I recently wrote a post about a skit on Israel’s Eretz Nehederet TV political satire program which takes on the settler movement. In the skit, settlers have take a Gilad Shalit-type IDF soldier hostage and are making demands of the Israeli government. Suddenly they realize the government has already conceded every demand they’ve made. The satiric message is that the settlers have taken not just a solider hostage, but the entire Israeli population. And by doing so the settlers have achieved almost all of their interests and demands.
In the skit, one of the kidnappers is a dead ringer for settler Knesset member, Yaakov Katz (Ketzeleh). As can be expected, Katz was not amused, especially since he is a wounded IDF veteran himself. In this YouTube video of a Knesset education committee hearing on the broadcast, Ketzeleh goes apoplectic. He was going so fast and furious that it challenged my own translation abilities and I didn’t notice this absolute nugget which Ron Kampeas discovered on the tape:
“When the day comes, and we will be in power, there will be retroactive laws against all those who were anti-Semitic against settlers and against the people of Israel and against the army, they will face trial.”
Hardly anyone has ever made the mistake of accusing settlers of supporting Israeli democracy, so this outburst of Jewish quasi-fascism shouldn’t surprise. Actually, this is pure Kahanism, in which secular Jews and other peaceniks are not just political opponents but a cancer in the body politic. Because Israelis like the actors and writers for Eretz Nehederet constitute such a poison and danger to Israel, there is no need to observe the niceties of democracy in dealing with them. Lock ‘em up and throw away the key.
Note in the Knesset member’s diatribe, the satiric portrayals of the settlers political positions become “anti-Semitic” through a magical transformation in demagogue Katz’s mind. Further, any insult against the settlers is an insult against the entire people of Israel because the settlers ARE Israel. Lest anyone object to my use of the term fascist above, please note that it is the Pinochets and Argentine generals who made insulting the military a crime punishable by prison or death. What Ketzeleh is suggesting for the future when he comes to power is nothing less: an Israel controlled by settlers in collaboration with police and military forces and in which the judiciary is a handmaiden to the security forces.
The far right is up in arms about the Israeli TV satire, Eretz Nehederet (“Wonderful Country”), whose new season opened with a skit about the kidnapping of an Israeli soldier (I tried like hell to find some Israelis to either caption this in English or provide a good translation, so far no luck). As the soldier records a “proof of life” video, you the viewer anticipate the plot will reflect the real capture by Palestinian militants of Gilad Shalit. In the TV scene, the soldier begins by singing the praise of his captors, saying he is being treated well and “fed…[pregnant pause] Kosher.” The camera then withdraws and the viewer sees that the captors are settlers who proceed to argue about what their demands should be. As they list each demand (eg. end of the settlement freeze, amnesty for attacking police, creation of preferential development zones for settlements, etc.) they realize the government has already conceded them. This leaves them confused and demoralized till they come up with a new demand: pictures of a female ultra-Orthodox newscaster must be published in Blazer, a macho Israeli girlie mag, with her “elbows” uncovered! (Thanks for the translation to Zvi Solow). You can only imagine why Ketzele would find this to be sacrilege.
The skit concludes with two IDF officers responsible for negotiating the captive’s release, who watch the video and then confer about how to respond. The 5 o’clock alarm goes off in the office and they merrily head for home to do “yoga” leaving the soldier to fend for himself till tomorrow.
The religious right was exercised further when the new season promo for Eretz Nehederet pictured naked cast members spreading paint on each other’s bodies. Uptight pro-settler Knesset members were not amused (to say the least–see video). While my Hebrew isn’t too shabby, the bearded rabbimullah in this education committee hearing is so pissed and talking so fast I literally thought his head might explode. Haaretz conveyed a few snippets of his bilge:
…A sketch of West Bank settlers kidnapping an Israel Defense Forces soldier, sparked cries of anti-Semitism and [incitement to] violence at a meeting of the Knesset Education Committee on Monday.
MK Ya’akov Katz, of the right-wing National Religious Party, said the promo for Eretz Nehederet reflected the sentiments of hatred exhibited toward Jews throughout history.
“When you see this program, you can understand how the Nazis slaughtered my grandfather, my uncles and my whole family in Poland,” Katz declared. “This is anti-Semitic propaganda, anti-Jewish. It shows a complete loss of self-rule and self-control, exploiting the right of decent and cultured people for freedom of expression.”
This guy is a stark raving lunatic if he believes even a tenth of what he claims. The sheer hysteria and foaming of the mouth in this diatribe shows the pro-settler right to be chewing-the-scenery actors whose role is to convince the electorate if they don’t get what they want then all of Israel, and even the Jewish people with them, will go to Hell.
I’m amused by the right-wing commenters here who complain about the hatred and violence espoused by the “radical left.” Take one look at this guy and tell me who hates best: the left or right. If someone shoved a gun or knife in this guy’s hand how hard would it have been for him to use it on the poor unfortunate television network lawyer attending the hearing to testify on behalf of the media company? Or alternatively, you could say it was typical settler Kabuki drama in which they attempt to convey their conviction to the rest of the nation that they are holy warriors and any bastard actor or satirist who gets in the way should have his head or other part of his anatomy chopped off.
These jokers don’t really care that they live in a democracy. They don’t know the meaning of the word. Democracy is what’s good for them. What’s not is poison, anti-Semitism, Jew hatred, any term that they can drege up that puts them in a favorable light and makes them out to be victims. Victims? These people are sly like a fox. They rule the roost, just like the settler-kidnappers realize in the skit.
Thanks to Sol Salbe for finding the YouTube video.
In a similar story, the Israeli TV show Big Brother has a contestant who is an anti-Occupation activist. Imagine how the settlers feel about a left-wing Israeli given the run of prime time television to say things like:
On the show, [contestant Edna] Kanti described her volunteer work at Machsom Watch, which monitors the conduct of Israel Defense Forces soldiers manning roadblocks in the West Bank, by saying: “I go to the roadblocks and I see all the thousands of people going where they are told, showing their identity cards and lifting their shirts. If they were to say, ‘Shove your laws up your ass, we don’t want to show you identity cards and we aren’t going away from the roadblocks,’ and if 2 million [Palestinian] people were to rise up, put on white clothes and say, ‘We are going where we want to go, this is our land,’ the occupation would be over.”
They quote Kanti as saying she would not follow “orders that seem to me retarded.”
And in this big, beautiful democracy that is Israel what are they saying about Ms. Kanti’s right to free speech? She has none. In fact, they want to convict her on charges of inciting Palestinian rebellion:
MK Michael Ben Ari (National Union) and Sholom Dov Wolpo, the Chabad rabbi who heads the right-wing Eretz Yisrael Shelanu…asked Deputy Attorney General Shai Nitzan on Monday to investigate…Edna Kanti. They say she has publicly incited rebellion and advocated refusal to serve in the Israel Defense Forces.
“These remarks are slanderous and contain violations of the law,” they wrote. “Ms. Kanti is in effect calling upon the Arabs to revolt against the state of Israel, to disobey orders from Israel Defense Forces soldiers and even start a rebellion.”
They’re only pissed because they didn’t think of putting one of their own cute, cuddly settler haus-frau on the show first to plead their cause. The left gets oodles of free publicity and they’re jealous as hell.
I preface this post with the caveat that everything reported here is from Arab and Israeli media sources which are not always fully reliable and vetted. Even so, if there is any truth in the reports they are worth noting.
Haaretz says that a Kuwaiti newspaper is reporting that Gilad Shalit has been secretly moved by Hamas to Egypt as part of the initial stages of a prisoner exchange. He was accompanied by two high-ranking Hamas operatives. What puzzles me about this if it’s true is, why Hamas would take such a critical step given that there is not yet complete agreement with the Israelis on who and how many will be released. I would’ve thought that Hamas would want to wait to take such a dramatic step until all its ducks were in a row.
Every once in a while Haaretz publishes journalism that is garbage or let’s say that the informant it quotes is peddling garbage. This is true of this report on opposition to the Shalit prisoner deal. Are we to believe the ludicrous notion that the U.S. government would interfere in delicate negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the freedom of one of its soldiers held captive for years? If we’re to believe this unnamed clown, this is the case:
…A senior Israeli official told Army Radio on Wednesday that the U.S. administration is opposed to the emerging understandings between Israel and Hamas surrounding the deal. “The U.S. does not support negotiations with terror organizations,” the official said. “Washington knows that any release of Palestinian prisoners to the West Bank could harm Palestinian President Abu Mazen (Mahmoud Abbas) and become a victory for Hamas,” he added.
Far be it from me to defend Bibi Netanyahu when he gets into a row with Aipac, but really has Josh Block, Aipac’s chief PR flack, taken leave of his senses? He has the unmitigated chutzpah to diss a right-wing Israeli prime minister in the midst of deliberate negotiations for the release of an IDF soldier held captive for over three years? Yup, here’s what Josh had to say:
The pro-Israel lobby AIPAC also voiced concern over the possible prisoner swap but refrained from explicitly criticizing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. However, senior AIPAC strategist Josh Block told Army Radio that the Israeli government must find a balance between the release of hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and the protection of Israel’s long-term interests.
Israel is striking a deal with Hamas while it should be negotiating peace with the Palestinian Authority, Block said, adding that he hoped that Israel would be able to balance between the two.
Because Aipac despises Hamas the American Jewish group would tell Israel’s government not to negotiate to free Gilad Shalit? And if Josh Block or a “senior Israeli official” or the “U.S. administration” is so concerned about a prisoner swap hurting Mahmoud Abbas why don’t they just tell Abbas to free Shalit. If he can’t, who else does Israel negotiate with?
One never knows what to say about the on again, off again negotiations to free Gilad Shalit and the seemingly unending media stories announcing an imminent deal. So one approaches this subject with some trepidation. But there are enough serious signals that haven’t been seen before that a deal is close, that it’s worthwhile considering what could happen and its possible impact on Israeli-Palestinian relations. The outline of the proposal is that in return for releasing kidnapped IDF soldier, Gilad Shalit, Israel will release 450 Palestinian prisoners including the most prominent, Marwan Barghouti.
Marwan Barghouti's wife sits under his image (James Hill/NY Times)
What is different now from previous rumors of a deal? First of all (and you won’t see this mentioned in Ethan Bronner’s NY Times report because he never acknowledges such issues), the Israeli military censor has thrown up complete embargo over coverage of this issue. The only thing Israeli media can do is speculate about the matter. They can’t report on what any minister or intelligence officer or IDF commander might have to say. This is unprecedented in Israeli history as Haaretz notes. It can only mean that Israel realizes that any false note introduced into the mix could doom the negotiations. Even more importantly, this right-wing government is extremely sensitive to criticism from its farther right flank of the idea of freeing Palestinian terrorists. Blanket censorship is one way to dampen such criticism. Bronner doesn’t want to deal with the implication of the Only Democracy in the Middle East™ using censorship in order to manipulate political debate as this would not reflect well on Israel’s “democracy.”
Ever since Shalit’s kidnapping speculation has been rampant that Marwan Barghouti would be included in the exchange. He is the most respected Palestinian political leader (including Abbas and even Haniyeh) and a potential future leader of the PA. In fact, this Haaretz article speculates that the Palestinian prisoner’s freedom might expedite the resignation of Mahmoud Abbas and his replacement by Barghouti. In today’s Palestine, his role and stature is roughly akin to that of Nelson Mandela in apartheid era South Africa.
Now, apparently both sides are indicating this VIP (very important prisoner) is slated to be freed as well. So it becomes important to speculate how this might change the Palestinian political landscape. Given how depressing (for anyone seeking peace, which excludes the Netanyahu government) the current situation is, it’s important to note that even if Barghouti is released it doesn’t mean that this will single-handedly transform the situation for the better.
I’m afraid that the current Israeli government has proven itself adept at outwaiting and outsmarting a U.S. president and the PA. So it’s doubtful that a PA headed by Barghouti (were this to happen) could work any immediate miracles. But it is worthwhile speculating what might happen in the longer term. The Netanyahu government, secure and stable as it now seems, won’t be so forever. Indeed, if a strong PA leader comes on the scene, one that Israelis feel could be trusted to deliver on his promises and who could carry Hamas with him, then the electorate might feel more secure in electing a more forthcoming government. It’s not outside the realm of possibility that a more pragmatic leader like Tzipi Livni could be elected within a year or so who might actually proceed to final status talks and negotiate a deal with the Palestinians.
Of course, there are many rivers to cross before we get to that point. But I think in the long-term this release could produce positive results for peace.
One aspect of Bronner’s reporting also calls out for critique:
Many governments, including that of the United States, want to end the embargo to relieve the suffering of the 1.5 million people in Gaza, especially after Israel’s military invasion 11 months ago, which destroyed thousands of homes and factories. But Israel has said it will not end until Mr. Shalit’s release.
Therefore, if a deal is really imminent, it may also signal the possibility of some opening of the commercial crossings.
First, no government has been willing to engage in any serious effort to oppose the Gaze siege despite the fact that is a clear breach of international law. So giving credit to nations for wanting the siege to end is an empty gift to them since they’re not willing to go to the mat to make it happen. Second, the idea that Israel will feel empowered to diminish Gaza’s suffering because Hamas has freed Gilad Shalit is laughable. Israel has SAID that it would do so and that the Shalit kidnapping is one of the developments that justifies continuing the siege. But given Israel’s hatred of Hamas and its imperviousness to the notion of honoring verbal commitments, the likelihood of ending the siege or even lessening it is practically nil.
And to use one of Walter Mondale’s best campaign lines: Ethan Bronner won’t say that. I just did.
UPDATE: The Jerusalem Post is claiming that all IDF soldiers have been accounted for and the kidnapping apparently was a false alarm. Thanks to reader Nathan for bringing this to my attention.
An astonishing development in Israel: the IDF has announced and a Palestinian militant group confirmed that it abducted an Israeli soldier in the center of Israel. Though the police have thrown up roadblocks throughout the area, given the announcement from the abductors that they’d completed the operation, it seems likely they have made their escape. It goes without saying that this new development complicates everything. It complicates the negotiations for Gilad Shalit’s freedom (the other abducted IDF soldier held by Hamas). It complicates U.S. attempts for a settlement freeze. Whenever Israel’s security is threatened, Israelis retreat into a security shell and are unwilling to entertain the idea of flexibility in any form.
This kidnapping is unlike the previous Shalit event because the latter was captured while on duty on the Israeli border with Gaza. This one occured within Israel proper and means that the kidnappers infiltrated the country and procured a car. All this would entail a fairly extensive operation involving a number of co-conspirators. This will shock Israel and rattle the nerves of the entire country. The Shin Bet will be on the carpet for this major breach of national security. Policitians will outdo themselves in nationalist bellicosity. There will be calls for retaliation and worse. It will get ugly.
Almost no one in Israel will face the nasty truth that the status quo is not viable. That there will always be horrible events like this unless there is real peace with real negotiations and real compromises in which each side gives up something it doesn’t want to give up. Israelis naturally prefer to be lulled by things as they are. They don’t like to contemplate giving up anything for the sake of an unknown. It seems almost an impossibility to convince them otherwise in the midst of such trauma. How do you ask a human being to look past the current woe to see that the only way to avoid future woe is by stepping into the unknown; and that the unknown is better than the known because the former will only lead to more such trauma?
Eli Yishai breaks government boycott of Carter (Nir Keidar/Haaretz)
When I first read this story I got it on a superficial level but didn’t really understand the full significance until Assaf Oron sent me a link to his Daily Kos diary entry. Haaretz reports that deputy prime minister Eli Yishai of the Mizrahi Shas party, broke the government boycott against Carter’s Israel visit and not only met with the former president but asked Carter for a meeting with Hamas representatives in an attempt to free kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Assaf correctly notes that this is a bombshell not only for Israeli politics, but it also breaks the solid front the Israel lobby has attempted to create here in the U.S. against dealing with Hamas.
It also serves notice on journalists like Mark Perelman of the Jewish Forward, Shmuel Rosner of Haaretz, and strangely Michael Young of Beirut’s Daily Star; and political operatives like Ira Forman’s AIPAC-leaning National Jewish Democratic Council and even all the presidential candidates, who’ve bought the Israel lobby line (clearly Young is following a different political line). They all ignore the fact that a number of liberal Jewish blogs like this one (Jerry Haber and Tony Karon as well) and now a cabinet minister have bucked the “Three No’s” (an ironic reference to the Arab League’s “three no’s” after the 67 war) approach to Hamas. The line on Carter is that he’s a troublemaker who represents no one but himself. Rosner even goes so far as to say that Carter is a washed up has been (which actually describes Rosner himself rather than Carter) whose glory days, if he ever had any, are past.
I’ve already noted here that Israel already negotiates with Hamas though indirectly through Egypt. Further, a recent poll finds that 64% of Israelis are in favor of precisely the kind of approach favored by Yishai–direct negotiations with Hamas. So this Hamas boycott is a charade, a political fiction created to provide cover for a Bush Administration that can’t do anything to promote meaningful negotiations among the warring parties; and an Israeli government which doesn’t have the will to get up and do what’s got to be done regarding talking to the Palestinian parties that really matter. So how long will it be before this sham policy falls like a house of cards?
I’m not a huge fan of Shas, though they sometimes are quite progressive on issues related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. But on this one issue Yishai is right on the money (or should I say “shekel”?).
Rabbi Menachem Froman, the iconoclastic settler religious leader who embraces Muslim-Jewish religious dialogue and peace initiatives, reached agreement with a Hamas journalist for an Israeli-Hamas ceasefire in Gaza. Senior Hamas figures have enthusiastically endorsed the proposal. Ehud Olmert is silent:
…[The] recently drafted a cease-fire agreement…includes the release of abducted Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit, [and] was submitted to the cabinet and to the Hamas government in the Gaza Strip.
Rabbi Menachem Froman of the West Bank settlement of Tekoa has for years been involved in interfaith dialogue toward Israeli-Palestinians peace. For several months he has been working closely with Khaled Amayreh, a Hebron-area journalist who is close to Hamas.
“Our proposal was presented to the highest political echelon in the Hamas government in Gaza and gained 100-percent approval,” Amayreh told Haaretz Sunday, while refusing to name the government officials. Froman said the document was presented to Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, who has yet to respond to it.
Even if the attempt turns out to be merely an academic exercise, say Froman and Amayreh, its elements could be used by the Jerusalem and Gaza governments. It does not, for example, include the recognition by Hamas of the State of Israel, instead “recognizing that there are Jews living in the Holy Land,” according to Froman.
…The proposal calls for Israel to lift its sanctions on the Gaza Strip, permit economic relations between Gaza and the outside world and open all border crossings. The Israel Defense Forces would end “all hostile activities toward the Gaza Strip, including targeted assassinations, the setting of ambushes, aerial bombardments and all penetrations into Gazan territory, in addition to ending the arrest, detention and persecution of Palestinians in the Strip.”
The Palestinians would be obligated “to take all the necessary steps to completely end the attacks against Israel,” including stopping “indefinitely all rocket attacks on Israel,” assaults “on Israeli civilians and soldiers” and “to impose a cease-fire on all groups, factions and individuals operating in the Strip.”
There you have it. Almost everything Israel has wanted from Hamas for as long as anyone can remember. All tied up in a neat package. All there for the taking. Of course, the provision recognizing that Jews live in the Holy Land appears lame as reported by Haaretz since it states the obvious. But I’ve learned that it’s important to see entire original documents before judging them based on how they are reported in Israeli media. It should also be noted that, at least to me, recognition of Israel is an issue that should happen as part of an overall peace agreement and not necessarily before such final status negotiations occur. I expect Hamas to recognize Israel, but not necessarily right now; nor do I think it is critical that it do so right now.
It is characteristic of Israeli government lassitude that Olmert has not responded nor would I expect him to do so. Remember, this is the same Menachem Froman whom the Shin Bet prevented from attending previous negotiations with Hamas. Unfortunately, Israeli politicians don’t want to touch Froman with a ten foot poll. In fact, he’s dangerous to the intelligence establishment since he has a wild card status as a co-founder of Gush Emunim and settler advocate for peace. And it’s a shame since he is a critical voice willing to reach a peace agreement with Israel’s sworn enemy Hamas. To paraphrase Abba Eban, Israelis and Palestinians never seem to miss an opportunity to miss an opportunity. This time the onus is on Olmert.
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Eli Yishai breaks government boycott of Carter (Nir Keidar/Haaretz)
