Israeli Official Incitement: February 2022
Israeli Official Incitement: February 2022
Against the Palestinian People
Benjamin Gantz - Minister of Defense, Member of the Knesset of the Blue and White party (Twitter, 08 February 2022)
“I applaud the IDF[1], Shabak[2], and Yamam[3], who took out a terrorist cell[4] that has been committing shooting terrorist attacks in recent weeks. I have recently ordered to intensify prevention operations against shooting attacks, as well as to increase (our) presence in central axis and areas in the West Bank. We will continue with initiative action, we will prevent and catch anyone who tries to hurt a life[5].”
Avigdor Lieberman - Minister of Finance (Twitter, 08 February 2022)
“I congratulate the IDF and security forces for their operation[6] in Nablus and the elimination of three terrorists who were responsible for a series of shooting attacks. This prevented future additional painful attacks on our land. We will hunt and prosecute anyone who seeks to harm us, even in daylight.”
Avi Dichter–Member of the Knesset of the Likud party (Facebook, 08 February 2022)
“Yesterday, in addition to the government’s bill proposal regarding the Citizenship bill, three other private bills were passed – one of which is my bill, supported by a majority of 74 MKs from the coalition and the opposition.[7]
My proposal highlights additional transparency, (…) the combat against what the Palestinians call "the Right of Return", and including the Nationality law[8] in the consideration of the minister in "family unification" permits (…)”
Nir Orbach –Member of the Knesset for the Yamina party (Twitter, 07 February 2022)
“We did it. 44:5 [9]
There is a Citizenship Law in Israel.
There are rules to entering Israel.
The life of Israeli citizens is valuable
Zionism above all.”
Itamar Ben Gvir –Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Twitter, 16 February 2022)
“I began this morning as well in my office in Shimon Hatzadik[10]. Nothing is more exciting than praying in the heart of our capital, Jerusalem, and in the land dreamt of by our forefathers.”
Itamar Ben Gvir – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Twitter, 24 February 2022)
“Do you remember that two days ago MKs from Meretz arrived at Shimon Hatzadik? They did not arrive to support Tal Yeshubiev[11] (…) they met with terrorists[12] and terrorism supporters[13]. Now, you tell me who is igniting the field and who really cares about the residents[14] there?”
Yoav Gallant –Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Twitter, 14 February 2022)
“I arrived at Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood in Jerusalem to support the residents of the place[15].
The government of Israel needs to ensure that every Jew can live and reside safely, without being targeted and having their house burnt.
I know Hamas, and I know how to deal with it, so that they do not threat. If they raise their heads, we must bring them down to their knees.”
Yoav Kisch –Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 15 February 2022)
“I arrived today at Shimon Hatzadik neighborhood in Jerusalem to send a clear message to the Chief of Police: Stop the failure! Send an order to station regular police presence in the neighborhood today, to ensure the personal safety of Jews.”
Orit Strock – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Twitter, 18 February 2022)
“Violating the law of deducting terrorists' salaries by the Bennett-Abbas[16] government is an injustice that supports terrorism, and a national shame (…)[17].
Against Human Rights Organizations
Gideon Sa'ar - Minister of Justice (Twitter, 01 February 2022)
“Whitewashing terror & blaming the Jewish state. Is that not antisemitism? @Amnesty[18] has again chosen dirty politics & falsehoods over human rights. An organization founded to give a voice to people held captive fail to even mention Israelis held by Hamas. Amnesty has lost its way[19].”
Amichai Chikli – Member of the Knesset for the Yamina party (Twitter, 01 February 2022)
“The State of Israel is under attack for its mere existence[20]. It is led by German government agents and the EU, headed by: B’Tselem[21], Breaking the silence[22], and dozens of other international organizations like HRW[23], Amnesty International[24] and partners, supported by hostile press and diplomacy. We better wake up.”
Simcha Rothman – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Facebook, 03 February 2022)
“The "human rights" organization Amnesty declared Israel an "apartheid" state that commits "crimes against humanity".
This is an unfathomable mistake that is a continuation of the anti-Semitic claims against the State of Israel since its establishment, all with one goal – damage to the State of Israel while giving ammunition to our enemies.
Yesterday, I made around 40 MKs from a number of parties, from the coalition and opposition (!) to sign on a letter to Finance Minister Avigdor Liberman, demanding that he exercises his authority and cancels the tax benefits of Amnesty in Israel!
This is an organization that is leading a legal war against the State of Israel and promotes its de-legitimization, and any connection between it and promoting human rights is absolutely coincidental.
We will follow up, and hope that the State of Israel stops aiding this anti-Semitic organization.”
Against the Indigenous Palestinian Citizens of Israel
Orit Strock – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Facebook, 08 February 2022)
“Today, I stood with the protesters in IDF[25] square, in front of the walls of the old city, at the same time as thousands of other protesters in dozens of squares around the country.
We came to yell one call: We want a Jewish state!
We did not suffer two thousand years in exile to establish a state for all its citizens!
We did not return to this land from the four corners of the world to build a state for both nations[26].
We did not establish the JNF[27] 120 years ago to stop and prevent the plantation in the Negev.
We didn't liberate the old city and Temple Mount[28] with the blood of our sons to hand it off to the Muslim Brotherhood[29], and we didn't go vote so that they[30] may steal our votes and hand them off to terrorists supporters[31].We will not allow Israel to become the only country in the world, the only country in history, that allows its enemies[32] into the government.”
We want a Jewish state!”
Simcha Rothman – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Facebook, 08 February 2022)
“The Citizenship Bill[33], which is supported by the ruling majority of the MKs, addresses a situation where, for the first time in the history of Israel, anti-Zionism factors[34] are part of the coalition.
Unfortunately, the soon to be Alternate PM[35] joined the Joint List, Meretz, and Ra'am, and voted against it.
I will continue to work so that the agreements between the parties of the national right will accompany the bill during the second and third vote, and pass the Citizenship Bill which will keep Israel a Jewish state.”
Itamar Ben Gvir –Member of the Knesset for Religious Zionism party (Twitter, 09 February 2022)
“I am currently near "Ma'aleh Paula", a new settlement established tonight near Rahat[36].
The police were quick to demolish it, but there were no demolitions in regards to Bedouins’ taker over state land. Thank you Ayelet[37] and Naftali, that once again, you surrender to Abbas[38] and abandon the Negev.”
Orit Strock –Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Facebook, 14 February)
“The government's five-year plan[39] for mixed cities is first and foremost, a dangerous one. It is dangerous because it holds a message of sin and gain, of rewarding terrorism, of favoring the offenders over the victims[40], and when that message seeps into the public, it is actually creating the next riot.
This five-year plan, which is still being drawn, is an embarrassment to its writers and supporters in the government, a spit in the face of the victims of May’s events[41] victims, and a devastating blow to the mayors of mixed cities, who are still trying to recover following the riots[42](…)”
Shlomo Karhi – Knesset member for the Likud party (Twitter, 14 February 2022)
“(…) this government is held by the throat with the hands of the Islamic Movement[43] from the one hand, and is subsurvient to the Joint list on the other hand, an entire country, the only Jewish country in the world, is being held captive by our enemies[44].”
Kathrin Shitrit – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Twitter, 20 February 2022)
“Other than inventing a terminology of "Settlers' violence"[45], apparently the Minister of Public Security is also taking care of terrorists' visits[46]. A failed minister that back up terrorism!”
Shlomo Karhi – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Twitter, 20 February 2022)
“The Muslim Brotherhood and terrorism supporters’[47] government.
In the 20th Knesset, the Likud made sure to end the farce of terrorism supporting MKs[48] visiting terrorists[49] in Jail. And now, Omer Bar Lev is taking them back there. (…)”
Yehuda Vald – Chairman of Religious Zionism party (Twitter, 24 February 2022)
“The truth is that it is pretty amazing that Yair Lapid is sending messages to the Russians that "war is no way to solve disputes", when he is in a government with terrorism supporters[50], and is sending half a billion NIS to families of terrorists[51] through Abu Mazen[52].”
Ad Kan[53] – Right-wing organization (Twitter, 21 February 2022)
“Instead of taking this historic opportunity to appoint conservative judges, Ayelet Shaked[54]and Gideon Sa’ar[55] decided to select left-wing activist judges. One of them, Kabub[56], met with terrorism supporters[57] who expressed solidarity with terrorists[58]. The selection of Kabub is a spit in the face of Israeli citizens and will severely damage the strength of Israel as a Jewish democratic state.”
[1] In reference to Israeli Occupation Forces
[2] In reference to Israeli Intelligence Agency
[3] Israel’s so-called “Special Unit for Counter-Terror Warfare”
[4] On 8 February 2022, the Israeli occupation forces executed three Palestinians in Nablus city by firing at their car; the martyrs are: Ashraf Mubaslat, Adham Mabrouka, and Mohammad Dakhil
[5] In reference to Israelis
[6] See footnote 4
[7] Citizenship and Entry Law was enacted in 2003, and specific restrictions on Palestinians were made in a decree that had been extended annually until last July 2021; Palestinians from the occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip that are married to Palestinian citizens of Israel and Palestinian residents of occupied Jerusalem are not allowed to have citizenship or residency rights in Israel. The Knesset voted against the renewal of these restrictions on 5 July 2021. On 7 February 2022, the Citizenship and Entry to Israel bill passed its first reading in the Knesset.The bill, to which private bills imposing more strict restrictions on Palestinians were attached, was sponsored by MKs Zvi Hauser (New Hope), Simcha Rothman (Religious Zionism) and Avi Dicter (Likud). The three drafts will now move on to further debates in the various Knesset’s committees where they will likely be merged before two final readings. See: https://main.knesset.gov.il/EN/News/PressReleases/Pages/press8222y.aspx
[8] The so-called "Nationality Law" will allow the Minister of the Interior to have exclusive power to withdraw the nationality of any Palestinian citizen in Israel who receives a prisoner salary (social allowance) from the Palestinian National Authority ,
[9] See footnote 7. The so-called "citizenship bill" received the support of 44 MKs versus 5 opposing votes.
[10] In reference to Karm Al-Ja’ouni part of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem, where Israel threatens over 70 Palestinian households with forced eviction and transfer to advance its colonial-settlement project in occupied Jerusalem / move in more of its illegal settlers. On 12 February 2022, Ben Gvir set up a field office on the Salem family’s land to support their forced eviction which was supposed to take place by beginning of March but was later suspended by the Israeli occupation court: http://english.wafa.ps/Pages/Details/128055
[11] An illegal Jewish settler living in Karam Al-Ja’ouni part of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood
[12] In reference to the indigenous Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood
[13] In reference to Nasser Qos, the head of the Palestinian Prisoner’s Club in occupied Jerusalem
[14] In reference to illegal Jewish settlers
[15] Ibid
[16] Strock accuses Bennett’s government (which includes the United Arab List party chaired by Mansour Abbas) of violating the law (passed by Knesset in 2018) allowing Israel to deduct social allowances paid by PNA to Palestinian prisoners and martyr’s families from the tax revenues it collects on behalf of PNA
[17] In response to a news item published in the Israeli newspaper Yidiot Ahronot accusing Israeli government of ignoring the implementation of the law regarding deduction of social allowances paid by PNA
[19] In response to Amnesty report defining Israel as an apartheid state.
[20] Ibid
[21]An Israeli NGO documenting Israeli violations of Palestinian human rights
[22] Is an organization (NGO) of veteran soldiers who have served in the Israeli military since the start of the second Intifada and have taken it upon themselves to expose the Israeli public to the reality of everyday life in the occupied Palestinian territory
[24] See footnote1
[25] In reference to Israeli occupation forces
[26] In reference to Palestinians and Israelis
[27] In reference to Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund (KKL-JNF) which was established in 1901 to buy and develop land in Ottoman and Mandatory Palestine for Jewish settlers. After the 1967 war, KKL-JNF was given written instruction from then-Prime Minister Levi Eshkol to start acquiring land in the occupied West Bank. Recently it started planting trees in Al-Naqab as part of Israel’s government plan to ethnically cleanse the Bedouin from their lands.
[28] In reference to Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound
[29] In reference to the United Arab List party
[30] In reference to the right wing parties in the coalition such as Yamina and New Hope parties
[31] In reference to the Palestinian Arab parties in the Knesset
[32] Ibid
[33] See footnote 7
[34] In reference to United Arab List party
[35] In reference to Yair Lapid, Minister of Foreign Affairs
[36] Rahat is a predominantly Palestinian Bedouin city in Al-Naqab
[37] In reference to Ayelet Shaked, the Minister of Interior
[38] In reference to MK Mansour Abbas of the United Arab List party
[39] The plan aims to close the socio-economic gaps between the Palestinian society and the Jewish society within mixed cities in Israel proper.
[40] Strocks suggesting the offenders are the Palestinian citizens of Israel and the victims are the Israeli Jews.
[41] In reference to the clashes between the Palestinian citizens of Israel that demonstrated in their towns and mixed cities against the forcible expulsion/ evictions of the Palestinian residents of Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem and against Israel’s aggression on Gaza.
[42] Ibid
[43] In reference the United Arab list party
[44] In reference to the Palestinian Arab parties in the Knesset
[45] Israeli Public Security Minister Omer Barlev came under a strong attack from the right wing parties when US under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Victoria Nuland, who was on a visit to the Middle East, told Barlev that the State Department is monitoring settlers’ violence. Barlev then replied that Israel views such violence seriously and was acting to end this phenomenon. The tweet came in response to Barlev’s initiatives to allow visits between Palestinian Arab members of the Joint List party and Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails.
[46] Shitrit criticizes Israeli Public Security Minister Omer Barlev of planning to allow Palestinian Arab MKs to visit Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails
[47] In reference to the Palestinian Arab parties in the Knesset and left wing parties in the coalition
[48] In reference to Palestinian Arab Knesset members of the United Arab List and the Joint List parties
[49] In reference to Palestinian prisoners
[50] In reference to the United Arab List party
[51] In reference to the Palestinian prisoners’ families
[52] In reference to President Mahmoud Abbas
[53] A right wing organization known for infiltrating Israeli left wing organizations that it perceives as anti-Israel. The collected information is then passed to the Israeli authorities or media.
[54] Minister of Interior
[55] Minister of Justice
[56] In reference to Palestinian jurist, a citizen of Israel, Khaled Kabub
[57] In reference to Kabub’s meeting (on Aug 15, 2020) with Yousef Mukhaimar, head of the Murabitun organization, and Ekrima Sabri, the head of the Supreme Muslim Council and the former Mufti of Jerusalem.
[58] In reference to the Palestinian people