Dear All,
I have created a group named Israel winning the Battle of Ideas on facebook many years ago then I care to remember. In this group, I tried to show the beautiful face of Israel. It has technology articles as well as the great charity Israel does. Above all, it tried to show how important, positive and moral Israel is despite the complicated situation. I kept the effort for many years. Bringing more people and diversified posts.
I always believed that despite the tremendous pressure put on Israel we are winning and we will win as long as we keep our commitment to try to achieve reasonable justice and will strive to treat our none Jewish citizens as equal rights citizens.
I always believed that in the long run, Israeli Arab citizens (as there is evidence they are) will want to belong to a country where there are progress and justice even if there is no equal opportunity in practice. The statement that there is a goal of providing at least a reasonable opportunity while striving for equal rights is an important one.
I never believed that I will witness the day that none Jewish citizens will be classified as second-rate citizens by definition.
Israel can still be defined as the homeland of the Jewish People while keeping the Hatikva Anthem and the Star of David Flag and at the same time promote equal rights to its none Jewish citizens.
Bad winds are now blowing full swing in Israel. In the name of imaginary or none imaginary threats, the government of Israel headed by Benjamin Netanyahu decided to pass a law defining Israel as the homeland of the Jewish people while not ensuring the equal rights of none Jewish citizens. This is in a complete opposite to the declaration of Independence and the spirit of the founding fathers of Israel.
Despite popular thinking, this law has practical implications vis a vis the Arab citizens now, and will also carry grave consequences in the future.
This law had opposition by people in the caliber of current Member of Knesset Bani Begin (the son of the late Prime Minister Menachem Begin, A Likud member) and others who specifically objected to the absence of the equal rights clause. Beni Begin described how he was intentionally barred from the subcommittee in the Knesset discussing the law despite being part of the overall debate because of his objections. The whole intention of creating the sub-committee was to bar the opposition of MK Beni Begin.
I can’t express well enough how disheartened I am by the vile public debate and the incitement led by Prime minister Netanyahu, his government ministers and cronies against anyone opposing him.
The vile and stigmatized debate labeling anyone who objects the law in his current form as a betrayer of the state of Israel is actually quite frightening.
I decided that at this point in time and in the face of the current predicament I can’t with a full heart put an effort into this group. Israel after this law is not winning the battle of Ideas – It just lost it.
It is my little own protest at the current law and the face of public debate.
I am not closing the group but just ceasing to be an active member. For me, it is a big deal. Perhaps just another brick in the wall perhaps it is only temporary. Time will tell.
Thank you for your support.
Dan D. Aridor
System D 