2 min read
ByAdam Ognall, Adam Ognall
We are witnessing soul-searching in Israel following the attacks in a Palestinian village and at Jerusalem Gay Pride that resulted in the deaths of a baby and a 16-year-old girl.
Israeli leaders from across the political spectrum are condemning the violence and we have seen protests in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv, Haifa and Beersheva. There has also been condemnation from our community's leadership in the UK.
There are many Israelis saying that the elegant words spoken and posted by their leaders on Facebook are not enough. One cannot say, year after year, that Israel exists only for its Jewish citizens, or only for the Jewish citizens who comply with a narrow interpretation of Zionism, and then be shocked when extremists feel free to express hatred.
For years, some leaders have tolerated or personified incitement and exclusion - against Arabs, against leftists, against refugees from Africa and human rights organisations and anyone else who has got in the way of the ultra-nationalist agenda. Those leaders need to be held responsible for their rhetoric and their actions.
This also holds for religious leadership. Rabbinical extremists who use holy texts to justify hatred and violence are even more despicable than their political brethren. Homophobia, misogyny, and the ugliest expressions of prejudice stain some in the strictly-Orthodox leadership and community and must be roundly denounced.
The ugliest expressions of prejudice stain some in the strictly-Orthodox leadership
For six long years, "price tag" gangs have been terrorising Israelis and Palestinians by uprooting thousands of olive trees, damaging hundreds of cars, desecrating 43 places of worship, carrying out nine acts of arson on homes and attacking innocent people. Price tags are revenge attacks to exact a price from local Palestinians or from Israeli security forces for any action taken against settlements.
In the past six years there have been no convictions and only a handful of arrests have taken place.
Many Israelis want to see a different type of leadership - one that will set an example of courage and tolerance, that does not speak in racist terms and that acts swiftly to end hate crimes.
These Israelis give us hope even in their darkest moments. For the last six years, the Tag Meir ("Light Tag") coalition has been providing a Jewish response to extremism. Now comprising over 50 Israeli organisations, they show solidarity with all victims of extremism and work to combat radicalism through education and public awareness programmes. This is the face of Israel that needs our attention and wholehearted support.
This issue of extremism will sadly not disappear in the near future, even if, as we all hope, this level of violence is not repeated. It is the responsibility of all Jews to stand up against it.
Not doing so because there is far worse extremism being perpetrated in the world in the name of other religions or because of a concern that it feeds into media bias do not provide a sufficient excuse.
Adam Ognall is CEO of New Israel Fund UK
