A Black Day for Israel Democracy

Friday, December 18 2015

UPDATE 6:00 pm Israel time

***Palestinian terrorism in the last hour . . .

At 5:39 pm, Palestinian terrorists attempted to breach the Gaza border fence in the midst of a riot there. IDF forces shot and wounded 3 terrorists.

At 5:17 pm, a Palestinian terrorist was shot and killed north of Ofra as he attempted to carry out a terrorist attack.

***Palestinian terrorism during one three-hour period today (between noon and 3:00 pm) . . .

At 12:05 pm, Palestinian terrorists attacked an Israeli motorist near Givat Assaf with “rocks”.

At 1:00 pm, Palestinian terrorists attacked an Israeli bus beside Kiryat Arba, smashing windows and traumatizing passengers.

At 1:05 pm, Palestinian terrorists attacked Israeli pedestrians in the A-Ram neighborhood of Jerusalem.

At 1:10 pm, Palestinian terrorists threw Molotov firebombs at Israeli security forces at Rachel’s Tomb.

At 1:38 pm, Palestinian terrorists struck Israeli motorists with “rocks” and Molotovs at the Tapuach Junction.

At 2:20 pm, Palestinian terrorists attacked an IDF patrol near Al-Fawwar.

At 2:32 pm, Palestinian terrorists attacked Israeli motorists near the Elias Junction.

At 2:50 pm, a Palestinian terrorist attempted to run over IDF soldiers at the Qalandiya Checkpoint in a bulldozer attack. One soldier was wounded. The terrorist was shot and “lightly wounded.”

At 3:00 pm, Palestinians rioted in Hebron and Bethlehem hurling numerous projectiles at our security forces.

***The reports of an impending rapprochement between Israel and Turkey are intensely nauseating.

Ever since the Mavi Marmara incident on May 31, 2010 in which Turkish IHH terrorists handpicked by Turkish Islamist PM Erdogan assaulted Israeli forces only to end up getting killed, the Turkish government has not missed a chance to attack Israel.

Of course, Erdogan had always made a career of making anti-Semitic attacks on Jews and Israelis from before the time he became prime minister. But after the Mavi Marmara, Turkey attacked Israel in NATO, in the United Nations, and in any other forum it could find.

The Turkish demands for restoring “relations” were always clear: Israel must compensate the families of the terrorists who got killed, and Israel must lift the blockade of Gaza. Apparently, there have been a number of times in the last few years when the compensation part of these demands was close to being fulfilled–but one thing or another has always stopped the compensation from going forward.

But now, suddenly, the Turks want to make a deal.

Why?

Simply because they need Israeli natural gas. Russia is cutting off the Russian pipeline into Turkey, leaving Turkey to look around for other suppliers. Given the fact that the new gas deal has just been signed by Israel and companies that will develop Israel’s offshore gas fields, Turkey wants to get its hands on Israeli gas.

In your humble servant’s opinion, the entire situation is disgusting. Turkey should be compensating Israel for physical and emotional injuries caused to the Israeli soldiers who boarded the Mavi Marmara, and Israel should demand a public apology from Turkey for the last half decade of insults hurled our way. Only after those two demands are met should Israel contemplate selling Turkey natural gas.

TODAY’S BLOG:

The extraordinary subversion of Israeli democracy continues.

A remarkable demonstration took place this afternoon in front of the Jerusalem home of the head of Israel’s Shin Bet Intelligence Service, Yoram Cohen.

Comprised of 40 people, most of them relatives of the Jewish teenagers detained for their suspected involvement in the Duma arson earlier this year, the demonstration underscored just how out-of-hand the entire justice system has become. 

The mother of one of the teenagers had this to say: “We are here in front of the house of the head of the Shin Bet whose organization is currently implementing crimes against our children. We can not remain silent in the face of terrible injustice and torture that our boys are undergoing in the dungeons of the ISA. It is inconceivable for the State of Israel in 2015 to torture Jewish minors in interrogation rooms.”The demonstration came hours after an equally remarkable press conference organized by the lawyers representing the teenagers.

In that press conference, one lawyer detailed the torture being inflicted on one of the teenagers–a teenager like the others who is being held endlessly without charges, without being indicted, without legal representation, and without family access:

“He is blindfolded and handcuffed at his hands and feet, and is deprived of sleep for days. Teams of so-called interrogators attack sensitive parts of his body with kicks and slaps.”

Another lawyer added:

“The Duma murder has never been solved but what has been shown is that with the Shin Bet and the police there is no democracy, and everything is permitted in the interrogation rooms.”

Yet another lawyer declared simply:

“This is a black day for democracy.”

After the press conference, Knesset Legislator Bezalel Smotrich blasted the Shin Bet investigation of Duma:

“The testimonies of lawyers today exposing the Shin Bet investigation of the Duma detainees should disturb the sleep of anyone who holds Israeli democracy dear. The ability to hold juveniles in detention for 21 days without a lawyer and to torture torture them away from public view and under a gag order designed to hide the interrogation techniques from the public are actions that one associates with dark, dictatorial regimes. This treatment will inevitably lead to false confessions and the conviction of innocent people.”

Your humble servant could not agree more. It is indeed a black day for Israel democracy.

*Israelstreet gratefully thanks hakolyehudi for elements of today’s blog.