Like a sandstorm that begins with a few grains and builds into a powerful force capable of toppling buildings, the sand-throwing incident involving Public Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir has turned into a full-blown storm.
We can spend days discussing the violence on both sides of the political divide – in this case, the throwing of sand at a government minister visiting the beach with his family, whether it was life-threatening or not. We can also spend hours debating the severity of the arrest of the protesters — specifically that of Noa Goldenberg, a 27-year-old woman with no criminal record who spent the night in Neve Tirtza prison alongside real criminals after throwing sand at Ben-Gvir on Friday when he visited the beach with his children as other beach-goers protested and jeered at him.
The harm caused by such an arrest could be considerable. But the core of this sandstorm lies neither on this side nor that side of the conflict. It comes wrapped in drums, colored shirts, ministers' suits, and a multitude of people attributing this alleged act of violence to political agendas on both sides. They tie it to hateful tweets, growing street violence, and factors that are turning Israel into a country increasingly divided among its citizens.
The violence in protests – against demonstrators and police alike – has escalated, leading to the arrest of Goldenberg, who had been at the beach and is suspected of throwing sand at the minister. She has become the right wing’s enemy, and the officers who arrested her have become enemies of the left. In today’s climate, you're either on one side or the other, regardless of your actions or the uniform you wear.
Goldenberg has now become a symbol of a larger struggle, whether she wanted to or not. A heavy burden has been placed on her, one she may never have sought. And it’s this hatred, this black-and-white worldview, that we – especially the keyboard warriors – continue to perpetuate.
The sand thrown at Ben-Gvir is just another metaphor for the growing hatred we must urgently stop before this sandstorm turns into an earthquake that will swallow us all.