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Israeli Racism Is Rising
Israel's election this week shows that racism and nationalism have become accepted values.
Consider Avigdor Lieberman, the chairman of the radical right Yisrael Beiteinu political party. Lieberman belonged to the outlawed Kach party in his youth. What was banned then is popular now in Israel.
The differences between Kach and Yisrael Beiteinu are minuscule. Kach called for the deportation of Israeli Arabs. Lieberman calls for their transfer to the Palestinian state.
This instigator of Israeli racism has today become the leader of an important political party. He was promised a major ministerial position if he agreed to enter a coalition with Israel's leading party.
The thuggish Lieberman is a democrat's nightmare. His party is growing in strength, and what was once outrageous is now legitimized.
All of Israeli society bears responsibility for this transformation: Lieberman is welcomed everywhere. Racists have come out of the closet to join him and yet face no punishment whatsoever for doing so.
Lieberman and his soldiers are riding a tide of hatred of Arabs, hatred of democracy and hatred of the rule of law. One smells about him the odor of nationalism, racism and blood-thirstiness. And like all others of this political ilk, Lieberman cynically fans these vile urges.
Lieberman is the voice of the Israeli mob, and the mob craves hatred, vengeance and bloodshed. Israel's recent useless war in Gaza killed hundreds of children, yet in Israel the war was received sympathetically, if not happily. In the meantime, Israeli Arabs see themselves being excluded from Israeli politics and society. Their patience will not last forever.
When Israeli Arabs finally rebel one day, we will know whom to blame - those like Lieberman who criminally incited the public against the Israeli Arab population and even legitimatized this incitement.
Adapted from Kahane won by Israeli journalist Gideon Levy, published in the leading Israeli paper Ha'aretz on Feb. 8, 2009. See the original text at :
www.haaretz.com/hasen/pages/ShArt.jhtml?itemNo=1062338
Distributed by PAJU (Palestinian and Jewish Unity)