Molti israeliani di sinistra sono preoccupati che la legislazione antidemocratica stia spingendo Israele verso il fascismo
Di Mya Guarnieri, 6 febbraio 2011 [1]
Mentre gli egiziani reclamano la loro libertà, chiedo a un musulmano a Jaffa se vedremo la stessa cosa in Israele. “Non credo”, risponde. “Qui anche con tutti questi guai abbiamo una democrazia”.
But we really? And for how long?
As we speak, the Knesset is discussing one of several bills undemocratic. Part of the legislation is targeting the Palestinian citizens of Israel - people like this man and his wife, who immediately offers me coffee and opinions.
If it passes the law on 'Admissions Committee [Council for admissions], for example, this young couple and their three children will be able to find banned from living in certain communities and villages, even those built on land public. If approved the bill on the Nakba organizations commemorating the 1948 expulsion of Palestinians do not have [more] entitled to public funds. This is a watered down version of the design. The original version would imprison anyone who publicly commemorated the Day of the Nakba. Other laws designed to silence individuals and groups that criticize the government.
The Israeli Democracy Institute (IDI) argues that these bills are "serious threats" to the country. Explaining that the death of democracy is "a gradual process," the IDI, an independent research center based in Jerusalem, warned: "People are worried but waiting for the 'moment the real danger 'to abandon their trantran and take steps to defend democracy, make a mistake. The moment of real danger is now. "
It should be noted that the IDI was able to publish this [article] op-ed [2] on Jerusalem Post, a daily center-right, while the center-left newspaper Haaretz has recently published a number of pieces that express similar concerns about democracy in Israel. This suggests that even the Israeli center - as indifferent - is concerned about the situazione.
Diminuire lo spazio democratico
Alcuni critici potrebbero dire che Israele non è mai stata una democrazia nel vero senso della parola. I cittadini arabi dello stato furono sottoposti alla legge marziale dal 1949 al 1965. Un anno dopo, iniziò l’occupazione, certamente antidemocratica, dei territori palestinesi.
Il deputato Dov Khenin, del partito arabo-ebraico Hadash, la mette così: “In Israele c’è uno spazio democratico specifico. Non è grande, e rispetto alla questione degli arabi, è anche più piccolo. Ma tale spazio per noi è importante perché is the space where we are. "
He points to the room of Jaffa, where he is holding a conference entitled "The danger of fascism." There are about 20 people present - a number which is sad considering the importance of what is at stake.
"What has happened in recent years - and this is a very dangerous process - is that space is attacked and eroded," says Khenin.
"One of the attacks comes in the form of racism," he says.
Explain that if the Arab members of Knesset are always were viewed with suspicion - come to mind the cruel verbal attacks that Haneen Zoabi had to suffer in the Knesset after participating in the fleet - the government "now attacking not only the Arab members of Knesset, but the entire Arab population."
"The process is widening," said Khenin. "And if we look at the past two years, is not only the Arab population, [the government] also attacks the Jews who think differently."
a political witch hunt
This attack comes in the form of anti-democratic laws that [if approved] limit freedom of speech, and campaigns against the Israeli human rights organizations.
L '[anti] Boycott Bill [bill against the boycott] criminalizes all those who deny the Jewish and democratic character of Israel. Having signed articles in which I ask for a bi-national democracy, all that I could lead to prison. (And, if I am already on the way to prison, I would say also, of course, that a country that needs to force people to call it democratic, under penalty of prison, not a democracy).
E the Knesset is considering the establishment of committees investigating the funding of groups left for the human and civil rights - most of which are critical of the Israeli occupation. Critics have likened the move to a political witch hunt, since the center-right groups are not under investigation. They also note that such an investigation, which is the responsibility of the judiciary, exceeds the powers of the Knesset.
'drifting towards fascism?'
In October, a protest against the law commonly known as the "oath loyalthy [loyalty oath] – una legge che imporrebbe ai non ebrei che chiedono la cittadinanza israeliana di promettere lealtà ad uno stato “ebraico e democratico” – Gavriel Solomon, eminente accademico e pacifista, ha paragonato Israele alla Germania Nazista, quella circa del 1935.
Quello fu l’anno in cui le leggi di Norimberga – la legislazione razzista che condusse alla sistematica e mortale persecuzione degli ebrei – vennero create.
“Ancora non c’erano campi [di concentramento] ma c’erano le leggi razziste”, ha detto. “E noi stiamo andando verso questo tipo di leggi”.
Speaking to Al-Jazeera by telephone, Solomon has softened its message, noting that: "The question really is whether we are not sliding into fascism."
"Although we clearly have people like [Avigdor] Lieberman [Foreign Minister] that are not sensitive to the issue ... right there are enough people we can not allow to pass laws like those of Lieberman," he said, pointing to the Likud members like Dan Meridor.
But Haaretz revealed recently that the right-are mobilizing to recruit voters in the Jewish settlements that Meridor send by the Knesset.
E i destrorsi stanno facendo altre mosse per zittire il dissenso: Haaretz riferisce che sono riusciti a far chiudere le pagine Facebook di numerosi gruppi di sinistra.
A seconda di come questi destrorsi imboniranno i loro progetti – cercano di zittire il dissenso o prendono le misure necessarie all’immagine e alla sicurezza di Israele? – l’opinione pubblica israeliana potrebbe essere desiderosa di unirsi a loro in blocco.
Un recente sondaggio, condotto dal Geocartography Knowledge Group, ha trovato che più della metà degli israeliani ebraici vogliono limitare la libertà di stampa se i media presentano una minaccia for the image of the state. And almost two thirds would impose restrictions on freedom of speech for security reasons.
top-Racism
The Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) is one of the leading organizations in the fight against anti-democratic laws. A spokeswoman Ronit Sela notes, "I think the serious thing is that not only the groups or people who say things the way racist and anti-democratic ... [is] the Knesset and the government."
"And we see this strong opposition from Prime Minister [Benjamin Netanyahu]."
Sela underlines the fact that, whether or not to pass, the Bills are doing damage.
"When the man in the street reads in the paper that there are members of Knesset who want to investigate these organizations on their loans, it is stunning," he says. "The damage to the reputation of human rights organizations, the Arabs in this country and the Jewish citizens who work with them, has already been done."
"It is undemocratic that the content is slipping in the Israeli mainstream," he adds.
Just like Sela, warns that by focusing only on the passage of legislation, Khenin warns against shift the political crisis in Israel to a person or group.
"When we speak of the rise of fascism in Israel, we speak of groups of extremist rabbis and settler militias," he says. But it is a mistake to focus only on these groups ... The danger of fascism is broader. "
He refers to a weak Supreme Court and the problems within the Israeli side, as well as a political center that has disappeared by [the deployment] and it can no longer keep to the right under control.
"We need to understand that fascism is not an expression of strength, is an expression of weakness."
Khenin noted that not long before Netanyahu became prime minister, called the Palestinian citizens of Israel a demographic threat. "And now is the head of government," he adds.
And since the death of democracy is linked to the occupation [of Palestinian territories], "a people that oppresses another people can not be free," said Khenin, paraphrasing Friedrich Engels.
Change is in the air
Why do people go on the road to democracy?
Oded is an industrial designer for 29 years and applying to be appointed under a pseudonym because he fears repercussions for social and professional on the ground to express his political opinions and to do so on an Arab news channel. "
He says that if the current trend continues, it is likely that Israel will see a fascist government. In the past, remember Oded, dissenting views were tolerated. "Now, it is impossible to say anything against the state or the government. If you do, you are a 'traitor' because it is the the value that counts. "
And Oded, grandson of a Holocaust survivor, says that this kind of ultra-nationalism is at the root of fascism is that of racism.
"Protest?" I ask.
"No," he says. "So far, it sounds selfish, I do not really care because I have things in my personal life that are most important. And I'm lazy. "
When asked if he considers that this apathy could allow extremists to prevail, nods. "I think [if we had a fascist government] I'd go," says, expressing something that I have heard from many Israelis.
A recent event called "March for democracy when we still can," brought together some 20,000 people. Many bore signs that read: "Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies."
And Saturday night, about 200 Palestinian citizens of Israel and Jewish left-wing Israeli activists gathered to express solidarity with the demonstrators for democracy in Egypt, and to protest against the oppression in Israel.
An Israeli-Palestinian protester said, in Hebrew, that the Middle East should get rid of the "three b.: Barak, Bibi [Netanyahu] and Mubarak."
If a significant change for Israel is very far away - you may need something huge, like fascism, to shake Jewish Israelis from their apathy and dreams of preserving a democratic Zionist state is - change is in 'air.
[1] Translated by Andrea Carancini. The original text is available at: http://english.aljazeera.net/indepth/features/2011/02/201126123643463123.html .
[2] Definition of "op-ed" de "ilRagazzini2011" page ( of a daily) in front of one of the editorials ( contains elezeviri, book reviews, etc.. )
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