YouTube videos of public executions and broad surveys of public opinion lead to the same conclusion. Israel is now beset by a violent racism that means even Jews of the wrong colour no longer feel safe, writes Michael Brull at New Matilda.
According to Brull,
Since the beginning of the Second Intifada – and in particular since the Gaza massacre of 2008-2009 – a toxic atmosphere of racist chauvinism has gripped Israel. Over the last six months, the stench has gotten thicker, creating an overtly intolerant racist hell, where non-white people, Jewish or otherwise, live in terror of racist mobs.
Major public figures share the blame for this state of affairs. As some of the early stabbings took place in Jerusalem, the Mayor responded by encouraging civilians to carry weapons. As noted in a letter by a coalition of human rights organisations, “Politicians and senior police officers have not only failed to act to calm the public climate of incitement, but on the contrary have openly called for the extrajudicial killing of suspects.” This included the Jerusalem District Police Commander, the Interior Security Minister, and centrist Member of Knesset Yair Lapid, who urged the public to “shoot to kill anyone who pulls out a knife or screwdriver.” The human rights coalition commented that “Much of the media joined in and encouraged a similar approach. The bodies responsible for supervising police operations – the State Attorney’s Office and the Department for the Investigation of Police – remained silent in the face of these comments.”
The result has been the extra-judicial execution of dozens of Palestinians. Human rights organisations vainly documented the unnecessary force used to kill Palestinians, in situations where there was no threat to Israeli lives. This had little impact.
Read the full story at
Since the beginning of the Second Intifada – and in particular since the Gaza massacre of 2008-2009 – a toxic atmosphere of racist chauvinism has gripped Israel. Over the last six months, the stench has gotten thicker, creating an overtly intolerant racist hell, where non-white people, Jewish or otherwise, live in terror of racist mobs.
Major public figures share the blame for this state of affairs. As some of the early stabbings took place in Jerusalem, the Mayor responded by encouraging civilians to carry weapons. As noted in a letter by a coalition of human rights organisations, “Politicians and senior police officers have not only failed to act to calm the public climate of incitement, but on the contrary have openly called for the extrajudicial killing of suspects.” This included the Jerusalem District Police Commander, the Interior Security Minister, and centrist Member of Knesset Yair Lapid, who urged the public to “shoot to kill anyone who pulls out a knife or screwdriver.” The human rights coalition commented that “Much of the media joined in and encouraged a similar approach. The bodies responsible for supervising police operations – the State Attorney’s Office and the Department for the Investigation of Police – remained silent in the face of these comments.”
The result has been the extra-judicial execution of dozens of Palestinians. Human rights organisations vainly documented the unnecessary force used to kill Palestinians, in situations where there was no threat to Israeli lives. This had little impact.
Read the full story at New Matilda.