Jerusalem: Israeli fascists celebrate in the name of the mainstream
This is the mainstream’s grovelling in the face of fascism and the adoption of some of its mannerisms. The coverage of the Jerusalem Day Flags march on TV news programs
By Rogel Alpher • Haaretz (Translated by Sol Salbe)
At the flag parade in Jerusalem hundreds screamed, “Death to the Arabs”, “May your village burn” and “A Jew is a soul — an Arab is a son of a bitch” [it rhymes in Hebrew]. A Palestinian was beaten while lying on the ground, Bottles and sticks were hurled at international and Arab journalists. Members of the racist Lehava organisation were waving their flags. And at the very same time, the news studios of Channels 12 and 13 were reporting that the event was going really smoothly, apart from a few minor incidents. Those incidents were so minor that it’s a shame to even mention them. And just how beautiful it is to see happy Jews dancing with the state flags in Jerusalem, the eternal capital of the Jewish people , or as Assistant Superintendent Sami Marciano, police commander of Kedem district — East Jerusalem, put it, “The event is excellent, the event is colourful, the fabric of the event is fully alive.” That’s right. The fabric is fully alive, including dozens of Palestinian businesses in the Muslim quarter that were forced to close, in order to ensure that “the fabric is fully alive”.
“Happy Jerusalem Day”, the Jews greeted each other in the studios, in what has become a new custom. A blessing that suddenly became commonplace, socially obligatory to say, almost like “Happy New Year”. “Happy Jerusalem Day,” they greeted each other with a smile, while a Palestinian was beaten while lying on the ground. Those who wanted to know about it and see photographic documentation had to search on social media or on the Haaretz website.
As far as the Israeli mainstream media is concerned, this is not news. This demonstration of nationalistic and racist Jewish supremacy, the whole purpose of which is to humiliate Palestinians and harm them, is not in itself news. Do you want news? Please take the Wailing Wall. And don’t forget to long for it. That is news.
In the symbolic heart of Israel’s capital city, a violent fascist march is taking place with the encouragement of the “Happy Jerusalem Day” media
These are terrible low moments for the TV channels. This parade is capable of turning any Palestinian into a terrorist. This is a fully-fledged fascist event. “Excellent event”, “colourful event”, really? It is a very serious, sickening matter. In the symbolic heart of Israel’s capital city, a violent fascist march is taking place with the exhortation of the “Happy Jerusalem Day” media. Expressions of fascist violence are hidden from the public in real time. The report hides vital facts and totally ignores the emotional, physical and material damage caused to the Palestinians. It is biased in favour of the “Happy Jerusalem Day” narrative on the scale of propaganda channels under a less than democratic regime.
This is the mainstream’s grovelling in the face of fascism and the adoption of some of its mannerisms; it’s an outrageous conformism, and the acceptance of messianic nationalism as proof of a lofty commendable patriotism. This is the message: the fascists celebrate, as an elite spiritual patrol, in the name of the mainstream — the viewers at home. It’s a symbiosis.
