Israeli Minister Moshe Ya'alon's rhetoric equating the Israeli Peace
Now movement with a virus have drawn reaction from across the political
spectrum in Israel. Here's a small sample:
Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said Wednesday night that Ya'alon's
comments were "not acceptable, not in their content and not in their
style, and they do not represent the government's position." Netanyahu
has also summoned Ya'alon to a face-to-face meeting.
Netanyahu's office released a statement stating that "the Prime Minister believes that mutual respect and unity of the nation must be preserved. This is correct for all times, especially at this time."
Defense Minister Ehud Barak responded to the comments by saying: "Peace Now is an important part of the peace camp and an integral part of the democratic dialogue in Israeli society."
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said: "I am firmly opposed to the use of dangerous and severe phrases such as viruses."
Yedioth Ahronoth columnist Nahum Barnea wrote that Ya'alon is "a man who is controlled by his insults. In all his years in public service he never developed a thick skin, a sense of self irony, he never learned to take things in proportion, with the understanding that not everything in life could be divided into black and white... Yaalon did not apologize. It seems he was content with saying something along the lines of 'my words were taken out of context.' A fairly groundless excuse, but enough. The person who is out of context is Yaalon, never to return. "
Ofer Shelah wrote in Ma'ariv that Yaalon has an inability to accept as legitimate any point of view other than his own. "In Yaalon's world, justice is absolute and anyone disputing him must be morally tainted," he said. "The men and women of Peace Now are not people who believe that occupation is corrupting and damaging Israel, but rather a virus. And anyone demanding he be held accountable for a certain course of action or a decision is nothing but a corrupted spin master.
In Yedioth Ahronoth, commentator Sima Kadmon said there's a simple reason why Yaalon "made statements that absolutely contradict the prime minister's positions and caused mortal damage to Netanyahu's standing, not only in the Israeli political and public arena, but also and mainly vis-à-vis the Americans." Rather than searching for a 'hidden agenda" in the minister's remarks, she said "let's simply call this for what it is: The man simply isn't too smart."
Netanyahu's office released a statement stating that "the Prime Minister believes that mutual respect and unity of the nation must be preserved. This is correct for all times, especially at this time."
Defense Minister Ehud Barak responded to the comments by saying: "Peace Now is an important part of the peace camp and an integral part of the democratic dialogue in Israeli society."
Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said: "I am firmly opposed to the use of dangerous and severe phrases such as viruses."
Yedioth Ahronoth columnist Nahum Barnea wrote that Ya'alon is "a man who is controlled by his insults. In all his years in public service he never developed a thick skin, a sense of self irony, he never learned to take things in proportion, with the understanding that not everything in life could be divided into black and white... Yaalon did not apologize. It seems he was content with saying something along the lines of 'my words were taken out of context.' A fairly groundless excuse, but enough. The person who is out of context is Yaalon, never to return. "
Ofer Shelah wrote in Ma'ariv that Yaalon has an inability to accept as legitimate any point of view other than his own. "In Yaalon's world, justice is absolute and anyone disputing him must be morally tainted," he said. "The men and women of Peace Now are not people who believe that occupation is corrupting and damaging Israel, but rather a virus. And anyone demanding he be held accountable for a certain course of action or a decision is nothing but a corrupted spin master.
In Yedioth Ahronoth, commentator Sima Kadmon said there's a simple reason why Yaalon "made statements that absolutely contradict the prime minister's positions and caused mortal damage to Netanyahu's standing, not only in the Israeli political and public arena, but also and mainly vis-à-vis the Americans." Rather than searching for a 'hidden agenda" in the minister's remarks, she said "let's simply call this for what it is: The man simply isn't too smart."
Tweet
Email a friend
feed
twitter
facebook
I recently visited Israel and the West Bank, after a 35-year absence. What I found was both disturbing and hopeful. Israel's continuing occupation is both legally and morally corrupt, and the sooner this ends the better for both Israel and the Palestinians. What is hopeful are the Palestinians and Israelis who are working for peace, such as the Sabeel Christians in Jeruslam and the Peace Now movement both in Israel and the United States. Moshe Ya'Alon appears to be so fixated on the past that he cannot comprehend the realities of today. That is too bad, but I predict Isrealis like him will become increasingly isolated and thus eventually irrelevant.
The Jewish people were birthed in Judea and Samaria. It is the Arabs who occupy the Jewish people's home land. Israel is there by legal and historical right, let alone that she won it fair and square in a defensive war. Read the 1922 Palestine Mandate Document still valid and under sacred trust. Judea and Samaria and the Golan Heights belong to the Jewish people. Gaza too belong to the Jewish people, but stupidly they thought they can make peace and let the Arab who encroached on this land rule themselves but instead what we have now is another terrorist next supported by the Iranian and the Saudis. The Jews should remain steadfast and defend their historical patrimony.