As the Israeli election results are digested, Ben Gvir is dominating a lot of coverage.
He is accurately portrayed as a racist, far-right nationalist, his success a disturbing new development.
In that context, here is a qiuick quiz of ‘Who said it?’
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"I do not think that the Arabs want peace...What I want is not a new Middle East, but to be rid of them" & "to maintain a Jewish majority in the Land of Israel".
Ben Gvir or Yair Lapid?
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Answer: Yair Lapid.
"I see them [Palestinians] eating the Galilee and my heart bleeds…They live in houses in Afula and in Acre and they take over entire streets".
Ben Gvir or Shimon Peres?
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Answer: Shimon Peres.
Israeli settlers' attacks on Palestinians in occupied West Bank surging this year - 2021 total will easily outstrip 2020 (which itself was up from 2019).
Such violence only possible thanks to Israeli authorities' complicity, support.
"The settlers then hung him [Tareq] with ropes on tree branches, with his feet in the air, and wounded and burned his feet. After a few minutes, the settlers took him down from the tree, and then one of them hit him in the head with a stick..."
Why would one ice cream company's decision to stop selling produce in Israeli settlements prompt such a extraordinary reaction from the Israeli gov't?
The smears are shameless, and the absurdity is amusing.
But the reaction of Israeli leaders is not random & merits reflection.
Three main things going on here.
1. Israeli state & its institutions, + mainstream Jewish Israeli political opinion, views *& in practice treats* the West Bank as belonging to Israel. The reaction to even a v.specific boycott of settlements can only be understood in this light.
2. Total opposition to accountability.
The direct impact of B&J's decision is ofc small. But that doesn't matter. For the Israeli gov't - and this applies whoever is in power, Likud to Labor - *any* kind of accountability for IHL violations, human rights abuses etc. is anathema.
Ben & Jerry's to stop selling ice-cream in illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
Israel's 'change' gov't reacts just like a Netanyahu-led one would have done - accuse B&J's of 'antisemitism' & claim the whole West Bank belongs to Israel.
"Ben & Jerry’s is known not just for its ice cream, but for the company’s commitment to social justice...So for many, having a factory in Israel & distributing ice cream in...[illegal] Israeli settlements flew in the face of the company’s stated mission".
In reporting/analysis, there is not nearly enough attention being paid to twin Israeli crises - of political leadership & military strategy - which shape both the current offensive & deeper context re Gaza.
"major deficiencies in the army’s prep & performance & in the leadership of a confused & helpless gov't"
"military hadn’t amassed enough quality targets in Gaza"
"military has no idea how to paralyze Hamas’ forces & throw it off balance"
These are criticisms voiced w/ varying degrees of bluntness by number of Israeli analysts, who have queried the claims made by the military regarding "achievements" of the campaign - including the much-vaunted strikes allegedly targeting tunnels in Gaza