Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s opposition to efforts to launch of formal inquest into Israeli human rights groups seen as antagonistic to the current coalition government’s policies does not appear to be stalling parliament, according to new reports today.
Rather, Yisrael Beiteinu MPs say that the effort will continue to move forward this week, and they expect to gather considerable support among the right-far-right coalition to do so. Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman, the primary mover behind the effort, loudly lashed Netanyahu for his opposition.
“These are not leftist groups and they are not human rights groups. These are terrorist groups,” insisted Lieberman. The groups singled out as “terrorist” gorups include Yesh Din, which provides legal aid to Palestinian detainees and includes a number of former officials, including former Attorney General Michael Ben Yair.
Also on the list is B’Tselem, an NGO led by intellectuals and journalists which collects data on human rights abuses in the Occupied Territories, and Machsom Watch, a group which monitors abuse among security forces at military checkpoints.
Though these were the first groups mentions, a number of MPs have made it clear that the opposition in general, and virtually any leftist NGO in Israel could be effected, with large anti-occupation groups like Peace Now being seen by many as the ultimate goal of the inquest.
Netanyahu’s argument against the inquest is primarily a pragmatic one, fearing that the new law allowing anti-boycott lawsuits to succeed without any proof is sufficient controversy for the nation to deal with in the near term. The efforts seem to be resonating with the far right, which sees any opposition to government policy as de facto “terrorism,” but is also riling up Israel’s normally ambivalent center, which is increasingly afraid that such bold moves against dissent are making the nation look embarrassingly draconian internationally.
Lieberman, a Russian, seems devoted to the creation of a Stalinist style police state in Israel. One supposes it's what he grew up with and what he understands. Who makes a mob-connected gin-mill bouncer a country's FM anyhow?
12 former heads of Mossad or Shin Bet (external and internal security respectively) oppose the mad policies of the current administration. When the hard men are against you, you will not stand. Bibi and the bouncer have had their day.
The nation of Israel has become a major military power but they have elected to become their biggest enemy. They started on this path when they could not deal with the Ulta Orthodox and allowed them to just exist and even pay them to be silent and allow the rest of Israel go on its own. The problem is the Ulta Orthodox created a monster which had a lot of babies and they became a major element which now has Israel facing a civil war between the Ulta orthodox and secular. I wonder how many of the USA who are in such economic trouble realizes that much of our economic aid to Israel is to fund a program to keep the ulta orthox as a group who has very few jobs and study the bible as their major activity. Billions of USA taxpayers given have created the possible destruction of the homeland for the jews. The problem is the jews were not a group but a religion of many diverse groups and even in the beginning they would not let some groups into Israel. A self inflicted wound which is going to be the biggest enemy of the nation of Israel. It does not help when the leaders like Lieberman can only show what madness they are capable of doing.
It's not just the ultra-Orthodox, it's also the settlers and the entire right wing for that matter, no matter what corner of the cult they take refuge in.
One would be mistaken to assume that this could not happen in Amerika. There are groups here, now, who are advocating and acting to create an atmosphere where such draconian ideas might actually become the law (Az SB 1070, for example). Those who would see a fence built around our country, both physical and ideological have become stronger in the last decade and are currently flexing their muscles in the battle over the fiscal policies in Congress. They generally carry bibles and wrap themselves in the flag – or vice versa. And they want everyone to believe just as they do – or you are not desireable as a neighbor.
Israel will eventually pay for its travelling down this road. The American Jews, who provide a large chunk of financial support, are watching and many are shaking their heads in wonder, and shame. This has been seen before and the results were very costly.
Once again, the fabric and fate of a nation are theratened by a few arrogant, close-minded neanderthals who desire to rule and control and exclude and will lead inevitably to disaster.
But, that's just this old Curmudgeon's opinion…
I guess you haven't heard about the FBI raiding the homes of peace activists and issuing grand jury subpoenas to them, eh? Wonder where they got the orders…errrr…idea from.
Terrorist Groups Lieberman? WTF?
Lets talk about the Stern Gang & Irgun Jewish Terrorist groups and the multitude of atrocities committed by them!
Lieberman IS a terrorist.
Long live the Middle East's only democracy(tm).
cool could you give us a hint as to what the only democracy happens to be. I hope you are not talking about the one who established transfer committees before they left poland to insure that their group held 80 percent of the population at all locations. What kind of democracy allows one group to expel the majority and then rule?
There's only one democracy in the Middle East(tm), c'mon, Tom, you know that. Saying anything to the contrary would be anti-semitic(tm).
Isreal is far from a democracy and heading to a comunist country.I hate the governments of America and Israel.They both think they don';t have to follow the law.WW3 will eather happen or both countrys will wake up and follow the law.But they are to dumb and could care less about life even the lifes of there own citizens.They are the real terrorists sendind there troop in to war for greed.You make me sick I would love to see your militarys Americas expesially to follow the constitution they swore to uphold and stand with the people because they are the ones not breaking world and consitutional laws.If this ever happens it would be great thew time of my life to watch you found guilty and punnished.The militarys are smart and can see they are what is being used to break the law and illegaly kill men women and children.Just so very few can have all the money and power.You see how they treat vets coming home they are using you.If yoy don;'t refuser illegal orders we soon will bw fighting WW3 and most people will die except of corse the cowards hidding in billion dollar underground bunkers.WAKE UP
Zionist Israel is drifting towards fascism. All oposition is called ‘terrorism’. That means that the threat to Israel’s future existence comes from within and not from some external perceived ‘ennemy’.