-Caveat Lector-
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 03 Dec 1999 10:00:17 +0200
From: Arutz-7 Editor <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Arutz-7 Op-Ed: NON-VIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
Arutz Sheva Israel National Radio Op-Ed
NON-VIOLENT CIVIL DISOBEDIENCE
by Moti Karpel
Note: This article, which was written several weeks ago, has
taken on added significance in light of the events in Seattle
this week.
In This Article:
1. What Lies Ahead
2. The Option
3. At the Foundations of Democracy
4. From Our Experience
WHAT LIES AHEAD
With the onset of the era of the final withdrawals, the last
phase of Israeli national self-destruction has begun. We are in
for further, more drastic withdrawals - that is, if we do not
find a way to stop them. Make no mistake about it: should we
choose not to engage in an authentic struggle against current
Israeli policy, residents of both the Golan Heights and Yesha -
the latter will be transferred to "settlement blocs" - better
start packing their bags. All of us by now should realize that
the dismantling of Yesha outposts several weeks ago was just the
beginning. Should we, the Jewish people, choose to remain
apathetic, nothing will stand in the way of what appears to be
the imminent suicide of the Zionist state.
THE OPTION
For someone unsatisfied with the lip-service of symbolic
objections, but who, on the other hand, understands that violence
would seriously harm the no-less important - and apparently more
important - value of 'unity of the Jewish people,' there is only
one option: A widespread popular struggle, grounded in the
principle of non-violent civil disobedience. Under the
circumstances, only such a struggle can bring the desired
results.
Non-violent civil disobedience can take on a variety of forms:
settlement activity in violation of government policy; the
re-establishment of dismantled settlements; tax rebellion;
blocking intersections; refusal to adhere to army orders;
conscientious objection to military draft, etc. The common
denominator of all these is the complete negation of the use of
violence, the refusal to follow orders perceived as illegal or
immoral, and the willingness to pay the price in the form of
arrest and even imprisonment.
AT THE FOUNDATIONS OF DEMOCRACY
We should begin our efforts with the confidence that the
principle of non-violent civil disobedience lies at the very
foundation of western democratic tradition. Some years ago, our
country's political left invested enormous amounts of energy in
an effort to articulate this point, publishing volumes such as
"On Democracy and Obedience" and "The Limits of Obedience." Among
those defending the citizen's right to engage in civil
disobedience were former Supreme Court Justice Chaim Cohen,
Professor Asa Kasher, who penned what became known as the "IDF
Code of Ethics," and others. Even far-left Meretz chief Yossi
Sarid made his opinion known, and in a June, 1990 article in
Yediot Acharonot - headlined "This is the Red Line" - he wrote:
"The day on which the transfer order [of Palestinians from their
homes in Judea and Samaria] is given - a patently illegal order -
will be the day of refusal to carry out these orders."
But we need look no look further than the Torah giant,
Maimonides, for our moral guidance. "It is obvious that if a King
issues a ruling to negate a particular mitzvah [commandment],"
writes the Rambam in his epic work Mishneh Torah, Kings 3, 9,
"that we may not adhere to his command."
Despite its supposed ideological commitment to the right of
non-violent civil disobedience, the political left has, for years
now, been seeking to delegitimize such behavior - for the simple
reason that the left fears the effective use of such an approach
by believing Jews identified with the national political camp.
For the Israeli left, virtually any statement rooted in classical
Jewish sources is termed "incitement", while every op-ed piece in
the right-wing press is "a call to murder." Such accusations are
inevitably followed by calls upon the Attorney-General to "open a
criminal investigation" against the source of the
politically-incorrect statement. The media, the State Attorney's
office, and the police join forces to squelch any manifestation
of freedom of speech.
FROM OUR EXPERIENCE
Even when a successful program of non-violent civil disobedience
finally gets off the ground, it is quickly stifled by "the strong
arm of the law."
A classic example of this is the "Zo Artzeinu" struggle of the
mid- 1990's. The campaign, in which the demonstrators did not
employ even a shred of violence, was crushed through one method
only: police brutality. The police violence benefited from the
full, uncritical support of our media. The current Nimrodi saga
has provided us with a superb lesson in the workings of the
coordinated agendas of our police, and that watchdog of Israeli
democracy - the media.
Sadly, the extensive campaign aimed at brainwashing Israelis to
believe that non-violent civil disobedience is not legitimate has
been quite effective. Even many 'Jews of faith' now view such
behavior to be improper from both a Jewish and a democratic
perspective. Some of us have even become convinced that it was
Zo Artzeinu, and not the police department, that employed the
violence. The quest for "political correctness" and a tendency
to bleeding-heartedness have no doubt contributed to this
phenomenon. In addition, the urge to manifest the proper
expression of "allegiance to the State" - an important concept,
but not relevant here - has also made its mark.
It is impossible to silence the principled position that sees in
the destruction of Jewish communities in Eretz Yisrael and the
expulsion of their residents as an illegal and immoral act. No
nationally-aware Jew can remain silent in the face of this, or
even 'fulfill his obligation' with a mere vocal protest. Alas,
what is most tragic - and even foolish - about the cycle of
delegitimization of such protests is the results that this
approach is bound to produce. A society that does not encourage,
or at the very least permit, a supervised, legitimate and
expression of political and moral positions, a society that uses
various means to silence divergent views on the fate of the
country, is one that effectively invites the outbreak of such an
unhealthy, violent, chaotic expression of these energies.
Whomsoever is concerned about our Israeli democracy and the unity
of the Jewish People - let him not challenge the legitimacy of a
campaign of civil non-violence.
* * * * * *
Moti Karpel is a founder of LeChatchila for Jewish Leadership,
and editor of its bi-weekly publication.
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FROM THE DESK OF: <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
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The Best Way To Destroy Enemies Is To Change Them To Friends
Shalom, A Salaam Aleikum, and to all, A Good Day.
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