Yediot Aharonot says that „Against the of the political argument, the Israeli Left has a monopoly in the human rights field.
Summary of Editorials from the Hebrew Press
Yediot Aharonot says that „Against the of the political argument, the Israeli Left has a monopoly in the human rights field. According to a comparison that – for some reason – seems logical to everyone, those who support hallucinatory withdrawals and peace agreements are necessarily those who look out for human rights, for our morality. The blame for the creation of this distorted picture lies mostly with the Right. It has lowered its head without protest in the face of the stereotype that has been made for it. One cannot argue with facts: The Association for Civil Rights, Machsom [Roadblock] Watch, Doctors for Human Rights and many other good organizations belong, strongly, to the political Left. The Right has practically no organizations dedicated to human rights and when such an organization is established in Judea and Samaria, it looks out for settlers, almost exclusively – as a counter to the selective left-wing organizations. If we set aside the familiar populist discourse for a moment, it is clear that harsh situations created due to the need to deal with Palestinian terrorism in Judea and Samaria give rise to questions among those who vote for the right-wing parties as well. There is no black-and-white, neither in politics nor in ethics. Moreover, even if it seems today that human rights are a left-wing issue, this wasn’t always the case. It was Menachem Begin, the right-wing leader, who unfurled the flag of protest, in the 1960s’, against the military administration and the infringement of Israeli Arabs’ rights, despite the security concerns. Against him were figures of the Old Left. Since then, we have fought and occupied, but substantive concepts of ethics have not changed; the Right has just given up on the right and duty to lead them. The cause of this may be seen in a superficial antagonism. The left-wing human rights organizations are not satisfied with upholding our ethics and overseeing human rights, important enough work in and of itself. They are also trying to enforce an extreme left-wing worldview. Some of them even question the legitimacy of the State of Israel, while spreading venom and destructive criticism instead of building. The Right sees this and is deterred, but one cannot compute costs and benefits without them. There is simply nobody else. The absence of the Right from the human rights discourse strengthens the monopoly of those organizations and the need for them, despite the damage they do to the State. And if this is not enough, this reality gives rise to distorted myths such that it is impossible to fight terrorism and, at the same time, uphold the rights of others. It is not simple to find the golden mean, but the right-wing does not have the privilege of continuing to stick its head in the sand. With or without withdrawals, the Palestinians will stay here and they must be looked out for, in the spirit of Israel.”
Ma’ariv comments on the upheavals in the Arab world and says that „In the old days, the official media, for all intents and purposes, controlled the dissemination of mendacious information that served the rulers.” However, the author adds, „You Tube, Facebook and Twitter allow the citizens of Arab countries to bypass the official channels and expose the regimes’ frauds.” The paper asserts that, „From Israel’s point-of-view, the nakedness of the Arab rulers, who for decades tried to sell opium to the masses, has been revealed. Using the excuse of the need for a strong stand against the Zionist enemy and imperialism, they neglected their peoples’ welfare and repressed them.” The paper notes that Syrian President Bashar Assad is still hewing to the old line and is accusing Israel, „of inciting the masses,” but contends that the demonstrators are not buying this.
Yisrael Hayom claims that „The sense of pressure among the Syrian leadership has been growing in recent days.” The author says that „The eleven years of Bashar Assad’s rule have been marked by absolute adherence to the interests of Tehran and Hezbollah,” and adds that „It is no wonder that opposition sources have reported the entry of disguised Revolutionary Guards and Hezbollah units into Syria in order to aid in quelling the disturbances. Syria is too important to Iran to let it fall.” The paper asserts that „Syria is a crucial part of an axis of international terrorism led by Iran, that is active in Bahrain and the other Gulf states, runs through Damascus and operates freely in Lebanon. This axis, encouraged by Damascus, opposes the peace process and initiates terrorism against Israel.” However, the author believes that „The Syrian people are tired of Bashar Assad’s regime and its failure to move their country forward. The alliance with the Shi’ites in the region, which is directed against the Sunni population in Lebanon, only increases Syrians’ anger.” The paper calls on the West to, „increase international pressure on Damascus and support the demonstrators and Syrian opposition forces. They have it in their power to create a better future not only for their country, but for the entire region.”
Haaretz feels that the Syrians should be left to solve their problems themselves, while noting that “The crisis in Syria will have important implications for Israel’s strategic situation.” The editor declares: “Israel needs to avoid any open or covert involvement in these events to the north, whether verbal or in terms of action.”
BreuerPress
