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Israeli soldiers marching toward the northern Gaza Strip during Operation Cast Lead.
 (AP)
Shulamit Aloni / Sadly, Israel is no longer democratic
By Shulamit Aloni
Tags: democracy, Israel news 

Maj. Gen. Amos Yadlin and philosopher Asa Kasher, two respected men around here, published an article entitled: "A just war of a democratic state," (Haaretz, April 24, Hebrew).

A remark about the first part: There are wars that are necessary for self-defense or to fight injustice and evil. But the expression "just" is problematic when speaking of war itself - which involves killing and destruction and leaves women, children and old people homeless, and sometimes even kills them.

Our sages have said: "Don't be overly righteous." And there is absolutely no question that dropping cluster bombs in an area populated by civilians, as we did in the Second Lebanon War, does not testify to great righteousness. The same thing can be said of using phosphorus bombs against a civilian population.
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Apparently, according to the Yadlin and Kasher definition of justice, in order to eliminate terrorists it is just to destroy, kill, expel and starve a civilian population that has no connection to the acts of terror and no responsibility for them. Perhaps had they adopted a more decent and less arrogant approach they would have tried to explain the reasons for the fury and intensity that brought about the shocking killing and destruction, and even apologized for the fact that these exceeded any reasonable necessity.

But after all, we are always right; moreover, these things were done by "the most moral army in the world," sent by the "democratic" Jewish state - and here is the meeting point of the two concepts in the title of Yadlin and Kasher's article.

As for the army's morality, it would have been better had they remained silent and thereby been considered wise. This is because the statistics on the destruction and harm to civilians in the Gaza Strip are familiar to everyone, and not divorced from the oh-so-moral behavior of our army in the occupied territories. In the context of this behavior, for example, the army operates with great efficiency against farmers who demonstrate against the theft of their lands, even when the demonstrations are not violent.

The long-term evidence of abuse by soldiers against civilians at the checkpoints - including repeated instances of expectant mothers who are forced to give birth in the middle of the road, surrounded by armed soldiers who laugh wickedly - is no secret either. Day after day, year after year, the most moral army in the world helps to steal lands, uproot trees, steal water, close roads - in the service of the righteous "Jewish and democratic" state and with its support. It's heartbreaking, but the State of Israel is no longer democratic. We are living in an ethnocracy under "Jewish and democratic" rule.

In 1970 it was decided that in Israel religion and nationality are one and the same (that is why we are not listed in the Population Registry as Israelis, but as Jews). In 1992 it was determined in the Basic Law on Human Dignity and Liberty that Israel is a "Jewish state." There is no mention in this law of the promise that appears in the state's formative document, the Declaration of Independence, to the effect that "The State of Israel will ensure complete equality of social and political rights to all its inhabitants, irrespective of religion, race or sex." The Knesset ratified the law nonetheless.

And so there is a "Jewish state" and no "equality of rights." Therefore some observers emphasize that the Jewish state is not "a state of all its citizens." Is there really a democracy that is not a state of all its citizens? After all, Jews living today in democratic countries enjoy the full rights of citizenship.

Democracy exists in the State of Israel today only in the formal sense: There are parties and elections and a good judicial system. But there is also an omnipotent army that ignores legal decisions that restrict the theft of land owned and held by people who have been living under occupation for the past 42 years. And since 1992, as we mentioned, we also have the definition "Jewish state," which means an ethnocracy - the rule of an ethnic religious community that strictly determines the ethnic origin of its citizens according to maternal lineage. And as far as other religions are concerned, disrespect for them is already a tradition, since we have learned: "Only you are considered human beings, whereas the gentiles are like donkeys."

From here it is clear that we and our moral army are exempt from concerns for the Palestinians living in Israel, and this is even more true of those living under occupation. On the other hand, it is perfectly all right to steal their land because these are "state lands" that belong to the State of Israel and its Jews.

That is the case even though we have not annexed the West Bank and have not granted citizenship to its inhabitants, who under Jordanian rule were Jordanian citizens. The State of Israel has penned them in, which makes it easy to confiscate their land for the benefit of its settlers.

And important and respected rabbis, who are educating an entire generation, have ruled that the whole country is ours and the Palestinians should share the fate of Amalek, the ancient tribe the Israelites were commanded to eradicate. At a time when a "just war" is taking place, racism is rife and robbery is called "return of property."

We are currently celebrating the 61st anniversary of the State of Israel. We fought in the War of Independence out of a great hope that we would build a "model society" here, that we would make peace with our neighbors, work the land and develop the Jewish genius for the benefit of science, culture and the value of man - every man. But when a major general and a philosopher justify - out of a sense of moral superiority - our acts of injustice toward the other in such a way, they cast a very heavy shadow on all those hopes.


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      1.   thank you 05:10  |  jessica 01/05/09
      2.   Israel is most certainly still `democratic` 05:19  |  Mark Lincoln 01/05/09
      3.   Standing up for Humanity! 05:20  |  Human Being 01/05/09
      4.   ShulamitAloni:Sadly you alway think democracy must be the victim 05:20  |  Akram Zekaria 01/05/09
      5.   Wow...that is the most childish article I ever read on Haaretz 05:22  |  Dan 01/05/09
      6.   "Palestinians should share the fate of Amalek " 05:32  |  newageblues 01/05/09
      7.   Ms Aloni, please try living in a neighbouring state 05:43  |  Morris Valentine 01/05/09
      8.   Shulamit Aloni / Sadly, Israel is no longer democratic 05:46  |  gideon ben yoash 01/05/09
      9.   Israel`s democracy 05:47  |  Shmuel Gurewicz 01/05/09
      10.   civilian population 05:51  |  Daniel 01/05/09
      11.   Shulamit Aloni 06:18  |  Ivan Grossman 01/05/09
      12.   "our sages have said: `don`t be overly righteous`" 06:24  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/05/09
      13.   Jewish and democratic state + racism 06:29  |  john spear Canadian 01/05/09
      14.   Shulamit Aloni 06:32  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/05/09
      15.   MV #7... Suprised at your drivel... 06:42  |  Esther 01/05/09
      16.   Shulamit Aloni 06:58  |  Vida Aviv 01/05/09
      17.   you are right 07:18  |  tom 01/05/09
      18.   Shulamit, analysis not quite fair..... P1 07:40  |  Smadar 01/05/09
      19.   Shulamit Article 07:40  |  Jim 01/05/09
      20.   You`re missing the point of the article 07:47  |  Ian 01/05/09
      21.   Shulamit, analysis not quite fair..... P2 07:52  |  Smadar 01/05/09
      22.   De jure v. de factor 07:52  |  Juli Z. 01/05/09
      23.   Aloni: a sane, moral voice indeed! 07:56  |  Hannah 01/05/09
      24.   Maybe Aloni`s tirade is a bit untimely... 07:59  |  Esther 01/05/09
      25.   Why do they forget? 08:04  |  Keith H 01/05/09
      26.   just because you don`t like what you read 08:22  |  rm 01/05/09
      27.   Yeah, boo, Yeah boo, its lots of fun to do! 09:08  |  Zev Davis 01/05/09
      28.   # 2 Mark Lincoln "parts of Switzerland are democratic"...... 09:30  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/05/09
      29.   Of course Israel can still be called a "democracy"...... 09:37  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/05/09
      30.   Where was Ms. Aloni 09:47  |  Zev 01/05/09
      31.   so true 09:55  |  joe 01/05/09
      32.   Shoot the messenger 09:57  |  Had enough 01/05/09
      33.   Aloni is right 10:10  |  slumdog 01/05/09
      34.   EXCELLENT ARTICLE, democracy is dead all over 10:14  |  VIPER 01/05/09
      35.   had enough #22 not to worry 10:35  |  dana 01/05/09
      36.   You are right, that`s sad 11:07  |  Dave 01/05/09
      37.   still a democracy 11:37  |  maurice 01/05/09
      38.   You are right! Israel is an ethnocratic state! chaos system 11:42  |  Ahmad 01/05/09
      39.   War (1) 11:48  |  David Olesker 01/05/09
      40.   War (2) 11:55  |  David Olesker 01/05/09
      41.   sadly isreal was never a democracy 12:11  |  jj 01/05/09
      42.   Alonis idea of "democracy"... 12:14  |  American Jew 01/05/09
      43.   Swiss Dino 12:33  |  Freddy 01/05/09
      44.   Pearls before Swine, Shulamit Aloni. 12:33  |  Roo 01/05/09
      45.   Esther surprised at MV`s drivel? #15 12:42  |  Roo 01/05/09
      46.   a democracy is only as good as it`s citizens. 13:00  |  suizoniso 01/05/09
      47.   Shulamit Aloni 13:05  |  Chris Linthwaite 01/05/09
      48.   to Ivan Grossman #11 13:07  |  zeev 01/05/09
      49.   # 40 LOL, Freddy, you would still have to name me..... 13:19  |  Swiss (Dino) 01/05/09
      50.   A fitting epitaph for aborted Zionism, for which no tear is shed 13:40  |  Ivar 01/05/09
      51.   #30 Where was Shulamit Aloni 14:42  |  Ellen 01/05/09
      52.   For as long as Israel has a conscience she`s democratic 14:54  |  Alicia 01/05/09
      53.   Shula 15:07  |  Avi Yerushalmi 01/05/09
      54.   Democracy! 15:44  |  John Allen 01/05/09
      55.   democracy 18:41  |  ehud 01/05/09
      56.   linthwaite 18:48  |  oz 01/05/09
      57.   Thank you Shulamit 19:56  |  peter 01/05/09
      58.   No longer democratic 20:17  |  Charles 01/05/09
      59.   thank you shulamit 21:11  |  ruth 01/05/09
      60.   Peter in Montreal 21:24  |  jennifer 01/05/09
      61.   #32, Had Enough 22:06  |  Cipora Julianna Kohn 01/05/09
      62.   A place for all 22:18  |  george 01/05/09
      63.   Shula threw in everything but the kitchen sink 22:23  |  Yonatan 01/05/09
      64.   jennifer - Israel id democracy with representation of 22:44  |  17 01/05/09
      65.   Aloni will do anything to antagonize Judaism 23:34  |  Moises 01/05/09
      66.   #57 Peter Shulamit Aloni & co. have stood as moral compass... 01:02  |  Smadar 02/05/09
      67.   So Gaza is democratic? I`m with Israel all the way! 01:36  |  petra 02/05/09
      68.   Thank you alicia (#52), for proving my point (MV, #7) 01:49  |  Morris Valentine 02/05/09
      69.   #61 Petra is right, Gaza not democratic, so why should Israel be? 02:19  |  newageblues 02/05/09
      70.   Poor Shulamit 02:27  |  leoblue 02/05/09
      71.   Morris Valentine #62 does poet laureate 02:29  |  Roo 02/05/09
      72.   Alicia in wonderland #52 02:38  |  Roo 02/05/09
      73.   Morris Valentine #62 does poet laureate 02:39  |  Roo 02/05/09
      74.   Unsolicitated opinion, beware! 02:48  |  John Allen 02/05/09
      75.   Same old Roo-tine post (#72) 04:19  |  Morris Valentine 02/05/09
      76.   Great article. Thanks. 12:12  |  Hanna 02/05/09
      77.   to Ivan Grossman #11 - 2nd try 13:14  |  zeev 02/05/09
      78.   loyalty or move out (Response to John Allen) 13:22  |  Or Can 02/05/09
      79.   no religion, mesianism 13:22  |  ana 02/05/09
      80.   Aloni is right 13:24  |  Danny 02/05/09
      81.   newage blues leave it to you to screw it up. 13:25  |  petra 02/05/09
      82.   Shulamit Aloni 13:42  |  Mamie Shenkin 02/05/09
      83.   Alicia, MV...true, Aloni represents that "Jewish conscience"... 14:03  |  Esther 02/05/09
      84.   Democracy does not mean 15:40  |  Lola 02/05/09
      85.   congratulation 16:27  |  peter 02/05/09
      86.   47 Chris Linthwaite 18:09  |  norman a blumberg 02/05/09
      87.   #80 Danny 18:09  |  Franco 02/05/09
      88.   Cold facts vs. dellusional plattitudes 18:16  |  Michael N 02/05/09
      89.   Shulamit Talks From the back of her head.. 18:33  |  Whiskey/Bravo 02/05/09
      90.   To Yonatan @63 Shulamit Aloni is A LEFT WING ACTIVISTS,BUT! 19:09  |  KATHY 02/05/09
      91.   Spot on, Ms. Aloni 19:15  |  Mitch Katz 02/05/09
      92.   A religious aka crazy war 19:43  |  fritz t. 02/05/09
      93.   "Not democatic" means that I don`l like the outcome of the vote! 20:17  |  Robert 02/05/09
      94.   #64 20:47  |  jennifer 02/05/09
      95.   Dear Lola..This is something that escapes Shulamit. 20:55  |  KATHY 02/05/09
      96.   John Allen 20:56  |  jennifer 02/05/09
      97.   Best summary of Israel today 21:05  |  N 02/05/09
      98.   to Franco #87 21:09  |  zeev 02/05/09
      99.   Doubtful guardians of democracy 21:44  |  Ilan 02/05/09
      100.   To Zeev #93 22:03  |  Franco 02/05/09
      101.   Aloni Israel not a deocracy 22:03  |  Hilda 02/05/09
      102.   No Democracy, No American Support 22:57  |  Carl 02/05/09
      103.   #66- Smadar sputters 23:19  |  peter 02/05/09
      104.   Gazan Civilians Are Culpable 00:02  |  J 03/05/09
      105.   Kathy #95... you obviously do not know whom you are talking about 00:03  |  Esther 03/05/09
      106.   Devolution 00:03  |  Steve 03/05/09
      107.   Hilda in the US 00:17  |  joan 03/05/09
      108.   To Esther in TA (#83): Please explain ... 00:21  |  Morris Valentine 03/05/09
      109.   If by "Democracy" you mean 00:44  |  Schtarker Yid 03/05/09
      110.   #101 Hilda lets do 101 in telling the truth 01:00  |  Labhras 03/05/09
      111.   Not the War Against Hamas but the Occupation Destroying Democracy 01:21  |  Jane 03/05/09
      112.   rabbis compared HAMAS to Amalek, not Palestinians 01:47  |  Justin 03/05/09
      113.   Democracy and national security 02:38  |  allang 03/05/09
      114.   The question is rather "Do animals have their appropriate rights? 03:44  |  nehemia dB 03/05/09
      115.   11. Ivan Grossman, tribal thinking... 04:36  |  Dutch 03/05/09
      116.   There is nothing sad about it anymore --it`s a disgrace 06:04  |  Dutch 03/05/09
      117.   Shulamit Aloni - thank you, at least one good Israeli 06:22  |  Michael 03/05/09
      118.   http://www.avnery-news.co.il/english/index.htm 07:42  |  Hannah 03/05/09
      119.   to Franco #100 - 2nd try 10:01  |  zeev 03/05/09
      120.   Morris Valentine no democracy while apartheid flourishes 11:27  |  andy 03/05/09
      121.   to Steve #105, ill-informed 11:58  |  zeev 03/05/09
      122.   No.86: Norman Blumbers 12:00  |  Observer 03/05/09
      123.   to Dan #5 - 8th try 09:25  |  zeev 04/05/09
      124.   to Alicia #52 - 5th try 09:28  |  zeev 04/05/09
      125.   to Franco #100 - 3rd try 09:32  |  zeev 04/05/09
      126.   Something that escapes Kathy #95 - 3rd try 09:34  |  zeev 04/05/09
      127.   to Steve #105, ill-informed - 2nd try 09:37  |  zeev 04/05/09
      128.   Re: newage blues leave it to you to screw it up 15:15  |  Steve 09/05/09
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