Yesterday's report on the detention of members of the feminist group New Profile in Israel included the crushing statement by New Profile member Ruth Hiller that the crackdown signals "real changes in Israeli society." An American friend echoes this point:
I read a Hebrew blog that linked the New Forum detention to the crackdown since Gaza: 700 Palestinian citizens arrested during "Cast Lead," a bunch of arrests in Be'er Sheva in January at an anti-war protest (including Leah Shakdiel), then Lieberman's campaign… Not so much more than what New Profile itself wrote, but just has a few more details.
And this is from Leah Shakdiel's letter on her January arrest (on an Ithaca student's blog):
I carried a sign in Arabic "In Gaza and Sderot children deserve to
live" and near me someone carried a sign in Hebrew that said, "Stop,
hold fire, talk". The group Darom4peace ["South for Peace"] is that
wishy-washy, yes, very middle of the road we thought, no extreme left,
no accusation of Israeli govt or army, not even "peace now" type of
thing.Yet the police these dark days are apparently instructed
to play an active role in boosting public morale and national unity, so
they jumped into our midst literally and grabbed six of us on Wednesday
into their cars etc. Four univ students, myself, and Nir Oren, the
director of an NGO called The Parents Circle
(look it up on the net), or in Hebrew, Forum Mishpahot Shakulot,
Israeli and Palestinian families who lost a family member in the
conflict and work together towards peace. Nir's own mother was killed
in a suicide bombing of a bus in 1995.
A lot on the blogosphere. Wonder when it's going to hit the media?
more police state tactics from israel… no surprise..
Yisrael, 10:15 AM
An Israeli child, one Schlomo Goldstein, injured his toe today. Little Schomo was being driven to his posh schul paid for with fresh USA dollars when
he first saw the 1/32" cut in his toenail–he knew immediately, it must have been because of kicking a can down
the road. He had accidentally veered off the Jews-Only thoroughfare for a few seconds onto the arid Arab turf along the side. The Israeli police have arrested all the Palestinian kids within a one mile radius of the incident at the time of the horrible event. Keep your fingers crossed for little Schlomo. A special charity dinner will be held tonight at 6 PM to
help.
If 90% of the Israeli Jews supported the Gaza massacre then that would suggest that only 10% or so of the people support these peaceniks. Israel is a democracy so it would appear that if the majority are in support of state actions, then there is not that much the minority can say. The question is whether or not Israel is ruled by law. What does her constitution have to say about public political demonstrations?
Yes, Phil is right. The only hope these demonstrators have is if the Western press takes an interest in this story. If not, these Israelis have no more rights then do Iranian bloggers criticizing their government.
The focus of New Profile on militarisation is interesting. One can wonder to what extent the current state of affairs fits a takeover of a MIRECO (military industrial real estate complex obviously) with the necessary
elite bunch of people who are only in it for the money/power. Contrary to, or complementary with the ideology factor. In any case bad things tend to persist not only because of some long ago cause but also because power centers feed on the state of affairs. Even generally the population can have nonideological reasons to prefer the situation as it is.
Suppose you're an apolitical Israeli and you get offered this future: Israel becomes an ordinary country, not particularly prosperous, a bit short on water.
Does have some tensions with neighboring countries but no wars. A bit bland. People confuse it with Lebanon or Jordan.
Any takers? Raise my hand.
I love Chris Barrel.