So, the Flag Parade in Jerusalem did take place yesterday. The new government did not see a reason to prevent this event from happening, never mind the possible consequences. Or maybe they didn’t want to prevent it from taking place, or didn’t dare. For now, the results are a couple of hundred dunams of burned land in the area around the Gaza strip, and a couple of arrested Palestinians in East Jerusalem, but that is a minor price to pay for such an impressive display of National pride. (At least if you don’t ask the people living in the Gaza strip area).
A couple of thousands of mostly young people waving Israeli flags, shouting anti-Arab slogans at the population, claiming their purported rights to all of the land and all of the City of Jerusalem running in throngs though the narrow streets of the Old City, harassing the Palestinians and knowing they are protected by a 2,000 strong police force. Watching their rampage on television I couldn’t help being reminded of youth in a different era, wearing black or brown shirts instead of white, waving different flags but shouting similar abuses at the “lower class” minions in their path and justifying their behavior as “being their right” and “this is our land”.
A somewhat refreshing note came from the new Israeli government, with Foreign Minister Yair Lapid condemning the anti-Arab epithets as “being not Israeli, not Judaism and not what our flag represents”.
While encouraging, (the previous government would never have talked about a nationalistic event in that way) one must wonder if Lapid is not fooling himself or is refusing to see reality. Anti-Arab slogans are not only being used by the incited fanatical young right-wingers that were taking part in the Flag Parade yesterday. Right-wing politicians including Netanyahu, on a regular basis talk about Arabs as if they are a nuisance that needs to be dealt with. And, while we do have a government now that consists of various parties, including left-wing and an Arab party(!), the fact remains that the majority of the Israeli population voted for right wing or orthodox religious parties and the only reason we do not have an ultra-nationalist government is the shared disgust with Netanyahu but not with his policies.
Is Israel descending into an abyss of nationalism, racism and fascism? The pictures of last night’s parade certainly would give that impression, and the planned multi-site Marches in the Occupied Territories planned for next week, only strengthen that worry. But fascism is not a grassroots movement. It is directed and controlled from above, and the fact that a racist like Ben Gvir was prominently present last night in Jerusalem indicates that he is well aware of the opportunities that a flag parade presents to further his racist ideas and the step from nationalism to fascism is a small one only. The fact that his party is now present in the Knesset with six well-known racist and nationalists indicates that the growing strength of their ideas and their provocative behavior in de Knesset and outside of it, with an emphasis on the Jewish card, may appeal to many. Events like the Flag Parade place individualism on a back burner, which is exactly the aim of their leaders: “Unite the People”, and in this case “Unite the Jews”, is the fastest and most efficient route to the nationalism they want and fear of the “other” will only fuel this nationalism. Except that, by that time it is already turning into fascism. Fascism and racism take root quickly and deeply, especially since it is perceived as enormously beneficial being a strong unity, of belonging to a superior entity.
It is very, very difficult to stop or root out once it has taken hold but all examples that history provides, show the disastrous violent end of episodes like this.
There is no way to know where Israel will be heading. Will it slide into the darkness of fascism or will it be able to pull itself up and rebuild the democratic society it was originally founded on?
The new government does appear to be a glimmer of light in the ever darkening days, but it will need to assert itself and not only talk about democracy and equality but also act upon it. The future of a Democratic, Humane Israel is at stake.
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