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      E    E    D    D    D #                3| x      B )     Z 	 . B r a g g a d o c i o   R e g u l a r              
    !          X       
       N   X X         N AVoicefromHebron#   N   Ȃ   # #   X  X  Nc   #    	 ;    byGaryM.Cooperberg @   ̀ DemocracyfortheLeftonly   &(= &  X X November9,1997#   X  X & &(=X  #    	 6             TheassassinationofYitzchakRabin,notsurprisingly,ignitedabacklashofvenomoushatredbythelefttowardthealleged rightwinginIsrael,aswellastowardreligiousJewsofalltypes.ItwasdeclaredthatallwhoprotestedthetreasonofOslowere,insomeway,responsibleforthemurderoftheprimeminister.PostersandsloganscallingRabinatraitorwerenowheldupasinstrumentsofmurder.Yetthosewhousedthesamekindofslogans,andevenworse,againstformerprimeminister,MenachemBegin,andArielSharoninthepast,hadeveryrighttoexpresstheirfeelingsinsuchacrudemannersincenoonemurderedeitheroneofthem.Itistheheightofhypocrisytolistentocriesforpeaceandtolerancebythosewhowouldcrushtheirpoliticaladversariesbyanymeansattheirdisposal.     LastSaturdaynightalynchmobgatheredinTelAvivonthesecondanniversaryofRabinsdeath.TensofthousandscameallegedlytomournforRabin,butinsteadturnedthegatheringintoanuglyplatformforpoliticalopportunism.MembersofthegovernmentwerenotwelcomenorwereJewswearingkipot.NatanSharansky,whohadthecouragetocomeandattempttosilencethelynchϜatmosphere,wasbooedbythecrowd.     AllweeklongtheIsraelimediausedtheoccasionofRabinsyahrzeitaslicencetoaccusethePrimeMinisterofresponsibilityforthemurder.ThosewhocondemnedthedisplayingofpostersprotestingRabin,shamelesslydisplayedapostershowingthelatePrimeMinsterRabinaboveanotherpictureofNetanyahuwiththephrase Wewillnotforget.Wewillnotforgive.ImplicationsandoutrightaccusationshavebeenrepeatedoverandoveronIsraelradioandtelevisionsuggestingthatNetanyahuwassomehowresponsiblefortheassassination.And,togetherwiththePrimeMinister,allthoseconsideredeitherrightwingorreligiousareincludedintheselfrighteouscondemnations.     TheelevationtomartyrdomofthemanwhobegantheprocessofsurrendertothePLOinviolationofIsraelilawthusplacingtheJewishStateinthemostdangeroussituationithasfacedsince1948,seemstohavesilencedallprotesttothisuglyvilificationcampaign.LaborMkshaveshamelesslypetitionedtheKnessetspeakernottoallowtheprimeministerofIsraeltoaddresstheKnessettocommemorateRabin!Oppositionleader,Barak,wastednotimetousethemassivelynchatmosphereofthisgatheringtocastigatethePrimeMinisterandruthlesslyusedtheheatedemotionsofhatredtofosterhispersonalpoliticalaspirationsandcondemnhisrival,Netanyahu.HeparodiedRabinspeacespeech,announcinghismilitarynumberandcomparinghimselftoRabinasawarheropledgingtocontinuetowagethebattleforpeacebeg iunbyhismartyr dedleader.     Itwouldseemthattoday,muchliketwoyearsago,theintensityofrighteoushatredandaccusationsofcollectiveguilt,havereachedsuchapitchastosilencealloppositionandlendafurtherairofjustificationtothosewhospewtheirpoison.     Itisincrediblethatnoonefromtheallegedrightseemstohavenoticedtheobviousfactthatthepredictableresultofthisassassinationisexactlywhatwesee...unbridledattacksagainsttherightwingandreligiouselementsofIsraelisociety.Ratherthanreacttothisceaselesscampaignofvenomoushatred,theaccusedaresilencedbytheirownridiculousmisplacedsenseofguilt.Inanydemocraticsocietypeoplehavetherighttoprotestagainstpolicieswhichtheyfeelareharmfultothemortotheircountry.Thatsomeonemurderedaprimeministerwhowastheobjectofprotestcannot,inanyway,justifythefoistingofblameupontheprotesters.Itisthisveryatmosphere,justifyingtheconceptofcollectiveblame,whichenabledanallegedlydemocraticcourttoconvictShmuelSackettandMosheFeiglinofseditionforthe crimeoforganizingpeacefulprotestsagainstagovernmentwhichdisregardedthewillofthegoverned.   	 -'+0        NetanyahuneverwouldhavedreamedofasmuchasvilifyingRabin.Theformerprimeministerdidthattohimselfbetterthananyoneevercoulddo.Netanyahuwouldhavecertainlywontheelectionhadtherenotbeenanassassination.Itisnothinglessthanamiraclethathewaselectedinitsaftermath.ClearlythepredictableresultsoftheassassinationshouldhavecatapultedPeresintoaneasyvictory.IfPereshadhadanypoliticalcourage,hewouldhavepressedforearlyelectionsandwouldhavebeenash ewoo in.Instead,despitethevitriolichatredtowardtherightgeneratedbytheassassination,Netanyahumanagedtodefeathim.Thiswasnotapredictableresultoftheassassination,ratheranabsolutesurprise.ItisatributetothepeopleofIsraeltohaverisenabovethemasshysteriaandelectNetanyahuatthistime.     Nonetheless,itisoutrageousthatnow,whileheisinpower,NetanyahuhastakennolegalactionagainstthosewhoareusingthemurderofRabinasatooltofantheflamesofhatredtopromotepartisanpoliticalinterests.OnesimplycannotturnontheradioortelevisioninIsraelwithouthearingLeahRabinpronouncingsentenceuponallthosewhomsheseesaspartnersinthemurderofherhusband.Themediaelevatestherantingofananguishedwidowtotheunchallengeablepronouncementsofthewifeofademigod.Thisisclearlyincitementwithoutprecedent.ItisanefforttobrainwashtheviewersandlistenerstoaccepttheabsurdandoutrageouseffortsofthelefttoϜdelegitimizeanentiresegmentoftheIsraelipopulationwhodonotaccepttheirideaof peace.Thereisnoescapeandthereisnorebuttal.Andtheycallthisdemocracy.