Who's afraid of Israeli far-rightists?
Harel and Issacharoff: Coordinated PA and Israeli security crackdown works against Palestinians but not Jews.
By Avi Issacharoff and Amos Harel Tags: Israel terrorism Israel news Middle East peaceDespite ending well, Sunday's break-in to a Jericho synagogue by Israeli rightists exposed a major weakness in coordination between the various arms of the security forces in tackling the extreme right.
When it comes to frustrating Palestinian terror attacks - or even working together with the Palestinian security forces - what were once known as the "four legs" of Israel's West Bank security apparatus (the IDF, Shin Bet, the Judea and Samaria police and the Civil Administration) work together admirably.
But, as was proved when right-wing activists easily dodged a sparsely manned Israeli roadblock outside Jericho, things tend to get complicated when these same forces try to confront Jews.
Chaim Levinson wrote in Haaretz on Monday that the call to march on Jericho was widely publicized on billboards and right-wing Jewish internet forums some two weeks before the event. Journalists were even invited, some several times over. Yet the army claims that its Jordan Valley Brigade knew nothing - which is why the provocateurs were confronted by only a token force of soldiers and police.
The collection and distribution of intelligence about the extreme right is a known weak point of law enforcement in the territories. It is no secret that security officers are not exactly clamoring to deal with the problem; not just because the work rarely brings the accolades that normally accompany the fight against Palestinian terrorism - but also because it means entering a political minefield in which support from on high can vanish at precisely the moment it is most needed.
Moreover, there is an inherent dilemma of where to set the boundary between intervention on the one hand, and infringement of democracy and freedom of expression on the other. Army intelligence does not concern itself with gathering information on Jews - and rightly so. The army, generally speaking, tries to keep away (at least publicly) from that sort of tricky territory.
That is why, despite intensive involvement on the part of Central Command and army auxiliary brigades in enforcing the West Bank settlement freeze, the army strives to keep a low profile. (The fact that the freeze has almost completely dropped off the public agenda is a good indicator that that government ploys to circumvent the freeze have to a large extent calmed the fears of settlers, notwithstanding their occasional moans).
With the army taking a back seat, the task of keeping tabs on the extreme right has landed in the lap of the Shin Bet's Jewish unit and the Judea and Samaria District police. As far as the Shin Bet is concerned, the division is clear: Anything out in the open, such as notices posted by the Jericho marchers on internet chat forums, comes within the sphere of public order and is a matter for the police.
In practice, the police did not pass their intelligence to the IDF ? which is how the activists managed to infiltrate Jericho. In this instance, there is no question as to whether the security forces should have apprehended them: Any Israeli entering the area is at mortal risk ? and also likely to fall into the tight net strung between the increasingly well-synchronized IDF and PA.
Another factor is the extent of the authority soldiers and police have in preventing Jewish infiltration into Palestinian-controlled territory. It is clear that opening fire on Israeli civilians is indefensible, provided they are not endangering the lives of the security forces. On the other hand, it seems that physical force is sometimes not an option when the army is faced with inferiority in numbers, as it was in Jericho. During riots at over the West Bank barrier at Bil'in and Na'alin, for example, far greater force is regularly employed against a combination of Israeli leftists, Palestinians and international anarchists.
It is also impossible to ignore the religious context of Sunday's incident at the Jericho synagogue, which came amid a period of relative quiet on the security front. On Monday and Tuesday, the Palestinian Authority was behind riots in Hebron following comments by Benjamin Netanyahu, who declared a historic connection between the Tomb of the Patriarchs in the West Bank city, and the Jewish people and Israel.
The PA, of course, is trying to instigate and direct a national protest, partly violent, on various fronts. The fence and Jerusalem are the main targets - but the Palestinian leadership could be playing with fire by widening the arena of conflict to encompass a clash of religions.
Posted by Amos Harel and Avi Issacharoff on February 23, 2010
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and don't you think it's time that they pack up their damn settlers and get the hell OUT of the west bank so they can defend "israel" like they're supposed to be doing!? israel doesn't have any "territories"; it maintains illegal occupations in territories belonging to others.
Why do you think I always call them Israeli Army? Calling this lot a "defense force" would be like calling Fox News a news program.
far right means dictatorship, is anti-democratic, totalitarism, authoritarianism, autocratic, is criminal, terrorism, extremism, forbidden in several countries, ultra-nationalism, apartheid, segregation, (racial)discrimination,ku klux klan, national-socialism, fascism, is anti-parliamentalistic, one people/nation above/superior to other nations/peoples (supremacy), uebermensch, untermensch (inferior),surpression, exploitation.
... Hebron had already been Holy for the Jews. A historical fact that seems absent from political discussion.
If the Palestinians are stuck under Israeli rule then the IDF has a responsibility to protect them too. Tired of jingoist trying to have it both ways.
You reap what you sow.
le, provided they are not endangering the lives of the security forces." This is more BS. Who needs protection, the one who breaks into your property, or the one who does the break in? The army has no reluctance to firing on Palestinian civilians, but can't seem to gather the courage to face Israeli rioters.
jews will ever let the Palestinians make a life for themselves or will they perpetuate their occupation. opression and land theft? But what does your post have to do with the article? It's about more right-wingers making a nuisance of themselves and a failure in security cooperation - or the IDF turning a blind eye - on the Israeli side. You demonstrate daily why Zio hasbara is so ineffectual - always the same anti-arab rant and red herring issues followed by the predictable descent into name-calling...
"Army intelligence does not concern itself with gathering information on Jews - and rightly so." "It is clear that opening fire on Israeli civilians is indefensible, provided they are not endangering the lives of the security forces." So Jews, the colonial masters, get special treatment on the West Bank. They may riot and ignore laws, but that's no reason to use army intelligence or force against them. It's all just a bit of good fun really. On the other hand when the PA try to protest against Bibi's racist heritage plans, that's dangerous. The natives are restless and need a firm hand: "The PA, of course, is trying to instigate and direct a national protest, partly violent, on various fronts. The fence and Jerusalem are the main targets - but the Palestinian leadership could be playing with fire" Is this Haaretz or the Jeruselam Post?
Who do the authors think want the far-right controlled? Certainly not the government. Nor the IDF, Shin Bet or police. If the far-right goes 'too far' which is very far in today's environment, then they will have their hands slapped, they will be given a wink and nod and it's back to business as usual. The Law only applies to leftists, liberals, Arabs and others of their ilk.
on making alife for themselves ? or will they perpetuate eternal war ?
israel defence force!! he appear not to understand anything else about israel and its territories !
that a piece about Israeli far-rightists, a very real threat, ends with a warning to palestinians. Israeli's just cannot help themselves can they?
In most confrontations between Israeli zealots and Palestinians, the IDF with unwavering predictability will support the Israelis. Even if the Palestinian is a bleeding grandmother shepard that has been attacked by settlers in the South Hebron hills. To compound the problem, Israel continues in its efforts to erode Palestine by taking land, homes and farms under the guise of security. Now it has added "heritage site" to its expansionist vocabulary. While Palestinians can be detained for up to a year without charges for minor infractions, the Israeli zealots in Jericho were freed almost immediately and will probably honored as heros. There is no justice under the Israeli occupation, and the Palestinians can not expect to be treated as equals.