Don't Be Fooled: Bibi And Im Tirzu Are One And The Same
By Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man |Published January 28, 2016
A single day after right-wing Culture Minister Miri Regev proposed cutting funding to artists and cultural institutions that are “not loyal” to the State of Israel, quasi-fascist organization Im Tirzu launched a campaign to name and shame artists who support human rights and anti-occupation groups.
Related stories
It's open season on anyone opposing the occupation
By Noam Sheizaf | January 23, 2016
Time to break the silence: An open letter to American Jews
By Edo Konrad | January 14, 2016
WATCH: Incitement against the Israeli Left just got a lot scarier
By Mairav Zonszein | December 15, 2015
Hasbara group wants you to infiltrate human rights NGOs
By Dahlia Scheindlin | December 31, 2015
Several weeks ago, Im Tirzu, a hyper-nationalist organization that an Israeli court ruled resembles a fascist movement, launched another campaign accusing human rights and anti-occupation activists of being foreign planted “moles.” The current campaign, an extension of the first, is being promoted under the banner “moles in [our] culture.”
A number of political figures on the Right from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu down to Benny Begin and Naftali Bennett condemned the campaign, with some saying they oppose it and others going much further. “The singling out of so-called traitors is an old-fashioned fascist technique that is both ugly and dangerous,” veteran yet marginalized Likud lawmaker Benny Begin said.
Prime Minister Netanyahu said of the latest campaign, “ oppose the use of the term traitor for those who disagree with me, but at the same time oppose Breaking the Silence, which slanders Israel overseas.” Education Minister Bennett described Im Tirzu’s latest campaign as “embarrassing and unnecessary.”
Im Tirzu’s tactics went too far this time. But only its tactics. The content and sentiment of its messaging are entirely in line with that of the government.
more...
http://972mag.com/dont-be-fooled-bibi-and-im-tirzu-are-one-and-the-same/116389/
