Netanyahu pushes to define Israel as 'state for Jewish people only'

[littlebabyjesus]

It's also fairly typical of most states in the region to a great degree a reflection of colonial divide and rule policy during the mandate era. Maronite hegemony in Lebanon; Alawite Domination in Syria; traditionally, at least, Sunni rule n Iraq; and the absurd princlings of Jordan and ,the Gulf.

Hmmm. 'We're no worse than those others.' Problem is that the likes of Netanyahu claim more than this. They claim for Israel the status of the only democracy in the region. But it doesn't really stand up, even if you ignore the occupied territories. A Zionist state can never be a democracy.

 

[tim]

As for this, the whole point is that the state defines it for you by deciding whether or not you are liable for military service on pain of a long prison sentence.

Such laws may help make you effectively a second or third class citizen it they don't define your culture.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Such laws may help make you effectively a second or third class citizen it they don't define your culture.

I think you're missing the point I'm making here.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

Yes, he clearly has played his cards right

By being born into a Druze family? Yes, well played, sir.

 

[tim]

Hmmm. 'We're no worse than those others.' Problem is that the likes of Netanyahu claim more than this. They claim for Israel the status of the only democracy in the region. But it doesn't really stand up, even if you ignore the occupied regions.

Who's defending Bibi? and who are the "we"? Anyway Lebanon is another fucked up semi-democracy n the region; as I suppose is Cyprus. As to the no worse than stuf fthe reality s that Israeli Arabs are better off than most other regonal m

 

[tim]

I think you're missing the point I'm making here.

Possibly because your argument lacks clarity.

 

[tim]

By being born into a Druze family? Yes, well played, sir.

No by joining a Zionist party and becoming a career soldier.

 

[littlebabyjesus]

No by joining a Zionist party and becoming a career soldier.

First, he was born to a Druze family, not a Muslim one.

The Druze are not exempted from military service. They are not in the same position as Muslim Israeli Arabs.

 

[ViolentPanda]

Play their political cards right, however, and they might make it as acting President.
It also depends on how you define Arab - a large proportion of Israel Jews come from or have parents from the "Arab world" . It's possible to be a Jew and an Arab. Mind you t'sd much easier for Western Jews o reach high political office.

Society in the state of Israel has always "valued" Mizrahim (Middle-Eastern/North African Jews) as being lesser than Ashkenazim (European Jews). It's a society built on prejudice, (With Israel-born Jews/Sabra looking down on immigrant Jews of whichever persuasion too) even before the anti-Arabism is introduced to the equation.

 

[quiquaquo]

Yes, it's always been like that. It defines people legally by ethnicity. It has racial laws. There's no getting away from that bit.

If it wasn't Israel no one would hesitate in calling fascism for what it is.

It's the simple truth not anti-semitism.

 

[elbows]

No. It's the broadening of a term until it loses its very specific meaning. There are other words that can be used that are a better fit, why ruin a label?

 

[tim]

First, he was born to a Druze family, not a Muslim one.

The Druze are not exempted from military service. They are not in the same position as Muslim Israeli Arabs.

Don't forget Israeli Christian Arabs they are exempted too and there are Druze who refuse to serve and at the same time a fair number of Bedouin who who volunteer to join the army.

 

[Dogsauce]

Israel has gone backwards a very long way since Rabin. wtf has happened to the Labor Party there?

The explanation I heard some years back was that the influx of new citizens from former soviet states (large numbers arriving in the 90s) brought with it more right-wing/traditionalist views and shifted the political axis. I think the left wing got left behind.

I think there was also talk of extremists from America pushing/financing the right-wing and getting more involved in settlement activity.

 

[ViolentPanda]

If it wasn't Israel no one would hesitate in calling fascism for what it is.

It's the simple truth not anti-semitism.

It's certainly close to fascism, but not quite there, at least by the definitions offered by any historians I respect.

 

[ViolentPanda]

No. It's the broadening of a term until it loses its very specific meaning. There are other words that can be used that are a better fit, why ruin a label?

I've always favoured "nationalist-Zionist", although I can see that some people would take the inevitable acronym as significant, so perhaps I should say Zionist-nationalist".

 

[hipipol]

Wonder how the Falashas are doing now considering the level of anti African racism?

Not good it seems

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/r...sed-land-for-jews-as-long-as-theyre-not-black

 

[quiquaquo]

http://www.repubblica.it/esteri/201...ora_il_giorno_della_catastrofe_-86231566/1/#1

66 years and counting. No doubt one of the apologists will be along soon.

 

[frogwoman]

Like VP I would say it is close to fascism but not yet there.

There is a possibility of a fascist movement developing and coming to power in Israel though. The fact that the supreme court still has the power to strike down examples of the most egregious violations would suggest that it is not quite there.

That doesn't mean that the government aren't total scum. In fact it could be argued that Israels democratic facade is part of what keeps up the regimes legitimacy both domestically and internationally. Tokenism

 

[Nylock]

The very idea of a facist movement possibly developing and coming to power in Israel proves that we do indeed learn fuck-all from history. As Einstein said: "Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity, and I'm not sure about the former."

 

[littlebabyjesus]

It really doesn't matter whether it qualifies as fascism or not. It is what it is, and has the horrible features it has. That is what matters. It's not as though fascist is the only way to be a cunt.

 

[frogwoman]

It really doesn't matter whether it qualifies as fascism or not. It is what it is, and has the horrible features it has. That is what matters. It's not as though fascist is the only way to be a cunt.

I know.

 

[quiquaquo]

It really doesn't matter whether it qualifies as fascism or not. It is what it is, and has the horrible features it has. That is what matters. It's not as though fascist is the only way to be a cunt.

Exactly, well said. Anyway fascism has many faces, 1922 is a very long time ago.

 

[butchersapron]

He was openly racist. In some ways that's more honest than the Netanyahu approach, where he denies being racist in the same sentence as he makes a racist statement.

Sorry to go back to this old post, i'm only reading thread now - it's not pedantry. It's relevant to the undercurrent of the thread - which is the blind eye/support to fascism being carried out in the name of anti-fascism in the ukraine (and ukraine thread). rachamim18 was openly fascist, but on the grounds of anti-racism.

 

[hipipol]

Wonder how the Falashas are doing now considering the level of anti African racism?

Not good it seems

https://www.middleeastmonitor.com/r...sed-land-for-jews-as-long-as-theyre-not-black

Not even being in the IDF and wearing the uniform helps it seems


http://www.aljazeera.com/news/2015/05/ethiopian-israelis-protest-police-racism-150501043050655.html

 

[teqniq]

* bump *

Bit difficult to find the right thread for this but in light of the thread title/topic here seems as good a place as any:

South Africa calls for Israel to be declared an ‘apartheid state’

Over the years, the South African government has remained a strong ally of Palestine, supporting its liberation cause.

www.aljazeera.com

 

[JimW]

Couldn't seem to find a thread for domestic israeli politics but this had passed me by from netanyahu's new government, article makes proposed de-fanging of supreme court sound like a power grab: Israel Set to Dismantle Supreme Court and Any Judicial Opposition

 

[_Russ_]

I dont think it can be argued that Israel is not a thug state run by criminals, it just annoys me that our government lends at the very least tacit support for them. I think I understand some of the why .....but it stinks to hell

 

[tim]

I dont think it can be argued that Israel is not a thug state run by criminals, it just annoys me that our government lends at the very least tacit support for them. I think I understand some of the why .....but it stinks to hell

I think it can be argued that Israel is no more thuggish than a lot of criminal regimes that we deal with and that the British state is also not averse to acts of thuggery.

 

[AmateurAgitator]

I think it can be argued that Israel is no more thuggish than a lot of criminal regimes that we deal with and that the British state is also not averse to acts of thuggery.

But is there ethnic apartheid in this country though (and of equal magnitude?). And the same level of repression as is directed at Palestinians by the Israeli state?

 

[8ball]

But is there ethnic apartheid in this country though (and of equal magnitude?).

Where do you live?