Two nights ago, NBC Nightly News aired one of those “struggle for the soul of Israel” stories, focusing on religious-secular tensions. Reporter Martin Fletcher explored the case of Tanya Rosenblitt, who insisted on taking a seat at the front of an orthodox bus. Titled, “In Israel a woman takes a front seat and a stand,” the story repeatedly likened Rosenblitt to Rosa Parks of Montgomery, Alabama, fame.
By the way, I am fairly certain that NBC never covered the six Palestinians who were arrested in November for stirred memories of Rosa Parks by trying to board an Israelis-only bus in the West Bank. Rosenblitt is brave; but her treatment has been very different from theirs. For instance, she was welcomed to the Knesset and embraced by Tzipi Livni.
Some notes on Fletcher’s feel-good story. Emphases mine:
Fletcher: “big storm brewing in Israel… Tanya Rosenblitt, Israel’s new poster child for women’s rights…. Israel’s Rosa Parks moment.”
Tzipi Livni: “It’s not only about women, it’s about the face and the nature of Israeli society….”
Fletcher, doing the Arab Spring parallel:
“All this began with one woman’s comment on her facebook page. Tanya Rosenblitt had no idea what she started… All of Israel heard… Another page in Israel’s longrunning struggle in what kind of country it will be.”
Rosenblitt: “We have a beautiful country. There are extremists here who try to make it something that it’s not…”
Orthodox woman: “We don’t care about the law of Israel.”
Fletcher: “The fight goes all the way to Parliament, where Tanya Rosenblitt finds herself the star, calling for equal rights everywhere.”
Again, Rosenblitt is seen with Tzipi Livni.
Noam Sheizaf has described such stories as good Israel versus bad Israel stories. Annie Robbins says they are meant to show, Look, we’re going after the nuts!
Sweet Jesus; what an insult to Rosa Parks this is!
just gag me with a spoon.
what a double friggin whammy when coupled with the other ultra orthodox explosion in the news this week.
jeffery goldberg and beinart and the american jewish establishment finally get around to crowing about those wacko settlers and israel hasbara shifts into fast gear to convince everyone how on top of it they are and swiftboating the freedom riders along the way.
infuriating. where were they a month ago when the bar association went behind closed doors to ensure there were no women appointed to the committee to choose judges for the rabbinical court? where? they have cowtowed to these religious fanatics all the way to the top tiers of the government including the ministries and now we are supposed to believe they are clamping down? excuse me. show me some stiff jail terms, then i will believe them.
smoke and mirrors smoke and mirrors!
wow, I had to get a handkerchief and wipe a few tears from my eyes.
Tzipi Livni as a poster girl of fighting for justice, equality, freedom , peace and looove.
Very touching. As touching as seeing some high rank Nazi oppressors patting heads of a little, blond, children ,who were handing them flowers.
Juan Cole says it all: “Ironically, the more hardline Haredis do to secular Zionists what the Zionists do to Arabs.”
Huwaida Arraf is the true Rosa Parks of Palestine.