Israeli Official Incitement: June 2022
Israeli Official Incitement: June 2022
I. Against the Palestinian People
Matan Kahana, Deputy Religious Affairs Minister, MK Yemina (Times of Israel, 14 June 2022)[1]
“If there were a button you could press that would make all the Arabs disappear, that would send them on an express train to Switzerland — may they live amazing lives there, I wish them all the best in the world — I would press that button. There is no such button. Apparently we were destined to exist here [together] on this land in some form.”
Regavim[2] (Twitter, 26 June 2022) [3]
“While the government of Israel keeps postponing the evacuation of Khan al-Ahmar[4], within a year, dozens of illegal structures were erected around the Palestinian post. In case you were wondering: no one was evacuated. This is how the Palestinians disregard the law – and no one is stopping them.”
Gadi Yevarkan – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 13 June 2022)
"I prefer as many terrorists[5] smashed to the ground as possible over one police officer or soldier injured(…)[6]”
Orit Strock – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Twitter 22 June 2022) [7]
“The police conduct during the lynch yesterday is unacceptable and not tolerated. It cannot be that no one of the Arabs involved in the lynch was arrested, and the only one who was arrested is the Jew who probably had to protect the attacked children, and now he is banned from seeing a lawyer (…)”
Itamar Ben Gvir – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Twitter, 09 June 2022)
“Seeing and not believing! Terrorists[8] in the heart of Jerusalem, throwing rocks, chocking, and lynching police officers in civilian clothes, and the officers are scared to shoot and react[9]. It is time to support the security forces and give them backup. Every outlaw[10] who tries to kill officers and soldiers will get a bullet in the head.”
Bezalel Smotrich – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Twitter, 15 June 2022) [11]
"For the first time since the unification of Jerusalem during the Six-Day War[12], an Israeli Prime Minister allows an American President to visit an Arab institution in East Jerusalem, without an Israeli chaperone, and to pass an opposing message of recognizing the right of the Arabs in Jerusalem. Bennett is dividing Jerusalem for the election campaign (…)”
Benjamin Netanyahu – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 16 June 2022)
“(…) For years, we have opposed the dangerous Palestinian demand, which means Palestinian sovereignty in the Jordan valley. And now, the answer must be sharp and clear: No. No to a Palestinian state, no to concessions, no to folding[13].”
II. Against the Indigenous Palestinian Citizens of Israel
Miri Regev – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 02 June 2022)
“Terrorists supports[14] should be in jail. Enough incitement, enough harming IDF soldiers, enough harming the state of Israel and its symbols. I call upon the government’s chief legal advisor to approve the investigations against Tibi, Odeh, and Cassif today! Whoever calls to carry weapons against Jews[15], and whoever incites and attacks Jews, should be in jail.”
May Golan – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 02 June 2022)
“The evil anti-Zionist government decided yesterday to harm Israel's civil security and to shrink deterrence against vile terrorists[16],even more, when it rejected my bill proposal on death penalty for terrorists with MK ben Gvir[17], real deterrence against terrorism!(…)”
Benjamin Netanyahu – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 10 June 2022)
“The Bennett, Lapid, Abbas[18] government continues to sell the state to terrorism supporters[19] and the Muslim Brotherhood[20]. And now, as they are about to fall apart, they are more dangerous than ever. Bennett, Lapid, and Abbas's secret plan to build the villages Iqrit and Bir’im[21] is the first step in the Palestinian master plan for the right of return[22] (…)”
Shlomo Karhi – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 09 June 2022)
“If this is true, it is horrible. A fifth column[23] is trying to bring to us the right of return through the front door. With Mansour Abbas's[24] civic Jihad method, while the alternate PM is gladly cooperating (…)”
Avi Dichter – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 13 June 2022)
“The government of change is actually the government of neglect!
The team of Bennett-Lapid-Abbas is trying, in the darkness of night, to plant sparks of "the right of return" among Palestinians by committing to the reconstruction of the villages Iqrit and Bir’im. I have news for you: No Arab town abandoned during the Liberation War will be re-built. (…)”
Eli Cohen – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 29 June 2022)
“Sweet Victory! After a determined fight, led by Avi Zinger, the owners of Ben & Jerry’s Israel, the company folded and the ban on Judea and Samaria[25] has been lifted. Whoever boycotts us, will regret it! In the photo: Ayman Odeh[26] supporting the settlements and calls you to run and buy ice cream in Judea and Samaria[27].”
III. Against Human Rights Organizations
Orit Strock – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Zionism party (Twitter 23 June 2022)
“Defense Minister Benny Gantz. On one hand, he declares Addameer[28] as a terrorist organization (and of course, he gets credit for it).
On the other hand, he allows the same terrorist organization to employ lawyers to represent terrorists in court, to get confidential protocols, and publish them.
A fake fight against terrorism.”
Gilad Erdan - Permanent Representative of Israel to the United Nations (Facebook, 23 June 2022)
“How low can UNRWA[29] still go? Again, we are exposed to the horrible hypocrisy of the UN and UNRWA. A new report shows dozens of anti-Semitic expressions and calls for the murder of Jews by UNRWA school teachers[30]. Following the exposure, I immediately contacted the states that donate money to UNRWA and demanded they freeze any budget to the agency until all anti-Semitic employees who expressed support of terrorism and killing Jews are fired.
UNRWA not only does not help in resolving the conflict, but it causes great damage, incites for violence and terrorism, and thus, a new generation of Palestinians are raised to hate Israel and its existence.
UNRWA should have been shut down years ago, and the incitement that it and its employees spread is another example that it does not have a right to exist how it is currently, and I will continue to fight for that.”
Lach Jerusalem Settlers’ Organization[31] (Facebook, 16 June 2022)
“It is mentionable that part of the funds that the PA is expected to receive is designated for civil initiatives in East Jerusalem. Maor Tzemah, chairman of “Lach Jerusalem” reacts to the matter, and states that “the EU is the most significant foreign institution today active against the sovereignty of Israel in Jerusalem, and seeks to establish a Palestinian terror state in Judea and Samaria”, he also mentioned that the initiative promoted by PA with European support to establish “Palestinian Greater Jerusalem”, an initiative that includes investments in housing, industry, tourism and more, and views Jerusalem as the Palestinian capital.”
VI. Against President Mahmoud Abbas and the Palestinian Leadership
Benjamin Netanyahu – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party ( Facebook, 01 June 2022) [32]
“(…) Under the fraud weak government of Bennett-Lapid, the United Arab List and the Joint list, and following the never-ending incitement of Abu Mazen in the past few months, a flag of the PLO is waving above the Ayalon(…) The Likud will continue to work in any way possible to quickly change this weak fraudulent government that depends on terrorists’ supporters[33] to a strong national government.”
Avi Dicter – Member of the Knesset for the Likud party (Facebook, 12 June 2022)
“This is not how you build a wall against Palestinian terrorism. Adding sin to crime. After the "Experimental Government" transferred 500 million ILS to the PA for terrorists' salaries !! (Yes, you are not imagining…) It adds sin to a crime and initiates the establishment of a company that will transfer additional funds without interruptions[34].”
Itamar Ben Gvir – Member of the Knesset for the Religious Ziosnim party (Twitter, 26 June 2022)
“Abu Mazen, the terrorist and terrorism supporter, who gives salaries to terrorists[35], dares to speak against La Familia and Lehava organizations[36], who are lovers of the state and true Zionists and care about the Jewish identity. The meeting between Benny Gantz and Abu Mazen was not for nothing , a pair of a kind. The government of Israel is losing its Jewish identity.”
[1]Kan public broadcaster aired a video clip of MK Kahana explaining he doesn't believe in peace with Palestinians at a high school in “Efrat”, an illegal Israeli settlement.
[2] A right-wing settler organization.
[3] Regavim retweeted a post shared by Hanan Greenwood, an Israeli journalist working for “Yisrael Hayom” newspaper.
[4] Khan al-Ahmar is a Palestinian Bedouin village in Jerusalem governorate that is at risk of ethnic cleansing - forcible transfer.
[5] In reference to Palestinians
[6] On 13 June, MK Gadi Yevarkan addressed a lobbying conference for Israeli soldiers to support them in fighting what they call "Palestinian terrorism."
[7] On 21 June, settlers attacked Palestinians in Salfit governorate stabbing a Palestinian, Ali Hasan Harb, to death. Several Israeli politicians legalized the stabbing attack claiming it was self-defense.
[8] In reference to the Palestinian residents of Al-Isawiya neighborhood in occupied Jerusalem
[9] The Israeli authorities claim that two Israelis entered the Palestinian neighborhood Al-Isawiya by mistake, and the Palestinians tried to commit a lynching.
[10] In reference to Palestinians
[11] The post follows the announcement that US President Joe Biden will visit Israel and the occupied Palestinian territory on 13 July.
[12] In reference to the June 1967 war.
[13] The post is in response to the news of Israeli journalist and commentator Barak Ravid that the United States asked Israel to allow for a symbolic presence of Palestinian security officers on Al-Karameh Bridge.
[14] In reference to MK Ayman Odeh, MK Ahmad Tibi, and MK Ofer Cassif from the Joint List party
[15] On 11 April, MK Ayman Odeh called on Arab citizens serving in the Israeli security forces to lay down their weapons and resign their jobs to protest Israeli actions against Al-Aqsa Mosque Compound.
[16] In reference to Palestinians
[17] Itamar Ben Gvir MK for the Religious Zionism
[18] In reference to PM Naftali Bennett, Alternate PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid, and Mansour Abbas MK for the United Arab List party
[19] In reference to Palestinian Arab parties in the Knesset.
[20] In reference to the United Arab List party.
[21]Iqrit and Bir 'im are Palestinian Christian villages that were ethnically-cleansed by Zionist militias during the 1948 Nakba. In 1951, the residents petitioned the Israeli High Court to return to their villages, and the court ordered the state to return them. The state, however, mocked the court's decision and refused to implement it. Two years later, the government usurped the villages' lands by using the Land Acquisition Law and denying residents access to their land. Within a month, the state decided to bomb and wipe out Iqrit and Bir 'im.
[22] The context of the post is the secret agreement that MK Meretz Ghaida Rinawie Zoabi claimed to have with alternate PM and Minister of Foreign Affairs Yair Lapid, which the latter denied later in order to stay in the coalition and not resign. Rinawie Zoabi was to gain a political victory by securing the right of Palestinians to return to their villages in Iqrit and Bir'im. With her resignation, the government would fall, and new elections would be held, or an alternative coalition led by Benjamin Netanyahu would be formed.
[23] In reference to the government.
[24] MK for the United Arab List party
[25] In reference to the occupied West Bank of the State of Palestine.
[26] MK for the Joint List party
[27] Ben & Jerry announced on 19 July 2021 that they would stop providing their products to settlements in the occupied Palestinian territory, angering Israeli politicians and Israeli and American Jews alike. Avi Zinger, the owner of the company in Israel, announced after a long fight that the ban was lifted and the company would sell the products in the settlements again. When the initial decision was made, MK Ayman Odeh posted the picture in Cohen's post.
[28] On 22 October 2021, the Minister of Defense Benjamin Gantz declared 6 Palestinian human rights organizations as terrorist organizations, Addameer is one of them Addameer Prisoner Support and Human Rights Association is a non-governmental civil organization that supports Palestinian political prisoners.
[29] The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East is a relief and human development agency.
[30] In reference to Palestinian teachers from the occupied West Bank and Gaza Strip working for UNRWA.
[31] An Israeli settlers’ organization promoting the Judaization of occupied Jerusalem
[32] On 26 May 2022, Palestinian students at Ben-Gurion University in the Negev were allowed to raise Palestinian flags to commemorate Nakba day. As a result of the incident, Israeli politicians incited harsh criticism against the University's head for allowing the event. Consequently, a bill was advanced banning the raising of what they called the enemy flag (the Palestinian flag among them) in public spaces. Left-wing Israeli NGOs were angered by the decision. As a result, Left-wing Israeli NGO Mehazkim hung Palestinian and Israeli flags on a central building in Ramat Gan in the Tel Aviv district with the phrase "We are meant to live together." An act that brought harsh incitement among right-wing politicians and the Palestinian flag was removed.
[33] In reference to the Joint List and the United Arab List Knesset members
[34] The Israeli Minister of Defense has requested 72 million NIS to establish a company that will protect Israeli banks from the courts, so they can continue wiring funds to Palestinian banks without legal repercussions.
[35] In reference to the social allowances paid by the PNA to Palestinian prisoners, martyrs, and their families.
[36] La Familia is a far-right football fan group affiliated with the Israeli Premier League team Beitar Jerusalem. Israel-based Lehava is a far-right Jewish supremacist organization that opposes Jewish assimilation and most relationships between Jews and non-Jews. The post is based on Israeli news reports stating that President Mahmoud Abbas requested US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to declare Lehava and La Familia terrorist organizations during a telephone call on 30 May 2022.