Israel's Official Incitement: November 2020

Israeli Official Incitement: November 2020

This report mainly underlines inciting statements made by senior Israeli officials, including parliament members and settlers’ organizations, against international donors and the Palestinian leadership and people.

I. Against International Donors’ Aid to the Palestinian people

Ariel Kallner - Member of the Knesset for the Likud Party (Facebook, 19 November)

“With Swiss funding: This is what the hostile takeover of Area C looks like! 1 As Chairman of the Lobby for the Fight Against Delegitimization, I set out to see first-hand the hostile takeover of our homeland with foreign funding.”

Regavim Organization 2(Twitter, 7 November)

“Unbelievable: Israel’s ancient capital has become a “Palestinian heritage site” with Belgian funding. Samaria (Sebastia), the capital of the Kingdom of Israel in the 8th-9th centuries BC, where the biblical stories took place during the reign of the Prophet Elijah and King Ahab. It is the second most important city after the Old City of Jerusalem.”

II. Against the Palestinian Leadership

Zvi Hauser - Member of the Knesset for the Derech Eretz Party, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee (Facebook, 23 November)

“Twenty-five people versus 600 people - this is the face of the Israeli “struggle” for Area C. In the face of 600 Palestinian workers3 working hard to control Area C, Israel employs only 25. For years we have been told that Judea and Samaria4 territory is an Israeli national interest. Still, no concrete steps have been taken to secure this interest. Simultaneously, the Palestinian Authority is working hard with a lot of human resources and budgets to impose facts on the ground. This is a historic failure, a failure for future generations.”

Uzi Dayan – Member of Knesset for the Likud Party (Facebook, 17 November)

“An important interview last night on Channel 20 about agricultural terrorism. Ariel Siegel insisted on asking the question about the terrorist Arafat and the attempts to eliminate him during my time as the Commander of the General Staff Reconnaissance Unit (…) and that is the story in a nutshell (…)Arafat has lived for too long, but terrorism will not win!”

Bezalel Smotrich - Member of the Knesset for the Yemina Party (Twitter, 17 November)

“Let’s remember, this Palestinian Authority, which we are begging to re-cooperate with us today, is leading one of the most dangerous strategic threats against the State of Israel before the International Criminal Court in the Hague. It incites and encourages terrorism, pays salaries to the perpetrators of terrorism, unilaterally controls Area C, and more. Netanyahu has humiliated us. Shame.”

Ofir Sofer - Member of Knesset for the Yemina Party (Twitter, 10 November)

“Saeb Erekat glorified the terrorists, worked for the boycott the State of Israel, and was even one of the leaders in the plot of the Jenin massacre. How can we say half a good word about him?”

Bezalel Smotrich - Member of the Knesset for the Yemina Party (Twitter, 10 November)

“Israelis expressing grief over the death of an anti-Semitic supporter of terrorism 5, who was one of the leaders in the fight against Israel is indescribable. Loss of direction, erasure of identity, and sad moral distortion, but the truth is that this loss of direction began long ago. When they embraced and wooed him, while he was still playing his dual role, and continuing to encourage terrorism against the citizens of Israel.”

Avi Dicter - Member of the Knesset for the Likud Party (Facebook, 10 November)

“The truth is also an option when it comes to the senior Palestinian official, Saeb Erekat, who died of COVID-19. Saeb Erekat, who was ill with the Coronavirus and was transferred to Hadassah hospital for treatment, was not a lover of Israel. The truth is, he was among its enemies. For him, Jerusalem was the capital of Palestine until he was infected with the coronavirus. Erekat was Yasser Arafat’s and later Mahmoud Abbas’ right-hand man. His advice to both was bad for Israel, and ultimately for the Palestinians. In both Arabic and English, his lies about his relationship with Israel have marked his career throughout the years.

No, we have not lost a friend, nor a true partner. Through my knowledge of him, we have to admit that the one who signed the Oslo Accords and their failure passed away. This man left no legacy for the Palestinians, and he certainly left no legacy for us.”

Ariel Kallner - Member of the Knesset for the Likud Party (Twitter, 10 November)

“An alarmingly positive correlation is emerging between those who rejoiced at the misfortune of the most loyal American president to the return to Zion, and those mourning the death of someone6 who dedicated his entire life to the war against the Jewish state.”

III. Additional Examples

Rafael “Rafi” Peretz – Minister of Jerusalem Affairs and Heritage, Member of Knesset for Habayit Hayehudi (Jewish Home) Party (Facebook, 5 November)

“A war on heritage! Together with Yossi Dagan7 and his deputy Davidi in Sebastia 8, a 2,700-year-old Jewish city. As part of the attempts to erase our heritage, the Palestinians carried out a provocation here this week with the flag of terrorism hoisted here. We will not allow that. This is a site that belongs to the State of Israel, and we will work on all levels to develop the region and remove this disgrace.”

Ofir Akunis - Minister of Regional Cooperation, Member of the Knesset for the Likud Party (Facebook, 19 November)

“A Palestinian state? Forget it! Forget the “two-state” solution. This is how my interview on Galei Tzahal radio ended this morning. If anyone thought that the danger of this dangerous idea has passed …”

• 1. Referring to Palestinian construction in the Oslo-defined Area C of the occupied West Bank
• 2. A right-wing settler organization operating in the occupied West Bank https://regavim.org.il/
• 3. Considering Palestinian right to build in area C as illegal
• 4. In reference to the occupied West Bank of the State of Palestine
• 5. The late PLO Secretary-General and Chief Palestinian Negotiator Dr. Saeb Erekat
• 6. Ibid
• 7. Settler leader, Head of the so called Regional Council for Settlements in the occupied West Bank
• 8. Read about the case of the Palestinian village of Sebastia: https://www.nad.ps/sites/default/files/annexation_of_tourism.pdf