Ben-Artzi. Criticism
Photo: Gali Tibbon
&91;6&93;_a.jpg "Photo: Knesset Website")
Netanyahu. Betrayed policy?
Photo: Knesset Website
PM's brother-in-law urges him to resign
Sara Netanyahu's brother, Dr. Hagi Ben-Artzi, says prime minister betraying his policy, 'causing greater damage to State of Israel than left-wing governments' in terms of settlement construction and prisoner exchange deal with Hamas
Benjamin Netanyahu's
brother-in-law, Dr. Hagi Ben-Artzi, has harshly criticized the prime minister's conduct and called on him to resign.
"An official declaration that Jews have no right to build, which is basically what the government has declared, means that Jews in Judea and Samaria are occupiers, are foreigners, that this is not our territory. An occupation regime is not allowed to build and settler, and when the circumstances are creating for fleeing the area, it must withdraw."
Addressing Netanyahu's policy, Ben-Artzi said Saturday that "what we are seeing here is an unprecedented move, which was not even committed by the Rabin, Barak and Olmert governments.
Spreading Protest
Efrat Weiss
Thousands gather near Prime Minister's Residence to protest construction freeze in settlements, carry signs saying, 'No entrance for Bibi's inspectors'. Samaria Regional Council head says, 'Bibi, we will build with or without you'
Ben-Artzi, who is the brother of Netanyahu's wife Sara and a resident of the West Bank settlement of Beit El, made the remarks Saturday during an event organized by the "Erezt Ahavati" group of Beit El.
He stressed, "We must understand that if we occupy in Judea and Samaria we occupy in all of the Land of Israel. The people of Israel have no right to live in the Land of Israel without the history of the people of Israel, and its history is in Judea and Samaria. Beit El, Shilo, Bethlehem, Jerusalem, Jericho – there are places Jews lived in."
Ben-Artzi, a doctor of Jewish history and philosophy at Bar-Ilan University, added that "if we limit the settlement in Judea and Samaria for political reasons, it's different than making an official government decision that Jews have no right to build there, because this is a decision with far-reaching principle, ideological and diplomatic meanings.
"It undermines the foundation of our presence in the entire Land of Israel. Even if Rabin limited and reduced in practice, there was never such an official decision. This is a far-reaching decision. I never expected Bibi to reach such a decision. It was amazing top discover how right-wing government manage to bypass left-wing governments from the left every time."
Ben-Artzi expressed his anger over the fact that Netanyahu had reconsidered concepts and ideas he had spoken about before being elected prime minister.
"Throughout the years, Bibi was the firmest opposer of a Palestinian state, defining it as a disaster to the State of Israel, the end of Zionism and the end of the State. This was only several years ago. The situation has not changed strategically," he said.
"I must say that, unfortunately, ever since his Bar-Ilan speech, I have not had a chance to personally talk to Bibi, so it's impossible for me to understand the meaning of his move. I assume that it's the result of American and international pressures."
'All his warnings have been realized'
The prime minister's brother-in-law also expressed his objection to an impending prisoner exchange deal with Hamas, which is aimed at security the release of kidnapped soldier Gilad Shalit. Ben-Artzi said he was deeply disappointed by the prime minister in light of recent reports of the deal, after Netanyahu had expressed his objection to negotiations with terror organizations in the past.
"All of his warnings have been realized," he said. "He himself released Ahmed Yassin, who became the Hamas leader and led wide-scale suicide bombings, which claimed a terrible price from the people of Israel: More than 1,000 casualties in the second intifada."
Ben-Artzi called on his brother-in-law to resign, rather than take responsibility for the ramifications of the prisoner exchange deal. "It may lead to the murder of thousands of Israelis. In terms of the freeze and a Palestinian state, they say there is American pressure. There is no such pressure in terms of the terrorists' release, because they do not release terrorists themselves. They are against negotiations with terror organizations," he stressed.
He went on to criticize the police forces, who he said were implementing an "iron fist policy" against right-wing protestors.
"I am sorry to say that the police's policy, and especially that of the infamous Yasam units, is that they often harass innocent protestors, quiet demonstrators. This happened in Amona and in dozens of other demonstrations, in recent days as well. They attacked girls in a cruel manner without any shame and in violation of the law, because the law states that women will only be handled by policewomen or female soldiers.
"The way the State of Israel treats the settlers' protests raises difficult questions in regards to the State's democratic nature," he concluded.
