Interior Min. should learn from himself: Don’t punish community for group of extremists

Mairav Zonszein By Mairav Zonszein January 1, 2012 | Edit

The Jerusalem Post reports that Israeli Interior Minister Eli Yishai has warned against punishing the entire Orthodox community for the behavior of a small group of extremists:

“Everyone knows that we are talking about a small group within haredi society, but there is incitement against all of the haredim,” Yishai stated in an Army Radio interview.

So the Interior Minister’s message is not to punish and discriminate against an entire society for the conduct of small extremist groups? To be humble and understanding and moderate? What an interesting concept (cough, Palestinians, cough)!

But in this case, after reading Larry’s report about police complicity with religious violence, I’m not so sure Yishai has the right to claim this is not an endemic problem.

Mairav Zonszein

Mairav Zonszein is a journalist and editor who writes about Israel-Palestine and its role in U.S. politics. Her publications include The Guardian, The New York Times, The Washington Post, The New York Review of Books, The Intercept, VICE News, Foreign Policy and many more.

<p>End of article module for Members</p>

TEST TEST GAL Our team has been devastated by the horrific events of this latest war. The world is reeling from Israel’s unprecedented onslaught on Gaza, inflicting mass devastation and death upon besieged Palestinians, as well as the atrocious attack and kidnappings by Hamas in Israel on October 7. Our hearts are with all the people and communities facing this violence.    We are in an extraordinarily dangerous era in Israel-Palestine. The bloodshed has reached extreme levels of brutality and threatens to engulf the entire region. Emboldened settlers in the West Bank, backed by the army, are seizing the opportunity to intensify their attacks on Palestinians. The most far-right government in Israel’s history is ramping up its policing of dissent, using the cover of war to silence Palestinian citizens and left-wing Jews who object to its policies.   This escalation has a very clear context, one that +972 has spent the past 14 years covering: Israeli society’s growing racism and militarism, entrenched occupation and apartheid, and a normalized siege on Gaza.   We are well positioned to cover this perilous moment – but we need your help to do it. This terrible period will challenge the humanity of all of those working for a better future in this land. Palestinians and Israelis are already organizing and strategizing to put up the fight of their lives.   Can we count on your support? +972 Magazine is a leading media voice of this movement, a desperately needed platform where Palestinian and Israeli journalists, activists, and thinkers can report on and analyze what is happening, guided by humanism, equality, and justice. Join us.

Make a Donation