Haaretz: All of Israel must be punished as we are all Ben-Gvir and Smotrich!
An article on Haaretz newspaper, prominent Israeli writer Gideon Levy wrote that the sanctions imposed by five countries on Israeli Finance and National Security Ministers Bezalel Smotrich and Itamar Ben-Gvir are only a small and sad step toward ending the massacre in Gaza, and won’t stop the war, the occupation, or apartheid.
The governments of Britain, Canada, Norway, New Zealand, and Australia imposed sanctions on the two ministers on Tuesday, June 10.
According to the article, these countries were careful not to punish the two ministers for their actions, but rather for their disgusting statements, as if to say, “It’s not polite for you to say that Hawara (Palestinian town in the west bank) must be wiped out, Bezalel, and shame on you, Itamar, for chanting death to the Arabs!”
Levy commented sarcastically, referring to the triviality of the sanctions, as he put it, that Smotrich, who loves Scandinavian literature and strolling the streets of Oslo, will no longer be able to visit Norway, while Ben-Gvir will be banned from observing the kiwi bird in New Zealand!
He sarcastically wondered whether the five countries were acting naively or cowardly, and whether the sanctions were merely a formality or whether those who made the decision truly believed they would influence Israeli policies toward Gaza.
Levy emphasized that pinning the blame on Ben-Gvir and Smotrich assumes the existence of bad guys and good guys within the Israeli government, which is tantamount to exonerating others and a form of hypocrisy.
According to the article, what is happening in Gaza isn’t the work of these two ministers alone, but rather the fruit of the policies of an entire government and the society that supports it.
Levy pointed out that all those threatening sanctions are also careful to distinguish between the government and the people, as if to say, “Everything that is happening is because of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government, not because of you, dear Israelis”.
Levy criticized this position, saying that sanctions should be imposed on the entire government, starting with Netanyahu, who is wanted by the International Criminal Court, and extending to the most junior minister, officer, soldier, and employee who perpetrates massacres in Gaza.
He added that, according to opinion polls, the majority of Israelis support these massacres and even anticipate the implementation of the population transfer plan that may follow them.
Therefore, international pressure and sanctions must target Israel as a whole, without exception.
Levy concluded that the problem lies not only with the two extremist ministers, but with Israeli society as a whole, including those who consider themselves moderates, such as the alleged leader of the Israeli resistance, Benny Gantz, who described the sanctions as a profound moral failure of the world.
