In Haredi Jerusalem neighborhood, activists distribute flyers attacking Zionism, the State of Israel and the draft law
Denizens of the predominantly ultra-Orthodox neighborhood of Mea-She’earim in Jerusalem received an unexpected boost this week when a group of self-described anarchists from a far-left organization toured the area, conversed with the local residents, and encouraged them to continue with their struggle against the Israeli government’s “oppressive” attempts to draft them into the army.
The activists distributed flyers Tuesday among locals and hung notices on neighborhood bulletin boards condemning Zionism and the State of Israel, and claiming that the plan to pass a universal draft law is undemocratic, the website Behadrei Haredim reported (Hebrew).
“We, as human beings living under the regime called ‘the State of Israel,’ recognize that the Zionist scheme carries no democratic validity,” read one sign which was styled to resemble a “pashkevil” – the Yiddish term for a poster pinned on a public bulletin board.
“We recognize that the Zionist ideal denies the equality of human beings and does so deliberately, and that the ultra-Orthodox community is among the communities harmed most by the regime.”
The banner went on to attack the government, stating that ultra-Orthodox groups now face “blatantly offensive, irrelevant and aggressive” verbal assaults by representatives of the “Zionist minority rule.”
“We wish to express solidarity and show our support of Haredi society with regard to the issue of forced recruitment into the army of Israel.” continued the sign. “Therefore, we seek to deeply dissociate ourselves with the horrible words of hatred aimed at Haredim, words such as “parasites” or “leeches.”
Residents of the ultra-Orthodox neighborhood reportedly reacted to the peculiar scene with surprise and suspicion, but welcomed the activists once their motives became clear.
The poster concluded by assuring its readers that the organization would continue to stand beside the ultra-Orthodox community.
“The way for different communities to coexistence in harmony is through joint work, and rest assured that we are prepared for it,” the sign read.
Earlier in May, a government committee tasked with resolving the issue of Haredi military service decided that ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers will be treated as criminals subject to imprisonment and not only fines as had previously been planned.
The dearth of ultra-Orthodox troops in the military has long been a thorn in secular-religious relations in Israel. In February 2012, the Supreme Court ruled that the Tal Law, which had granted sweeping exemptions from military or national service to ultra-Orthodox Israelis, was unconstitutional. Following the ruling, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced that the Knesset would draft a revised, more equitable law. The new coalition is working on such legislation.
–Times of Israel, 16 May, 2013
http://www.timesofisrael.com/ultra-orthodox-get-unexpected-support-from-anarchists/
More Background on Anarchists in Israel-Palestine
This is an extract from ‘The Anarchist Turn’ ©Jacob Blumenfeld, Chaira Bottici and Simon Critchley 2013 Pluto Press by kind permission of the publisher authorised for strictly limited use on the New Left Project website only. This extract is from Judith Butler’s contribution to the volume, Palestine, state politics and the anarchist impasse.
http://www.newleftproject.org/index.php/site/article_comments/anarchism_and_occupation_in_palestine
Anarchists in Israel, by Sam Dolgoff
Note: This article, from the book “Fragments: a memoir”, by Sam Dolgoff (Refract Publications, 1986) recounts a trip to Israel by Sam and his wife Esther, to meet the anarchists there.
http://flag.blackened.net/liberty/dolgoff-israel.html
Anarchists Against The Wall
Talking Anarchism and the Arab Uprisings with Mohammed Bamyeh
http://anarchistnews.org/content/talking-anarchism-and-arab-uprisings-mohammed-bamyeh
The Israeli–Palestinian Conflict and the Zionist Solution
USC Students for Justice in Palestine 