But that near-taboo may be eventually broken. The deputy Defense Minister of Israel has used it to describe what Israel intends to do to Palestinians in Gaza if they do not stop the firing of the Qassam rockets.
'Palestinians will bring upon themselves a bigger holocaust because we will use all our might to defend ourselves,' says Deputy Defense Minister Vilnai.It is not unexpected then that Hamas rhetoric is of the same magnitude:
Hamas official Sami Abu Zuhri said of Vilnai's comments: "We are facing new Nazis who want to kill and burn the Palestinian people."I guess when the carnage intensifies in Gaza (it has already been going on for a while), it will be difficult to restrain many others from using the term that the Israeli Deputy Defense Minister used it to describe his government's intentions.
I also cannot help but remember the numerous times I, and many other Muslims, have been expected to apologize for every stupid statement made by a lowly criminal terrorist, or an ignorant angry preacher anywhere on the planet. I am certain it will not be long before I, or any of the Muslims readers of this blog, or any other Muslim will face the question when a smart Islamophobe (like Daniel Pipes or David Horowitz) will be demanding a proof that we, i.e. Muslims in General, are not inherently antisemitic because we did not go on record denouncing Hamas representative for describing those who threatened his people with a holocaust, of being the new Nazi. As for the original statement threatening Palestinians with a "bigger holocaust", it will soon be forgotten.
We always needed to prove that we do not condone hate and violence. If we do not apologized enough, and repeatedly, we are assumed to be harboring the worst of agendas against non-Muslims and the West. Let us wait to see if anyone will care to apologize for Vilnai's statement, and how high ranking they would be.
This was reported first on YNetNews (an online English version of the major Israeli newspaper, Yedioth Ahronoth) but I became aware of it when it was reported on Richard Silverstein Tikun Olam Blog. I am gratefulto him for his effort exposing troubling issues like that. Click below to read his comment and analysis - and may be to leave your own comment or thank you note.
Israeli Minister: We Will Bring ‘Holocaust’ on Palestinians
This is an artifact of the Israeli political system -- totally unqualified people can become high-ranking officials because of who they know.
ReplyDeleteMatan Vilnai has been in trouble before for his improper comments, as well as for taking improper campaign contributions. He has no qualifications other than intelligence -- which does not always equate with good sense!
But he was a close friend of Bibi Netanyahu's late brother, and as such is acceptable to the Likud party even though he's Labor. So he keeps getting plum positions. You gotta love politics. (NOT!)
Hi Bekky:
ReplyDeleteI agree with you totally that this is a very unusual statement. But it is still worth noting that he IS the depeuty defence minister, and not a 'nobody'. He represents the Israeli Defense Establishment and he is a decision maker of Israeli defense policies at some level. He is more responsible for Israeli actions than I am responsible for the actions of Saudis, Taliban, Bin Laden, Hamas, and the many ignorant preachers on the streets of Gasa, Cairo, or Indonesia.
And yet, some how, not so few non-Muslims expect me and other Muslims to come out and denounce and reject what those people do every time something stupid is doen by a Muslim. I hope you see my point.
Besides, he must have enough intellectual support in the government higher-ups that he gets into such a high ranking 'appointed' position.
I have never, and would never hold all Jews or Israelis accountable for deeds of a Jew or an Israeli, but the Israeli Government should be accountable to the actions and deed of its employees.
He represents the Israeli Defense Establishment
ReplyDeleteTrue, unfortunately. Until last year he'd served in three previous governments as Minister of Science, for which he's at least somewhat qualified. He has absolutely no business being in the Israeli Defense Department. He's as qualified for that position as Michael Brown was qualified to run FEMA here. But he got it for the same reason: cronyism.
And yet, some how, not so few non-Muslims expect me and other Muslims to come out and denounce and reject what those people do every time something stupid is doen by a Muslim. I hope you see my point.
I do see your point, and it's a fair one!
he must have enough intellectual support in the government higher-ups that he gets into such a high ranking 'appointed' position.
I really don't think his support is intellectual, though. I think it's simply because he is a close personal friend of the Netanyahu family, so he's a political bridge-builder between the two parties. Even if he is a stupid bigot.
That's not to say that there aren't some Israelis, even in the Israeli Government, who don't wish they could just make all the Palestinians magically go away! But I don't think there's any real support for genocide. If any Israeli government really wanted to kill all the Palestinians in Gaza, it could have done so at any time over the last 40 years. Probably made it look like an accident too.