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Open-ended confrontation
Saleh Al-Naami -
Al-Ahram Weekly
23 - 29 December 2010
http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/2010/1028/re4.htm



Michael Ben Ari, a Knesset member on the fringes of the extremist right, is not the only Israeli parliamentarian calling for banning the Islamic Movement in Israel led by Sheikh Raed Salah. The release of Sheikh Salah from an Israeli jail after being imprisoned for five months and his statements that followed gave substance to this hardline Israeli position towards Sheikh Salah and his group. Those calling for disbanding the Islamic Movement include Knesset members from the centrist Kadima Party, the ruling rightwing Likud Party, as well as representatives of all rightwing religious parties.

All accuse Sheikh Salah of nurturing separatist sentiments among the Palestinians of 1948. They cite him urging these Palestinians to succeed in creating a self-dependent society capable of self-sufficiency on all levels, to evade the repercussions of Israel`s racist policies against them. The Islamic Movement has created social, educational, cultural and charity organisations to fill the vacuum of purposeful neglect by the state of Israeli in providing services for the Palestinians of 1948. According to the National Insurance Institute of Israel, 58 per cent of these Palestinians live below the poverty line.

Knesset Member Yuil Hassoun from the Kadima Party believes that the Islamic Movement is capitalising on the distrust of 1948 Palestinians of the state to cultivate separatist ideas among them. General Amos Gilboa, former director of research at Israel`s military intelligence, argues that the movement is intent on Islamising Palestinian society, which naturally encourages separatist notions for 1948 Palestinians. This is based in the rationale that Islamic values are certain to lead the Palestinians to hold hostile positions towards the state, and build a strong urge to separate from it.

The ruling elite in Tel Aviv assert that the Islamic Movement played an influential role in undermining Israel`s attempt to make the collective conscience of 1948 Palestinians lean towards Israel, making them accept the Zionist political and social agenda. Yaakov Peri, former chief of domestic intelligence, noted that since 1966 -- when the Israeli government was forced to end military rule over 1948 Palestinians -- the Jewish government has tried to coerce these Palestinians to merge with society and erase their Islamic, Arab and Palestinian identity.

But Tel Aviv has come to realise that `Israelification` has not only failed but has caused 1948 Palestinians to adopt an agenda that challenges the state and its institutions. Moshe Shahal, who previously served as minister of internal security and justice, asserted that one of the most important indicators that the campaign had failed is the rise of the Islamic Movement. Shahal said that the very creation of the movement and its mass appeal among 1948 Palestinians is strong evidence that Israelification has failed not only because of the movement`s existence but because it proposes an alternative plan of `Islamification`.

Many Israeli experts believe the refusal of the Islamic Movement and its leader to participate in Israeli parliamentary elections, although its members have a right to do so, is to propose Islam as an antidote to Israeli identity. Yossi Ben-Aharon, chief of staff of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir, argued that the movement`s interest in local elections is an indicator of `separatist tendencies`.

Israeli decision-makers are not only worried that the movement has succeeded in preventing Bedouin youth from volunteering in the army, but also because Bedouin areas have become strongholds of the movement. This is further evidence of diminishing Israeli influence; Bedouin youth who were once viewed as human reserves for the Israeli army, are now the core of the Islamic Movement. Accordingly, state institutions are working to curtail childbirth among Bedouin women.

General Giora Eiland, former chairman of the Israeli National Security Council, said that he gathered a group of researchers to study ways of reducing births in Bedouin society, because `Bedouin women get pregnant more than necessary`. Eiland warned that if birth rates continue as they are, the Bedouin population would double within 15 years.

Israeli authorities view the Islamic Movement as a threat to Israel`s security. Shin Bet, the domestic intelligence agency, claims that many Palestinian resistance movements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip use members of the Islamic Movement when on missions deep inside Israel, although it is difficult to prove that the movement has in fact taken up arms in its conflict with Israel.

Israeli security apparatus officials claim there are high levels of coordination, harmony of interest, and an exchange of roles between the Islamic Movement in Israel and Hamas. Shin Bet claims that the charities and civic groups affiliated with the Islamic Movement help create a social environment in the West Bank and Gaza Strip which supports resistance. This is done through sponsoring programmes to support orphans, the families of martyrs and poor families, by relying on donations by wealthy 1948 Palestinians.

Although the movement`s activities are public and within Israeli law, Israeli security services did not hesitate to close the movement`s charities and arrest its leaders and members under the pretext that these activities assist `terrorism`. Former Minister of Internal Security Avi Dichter, for example, claims that the movement uses its charity work to serve `terrorist activities` by Hamas, describing the movement`s charities as `complementary` to the military wings of Palestinian resistance movements in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Dichter argues that if a Palestinian feels that his family will be taken care of if killed or arrested because of `terrorist` activism, he would not hesitate to continue such work.

Israel`s security establishment believes that the Islamic Movement`s campaign to defend Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem, especially sponsoring the `Al-Aqsa in Danger` campaign, is a dangerous source of indirect incitement to terrorism. Shaul Mofaz, the military chief of staff and minister of defence in Ariel Sharon`s cabinet, said that Sheikh Salah`s accusations that Israel is planning to destroy Al-Aqsa Mosque is incitement against the state`s security. Mofaz warned that agitation campaigns sponsored by the movement not only encourage Palestinians, but also many Arab and Muslim youth, to become enemies of Israel.

Israeli official circles believe that the adoption of Al-Aqsa`s cause by the Islamic Movement and Sheikh Salah`s personal efforts in the campaign against Israeli plans to Judaise Jerusalem propels Arab -- and especially Palestinian -- public opinion to adopt `extremist` positions in the conflict. Accordingly, Israel`s efforts to dictate solutions that serve its interests are thwarted. Liav Orgad, the Israeli orientalist, expounded on this view when he said that even if Arab states were sincere about ending the Arab-Israeli conflict, the positions and work of the Islamic Movement in Israel makes this very difficult. Orgad argued that the movement forces on Arab opinion positions `which are very dangerous, by focussing on confronting Judaisation efforts of Al-Aqsa.`

Tel Aviv wants to demonise the Islamic Movement to cover up its own hostile and racist positions towards the Palestinians of 1948. Decision-makers fear that the movement will grow to the extent that it will undermine the Jewish character of the state. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv refuses to discuss ideas by the Islamic Movement and other groups representing the Palestinians of 1948. This way the confrontation between the two sides will continue.


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