Mosque torching in Israel: Could it spark Arab Spring-style protests?

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

Today's mosque torching in northern Israel prompted clashes between police and Arab citizens, raising fears of an intifada inspired by the Arab Spring.

TEL AVIV

A mosque was torched in northern Israel early Monday, prompting a clash between police who fired tear gas canisters and hundreds of Arab citizens of Israel who threw stones and briefly closed down a highway.

The incident, seen as part of an ongoing campaign of Jewish vigilantism, underscores fears by Israeli officials that such attacks could spark Arab Spring-style protests among Palestinians.

In recent years, Jewish extremists have vandalized Palestinian villages in the West Bank in retaliation for Palestinian terrorist attacks or Israeli government demolition of illegal Jewish outposts. Such extremists regard Israel’s government and some of its security forces as collaborators with the Palestinians to uproot Jews from biblical lands.

In the runup to the Palestinian bid for statehood at the United Nations last month, Israeli security authorities expressed concern that Jewish vigilantism could stoke Arab anger and lead to a new Palestinian intifada, or uprising. Today's targeting of a mosque in the Bedouin town of Tuba Zangariya marks the first time that such "price-tag" vigilantism has been used inside Israel proper, signaling a potential widening of violence.

"The price-tag tactic is employed so far by a very small part of the settlers in the territories, but the fact they are small in number doesn’t mean they are insignificant. Violence can escalate quickly," says Ofer Zalzburg, a Jerusalem-based analyst with the International Crisis Group.

He adds that Palestinians perceive increasing Israeli government support for targeting Arab civilians. "I think there is a tendency among Palestinians to believe that public support for such actions is quite broad," he says.

That said, today's incident drew sharp condemnation from Israeli President Shimon Peres, who said the "immoral" incident "brings shame" on Israel. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as "shocking" images of the burned mosque interior and charred prayer books.

But despite such official condemnation, Palestinian officials have said that the government hasn’t been energetic enough in putting a stop to such vigilante violence.

Amid growing worry that the vigilante campaign could stoke outrage at a time of solidarity marches for the Palestinian statehood campaign, Israeli security officials gave out administrative orders banning several Jewish settler radicals from residing in the territories.

A police spokesperson said that they have made no arrests so far in the arson incident.

Concerned about a recent rise in vigilantism, the police established a special "task force" to work exclusively on collecting intelligence and investigating incidents of vigilantism.

"Too many incidents were taking place," said Mickey Rosenfeld, the police spokesman. "We’re talking about incidents that are unacceptable and that can cause friction on the ground."

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Middle-East/2011/1003/Mosque-torching-in-Israel-Could-it-spark-Arab-Spring-style-protests

[ready4ONE 5,400]

Agreed. Quite unacceptable behavior.

[PalestineMyHeart 1,897]

The settlers have already started attacking Israeli civil authorities and even the IDF in the West Bank.

Shin Bet officials have identified a radicalization in the phenomena that first emerged ahead of the disengagement from Gaza in 2004, and see a connection between them and the increased attacks on mosques and Palestinian property - actions that their perpetrators are defining as "a price tag."

Shin Bet sources say members of the extreme right are making an effort to deter defense officials whose duties include coming into contact with such elements. The extremists are also trying to intimidate senior law enforcement officials, the Shin Bet sources add.

...

Among other incidents, for example, the full names of officials from the Shin Bet's Jewish Division have been published on Internet websites, and their wives and children have been harassed at work and school. Civil Administration officials involved in keeping tabs on building violations have also been harassed.

Shin Bet: Threat of settler violence against Israeli officials rising in West Bank

Earlier this month, Israeli settlers in the West Bank vandalized an Israel Defense Forces base on Wednesday, carrying out a "price tag" operation against the army for the first time since adopting the policy in recent years.

Unknown perpetrators infiltrated a base in the Binyamin region and snuck their way in to a mechanics workshop on site, where they slashed the tires and cut the cables of 12 army vehicles.

The vandals sprayed the word "price tag" on the walls, as well as other graffiti referring to the three illegal homes demolished by the IDF in the outpost of Migron on Monday.

Alex Ostrovsky, a 27-year-old resident of the Eli settlement near the West Bank town of Ariel, was arrested on Monday following suspicions he was behind the "price tag" operation.

At the court hearing, Israel Police officials said Tuesday that a substantial body of evidence has been amassed against Ostrovsky, linking him to what is considered the first so-called "price tag" operation directed against the IDF. The court remanded Ostrovsky for five days.

The Eli resident is a veteran activist in the "Garin Ha'arim Ha'ivriot" (The Seed of Hebrew Cities), a group which advocates the return of Jewish settlers to West Bank towns such as Nablus and Jericho.

Court remands Israeli settler suspected of vandalizing IDF West Bank base

Some are even suggesting that this could turn into civil war.

Israel's chickens, coming home to roost.

[luckytxn 2,264]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a lot of the blame for these acts. Him and his party are for more settlements. They know this is causing tension and escalating violence but care not one whit. In fact didn't Israel parliament give a new permit for 1100 new housing in a disputed area? If Obama wasn't so incompetent he could stop this on his own. No more support for Israel in any form.

[Golden Gate 530]

Miko Peled is the son of General Matti Peled, who was a leader in the 1967 war who also fought in the War of Independence in 1948. Like his father, Peled is an advocate for an end to the occupation of Palestine. As an Israeli, he offers an insider's perspective on just how far Israel has strayed from its democratic principles, and how it has created a society marred by racism and indifference to the suffering of others. His observations are now collected in a book, "The General's Son: The Journey of an Israeli in Palestine." In this segment, Miko Peled tells of his experiences as a young soldier in the Israeli army. He describes a confrontation with the same army on a recent visit to Israel and the West Bank.

Edited October 4, 2011 by Golden Gate

[Dan and Judy 614]

I think it would be a good idea for the Israeli goverment to restore or pay to have the Mosque restored

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has a lot of the blame for these acts. Him and his party are for more settlements. They know this is causing tension and escalating violence but care not one whit. In fact didn't Israel parliament give a new permit for 1100 new housing in a disputed area? If Obama wasn't so incompetent he could stop this on his own. No more support for Israel in any form.

Those permits were for Jerusalem so no big deal there. It will eventually be the capital of Israel once again as it should be. Tel Aviv is only temporary, like Bonn was for Germany before the reunification.

I think it would be a good idea for the Israeli goverment to restore or pay to have the Mosque restored

Agreed.

[mawilson 2,133]

Some are even suggesting that this could turn into civil war.

Dream on