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The "anarchist" Ben-Eliezer speaks

August 01, 2011 15:12

Binyamin Ben-Eliezer has a bit more experience in Israeli affairs than some wannabee zealot who claims he lives in a West Bank settlement. Ben-Eliezer issued this stark warning
http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4102967,00.html

"The people in the streets today are Israel's elite. This is the public that shoulders the burden of (IDF) service, labor, and taxes," he said. "If tomorrow we have to fight, there is a link between this public and national strength. That is this is heading towards collapse."

Ben-Eliezer also made a common comparison between Israel and the 'Arab Spring'. "What is happening in Israel is part of the general atmosphere. Suddenly the civilian understands he is strong, he has power," he said.

The former minister also suggested that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu solve the crisis himself by transferring funds from settlements to housing projects in cities and towns within the 1967 borders, as well as cutting the defense budget, like his predecessor, Yitzhak Rabin.

"The major thing Rabin did was give an order to freeze construction in settlements and transfer all the funds from the (Palestinian) territories to within Israel. Then he put everything into construction for young couples and infrastructure," he said.

"Billions go into settlements. Billions have gone. If we don't stop this a disaster is imminent. These people have had enough. They have learned that there is no longer an option of a leader saying something and the people following blindly."
...

The former minister also expressed pride, stressing that he was shocked by such a turnout at protests. "All these years I've said what a sleepy nation we are. Tractors can run us over and we do nothing," he said.

"But what happened is a result of what is happening in the Middle East. Suddenly our excellent children see that people can overturn governments."

Ben-Eliezer concluded with a call to Netanyahu to end the protests before September. "This is the most complex state of emergency since the War of Independence," he said. "It's going to be chaos. I told the prime minister: Take this situation in hand. Don't appoint committees. Manage it yourself."

Of course, for the zealots and their wannabee shills this isn't enough. Nor are the warnings from other people who have contributed far more to Israel than some far-off wannabee who fantasises about living on some settlement.

August 01, 2011 15:12

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