Yep its that time of year again when the Left accuse more than half of Israel (the Right) for killing former PM Yitzhak Rabin. To prove my point even centrist Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid was booed and jeered when he told a recent memorial rally in Tel Aviv not all of the right-wing killed Rabin."
This annual charade this orchestrated political frenzy of remembering Rabin has lasted about two weeks in Israel due to the discrepancy between his Yahrtzeit (death date in the Hebrew calendar) and the day of his murder Nov. 4th in the secular calendar.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett blasted the Tel Aviv rally calling it a shameful leftist protest." In response to the crowds loud heckling of Minister of Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbis speech at the event Bennett wrote: Booing against Hanegbi. The right did not kill Rabin Yigal Amir did."
As a leader on the right who opposes a Palestinian state I am tired of the annual false accusations from the left." Bennett added The lesson from the extreme left its the rights fault."
The Left religiously" bemoans every year how the Rabin Legacy" is disappearing. There might be some truth to that. According to a recent opinion poll from the Jewish People Policy Institute only about 15 percent of Israeli Jews planned to attend memorial events dedicated to Rabin this year. The numbers continue to decline year after year.
But why? Maybe people are tired of being berated by the Left? Maybe the Left has a distorted memory of Rabin?
But whats not disappearing so fast is memory of his quick wit foul mouth and the vitriol he threw at his opponents regularly.
Who can forget Rabins diatribe against citizens living on the Golan Heights when he started Peace" talks with Syria They can spin around and around like propellers..." Imagine what the situation in the north would be like today if Israel had given away the Golan.
Or Rabin calling suffering Israelis hiding in bomb shelters Crybabies" because they complained about coming under Hezbollah rocket fire in northern Israel and called on the Israeli government to put an end to the missile attacks.
Earlier in his career Rabin called the nascent Samarian town of Kedumim a bloated fart." And said Gush Emunim the religious Zionist settlement movement...is comparable to a cancer in the tissue of Israels democratic society."
Name calling political opponents seems to be something Rabin and Trump both have in common.
But thats probably the only thing they have in common. What they dont have in common is drinking smoking and womanizing. Rabin was a chain-smoker and evidently an alcoholic too. Ezer Weizman revealed that Rabin had suffered a collapse on the eve of the Six Day War and was temporarily relieved of his duties. Trump never touched the stuff. But he has touched a few women in his day. Whereas Rabin seems to have been a faithful husband.
Leah Rabin and her husband certainly were like mindedSometimes I think despite the fact that we are Jewish and the right is Jewish that it would be easier to find a common language with Palestinians and Arabs" she told an interviewer once. Because we the right and left in Israel live on two different planets." In contrast to her rebuke of the Israeli Right after Rabins murder she said she was moved by the condolences offered by PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat.
Imagine that good friend" and terrorist mastermind Arafat?
And who can forget Rabins disgustingly coarse description of victims of Palestinian suicide bombings as Korbanot LShalom" (sacrifices for peace) while Jews died and the nation screamed out in pain.
The Peace Process must go on at all costs" could have been Rabins slogan.
Contrast that with Trumps response to the Nazi-like slaughter of 11 innocent American Jews in Pittsburgh attending Sabbath services recently:
I want to address the horrible shooting that took place earlier today. The hearts of all Americans are filled with grief following the monstrous killing of Jewish Americans at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Youve all seen it weve been watching it Its horrible..."
This evil anti-Semitic attack is an assault on all of us. Its an assault on humanity. It will require all of us working together to extract the hateful poison of anti-Semitism from our world. This was an anti-Semitic attack at its worst. The scourge of anti-Semitism cannot be ignored cannot be tolerated and it cannot be allowed to continue. We cant allow it to continue. It must be confronted and condemned everywhere it rears its very ugly head."
We must stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters to defeat anti-Semitism and vanquish the forces of hate thats what it is. Through the centuries the Jews have endured terrible persecution and you know that weve all read it weve studied it. Theyve gone through a lot and those seeking their destruction we will seek their the anti-Semites destruction."
And when you have crimes like this whether its this one or another one on another group we have to bring back the death penalty they have to pay the ultimate price. They have to pay the ultimate price they cant do this. They cant do this to our country we must draw a line in the sand and say very strongly never again. Tonight everyone in this arena and every citizen across the land sends our prayers to the victims and their families. And we all do."
Quite a contrast with Rabins Korbanot LShalom" after Jews suffered from murderous Palestinian anti-Semitism.
The Talmud Yoma 22b can provide a framework to understand whats going on R. Huna explained: Saul sinned once and it brought calamity upon him he lost his kingship David sinned twice and it did not bring evil upon him. What was the one sin of Saul? The affair with Agag not killing the Amalekite king after capturing him in war. What were the two sins of David? The sin against Uriah and that of taking a census counting the people to which he was enticed."
Both of Davids sins were considered personal and he kept his right to the kingship while Sauls one sin was of a national-political nature and therefor he lost the right to rule.
Similarly Trumps name calling is of a personal-attack nature so too his other indiscretions were personal.
But with Rabin the name calling was meant to delegitimize vast numbers whole sectors of the Israeli population so that he could carry out his ill-conceived political policies. And so too today the Lefts annual Guilt-In" which is meant to cower and shut-up those who disagree with their delusional peace" policies.
And lets not forget the Rabin Legacy." After firing on the ship the Altelana in 1948 Rabin commanding soldiers on the shore ordered the fledgling IDF to open-fire on defenseless Irgunists in the water fleeing the sinking ship killing many.
Much Jewish blood was on his hands...
While Trump has sworn to protect Americans beefing-up Americas defense posture and pursuing an America First" agenda; in contrast Rabin helped establish a Palestinian beachhead on the Israeli body politic a terrorist mini-state in our midst that has led to thousands of deaths.
So Trump like King David has had personal failings but that didnt cause either of them to lose leadership. With all that could be said against Trump at least he has tried to defend America from external enemies and protect Americans from internal enemies as well.
That couldnt be said of the Rabin Legacy." Rabins sins were of a national-political nature issues of war peace and the land of Israel just like that of King Saul and so too like Saul he fell.
Pity Yitzhak Rabin didnt put Israel First."
Pity Yitzhak Rabin wasnt Israels Trump!
Ariel Natan Pasko an independent analyst and consultant has a Masters Degree specializing in International Relations Political Economy & Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites and in newspapers. His latest articles can also be read on his archive: The Think Tank by Ariel Natan Pasko.
(c) 2018/5779 Pasko
Yep its that time of year again when the Left accuse more than half of Israel (the Right) for killing former PM Yitzhak Rabin. To prove my point even centrist Yair Lapid of Yesh Atid was booed and jeered when he told a recent memorial rally in Tel Aviv not all of the right-wing killed Rabin."
This annual charade this orchestrated political frenzy of remembering Rabin has lasted about two weeks in Israel due to the discrepancy between his Yahrtzeit (death date in the Hebrew calendar) and the day of his murder Nov. 4th in the secular calendar.
Education Minister Naftali Bennett blasted the Tel Aviv rally calling it a shameful leftist protest." In response to the crowds loud heckling of Minister of Regional Cooperation Tzachi Hanegbis speech at the event Bennett wrote: Booing against Hanegbi. The right did not kill Rabin Yigal Amir did."
As a leader on the right who opposes a Palestinian state I am tired of the annual false accusations from the left." Bennett added The lesson from the extreme left its the rights fault."
The Left religiously" bemoans every year how the Rabin Legacy" is disappearing. There might be some truth to that. According to a recent opinion poll from the Jewish People Policy Institute only about 15 percent of Israeli Jews planned to attend memorial events dedicated to Rabin this year. The numbers continue to decline year after year.
But why? Maybe people are tired of being berated by the Left? Maybe the Left has a distorted memory of Rabin?
But whats not disappearing so fast is memory of his quick wit foul mouth and the vitriol he threw at his opponents regularly.
Who can forget Rabins diatribe against citizens living on the Golan Heights when he started Peace" talks with Syria They can spin around and around like propellers..." Imagine what the situation in the north would be like today if Israel had given away the Golan.
Or Rabin calling suffering Israelis hiding in bomb shelters Crybabies" because they complained about coming under Hezbollah rocket fire in northern Israel and called on the Israeli government to put an end to the missile attacks.
Earlier in his career Rabin called the nascent Samarian town of Kedumim a bloated fart." And said Gush Emunim the religious Zionist settlement movement...is comparable to a cancer in the tissue of Israels democratic society."
Name calling political opponents seems to be something Rabin and Trump both have in common.
But thats probably the only thing they have in common. What they dont have in common is drinking smoking and womanizing. Rabin was a chain-smoker and evidently an alcoholic too. Ezer Weizman revealed that Rabin had suffered a collapse on the eve of the Six Day War and was temporarily relieved of his duties. Trump never touched the stuff. But he has touched a few women in his day. Whereas Rabin seems to have been a faithful husband.
Leah Rabin and her husband certainly were like mindedSometimes I think despite the fact that we are Jewish and the right is Jewish that it would be easier to find a common language with Palestinians and Arabs" she told an interviewer once. Because we the right and left in Israel live on two different planets." In contrast to her rebuke of the Israeli Right after Rabins murder she said she was moved by the condolences offered by PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat.
Imagine that good friend" and terrorist mastermind Arafat?
And who can forget Rabins disgustingly coarse description of victims of Palestinian suicide bombings as Korbanot LShalom" (sacrifices for peace) while Jews died and the nation screamed out in pain.
The Peace Process must go on at all costs" could have been Rabins slogan.
Contrast that with Trumps response to the Nazi-like slaughter of 11 innocent American Jews in Pittsburgh attending Sabbath services recently:
I want to address the horrible shooting that took place earlier today. The hearts of all Americans are filled with grief following the monstrous killing of Jewish Americans at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh Pennsylvania. Youve all seen it weve been watching it Its horrible..."
This evil anti-Semitic attack is an assault on all of us. Its an assault on humanity. It will require all of us working together to extract the hateful poison of anti-Semitism from our world. This was an anti-Semitic attack at its worst. The scourge of anti-Semitism cannot be ignored cannot be tolerated and it cannot be allowed to continue. We cant allow it to continue. It must be confronted and condemned everywhere it rears its very ugly head."
We must stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters to defeat anti-Semitism and vanquish the forces of hate thats what it is. Through the centuries the Jews have endured terrible persecution and you know that weve all read it weve studied it. Theyve gone through a lot and those seeking their destruction we will seek their the anti-Semites destruction."
And when you have crimes like this whether its this one or another one on another group we have to bring back the death penalty they have to pay the ultimate price. They have to pay the ultimate price they cant do this. They cant do this to our country we must draw a line in the sand and say very strongly never again. Tonight everyone in this arena and every citizen across the land sends our prayers to the victims and their families. And we all do."
Quite a contrast with Rabins Korbanot LShalom" after Jews suffered from murderous Palestinian anti-Semitism.
The Talmud Yoma 22b can provide a framework to understand whats going on R. Huna explained: Saul sinned once and it brought calamity upon him he lost his kingship David sinned twice and it did not bring evil upon him. What was the one sin of Saul? The affair with Agag not killing the Amalekite king after capturing him in war. What were the two sins of David? The sin against Uriah and that of taking a census counting the people to which he was enticed."
Both of Davids sins were considered personal and he kept his right to the kingship while Sauls one sin was of a national-political nature and therefor he lost the right to rule.
Similarly Trumps name calling is of a personal-attack nature so too his other indiscretions were personal.
But with Rabin the name calling was meant to delegitimize vast numbers whole sectors of the Israeli population so that he could carry out his ill-conceived political policies. And so too today the Lefts annual Guilt-In" which is meant to cower and shut-up those who disagree with their delusional peace" policies.
And lets not forget the Rabin Legacy." After firing on the ship the Altelana in 1948 Rabin commanding soldiers on the shore ordered the fledgling IDF to open-fire on defenseless Irgunists in the water fleeing the sinking ship killing many.
Much Jewish blood was on his hands...
While Trump has sworn to protect Americans beefing-up Americas defense posture and pursuing an America First" agenda; in contrast Rabin helped establish a Palestinian beachhead on the Israeli body politic a terrorist mini-state in our midst that has led to thousands of deaths.
So Trump like King David has had personal failings but that didnt cause either of them to lose leadership. With all that could be said against Trump at least he has tried to defend America from external enemies and protect Americans from internal enemies as well.
That couldnt be said of the Rabin Legacy." Rabins sins were of a national-political nature issues of war peace and the land of Israel just like that of King Saul and so too like Saul he fell.
Pity Yitzhak Rabin didnt put Israel First."
Pity Yitzhak Rabin wasnt Israels Trump!
Ariel Natan Pasko an independent analyst and consultant has a Masters Degree specializing in International Relations Political Economy & Policy Analysis. His articles appear regularly on numerous news/views and think-tank websites and in newspapers. His latest articles can also be read on his archive: The Think Tank by Ariel Natan Pasko.
(c) 2018/5779 Pasko