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Last update - 01:25 05/10/2008 Commentators in uniform By Haaretz Editorial Tags: Israel News, Terrorism  In the wake of the terror attack on Professor Ze'ev Sternhell, members of the government have engaged in an open competition - which one will more damningly condemn the extreme right and which will propose more stringent measures against the perpetrators who targeted the Israeli intellectual solely for his opinions. As if they were a panel of commentators, the ministers noted the direct link between the attack on the Jewish leftist and the Jewish violence against Palestinians in the territories. Like newspaper columnists, they complained of the authorities' powerlessness in the face of the ongoing unruly behavior by a gang of violent settlers in the West Bank. This past weekend, joining the onlookers, commentators and the prophets of doom was GOC Central Command Gadi Shamni, as if he did not bear direct responsibility for what occurs in the West Bank. In an interview with Haaretz, the general condemned "fringe elements that are expanding" and operating against Palestinians and the security forces, and which disrupt the Israel Defense Forces' ability to execute its missions in the territories. The most senior officer in the West Bank, the sovereign of the territories, acknowledged that the IDF is indeed responsible for law and order. Alas, the overall responsibility for enforcing the law in the territories rests on the IDF's shoulders, and not just due to formal considerations. Its extensive deployment of forces on the ground and the various means at their disposal allow it to be the first to arrive at the scene of any criminal activity. Law-enforcement regulations in the territories empower Shamni's soldiers with authority similar to that of police officers. Advertisement The general claimed that factions of the rabbinic and political leadership support the Jewish thugs, whether through explicit statements or in silence. Shamni certainly knows that not only religious and political figures are enabling a few hundred bullies to leave their imprint on an entire region. If it were not for the support of some of the officers under Shamni's command - whether through active assistance or restraint in the face of wholesale violations of the law - the West Bank would not have turned into abandoned territory. Military jails are packed with young Palestinians convicted of far less serious crimes than the violent acts of which the settlers are accused. Three and a half years ago, in a report on the West Bank outposts, attorney Talia Sasson noted "the commanding spirit," as it was described to her: Even though the outposts were illegal, it was not for IDF soldiers to view the settlers' actions through the prism of the law because they were carrying out "a Zionist deed" worthy of "turning a blind eye, a wink, a double message." The central command chief's message must be clear and unequivocal: The Zionism of the new century has absolutely nothing in common with harming the rights and well-being of a civilian population subject to the mercy of the State of Israel. The order must be clearly understood down to the last soldier: A Jew who raises his hand against a Palestinian or sets fire to his olive grove is subject to the same punishment under the law as a Palestinian who harms a Jew or his or her property. Once settler leaders realize that the IDF is no longer the rioters' defense force, perhaps they will make an effort to rein in the violent youth. The arrest and swift indictment of the former head of the Kedumim regional council, Daniella Weiss, for striking a police officer, obstruction of justice and harassing an officer while on duty is a small step in the right direction. One must hope that it foreshadows a policy change, even if it comes infuriatingly too late. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Forgotten peace French FM: I fear distracted world may forget Mideast peace process. Settlers vs. Shin Bet Daniela Weiss: Shin Bet behind attack on left-wing advocate prof. Sternhell.   1.   Who is more to blame: Israeli "right-wingers" or "moderates" ??? 09:24  |  Swiss (Dino) 05/10/08   2.   Who said it was "settlers" who bombed Sternhell? 09:35  |  JD 05/10/08   3.   That took guts Haaretz. Bravo. 09:36  |  BBSNews 05/10/08   4.   as usual haaretz dwells on the absurd 10:06  |  victor hardman 05/10/08   5.   High time!!! 10:09  |  S 05/10/08   6.   In the spirit of blood libel 10:24  |  Ilan 05/10/08   7.   Disingenuous JD #2 10:27  |  Esther 05/10/08   8.   Travesty of "law-abiding, tax-paying people..." #2 10:39  |  Esther 05/10/08   9.   Confront Settlers 10:43  |  Shtarka 05/10/08   10.   B S confuses Israeli media with that of our neighbours. 10:47  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 05/10/08   11.   Settlers Threaten Israel`s Very Existence 10:53  |  MR 05/10/08   12.   The real danger 11:17  |  Moshe 05/10/08   13.   Erasing Jewish memory 11:26  |  Moshe 05/10/08   14.   Every week the extreme LEFT violently riots with the Arabs 11:28  |  AP 05/10/08   15.   And is Haaretz not complicit in Arab violence against Jews? 11:37  |  Yaakov K. 05/10/08   16.   Amen. And the light at the end of the tunnel is the Saudi Plan 11:52  |  Ivar 05/10/08   17.   At a total loss!! 12:06  |  Allan 05/10/08   18.   The wild wild westbank 12:07  |  rm 05/10/08   19.   commentators in uniform 13:10  |  Ann from Raleigh 05/10/08   20.   bbs news the jews are here to stay 13:39  |  harzion 05/10/08   21.   i hasten to add the religious soldiers 14:00  |  harzion 05/10/08   22.   Iodium lacking Dino,Israeli "Right" is more Left than Swiss "Left 14:12  |  Absolute Sweden 05/10/08   23.   If #20, Harzion, is right, and settlers aren`t going anywhere 14:30  |  newageblues 05/10/08   24.   newageblues the pals have a state in the west bank 15:17  |  harzion 05/10/08   25.   harzion #20, 21.... Come home! 15:20  |  Etzion 05/10/08   26.   #17, Allan, 78% of the land under dispute is within Green Line 15:22  |  newageblues 05/10/08   27.   LIBEL and undemocracy from the ll 16:04  |  B 05/10/08   28.   newageblues - really? 16:20  |  Elihu 05/10/08   29.   sub-state players 16:31  |  Rob of melbourne 05/10/08   30.   #20 harzion - 17:15  |  THK 05/10/08   31.   #25 Ron of melbourne 17:23  |  THK 05/10/08   32.   The real news 17:30  |  jackie 05/10/08   33.   Israeli Government Complicity In Increased Settler Violence 17:47  |  chet 05/10/08   34.   elihu 24 17:47  |  potobac 05/10/08   35.   Sternhell felt a "penalty" Madge... 18:05  |  BBSNews 05/10/08   36.   In the wake of haaretz` self-professed "terror" attack 18:37  |  Arie 05/10/08   37.   And who are you to judge, Mr Swiss? 18:39  |  Israeli citizen 05/10/08   38.   Esther-the TA lefties speak out again:with no proof 18:42  |  Arie 05/10/08   39.   #26 potobac on the trail he says an apple is an orange 18:47  |  victor hardman 05/10/08   40.   Nu, really... Arieh BaGolan #28 19:42  |  Esther 05/10/08   41.   potoboc do the one million blacks in your prisons 20:52  |  yair 05/10/08   42.   Encouraging attitudes 22:00  |  Mid. east Monitor 05/10/08   43.   ?Qui tacet consentire vid?tur? 22:41  |  Mark Lincoln 05/10/08   44.   yair 22:57  |  potobac 05/10/08   45.   mark lincoln 23:00  |  potobac 05/10/08   46.   Who got the blind eye now !? 23:12  |  Akram Zekaria 05/10/08   47.   Fire that incompetent General 23:18  |  Yossi Cronenberg 05/10/08   48.   11 is right; US support can`t survive the settlers 23:44  |  Richard Zallen 05/10/08   49.   Derialiction of Duty a punishable offense 00:02  |  Pablo B 06/10/08   50.   ridiculous 00:27  |  Rab 06/10/08   51.   36# Mr Lincoln.Your(Latin) quotations are prehistoric to our time 00:53  |  Akram Zekaria 06/10/08   52.   The Only Solution 02:04  |  Janice 06/10/08   53.   The settlements are illegal 05:40  |  betz55 06/10/08   54.   #24, Harzion, Pals don`t have state in WB, they have Bantusans 06:08  |  newageblues 06/10/08   55.   # 4 to victor in belfast re: selective cognizance 06:51  |  eric 06/10/08   56.   #55 eric in the petrified forest does not understand legal docume 08:14  |  victor hardman 06/10/08   57.   # 56 to victor re: fossils 13:22  |  eric 06/10/08   58.   victor hardman 56 13:24  |  potobac 06/10/08   59.   Yes, really, Elihu 16:29  |  newageblues 06/10/08   60.   # 56 to victor hardman re: p.s. 05:17  |  eric 07/10/08

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