http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3634515,00.html Needless, thuggish evacuation
Evacuation of Hebron house motivated by political cost-benefit analysis
Ron Breiman Published: 12.07.08, 12:23 / Israel Opinion
The aggressive and unwise evacuation of the house in Hebron was undertaken thuggishly, and seemingly on behalf of the law, yet in fact was carried out based on considerations that have nothing to do with law or security. Ehud Barak’s thuggish conduct in Hebron is befitting of the Cossacks: There it was a case of “hit the Jews and salvage Russia,” and here it was a case of “hit the Jews and salvage the Labor party.”
In a different time in history, Deborah the prophetess told another Barak: “the journey that thou takest shall not be for thine honor.” These words apply to Ehud Barak as well.
Reactions
PM on Hebron riots: We'll protect Palestinians / Ronen Medzini
Minister Yishai says following Hebron evacuation that defense minister 'acted in complete disregard of the law and threw people out of their home'. Barak in response: State's ability to enforce laws was put to the test. Olmert says won't allow settlers to won't allow anyone to 'undermine democracy and rule of law'
Full story
The rule of law and proper functioning by the State, its ministers, and its military cannot start at the Hebron house. A “defense” minister and a failed government that are incapable of defending civilians and soldiers in Sderot and Ashkelon against those who attack us for months and years do not come with clean hands when they face the youths who attack soldiers.
Two struggles are simultaneously taking place in Hebron these days. In one of them, the legal establishment contributed with its hasty decision to the exaggerated passion on the part of Olmert-Livni-Barak, and to incitement by the defense minister as if some people are nothing but cancerous growths. Had the High Court of Justice waited for the district court hearing regarding the ownership and acquisition of the house in Hebron, the current mayhem would not be taking place.
The second struggle has to do with a small group of uncontrollable thugs who invaded Hebron, and whose conduct may cause grave damage to many elements: The house’s buyers and residents, Jewish residents in Hebron and Kiryat Arba, the 500,000 (yes, five hundreds thousands!) Jews who reside beyond the “Green Line,” and parties ranging from the Likud to the more rightist factions that are competing in the upcoming elections. All of the above may be undermined as result of the reckless abandon of these thugs, who are undermining their own declared goals as well.
There is no justification for hurting IDF troops, neither verbally nor physically, when they are sent on a wicked mission by a failed politician. There is also no justification for hurting the feelings, property, and trees of innocent Arab civilians, just as there is no justification for hurting the feelings, property, and trees of Jewish civilians.
The actions undertaken by this small group in fact serve to boost its political rivals. Time will tell how many agent-provocateurs were planted among them in order to cause the abovementioned damage to the National Camp. We faced the same scenario 13 years ago. If we cannot make them understand the severity of their actions, not only vis-à-vis IDF soldiers but also vis-à-vis the ideas they are seemingly fighting for, they should be removed from the camp.
What about leftist thugs?
This small group plays into the hands of the radical Left, which is scheming to undertake a racist transfer not only of the purchasers and residents of the House of Peace, but also of Jewish residents in Hebron and Kiryat Arba, as well as the hundreds of thousands of Jews residing beyond the “Green Line.” We are dealing with the extreme Left camp that in the past spoke of land for peace, withdrew to a policy of land for terrorism, and by now has given up on peace and is only interested in expelling Jews from their homes in their own country – an act that is neither Jewish or Zionist, nor moral or democratic.
Members of this small group behave like radical leftist thugs; the ones who run wild every Friday in Bil’in and Naalin, damage the “security” fence (which I too object to, but for different reasons,) and wound and humiliate IDF troops. The difference is that over there the defense minister has no intention of acting against the rioters, and the media absolves itself by characterizing these thugs using false and forgiving nicknames such as “peace activists” or “civil rights activists.”
When the “rule of law” becomes a hollow slogan that is not applied vis-à-vis the thugs in Bil’in and Naalin, it is no wonder that other thugs conduct themselves in a similar manner. We are dealing with grave phenomena, although of a relatively limited scope compared to other phenomena. When the “rule of law” is applied against Jewish construction at the heart of the country yet is not applied vis-à-vis tens of thousands of illegal Arab structures on both sides of the “Green Line,” this conveys a sense of selective law enforcement, proves that the rule of law withdraws in the face of threats, and erodes the trust in the legal establishment.
Advertisement
When the freedom to worship and pray on Temple Mount, the holiest Jewish site, is annulled in the face of aggressive threats, while the freedom to worship and pray is given only to Muslims, this encourages the belligerent elements.
Dr. Ron Breiman is the former chairman of Professors for a Strong Israel
Topic: Good article about Hebron although i have a few complaints (Read 430 times)