Sunday, May 04, 2014
"Hate Crimes"
1. The Israeli media, led by Haaretz (the Palestinian newspaper published in Hebrew) is suddenly filled with articles decrying "hate crimes." Columnists call upon Israeli leaders to crack down on "hate crimes." Israeli cabinet ministers have issued calls to deal with "hate crimes" and in at least one case have called for suspending habeas corpus to deal with "hate crimes." Media people and politicians are also denouncing these same acts as terrorism.
You will not be surprised if I tell you that the use of the term "hate crimes" by the leftist media and their fellow travelers has nothing at all to do with Arab terrorists murdering Jews. Indeed, a young woman from Afula was murdered a few days ago and the police believe it was a political murder by Arab terrorists. You would only learn about that murder in the back pages in small font in Haaretz, although headlines on the front page and throughout the "newspaper" decry "hate crimes." Let us note that Haaretz NEVER denounces Arab terrorism as "hate crimes." And it refuses to use the "T" word (terrorist) to label these folks. Instead, following, CNN and MSNBC, they are always "activists" or "militants."
The "hate crimes" over which the media and politicians are all up in arms consist of teenage mischief and graffiti. Really. The Obama people have also called for action against these "hate crimes." Small groups of Jewish teenagers have gone running about the country and engaging in petty vandalism and graffiti. They call themselves "Price Tag." Their mischief is usually directed against Arab property (although in a few cases they have vandalized police and army vehicles). Their graffiti is anti-Arab and they have targeted churches and mosques. In a few cases, vandalism was in fact carried out by leftists and Arabs as provocations to be blamed on the Price Tag urchins.
Now I am the first to demand that these teenagers by apprehended and spanked thoroughly. Yes they are an embarrassment and yes they are up to no good.
But hate crime?
"Price Tag" urchins are petty juvenile delinquents. While most have gotten away with their mischief and have not been apprehended, this may be because the police and army have real hate crimes to deal with, like genocidal terrorists. The Price Tag punks are as much involved in "hate crimes" as are the subway graffiti vandals in any large city in the world.
Almost no one in Israel justifies the vandalism and graffiti of "Price Tag." But almost no one in Israel sees it as anything more than a mild nuisance and petty mischief.
No one, that is, except for the Leftist Establishment.
Oh, and you know what ELSE is NEVER a hate crime in Israel? Arabs burning or vandalizing synagogues. You have not heard of such cases recently? It is not because such incidents do not take place in Israel. They occur all the time. It is because the media do not report them, certainly not on page one. After all, it is only news when the postman bites the dog.
2. For years, the Israeli government has imposed a policy on Israeli soldiers of dealing with violent Arab thugs by running away. When targeted by rock throwing guttersnipes, Israeli soldiers are supposed to flee. They are not allowed to throw rocks back or use more effective means. There are no "Stand your Ground" rules for Israeli soldiers, in contrast with the rules for ordinary citizens in much of the US.
All this became an interesting focus for Facebook activists and internet heroes this past week. A soldier named David from the Nahal brigade was jailed after he was threatened by violent threatening Arab guttersnipes in the West Bank, and he cocked his rifle in a warning. Israeli soldiers under attack are not allowed to behave that way with violent Arabs. They are ordered to flee instead. SO David was jailed.
Within days, countless messages of solidarity with David The Nahlai (Nahal Soldier) filled the social media, many from other Israeli soldiers, and drew international attention. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/may/01/israeli-soldiers-online-campaign-support-jailed-david-nahal
The Israeli government policy of fighting Arab violence with cowardice was suddenly under massive grassroots attack. David's cause has gone viral: http://www.debka.com/article/23880/%E2%80%9CDavid-the-Nahal-Soldier%E2%80%9D-goes-viral-Army-chief-Facebook-is-not-a-tool-of-command The soldier's real name has been leaked - it is David Admov.
You can see the Facebook campaign page (in Hebrew) here https://www.facebook.com/Israelijustice and you are invited to Like it. Numerous Israeli soldiers have come out in support of David the Nahal soldier - see the photos on this page: http://news.walla.co.il/?w=/550/2742626 .
The Israeli government is handling the entire affair by playing the part of Goliath, battling against poor little heroic David. It has announced plans to investigate and possibly indict those involved in the media campaign of support for David the Nahal soldier: http://www.jpost.com/Defense/IDF-to-investigate-social-media-protest-over-Nahal-soldier-incident-in-Hebron-351005
Count me in as one of his cheerleaders!
