Tibi… not Bibi

For centuries the Jewish people have experienced burning, gassing, murder, exile and humiliation by the Christian anti-Semites in Europe and beyond. Not so by the Muslim world. In the world of Islam, Jews were relegated to lower positions and were required to pay a tax for their protection, but there were never Arab inquisitions nor Muslim concentration camps or gas chambers.

Now, it very sadly appears that the anti-Semitism of Europe has been transformed into anti-Arabism by members of an Israeli religious party led by two hateful racists, Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir.

Is there a difference between them and Germany’s Nazis? Yes. There is one difference. Whereas the Nazis sought to exterminate all Jews, the Religious Zionists seek rather to expel all Arab citizens out of Israel including every Moslem resident who holds Israeli citizenship. From the Nazi “Judenfrei” we now shamefully experience “Arabfrei”. A pox upon the Religious Zionist racists. They shame us!

Pulsa diNura is the ancient kabbalistic curse that befits racists in Israel.

Smotrich’s recent attack on the Joint List’s leader, Dr. Ahmed Tibi, is a disgraceful example of his racism. Dr. Tibi is an honored and respected member of the Israeli medical profession and is dedicated to saving lives, Jewish lives and Arab lives, not destroying them.

In a campaign contest between a Bibi and a Tibi, my vote goes to Tibi. He is a well-cultured gentleman who knows the value of humanity rather than the Bibi value of egotism and “me before all others”.

It may have been possible to have seen another side of Bibi before he was dragged into a marriage with Sara. His first wife was a loving woman who he left after she gave birth to their first child, now Noa Roth. And after a short marriage with his second wife, a young British non-Jew whom he met in the Harvard University library, he made the grave mistake of flying back to Israel on an El-Al flight where Sara Ben-Artzi happened to be a flight attendant in the first-class section. The bathroom was nearby.

How different things might have been today if he and Sara had never met. It would have been a different Israel, I have no doubt. With his skills, he could have become more greatly loved and respected than he is today.

Ask women in the delivery room whom they trust and respect the most — Bibi or Tibi. I think you all know the correct answer. So do I. But Tibi cannot be a politician and certainly no Arab citizen, regardless of skills and achievements, will ever be elected prime minister of Israel.

It was to prevent such a possibility that Netanyahu pushed for and supported the badly-passed Nation-State law which declares Israel as the State of the Jews, paying no attention to the 20% of our non-Jewish Israeli citizens. Israel should have been declared the State of ALL its citizens, eliminating race, religion or gender.

Smotrich, Ben-Gvir and their racist followers were prime supporters of the nation-state law since it fed into their sick hatred of our Arab population. They should stop eating hummus, tehina and falafel.. traditional Arab foods… and satisfy themselves on gefilte fish, cholent and kreplach… delicious Jewish foods. No matter what goes into their mouths it all comes out in the racist refuse of their bodies.

In the forthcoming fifth or maybe the sixth elections. I may just close my eyes inside the poll booth and by a “mistake” choose a slip for Joint List’s Dr. Tibi. Who can tell? There may be no matter of choice.

Of the 20 % of our non-Jewish population, the most loved and respected are the Druze communities in the Galilee. Every one of their young men when reaching the age of 18 report for military service in Israel’s IDF. Several of them have risen to the highest military ranks. Hundreds of them have been awarded medals for bravery. They are more dedicated to the State of Israel than any of our ultra-orthodox Jews who refuse military service and contribute nothing to the safety and well-being of the State.

The Druze are honored citizens of Israel and they dedicate their lives to the preservation of the State and all its people. Some of them have served as judges in our courts including in the Supreme Court.

Some of them have served as Israel’s ambassadors to foreign countries. During the birth years of our State from 1948, when Israel was attacked by all the surrounding Arab nations, the Druze aided and protected their Jewish neighbors and fellow citizens. No Druze in history has lifted up a hand to harm us. Even Binyamin Netanyahu, our failing prime minister, has held the Druze people and their communities in the highest esteem.

As for me, for the Druze I am honored to know, I would trust them with my life.

But back to the polling booth for elections 5. 6 or 7 (if I live that long), hopefully, there will not be a slip for the dreaded Bibi anymore.

As we say in good Yiddish: “Insh’Allah!”