Israeli Official Incitement: December 2019

Israeli Official Incitement: December 2019

This report includes examples of recent inciting statements by senior Israeli officials, including Knesset members and leaders of extremist illegal settlers’ organizations, against the Palestinian people and leadership, as well as racist statements against the indigenous Palestinian citizens of Israel and their representatives in the parliament.

I. Palestinian Prisoners, Martyrs, and their Families

Miri Regev- Minister of Culture and Sport, MK Likud (‘Army Radio’, 30 December)

“Deducting terrorists’ salaries is justified, there is no reason to transfer money to terrorists’ families in return for murdering our sons and citizens. It is not possible to transfer money to terrorists.”

Avi Dichter-Deputy Defense Minister, MK Likud (Twitter, 29 December)

“We put an end to the payrolls of terrorists! As long as the Palestinian Authority continues to pay salaries to terrorists, we will deduct them from tax money until the last shekel! As I promised, the cabinet approved tonight the deduction of another 150 NIS ….paid by the Palestinian Authority as salaries to terrorists and to families of terrorists who were killed in terror attacks.”

Naftali Bennett- Defense Minister, MK The New Right (Facebook , 28 December)

“In the next few days we will deduct 149 million shekels (12.5 million NIS each month) from the money of the Palestinian Authority, which is transferring this amount to the families of those terrorists who were injured or killed during a terrorist act. This is another step in our war towards tightening the stranglehold on economy against terrorists…we are not releasing terrorists’ bodies, we freeze money paid to their families…”

Regavim, an Illegal Settlers’ Organization (Twitter, 25 December)

“Our legal department formulated a legal position stating that according to the emergency regulations under which terrorists’ homes are demolished, those homes must be demolished again, and that the rebuilding of terrorists’ homes by the Palestinian Authority threatens the security interest of the State of Israel and weakens the ability to deter terrorists from committing terror acts….”

II. The Palestinian Bedouin Village of Khan Al-Ahmar

Bezalel Smotrich- Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, MK Jewish Home- National Union (Twitter, 21 December)

“The benefits deriving from the existence of the Palestinian Authority for the State of Israel have been for a long period unparalleled in comparison to the heavy political damage that it is causing us. Demolish Khan Al-Ahmar tomorrow morning 1, demolish every day an illegal outpost whether it is for the Arabs or Europeans…in the coming year you will have the American support and that is definitely enough.”

Gideon Sa'ar, MK Likud (Facebook, 10 December)

“In Khan Al Ahmar, like in Area C in general, the question is simple: who is the owner of the house? Israel or the Palestinian Authority, which is operating with the support of the European Union to create facts on the ground? The first demolition order was issued in 2009…The future of Judea and Samaria 2 must be determined by actions and not by words. Evacuate Khan Al-Ahmar immediately!”

III.  Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS)

Yoav Gallant, MK Likud (Twitter, 13 December)

“Congratulations to England- Johnson’s strong triumph over Corbyn 3 is also a victory to Israel and Judaism against anti-Semitism and BDS and the supporters of terror against Israel.”

Yair Lapid, MK Blue and White Party (Twitter, 12 December)

“Congratulations to President Trump on his decision to crack down the boycott movement against Israel and fighting anti-Semitism in campuses. The war on anti-Semitism and BDS is existential and it is good that we have a friend in the White House.”

 IV. International Criminal Court (ICC)

Bezalel Smotrich- Minister of Transportation and Sport, MK Jewish Home – National Union, addressing Netanyahu following a decision by ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda to proceed with the opening of an investigation into war crimes committed in the occupied State of Palestine (Twitter, 21 December)

“Good week Mr. Prime Minister. Don’t give attention to the prosecutor. The court is a political anti-Semite body and we all know that. Give 48 hours to the Palestinian Authority to withdraw its request, and if it will not respond then topple it immediately. You should have done this much earlier when they demanded and received an observer status 4..”

V. The Indigenous Palestinian Citizens of Israel

Bezalel Smotrich -Minister of Transportation and Road Safety, MK Jewish Home – National Union (Twitter, 30 December)

“Repealing the Kaminitz law 5 will be a serious blow to the rule of law and our battle against the delinquency of the illegal Arab construction which has been spreading for decades without effective enforcement…”

Ayelet Shaked, MK The New Right (Israeli News 1, 27 December)

“When we initiated the Kaminitz law 6, the aim was to tighten the enforcement of the law mainly on the illegal construction in the Arab sector. The authorities are applying the law on the Jewish farmers…we did not expect that. I do not want to repeal the law because it yielded a good result in the Arab sector but we must discuss how we can amend it. At the end it is heavily affecting the farmers.”

Itamar Ben Gvir, Leader of Otzma Yehudit Party (Twitter, 20 December)

“When a terrorist like Ahmed Al Tibi comes out against me - I know I'm on the right path. When we will be in the Knesset, we will work that you tweet these tweets from Syria..”

Oded Forer, MK Yisrael Beitenu (Twitter, 10 December)

“Once again an MK from the joint list makes it clear that he will support all those who hate us…Jabareen has no place in the Israeli Knesset.”

Shlomo Karhi, MK Likud (Israeli Channel 20, 10 December)

“I am not surprised that someone who hates Israel like Yousef Jabareen 7 supports anti-Semite Corbyn. Corbyn 8 and his friends are supporters of terror and have no place in the Knesset of Israel….when a new government is established if god wills, I will activate the law which would oust this terror supporter 9 and his friends…”

VI. Additional Examples 

Michael Ben Ari,Member of Otzma Yehudit Party on Ynet news story that Israel will allow 2000 Palestinians from Gaza to work in Israel (Twitter, 26 December)

“Instead of opening the emigration doors from Gaza to Europe, we are allowing Gaza to conquer us. We are strengthening this disaster called Gaza, rather than destroying it through facilitating the emigration to welfare countries that can attract the young population.”

Avi Dichter,Deputy Defense Minister, MK Likud wrote on Facebook on 5 December in response to Israeli journalist Rogel Alpher . Alpher in a published article in Haaretz criticized Dichter for inciting against Palestinian mothers in a documentary broadcasted by Israeli Channel 11

“A commentator in Haaretz newspaper called me a ‘terrorist’. My statement is known: let 1000 mothers of terrorists cry but no single Israeli mother should! We cannot defeat terrorism by what is written in an article in Haaretz newspaper. My approach in leading the war on terror is the approach which cuts off the heads of terror. Yesterday channel 11 aired the documentary ‘the time of truth’ in which it showed for the first time the attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders on September 6^th 2003. This was the opportunity to crush dozens of the heads of snakes Hamas…from my part when I was the chief of intelligence and I thought it must be carried out by throwing a bomb of a ton or a half to ensure the elimination of everyone even if it would cause environmental damage 10 . The army and the political echelon approved throwing a bomb of a quarter ton which hit only the snake’s tail, and unfortunately Hamas leaders are still alive…” 

• 1. Addressing PM Minister Benjamin Netanyahu following a decision by ICC Prosecutor Fatou Bensouda  to proceed with opening an investigation into war crimes committed in the occupied State of Palestine 
• 2. In reference to the Occupied West Bank 
• 3. In reference to UK General Elections held on 12 December2019 in which the Conservative party led by Boris Johnson Labour won majority of seats overthrowing the Labour Party and its leader Jeremy Corbyn 
• 4. The State of Palestine was granted non-member observer state status at the United Nations in 2012 
• 5. On 5 April 2017, Israeli Knesset enacted a discriminatory law mainly targeting the Palestinian citizens living in Israel as well as Palestinians living in Jerusalem. The law gives the state expanded administrative powers to demolish homes, impose prison sentences and financial penalties against those allegedly building without permits.
• 6. Ibid
• 7. Palestinian MK of the Joint List party
• 8. In reference to UK Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn whose party lost in last December 12th  2019 elections
• 9. In reference to Palestinian MK of the Joint List party Yousef Jabareen
• 10. According to the documentary 40 Palestinian families would have been killed if such attack took place