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Arrogance and Ignorance of Ministers Lapid and BarLev

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December 16, 2021, 4 PM ET

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Over the last few days, we have been witness to outrageous and damaging statements by center-left ministers, with a known past record of being both anti-religious and anti-right wing settler movement. Lapid talks about zero tolerance to "settler violence", which he calls a stain on Israel!! BarLev equates sporadic extremist settler violence with years of ongoing violent attacks and terror from Arabs throughout the country and especially in Judea and Samaria. What chutzpah. What arrogance!! The blood boils. The damage of such ignorant remarks is paramount. Is it arrogance, blind left wing ideology, plain ignorance or all the above? Where has Lapid and BarLev been all these years with tens of thousands of attacks by Arab terrorists on Jews throughout the country. Do they even know the facts and figures about Arab terror attacks against Jews for being Jews? Do they not know about Arab hate education, and violence against the Jewish State? Were they asleep during the Arab riots and civil war in May 2021? Did they not see the 4500 missiles from Gaza with full support from many local Israeli Arabs raising their "Palestinian flags"?? Did they not see the news when Synagogues and Jewish properties were scorched by Arabs in Ramle, Acco, Lod and Yaffo? Why hasn't Lapid spoken about "zero tolerance" with Arab attacks? (Stones, rocks and molotov cocktails KILLS Mr Lapid !!) G-d help us if Lapid ends up as our Prime Minister and if BarLev keeps his job. בושה וחרפה Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben Gvir, truly respond that “settler violence” amounts to less than one percent of the Arab violence Jews face in Area C every day. Ayelet Shaked, who is the No. 2 in Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s right-wing Yamina party, says that “The settlers are the salt of the earth... The violence that one needs to be shocked by, is the dozens of cases of the throwing of rocks and Molotov cocktails at Jews that occur every day, just because they are Jews, and all this with the encouragement and support of the Palestinian Authority. And our current Prime Minister Naftali Bennet said that “The settlers in Judea and Samaria have been suffering from violence and terrorism, daily, for decades. They are the protective wall for all of us and we must strengthen them and support them, in words and deeds. There are marginal elements in every society, they need to be addressed by all means, but we must not generalise about an entire community,” It is true that maybe attacks by some settler youth and others have increased over the years, against Arabs, (usually in response to attacks by Arabs) but although "individual non State" violence can't be condoned or justified as legitimate means to achieve goals, we still need to see the big picture and understand what lies behind the increase. Plus let's not forget for a second, that even with an increase - it pales into insignificance compared to attacks by Arab terrorists on Jews. For example : There have apparently been, 135 stone throwing incidents targeting Palestinians this year compared to 90 in 2019. (Haaretz/Shin Bet) Yet in the last two weeks alone in just the Shiloach neighborhood of Jerusalem - there have been 70 molotov cocktails thrown and hundreds of stone attacks against families and buildings. In 2 weeks alone and in one small mixed neighborhood of Jerusalem!!! Thousands of attacks by Arabs against Jews throughout Israel are very real. Terror attacks are close to an every day event...on roads in Yesha, on settlements , in mixed neighborhoods, on Jewish owned fields...etc. SO LET'S KEEP THINGS IN PROPORTION. This writer can't and won't justify any "private" vigilante violence against Arabs. We have a wonderful powerful sovereign Jewish state with a respected and highly rated Police/Army and judicial system. But - let's try to maybe understand the situation and feelings,

When one sees 10,000 Jews from Gush Katif thrown out of their homes, synagogues destroyed and Jewish graves dug up in the expulsion for "nothing -zero peace -thousands of missiles landing in Israel from Gaza". Where were the bleeding heart left wingers? Let's imagine the feelings, the response and outcry, if, for the sake of some so-called "peace" - 10,000 Arabs were thrown out of their homes?
When one sees rampant illegal Arab building throughout Yesha, with impunity, while at the same time, the smallest of "Jewish huts or caravans" on some hilltop with questionable ownership is bulldozed down by Israei authorities and the courts.
When one sees olive groves or vineyards owned by Jews overturned or burnt and no one is arrested.
When one sees their own personal safety at risk because there are only limited Police or army around, to protect the settlements, or the drivers on roads from attacks by Arabs. (Yes - Arabs get away with murder)
When one sees Arab terrorists let out of jail in some pathetic political deal.
When one sees just a few months or other minimal sentences given by judges to Arab youth and adults for "just" throwing stones and Molotov cocktails.
When one sees Arabs throwing Molotov cocktails at a Synagogue in the Shiloach and no one does zip. (Where are the police for heavens sake?)

Add it all together........How would you feel? Would you feel let down by the authorities and by your Jewish Israeli leadership and Government? Would you feel that you need to act in order to protect yourself, your family, and your livelihood? Not long ago - it seems that Arabs were hanging around Yemin Moshe in Jerusalem, hassling and harassing Jews, and causing damage and troubles for the quiet beautiful neighborhood. And robberies were up. The authorities were called...letters were written to the Police and Municipality. But nothing was done and the situation became worse. The community decided to hire their own additional private security company with cameras and dogs and they "cleaned up the area" - themselves. Yemin Moshe is quiet once again. Right or wrong? Needed or not? Vigilantes -yes or no? Should they have waited longer for the Authorities while matters are getting worse in Yemin Moshe? A lot needs to change here. We need to return our deterrent and remind ourselves about our rights and standings as a Jewish people in our Jewish Homeland... We need to find true Jewish leadership that isn't afraid of world opinion and who is truly connected to our Jewish past, history and heritage. We also need to somehow turn back the wheel re our dealings with Arab terror, violence and attacks. (State sponsored or individuals). We didn't react like a normal sovereign state when the very first missile landed in Israel from Gaza. It was a huge mistake and we are now tens of thousands of missiles later with no deterrent. That needs to change today, when even one balloon-firebomb comes across the border and when one missile is fired into our State. We should not just rely on defense shields and domes. But attack like in a real war...coz we are at war. (Not just bombing empty training camps or storerooms). We don't react properly to one Molotov cocktail or one stone thrown by Arabs. We need to have ZERO tolerance for BOTH...and in fact we need zero tolerance to any law broken.........from Arabs dumping rubbish in the alleyways of Shiloach......to the smallest building infringement.....to arrests for even one stone thrown, .....authorities should maybe even shoot to kill when a Molotov cocktail is being thrown ...coz it can kill you. Even harsh measures are maybe needed against stone throwers. Stones have killed. Why wait and only respond if someone is killed? And we need more police/border patrol police and soldiers (In Yesha) and we must have serious police action doing some real protection in our cities and communities. (Without the fear of them being investigated or tried by a warped system). That's what we need to happen to bring law and order. Our thinking needs to change because we have an enemy amongst us and surrounding us. So wake up Lapid and BarLev. You and others like you need to take off the blinkers and change. Your comments and attitudes are the only stains on Israel.