Israeli rap star, Subliminal (aka Yaakov Shimoni), posted a racist, genocidal Kahanist screed on Facebook in response to the murder of an Israeli soldier, Eden Attias, on an Egged bus in Afula this week. While the killing of the sleeping soldier by a Palestinian boy was a horrifying crime, the response by one of Israel’s leading hip hop stars is chilling both because of its virulence and because of his celebrity. Israel, already a country filled with intolerance, race-hate and Islamophobia, will be further provoked by such anger from a popular performer beloved by the country’s youth.
This is how the Forward profiled him in 2008:
One of the best-recognized pop musicians in his home country, he is credited with opening up the Israeli music industry to American-style hip hop. But he also has campaigned against drunk driving, has been made a goodwill ambassador by the Israeli Ministry of Education and has been honored by the Prime Minister’s office.
Alleged Palestinian attacker who murdered IDF soldier
This is what this model for Israeli youth wrote yesterday on Facebook (in case he gets a bout of conscience, the screenshot is preserved here):
Despicable murderer: may his name and memory be erased [a curse usually reserved for Hitler and the like]. What? Now he’ll enter an Israeli prison like a great hero! He’ll earn a few college degrees, grow up and join the leaders of all the main Palestinian terror groups. He’ll get out [of prison] to shouts of joy about “freedom fighters” and they’ll make him a mayor!
May the names and memories of all these ghouls [corpse-eaters] be erased! We should burn down these prisons with all of them inside. Not a moment later we should raze Jenin, whose residents boast that they’re a fortress of terror against Israel. Everything that they respect should be burned to ashes and erased.
Killers of children! Remember that if you push a little cat into a corner even he will flash his claws and fight like a tiger. It’s time to bare our claws, my brothers, and pressure this government to stop acting like a stack of cups! They even bandaged his [the killer’s] head. Poor guy, he probably got a scratch when he murdered the boy on the bus while he slept. It’s no joke. I expect from the ass-lickers [witnesses on the bus?] that they take his head off even before the police arrived, so that these cannibals would fear mixing it up with us. This is another one of those moments when I’m ashamed to be Israeli [i.e., that they didn’t kill the attacker]. People of Israel, awaken!
And for any leftist who hates what I wrote here–die already. If only what happened yesterday would happen to someone in your family, so that you would wake up from this fantasy you cling to that divides and weakens my people.
He later added a further “meditation” which was supposed to put the earlier post into some sort of context, but which did nothing of the sort:
My brothers: the things I wrote above were written in anger and great pain. I should clarify that I don’t believe in generalizations. Like when I wrote “leftist,” I meant a particular extreme leftist who wrote me privately offering reasons for the crime like Occupation, etc., etc. I’m no politician nor do I pretend to tell people how they should think. But I would expect some basic sensitivity among human beings rather than a search to justify the murder committed by a family of well-known Jew-killers.
…I’m against violence and extremism. Despite this I maintain that in order to deter the next murder or kidnapping means we have to deal with the murderer in the harshest way possible; and understand that any hesitation on our part will only lead to more murder or kidnapping.
…I have no problem with leftists, I say this in all seriousness…I wrote that about one specific person–extremists like him are the source of hate among brothers that besets our people.
Subliminal uber-Zionist album cover: “Light and Shadow”
Most importantly, I (half-Tunisian and half-Persian) have no problem with Arabs. They’re human beings and most of them dream about peace just like us. But I do have a problem with murderers who announce that their purpose in life is to murder us. From my point of view, no tolerance and the penalty of death for anyone caught [justifying lynching the attacker on the spot].
–Kobi
This is the same Subliminal whose Facebook page features snapshots with many of the most popular rappers in America. A celebrity appointed a goodwill ambassador by the Israeli Ministry of Education. What lesson does that teach young people, hmmm??
Towards the very end of the Forward article you’ll find this sop to left-wing opinion:
Left-wing critics who read more extreme sentiment in Shimoni’s message have pilloried him. Some claimed that the song “We’ve Come To Expel the Darkness” was a thinly veiled call for population transfer. Indeed, Shimoni is often portrayed as the right-wing counterweight to popular Israeli hip-hop band Hadag Nahash, whose members distinguished themselves with their introspective [!] approach to Israeli society and politics.
Being right-wing and pro-Israel has raised Shimoni’s international profile. When Subliminal toured France in 2004, his concerts were met with protests led by French leftists and members of the Arab and Muslim communities.
I can imagine he may have an even worse time of it in France the next time he dares to raise his head there.
H/t to David Sheen the distinguished archiver of Israeli-Jewish racism.
So no post about the murder itself and the hate that caused
it. Wow.
You have a major mistranslation in Subliminal’s message which “cleans up” a part of his message, believe it or not.
The specific section is where you translate “…stack of cups!”. This is incorrect. The word you translated as “cups” is “כוסיות”. Now, because there were no diactrics, you took it to mean “kosiot.” That NOT what Subliminal meant. He meant “koosiot” which translates into “cunties” a polysememic word which is both laudatory a derogatory. “At koosit” (usually) means when addressed to a female “you are sexy and attractive” – literally, “you are a cuntie”. Interestingly, the same word is addressed to males – “Ata kooson” – meaning roughly the same thing, if in a slightly more derogatory.
Conversely, “ata mitnaheg kmo koosit” is directly derogatory – “you are behaving like a cuntie” (i.e. In an effeminate and hysterical manner).
Marc
Why Richard posts a picture of the ‘alleged attacker’, while failing to post a picture of the innocent victim is curious.
http://www.jpost.com/Defense/Israeli-stabbed-critically-wounded-in-suspected-terror-attack-in-Afula-331572
Wait. the murder of a sleeping soldier in a public bus is not worthy of a post. BUT the rant of an angry punk who is fuming ABOUT the murder is worthy of the post. How does this ‘Promote Israeli democracy’? It only makes someone like me who hates right wing fascists think that there is truth in that you so called ‘peace activist’ are no less crazy then they are but just from supposedly the other side. I think you forgot why you started this journey in the first place.
Netanyahu said: “If we want real peace, the incitement has to stop.” So very true!
In western USA, the government re-introduced wolves (which were considered “endangered”). Then the ranchers got busy arranging to have the wolves shot (because they endangered the livestock).
In Israel’s occupied territories, the government re-introduced Jewish-Israelis (which were considered “endangered”). Then these people, not actually wolves but often acting like wolves, killing and injuring the native people, and “inciting” to the same, etc., were — not shot — but augmented, increasing the danger to the native people (not actually “livestock”).
From this I conclude that the State of Israel does not regard Israeli-Jewish settlers as “wolves” nor does it regard the Palestinian people as “livestock” (or at least, not as VALUABLE “livestock”).
You can see a lot by just opening your eyes.
Celebrities making dumb and offensive remarks is becoming an almost daily occurrence in the era of social media, see Alec Baldwin less than 24 hours ago (note: In no way does this excuse the behavior).
I think describing an active duty IDF member dying at the hands of a Palestinian as an ” innocent victim” is even more curious. Soldiers are killed in wars. That is the nature of war.
I’m clearly not up on Hebrew slang, especially of the dirty variety. Thanks for the correction!
@ToivoS
What a terrible comment! Killing a defenseless and unarmed soldier is actually a war crime.
While I’m opposed to killings on both sides, the moral calculus is much clearer when civilians are killed. That clearly is a war crime. By the way, far more Palestinian civilians than Israeli civilians have been killed.
Killing a defenseless soldier is a per se violation of the Geneva Convention regardless of the number of civilians killed on either side on the conflict.
Everyone flinches at the comparisons of Zionist policies with National Socialist policies, though there are many. Too bad, the Israeli rapper says “People of Israel, Awake!” The German bad guys said “Deutschland Erwachen!” virtually the same clarion call (..to violence.) Sure, it’s just words but…
Killing a defenseless and unarmed soldier who is a prisoner of war is a war crime. Killing a member of the opposing army who chose to sleep on the bus instead of being alert and on his guard is initiative.
M
@Marc
Wow. I don’t know if this is more disturbing or disgusting. The young man was killed for no other reason than being born Israeli. That’s racism. He was only 2 weeks in to his compulsory service and just beginning basic training so it would be impossible for him to have been involved in any previous campaigns. The attacker was only 16 years old, perhaps we should evaluate his role models and what they did to actually incite violence rather than worrying about what some random celebrity says on Facebook. Just my 2 cents.
Subliminal’s rant does have racialist overtones that remind one of both Kahane & some of the rhetoric of Nuremberg.
While you may be an attorney, I’m not sure international criminal law is your speciality. I think it would be difficult to justify this as a war crime given the fact that the murder victim was a soldier. That is not to say that it wasn’t a crime punishable by the maximum penalty. But a war crime?
@ Ari Greenfield: Way off base. He wasn’t killed because he was “born Israeli.” He was a soldier. A member of an occupying army. Members of occupying armies die all the time whether in Iraq, Afghanistan or Israel. The young victim didn’t deserve to die & certainly not under those circumstances. But racism? What about the racism of the Occupation, which kills far more Palestinian civilians than this single Israeli soldier-victim (or the other Israeli Jewish victims)? Does the IDF choose which Palestinian civilians to choose and spare those who’ve been civilians for a short, rather than short period of time??
Rather than spending your time examining what made the alleged killer kill his victim (which seems obvious to most of the rest of us), you might want to consider how to end ALL the killing through a systematic political solution, one that Israel resists with all its might.
Killing a defenseless soldier is a war crime- the GC could not be more clear. The soldier does not have to be a POW for the protection to kick in. That said, the affiliation of the attacker is also relevant in making the war crime determination- I admit to assuming he was definitely a member of a militant group. If he is just a random Palestinian citizen then it is likely not a war crime, I’d agree with that.
I was concentrating on this victim and this killing b/c it was the subject of the article and I was trying to stay on topic. If what I said is off base but it’s not off base to describe the intentional cold blooded slashing of someone’s throat as taking “initiative” then I’m at a loss for words. I understand that neither side is perfect in this mess but that shouldn’t prevent us from calling a spade a spade, no matter who the perp is. I completely agree with your last remark- a solution to end ALL the killing needs to be reached, sooner rather than later.
@Jouni
How does this ‘‘Promote Israeli democracy’?
It doesn’t promote Israeli democracy. It only serves to erode the State of Israel like the drip..drip..drip of a water torture or the monotonous repetition of mantra.
BTW. If you think Richard is a democrat, than watch what happens when a pro-Israeli posts a comment that transgresses Richard’s ‘Animal Farm’ style Comment Rules.
[comment deleted as it violation comment rules, being off-topic. If I wanted a debate about whether the Occupation is legal or illegal I’d have initiated it myself. But I didn’t.]
Incitement will only get more bloodshed, from both sides. Peace Now!
@Pip
While people may not always be in agreement with how the comment rules are enforced (or with some the rules in general), I will always believe Richard is free to implement the policy at his discretion as this is his private website. I also respect that he is willing to engage in discussions w/ many of his readers.
Subliminal worked with the Palestinian hip hop pioneers DAM, who have observed that Israeli hip hop tends to be hyper nationalistic. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/4039399.stm
Sha’anan Streett uses rap to promote a peacenik message.
For those who talk abut the need of evaluation of ones “role model”, I believe should first make the distinction between the oppressed and the oppressor. There is absolutely NO justification for the murder of the young soldier! However I believe it is important to look deeper into the EXTREMELY NEGATIVE effects of being oppressed. The 16 year old Palestinian murderer is simply a product of ruthless prolonged military occupation, that to this day directly deteriorates many Palestinians psychological stability. The occupation has, and continues to inhumanly test the patience of Palestinians. I think an interesting question would be – if this occupation/oppression of Palestinians ended 10 years ago, would this have occurred?
You can give that thought..
RIP Eden Attlas
True. But this is a private blog that pretends to be staunch and implacable upholder of democratic principle. The intention is noble, but the implementation is highly eccentric, petulant and puzzlingly selective. Mr. Tikkun Olam asserts his goals and then applies an uneven and indecipherable moderation policy. Not that I mind one way or another. I’m not a regular reader on this blog. It makes me almost physically sick to read the type of “commentary” that takes place here and I won’t even try to describe what it feels like to engage in a conversation with Richard. The banality and mediocrity of his “passion for justice” famish the mind. I just find this type of cognitive dissonance incomprehensible especially when the tone of the blog is always so smug and virtuous.
Richard. If you visit Israel for only a brief stay, than you’d soon be up on Israeli slang.
@Pabel
You’ve put a lot of thought into your analogy. That’s sad and frightening.