The State of Israel just announced who would receive the honor of lighting the torch that marks the start of Israel Independence Day. It went to Israeli TV news anchor, Lucy Aharish. She is a young Israeli-Palestinian who grew up among Moroccan Jews in Dimona. Her politics during this period were exceedingly right-wing. And today, they still bear traces of that upbringing. She speaks Hebrew with no Palestinian accent, dresses like a hip Tel Avivit, and bears no semblance of her ethnic roots. Her politics around the Palestinian conflict are typically liberal Zionist (“We have other things to get over besides the occupation and discrimination”). It’s a problem not of her making nor is it her responsibility to fix it or speak on anyone’s behalf but her own.
The only time Lucy Aharish spoke out was when a settler thug attacked her verbally during a TV interview. At that point, she did speak up for herself and put the interviewee in his place. But other than that, you’d hardly know Aharish was “Arab,” to use the slightly pejorative Hebrew phrasing.
Just as Israeli advocacy groups like Aish HaTorah and StandWithUs love to single out Muslim and Arab Uncle Tom’s for special approbation, the choice of Aharish fits that mold. She’s Arab, but she’s one of “us.” She’s not one of “them,” except in a nominal sense. She’s the good “Arab” because you hardly even know she’s Arab:
“What’s more important for me is the brand name Lucy Aharish. The Arab sector does not pay me a salary. My national identify is that of an Arab-Israeli. I identify with Palestinian suffering, but I am not part of it. I have a different suffering here: I am not getting the rights that accrue to me as a citizen of Israel – such as better mortgage terms – because I did not do army service.”
Now, I want to do a Compare and Contrast: note the image of a Palestinian woman protesting against the Occupation. Despite the fact that she and those tear gassed and assaulted with stun grenades today were unarmed, that didn’t stop Israeli police thugs from using violence to break up their non-violent demonstration.
Israel should take pride that it orders dogs to attack unarmed women. That’s part of the Zionist dream, isn’t it? To shed blood for the homeland? Preferably the blood of the enemy. And lots of it.
I wonder if Israel’s ergonomically-correct lady joysticks for launching drone strikes into Gaza houses are pink, too? pic.twitter.com/GQXqkEiR87
— Joe Catron (@jncatron) March 9, 2015
Finally, here is the State of Israel’s official media self-promotion (hasbara) for International Women’s Day. What does it tout? That it’s designed special joysticks for drone operators so women’s smaller hands can be more comfortable. What an achievement! Enabling women to have the privilege of killing Palestinian civilians just like men. Zionism’s contribution to the liberation of women!
A few relevant facts: 300 of those murdered by the IDF during Operation Protective Edge were women. A survey by a human rights NGO found that 37% of Gazans murdered during Operation Protective Edge were killed by drones. If you keep in mind that up to 80% of the Gazan dead were civilians, you can do the math and determine how many civilians those female drone operators killed. Happy Women’s Day everyone–Israel-style!
@RS
“..police thugs…beating up on the women”. “..thugs..beat her to a pulp”.
Richard.
Your own link states that 10 women were wounded by inhalation of tear gas. No where does it state that any women was beaten.
Whats more, 972 Mag covered the demonstrations with a photojournalist, and no where is there any sign that demonstrators were beaten.
The picture was posted on Facebook in connection with International Women’s Day. Because people like you watch hawk-like for errors, I’ve inquired to find out as much as I can about the picture. Until I find out otherwise, I trust the attribution of the picture.
Richard.
The women in your photo is being arrested.
Not a single news source says that any of the demonstrators were arrested, much less beaten.
Here’s the 972 link.
http://972mag.com/jewish-arab-women-protest-on-both-sides-of-israeli-checkpoint/103865/
I think you need to update your article.
@ Richard
The photo posted on Facebook is not from yesterday’s demonstration. I’ve already seen it before, I can’t remember where, the arrest of Lina Khattab comes to my mind, but I’m not sure. It looks like her, the same chin.
This picture is fabricated.
Israeli cops are not wearing this sily hat, not wearing this T-shirt and do not point guns in this situation.
where was it allegedly taken? because police doesn’t commit arrests in the west bank
@ Gal: I’ll give you 3 hours to offer real proof of your claim. You’ll either offer it, or if you don’t you’ll be banned. My comment rules demand that claims be backed by evidence. Now, I challenge you to offer it.
I agree about the uniforms.
Here is the police uniform. Note the insignia on the sides of the caps.
http://zioneocon.blogspot.com/tapuach%20carried%20away.jpg
There is a Hebrew inscription on their chests, can anyone translate it? That should help resolve this “It ain’t so!” argument.
http://www.collectors-badges.com/police_&_fire_hats_int.htm
One can buy exactly this type of Israeli police hat as a collector item. And yes, one can also buy Israeli police T-shirt!
http://www.ajudaica.com/Israeli-Police-T-Shirt/item2965
So some people pretend to be Zionist commenters while not only lacking such memorabilia at home but not being even aware of them? Similarly, “they never draw guns in such a situation” smacks second-guessing of the split second decisions that police has to do every day. Is Gal a lowly paid worker in Indian sub-continent to work as a troll, but with insufficient training?
@ Richard,
Israeli police don’t have these kind of hats, especially not in riots. I’m sure you have tons of images of police work in riots to check from. It also seems that they have 2 hats on them for some reason. It looked like they tried to copy the official hat.
Another issue is the entire uniform – again in riots policemen (and the army for that matter) don’t wear pants where the pocket is at an angle (the guy on the left) – which is definitely not a combat uniform – but rather rectangular pockets on the side of the hip so more stuff will fit and you won’t lose manoeuvrability. This kind are usually part of the official uniform. The belt is also an issue – usually the buckle is completely black.
This is also not the ‘Mistaravim’ since their wearing a t-shirt that says Police on them – so that would be pointless. And if they are not ‘Mistaravim’ than where is all of their gear?!
The guy on the right is wearing a cool bracelet which I’m pretty sure is not allowed in the police.
Maybe irrelevant but still noticeable is the fact that both ‘cops’ look very young and ‘arab’.
I’m afraid this picture is a staged one taken to smear Israel and if it got to your blog then I’m sure it influenced lots of people beforehand. Notice the amount of photographers in the background – there’s a name for this type of pictures taken by Palestinians which I know you dislike but that exactly what it is.
@ Shay: I challenge you with the same one I offered Gal. Positive proof of the origin of the photo. Not just circumstantial evidence as you’ve proffered.
Let’s call a spade a spade, shall we? I find your implicit reference to the term “Pallywood” offensive even by implication. Further, Israel routinely engages in fraudulent manipulation of photographs, videos, etc. This is a game Israel plays even more frequently and audaciously than the other side does.
You are skating on very thin ice.
@ Shay
“there’s a name for this type of pictures taken by Palestinians”
Let’s just be clear about one thing: most ‘fake’ pictures are not taken by Palestinians, but are pictures ‘misused’ by ‘pro-Palestinian’ activists who use old pictures or publish pictures from other war zones (and then the hasbara speaks tons about them, even when they taken down and an excuse is published), mostly not deliberately but without cheking them.
This picture might be staged but I don’t think it’s deliberately a fake. I explain: Palestinian and pro-Palestinian activists often make street theater to call attention to what’s happening in Palestine (check points, night raids etc, once friends of mine were even arrested by the police while doing street theater in Paris …), and it might be, I say might be, a photo from such a scene. And in the process, the correct informations have been lost or omitted, and it gets a ‘new life’.
But don’t blame the Palestinians on this: they have more than enough real pictures, and don’t have to invent fake arrests. And Palestinians are the ones who have everything to lose by posting fake pictures.
Only a very tiny part of pictures and live images are fake, but we know that everytime the State of Israel is caught killing or beating up Palestinians, there’s a whole bunch of hasbara-employees screaming ‘Pallywood’. It happened after the killing of the two youngsters on Nakba Day, where even Micheal Oren went on CNN claiming is’s was probably staged, and it happened again during the summer aggression on Gaza (example: the young guy in the green shirt killed in Shujaiyyah while wounded on the ground, filmed by ISM volunteers).
I guess liberal Zionist can mean many different things since you say claim to be one but you disapprove of her.
@ Ariel: When I have I ever claimed to be a liberal Zionist? Do you know so little about Zionism as not to be able to tell the difference between liberal Zionists and progressive Zionists? No, I guess you wouldn’t since you’d want to deny that truly left Zionists exist. You are truly ignorant about your own heritage.
You are right, I confused Progressive Zionist with Liberal Zionist though I have no idea what is the difference between the two.
@ Ariel: I expect no less from an ignorant hasbarist who doesn’t even understand his own history. Shameful.
The policeman photo should be suspicious. this is not Isreali police Uniforms. i don’t know if the photo is real or not, but this are not policeman. maybe MISTARVIM (soldiers that dress as Arabs, and doing arrests in protests), but again, they only put police hats when they are making the arrest (most of the time they not doing that either), but not shirts. so i don’t know. my feeling is that it’s not Kosher photo, but maybe I’m wrong.
I have to say i got a big crush on Lucy. She is a remarkable woman no matter what anyone says. I admire her especially when she defended herself last year on TV. Richard you might not like her because you say shes an uncle tom but under that criteria are you not also an uncle Tom? Personally i think the term is offensive at best And is best left for the history books.
Malcolm X once said there were two kinds of slaves, the House slaves and the Field slaves. If the Massa’s house was on fire, the House slaves would rush to get water and douse the flames but the Field slaves would hope for a swifter breeze…
Lucy Aharish, Clarence Thomas (US Spreme court Justice)…there is little difference.
@ ben: You don’t undersand what “Uncle Tom” means. I am not co-opted or exploited by anyone for any purpose. Aharish most definitely is, including regarding her selection to light the Independence Day torch.
Richard i just read it was Limor Livnat who did the nomination so yeah looks like she might fall under being exploited… though i still think its great she was chosen. She represents what coexistence could eventually look like. Also i would not cut yourself short i have seen many anti Israel websites cite you for thier own purpose so in that way you are being indirectly exploited Examples being the guardian press tv al jazerra 972 and so on.
@ ben: Nonsense. Lucy Aharish isn’t “what coexistence looks like.” Haneen Zoabi is what co existence looks like. Marwan Barghouti is what co existence looks like. If you think AHarish is representative of Israeli Palestinians you’re delusional.
Are you seriously claiming that the Guardian, Al Jazeera & 972 are “anti-Israel” websites? Please don’t tell me you’re serious. Because if you are you’re not just naive (as I’ve always thought) but seriously, pathetically ignorant.
BTW, none of those sites cite me at all. So in this you’re also creating fiction. I haven’t published at the Guardian in 2 yrs. At Jazeera in 6 yrs. & 972 has never cited me ever asaik.
“Haneen Zoabi is what co existence looks like. Marwan Barghouti is what co existence looks like”
Do you ever think about what you write?
Your statement is tantamount to the destruction of the “Jewish” state.
And if you are so concerned about what goes on in Israel why don’t you leave cushy Seatle and go to Israel to ‘actually’ participate in you purported beliefs?
@ matrix: That’s terribly amusing (in an unintentional way). So you believe that by “co-existing” with Haneen Zoabi or Marwan Barghouti you will destroy Israel? No, you didn’t say that. YOu said you’d destroy the “Jewish” states. Indeed, a state offering superior rights to Jews and inferior rights to non-Jews IS a racist entity which doesn’t deserve to exist–at least not in that form. So is that what will be “destroyed?” Jewish privilege? Palestinian citizens’ equal rights? In that case, I favor a state in which citizens of all religions have rights, but rights which are equal.
BTW, you’re only the 50th apologist to imply that I couldn’t comment critically on Israel without living there. Tell me, may academics specializing in French politics only do so while living in France? May journalists who write primarily about China or Russia only do so if they’re critical while living in those countries? C’mon, you’re so 1950! We’re in the digital age, bud. You gotta catch up. Remember? Global village??
Richard, you set up a convenient lose-lose for Israel. You know full well that Zoabi or Barghouti would obviously never agree participate that ceremony because, among other reasons, they see the founding of the State as a tragedy. Aharish, on the other hand, sees herself as both Palestinian and part of mainstream Israeli society. She can relate to, and be related to by, both Israeli Jews and Palestinians, which is why the choice of her to light the torch makes sense.
@ djf: I have no idea what “ceremony” you’re talking of. But if you’re talking about a ceremony that acknowledges both the tragedy of Nakba and the founding of the State, I doubt they would refuse to participate. The only reason they see the founding of the State as a tragedy is that it was founded based on a grave injustice against a portion of the Israeli people, the Palestinians. ONce that sin is rectified, there’s only the memory of the tragedy. But it doesn’t linger into the present or future and the sting is largely removed.
Aharish barely sees herself as Palestinian. As she said she sees herself more of a brand and her Palestinianism is useful to market the brand. Otherwise, she largely ignores it. Which is why it’s so welcome to apologists like you. So yes, if you support a deracinated Palestinian minority, Aharish “makes sense.” But if you support a Palestinian minority as aware of & supportive of its own identity as Israeli Jews are of theirs, the choice is not just tokenism, but counter-productive.
The selection of Lucy Aharish to light the Independence Day Torch reminds me of Mira Awad being selected just a couple of week after Cast Lead to sing with Noa in the European Song Contest in May 2009 (never been any Arab before or after …). I’m sure this is going to be used widely by hasbara (just as her job as the first Arab news anchor has been used, the French-Morroccan-Israeli owner of i24News Patrick Drahi has openly stated that his tv-channel is about promoting Israel, the brand news offices are in the old port of Jaffa from where ten of thousands of Palestinians were driven into the sea, isn’t that ironic.
I remember in 2009 my cousin got married in Israel… well not married because she had to have a civil marriage in England because for some archaic reason israel does not do civil marriage. She had her party at the Ilana Goor museum in Jafa. I remember how sad it was when she explained how the family who used to live there had to flee and left all thier belongings in the basement. Luckily she tracked the family down in nabulus and was able to return the contents of the family. My dad used to go to tabeetha and was and is still good friends with the Sheik of jaffa. Last time we were there he even went for tea. The sad thing for me was around sunset when the iman near the museum sang the call to prayer. Such a shame things are not better.
Does that mean you’re for the Right of Return of the Palestinian refugees ?
Still no reply from Ben? Hmmm.
Whew. You took down that photo with the two men wearing the silly Israeli police costumes. That’s to your credit – when you’re wrong, you always admit it.
As for the new photo I am pleased that the IDF has decided to at least temporarily stop using dogs in the West Bank. Using dogs against Palestinian civilians who are not posing any kind of threat at all is just awful.
@ pea: That’s a lie regarding dogs in the West Bank. The IDF long ago said it wouldn’t use dogs & violated its own claims. When the video of dogs biting the Palestinian teenage boy was first aired, there was an supposed directive the IDF was following saying it wasn’t using dogs–but it was.
It will no longer stop using dogs there than it will stop oppressing Palestinians in general.
I’ve never said anything regarding the picture I removed. I’ve challenged everyone to find its original and no one has. So I have no idea what it is. Nor do I trust someone giving me circumstantial evidence concerning why it’s fake. I want to know its actual origin.
But since I could not verify its origin, I thought better of displaying it. Do not characterize my motives or views on my behalf. I can do that myself.
Discussion on this particular subject is done unless someone comes here with the actual origin of the photo. Anyone who violates this will either not have their comment published or be moderated.
I think Deir Yassin nailed it: It is probably a picture of pro-Palestinian street theatre, which started a new life as the original caption was lost.
RE: PHOTO – Israeli police attack dog assaults Palestinian woman
MY COMMENT: Perhaps it’s just me, but it seems perversely ironic that Israel uses German Shepherds (i.e., “an icon of the Third Reich” once used to guard concentration/death camps*) to terrorize Palestinians.
* FROM DogLawReporter.blogspot.com: [EXCERPT] . . . In World War I, German shepherds were mobilized by a number of countries and served in national and colonial armies. Between the wars, the breed so quickly dominated law enforcement that in many places it is still just called the “police dog.” The “Germanness” of the dog obviously appealed to the Nazis, who made it into an icon of the Third Reich. They were picking up on the views of [Max von] Stephanitz himself [who is credited with perfecting the breed around 1900], who as noted above had seen the dog as reflecting the character of the Volk and described it, despite its mixed origins and recent breed status, as having an ancient and intimate relationship with Germans. Hitler named his first German shepherd “Wolf.” [German] Shepherds were used by the Nazis to control prisoners of war and guard concentration camps. . .
SOURCE – http://doglawreporter.blogspot.com/2010/06/nazi-myth-transformed-german-shepherds.html
[comment deleted: I don’t need you to make editorial comments about my choices. You’ve been warned.]
It’s actually from 2007.
http://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/photos-of-the-day-21-3-07/
“An Israeli army dog attacks a Palestinian woman during an army raid in the West Bank village of Obadiyah, near Bethlehem, Wednesday, March 21, 2007. The dog, which was supposed to enter a house with troops searching for a wanted militant, attacked the female bystander instead. The woman received medical attention from the troops on the scene.”
@ pea: I don’t care what year it’s from. The little Palestinian boy was mauled by dogs this year. And from sometime after 2007 till today there’s been a ban in place against using dogs against civilians yet the IDF ignores it just as it ignores virtually any regulation or court ruling it wishes. You know this is try so why try to wiggle your way out of it?
@Dickerson
The dog in Richard’s stock photo is not a German Shepard. It is a Belgian Shepard, or Malinois.
http://www.dogster.com/files/styles/424_200sc/public/fields/dog-bite-hero.jpg
Sorry.
@ Hefe: My picture is a ‘stock photo?’ Where did I get it from? The Pallywood stock photo archive? You are funny (unintentionally).
REVISION: Perhaps it’s just me, but it seems perversely ironic that Israel uses dogs to terrorize Palestinians. The Nazis are infamous for having used dogs to terrorize Jews, Romani, leftists, etc. The Nazis also used dogs to guard concentration/death camps.
PHOTOS – https://fbcdn-sphotos-h-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-xap1/v/t1.0-9/9785_10204761048722711_1536189933090041414_n.jpg?oh=7f878583661f1781eb85a6dc245a8db7&oe=5546B331&__gda__=1426888140_ebd02751a4cac097f04effc228f0b6fc
P.S. ALSO SEE: “Israeli army OK’s attack dogs as ‘non-lethal weapons’” , by Allison Deger on June 16, 2012
ENTIRE ARTICLE WITH PHOTO – http://mondoweiss.net/2012/06/israeli-army-oks-attack-dogs-as-non-lethal-weapons
Belgian Malinois is the breed of choice in Israel (and around the world). But the Belgians capitulated to the Nazis after only 10-days of fighting and two Waffen SS divisions were recruited from there so maybe you can make some ironic hay out of that?
@ pea: Belgians may’ve capitulated. But their dogs apparently didn’t. Now they work for Israel.
As for being a “breed of choice,” I’m not even sure what that means. For assaulting unarmed human beings? Perhaps. But what an ugly thought.
If more delicately trained, perhaps as rescue dogs.
@ JLewisDickerson: A beloved university professor of mine, Amos Funkenstein z”l, was a child of survivors & was deeply traumatized by dogs. Just seeing a dog would make him afraid. He called them vildeh chayas (“wild animals”). That is why.
I will have to come back, to read the latest, but for now, I will leave a link.
http://www.maannews.com/eng/ViewDetails.aspx?ID=759782
Palestinian women, as women all over the world, have always been an important part of the struggles for freedom, equality and justice and faced abuse, discrimination and violence, in doing so.
Whether last year, this year, or at any time in history.
Thank you, Richard.