Im Tirtzu
Words can kill
Op-ed: Im Tirtzu's actions are reminiscent of world fascist movements, it sows divisions among all sectors of Israeli society through systematic demonization; in contrast, the New Israel Fund stands firm as a symbol of a democratic Zionist society.
This week I made a modest contribution to the New Israel Fund. I received a nice thank-you note from them to which I responded that it should be forwarded to the Im Tirtzu movement.
The thunderous war drums of Im Tirtzu, terrorizing all those who think differently then them, have awakened me from the pleasant snooze of summer vacation to the chaos that is taking over every decent part of the Jewish, egalitarian and democratic State of Israel.
Carmi Gilon (Photo: Ido Erez)
Im Tirtzu is, in my opinion, the most influential movement in Israel in recent years. In a style reminiscent of the global anti-Semitism movement, the Jewish Im Tirzu persecutes other Jews systematically, using the darkest instincts of the human soul.
It is successfully sowing divisions between the Jews of Israel, from the right to the left, and dismantling the unifying partnership of the Zionist initiative, for which we have established a state that can triumph over its enemies and has produced a prosperous society. It succeeds in separating the Jewish citizens of Israel from the minorities living among them.
For 70 years there has been no equality of opportunity for all the citizens of Israel, but at least in the spirit of the Declaration of Independence we aspired to it.
We succeeded in living in peace with the vast majority of Arabs, who, even in difficult times, refrained from engaging in terror against us. Now, under the influence of Im Tirtzu, everyone, including our allies in the defense of state security, have become officially inferior citizens.
It succeeds in causing division between Orthodox Jews and secular, Reform and Conservative Jews, thereby causing world Jewry, especially the younger generations, to disengage from their fateful connection with the State of Israel and to establish new Jewish communities in the Diaspora that are proud of their Jewishness but without any Israeli character.
It succeeds in a process of systematic demonization to turn organizations that love Israel, whose only sin is that they love differently, into persecuted figures, who are forced into a defensive position.
Im Tirtzu's logo
It successfully destroys the reputation of exceptional people, Zionists and patriots, whose contribution to guaranteeing Israel's security and its scientific, economic and cultural achievements is invaluable. Major General Yair Golan is only the most recent of them.
It has succeeded in setting the political agenda for Prime Minister Netanyahu, his ministers and the Knesset members around them, to pass the Nation State Law, to divide Israel into two separate states of different world views, and perhaps, in the future, into two states with a physical border between them.
My great fear is that the next stage of incitement will lead to physical violence against leftists, the non-Orthodox, and minorities in Israel.
Two political murders, whose perpetrators admitted to being influenced by the prevalent public atmosphere, took place in Israel. In 1983, Yona Avrushmi, a follower of Rabbi Meir Kahane, threw a grenade at Peace Now marchers who were protesting the Sabra and Shatila massacre and calling for the dismissal of Defense Minister Ariel Sharon. Emil Grunzweig was killed and 12 others wounded.
Yigal Amir claimed from the outset that he decided to assassinate Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin as a representative of his community, and against the background of rabbinical rulings and provocative chants of "banish Rabin with blood and fire" by right-wing leaders.
Im Tirtzu's incitement reminds me of the incitement that preceded those political murders. And it has already been said that words can kill.
The wake-up call I received led me to find a way, an easy one, to express my opinion, by a deed, and to donate money to the New Israel Fund. I did not thoroughly examine the list of organizations benefiting from its funds, and I assume that if I did, I would find organizations that I do not identify with.
I contributed to the fund because in my opinion, it has become, because of Im Tirtzu and its henchmen in the Knesset, a symbol for the struggle of all the Jews in Israel who identify with the Declaration of Independence and the Zionist spirit and believe in democracy and equality.
