Israel – The time has come to honestly admit that Israel is a sick society, with an illness that demands treatment, President Reuven Rivlin said at the opening session on Sunday of the Israel Academy of Sciences and Humanities’ conference on ‘From Hatred of the Stranger to Acceptance of the Other’.
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Both Rivlin and Academy President Prof. Ruth Arnon spoke of the painful and bloody summer experienced by Israel, and the resultant resurgence of animosity between Arabs and Jews that had escalated to new heights, with relations between the two sides sinking to a new low.
Referring to the mutual expressions of hatred and incitement, Arnon said that Jews, who in the diaspora had been exposed to anti-Semitism and persecution, should be more sensitive to the dangers of incitement. “But are we?” she asked.
Rivlin wondered aloud whether Jews and Arabs had abandoned the secret of dialogue. With regard to Jews he said: “I’m not asking if they’ve forgotten how to be Jews, but if they’ve forgotten how to be decent human beings. Have they forgotten how to converse?”
In Rivlin’s eyes, the Academy has a vital task to reduce violence in Israeli society by encouraging dialogue and the study of different cultures and languages with the aim of promoting mutual understanding, so that there can be civilized meetings between different sectors of society.
Rivlin urged the Academy to take on this challenge and to eradicate the violence which threatens to scar Israel’s image.
Education Minister Shai Piron was confident that differences can be overcome and cited his own family as an example. He grew up in a home in which his father was Sephardi and politically motivated towards the right, whereas his mother was Ashkenazi and politically motivated towards the left. And yet, he never detected any antagonism. He did not realize until he was an adult and went out into the world said, the extent to which differences can cause havoc.
The Education Ministry is starting a new heritage project he said, whereby Jewish and Arab youth, both religious and secular, will study side by side and learn each other’s traditions.
Historian, Professor Yehuda Bauer, noted that racism based on color is marginal in Israel. Racism in Israel is generally of a nationalist nature, he said. He was most concerned about religious racism and incitement which usually emanates from extremist fringe elements, but these are often the most violent and most dangerous he declared.
The most difficult task confronting the Academy Bauer pointed out was how to define incitement in relation to freedom of speech. He cautioned that freedom of speech must never be sacrificed on the altar of incitement. His own definition of incitement was when an individual or a group, through speech or written material harms and humiliates another individual or group, sparking others to engage in physical or psychological violence against them and even going so far as taking their lives.
Content is provided courtesy of the Jerusalem Post
Start with changing their charter.
The only way to converse with those who wish to destroy the Jewish people is with physical weapons and spiritual wepaons of Torah, tefillah, and tzedakah.
The Arabs have to accept that Israel is the Jewish heritage and be gierim toshavim and accept the sheva mitzvos.
I find President Rivlin’s comments very offensive. Israel is not a sick society. It is a society unlike any other in the world. Assailed by enemies from within and without, its very existence is under constant threat. Its people live under the gun. Literally. Considering the stress, Israel is a vibrant thriving nation. Thank G-d!
Who elected this nut to be president?
Unfortunate approach to Israel.
There may be sick communities, but as a society, Israel is whole.
Give him a break, though. He has not figured out that Israel needs a constitution.
When you deliniate rights, people can behave.
Duck before the goose.
Rivlin, speak for yourself, fool!
The only obvious part of Israeli society being sick, in my view, is the election of a president who would pontificate such a view.
Israel is NOT a sick society.
Rivlin is OBVIOUSLY A SICK ISRAELI!!
Glad we can all converse and disagree with President Rivlin respectfully.
“… by encouraging dialogue and the study of different cultures and languages with the aim of promoting mutual understanding, so that there can be civilized meetings between different sectors of society.” ‘The Prince of the Generation’ ‘The Lubavitcher Rebbe, MH”M ‘ was against interfaith dialogue. Other religions preach ‘Love You Neighbor…’ Let them practice it.
Are you all crazy? Not just “sick” but deranged? Israel is the ONLY country in the Middle East that encourages rights for women. Arabs have PREFERENTIAL rights over Jews – the benefits they get are staggering. In what other country can a member of Parliament call for the extermination of others in the same country? Where she extols the killing of Jews? And she is still an MK? Yes, there are problems, there are in every country (the US is doing so well, right??) but for this lunatic to spout off like this? He is supposed to support his country & defend it – and we are not guilty as charged!
Quite honestly, I think he should be prosecuted for treason. And we thought Peres was nuts & past it? I would gladly go back to his days of power.
If the Lubavitcher Rebbe was against interfaith dialogue, why do his followers keep trying to talk to Jews on the streets?
What a stupid comment from this clown!
What does he call a society that uses children as shields? Another society that crucifies and beheads people of another faith ? How about another society that uses chemical weapons on their own civilian women and children? How about another society that shoots girls in the back of the head for attending school? How about societies that suppress women and treat them as children? How about the all the neighboring societies that are actively and financially supporting these aforementioned societies?
“Physician, heal thyself.”