Report: PFLP vows to assassinate Israeli MK

[oberliner]

The Abu Ali Mustafa Brigades, the military wing of the Palestinian militant group the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine (PFLP) on Tuesday threatened to assassinate right-wing Israeli MK Avigdor Lieberman in retaliation for the recent violence between the Jewish and Arab populations in the northern city of Acre in recent days, the Palestinian news agency Ma'an reported.

The tension in the mixed city began Wednesday when an Arab resident drove into a predominantly Jewish neighborhood in the city on the Jewish holy day of Yom Kippur, during which Israelis across the country refrain from driving. Outraged at what they described as a deliberate provocation, the Jewish residents assaulted the driver, sparking riots that raged in the city for five days.

According to Ma'an, Brigades spokesperson Abu Jamal vowed to make Lieberman's fate the same as that of slain right-wing minister Rehavam Ze'evi, who was shot dead by PFLP gunmen in 2001 in retaliation for the assassination of the militant group's leader, Abu Ali Mustafa.

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028636.html

[Tarc]

1. "the Jewish residents assaulted the driver"

Why do the Jews feel that a non-Jew should observe their holy days?

[oberliner]

4. Jews do not feel that a non-Jew should observe their holy days

Jews do not expect non-Jews to fast or attend synagogue on Yom Kippor.

Generally, though, out of respect for the holiday, most non-Jews and non-observant Jews in Israel will avoid driving their cars through Orthodox neighborhoods since it is such a sacred day for observant Jews who spend much of their time walking to and from services with their families.

That said, I certainly feel that the people who attacked the driver responded completely inappropriately.

Even more tragic is how quickly this situation escalated into wider violence and riotous behavior. Clearly there is a lot of latent animosity waiting to ignite even in neighborhood that have a relatively good record of peaceful coexistence.

[shira]

5. he wasn't arrested for upsetting religious sensibilities

http://www.ynetnews.com/articles/0,7340,L-3608568,00.ht...

The charge is reckless endangerment, with crowds of Jews on an empty street after Yom Kippur being "interupted" by what seemed like another terrorist roadrage rehash.

[Violet_Crumble]

7. Yes he was charged with harming religious sensibilities...

From Ha'aretz

'Jamal was arrested on Monday on suspicions of "harming religious sensitivities, speeding and reckless endangerment" in connection to the violence.'

http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1028249.html

Fuck that. This atheist would really give them something to be upset about by donning gansta gear, complete with bling, and driving round with Britney Spears doing 'Baby Hit Me One More Time' blasting from my deck! Or XTC doing 'Dear God' if I stayed still for long enough and thought any of these religious twits were intelligent enough to listen to the lyrics...

[shira]

8. right on all 3 charges

There are reports, however, that make it look as if the Jewish rock-throwing attacks resulted solely from the guy driving harmlessly down the road while minding his business.

[Tarc]

9. That is exactly what happened here, though

The driver did not commit any crime, was assaulted by a Jewish mob for having the audacity to drive...when due to their religious beliefs, they do not drive...and it is somehow the ARAB's fault in all this, according to the twisted interpretations of some around here.

Un-fucking-believable.

[Behind the Aegis]

10. What?! "speeding and reckless endangerment" aren't crimes?

Un-fucking-believable!

Guess some get a free pass, don't they?

[Tarc]

11. To the one (I have a good idea who) who just replied to my post

You were *plonked* a long time ago, and for good reason. Don't waste your time. :)

[Behind the Aegis]

14. It wasn't for you, just to highlight your ignorant post. n/t

[Vegasaurus]

12. You think he was driving harmlessly down the street? nt

[Tarc]

13. Did I stutter?

[eyl]

15. The "harming religious sensitivities"

was kind of a "cherry on the top" (it's a criminal offence, but an extremly rarely invoked one). Note that since there is virtually no motor traffic in Jewish towns or neighborhoods during Yom Kippur, traditionally the streets are chock-full of kids on bikes (or people on foot) - and someone driving carelessly could easily hit one of them. In fact, some reports have it that this is exactly what happened here - the driver hit and injured a girl (not that it makes the attack on him any better, but still)

[shaayecanaan]

16. The allegations

about him nearly hitting a girl surfaced only a few days after the incident. Until then he was only accused of playing loud music. Those same allegations also seem to morph rather easily, sometimes its "several (unspecified) pedestrians" rather than "a girl". Ultimately it all seems rather improvised.

[azurnoir]

17. So Acre is a Jewish town?

The Arabs that live there apparently do not count, as for the driver hitting a girl please post a link to that.

[eyl]

18. Akko isn't an exclusively Jewish town

but the neighborhood was.

As for the girl, as I said it's a rumour, not a substantiated report (or I would have added a link in my original post). The main point is that if he was driving in a reckless fashion, as he has been charged with, then he was putting a substantial number of people at risk - it's not a victimless crime (at least potentially) as some here seem to think.

[azurnoir]

22. Such rumours are very likely

how the whole thing got started, and there is still the "if" factor for the reckless driving.

[eyl]

23. It's possible the rumors started

by conflating Akko with a hit-and-run on the same evening in Rishon Letzion which injured a six-year-old girl and two others - and there was some speculation that was a terrorist attack, since witnesses said the driver was masked.

[Shaktimaan]

19. I'm confused v...

So you're an atheist, OK. Lots of folks in Israel are atheists; it's not a big deal.

But why is it that you seem so committed to imposing your viewpoint on others who disagree with you? Are you being sarcastic here, or joking? If not, then what in the world would possess you to purposely be as aggressively offensive as to seek out these people just to ram your views down their throats (in such a way as to disrupt and mock the holiest day of the year for them)?

Why? Because they hold different views than you do? "You'll give them something to be upset about" because you disagree with their beliefs? Or because SOME of them acted out their fundamentalist beliefs in a violent manner? I would have expected you to be more culturally sensitive V. Frankly, I'm shocked.

I believe that women's rights should be equal to men's. That doesn't mean that I'd support my girlfriend going topless in India or Thailand and then demand that everyone there convert to my liberal way of thinking. There's a balance to strike between your personal rights and a given community's rights. Especially in a place where incidents can spark huge riots, like in Israel. It is for this reason that Israel doesn't allow the Jews to pray by the Temple Mount after all. It goes both ways.

[shira]

21. i agree with Shakti, Violet......

...and would you be as quick to agitate against Muslims trying to honor their holiest days?

If what you wrote was a crude joke I'd bet dollars to donuts you'd have jumped all over anyone who "jokingly" - for shits and giggles - would write about deliberately trying to offend Muslim sensitivities on their holiest of days. You would rightfully label such crude remarks highly offensive bigotry.

In fact, I can't imagine anyone being so hateful (other than hard right extremists) joking about deliberately trying to offend muslim sensitivities.

[Name removed]

6. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[Shaktimaan]

20. Now THAT'S a funny statement...

in light of the reactions that many Arab and Muslim communities have had to any perceived "lack of respect." For example: Sharon visiting the Temple Mount, the Muhammed cartoon fiasco, the schoolteacher who was jailed in Sudan for naming a teddy bear Muhammed (though the crowds called for her death), the fact that it is AGAINST THE LAW in some countries to practice any religion but Islam (punishable by guess what?), the fatwa against Salman Rushdie, etc.

I'm not even going to get into the laws that the Christian right has been attempting to pass in America.

There are a few pockets of these nut jobs who think that Israel as a jewish state should adhere to jewish law. Same as the christian fundies in America. The feeling is that they are more important than non-Jews by right of where they are living. That said, there are not very many places on the planet where Jews think or act like this, so generally if someone is going to travel through their neighborhood one respects their customs. You know, when in Rome, and all that.

This guy offended them and they over-reacted. It was disgusting. The Haredi often act disgusting, I've had issues with them here in Brooklyn on occasion. But by and large Judaism is not represented by these nutjobs. And they only expect people to defer to their customs when in their neighborhood... as opposed to many Muslim and Christian regions they do not try and impose their rules on the non-Jewish greater community.

[SidDithers]

2. Every time I see an acronym like PFLP...

I can't help but think of "Life of Brian".

Splitters!

Sorry to go off topic on your thread.

Sid

[LeftishBrit]

3. PFLP are a nasty group...

I will say, however, that I consider threatening the lives of enemy leaders less reprehensible than threatening the lives of civilians, or for that matter ordinary soldiers. This isn't specific to I/P; I just think if we must have wars at all, it would be better if the leaders themselves were more likely to be the ones who had their lives on the line.