnessing, after 57 years of occupation, is apartheid, and that the Israeli army has begun to get involved in war crimes... Remember the operations that took place in Nazi Germany... when touring the city Hebron, you will encounter streets that Arabs cannot walk on... The Israelis must deal with this reality, despite its difficulty, and not ignore it as if it does not concern them.” (“Yedioth Ahronoth”, 9/7/2023).

As for Iris Lial, he directed his criticism at some of the responsible figures who only recently became aware of the reality of apartheid, after it began to affect them, by saying: “What is happening recently to senior officials in the security apparatus, who immediately after their retirement join the leftists? Because this is the occupation of Smotrich and Ben Gvir.” And not, for example, the occupation of Benny Gantz?!” According to him, Israel practices “the apartheid system and crimes against humanity... now... and before... the truth will remain the same, which is that there is no democracy with apartheid.” (“Haaretz”, 9/11/2023).

Israeli criticism of colonial and racist Israel is rich and deep, with persistent figures such as: Ilan Pappe, Ella Shohat, Avraham Burg, Shlomo Sand, Norman Finkelstein, Amira Hess, Gideon Levy, Avi Shlaim, Baruch Kimmerling, Uri Ram, and Gershon Shafir, and it is important to invest in it, but its problem is that it lacks Arab and international pressure factors on Israel. The Palestinian political discourse lacks similar approaches that intersect with it, and there is no doubt that the Palestinians’ lack of a responsible critical vision of their rich, long and expensive national experience contributes to weakening Israeli criticism as well.

Source: Annahar Al Arabi