Provocation as strategy

Provocation as strategy


Aharon Lapidot




Israeli Arab MK Hanin Zoabi (National Democratic Assembly) is too easy of a target. Attacking her is no big feat. Her political opponents have already flung every possible insult at her, and then some. Furthermore, to me, freedom of speech is like oxygen and I am a huge believer in allowing opinions that differ from my own to be expressed. That is why I have reservations about criticizing her.


But it is hard for me not to react to Zoabi's disconcerting and irresponsible remarks last week, suggesting that Israel was to blame for the suicide bombing in Burgas two weeks ago (which resulted in the deaths of five Israeli tourists and a Bulgarian bus driver). "Israel is not a victim," she said during an address at Haifa's Gordon College last Thursday. "Even when citizens are murdered, it is Israel's policy that is to blame. If there were no occupation and no oppression, this attack would not have happened."


Zoabi is an active member of parliament who leaves no doubt regarding her political views. She is not a Zionist, and she doesn't even like Zion. But as long as her voters know exactly who they are voting for, there really is no problem. Incidentally, there are a number of Jewish MKs who are by definition not Zionists, and possibly even more extreme than that.


But Zoabi keeps making provocations. I have no doubt that these provocations are not coincidental, but rather a part of her grand political strategy, which can be succinctly described as "drawing fire." It makes sense: as a member of a tiny opposition party she has realized that through media storms and controversy she could gain a lot of attention, make headlines — stand out.


Zoabi rose to notoriety when she physically participated in the Turkish-sponsored flotilla aiming to breach Israel's blockade on Gaza. She was aboard the Mavi Marmara, the flotilla ship aboard which nine Turkish activists were killed during clashes with Israeli commandos. In interviews following the incident she issued harsh criticism against the Israeli soldiers that boarded the ship and against Israel in general. She vowed to participate in future flotillas, "if invited." The media success of her flotilla provocation apparently gave her the impetus to adopt provocation as a strategy.


But saying that Israel was itself to blame for the Burgas attack is more than a provocation. It conveys an inconceivably dangerous message: It is OK to do anything — literally anything — to Israel and to Israeli citizens, women and children, including blowing them up while they are vacationing abroad — because of the occupation. In other words, there are no inhibitions, no stops, no moral reservations, nothing. According to Zoabi, if you are an Israeli you deserve to die because Israel is an occupying power. The epitome of humanism.


I fear that even Zoabi herself isn't fully aware of the significance of her remarks. But while she speaks the words as a provocation, there are quite a few radicals out there who take these words extremely seriously.


In recent days a horrifying video has been going around depicting a candid camera prank show in which Egyptian television interviewees are told mid-interview that they are appearing on Israeli television. The responses are chilling: The interviewees physically assault the female interviewer and the other show employees, strangling and beating them without restraint. They demonstrate a blistering hatred, and it takes the crew quite some time and effort to calm them. Shocking.


Therefore, MK Zoabi, when you make these irresponsible provocations, take these outcomes into consideration.


http://www.israelhayom.com/site/newsletter_opinion.php?id=2325