The Violence, Crisis and Tragedy of Israeli Propaganda
In recent weeks the world is witnessing another round of violence in Israel/Palestine. Though we are accustomed to seeing the same tragic and violent scenario repeat itself, this time it is different. The current wave of resistance stems from a new generation of Palestinian activists who are not affiliated with a particular organization or faction.
Protests include violent and nonviolent demonstrations as well as attacks on Israeli civilians in both the Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPT) and Israel.
The disorganized and sporadic nature of this resistance has caught Israel off guard:
whereas the government is accustomed to respond by mobilizing its military and propaganda (aka “Hasbara”) outlets against predefined Palestinian targets such as Hamas, it currently lacks someone to hold directly accountable. As such, Israel has resorted to collective punishment of Palestinian society and inflammatory anti-Palestinian rhetoric. The latter has generated an environment whereby civilian/vigilante violence is currently surging in Israel.
Violence in various forms is necessary to maintain and expand the Israeli occupation in the OPT and for the domination of and discriminatory limitations placed on Palestinians who live as citizens within pre-’67 borders of Israel. For this purpose, the Israeli government enacts policies that have two goals: 1) segregation of Israelis and Palestinians and; 2) fragmentation of Palestinian society.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu looks on as he chairs a weekly cabinet meeting. [www.timesofisrael.com]
These are aimed at containing Palestinians within predefined territories on the one hand, while denying them the ability to assemble, organize and thus effectively mount protest on the other. Israel has promoted each of these aims individually but also conjointly; the construction of the separation wall effectively creates a barrier between Israeli and Palestinian societies, but also physically dissects Palestinian villages and separates farmers from their land (for example see here). To implement these policies the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) and other branches of Israel’s security forces use violent tactics including curfews, house demolitions, checkpoints, nightly raids, arrests (often without charge) and other routine and often random violence.
Because humans are hard-wired to feel empathy, violence and discrimination need to be morally and ethically justified. For this purpose, Israeli propaganda focuses on two main points: 1) historically linking contested land to Jewish heritage and; 2) dehumanizing Palestinians and their leaders. While the former attempts to provide an inherent Jewish “right” to the land, the latter serves to instill fear and distrust of Palestinians and thus absolve Israelis of any responsibility for their own crimes and those committed in their name.
Quite predictably, because the current wave of resistance does not present the Hasbara with a clear target, it is in crisis. Unaware or indifferent to their underlying racism, Israeli officials have been endorsing vigilante violence and inciting the masses against Palestinians and their leadership of past and present. Some notable examples include the immediate labeling of protesters as suspect of “violence and terrorism”, incendiary remarks by Israeli officials about the current Palestinian leadership, exclusion of Arab-Israeli representatives from official briefings, a call for civilian armament at all times in order to combat “terrorists” and an outrageous claim by Prime Minister Netanyahu claiming that the Mufti of Jerusalem was the impetus behind the Nazi “final solution” for European Jewry.
Segregation and chronic fear lead to an inability to empathize with others’ suffering. When a lack of empathy is combined with incitement of fear and encouragement toward vigilante-style aggression, it produces a dangerous cocktail that leads to unbridled violence. During the past few weeks in Israel these sorts of events have become commonplace including several extra judicial killings of suspects (see here for sample) and a mob-crazed lynching (of a man who happened to be innocent).
If we are to judge by the rhetoric coming from Israeli officials, their inflammatory propaganda will only get worse, and with it more of these vicious and tragic acts of violence. It is clear that in addition to the daily violence of occupation, this escalation in anti-Palestinian rhetoric/propaganda will have tragic consequences not only for Palestinians, but also on Israeli society.
Yoav Litvin is a Doctor of Psychology/ Behavioral Neuroscience
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Instead of giving us new features to customize our posts, we have lost the ability to control the font size of the text in our postings.
When I attempted to use one of the "Headings" settings for this article, the text looked fine in the pre-publish view, but it posted with every word in the paragraph capitalized. So I had to resort to the defauld text in bold.
Anyway, I have little use for Benjamin Netanyahu, the guy is a war monger and a bully. Although I also have little use for the crude and violent nature of the Palestinians, I understand that they are what they are. And I believe Bebe understands that also, but he choses to do and say things to antagonize them so he can show the Israeli people just how tough he can be. (think re-election)
I've said it before and I'll say again. There will never be peace between the Israelis and Palestinians as long as Bebe Netanyahu is in office.
So Bibi, and thus the Israelis, chose their actions while the Palestinians "are what they are", victims of their own unchangeable nature, and unable to chose differently?
Yeah I have to agree with that Larry.
I'd like to see kids here running around stabbing innocent people and not have a cop shot at them. Now I am no fan of Bibi, but what do these innocent bystanders have to do with that?
...what do these innocent bystanders have to do with that?
Lately the innocent bystanders' purpose seems to be that of being easy targets, while the aggressors responsible are actually just what they are....the Israeli's should have chosen to stay off of their own streets I guess.
the Israeli's should have chosen to stay off of their own streets I guess.
What they should 'chosen' is a better leader. If Bibi would tone down his anti-Palestinian rhetoric and stop inflaming the highly inflammable nature of those that are little more than 'what they are', then it may be possible to for the Israelis to come to terms with the Palestinians.
However, Bibi doesn't want to come to terms with the Palestinians. He wants war, he wants to be able to justify leveling the West Bank, so he keeps inciting and antagonizing the Palestinians so they will continue to commit violent acts against Jews.
"He wants war, he wants to be able to justify leveling the West Bank,"
Can you provide any proof for that conjecture on your part? Looks like we have more than one mind-reader on this site. What you said there is incitement.
So Bibi, and thus the Israelis, chose their actions while the Palestinians "are what they are", victims of their own unchangeable nature, and unable to chose differently?
Exactly. The Palestinians are a relatively unsophisticated and uneducated violence oriented society, particularly when compared to the Israelis. If Netanyahu really wanted to stop the violence he would chose to take the lead and end the inflammatory vitriol he constantly levels at the Palestinians.
If I can recognize the crude, violent nature of the Palestinians, I'm sure Bibi, who is a lot smarter than I am, certainly should be able to understand the nature of his countrys' most deadly enemy. We have all seen Netanyahu in action. He is articulate, intelligent, persuasive and can be very forceful. I mean. I'm no middle east expert, so I may be wrong, but I have not seen where the man has made any truly serious attempts to negotiate a peaceful settlement with the Palestinians, at least not negotiations with reasonable demands.
"reasonable demands"? What unreasonable demands has Israel made? Is it unreasonable for Israel to want to be accepted to be a Jewish State? It was created by the UN to be the "Homeland for the Jews". Is it unreasonable for Israel to not want return of the grandchildren of those who are the real refugees which inevitably, because it is a true democracy, would mean that it will become another Sharia Law Muslim state. You want demands? What is Abbas demanding before they even sit down at the table, maybe another thousand terrorists with blood on their hands to be released, right of return for all Palestinians, (Just wait to see what's going to become of Europe), return to pre-1967 borders, which means the Muslims will take over the holiest site in all of Judaism? Look what they've done to Holy Jewish sites already - set them on fire, destroyed artifacts which prove Jewish ancient rights. What else would you like, Jerry?
The Palestinians should not be graded on a curve. They are just as capable of making their own choices; and equally, are responsible for the consequences of their choices. They are not Pavlovian dogs instinctually reacting with violence; but, consciously chose to partake in either recklessness or constructive behavior. Nor are the Palestinians just cogs in a machine that do not move of their own volition. I disagree with your assessment Jerry, and think that type of approach is not merely wrong, but dangerous as well.
I have little use for Benjamin Netanyahu
Of course you don't JV . You don't live in Israel
"There will never be peace between the Israelis and Palestinians as long as Bebe Netanyahu is in office."
Nor will there be even if you put Jesus Christ or Ghandi in that office, as long as the Palestinian leaders, imams and schools continue to incite the Palestinians to commit violence.
So, since both their leaders and, according to Counterpunch, the Israeli Government are encouraging the Palestinians to kill as many Jews as possible, what choice do they have?
Nor will there be even if you put Jesus Christ or Ghandi in that office,
You don't know that.
as long as the Palestinian leaders, imams and schools continue to incite the Palestinians to commit violence.
The Palestinians don't need to be incited by their leaders to commit violence against the Jews. They brought up hating the Jews and the Israeli policies regarding the West Bank to little to counter that hatred.
So, since both their leaders and, according to Counterpunch, the Israeli Government are encouraging the Palestinians to kill as many Jews as possible, what choice do they have?
I have been unable to find where Litvin claims the Israeli government is encouraging Palestinians to commit violence against Israel.
I see that Jerry continues to post articles from the anti-Semitic rag Counterpunch. I guess it's time to start posting articles from Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer for balance.
"I see that Jerry continues to post articles from the anti-Semitic rag Counterpunch."
I knew you would be here Buzz, but I expected you would have a better defense of your most favorite nation than attacking the publication reporting the events.
If you think the author of the article mischaracterized events or misquoted the Prime Minister please feel free to state your case.
I listened to and watched TV reports of the recent Palestinian/Israeli violence on mainstream news outlets, and I had already reached the conclusion that Israel seemed to be over-reacting to the outbreak of violence, long before I found the story on CP. Actually, Israel always seems to over-react to the actions of the Palestinians, and all the main news outlets (with the exception of Fox News), will report on those stories.
I guess it's time to start posting articles from Pamela Geller and Robert Spencer for balance.
You do that, and throw in some stuff reported by American Thinker and Ann Coulter while you're at it. If they misstate the facts (they will) I will respond accordingly.
The author seems to think that it is the Israelis who are inciting violence.
"Israel has resorted to collective punishment of Palestinian society and inflammatory anti-Palestinian rhetoric."
Even the Israelis have criticized Netanyahu for that speech, and so did I, but what else other than attempting to defend Israel's citizens is Israel doing? So you want "incitement"? Why not take a look at these articles:
'Peaceful resistance'? PA, Fatah call to stab and stone Jews
UN quietly suspends UNRWA staff for inciting against Israel
House committee blasts PA over incitement
House Foreign Affairs Committee passes resolution condemning PA incitement, urges State Department to monitor the PA.
When faced with this what is it that you want? The Christian thing - turn the other cheek? Israel is trying to defend itself from enemies that surround it and are sworn to destroy Israel and annihilate the Jews but perhaps you would like the Israelis to kill themselves like they did at Massada. Personally, I'm starting to agree with the shoot to kill and forget the rubber bullets if the Palestinians don't stop their violence.
I am posting like this
Now I am posting like this
Now I am posting like this
Now I am posting like this.
I am posting like this
Let me see about that
It is way past time to quit making excuses for the Palestinians and their violence.
They have a choice, if they want to continue a war with Israel or come to a solution that includes peace. It's up to them.
It's quite evident what they choose, so cut the BS and call them what they are, TERRORISTS....