Thousands protest in Tel Aviv: Destroying Gaza won't lead to calm

[Israeli]

Opposition MKs urge Netanyahu not to enter Gaza and call on him to come out against calls for revenge; 'We've already seen how easily words turn into a finger on the trigger,' says Meretz leader Gal-On.

Itay Blumental Published: 07.03.14, 23:11 / Israel News

While some in the right are calling for revenge for the kidnapping and murder of Eyal Yifrach, Gil-Ad Shaer and Naftali Frenkel, hundreds of protesters gathered at HaBima Square in Tel Aviv on Thursday evening urging "No to Escalation, No to Revenge."

The protest was organized by Peace Now and opposition parties. Among the signs at the demonstration were: "A diplomatic agreement - a death blow to terror," and "Yes to Talks, No to Escalation."

When Meretz leader Zehava Gal-On took the stage to speak, a right-wing activist called out "aren't you ashamed of yourself?" Gal-On replied: "This is the result of violence and wild incitement."

She called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to enter Gaza. "Don't take the 'what doesn't work with strength, will work with more strength' road - it didn't work and won't work. Collective punishments, bombing and shattering Gaza won't stop the rockets and won't bring calm to the southern communities."

Gal-On also spoke of the calls for revenge that are gaining traction on social media: "They are bolstered by tail wind from the government's ministers and right-wing MKs. People like Lieberman, Bennett and Ayelet Shaked. It is time, Mr. Prime Minister, that you step off your high horse and stop being a mere observer, because we've already seen how easily words turn into a finger on the trigger."

Continued @ http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-4537790,00.html

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

1. From the article...

Labor MK Eitan Cabel called to stop the hate before it is too late. "In one of the Facebook posts there is a picture of two teenage girls smiling with a sign that says 'hating Arabs is not racism, it is values.' I was shocked when I saw thousands of likes under that photo," he said.

This kind of crap reminds me of the "God hates f-gs" signs that the Phelps clan passes off as freedom of speech in the USA.

This will get out of hand, and it is not something that Netanyahu can wash his hands if more people start to die.

[Dick Dastardly]

2. The Phelps clan don't pass it off as free speech, it is free speech and is their right.

The phelps clan may be disgusting scumbags but even they have the right of free speech in this country. Free speech isn't just a right for some but it is for everyone no matter how much you disagree or are repulsed by what they say.
Those who question or want to limit the right of free speech for certain people or ideas are far more dangerous and repulsive than the likes of phelps.

[R. Daneel Olivaw]

3. Okay. If you say so.

You do understand that the Westboro Bapstit church uses "free speech" wedge issues as a platform to sue others? You do understand that, right?

They are disgusting scumbags. How they manipulate "free hate speech" in order to rake in settlements is disgusting.


I stand by my former statement, protected under "free speech", and if you happened to read my former statement I didn't advocate for the limiting of the right of free speech for certain grotesque people. You made that part up.

[Israeli]

4. "An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind."

Yesterday evening those who still try to keep their sanity in the madness around gathered for a rally on Habima Square in Tel-Aviv. Thousands of people turned up, and carried the signs "There is no consolation in revenge!" and "No to revenge! Yes to a political solution!" and "Political solution - a deathblow to terrorism!" and "An eye for an eye will make the whole world blind" with a picture of Mahatma Gandhi. They chanted: "We will not let extremists run our lives!" / "Jews and Arabs refuse to be enemies!" / "Government lies will not bring security!" / "All government ministers are part of the incitement!" / "Government of settlers and tycoons has no solution!" and "This is not an extremist minority, it is a racist government!" Yariv Oppenheimer of Peace Now called for silence in order to let speeches of Knesset Members be heard, of Meretz and the Labour Party and the Hadash Communists, and also Amra Mitzna of Tzipi Livni's party, on whom hacklers called to withdraw from the government coaltion.

We went home with the feeling that not everything is lost, but also with anxiety about the increasing escalation on the Gaza Strip border.

http://adam-keller2.blogspot.co.il/