Matan Kahana, who served as deputy Minister of Religious Services in the Lapid-Bennett government on behalf of Yamina, on Saturday night asked Shikma Bressler, one of the anarchist leaders, to allow him three minutes to speak to the protesters on Kaplan Street in Tel Aviv.
Kahana, who now serves as MK in Benny Gantz’s National Union Party, was attacked last week by Gantz, Yair Lapid, and Bressler for suggesting that now was a good time to join a broad coalition government under PM Benjamin Netanyahu for two years, following which Netanyahu would announce his resignation.
He might as well have suggested Jews should serve ham on the seder table.
Bressler retweeted this message:
“Dear Matan Kahana, I really respect your desire to have unity in the people of Israel. It’s very important to me too. But spare us all these plans, not sitting under Netanyahu. He is not a partner. He is a liar and a cheat and he is the last one who can unite the State of Israel.”
But Kahana proved that he is a true glutton for punishment, and on Saturday begged Bressler: “Shikma, Shavua tov. In recent days, I have been dragged into an unnecessary skirmish with you on social media. This discourse between us is only harmful to the common goal to which I am convinced we are both striving: a Jewish and democratic State of Israel, flourishing and prosperous, faithful to the values of the Declaration of Independence.”
And so, he requested: “I have a proposal. I have prepared a speech for a demonstration at Kaplan. If it seems appropriate to you, I would be happy to stand by your side on the stage and deliver it.”
Needless to say, Shikma Bressler didn’t bother to respond. Instead, another anarchist leader, Roee Neuman, tweeted eloquently:
“Hi Matan, from the start, we made a decision not to invite incumbent politicians to speak at Kaplan, there was a very simple reason for this: we know you.
“We know you and your opinions that change according to the weather and the daily polls. We know that your commitment to your seat comes ahead of your democratic values. That’s why you got into fights with Shikma, because [pollster Shlomo] Filber explained to you that this is what’s best for you.
“We are waging war on the foundation of the soul of the State of Israel, on its democratic values, on equality and freedom – not on points that are made in Filber’s polls.
“So, you won’t be at Kaplan not only because you are sitting on the imaginary fence that no longer exists, but because for many weeks you have been hurting the struggle, going against the brave Israeli men and women who are fighting for the lifeblood of democracy.
“Do us one favor, and instead of writing lousy tweets inviting yourself to give a speech, shut your mouth and keyboard, stop interfering with the most important fight since the establishment of the country – right now, this would be your greatest contribution.”
הי מתן, בתחילת הדרך לקחנו החלטה לא להזמין פוליטיקאים מכהנים לדבר בקפלן, היתה לזה סיבה מאוד פשוטה: אנחנו מכירים אתכם.
אנחנו מכירים אותך ואת הדעות שלך שמשתנות לפי מזג האוויר והסקרים היומיים. אנחנו יודעים שהמחויבות שלך לכסא קודמת לערכים הדמוקרטיים. בגלל זה נכנסת למריבות עם שקמה כי…— Roee Neuman?️⚧️???️? (@NeumanRoee) August 19, 2023
It was possibly the most coherent manifesto of the anarchist coup d’état, directed at the most befuddled and bewildered politicians living today, Matan Kahana, a religious Zionist who collaborated with the forces of evil to bring down his own right-wing base.
To quote from Maximilien Robespierre, leader of the Reign of Terror in France (which is where Bressler et al hope to take all of us): “To punish the oppressors of humanity is clemency; to forgive them is cruelty.”
But the advice Kahana received from Roee Neuman was also derived from Amos 5:13: “Therefore at such a time the learned keep silent, for it is an evil time.”
Or, in modern English, just shut up.
