Helen Thomas and Hanin Zuabi

When I wrote my Helen Thomas story the other day, I still had fresh in my mind the stunning video below, of the Knesset’s treatment of Hanin Zuabi, a Knesset member on the Arab rights Balad list.

Zuabi was aboard the aid flotilla Israel raided. She had much to say about Israel’s raid, perhaps some of it intemperate.

We never got a chance to find out, though, because of the Knesset members urging her to "go", calling her a "traitor," telling her to "drink the sea of Gaza," and, in one case, attempting to assault her.

Not this parliament’s finest hour.

B’nai B’rith International was first out of the box to condemn Thomas, so I interviewed its director, Dan Mariaschin — who’s a good guy, a mensch — and I couldn’t resist asking him what I called the Beinart question. If he was ready to condemn Thomas here, why not the provocateurs in Jerusalem?

"Well, if one Knesset member," he began, and I interrupted, saying I hadn’t explained myself properly: It appears, if you watch the video below, that the whole blessed body is rising up against her, with the commendable exception of the speaker, Ruby Rivlin.

So here’s what Dan said:

I wouldn’t say that that response, it’s not warranted, but I don’t see where you can compare the two. That’s in Israel, this is a lady who is the doyenne of the press corps who for decades when she spoke, people listened.

We don’t have that rough and tumble (of Israeli politics.) There’s a code of civil conduct among press people, she crossed the line.

Dan’s insights never made the cut — the story was too long, I hadn’t asked other interlocutors the same question. So I was going to consign them to the dustbin.

Today, though, Ori Nir of Americans for Peace Now sent along the following by Boaz Okon, Yedioth Achronoth’s legal commentator. It serves as a kind of rebuttal to Dan’s case.

Helen Thomas is a correspondent for the Hearst News Service, and has covered the White House for decades.  She was documented calling on Israelis to "get out of Palestine" and go back to Germany and Poland.  She apologized almost immediately, but to no avail.  Public and media figures refused to treat this with equanimity.  The former White House spokesman demanded her dismissal.  A senior political commentator with whom she collaborated in writing books announced that he was ending the collaboration.  This peaked when the US president condemned her statements, calling them offensive.

We in Israel are very pleased.  After all, we are very sensitive to equality and injustice, and we have a sixth sense about the persecution of minorities.  As long as this refers to the shortcomings of others.  And what about us?  In the course of a debate over the flotilla events, MK Yohanan Plesner of Kadima shouted at MK Hanin Zuabi: "I suggest you go to Gaza for at least a week, and let’s see you talk there about women’s rights, human rights and civil rights.  One week in Gaza, and we’ll see what happens to you.  A 38-year old single woman, we’ll see how they treat you there."  MK Miri Regev of the Likud did not object to the attempt to debate using this winning argument, “a 38-year old single woman.”  She in her turn called out to MK Zuabi, adding in Arabic: "Go to Gaza, traitor."  MK Aryeh Bibi of Kadima also proposed that Zuabi get on an inner tube and sail on it to Gaza.

The Americans have freedom of speech.  They too have racism and ugly prejudice.  But they also have the voice of conscience.  Decent people do not ignore statements expressing racism or ugly prejudice.  They do not stand by idly.  They do not invent excuses, according to which there are expressions that can be said “in the heat of the argument,” from one’s “gut” or due to a “misstep.”

Helen Thomas is a private individual.  Nevertheless, she was compelled to resign.  Here, a cabinet minister did not resign after using the term "arabush" [derogatory term for an Arab—INT].  Here, anonymous letters are sent that use the phrase "dirty Arab."  This happens in the United States as well.  There too, there are cowards who write letters with nasty terms about Jews, Arabs, Asians and Blacks.  But there, the president will stand up and object to these phrases.  Other people will stop identifying with a person who speaks so freely.

Here in Israel, something is completely distorted.  The margins seek to take over the mainstream, and touches of apartheid become real stains.  Decent people must not stand by.  They must speak out.
 

Here’s the video.

Here’s a version with English subtitles that doesn’t quite capture the flavor of the whole melee:

H/t for videos: Richard Silverstein.