A Jewish State ? By Name Only, Not by Values !

It has become patently clear that Israel is not a place for the weak. Poor people, including immigrants, Charedim, Arabs and refugees are systematically being worn down economically. Some of them, if they protest a little too much and not in the right places can find themselves in jail. If they are not Jewish and refugees they are likely to be deported.

The government goes out of its way to show everybody that weakness, especially economic weakness, has no room in a modern Jewish State as espoused by Netanyahu and his henchmen. It also shows us that by no means is Israel a safe heaven for the persecuted. This country is strong and Jewish and will take care of strong Jews. Weak Jews can languish in misery, set themselves on fire and preferably disappear or at least stay invisible. Weak Non-Jews have no business being here in the first place. If they happen to be citizens, they are ignored,  suffered or given handouts every once in a while, to keep them quiet. If they are not, out they go and the earlier the better. There is no room for compassion or even consideration by the government. This government favors only those who can pay taxes, bribes and donations to officials to get reelected. Is this still a Jewish State ?

And if this is the government we are willing to put up with, what does it say about us ? If Kibbutz Yaqum that was built on social values of mutual support and care for the weak will not have the minimum of civil courage to let a small group of people protest in favor of public housing, on unused land under its control ? Not only was the Kibbutz not willing to tolerate the protest but actively and forcefully removed it despite claiming to support it.

If we don’t have the courage to tell this government that we will not be willing to put up with prison camps for refugees in a Jewish State?  If we are willing to put up with the ongoing discrimination of the Arab population at almost all levels ? What have we become if not willing collaborators in an evil regime ?! Are we still surprised as we watch in horror as our Syrian neighbors are being decimated ? Israel which was willing to endanger whole army units to save 100 Jews held prisoner far far away in Entebbe, cannot risk a guided missile or two, to put an end to Assad the butcher ? Our finely honed expertise in targeted killings cannot once be put to use to save others ?

We are slowly but surely removing ourselves from the roster of states that espouse universal human values.  We forget that these values, by and large, are based on Jewish values. Israel is becoming a Jewish State by name only, not by its values.