The campaign against Lucy Aharish and other journalists reveals how intimidation, racism, and the erosion of civic norms may define Israel’s next election cycle
This is a blot on all of us. A shanda. We must collectively denounce these racists in the strongest possible terms. They ought to have no place in a liberal, democratic Israel. I fear that's changing.
I agree that individuals should not be harassed in their homes. That’s crossing a red line. But the left is no better than the right, the poison that has been poured out about the so called settlers is unreal. That also should be a red line.
These stories should be investigated thoroughly before jumping on the settler deformation bandwagon. The so called settlers in Judea and Samaria are living on Jewish land. Why are they called settlers?
Many so called settler criminalities have been found to be false accusations by Palestinians. They were the culprits of the crimes, than turning it round and pointing their fingers at the „settlers“.
Israel is a miracle. Is it any wonder that there are differences in Israel, with a diverse population in a very small country? Israel is a mini United Nations with Jews from every corner of the world living together with other ethnic groups and different faiths.
In today’s world Justice and Truth have been devalued to Personal feelings and adopted Ideologies. Only a return to the G-D of Israel, who is Truth and Justice, can fix this decline of morality.
Netanyahu should give a speech disavowing and condemning in the strongest terms this mob behavior. Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, is noisy and messy as are all democratic countries, but mob rule must not be tolerated or condoned. Indeed, mob rule is antithetical to democracy. It is perhaps even the greatest threat to the state of Israel than any of its hostile neighbors. It’s the enemy from within— and is a kind of mirror image of what is happening now in the United States. Both Israel and the United States, the greatest democracies in the world, must not shirk their burden of proving that the rule of law — and not mob rule— is the our most precious asset and is the most important value that undergirds western civilization. Thank you for this article.
Once of the greatest wishes of those who help rebirth Israel was that it would become like every other nation on Earth. Seems they got their wish. So you see Israel has become like all the nations of the world, it too has garbage humanbeings harassing decent law abiding and patriotic citizens too.
Perhaps this far-right provocateur needs a taste of his own medicine. Those who protested every week for the release of the hostages can now decamp with their loudspeakers outside HIS house.
Any other suggestions if the government refuses to stop the harassment?
And yes this applies to all protestors and provocateurs on all sides. Personal attacks, blocking traffic, setting fires have become daily reminders of the impotence of this dysfunctional government.
Frankly I’m sick and tired of Likud sponsored thugs. They are the ones who turned Silman into a victim of “battered wife syndrome” with daily harassment until she licked her tormentors’ boots and brought down the government.
What you have described is despicable behavior, and disgust me as a Jew. Although I read English language coverage of Israel extensively this is the first I am hearing of this current round of harassment of Lucy Aharish. (I am aware of earlier harassment when she married). The topic covered in this article would be an excellent subject for you, Amit and Dan Senor to discuss on air.
it was inevitable that the malign influence of the US would spread to Israel. Previously marginal individuals who often have mental health issues (my Bobba would have called them Meseshuggah) can now earn fame and fortune by stoking a sense of outrage.
What is allowed under freedom of expression actually misses the point.
it is the politicians who clearly should know better and become complicit with him who pose the biggest treat to the State of Israel and Zionism.
Lucy Aharish is the compelling answer to those who call for the destruction of Israel.
It starts at the top. In my native USA is a boor for a leader who knows and practices nothing about civility. Here in Israel (where I am currently and often visit) is a narcissist leader who has degenerated into such a power hungry politician that he alligns with thugs in order to stay in office. Trump doesn't know better...Bibi does but doesn't care.
David, I disagree. It starts at the bottom with thugs who follow "influencers" who gain notoriety from posting slop on social media, whether antisemitic or anti-Arab or anything else. The low-life influencers post their sh*t, social media amplifies the worst of the worst, their followers respond, and the civilized world collapses a bit more. We are f*cked! It is social media, not the leaders who are creating this mess.
There's a more specific layer here than norms. What you're talking about are TABOOS, not necessarily calling for civility, but drawing a line on incivility.
Here in the US, which rhymes with what's happening in Israel and across the liberal West, what we've seen is an erosion of our universal moral TABOOS. Put simply, the expressions of overt hateful bigotry were once an offense that banished somebody from polite society, making them a social pariah to even associate with. This is how we defeated the KKK in the US.
We need to restore these taboos, by restoring the norm to punish violators of them with strict social consequences. And we must do this in a principle way, or partisanship and tribalism will override our instincts to resist hate no matter where it comes from or who it's directed at.
Please join the movement to Hold the Line and #MakeTaboosTabooAgain elevin11.substack
I’m sorry both you and Lucy Aharish are having to go through this. Ditto for Jake Tapper. I detest mobs and the demagogues that encourage and exploit them.
The government insists violence by settlers is really just small gangs. But they haven’t stopped it? So this disgusting racism against a terrific journalist is no surprise.
It makes diaspora jews like me grit our teeth as we fight antisemitism disguised as anti Zionist. So disappointing!!!
This is a blot on all of us. A shanda. We must collectively denounce these racists in the strongest possible terms. They ought to have no place in a liberal, democratic Israel. I fear that's changing.
I agree that individuals should not be harassed in their homes. That’s crossing a red line. But the left is no better than the right, the poison that has been poured out about the so called settlers is unreal. That also should be a red line.
These stories should be investigated thoroughly before jumping on the settler deformation bandwagon. The so called settlers in Judea and Samaria are living on Jewish land. Why are they called settlers?
Many so called settler criminalities have been found to be false accusations by Palestinians. They were the culprits of the crimes, than turning it round and pointing their fingers at the „settlers“.
Israel is a miracle. Is it any wonder that there are differences in Israel, with a diverse population in a very small country? Israel is a mini United Nations with Jews from every corner of the world living together with other ethnic groups and different faiths.
In today’s world Justice and Truth have been devalued to Personal feelings and adopted Ideologies. Only a return to the G-D of Israel, who is Truth and Justice, can fix this decline of morality.
Netanyahu should give a speech disavowing and condemning in the strongest terms this mob behavior. Israel, the only democracy in the Middle East, is noisy and messy as are all democratic countries, but mob rule must not be tolerated or condoned. Indeed, mob rule is antithetical to democracy. It is perhaps even the greatest threat to the state of Israel than any of its hostile neighbors. It’s the enemy from within— and is a kind of mirror image of what is happening now in the United States. Both Israel and the United States, the greatest democracies in the world, must not shirk their burden of proving that the rule of law — and not mob rule— is the our most precious asset and is the most important value that undergirds western civilization. Thank you for this article.
He should…. But he won’t. Same goes for the freeloading charedi draft refusers.
These chauvinistic goons are the only people still supporting Netanyahu (or vocally supportive of him anyway)
Once of the greatest wishes of those who help rebirth Israel was that it would become like every other nation on Earth. Seems they got their wish. So you see Israel has become like all the nations of the world, it too has garbage humanbeings harassing decent law abiding and patriotic citizens too.
Perhaps this far-right provocateur needs a taste of his own medicine. Those who protested every week for the release of the hostages can now decamp with their loudspeakers outside HIS house.
That's probably exactly what he wants. You don't rebuild civic norms by trashing them further.
Any other suggestions if the government refuses to stop the harassment?
And yes this applies to all protestors and provocateurs on all sides. Personal attacks, blocking traffic, setting fires have become daily reminders of the impotence of this dysfunctional government.
You are usually more gracious than that.
Frankly I’m sick and tired of Likud sponsored thugs. They are the ones who turned Silman into a victim of “battered wife syndrome” with daily harassment until she licked her tormentors’ boots and brought down the government.
Begin would be rolling in his grave.
What you have described is despicable behavior, and disgust me as a Jew. Although I read English language coverage of Israel extensively this is the first I am hearing of this current round of harassment of Lucy Aharish. (I am aware of earlier harassment when she married). The topic covered in this article would be an excellent subject for you, Amit and Dan Senor to discuss on air.
it was inevitable that the malign influence of the US would spread to Israel. Previously marginal individuals who often have mental health issues (my Bobba would have called them Meseshuggah) can now earn fame and fortune by stoking a sense of outrage.
What is allowed under freedom of expression actually misses the point.
it is the politicians who clearly should know better and become complicit with him who pose the biggest treat to the State of Israel and Zionism.
Lucy Aharish is the compelling answer to those who call for the destruction of Israel.
It starts at the top. In my native USA is a boor for a leader who knows and practices nothing about civility. Here in Israel (where I am currently and often visit) is a narcissist leader who has degenerated into such a power hungry politician that he alligns with thugs in order to stay in office. Trump doesn't know better...Bibi does but doesn't care.
David, I disagree. It starts at the bottom with thugs who follow "influencers" who gain notoriety from posting slop on social media, whether antisemitic or anti-Arab or anything else. The low-life influencers post their sh*t, social media amplifies the worst of the worst, their followers respond, and the civilized world collapses a bit more. We are f*cked! It is social media, not the leaders who are creating this mess.
There's a more specific layer here than norms. What you're talking about are TABOOS, not necessarily calling for civility, but drawing a line on incivility.
Here in the US, which rhymes with what's happening in Israel and across the liberal West, what we've seen is an erosion of our universal moral TABOOS. Put simply, the expressions of overt hateful bigotry were once an offense that banished somebody from polite society, making them a social pariah to even associate with. This is how we defeated the KKK in the US.
We need to restore these taboos, by restoring the norm to punish violators of them with strict social consequences. And we must do this in a principle way, or partisanship and tribalism will override our instincts to resist hate no matter where it comes from or who it's directed at.
Please join the movement to Hold the Line and #MakeTaboosTabooAgain elevin11.substack
Quite sad and illuminating.
Lucy Aharish is a star and that mob of thugs ought to be locked up somewhere !
I’m sorry both you and Lucy Aharish are having to go through this. Ditto for Jake Tapper. I detest mobs and the demagogues that encourage and exploit them.
The government insists violence by settlers is really just small gangs. But they haven’t stopped it? So this disgusting racism against a terrific journalist is no surprise.
It makes diaspora jews like me grit our teeth as we fight antisemitism disguised as anti Zionist. So disappointing!!!