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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
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| Jerusalem Diary: Monday 17 Nov | Jerusalem Diary: Monday 17 Nov |
| (3 days later) | |
| By Tim Franks BBC News, Jerusalem UNEXPECTED SUPPORT | By Tim Franks BBC News, Jerusalem UNEXPECTED SUPPORT |
| Every so often, I receive an email which prompts a double-take. | Every so often, I receive an email which prompts a double-take. |
| This was the top-line of a "media alert" from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, on 29 October at 2.14pm: | This was the top-line of a "media alert" from the Association for Civil Rights in Israel, on 29 October at 2.14pm: |
| The police don't want us to pray in the Tomb of the Patriarchs. This is not just a violation of our right to freedom of movement, but to political expressions and freedom to worship Yehuda Shaul "ACRI welcomes today's Supreme Court decision to allow a group of right-wing Jewish activists to demonstrate in Umm al-Fahm, an Israeli city populated almost entirely by Arab citizens." | The police don't want us to pray in the Tomb of the Patriarchs. This is not just a violation of our right to freedom of movement, but to political expressions and freedom to worship Yehuda Shaul "ACRI welcomes today's Supreme Court decision to allow a group of right-wing Jewish activists to demonstrate in Umm al-Fahm, an Israeli city populated almost entirely by Arab citizens." |
| The application to hold the march had been opposed by the police and a range of Jewish and Arab figures inside Israel. ACRI had swallowed hard and proclaimed that the right to free speech must be upheld. | The application to hold the march had been opposed by the police and a range of Jewish and Arab figures inside Israel. ACRI had swallowed hard and proclaimed that the right to free speech must be upheld. |
| One of the march organisers is Itamar Ben-Gvir. He is a fleshy and dishevelled man in his early 30s, a wry smile at the corner of his lips, his beard flecked with grey, his eyes creased behind crooked, thick-framed oval glasses. | One of the march organisers is Itamar Ben-Gvir. He is a fleshy and dishevelled man in his early 30s, a wry smile at the corner of his lips, his beard flecked with grey, his eyes creased behind crooked, thick-framed oval glasses. |
| A few days ago, I saw him in Hebron - the city in the West Bank populated by a few hundred Jewish settlers, several hundred Israeli soldiers, and 160,000 Palestinians. | A few days ago, I saw him in Hebron - the city in the West Bank populated by a few hundred Jewish settlers, several hundred Israeli soldiers, and 160,000 Palestinians. |
| Itamar was a little late for our meeting. He was taking the opportunity to berate a group of American rabbis. | Itamar was a little late for our meeting. He was taking the opportunity to berate a group of American rabbis. |
| The rabbis were part of a tour being led by Breaking the Silence, a group of Israeli former soldiers who, in their words, want to "expose the reality of the occupation". If Israel wants to be a modern country it must obey international standards and laws. It's not fair that both Jews and Arabs live in fear and anger each day! Paloma, Madrid, Spain class="" href="/1/hi/world/middle_east/7735350.stm">J'lem Diary 17 Nov: Your emails | |
| Itamar, who himself lives close to Hebron, does not appreciate the presence of Breaking the Silence, and was expressing his views volubly. | Itamar, who himself lives close to Hebron, does not appreciate the presence of Breaking the Silence, and was expressing his views volubly. |
| The tour leader, Yehuda Shaul, soon had another argument to contend with. He became embroiled in a finger-jabbing row with one of the 20 or so policemen surrounding the group. | The tour leader, Yehuda Shaul, soon had another argument to contend with. He became embroiled in a finger-jabbing row with one of the 20 or so policemen surrounding the group. |
| The commanding officer was refusing the group entry to one of Judaism (and Islam's) holiest sites, the Tomb of the Patriarchs. | The commanding officer was refusing the group entry to one of Judaism (and Islam's) holiest sites, the Tomb of the Patriarchs. |
| "You didn't give us advance warning, and it's for your own protection," the officer explained. | "You didn't give us advance warning, and it's for your own protection," the officer explained. |
| Yehuda Shaul insisted that the police had known, weeks in advance, that this group would be coming, and that a visit to the tomb was part of the tour. | Yehuda Shaul insisted that the police had known, weeks in advance, that this group would be coming, and that a visit to the tomb was part of the tour. |
| The police officer would not budge. Just before his group trudged off, defeated, to the tour bus, Yehuda turned to me and laughed at the irony. | The police officer would not budge. Just before his group trudged off, defeated, to the tour bus, Yehuda turned to me and laughed at the irony. |
| "These are rabbis, religious leaders from the American Jewish community. The police don't want us to pray in the Tomb of the Patriarchs. This is not just a violation of our right to freedom of movement, but to political expressions and freedom to worship." | "These are rabbis, religious leaders from the American Jewish community. The police don't want us to pray in the Tomb of the Patriarchs. This is not just a violation of our right to freedom of movement, but to political expressions and freedom to worship." |
| 'DEPORT THE ARABS' | 'DEPORT THE ARABS' |
| When Itamar Ben-Gvir was arguing his case in court for permission to hold a march in Umm al-Fahm, he used, as a precedent, the example of tours such as those organised by Breaking the Silence in Hebron. They are just as provocative, was his argument, in essence. | When Itamar Ben-Gvir was arguing his case in court for permission to hold a march in Umm al-Fahm, he used, as a precedent, the example of tours such as those organised by Breaking the Silence in Hebron. They are just as provocative, was his argument, in essence. |
| A racist is someone who comes and takes a stand in favour of the Arabs... who tells us, you are Jews and can't live in Hebron, but the Arabs can live in Umm al-Fahm Itamar Ben-Gvir Itamar does not just want to prove a point by holding a march. He also wants to deliver a message to the almost wholly Arab population of Umm al-Fahm. | A racist is someone who comes and takes a stand in favour of the Arabs... who tells us, you are Jews and can't live in Hebron, but the Arabs can live in Umm al-Fahm Itamar Ben-Gvir Itamar does not just want to prove a point by holding a march. He also wants to deliver a message to the almost wholly Arab population of Umm al-Fahm. |
| "The Jewish people don't have another country, and the Arabs have 21 countries. We have a small country, and from this they want to uproot us." | "The Jewish people don't have another country, and the Arabs have 21 countries. We have a small country, and from this they want to uproot us." |
| His wish is simple: "When you have a people that rise against you, kills you, massacres you, wants to take your home - you shouldn't let them stay. They should be deported." | His wish is simple: "When you have a people that rise against you, kills you, massacres you, wants to take your home - you shouldn't let them stay. They should be deported." |
| Most Israelis would disavow Itamar's views as racist. Is he? | Most Israelis would disavow Itamar's views as racist. Is he? |
| "A racist is someone who comes and immediately takes a stand in favour of the Arabs. This is the racism: those who tell us, you are Jews and can't live here (in Hebron), but the Arabs can live here and in Umm al-Fahm." | "A racist is someone who comes and immediately takes a stand in favour of the Arabs. This is the racism: those who tell us, you are Jews and can't live here (in Hebron), but the Arabs can live here and in Umm al-Fahm." |
| Later, on his return to Jerusalem, following his truncated tour of Hebron, I spoke again to Yehuda Shaul. | Later, on his return to Jerusalem, following his truncated tour of Hebron, I spoke again to Yehuda Shaul. |
| He agreed that Itamar Ben-Gvir should be allowed to march. But he said his tours and Itamar's demonstration are not comparable. | He agreed that Itamar Ben-Gvir should be allowed to march. But he said his tours and Itamar's demonstration are not comparable. |
| "We don't have megaphones, slogans, flags, banners," Yehuda said. "This is an information tour. We don't need a licence from the authorities. Anyone can come to Hebron: you can just get on Bus 160 from the Central Bus Station (in Jerusalem). And if the state can't protect us? Then they should use more police and soldiers." | "We don't have megaphones, slogans, flags, banners," Yehuda said. "This is an information tour. We don't need a licence from the authorities. Anyone can come to Hebron: you can just get on Bus 160 from the Central Bus Station (in Jerusalem). And if the state can't protect us? Then they should use more police and soldiers." |
| Send us your thoughts on Tim Franks' latest diary: | Send us your thoughts on Tim Franks' latest diary: |