Working to hate

Some Israelis incite for a living, writes Emad Gad

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In times of conflict or tension with other nations, or even within multi-cultural societies, figures and organisations often appear on the scene to increase the tenor of the conflict and feelings of resentment among various social groups. The role of these organisations increases in times of crisis and, using generalisations, they work to fan the fire and enflame sentiments. Clearly, this is a general rule seen in various countries around the world, both developed and developing, regardless of the type of government.

But the fundamental difference is that democracies and advanced societies can take counteractions using oversight institutions and human rights organisations, thus exposing the nature of such troublesome figures and organisations. Healthy societies also enjoy a great degree of transparency, which helps to throw the spotlight on courageous figures and works to expose those who would sow dissent or incite against others.

The Palestinian-Israeli conflict is a long-term social conflict in which human elements play a fundamental role and in which divisive elements such as language, ethnicity and religion are privileged. In consequence, it is one of those conflicts that has seen intensive activities by some groups to increase the level of hatred and paint the other as a prime source of danger. Seeing the conflict as a zero-sum game, such groups see no use in considering real solutions. As a result, incitement and hatred increase on both sides, along with the activities of extremist groups who see the other as an enemy that must be exterminated.

On the other hand, there are figures and organisations working to cement the values of tolerance and acceptance and create a culture of peaceful co-existence. Among the activities of such groups are exposing the truth of racist, extremist figures and the lies and deception they practise. A good example of this is found in an article written by Yigal Sarna entitled "The Ambassador", published in Yediot Aharonot online on 25 January. The article revealed the deceptions practised by one of the most prominent incendiaries and hate-mongers of the Israeli right: Miriam Moskowitz, discussing in the process the general framework that encourages the spread of hatred and incitement against the other.

"There are moments on television in which, suddenly, an entire world obscured by lies is laid bare," Sarna wrote. "It's as if a hidden camera shines the spotlight on the backstage of the big lie, documenting evidence of a violent incident or of a senior official swallowing the paper that will incriminate him. From that moment on, it seems like things will never be the same. Thus, with the rare radiance of live broadcast, did journalist Amnon Levy in the programme 'Shomer Masach' [Guardian of the Screen] reveal the truth of the activities of the religious fraud Miriam Moskowitz and the organisation she directs, Saving Innocent Lives from the Talons of the Arabs.

"Some of Moskowitz's former partners decided to sound off to investigators from Amnon Levy's programme, and with the help of a hidden camera, their interviews were recorded. Suddenly, it was made clear that the sacred body that for years has been considered a trustworthy source in political debates on all channels is nothing but a phantom invented by a fraud, who realised that there's no better way to mobilise hearts and dollars than fear and incitement.

"In a series of hidden taped interviews, the crew of 'Shomer Masach' revealed how, in a house in Gilo, with the help of professional actresses -- and the help of one enthusiastic Arab actor -- all those courageous operations to save the lives of Jewish girls from the talons of Arabs were acted, directed and filmed. The taped interviews revealed the truth of all those videotapes screened for years in Israel and abroad as 'infiltrations into the heart of the enemy's villages.' They turned out to be merely the product of a primitive fraud operation. Moskowitz played on hatred of Arabs, realising that Jewish opinion in Israel and abroad would accept every atrocity she showed and every lie she created. This is a profound fact well known to many who speak for the security establishment. Using the same rule of incitement, one can portray Abu Mazen on Wednesday as a moderate successor, and on Friday as a bloodthirsty president who only wears a moderate mask, and so on. Apparently those like us who have been victimised by libels in the past are supremely suited to creating their own lies, particularly since we experienced it on our tortured flesh.

"Miriam Moskowitz has become our ambassador to the Diaspora, requiring no training from Yaakov Peri or Nachman Shai. She moved from one disturbing screening to another, between Europe and America, accompanied by an actress who would relate to frightened donors how she was kidnapped as a minor from her home and taken to an Arab village, where she was abused and exploited until she was rescued by the organisation, thanks to God and Moskowitz. Using the standards of Peri and Shai, Moskowitz was a great success. She tells the story of the Israeli female victim much better than the men at the Foreign Ministry, mobilising at least as much money as Ehud Barak in a lecture campaign from coast to coast. As I sat stunned in front of the television screen, I remembered those photos distributed by the security establishment taken by an unmanned drone, the photos of a stretcher that was allegedly a Qassam rocket being loaded into an ambulance. I thought that after Moskowitz is punished for fraud -- her victims including the president, the chief rabbi, and the minister of education -- she might have a future with the Israeli PR machine. Ultimately, it was not she who invented the exploitation of racism, lies, and videotape; she merely pushed things forward with a little camera equipment and direction."

For more details on this case, and the activities of the Israeli right and left, please visit the website of Arabs Against Discrimination www.aad-online.org.