Jewish father, son "bombed mosque, Arab MK's car"

[tinnypriv]

Note: "Jews tried to Kill MK Mahoul" is Ma'ariv's Hebrew title - that article also includes better pictures, formatting and some 'interesting' reader responses.


Jewish father, son "bombed mosque, Arab MK's car"
Ma'ariv, 4 March 2004

Also plotted other attacks on Arabs in Haifa.
Father, an IDF worker, got the materiel Son to police: “I hate Arabs”.
Letter to Maariv cracked case

A civilian employee of the Israel Defense Forces and his son, both from Haifa, are suspected of an assassination attempt against MK Issam Mahoul (Hadash) and several other attacks on Arab targets in the city during the last three years. Eliran Golan, 22, of Haifa is suspected of exploding a series of pipe bombs to hurt Arabs. His motivation was nationalistic; he told police investigators, “I simply hate Arabs”.

...

The most serious allegation against Golan is an attempt to assassinate MK Makhoul by placing an explosive device under his car. The device exploded while Mrs. Mahoul was driving the car, but she was not injured. Another serious attack was planting an explosive device on the roof of a mosque in Haifa’s Halisa neighborhood. The device exploded and slightly injured a local resident who was walking across the roof to the woman’s section of the mosque.

...

A dramatic breakthrough came when a letter, claiming responsibility for the attack on the mosque and signed by “The New Jewish Underground – Department 1”, was placed under Maariv's Haifa office. The letter stated the explosion had targeted the mosque that harbored the terrorist who exploded on Haif'a bus no. 37. It also stated that the letter's writer had nothing against Israeli Arabs, “as long as they behave properly and don’t act against the State of Israel and its Jewish citizens”.

...

MK Mahoul congratulated the police on their success, “This only proves that the police and security forces can catch Jewish terrorists when they want to. This was part of a campaign being waged against anyone who warns about the fascism developing here. Jewish terrorism did not begin here. It has also attacked forces for peace on the left, including Emil Grunzweig and Yitzhak Rabin”.

Hadash faction leader, MK Muhammad Barakeh, also expressed satisfaction at the police’s success but added, “This is more serious evidence of nationalism and racist terror in Israeli society”.

...

http://www.maarivintl.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=article&articleID=4088
http://www.maariv.co.il/channels/1/ART/661/215.html (Hebrew)

[Name removed]

1. Deleted message

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[tinnypriv]

2. In this case

There probably will be some coverage on this tomorrow (since it is too hard to ignore).

To be fair to other media, I'm fairly sure this wasn't in the Ma'ariv print edition this morning (hence why it wouldn't be covered yet). The wires and the U.S. stringers get their cues from the print editions, PR releases into their offices, GOI/PA press conferences etc.

Anyway, you should note that any coverage will very likely be of the "well done for catching a suspected terrorist" kind, and most definitely not an analysis of what is driving this phenonemon in Israeli society (the same sort of thing which has IDF soldiers and other Israelis wearing jumpers with inscriptions like 'Every Arab mother should know that the fate of her children is in our hands', 'Buy from Jews' etc).

If you're interested, the Israeli media has covered this 'Jewish Underground' and racist undercurrent phenomenon before - though almost all of that was ignored.

A few quick examples:

* The head of Israeli military intelligence stated recently (after the IDF had attacked and killed several people in Gaza) that it is "better for Palestinian mothers to weep". There was zero coverage of that. I actually posted a scan of the Ma'ariv front page text of those words right here. If I can find that out, there is no excuse for ignorance on the part of the media - hence it was probably intentional suppresion.

* The apparent foiling of a 'mega-terror' attack against Arabs and the investigation of Jewish terror cells etc was reported in Ma'ariv (and others) throughout Sep 2003. There was no mention outside of Israel of that. The 'mega-terror' part was expanded on Sep 23 with details of how the plan was to blow up Mosques "throughout Israel" and also on the Temple Mount. A Shin Bet source commented that this would bring "disaster" down on Israel if the 'Jewish Underground' had succeeded (a suspected terror ring was broken up, hence the release of the info).

* Around the same time as the above, there was a public (not secret) 'Thanksgiving Event' held in Jerusalem for the 'Jewish Underground'. Hundreds attended, and the press reported that the participants called for the "disbanding of the GSS Jewish division" - i.e. the part that investigates Jews. The equivalent would be the FBI not investigating Christians. Or Iran not investigating Muslims. That demand was actually defended on DU, incidentally. Again, zero coverage outside of Israel of that.

I should however state (to be fair) that there was techinically some coverage of the second example 'outside' of Israel - namely Arutz Sheva. The Hebrew edition of course, not the English one (front page in the former, so that is really impressive and blatant suppression).

The part about the Mosques was later mentioned (buried) in a wire report (which was on another topic) a couple of months later as well.

[Violet_Crumble]

22. Coverage in the Australian media...

The Sydney Morning Herald covered the story today....


http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2004/03/05/1078464643808.html



Violet...

[Gimel]

3. Jewish terrorists

The man is being charged in court, that means he is in jail. His father is also under suspicion. It is not the IDF that has responsibility here, but the police. Would you call in the Marines if there was a criminal in Chicago setting off bombs?

This is not a common thing in Israel, however it has been under investigation and the munitions were confiscated from his home. Does the PA prosecute terrorists who attack Israelis or Jewish settlers? You can bet that they don't.

Edit: to add link
http://www.haaretzdaily.com/hasen/spages/401311.html

[Resistance]

5. what the PA does or doesnt do

has nothing to do with this case.

[Gimel]

18. Right!!

Now you know it.

[Resistance]

4. The Palestinian response, then

(using the IDF as an example)

should be to invade Haifa, blow up the houses of all family members involved (shooting kids in the back in the process), then send a missile strike into a crowd of civilians.

Does anyone have a problem with that?

[Gimel]

7. Dupe

This happened in Israel. It's not the juridiction of the PA.

anyway this is a dupe:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=124x57592

[tinnypriv]

8. Just like

Attacking a synagogue in Shromrom isn't the jurisdiction of Israel?

Oh, wait.

[Gimel]

9. Israel has security responsibility

over areas that were not transfered to the PA according to the Oslo accords and subsequent agreements. Therefore, security in Shimron is the responsibility of Israel. There is no Palestinian state yet.

Get the facts straight.

[tinnypriv]

12. Oh right

Next time a terrorist comes out of Nablus, I'll blame the IDF, not the PA. Thanks.

[Resistance]

14. which fact did Tinnypriv get wrong?

(has T-priv ever got any facts wrong for that matter?)

[Gimel]

16. Israel has security responsibility n/t

[Herschel]

11. Some reality for you

The Palestinians are not capable of such a coordinated and effective attack on Haifa.

[Resistance]

13. My comment

Was an exercise only meant to enlighten some on how despicable IDF actions in the OPT are.

But thanks for the dose of reality!

[Herschel]

15. Interesting

Yet a fantasy. The Palestinians have no choice but to stand down. The Israeli justice system will handle the matter.

[tinnypriv]

6. Also, this is of interest from Ha'aretz

More equality of principles etc.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/401311.html

Woman wounded in mosque bombing not recognized as terror victim

Six months ago, Haaretz reported the woman who was wounded at the Haifa mosque bombing, Jamila Agbariyah, had not been recognized by the National Insurance Institute as a terror victim.

The NII stated that even if police prove the attack was an act of terror, she would not be eligible for compensation, because the law does not recognize attacks carried out by Jews as hostile terrorist activity.

If anybody is interested, the iman of the Mosque in question actually blamed "Jewish Extremists" for the bombing right at the very moment it went off. See the Jerusalem Post:

http://www.jpost.com/Editions/2001/08/24/LatestNews/LatestNews.33365.html

Jamila Akbariya, 56, of Haifa suffered burns to her hands this afteroon when an incendiary device went off as she answered the door to the mosque in the city's Halisa neighborhood, Israel Radio reported. She was hospitalized.

The imam of the mosque, Issa Mahaja, blamed Jewish extremists for the incident, which he said was aimed at turning Haifa's Jews and Arabs against one another.

Police declined to attribute a motive to the attack.

Looks like that guy was quite a prophet (no pun intended).

[Name removed]

17. Deleted message

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[Gimel]

19. It is, however,

criminal activity, and the law will prosecute. It is for the purpose of compensation to the victims, that the law does not recognize inclusion under the category of terrorist act. Compensation should be provided by the law, that is, the perpetrators pay.

[Jack Rabbit]

20. Nevertheless, we have an obvious double standard

According to Haaretz:

The NII stated that even if police prove the attack was an act of terror, she would not be eligible for compensation, because the law does not recognize attacks carried out by Jews as hostile terrorist activity.


Israeli law appears to define terrorism in a way that an atrocity committed by an Israeli against a Palestinian can never be terrorism, yet the same atrocity committed by a Palestinian against an Israel is.

There is something disturbingly undemocratic about the ME's only democracy making that kind of distinction.

[tinnypriv]

21. Actually

It is worse than that. Terror acts by Jews against Israelis are not literally classified as terror (i.e. Israeli Arabs).

Remember, these bombings took place almost wholly within Israel (Haifa etc).

[Violet_Crumble]

23. Does it also mean...

That an act of terrorism carried out by Jews where victims are other Jews would mean that those victims would also not be classified as victims of terrorism?

I think it's disgustingly racist for any law to exist that exempts an act of terrorism from being classified as such solely because of the ethnicity of the person/s carrying out the attack...


Violet...

[Gimel]

26. Has to be

hostile action (I e, from an enemy of the State of Israel). You can classify anything as "terrorism" as the term itself is rather broadly used.

[Violet_Crumble]

27. Bombing a mosque and an MK's car aren't hostile actions??

Sorry, but those are attacks on Israeli citizens, not to mention an MK, and those who carried them out are definately enemies of the State of Israel. Whether the attacks are carried out on Arabs or Jews should have zero to do with whether it's classified as an act of terrorism or not...

btw, I agree that some people will try to classify anything as 'terrorism'. Just have to take a look at the attempts to label legitimate Palestinian attacks on Israeli troops as terrorism to see an example of that...


Violet...

[Gimel]

28. Attacks such as those in Haifa

are not hostile to the existence of Israel. That is why they don't qualify. The law doesn't mention "terrorism". I posted it below in case you're interested.

Any crime could be counter to the laws of Israel, but this was not an act of war against Israel. Palestinian terrorism is.

[Violet_Crumble]

29. Trying to assassinate an MK isn't hostile to Israel??

Sorry, but it is. There is absolutely no way it can be argued otherwise. I read what you posted below, btw....

Personally, I think any Israeli affected by hostile attacks like the bombing of mosques, buses, or attempts to assasinate MK's should be eligible for these benefits. I don't know if similar benefits exist in the US, but imagine how hypocritical it would be for the victims of Sept 11 to get benefits because their attackers were Arabs, and the victims of the Oklahoma City bombing not to be eligible because that attack wasn't an 'act of war' against the US...

Violet...

[Gimel]

24. True

there is a short-sight in the law, as it never occurred to the law-makers that there would be such attacks. But most laws are made to prevent crimes that have already occurred, not foreseeing crimes that will occur. But then this is a law for compensation of terror which often occurs on a wide scale. I think the date of this law may be relatively recent, but I'd have to check on that. However, there was a case of an Arab woman whose husband was involved in a terror attack and was killed, who was given the compensation by the NII law, as were her children.

[Gimel]

25. The NII Law

In English:

Victims of Hostilities

Who is Eligible for Benefits?
A citizen or resident of Israel who was injured during hostilities in Israel
or abroad; a person who entered Israel legally and was injured by an act
of hostility in Israel; a foreign resident who was injured by an act of
hostility abroad during and as a result fo his/her employment by an
Israeli employer (approved for this matter).

Hostile action injury - an injury due to an act of hostility by enemy
forces or under circumstances in which there was reasonable fear of
hostile actions, as well as injury caused by a weapon that was intended
for hostile actions - all conditional upon approval by the authority
appointed by the Ministry of Defense that this is a hostile action.

_______________

Since victims of crimes are not considered Hostile actions, they receive compensation through other laws, and through legal action against the criminal causing injury. No mention of nationality or race here.

[Jack Rabbit]

30. Thank you, Ms. Gimel

Now, please tell me if I have this right?

This law will compensate the victim of an act of terror only if the terrorist is an enemy of the state of Israel (e.g., a Palestinian suicide bomber).

The law will not compensate a victim of an act of terror if the terrorist is an Israeli. In this case, the terrorist is Israeli, not an enemy of the state; his crime is a political act, no different from the assassination of Rabin.

Do I have that right so far?

It seems that the flaw in the law is that if one is a victim of political violence perpetrated by a right wing Israeli Jew, then one is not entitled to compensation under this law. This is because the terrorist in this instance is not trying to overthrow the Jewish state of Israel, but is trying to make it even more Jewish by attempting to rub out a non-Jewish member of the Knesset.

Is there a law that provides special compensation for an Israeli Arab who is the victim of a right wing Jewish who might think its just a lot of good fun to beat the crap of Arabs? Should this law be amended to provide for that?

[Gimel]

31. That would be another law, in my estimation

I don't think that an amendment could be made to this law which compensates for hostile actions against the state, to include criminal activity. That is my opinion, though it is up to the law makers to decide.

I agree that you have understood the law for compensation.

Since only one person was "lightly injured" by the actions of the persons involved, I don't see that it is in the category as the assassination of Rabin, at least as far as compensation goes, which is the law which is being debated here. Certainly the crimes are considered very serious, and the perpetrators will be charged to the full extent of the law.

Compensation for those "lightly injured" in bus bombings for instance, only covers medical treatment anyway, and probably does not include things like permanent scarring. The number of people that have "light" injuries would be enormous.

[Westegg]

10. Bombs in Haifa---who would've guessed?