It's The Settlers - Not The Ultra-Orthodox - That Threaten Israel Most [View all]
By Gideon Levy | Feb.10, 2013
Israel hates. First of all it hates Arabs, in a deep and purifying way. A mixture of dehumanization, fear and nationalism are at work in Israel. It also hates Muslims, even if they come from Chechnya. Israel hates migrants and refugees ? especially if they are black ? only a little less, and refers to them, diabolically, as “infiltrators.” And Israel also hates ? but less ? those within society who are different: first and foremost, the ultra-Orthodox.
Like every kind of hatred, hatred of the ultra-Orthodox has its sources, motives and reasons, only some of which are justified. Everything about the ultra-Orthodox is different ? their language, values, culture and, of course, faith. They remind us of the Diaspora of our ancestors, which we want to forget. They themselves contribute to hatred toward them with ugly manifestations of violence toward those different from them and by their arrogance, as if their values are the only ones and the absolute ones, by their intolerance toward the customs of secular people and by their aspiration to force their customs on everyone else.
They are perceived as “parasites,” who live off society and do not serve in the army, almost a crime in Israeli society ? they do not “share the burden.” The fact that, nevertheless, they are one of the two poorest groups in the country does not arouse any compassion or sympathy.
To the secular majority, which considers itself liberal, the ultra-Orthodox have only themselves to blame for their poverty, as if the secular poor people are not to blame for their poverty, as if the state does not have to take care of all its poor.
MORE...
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/it-s-the-settlers-not-the-ultra-orthodox-that-threaten-israel-most.premium-1.502508
= new reply since forum marked as read
