printNineteenth-century French writer Louis Veuillot produced this magnificent insight, illustrating the proclivities of certain peoples and cultures:
“When I am weaker, I ask you for my freedom, because that is your principle; but when I am the stronger, I take away your freedom, because that is my principle.”
This saying came to mind as I read about the plans of some Arab-Israelis to use that country’s independent, liberal judiciary to prevail against it:
“Israeli Arab political party Balad, recently banned from the upcoming general elections by Israel’s central elections committee, warned on Wednesday that if the court upholds the committee’s decision, the party will call for a boycott of the elections and establish an alternative Arab parliament.”
“Balad, like the northern chapter of Islamic Movement, have been seeking elections for the Higher Arab Monitoring Committee in Israel for some time now, thus essentially establishing an independent parliament.”
“The Central Elections Committee voted overwhelmingly in favor of the motions to ban the Arab parties on Monday, accusing the Arab parties of incitement, supporting terrorist groups and refusing to recognize Israel’s right to exist.”
Why is it that the government of Israel cannot see that the Arab population does not want to live in Israel? Why are they “hell bent” on their own destruction? It seems that regardless of who is elected it seems that this slow dance with destruction will continue. It truly boggles the mind.
Very frightening prospect for Israel. Indeed, there is something about Western democracies by which they tend to carry the seeds of their own destruction — much like America’s permitting of radical groups such as the ACLU to demolish its religious and cultural institutions and observances, one at a time. However, in Israel’s case the threat is more immediate and powers of magnitude more frightening — at least in the short run. In the long run, I suspect, liberty as our grandparents knew it — while it is now only faintly remembered by a few (how many remember being able to order guns through the mail?) — will soon be completely forgotten.