Gideon Levy is another one of my heroes. He's an Israeli journalist.
Miriam
Mondoweiss
Israeli Palestinians killed Israeli forces at Al Aqsa as act of
religious/nationalist resistance - Levy
Kate on July 16, 20170
Israeli forces outside the Temple Mount/Haram al-Sharif area in the Old City
of Jerusalem, after Friday's attack. Reuters photo.
Violence / Detentions - West Bank / Jerusalem
Opinion: Israelis killing Israelis / Gideon Levy
Haaretz 16 July - Five armed Israelis were killed Friday at the entrance to
the Temple Mount after a brief gun battle. Three Israelis from Umm al-Fahm
killed two police officers from the towns of Maghar and Hurfeish in the
north. Then the assailants were killed, in a fight over control and presence
at this holy and occupied place. The assailants' motives were religious,
nationalist or a combination, but either way, they used violent resistance
against the presence of police at the entrance to what they consider a holy
site. Just the ethnic affiliation of the five would be enough to shuffle the
deck: This wasn't a terror attack like the ones we're used to. The
assailants weren't Palestinians from the territories, their victims weren't
Jewish Israelis, and the operation wasn't a terror attack; terror is
directed against civilians. This wasn't the beginning of a civil war, but it
was a reminder that even in Israel there are people who will join in the
armed struggle against the occupation. It's a reminder that should worry
every Israeli.
Israel's response was knee-jerk, as it always is after an attack where
Israelis are killed. It tried to show that what happens after a Druze in
uniform is killed is the same as what happens after a Jew in uniform is
killed - collective punishment and a harsh response. The Temple Mount was
closed for two days because something had to be done, and the mourning tents
in Umm al-Fahm were demolished - perhaps as an alternative to demolishing
the assailants' homes - an infuriating infringement on the right to mourn.
Would anyone even think to prevent Jews from sitting shivah no matter who
they were?
Politicians also vied to see who could condemn the attack in harsher terms,
as if that mattered . And above all, once again, no one is asking why it
happened and why it will still happen many more times. The killing of two
policemen is a serious incident; the fact that Israelis killed them makes it
worse. But even incidents like these have a motive, a reason and deep roots.
Discussing them is considered treason and a justification of terror. Israel
doesn't even ask itself whether it's worth it to pay the price of this
bloodshed for control of Al-Aqsa or the Tomb of the Patriarchs, the refugee
camp at Balata or Jenin. It prevents these questions from coming up because
it knows full well the answers and it flees them as from fire..
http://www.haaretz.com/opinion/.premium-1.801468