Israeli Police State Ruthlessness

by Stephen Lendman

Israel gives police state lawlessness, injustice and contempt for democratic values new meaning. Previous articles explained.

Rule of law principles don't matter. Might trumps right. State terror is official policy. So is anything goes.

Crackdowns enforce social control. Arrests, imprisonments, torture, ill-treatment, and other forms of abuse persist.

Civil and human rights consistently violated. Legitimate resistance called terrorism.

International law recognized self-determination called unacceptable. Murder committed with impunity. Young children  abused like adults.

Jews alone have rights. Longstanding war on Islam persists. Racist laws are commonplace. Fundamental Palestinian rights mattering most are denied.

Abuses repeat with disturbing regularity. Israel is unfit to live in. Occupied Palestine nightmarish. Gaza a lower level of hell Dante forgot.

Legislation giving racism new meaning is drafted. Ones just societies reject. The latest an eight-point plan. Requested by Netanyahu.

Submitted by extremist rightwing MK Yariv Levin. A lunatic saying Muslims "want to destroy (Israel) from within."

His solution: Call them terrorists. "Inciters." Ultranationalist extremists. Make stone or Molotov cocktail-throwing major offenses. Even in self-defense. In response to Israeli live fire.

Act accordingly. Revoke citizenship rights. Or residency status. Treat family members the same way. For showing public support for resistance.

Expel them to Gaza. Or deport them. Perhaps imprison them. Retain bodies of Palestinians killed in altercations with security forces.

Bury them in unmarked graves. Deny families proper funeral rights. Or access to where loved ones are buried.

Demolish family member homes within 24 hours. Without prior notice. Revoke social benefits permanently.

Driving privileges for 10 years. Close businesses printing posters allegedly supporting terrorism or terrorists.

Police would be required to inform businesses if any of their employees were detained for security-related offenses. If so, fire them summarily. Without severance pay or benefits.

Intensify occupation harshness more than ever. Make Occupied Palestine even more unfit to live in.

Levin urges swift passage. Without delay until next year.

Association for Civil Rights in Israel (ACRI) attorney Lila Margalit commented, saying:

"The absurd proposals raised by MK Levin involve serious human rights violations and acts of collective punishment - which bear no relation to an actual war on terror."

"The Knesset is currently holding hearings on a detailed government anti-terror bill, which itself contains many draconian provisions."

"The government bill currently being discussed in the Knesset also includes significant human rights violations, but at least it is being debated in the framework of a serious process."

Some draconian Levin provisions already were implemented. Like designated home demolitions.

Others are new. Police state harshness. Measures just societies reject. Incompatible with democratic rights.

Increasingly commonplace in Israel. Anyone opposing Israeli draconian harshness risks being charged with terrorism.

Arrested. Imprisoned. Face citizenship or residency rights revocation. Expulsion to Gaza. Or deportation on release from incarceration.

Weeks earlier, Netanyahu called for citizen revocations for anyone calling for incitement. Actions harmful to Israel.

Perhaps implying it through justifiable criticism. Participation in demonstrations. Protesting Israeli ruthlessness.

Democratic societies reject these type laws. Police state ruthlessness. Increasingly commonplace in Israel.

Racist legislation targeting its minority Arab population. Millions of occupied Palestinians.

State terror by any standard. Its eight points include:

(1) Automatic citizenship or residency revocation if convicted of  anything Israel calls terrorism. Including legitimate resistance. On release, deported to Gaza or outside territory Israel controls.

(2) Immediate home demolitions. Within 24 hours. By court order. As soon as targeted individuals are identified.

(3) Families of "terrorists" denied funeral rights. Bodies buried in undisclosed unmarked graves. In state cemeteries. Access to their locations prohibited.

(4) Automatic interior ministry citizenship or residency status revocation. For anyone convicted of throwing Molotov cocktails or firecrackers.

On release, immediate deportation to Gaza or outside territory Israel controls.

(5) Immediate detention of anyone committing anything Israel calls terrorism. Incitement. Waving Palestinian flags during prohibited demonstrations or marches.

Other flags or symbols of nations Israel considers hostile to its interests. Loss of social benefits permanently on conviction. Driving rights for 10 years.

Restricted movements up to five years on release. By court order.

(6) Family members punished like alleged perpetrators. So-called second-circle members.

Subject to citizenship or residency status rights revocation. For publicly supporting their loved ones.

Media statements unacceptable to Israel. Or on social networks or posters. Other public expressions.

(7) Closure of printing shops or other businesses producing posters expressing support for terrorism or terrorists.

Equipment confiscated and impounded. By order of Israel's district police commander.

(8) Automatic firing of employees with past security related convictions. Without severance pay or benefits. Innocence is no defense.

Police states operate this way. Israel matches the worst of them.

Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago. He can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.

His new book as editor and contributor is titled "Flashpoint in Ukraine: US Drive for Hegemony Risks WW III."

http://www.claritypress.com/LendmanIII.html

Visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com.

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