On The "Democracy Demo" Last Night

Ma'ariv comments on the Israeli Left.

"I was at Saturday night's left-wing demonstration in Tel Aviv. When the last speaker spoke about, 'the ruling phallus,' I left. There is no relationship between male repression and the complaint against President Katsav, and between Liberman and Netanyahu's thunderous silence. Not every demonstration on behalf of our right as citizens to speak our minds in a democratic state needs to be turned into an introductory course on gender studies. The Israeli Left has been forever guilty in its condescension toward the political center. Its outlook is that if you identify with the term Zionism and support a Jewish state, you are a racist. If you are not fighting male repression, you cannot, in any way, take part in the struggle to open the Gaza crossings. It's all or nothing. In recent years, the Left has shut itself in its bubble of absolute justice. Whoever disagrees with part of its theory is derisively labeled a 'centrist.' One must take a clear stand against everything even if the conditions and the facts change. Nothing is considered on its merits; the occupation is to blame for everything." The author notes that Kadima MK Meir Shetrit also attended the demonstration and says that, "This was not an internal left-wing demonstration. I and many others went to demonstrate against the hatred and fear that are taking us over, not in favor of a state of all its citizens. The Left does not now have the privilege of being selective. If somebody wants to express their revulsion from the combination of a Jewish and democratic state, they should do so in a conversation in their living room. If somebody wants to express support for the suffering of the Palestinian people, let them fly a Palestinian flag at home [there were some who held up a PA flag]. I will not fly any flag that represents the dictatorial Hamas regime that has made Gazans' lives a misery. I am Israeli. This is my home and my language. I am a Jew and I am proud of it. This does not make me a racist or persona non grata at demonstrations and woe are the sane democrats if I feel that way. If you lose me and those like me, we will all lose the war."
-   Michal Aharoni