An Israeli Knesset election committee voted to bar Israeli Palestinian MK Haneen Zoabi from running in next month’s national election. The vote was 19-9 on a motion presented by a Likud Knesset member. The committee seeking to slice the baby clean in half, voted not to disqualify two Israeli Palestinian political parties from contesting the election.
This is a regular charade presented by the Israeli nationalist right for the sake of their ultra-rightist supporters. It’s a form of waving red meat before their eyes so they will be more motivated to vote for parties like Likud which are supposedly upholding good old-fashioned values like Mom, apple pie and Israeli racism. In the Israeli land of the blind, the one-eyed racist is king.
Since our right-wing friends here will be reminding us of the totally sound reasoning of the committee, let’s get its reasoning out-of-the-way: Zoabi participation in the Mavi Marmara effort to break the Israeli blockade constituted support for terrorism. She is also blamed for the attacks on IDF commandos who boarded the ship in an effort to subdue it and take it captive. Even though she is a short woman of middle age with nothing threatening or lethal in her demeanor, she’s viewed as the leading cheerleader of anti-Jewish violence (without any foundation in fact). Further, rightists believe they need to teach her a lesson that Israel is a Jewish state and that no one who rejects the supremacy of Jews in this State should be allowed to serve in its parliament.
The decision is subject to review by the Israeli Supreme Court, which routinely overturns these decisions. It’s a neat and convenient little charade: it allows right-wingers to claim they’ve upheld their values; and allows liberal Zionists to trumpet the bedrock democratic values that the Supreme Court maintains. No one seems to ask the question: why should the Court even be dealing with such a nonsensical matter?
Jamal Zahalka, the leader of Balad, has declared that if the Israeli Supreme Court confirms the ban, they are going to boycott the elections. I can’t make up my mind: in a way I hope the ban will be confirmed, and Balad will boycott the elections. Why continue to participate in the Knesset-mascarade where Palestinians are only allowed in order to show the world what-a-democracy-we-are.
The Israeli Supreme Court is not exactly a paragon of reason and objectivity. So you must be right, it is an internal show, produced by Likud for the right (minded) electorate.
I wonder though how readers feel about this: If Israel were populated with only “Jews” (I use quotes because it depends on their definition etc. etc. ), but if so, would it then qualify as a democracy for most liberal Westerners?? I’m just curious what others think. (If too far off topic, forgetaboutit.)
Haneen Zoabi took such physical and verbal assaults for her presence on the Mavi Marmara that she has been used as a political punching bag ever since. One month before the elections this stunt is meant to remind the public that Arabs are never to be trusted.
I don’t know how many Americans are even aware that non-Jews serve in the Knesset (or even that non-Jews live in Israel).