In recent days, there has been an increase in attacks via rock-throwing by Palestinian Arabs, including the death of an Israeli man after his car crashed in response to a rock attack on his car on September 15. The entire political spectrum stood with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in declaring “war” on stone-throwing following the attack.
As Israel’s Prime Minister noted, “Rocks and firebombs are lethal weapons. They kill and have killed. ”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet on Sunday. “Those who try to harm us, we will harm them.” This policy is similar to that of the American border patrol police who note they “consider rock-throwing to be deadly force which sometimes demands the same in response.” In the last two years, eight people have been killed for throwing rocks on the America-Mexico border – and it is normal. Police when attacked with deadly attacks respond strongly. Anywhere in the world when people attack with deadly weapons, they face harsh prison sentences.
As Israeli Cabinet member Naftali Bennett said, “Rocks kill… Some people take rock throwing lightly, and prevent action against them. Rock throwers are trying to murder and they need to be treated accordingly.”
Stones are dangerous – even those thrown at Jews in Israel.
And of course, opposing fighting against rock-throwers is a major recipient of funds from The New Israel Fund (NIF), Adalah. As they note on their website, “On 20 September 2015, Adalah sent another urgent letter to Attorney General Weinstein demanding that he issue clear instructions to the Israeli police and security forces not to use live ammunition or sniper fire against stone-throwers. According to media reports, the government is planning to approve a major change in firing regulations, which would allow officers to use deadly fire to disperse demonstrators or respond to people who threw stones.”
Adalah has received $1,874,656 from NIF from 2008-2014.
As NGO-Monitor notes, “The organization publishes an online “Discriminatory Laws Database,” that collects “text, analyses, and legal action for present and proposed discriminatory laws in Israel and the OPT [Occupied Palestinian Territories].” During the 2014 Gaza War, Adalah submitted a July 22 joint written statement to the UNHRC, “condemn[ing] Israel’s unlawful targeting of civilians,” which may “constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and international criminal law and may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity.”
The statement calls on the UNHRC to “[c]ondemn the deliberate, systematic and widespread targeting of Palestinian civilians” and “[e]stablish an independent, international commission of inquiry with the mandate to identify and investigate all violations of international human rights law and international humanitarian law committed within the context of Operation Protective Edge in the Gaza Strip.” In its lobbying in support of the Goldstone report and its recommendations, Adalah issued a 2009 press release urging governments to “re-evaluate their relationship with Israel.”
If it’s bad for Israel, count on the New Israel Fund to be there. NIF supports a boycott of Israel – and now opposes fighting back against those who attack Israelis with rocks.
American Jews – including Alisa Doctoroff of UJA-Federation, the Jewish Communal Fund, the Leichtag Foundation, Eric Dobkin, Elisabeth and Gareth Turner, Karen R. Adler, and others must support Israel and stand for Jewish rights – not support those who throw rocks at Jews in Israel.